48 Phoenix Rebirth (1/2)

Shi clan, Logistics Hall, the next day.

Ding!

Shi Li tapped on the bell as the plan he made last night surfaced on his mind.

'First, go to the Logistics Hall to receive my rewards, then go to the Clan Library to grab the secret technique, and then hunt,' Shi Li repeated this statement multiple times as a man came up to the counter with a smile on their face.

”What can I help—oh! If it isn't Shi Li!” The man said his usual greetings before stopping mid-sentence as he exclaimed in surprise.

Shi Li smiled back and bowed respectfully to the man in front of him. ”Greetings Master.”

”Hahaha! Even though I didn't really tell you to call me Master, it was gonna happen eventually right?” the man chuckled. ”Anyways, if you still want to call me Master, we'll go through a formal ceremony, as for now, calling me Senior Yan is fine.”

”Okay then Senior Yan,” Shi Li corrected himself. ”I've come here to claim my rewards from the tournament.”

”The first prize right?” Senior Yan smiled and looked at him as if he knew this was going to happen. ”Give me a moment.”

He then went to the storage room as Shi Li stood in front of the counter, waiting for the pills. But since there was an awkward silence in the hall, Senior Yan decided to engage in a conversation with Shi Li as he shuffled through the items in the storage room.

”You're going to the Clan Library after this right?”

Shi Li's eyes twitched in surprise before answering, ”Yes Senior Yan. I plan to grab the secret technique from the clan library afterwards. Anyways, how did you know I was going there Senior?”

”Call it intuition,” Senior Yan couldn't help but smile as he continued to rummage through the shelves. ”Anyways, since I'm your 'Master,' you should listen to my words, okay?”

Shi Li was somewhat confused at first but agreed to what Senior Yan said. He knew the basic rule of respecting elders after all. ”I will follow what Senior Yan says.”

”Good, good! You'll possibly become someone great in the future when you listen to me!” Senior Yan laughed. ”Anyways, you must be wondering what secret techniques are, right?”

Shi Li was taken aback from surprise. He then nodded even though Senior Yan wasn't in front of him. ”I've been wondering about it ever since I was first place in the tournament. Is it stronger than auxiliary techniques?”

”Well that's a given! That's why they're called secret techniques, they hold immense power...which is why clans and sects hide them for their own usage, which makes them secret techniques. Secret where that certain clan or sect knows the technique,” Senior Yan answered with a slightly harsh tone.

He then continued with a calmer tone. ”Anyways, secret techniques are not only better than auxiliary techniques, they're also better than martial techniques as well. Think of it as a triangle where martial and auxiliary techniques exist on the bottom half and secret techniques exist on the top half.”

Shi Li gained even more knowledge after listening to Senior Yan's lecture. ”So that means secret techniques are the best techniques to cultivate?”

Senior Yan shuffled a bit more through the shelves before answering with a doubtful tone. ”Well...yes and no. Secret techniques are incredibly strong since it allows you to fend yourself off against those at higher realms for a while, but most of the time, they come with a huge price...vital blood, cultivation realm, attribute, you name it, a secret technique's gonna take it away.”

Shi Li shuddered slightly after hearing Senior Yan's answer. He remembered Shi Kuai's [Lightning Burst] skill and saw how it took away a part of his attributes in exchange for strength. He didn't really want to trade that away, nor his vital blood...or anything really.

”Well with that taken care of, you gotta pick a special secret technique in our clan library. It's not useful to me anymore, but for you who's going out hunting afterwards, I'm sure you're gonna need it,” Senior Yan continued as he grabbed three certain pills from the storage room.