Chapter 1164: Two Masters' Extraordinary Skills

Yan Xuehen felt an overwhelming urge to smash that guy's head in. The 'Treatise on Supreme Forgetfulness' was the White Jade Capital's most prized treasure, a skill countless people in the world yearned to learn but never had the opportunity. And he was worried that such a monumental opportunity would prevent him from spending time with his female companions later? What a lecherous scoundrel!

Nearby, Yu Yanluo smiled subtly. Zu An truly was a fascinating character. Having grown accustomed to the sanctimonious hypocrites in her past, she found his current frankness refreshing and remarkably endearing.

Yun Jianyue, gloating, added, "Kid, I really like your personality."

Yan Xuehen's face was frosty. Through clenched teeth, she said, "You don't need to worry about that. This incantation is only meant to help you suppress your killing intent. It's impossible for you to grasp the complete 'Treatise on Supreme Forgetfulness,' which countless geniuses in our sect have failed to comprehend over thousands of years, just from these few sentences."

Yun Jianyue also chuckled, "You are indeed overthinking it. The 'Treatise on Supreme Forgetfulness' is incredibly vast and profound; she couldn't possibly teach you all of it in such a short time. Just learn it without worry."

"Alright, I'll give it a try," Zu An said, nodding after a moment of hesitation.

Seeing his reluctant expression, Yan Xuehen felt a surge of irrational anger flare within her. But she was immediately startled. For years, she had cultivated 'Supreme Forgetfulness,' and her emotions had long been as still as an ancient well. Why was it that ever since she met him, her emotions were so frequently stirred?

Unable to vent her frustration on Zu An, she turned to Yun Jianyue with less courtesy: "I'm about to transmit the incantation to him."

Yun Jianyue scoffed, "Do you really think I'd be interested in your unethical cultivation method?" With that, she walked a short distance away and began to meditate, regulating her breathing.

Yu Yanluo naturally understood that Yan Xuehen wouldn't want her to overhear the sect's secret techniques. She smiled at the two of them, then walked to the other side to tend to her injuries.

Yan Xuehen felt a sudden pang of awe, thinking, 'She truly possesses a beauty that could topple kingdoms. No wonder this guy would risk his life to protect her.'

Realizing her thoughts were astray, Yan Xuehen quickly took a deep breath and said coldly to Zu An, "Before I transmit the 'Treatise on Supreme Forgetfulness' to you, I need to ask you something."

"What is it?" Zu An chuckled. "As long as the Sect Master asks, I will tell you everything I know without reservation."

"Oily-tongued," Yan Xuehen snorted. "Did you… did you cast some strange demonic art on me before?"

Zu An's heart skipped a beat. He thought she must have mostly sensed the effects of 'Love as Strong as Gold.'

"No, why do you ask, Sect Master?" Zu An feigned confusion. Only a fool would admit it now; otherwise, given Yan Xuehen's temperament, she would certainly turn hostile. How would they then work together to deal with the Scaled Death Worm? If he were to tell her, it would have to be privately, at a more suitable time in the future.

Carefully observing his eyes, Yan Xuehen wondered if she was overthinking things. Perhaps she hadn't been afflicted by any demonic art, but rather, through their repeated encounters, she had been attracted by his admirable qualities… Her heart pounded wildly, and she dared not continue the thought. She deliberately spoke in a cold tone: "Nothing, just a casual question. Now, I will transmit our sect's supreme secret art, the 'Treatise on Supreme Forgetfulness,' to you. You must not reveal it to anyone else, or I will cleanse the sect, no matter where you flee to, even to the ends of the earth."

Zu An, on the contrary, let out a sigh of relief. "You'll be the one to pursue and kill me? Then there's no problem, is there?"

Yan Xuehen: "???"

Zu An cleared his throat and quickly explained, "I mean, seeing you would definitely be far more pleasant than seeing those crusty old men from your sect. And of course, I certainly won't reveal it to anyone outside."

Yan Xuehen glared at him. "I am your master now; don't speak such nonsense!" Despite her words, she felt quite pleased in her heart to hear him praise her beauty.

"I haven't formally acknowledged you as my master yet..." Zu An mumbled.

"Focus, and commit this mental cultivation method to memory." She composed herself, then slowly began, "Forget emotions to achieve perfect impartiality; acquire emotion, then forget it. Be unmoved by feelings, undisturbed by affections. Heaven's utmost privacy, used for utmost impartiality. The essence of destiny lies in vital energy. The dead are the root of the living, and the living are the root of the dead..."

Zu An's eyes lit up. As she spoke, the surrounding aura fluctuated, as if profound laws were flowing within it. He quickly focused his mind, memorizing each phrase. Simultaneously, he carefully pondered its meaning, cross-referencing it with his existing knowledge, and gradually felt a sense of profound enlightenment.

Seeing his expression, Yan Xuehen knew he had comprehended a great deal. She was deeply gratified, thinking, 'This guy truly possesses extraordinary talent.' She then said, "This passage is the general outline of the 'Treatise on Supreme Forgetfulness.' Remember it well and ponder it often; it will be of great benefit to your future cultivation."

Zu An, however, was somewhat dismissive. The incantation was indeed incredibly profound, but if he pondered it too often and ended up as cold as she was, what would be the point of life? Of course, he dared not reveal these thoughts.

Yan Xuehen continued, "Your talent is exceptionally high; you've already grasped the fundamentals of the 'Treatise on Supreme Forgetfulness.' Next, I will teach you how to use this foundation to restrain the killing intent in your attacks."

"Stillness overcomes restlessness, coldness overcomes heat; purity and tranquility are the true path under heaven. The void is serene, utterly devoid of all things..." She then recited another passage of the incantation.

Yan Xuehen's long hair flowed, her white robes were like snow, and her entire being was as pure as crystal. Standing there, she truly exuded an ethereal aura. As she recited the incantation, Zu An felt a chill in his heart, and his agitated emotions quieted down considerably.

"Focus your mind!" Yan Xuehen noticed him staring intently at her. A faint blush flashed across her flawless cheeks, and she nervously glanced towards Yun Jianyue. Seeing that no one was paying attention to them, she finally let out a sigh of relief.

Zu An cleared his throat. "I think I've learned enough."

"You learned it so quickly?" Yan Xuehen asked, surprised. "Then try stabbing me with something."

"Won't it hurt you?" Zu An hesitated.

Yan Xuehen rolled her eyes. "I'm not asking you to stab me with *that* black dagger." Although she hadn't recovered her peak strength, her eyesight and spiritual perception remained sharp, making it easy to dodge his attacks.

"Alright," Zu An agreed without pretense. He drew a common sword from his Glazed Pearl and declared, "I'm going to stab now."

Seeing that he had deliberately chosen a common sword, clearly out of fear of hurting her, Yan Xuehen's heart warmed. "Good," she said, "Remember the method I just taught you."

As the incantations he had just learned surfaced in his mind, Zu An's eyes grew ethereal, and he slowly thrust his sword forward.

"Although it's much better than before you learned it, occasionally a wisp of killing intent still leaks out. Again," Yan Xuehen commented, easily dodging the strike.

Zu An thrust his sword again.

"This time, no killing intent leaked out, but your speed is too slow. When facing the Death Worm, even a moment's delay adds a variable. Again!" Yan Xuehen was indeed a masterful teacher, easily identifying the core of the problem.

And so, Zu An continued to stab, with Yan Xuehen constantly correcting his flaws.

"Stab me!""Harder!""Keep going, don't stop!"…

Hearing the sounds from them, Yun Jianyue's strange voice drifted over: "Why do you two sound like you're up to something scandalous?"

Yan Xuehen froze, realizing the double meaning in her recent words. Her usually icy cheeks flushed red like an apple. "You vixen," she fumed, "What nonsense are you spouting!" As she spoke, she was about to draw her sword and attack Yun Jianyue.

Yun Jianyue grinned and nimbly dodged to the side. "Your own words were a bit strange, weren't they? And now you won't even let me comment!"

Yu Yanluo, watching from the side, felt exasperated. 'How are these two Grandmasters bickering like little girls?' she thought, and quickly seized the opportunity to ask, "Zu An, how's your training coming along?"

"Thanks to Sect Master Yan's meticulous guidance, I should be fine now," Zu An replied.

Yan Xuehen then calmed down a little, regaining her usual composed demeanor. "Indeed, his talent is extraordinary; he can consistently suppress his killing intent in such a short time. However, there's still a problem: the Scaled Death Worm is covered in armor, possesses formidable strength, and is protected by a layer similar to a vital energy shield. Although his dagger is sharp, even if he manages to strike it, it might not inflict a wound."

This is why fierce beasts of the same level are often much stronger than human cultivators: their physical bodies are exceptionally powerful, and with dual protection, their resistance to attacks is far greater.

Hearing this, Zu An grew concerned. Although his 'Poisoned Dagger' was incredibly sharp and had successfully killed several Death Worms before, those were not the mother worm, and their strength vastly differed. Yan Xuehen had previously fought the mother worm. Her words indicated that she didn't believe he could break the mother worm's dual defenses relying solely on his 'Poisoned Dagger.'

At that moment, Yun Jianyue snorted. "You ice maiden, you don't need to provoke me. Even a stingy person like you has taught him a unique skill; do you think I, with such a good relationship with him, would still hold back?"

"Zu An, I'll transmit a unique skill to you: the 'Shattered Star Profound Seal.' It can instantly multiply your attack power tenfold. With your current cultivation, let alone that Death Worm, even if you faced the dog emperor, he'd find it difficult to emerge unscathed from your single strike, even if he didn't dodge!"