# Chapter 4: Dark and Windy Night
Cloud Roaming Body Technique.
Cape Sword Technique.
Star Chasing Arrow Technique.
The three manuals were all Yellow Rank Middle Grade, each worth ten taels of silver. Lu Tao had pledged his courtyard deed as collateral; if he failed to repay thirty taels within three months, the property would be taken.
But he barely gave it a thought.
Half an hour later, he had absorbed the contents of all three techniques.
Cloud Roaming Body Technique (0/1 Entry)
Cape Sword Technique (0/1 Entry)
Star Chasing Arrow Technique (0/1 Entry)
Creation Points: 164
"Add points to Cloud Roaming Body Technique."
Creation Points -1, Entry.
Creation Points -5, Minor Achievement.
Creation Points -10, Proficiency.
Creation Points -15, Major Achievement.
Creation Points -25, Perfection.
Cloud Roaming Body Technique (Perfection).
The surge of knowledge stabbed into his mind, sharp and painful, but Lu Tao had grown used to it. He rose and practiced in the room.
His figure blurred into shadow, weaving in and out, sometimes high, sometimes low, darting left and right without pause. It was almost like Lingbo Weibu from the tales—fluid, unpredictable.
Creation Points: 108
Fifty-six points gone in a blink. Lu Tao frowned. Still two techniques remained. He chose to complete the Star Chasing Arrow Technique first.
When the panel settled, it read:
Name: Lu Tao
Cultivation: Body Refinement (Mid Stage)
Cultivation Techniques: Cape Sword Technique (0/25 Perfection), Thunderbolt Fist (0/3 Minor Achievement), Man Bull Body Refining Skill (Perfection), Cloud Roaming Body Technique (Perfection), Star Chasing Arrow Technique (Perfection)
Skills: Lu Family Hammer Technique (0/3 Minor Achievement)
Creation Points: 21
He headed to the courtyard, cut down a bamboo pole, and bound it with cloth to make a crude bow.
Bow: 0/1 (Inferior Longbow. A child's toy. Half-draw range: 2 meters. Full-draw? Impossible.)
He forged rough arrows, bamboo shafts capped with hastily hammered heads.
Arrow: 0/1 (Inferior Arrow. Fragile, barely usable. A child's plaything.)
Lu Tao: "..."
The System's mockery stung, but he pressed on. The first test shot shattered the arrow on impact—yet when he repaired it, the panel reappeared.
Arrow: 1/1 (Upgradable)
"Upgrade both."
Bow: 0/10 (Ordinary Longbow. Elastic, capable of 50 meters full-draw range.)
Arrow: 0/10 (Ordinary Arrow. Weak material, noisy flight, easy to dodge.)
Encouraged, he pushed further.
Minutes later—
Bow: 0/1000 (Entered Rank, Ninth Rank Low Grade. Arrows reach 500 meters with max speed of 300 m/s.)
Arrow: 0/1000 (Entered Rank, Ninth Rank Low Grade. Lethal and tough enough to pierce flesh.)
Lu Tao's eyes lit up. Almost the speed of sound—like a pistol shot. Against ordinary martial artists, even Skin Refiners, this was lethal.
But he wasn't satisfied.
Grinding experience relentlessly, he pushed another breakthrough.
Bow: 0/10000 (Ninth Rank Medium Grade. Arrows can reach 1000 meters with max speed of 600 m/s.)
Arrow: 0/10000 (Ninth Rank Medium Grade. Pierces walls with ease.)
"Faster than a bullet… Wang Jinshan, how will you dodge this?"
His smile was cold.
Creation Points: 34
He maxed the Cape Sword Technique next.
Cape Sword Technique (Perfection)
A shield of swirling wind, airtight and defensive.
Name: Lu Tao
Cultivation: Body Refinement (Mid Stage)
Cultivation Techniques: Thunderbolt Fist (0/3 Minor Achievement), Man Bull Body Refining Skill (Perfection), Cloud Roaming Body Technique (Perfection), Star Chasing Arrow Technique (Perfection), Cape Sword Technique (Perfection)
Skills: Lu Family Hammer Technique (0/9 Major Achievement)
Creation Points: 9
As the iron in his forge cooled, he glanced at the darkened sky.
"A dark and windy night. A night for murder."
He washed away the medicinal odor, dressed in black, masked his face, and stored his weapons and valuables inside the System. Then he slipped over the courtyard wall, silent as a shadow.
If he succeeded tonight, he could remain in Da Feng Town. If he failed, the perfected Cloud Roaming Body Technique would let him vanish into the night and return someday for revenge.
He moved like a ghost. In moments, he stood at Wang Jinshan's courtyard wall, peering through a wooden window. Inside, Wang Jinshan sat cross-legged, eyes closed, focused on cultivation.
"Perfect."
Lu Tao drew his bow to a half-moon, exhaled slowly, and loosed.
Whoosh.
The arrow tore through the wooden window with a hiss.
"Hmm?"
Wang Jinshan's eyes snapped open, danger prickling his instincts. But the arrow was too fast. The sound and impact came as one.
Pfft.
The shaft punched through his neck, carried his body against the wall, and kept going. Blood sprayed as he collapsed, staring in disbelief.
Lu Tao stepped inside, pulling down his mask.
Wang Jinshan's lips trembled, forming words. "It's you…"
No voice followed, only wet gasps. His eyes twisted with rage and unwillingness. Even at death's door, he tried to curse Lu Tao.
Lu Tao only watched, face unreadable. There was no guilt. Wang Jinshan had slaughtered innocents. His fate was deserved.
Moments later, Wang Jinshan's body stilled.
Lu Tao searched the house, but found only medicine bottles and a few taels of silver.
"Embezzled so much of my money, and this is all? Typical gambler."
He collected what little remained, reclaimed his arrow—its experience had increased by 100—and slipped away.
By the time the Axe Gang noticed something wrong, the forge at the Lu household was already alive again, hammer ringing steady into the night.
Clang. Clang. Clang.
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