"However, I must warn you, sir, that all three of these battle energy cultivation methods are purely for health preservation and longevity. Once mastered, they provide no combat effectiveness against opponents. They are suitable for family inheritance and cultivation, not for battle. Even at their highest level, they only reach the second tier."
Morgana cautioned.
"Health preservation techniques, and only two tiers... Are there no true martial battle energy cultivation methods?" Napoleon frowned slightly.
"There are... but such battle energy methods mostly belong to established schools and academies. Even if I gave them to you, sir, would you dare practice them?" Morgana's beautiful eyes glinted with a hint of mischief as she looked at Napoleon with a slight smile.
Napoleon fell silent for a moment, then smiled as well.
"Indeed, I would not dare practice such methods. Once academy battle energy cultivation techniques are leaked, it becomes a blood feud that never ends."
"It's good that you understand, sir. Of course, there are also some lesser-known battle energy cultivation manuals, but compared to these three, those require extremely long periods of practice with less significant results. They're not as worthwhile as these three."
Morgana was impressed that Napoleon immediately acknowledged his limitations. In front of a beauty like her, almost all men would unconsciously develop a competitive spirit and desire to appear strong, wanting to show their powerful and heroic side no matter what.
Yet Napoleon could say "I dare not" with an unchanged expression—this was not something ordinary people could manage.
"Your three battle energy cultivation methods don't quite meet my requirements," Napoleon said in a deep voice.
"Master Napoleon, please don't refuse so hastily. You must know that battle energy cultivation manuals are not like cabbages—available whenever you want them," Morgana smiled sweetly.
"Right now I happen to have these few volumes, purely by chance. In the future, it's uncertain whether I'll still have any..."
Napoleon didn't understand her meaning.
"Can't manuals be copied multiple times for repeated sales?"
"That's what people say, but what I sell here are all unique copies—originals," Morgana said confidently.
"Is this truly the case?" Napoleon's heart stirred.
"Of course it's true. That Shadow Force manual, Master Napoleon, you'd best not practice it. Not only is the technique incomplete, but it's also a fragmentary version passed down from over a hundred years ago. Finding the complete continuation is virtually impossible."
Morgana advised.
Napoleon pondered for a moment.
"I wonder, does Miss Morgana have any other manuals? I don't need originals—copied versions would be fine. How about one hundred silver crowns per manual?"
Morgana's expression remained unchanged, maintaining her gentle smile.
"Is Master Napoleon truly so obsessed with combat techniques?"
"Yes, I am actually a combat techniques fanatic," Napoleon answered earnestly.
Morgana looked at him with interest. The two stared at each other for a moment, then she suddenly burst into laughter.
"Since that's the case, then cash on delivery."
"One payment, one manual. I'll take the Ravencrest Combat Codex."
Napoleon casually selected one volume. He withdrew a bank note from his sleeve—this was his last remaining money. Once spent, he would have nothing left.
Morgana accepted the bank note without even looking at it, tucked it into her sleeve, and placed down the Ravencrest Combat Codex.
"Then I wish Master Napoleon swift mastery of his combat techniques."
"Thank you for your good wishes."
Napoleon rose to escort her out.
He accompanied Morgana to the main gate, watched her board her carriage, and saw it slowly depart. Only then did Napoleon breathe a slight sigh of relief.
He didn't know why, but every time he faced Morgana, he felt a subtle sense of wariness.
Though she appeared to be merely a frail woman who seemed to know no combat techniques, he just felt something was wrong.
Watching the carriage slowly travel away until it disappeared at the end of the street and could no longer be seen, Napoleon finally turned around.
Holding the Ravencrest Combat Codex in his hands, Napoleon hesitated briefly, then decided to first examine this battle energy cultivation method before anything else.
---
Oxenfurt City Hall
In the square-shaped compound of the city hall, the courtyard directly faced the main chamber. The ground was paved with white stone bricks that reflected slightly dazzling light in the sunlight.
Inside the courtyard, the main chamber was supported by over ten vermillion pillars holding up a red roof.
On both sides of the chamber stood two rows of ceremonial staffs, all painted red for authority.
Lord Mayor Bartholomew Sterling sat in the main chamber with furrowed brows. Behind him hung a massive banner displaying the city's coat of arms—a ravencrest soaring with outstretched wings.
Below, two people stood on each side, totaling four individuals.
They were the heads of the Blackwood, Ashford, Bonaparte, and Goldwin families respectively.
These four families represented the vast majority of commercial and industrial power throughout Oxenfurt.
Lord Marcus Bonaparte was one of them.
He wore a gold-embroidered merchant's vest and a red jade gentleman's hat, constantly stroking the fine beard on his chin while keeping his eyes fixed intently on the mayor seated above.
Including the mayor, all five men remained silent.
Garrett "The Iron Fist" Blackwood, the head of the Blackwood family, was a muscular, bald elderly man. His family controlled and led all the taverns, exclusive nightclubs, music halls, and gambling establishments throughout Oxenfurt. He possessed the strongest influence among the four.
Seeing no one speak first, he grimaced and broke the silence.
"Lord Sterling, you asked us to find people and search for things, and we sent our people to search, thinking it was just a small matter.
But now over ten of our people have gone missing in succession—this is a matter of life and death.
If this continues and you still won't speak the truth, don't blame us for withdrawing our cooperation."
Lord Marcus Bonaparte was determined to remain silent.
The other two family heads seemed to have the same intention.
Mayor Bartholomew Sterling frowned deeply and sighed heavily.
"The things, the people—these are orders passed down from above. I have no choice in the matter.
Moreover, strange incidents have been occurring continuously these past few days, both inside and outside the city. I've had the abbot of the Holy Light Cathedral perform religious ceremonies, but to no avail.
The wandering knights I hired have gone and never returned—whether they fled or... The case at Riverside Village is still unresolved.
I've called you four together to see if any of you have good solutions.
After all, Oxenfurt is everyone's Oxenfurt."
The three other family heads, including Lord Marcus, still said nothing.
But Garrett Blackwood let out a cold laugh.
"Let's set aside the matter of finding people for now—we'll simply stop that effort.
As for the other matters, since Your Lordship has no solutions, I happen to have hired a master of exceptional skill to investigate. But it would be unreasonable for my family alone to bear the compensation, wouldn't it?"
"If he's truly a master who can solve these cases, I'll give him the entire bounty," the mayor immediately confirmed.
"My family will contribute one thousand silver crowns in support."
"Same here," another family head quickly responded.
Lord Marcus hurried to speak up: "I'll contribute the same."
The final family head also followed suit: "One thousand crowns from me as well."
"Good, so the Thornton family case now has someone to handle it, but the Riverside Village case..." the mayor began worrying again.
"Riverside Village... isn't that the widow drowning case? Can't it simply be decided according to imperial law?" the Ashford family head said indifferently.
"If only it were that simple. The problem is that now even the widow's body cannot be found—there's not even a drop of blood at the bottom of the well.
Yet many people in the village swear they witnessed the widow jump into the well with their own eyes. We did indeed find footprints by the wellside..."
The mayor shook his head.
"Troubled times indeed..." Lord Marcus observed this scene with slight melancholy in his heart.
Thinking of the terrified expression on his old friend's face before death, his heart suddenly clenched.
---
Bonaparte Manor
In the bedroom, Napoleon sat cross-legged on his bed, mind focused, following the method described in the Ravencrest Combat Codex. He began visualizing a ravencrest creature in his chest, poised for flight, constantly beating its wings and gathering strength, yet never quite taking off.
After practicing the breathing technique for a while, Napoleon slowly opened his eyes and took out the Ravencrest Combat Codex from his sleeve, opening it to look.
On the first page was a clear hand-drawn illustration of a ravencrest creature poised for flight. The posture of straining to soar gave one a slightly oppressive feeling.
Napoleon stared at this illustration for a moment, then immediately closed his eyes again, continuing to visualize the ravencrest creature in his chest.
He repeated this process three times.
The light outside the window gradually dimmed.
Petite came to call him for dinner several times, but Napoleon declined each time, keeping his door tightly shut as he continued sitting on his bed.
The ravencrest creature he visualized became increasingly realistic and vivid.
When evening had just fallen and darkness began to set in, Napoleon suddenly opened his eyes.
Whoosh...
A breath of stale air rushed forcefully from his mouth.
He took a deep breath and clearly felt a thread-like sensation, thin as an ant, had appeared in his chest. It slowly rotated within his chest cavity, forming a simple oval.
This oval rotated clockwise, very slowly and gently. Without careful attention, one could barely detect it.
Napoleon relaxed with exhaustion, quickly calling out silently in his mind:
"Gold Finger Enhancement System."
Immediately, the modifier interface appeared before his eyes.
In the dark gold modifier interface, below the Black Tiger Blade Techniques entry, another line of small text had appeared:
'Ravencrest Battle Energy Method: Novice Level.'
"I need to hurry."
Napoleon quickly began concentrating, pressing the modify button before this energy sensation could disappear.
As the button was pressed, the entire Gold Finger Enhancement System interface flashed once.
Napoleon quickly focused his attention on the Ravencrest Battle Energy Method.
"Advance one level!" he commanded silently.
The status of the Ravencrest Battle Energy Method suddenly jumped.
From novice level, it advanced to initial mastery in one leap.
Napoleon paused, feeling a gentle stream-like thread suddenly appear in his body, slowly flowing from his chest down toward his lower abdomen.
Between his chest and lower abdomen, an oval circuit formed. These thin threads of cool qi continuously flowed between the two points.
"Initial mastery achieved... it seems the physical burden isn't too severe."
Napoleon considered for a moment, then again concentrated his attention, imagining the Ravencrest Battle Energy Method advancing another level.
Cough cough!!
Suddenly he felt an itching dryness in his throat and began coughing violently.
A wave of irritating heat rose from his lower abdomen, surging to his heart. Napoleon immediately felt parched and dry-mouthed.
"No good—my body's yin essence is depleted! Advancing the Ravencrest Battle Energy Method too quickly also damages the body, though not as severely as the Black Tiger Blade Techniques."
Napoleon released his mental focus, allowing the system interface to gradually fade away.
"So this is battle energy cultivation?"
He stretched out his legs and slowly got down from the bed.
Carefully sensing the battle energy of the Ravencrest Energy Method continuously circulating between his chest and abdomen, he found it fascinating.
"It feels like there's an extra thread inside my body."
Napoleon tried to control this thread, discovering that it couldn't be directed to other areas—it could only cycle in a fixed pattern between his chest and abdomen.
During this circulation of battle energy, he clearly felt his breathing had become much easier, and his mental energy was more vigorous.
"With the battle energy method at initial mastery level, let me see..." Napoleon took out the codex to examine the recorded information.