Later, although Old Master Howard was furious, the person who had secretly bought the book "Xuan Yuan Demonic Fire Break" was intimidated by the power of The Howard Family and voluntarily returned the classic. However, since the technique had already been leaked, that person must have secretly made a copy.

This incident enraged Samuel Howard, who personally beat Second Young Master Howard half to death, then announced that from now on, without his order, no one was allowed to enter the military classics library.

But in reality, Charles Howard and Grace Howard immediately received their grandfather's authorization, with only Edward Howard being excluded.

Now, Edward Howard had actually barged into the military classics library again. Samuel Howard's face instantly darkened: "What is this little bastard up to now? Is he out of money again? Didn't he just come up with the idea to forcibly seize merchants' property? Why is he back to covet the family's classics?"

Charles Howard sighed inwardly. Grandfather knew everything; there was no way to hide even the smallest matter of second brother from the old man.

Samuel Howard finished his porridge in one gulp, wiped his mouth, and strode out: "Just watch me beat this wretch to death!"

……

Edward Howard had already rushed into the military classics library. Originally, there were three hundred elite soldiers from the Wu Lie battalion, transferred by Old Master Howard, guarding the place, as well as four third-rank masters from Howard Residence stationed inside. But how could any of these people really dare to stop Edward Howard?

Even though Edward Howard was notorious as a good-for-nothing second-generation wastrel, he was still the bloodline of The Old Master. Stopping him was one thing, but no matter how hard The Old Master beat him, if someone else laid a hand on him, The Old Master would fly into a rage like a cat whose tail had been stepped on.

Especially these four third-rank masters—they knew very well that last night, although The Old Master appeared calm on the surface, he had secretly mobilized many experts to investigate the incident of Second Young Master Howard's injury.

In recent years, Old Master Howard had kept a low profile, and his temper seemed to have improved a lot. Such a large-scale mobilization of experts hadn't happened in four or five years.

Edward Howard ignored those trying to stop him and simply walked in on his own. He was certain that these people would never really use force, so although the way was not smooth, he still managed to enter the military classics library.

Afterward, he drove everyone out, closed the door, and sat alone in the library, finally letting out a slight sigh of relief.

In his previous life, he had always been cautious, with no background or family, living in a society where "sexual relations rotated," and even a little bit of power could oppress ordinary people so much that they couldn't resist.

In such an environment, who wouldn't be constantly looking over their shoulder, being extra careful?

William Howard was even more so. Just now, barging in without a care, he felt a sense of complete release, as if someone who had been curled up for too long suddenly stretched out—an indescribable feeling of comfort.

A thought stirred in his heart: perhaps in this life, he didn't have to live as he did in the last one. He could act as he pleased, face himself in the mirror, and as long as he was worthy of heaven and earth above and his family below, everything else could follow his will—living freely, repaying kindness and enmity with passion, and charging ahead without restraint!

……

He looked around. The military classics library covered a vast area, fifteen zhang long and ten zhang wide. Huge iron pillars stood upright, supporting steel beams overhead.

Around each iron pillar were six massive wrought-iron bookshelves, filled with thread-bound ancient books and many bamboo slips.

These huge iron pillars and bookshelves naturally divided the library into several sections. In the center of each section stood either a simple stone stele, carved with a technique passed down from ancient times; or a seven-story pagoda-shaped platform, stacked layer upon layer, with a legendary technique left by a supreme expert enshrined at the top; or a sturdy cage forged from deep-sea black iron, imprisoning a peerless demonic art that could drive people mad!

Old Master Howard had fought on battlefields for decades, served with integrity, and had no other hobbies except an obsession with martial arts. He collected techniques himself, and his subordinates, eager to please, contributed as well. Over the years, the The Howard Family military classics library had accumulated a vast number of martial arts techniques, each one priceless!

Standing here, Edward Howard felt as if the many profound martial arts skills were stirring something inside his body.

The novice monk's dharma image, lurking in one of his acupoints, slowly raised its head and opened its eyes, and instantly a golden light filled Edward Howard's eyes.

This was only Edward Howard's own sensation; to outsiders, his eyes showed no change.

Many of the classics seemed to "float" before his eyes, while others were as immovable as rocks in water.

Everything was clear at a glance!

Edward Howard had a sudden realization: his "clear at a glance" vision was probably a special skill brought by the novice monk's dharma image. The floating ones were those he could "strike" with his brick and wooden fish, while the immovable ones clearly could not.

This morning, when Edward Howard woke up, he suddenly thought that if the brick could strike the novice monk's dharma image out of the "Secret Research Sutra," what would happen if he tried it on other classics, such as martial arts techniques?

He had a few old books in his room, some miscellaneous Confucian essays, and Edward Howard had already tried them with no effect. But he was not discouraged, and without even eating breakfast, he had rushed straight to the military classics library.