However, there were no techniques on the ninth floor of the Secret Arts Pavilion that caught his eye anymore. Keeping an extra ninth-floor token was useless—it was just a form of insurance.

"Oral Condemnation Technique" was rather peculiar. According to its description, this technique condensed one's essence, energy, and spirit into sound to harm others. With a single utterance, the listener's body would explode—killing without lifting a finger, just by speaking.

"Isn't this basically the legendary Buddhist Lion's Roar from Earth? But the Lion's Roar is honestly too ugly—mouth wide open, looks terrifying. The Heavenly Demon Zither of the Six-Fingered Zither Demon is much more stylish."

Charles Baker opened "Oral Condemnation Technique" to study it, his expression growing increasingly grave.

"Oral Condemnation Technique" was not really like the Lion's Roar, which killed by sound shock. Instead, it was a method of transforming qi into sound, stirring the momentum of heaven and earth, provoking the enemy's seven emotions and six desires, disrupting the flow of their qi and its connection to the world, causing their strength and emotions to fall into utter chaos and lose control, leading to internal conflict of vital energy and, ultimately, self-inflicted injury.

"Haha, isn't this basically cursing someone to death without taking responsibility? I like this. But without the 'One Word Sutra' as a foundation, I don't know if I can master the 'Oral Condemnation Technique.'"

Charles Baker was enamored with the "Oral Condemnation Technique" and immediately began practicing according to the cultivation method recorded within.

As Charles Baker circulated the technique, the blazing white phantom of the Ancient Emperor of Ten Directions flickered over him, as if the sound of the Great Dao was flowing from his mouth.

"Why hasn't he come out yet?

It's already been two days. He can't really be practicing Moon-Slaying Slash in there, can he?"

The old man looked at the heavy stone door of the training room with a strange expression.

The techniques on the ninth floor of the Secret Arts Pavilion were all top-tier among their level—profound arts that couldn't be mastered in just a few days. Most people memorized them and then practiced slowly on their own. Who would stay in the training room for two whole days?

As the old man was sizing up the stone door, it suddenly opened. Charles Baker, holding two secret manuals, walked out.

"Son-in-law Baker, how did your training go?"

The old man took the manuals and put them back under the crystal cover, asking casually.

"I managed to master one of them, I suppose."

Charles Baker replied offhandedly.

"You mastered one?"

The old man was stunned, but then thought perhaps Charles Baker had grasped the basics of the Moon-Slaying Slash, so he said, "Son-in-law Baker, you truly have great talent—to master the Moon-Slaying Slash in just two days."

"No, I mastered the Oral Condemnation Technique."

Charles Baker had already reached the exit of the ninth floor, answered casually, and walked out of the Secret Arts Pavilion.

"Mastered...

the Oral Condemnation Technique?"

The old man stood there, unsure if Charles Baker was serious or joking. He opened his mouth to ask, but Charles Baker had already left the ninth floor.

"Brother-in-law, you made me wait so long.

I haven't seen you come out at all—I've been waiting outside the Secret Arts Pavilion for two days now."

As soon as Charles Baker stepped out, he saw Emily Grant pouting and coming up to greet him.

"Why were you waiting for me?"

Charles Baker asked with a smile.

"Brother-in-law, stop teasing me.

Didn't we agree to go hunt monsters at Mirror Lake together?

We were supposed to leave yesterday, but you never came out. I had to beg everyone to wait another day. If you didn't come out today, we really would have left without you. Hurry up and come with me!"

Emily Grant grabbed Charles Baker's arm and started pulling him toward the west gate.

"The little sister-in-law is dragging her brother-in-law away—what's going on here?"

Being held by Emily Grant, Charles Baker could feel the soft touch on his arm and couldn't help but feel a bit lightheaded.

Although he knew Emily Grant was not a simple woman, her stunning beauty made it hard to refuse her outright.

Besides, Charles Baker didn't take the clever Emily Grant too seriously, so he wasn't afraid to go with her.

"As expected of a Saint-grade Scholar—so busy and important. Son-in-law Baker, you really made us wait."

Outside the west gate, seeing Emily Grant holding Charles Baker's arm, Henry Miller's expression changed slightly as he spoke in a sarcastic tone.

Chapter 14: Demonic Scar

"Since you know I'm busy, stop wasting my time with nonsense. Can we leave now?"

Charles Baker had always been the type to yield to gentleness but not to force, even back on Earth.

"Are you really that full of yourself?

You actually think you're a Saint-grade Scholar?

Let me tell you, even if you get the Saint-grade True Fate Dao Seal, whether you can become a Saint-grade Scholar is a matter for the future. Right now, you're just a rookie scholar without even a first-grade, and you haven't even learned any techniques.

If we really run into monsters, without our protection, you wouldn't even know how you died. So much for being a Saint-grade Scholar—you'd just end up as a pile of crap in a monster's belly."

Henry Miller snorted angrily.

"People with different paths can't work together."

Charles Baker turned and walked away.

"Henry Miller is just venting, brother-in-law. Don't take it to heart. What's important is hunting monsters together."