I Am a Rune Engraver, Carrying a Knife Makes Perfect Sense-Chapter 18 - The Battle Art!

—

“The Battle Art? What’s that?” Xu Shen asked, puzzled.

“You wouldn’t know even if I told you,” the old man replied with a smirk. “It’s the foundation of my strength!”

He turned and walked to the old TV in the living room, giving it three firm taps.

Click…

Suddenly, a sound echoed from the adjacent room. Since there was no door between the living room and the room next to it, Xu Shen immediately saw a passageway appear in the floor.

“Holy crap! You’ve been hiding this all along?” Xu Shen exclaimed, eyes wide with surprise. He’d been to this rundown house countless times and never suspected there was a hidden passage.

The old man said nothing, simply striding into the passage. Xu Shen hurried to follow.

They walked for about a minute before being greeted by a blinding light. Xu Shen was stunned to find himself in an underground space as large as two basketball courts.

The vast chamber was entirely white, with nothing inside except some training equipment and a massive white stone standing in the center. Its purpose was unclear.

“You... dug this out beneath Yuan City?” Xu Shen asked incredulously. “Aren’t you worried ghouls might break through here?”

Ghouls often invaded cities by tunneling through the ground.

“With me here, nothing can get through,” the old man replied calmly, despite his blindness. For a moment, Xu Shen almost believed the old man was a Shadow Soul powerhouse.

“You brought me here to teach me this Battle Art?” Xu Shen inquired.

The old man nodded slightly before removing his shirt to reveal his lean, wiry frame. He walked toward the center of the chamber.

“Kid, explaining too much won’t help you understand what the Battle Art is.”

“I’ll show you myself—watch closely!”

Visit frёewebnoѵel.ƈo๓ for the b𝘦st novel reading experience.

The old man moved further away, his blind eyes seeming to glimmer with light. He stood silently as strange waves of energy began radiating from him.

Suddenly, he let out a low growl, clenching his fists tightly!

BOOM! BOOM!

In an instant, a powerful shockwave erupted from his emaciated body!

The force was so intense that Xu Shen staggered backward, nearly losing his balance.

What happened next left Xu Shen gaping in disbelief.

Black mist began pouring from the old man’s thin frame, swirling around him like a storm!

His once-dry muscles filled out, becoming taut and powerful.

At the same time, intricate patterns emerged on his skin!

“Those are... Mountain Runes!” Xu Shen recognized them immediately, narrowing his eyes at the unique markings on the old man’s body.

Mountain Runes were among the most demanding earth-element runes to engrave, requiring immense physical strength to bear their weight. They were also exceptionally powerful—some of the strongest runes known!

It looked as if countless towering mountains surrounded the old man, majestic and shrouded in mist, exuding an overwhelming sense of pressure.

Every movement he made seemed like a mountain shifting, sending tremors through the air!

“Activate!!” The old man roared, his voice echoing like thunder!

In response, the Mountain Runes flashed brilliantly as his aura surged higher and higher.

The black ghostly energy that had enveloped him vanished in an instant, replaced by a torrent of golden energy!

This golden energy flowed around him like a river, forming a radiant halo.

Standing within it, the old man appeared like a war god—his once-hunched posture now commanding and imposing!

His eyes seemed to glow with golden light as he glared fiercely at Xu Shen.

A suffocating aura of violence emanated from him!

“This...” Xu Shen gasped in shock. He could feel that the old man’s power had increased significantly.

“The Battle Art enhances your body’s synergy with your runes,” the old man explained. “It keeps you at peak condition and pushes your combat skills to their limits!”

“Now—hit me with everything you’ve got.” The old man folded his arms behind his back and watched Xu Shen calmly.

Without hesitation, Xu Shen unleashed his full power.

His Weapon Rune flared to life as his cultivation technique roared within him, blood energy surging like thunder.

The sheer force of his aura made even the old man’s expression flicker slightly.

“Where did this kid get such a legacy?” he wondered silently as Xu Shen’s punch came crashing toward him like an explosion!

The old man remained unfazed, extending just one finger.

BOOM…

The impact sent shockwaves rippling through the chamber.

Yet the old man stood unmoved—like an unyielding mountain against which Xu Shen’s fist shattered uselessly.

“It felt like hitting solid rock,” Xu Shen thought ruefully as pain shot through his hand.

“See? I can block your attack with just my body,” the old man said proudly. “But that’s not all there is to it!”

“Watch closely!” he shouted again before unleashing another roar!!

BOOM! BOOM!

The entire underground space shook violently as his aura expanded once more!!

Veins bulged on his forehead while muscles strained under immense pressure.

SPLAT! SPLAT! SPLAT…

Suddenly, several bloody streaks erupted from his body...

“Holy crap! Holy crap!!” The old man howled in pain as his aura collapsed—his form rapidly withering back into its previous state.

He clutched at several wounds on his body while crying out pitifully...

Xu Shen scowled darkly. “This is the Battle Art? More like Bleeding Technique...”

Despite his words, he couldn’t deny feeling that momentary surge of power when witnessing the old man’s display—like being targeted by some primordial beast.

The old man slapped at his wounds to staunch the bleeding while grumbling irritably: “I’m not young anymore—my body isn’t what it used to be.”

His voice carried a hint of melancholy as he spoke.

“So this so-called Battle Art maintains peak combat strength?” Xu Shen asked thoughtfully after recalling what he’d seen earlier. “And it can break through certain limits?”

“Pretty much,” the old man replied between labored breaths. “You’ll understand once you practice it—it’s quite formidable.”

“If it’s not considered a cultivation technique... can ordinary people learn it?” Xu Shen wondered aloud. If Xu Dong and Xu Xia could learn it too, they’d have some means of self-defense.

But the old man quickly dashed those hopes: “Dream on—only body cultivators can practice this stuff. Regular rune users can’t handle it; ordinary folks would explode trying.”

He shot Xu Shen a glare with his cloudy eyes that seemed almost sighted.

“Fine,” Xu Shen sighed inwardly before sitting down in front of him with renewed seriousness.

“Why teach me? And what’s your connection with Jiang Ruyue?”

He couldn’t believe anyone would pass on such valuable knowledge without reason—after all, even when he’d first learned from this old man, he’d had to provide food every month in exchange for those few moves.

Now he was being offered something far more precious—surely there had to be a motive behind it all...

The old man fell silent for a moment before speaking softly: “You don’t need to know about Jiang Ruyue or me—it doesn’t concern you.”

“As for why I’m teaching you... hehe...” He chuckled suddenly.

“I want revenge. Since you’re already on this path, you’re bound to clash with the Cheng family.”

“If you survive long enough and gain enough power for revenge—I’ll be right there with you.”

“Of course, if you die along the way—that’s none of my business. No one knows I’m here anyway.”

“So get stronger—I’m investing in you.” The old man grinned toothily at him.

His blunt honesty left Xu Shen momentarily speechless—but also strangely touched...

He regarded the old man intently for several seconds...

His feelings toward him were complicated...

When he’d first arrived here years ago—it was Uncle Wang who’d helped settle him and his siblings down...

And this old man had given him what he needed to survive on East Street...

Though he wasn’t sure if the old man knew it—when he’d killed that human trafficker outside town years ago—he’d noticed fresh bruises on its abdomen...

It seemed likely that someone had beaten it before he finished it off...

If Uncle Wang was like half a father—then this old man was both mentor and friend...

“Even if you didn’t teach me—if I ever have enough strength—I’ll help you,” Xu Shen said quietly...

The old man paused briefly before standing up abruptly without another word...

Leaving only one parting remark:

“Idiot.”

“Be here tomorrow morning.”

As they left together afterward—Xu Shen headed back home while pondering everything they’d discussed...

Long after Xu Shen departed—the old man sat alone on his sofa...

Eventually reaching for an ancient radio on the table beside him...

Pressing several buttons until a sweet girl’s voice filled the air:

“Daddy! Daddy! When will you take me to the amusement park?”

“Daddy—I miss you!”

“Daddy—when will you come home...?”

He listened silently with head bowed low...

Tears fell onto weathered hands as he cradled that radio tenderly against himself...

“Daddy misses you too...”