【Painting the Vermillion Face】
"What method?" Chen Ling's eyes lit up.
"Do you know that the 【Rank】 of the 【Path of the Sovereign】 is floating?"
"I know." Chen Ling nodded, "Second 【Senior Sister】 told me that the 【Path of the Sovereign】 doesn't have a fixed 【Rank】. His 【Rank】 depends on the strength of the people who submit to him."
"That's right, the key lies here."
Ning Ruyu continued, "The link between 'Monarch' and 'Subject' ignores distance. That is to say, as long as there is someone in the world loyal to him, no matter how far apart the two are, this strength boost will take effect...
But this kind of link cannot ignore time."
"Cannot ignore time?"
"A dynasty has the monarch and subjects of that dynasty. But if one day, the monarch and the subject are separated into two different times, then this link will break... A subject who has lost their monarch is a 'remnant of the former dynasty', and a monarch who has lost their subjects is a 'lonely king without followers'."
The reason why he displayed 【Fifth-Tier】 strength within the 【Timeline Save File】 is because he found new 'Subjects' in the 【Timeline Save File】?"
"That's what it means. Moreover, from the time the 【Save Point】 started running until now, not many hours have actually passed in that era. No matter how capable he is, it's impossible to accumulate several 'Subjects' in a short time..."
"There is a high probability that there is only one 'Subject' behind him." A glint of light flashed through Chen Ling's eyes. "As long as we deal with that 'Subject', he will lose his power and can be easily killed."
Ning Ruyu shrugged,
"Theoretically, it's like this... but I still don't recommend you go in right now."
"Why?"
"To be able to allow the 【Emperor】 to obtain 【Fifth-Tier】 【Combat Power】, the 'Subject' behind him should also be 【Fifth-Tier】. 【Little Junior Brother】, you are only 【Third Tier】 right now. How are you going to fight two 【Fifth-Tier】s?"
Chen Ling opened his mouth, but ultimately couldn't find the words to refute.
"So saying this, I can only wait?"
Ning Ruyu looked at him deeply, hesitating to speak, and ultimately shook his head.
At the same time, the two had already walked to the door of 【Third Senior Brother】 【Wenren You】. As soon as they pushed the door open, they smelled a rich aroma of food.
"Ruyu ah, didn't I, your Master, tell you to let 【Old Six】 finish class earlier?" Master, holding a rice bowl, said somewhat helplessly, "Now that 【Old Six】 isn't here, this kid 【Third Brother】 refuses to serve the dishes..."
【Wenren You】, who was busy in the 【Kitchen】, glanced at the living room and spoke sullenly:
"It's clearly because you came too early yourself..."
Master had indeed arrived early. Except for 【Clown】, who was more active than him when it came to eating and was currently sitting in a chair drooling eagerly, 【Mo Jue】 and 【Luan Mei】 hadn't arrived yet.
"Yi ya!"
Seeing Chen Ling arrive, 【Clown】 bounded over and gave him a "pa" high-five, which was considered a greeting.
Through getting along in the Red Dust 【Main City】, 【Clown】 and Chen Ling were already extremely familiar with each other. Even during Chen Ling's normal classes, he would grip the corner of the wall to observe, jumping and clapping from time to time. The atmosphere could be said to be fully hyped up.
After Chen Ling and Ning Ruyu sat down, it wasn't long before 【Mo Jue】 and 【Luan Mei】 pushed the door open and entered one after another. Everyone began their daily dinner.
"By the way, how is 【Old Six】's basic skill practice going?" Master took a few bites of rice, seemingly remembering something.
"【Singing】, 【Speaking】, and 【Acting】 have already been learned, and the secret methods have been basically mastered. Right now, only the 【Fighting】 secret method is left unlearned." Chen Ling answered.
"Learning the 【Fighting】 secret method can easily carry the risk of life-threatening danger. I plan to let 【Little Junior Brother】 learn it a bit later." Ning Ruyu explained, "However, 【Little Junior Brother】's basic skills are absolutely solid."
Hearing this, Master nodded slightly,
"Not bad, even faster than I expected... Since the foundation has been firmly laid, it's also time to start teaching you 'that'."
Hearing this, the other senior brothers and sisters seemed to have thought of something, and their eyes lit up.
"That?"
Chen Ling froze for a moment, then said, "Is it the 【Theatre Dao Secret Method】?"
Chen Ling bowed and entered the 【Ancient Vault of the Drama Path】 exactly to learn the rumored 【Theatre Dao Secret Method】. According to Master, this secret method could dispel the 【Bewilderment】 in his heart, and even in the future, help him resist the 【Divine Path Backlash】...
Chen Ling would not forget the images he saw through the 【Mirror of True Self】... That 【Bewilderment】 hiding deep within his consciousness, enough to swallow all his spirit and reason, was just like a time bomb, possible to detonate at any time.
This secret method, Chen Ling absolutely had to learn.
"That's right."
Master put down his bowl and chopsticks. A rare seriousness and strictness emerged in his eyes,
"Now your basic skills are solid enough, and you have already found an 'anchor point'. You can try to unlock this secret method... Unlike the four major basic secret methods of the 【Theater Dao】, this is a unique secret method created by me, your Master, and it is also the essence summarized from my entire life's experiences."
Towards the other four major basic secret methods, Master's attitude had always been casual. To be suddenly so solemn now was enough to prove the weight of this secret method.
"This secret method, was it created by Master himself?" Chen Ling was somewhat astonished.
He had always thought that the existence of secret methods was an extension of the 【Divine Pathways】. For example, the 【Requiem Ballad】, 【Cloud Step】, and 【True Word】 he had learned now all corresponded to the basic skills of opera. But Chen Ling indeed hadn't considered the possibility that a secret method could be self-created.
"It was indeed created by Master himself." 【Mo Jue】 nodded slightly. "Moreover, even we haven't learned this secret method."
Hearing this sentence, Chen Ling was even more shocked,
"None of the senior brothers and sisters have learned it?"
Ning Ruyu, 【Luan Mei】, and the others looked at each other and shook their heads helplessly.
"Indeed we haven't."
In Chen Ling's impression, these five senior brothers and sisters were already existences at the apex of the 【Path of the Actor】. Their talent naturally went without saying. Furthermore, they were the 【Disciple】s who had followed Master the longest. In terms of friendship, it was impossible for Master not to teach them...
Just when Chen Ling was deeply puzzled, Master chuckled lightly:
"Of course they don't need to learn it. Because the inspiration for this secret method came from them."
Chen Ling froze in place.
Master's self-created secret method, the inspiration... actually came from the senior brothers and sisters?
Chen Ling felt it was somewhat strange. No matter how he looked at it, the logic of this sentence didn't seem to flow smoothly. After all, it was always the master teaching the disciple. Since when did the master learn from the disciple?
More and more doubts occupied Chen Ling's mind. His interest in this secret method grew increasingly rich, and he couldn't help but ask:
"What exactly is this secret method?"
Master paused for a moment and slowly spat out four words:
"——【Painting the Vermillion Face】."