The Profound Celestial Tower felt faintly warm in his hand, giving Hong Yu a sense of intimacy, as if they were one.
Hong Yu smiled faintly, took out the Fiery Fla Vermilion Fruit from his robes, and murmured, "This is a Tier Two Spirit dicine, a Fiery Fla Vermilion Fruit. I'll feed it to you now, but you'd better perform well later!"
BUZZ!
The Profound Celestial Tower vibrated, seemingly cheering with delight. A faint black light radiated from it, pulling the Fiery Fla Vermilion Fruit directly inside.
Ever since the Tower God had awakened, the Profound Celestial Tower's appetite had grown larger and larger. Now, it wouldn't even react to ordinary dicinal herbs. Only Spirit dicine that was Grade-Entering or higher could catch its august eye. And by the looks of it, the thing's appetite seed poised to grow infinitely.
At this thought, Hong Yu's face twitched. He muttered, 'Spirit dicines are divided into nine grades. Right now, it's still willing to eat First-Grade Spirit dicine. If it gets tired of First-Grade and will only eat Second-Grade, Third-Grade, or even higher-grade Spirit dicine, where am I supposed to get those for it?'
As if sensing Hong Yu's frustration, Little One's lazy voice protested from within the tower, "Hong Yu, kid, don't you know how good you have it? Back in the day, countless people offered Seventh-Grade, Eighth-Grade, even Ninth-Grade Spirit dicines just for a scrap of my guidance, and I wouldn't even give them the ti of day! And you're actually agonizing over so First-Grade and Second-Grade trash?"
"..."
'First-Grade and Second-Grade trash?'
Hong Yu's eye twitched uncontrollably. Powerless to argue, he surrendered. "Fine, fine, whatever you say! Just hurry up and activate the Shadow Martial Space. I need to learn Feng Xue Xin's Body Technique and Spear Technique as quickly as possible!"
"No problem!"
Having received its paynt, Little One was willing to get to work, responding crisply.
In the blink of an eye, Hong Yu entered the Shadow Martial Space.
The Shadow Martial Space was now vastly different from before. In the past, when Hong Yu had secretly learned Middle-Level, High-Level, or Top-Level Martial Skills, the shadow inside the space had been pitch-black. But now, the shadow demonstrating Feng Xue Xin's wondrous footwork and Spear Technique was a pale cyan.
'Could it be that the Shadow Martial Space changes depending on the level of the Cultivation and Martial Skill being demonstrated?' Hong Yu speculated.
A thrill of excitent shot through him.
'If that's really the case, then in the future, once I've reached a high enough realm and witnessed those truly supre experts who stand above heaven and earth use their Martial Skills and Cultivation Techniques, won't I be able to copy and master them too?'
Just as Hong Yu was lost in his fantasy, Little One's ruthless reality check arrived right on ti. "Please, stop daydreaming! Activating the Shadow Martial requires energy to sustain. Those Middle-Level, High-Level, and Top-Level Martial Skills from before were all trash, so ordinary dicinal herbs were enough to provide the energy. But the higher the level, the more energy is consud. For example, this Body Technique and Spear Technique you're learning now belong to the lowest Mortal Level. Using the Shadow Martial to learn even the most common Mortal-Level Martial Skill already requires a regular First-Grade Spirit dicine. The energy consud for even higher-level Martial Skills and Cultivation Techniques is even more terrifying!"
Hong Yu was secretly speechless.
'The lowest Mortal-Level Martial Skill consus an entire First-Grade Spirit dicine? Then won't higher-level Martial Skills and Cultivation Techniques require Second-Grade or Third-Grade Spirit dicines? The Fiery Fla Vermilion Fruit the Profound Celestial Tower just devoured was a Tier Two Spirit dicine! If I sold that, I could easily get a million Gold Coins for it!'
As for Tier Three Spirit dicine, he had never even heard of one in all his years in Shishui City!
"Little One, what are the classifications above Top-Level Martial Skills?" Hong Yu asked, confused.
Little One said, "What you call Basic to Top-Level Martial Skills and Cultivation Techniques are, in the eyes of true experts, nothing more than introductory Spells. They can only be considered trash. Only techniques at the Mortal Level and above can truly be called Cultivation Techniques. Above Mortal Level, there are Spirit Level, Earth Level, Celestial Level, Divine Level, and Holy Level. Each of those levels is further divided into four minor levels: Basic, Middle, High, and Top. The Body Technique and Spear Technique that Feng Xue Xin mastered are rely the lowest of Mortal-Level Martial Skills!"
'So there are that many classifications above Top Level... I guess the Martial Skills I've seen before are like kindergarten textbooks on Earth, while everything above Top Level is like elentary school through university.' Hong Yu recalled how he had once coveted and longed for a Top-Level Martial Skill. To think he had just been drooling over a kindergarten textbook. He sighed. 'My perspective really has been too narrow! Once I've healed Yaoyao, I have to go adventure across the continent, broaden my horizons, and see the world!'
Reigning in his thoughts, Hong Yu began to carefully observe the cyan figure within the Shadow Martial Space.
The figure's feet flowed, each step imbued with a profound principle, making it look miraculous. Moreover, when the Shadow Martial Space demonstrated a Cultivation and Martial Skill, it always displayed the skill in its strongest, most perfected state. Every one of the cyan figure's steps was incredibly clear. If this had been a Top-Level Martial Skill, Hong Yu would have already learned it by now.
But the cyan shadow before him was demonstrating a Mortal-Level Body Technique. It took Hong Yu a full fifteen viewings just to get a slight grasp of it.
After thirty repetitions, Hong Yu could stiffly execute the entire Body Technique.
After fifty repetitions...
SWISH! SWISH!
Hong Yu could now barely keep up with the cyan figure's footwork. Though still unrefined, his current speed and agility had increased fivefold. His previous agility was already enough to look down on anyone in the Essence Realm; now, with a fivefold increase, he was likely on par with an ordinary cultivator at the Early-stage Earth Soul Realm!
'This Body Technique corresponds with the Seven Stars, so I'll call it the "Seven-Star Step"!' Hong Yu decided.
The Seven-Star Step was a low-grade, Mortal-Level Body Technique. For others, just reaching the entry level of this technique would take months or even years. Fortunately, Hong Yu had only obtained a portion of it, and with the help of the Shadow Martial, he was able to cultivate it to the Mastery Realm. As for the Spear Technique Feng Xue Xin had used to kill the Dominating Demon Ape, it was also a low-grade, Mortal-Level technique, and only a single move from a larger set.
'This Spear Technique is even more abstruse and difficult to understand than the Seven-Star Step. It seems its level should be higher than the Seven-Star Step!'
Hong Yu watched intently as the cyan shadow demonstrated the incomplete Spear Technique.
The cyan shadow had stopped performing the Seven-Star Step. With a flip of its hand, it conjured the phantom of a Long Spear. Holding the spear in one hand, it stood perfectly still, like a wooden post.
'The saying goes, "A day for the saber, a year for the staff, a lifeti for the spear." Cultivating a Spear Technique truly is sothing else,' Hong Yu mused.
He stared at the cyan Martial Shadow without blinking.
As he observed, Hong Yu gradually discovered so of the subtle changes in how the cyan Martial Shadow held the spear. A spear is usually held at its very end, which exponentially increases the load its weight places on the arm and wrist. Holding a spear steady might look simple, but it was in fact a profound skill.
This was not sothing that could be fully mastered just through the Shadow Martial Space; it required cumulative practice over days and months!
Hong Yu committed this to mory.
WHOOSH!
The cyan Martial Shadow finally moved.
Its arm shot forward, and the Long Spear let out a sharp cry as it split the air, thrusting violently ahead. As the Martial Shadow stabbed, its wrist quivered sharply. This tremor was extrely subtle; if Hong Yu's focus and attention hadn't been so concentrated within the Shadow Martial Space, he would have had a hard ti noticing this delicate technique.
BUZZ! BUZZ!
As its wrist trembled, a clever Dark Force was transmitted down the spear shaft. The spearhead's movents beca unpredictable, transforming into several afterimages. As the wrist's shaking grew more intense, the afterimages beca even more ethereal, finally materializing as a series of phantoms interspersed with solid spear tips—an attack identical to the one Feng Xue Xin used to kill the Dominating Demon Ape.
SWISH! SWISH!
The cyan Martial Shadow continued, demonstrating the move again and again.
At a certain point, the cyan Martial Shadow abruptly stopped.
Hong Yu had watched this attack a full one hundred tis. The cyan Martial Shadow moved sotis fast, sotis slow. Though it offered no verbal explanation, its vivid demonstrations allowed Hong Yu to gradually grasp the subtleties and essence of this Spear Technique. The Martial Shadow halted, the Shadow Martial Space shattered with a BOOM, and Hong Yu's consciousness returned to his body.
He had spent three hours in the Shadow Martial Space, the longest it had ever been sustained to date.
Every action and every detail of the cyan Martial Shadow replayed over and over in Hong Yu's mind.
He ntally rehearsed this profound technique.
SWISH!
Hong Yu, who had been sitting cross-legged, suddenly leaped up. He grabbed a wooden stick from a pile of brush that looked like the Dominating Demon Ape's lair and held it in one hand. With a shift of his body, he activated the Seven-Star Step. His figure moved with the agility of a dragon, carrying an elusive rhythm. Abruptly, the wooden stick in his hand shot forward in a thrust!
BUZZ!
The wooden stick shook and vibrated, creating more than a dozen afterimages, so real, so illusory, that sliced through the air!
BANG!
The stick slamd into the nearby stone wall. As the wood splintered, the powerful force blasted a huge pit more than half a ter deep into the rock. This was a stone wall that had been baked by the high heat of lava for years; one could only imagine its hardness. An ordinary cultivator at the Peak of the Ninth Level would have trouble even leaving a mark on it.
For his own strike to have such power, it was clear just how terrifying this move was!
'No, that's not right. The mont I struck, my wrist strength clearly couldn't keep up. It looks like I'll have to focus on strengthening my wrists from now on!'
Hong Yu picked up another wooden stick and continued to practice.
Once...
Twice...
Three tis...
...
As the number of repetitions increased, his understanding of the move improved by leaps and bounds, and he gradually grasped its essence.
He stood silently, holding the long stick, carefully sensing every minute change transmitted through its length. When the wind blew and the shaft swayed, his wrist had to use a subtle force to adjust its position. Although the stick was constantly moving, his clever application of force made it appear perfectly still and steady to an outside observer.
Suddenly, Hong Yu moved!
This ti, as he thrust, Hong Yu truly captured the essence of the Martial Shadow's demonstration. His feet, legs, waist, shoulders, arm, and wrist moved as one fluid motion. With his spirit highly focused, his wrist strength had increased considerably. Amidst a buzzing sound, the long stick produced nine afterimages, dreamlike and illusory, before it slamd into the stone wall once more with a BOOM.
BANG!
The stone wall exploded. This ti, a massive crater a full ter deep was left in the rock.
More importantly, despite the powerful explosion, the long stick did not shatter as it had the first ti. Instead, it was lodged firmly in the stone wall.
Imnse power, yet condensed into a single point!
This was the very essence of Feng Xue Xin's incomplete Spear Technique.
"Hahaha, I did it! I finally mastered this move!" Hong Yu pumped his fist in excitent.
After practicing over and over, he had finally perfected the move.
'With my current cultivation at the Late Ninth Layer of the Essence Realm, if I combine the Seven-Star Step and this Spear Technique, I should be able to put up a fight even against an expert at the Early-stage Earth Soul Realm!' Hong Yu stroked his chin, a glint of excitent in his eyes. He murmured, "The clan tournant is in four days. That's just enough ti to get back from here! And before the tournant, I'd better get my hands on a Long Spear. Otherwise, I won't be able to use that move, 'Destruction'!"
Destruction was the na of the Spear Technique he had comprehended from the move Feng Xue Xin had used!
He stored both Dominating Demon Ape corpses in the Profound Celestial Tower, especially the adult one from outside. That was a genuine Tier Two Desolate Beast!
With that done, Hong Yu sprinted away, heading back toward Shishui City!
A faint sense of anticipation and excitent stirred within him...
'At this clan tournant, I bet a lot of people are going to be scared stupid by , right?'
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