Ruyi Commerce Chamber, Scripture Room.
The young man held a book, but his gaze was focused on his interface.
[Points: 76]
[Cultivation Technique]
Willow Brushing Force (Yellow Level, Grade C) (0/4) (Uninitiated)
Previous techniques "Roaring Tiger Blade" and "White Snake Blade" conflicted, but now "Willow Brushing Force" did not conflict with "Xuanwu Force."
Why?
Song Cheng didn't quite understand, so he decided to cultivate this technique to Great Perfection first.
'60 points, Willow Brushing Force, begin diligent cultivation!'
He muttered silently.
With a thought, the progress of "Willow Brushing Force" instantly went from "Uninitiated" to "Perfection."
A mysterious feeling surged in his heart.
He was drenched in sweat, diligently training, relying on his extraordinary effort to cultivate this new technique step by step.
With the foundation of Xuanwu Force, cultivating "Willow Brushing Force" felt like getting twice the result with half the effort.
Xuanwu involved a twisting dual-force.
One pounce, one guard.
The pounce was swift and fierce, like a venomous snake hunting in the shadows of the night...
In simple terms, it was a continuous explosive force starting from the soles, driven by the waist, lifting through the spine, transferring through the arms to the elbows, then to the hands, extending to weapons.
Once pounced, the speed was beyond imagination. During an attack, if the blade struck, others wouldn't even have time to react and would still be talking, already dead. This speed was achievable only when the spinal cord, waist, and limbs were thoroughly connected.
The guard involved strengthening from the inside out, fortifying the body's surface.
It meant mobilizing the power of muscles and flesh to make the skin as tough as leather armor, so even if an ordinary person slashed with a knife, it would only leave a white mark at most.
"Willow Brushing Force," compared to the "White Snake's Pounce" and "Mysterious Turtle's Firmness," focused on "Stretching Force" and "Shake and Flick Force."
This type of force emphasized not "continuity," not "muscle hardness," but "sinews."
Simply put... ligaments.
Ligaments, like the strings of a bow, could unleash more internal power.
During his training, Song Cheng finally began to understand why "Willow Brushing Force" did not conflict with "Xuanwu Force."
Because... this was a kind of "inherited succession."
"Shake and Flick Force" emerged from the latter half of "White Snake's Pounce," much like... a venomous snake with a "rocket launcher" pounced from the shadows, further enhancing its strength and speed in the process.
Within the lamplight, the young man silently repeated this process in his mind.
Though lacking experience, the technique had finally reached Perfection.
Not only was it perfected, but a new mutation occurred.
Song Cheng glanced at his interface.
[Cultivation Technique]
Xuanwu Willow Brushing Force (3 Forces) (Yellow Level, Grade C) (Perfection)
[Skills]
Xuanwu Swallowing Sparrow (Yellow Level, Grade C) (Blade Technique) (Perfection)
With the integration of this new inherited force, both his cultivation techniques and skills experienced corresponding changes, as if a completely fitting new module had been added to the original system.
He then assessed his own strength.
The data directly shifted from "35~35" without weapons to "37~37."
The improvement wasn't much, but it felt like taking another step "at the top of the hundred-foot pole, with no path forward."
Subsequently, another line of information emerged:
Cultivation through the Hundred Tempering reveals marvels, and you have refined your power, further advancing toward higher realms.
"Xuanwu Willow Brushing Force" had a 4‰ probability of deriving a "Yellow Level, Grade B" technique.
...
...
Song Cheng closed the book, placed "Willow Brushing Force" back on the shelf, greeted the elder guarding the Scripture Room, and left.
Soon, Ling came over.
"Why did you stop practicing? Can't do it? If not, just say so earlier!" The maid was a bit angry.
Song Cheng smiled: "Miss Ling, I prefer cultivating in quiet places. Rest assured, I'll definitely reach Entry Level within a month."
"You'd better reach Entry Level." Ling muttered, then suddenly twisted her head urgently, causing her pigtails to sway. She stepped close to Song Cheng, entering "normal interaction range," pointed at him, and said, "Focus!"
Song Cheng asked curiously: "Is there an urgent need for skilled people?"
Ling replied speechlessly: "Urgent need for skilled people, can't hire? Adding one skilled person, what difference does it make? Oh well, I'll tell you... come, come..."
She gestured, and Song Cheng approached.
Ling whispered, "This is about having successors, a promising future.
Knowing that the Ruyi Commerce Chamber has a genius, that the genius grows rapidly, that the genius is a close confidant of the Young Miss, changes things, doesn't it? The Young Miss said, it's part of the plan."
Song Cheng asked curiously: "Am I... really that rare?"
Ling replied, "Isn't it because you came from the countryside? You haven't used resources, understand?
There are seventeen-year-olds achieving Great Achievement in the Power Realm, even sixteen-year-olds. It's said there are even younger ones in the State City, maybe even ten years old. But to reach this level without resources, without guidance... it's truly rare. That's why the Young Miss has high expectations for you."
Song Cheng said, "Just now, while reading 'Willow Brushing Force,' I was puzzled. Is there another Force Realm technique I could reference?"
Ling responded speechlessly: "Do you want to go crazy? Different techniques can't be mixed recklessly. Techniques that can be practiced together are the core secrets of factions."
Song Cheng persisted: "Then... how can I see other Force Realm techniques?"
He persevered because this concerned accelerating the development of a stronger technique.
Through the conversation with the Ruyi Commerce Chamber's Young Miss's maid, he understood one thing: Cultivation techniques are really rare. Powerful techniques are possessed by major sects.
Like that chief guard named Shi Yi in the Ruyi Commerce Chamber, he had remained stuck at the Force Realm due to a lack of techniques. It illustrated how invaluable higher-level techniques were.
Normally, Song needed to carve out a path through obstacles, showcase his abilities, find ways, infiltrate major sects, navigate incredibly complex relationships, strive to gain favor from high-ranking individuals, then perform various tasks, battling between life and death to receive "heavenly grace from high authorities," gaining opportunities to study higher-level techniques.
Then, it was a struggle to obtain resources. Cultivating advanced techniques required countless resources. Without carving a path through blood, stepping over the remains of others, being schemed against multiple times, how could one reach the pinnacle?
Thereafter, one continued to fight and advance, relentless in pursuit of power, acquiring more techniques and resources through combat.
Hmm...
That's the normal route.
However, this path was fraught with danger, a constant high-pressure environment without a single good day. Problems and enemies would swarm, giving no time to breathe.
He didn't want such a life.
It was more practical to deduce techniques on his own. Spending more time was acceptable, preferably in a peaceful place as a wealthy man, slowly evolving techniques in a place where "the highest danger and strongest enemies in the surrounding environment couldn't harm a hair on his head."
The living environment Song Cheng longed for was never to be "in the Trisolaris World as a Blue Planet person, desperately trying to catch up with Trisolaran technology," but rather to "study mecha, nuclear weapons, droplets, and two-dimensional foil in the primitive world of the Stone Age as if being an external primitive person."
And to deduce on his own, he needed more peer-level techniques, as well as experience.
"Miss Ling, I truly need Force Realm techniques."
Song Cheng thought for a moment and said, "What if I promise, if you let me see one more Force Realm technique, I can reach Entry Level with 'Willow Brushing Force' in just twenty-nine days?"
Ling was taken aback, then rolled her eyes.
Is he joking?
This person?
Song Cheng said, "Twenty-eight days."
Ling showed a look of impatience.
Does he truly think he's a genius?
Song Cheng said, "Twenty-seven days."
Ling turned to leave.
This person was utterly arrogant!
Song Cheng said, "Twenty-six days, twenty-six days. If I don't reach Entry Level in 'Willow Brushing Force,' willing to offer my head."
Ling: ???
Song Cheng gritted his teeth and suddenly made a leap: "Twenty days! The chamber needs a genius. And I need references from other methods to break through faster. If in twenty days I don't reach Entry Level, willing to offer my head."
Ling said, "Stop! How many heads do you have?"
Song Cheng said seriously, "Please convey to the Young Miss, my seriousness. And besides, twenty days isn't long, she'll soon see if I'm capable."
Ling thought for a moment and said, "Alright... I'll tell the Young Miss exactly that."