Not long afterward, Ling Feng had mastered the movement techniques of Rapid Light Step, and then he opened the secret manual of Nine-layered Sea Suppressing Fist.
Shortly, Ling Feng finished scanning the content of the damaged manual and slowly closed his eyes, clearing his mind of distractions.
Due to the incompleteness of the Fist manual, the difficulty of comprehending it was significantly higher than that of the Rapid Light Step.
Ling Feng activated the First Divine Pattern of the Heavenly Dao, raising his comprehension to the extreme, and gradually entered a state of meditation.
After a long while, Ling Feng opened his eyes, which flickered with sharp brilliance.
With a swift motion!
He rose up, swinging his fists, generating wind and dust, and the moves of the Nine-layered Sea Suppressing Fist unfolded one after another.
The first style, New Moon Emerging from the Deep Sea!
The second style, Cang Yue Gu Chang Kong!
The third style, Great River Accompanying Tides!
…
The eighth style, Hanhai Thousand Feet!
With a sweep of the Fist Edge, a vigorous wind whirled around him, a fierce killing intent surged, creating an immensely thick Fist Radiance, tearing through the hurricane, thundering forth, clearing thousands of feet in a wide sweep, with a momentum that seemingly obliterated thousands of miles.
"There's still the ninth Killing Move, Jiao Long Zhen Canghai, which is elusive to comprehend."
Ling Feng stopped swinging his fists and stood firm, slowly exhaling a breath of turbid air. He had successfully restored the first eight moves, but the last one still required further insight.
However, with nine days remaining, Ling Feng was not in a hurry.
"Just practicing the eight styles of the Nine-layered Sea Suppressing Fist once almost depleted most of my True Qi, indicating that this Fist Technique is indeed not simple."
Ling Feng once again sat cross-legged, clearing his distractions and circulating the Asking Immortal Qi Refining Technique to recover his True Qi before continuing to refine his Fist Technique and movement techniques.
Thus, he repeated until nightfall, with profound seas of clouds and stars filling the sky, when he finally returned to the Bamboo House, planning to consolidate the Human Dao Divine Pattern and enhance his cultivation.
The moon was high in the sky, a full round moon.
As soon as Ling Feng returned to the Bamboo House, he found Duanmu Qingshan sitting cross-legged in the courtyard, surrounded by a swirl of dark green evil aura, with a hint of greenish aura floating on his face.
His brows were deeply furrowed, seemingly enduring great pain.
Ling Feng looked up and realized that it was indeed the night of the full moon.
During the full moon, the yin energy between heaven and earth is at its strongest. Duanmu Qingshan, who had long contended against the Sword Qi within his body, had long accumulated Yin Cold Energy that eroded his internal organs. When the Yin energy peaked, naturally, the Cold Energy erupted.
"Damn, I was so engrossed in cultivation that I completely forgot." Ling Feng quickly leapt to Duanmu Qingshan's side, his hands flying as he immediately took out a set of Golden Needles from his embrace and embedded twelve of them into Duanmu Qingshan's back, barely managing to suppress the Yin Cold Energy.
"Master, how are you feeling?" Ling Feng supported Duanmu Qingshan, asking with concern.
"Hehe, an old problem. I thought the medicine you've been giving me these days would prevent another outbreak, but it seems..." Sweat was streaming from Duanmu Qingshan's forehead.
Ling Feng helped Duanmu Qingshan up and assisted him into the Bamboo House, then found a cushion for him to sit on. After taking his pulse for a moment, he said gravely, "Master, I was too optimistic before. I didn't expect that the internal injury inside you was so severe."
Ling Feng frowned and slowly said, "I originally thought that with my prescription and monthly acupuncture sessions, I could completely eradicate that hidden injury. However, that hidden injury can still provoke the explosion of Cold Energy during a full moon, gathering strength anew. No matter how formidable my Acupuncture Technique is, it's simply impossible to permanently eliminate that hidden injury."
Duanmu Qingshan shook his head and smiled bitterly. "I've long given up hope on that matter, at least your medicine can extend my life for a few more years, which is enough."
"Master, rest assured, I have a way to solve the problem of the cold poison." Ling Feng hurriedly said, "We just need to find the Moon Spirit Flower, which can suppress the cold poison in your body. As long as the cold poison doesn't erupt for a few months, and the hidden injury in your Dantian is eradicated, the minor cold poison won't be a problem for me at all."
"Moon Spirit Flower?" Duanmu Qingshan frowned and pondered for a moment, then his eyes suddenly lit up, "This flower only blooms on the night of the full moon, hence it is called the Moon Spirit Flower. I remember now, on the cliff behind Xingyun Peak, there are such Spirit Flowers."
"Behind Xingyun Peak?" Ling Feng touched his nose, realizing that tonight was a full moon. If he missed tonight, he would have to wait another month.
"Alright, I'm going now!" Ling Feng glanced at Duanmu Qingshan and said solemnly, "Master, wait here for me, I will be right back."
Duanmu Qingshan hurriedly stopped Ling Feng, "No, I can't help you with the Sect Leader Token right now, just in case…"
"There are no just in cases, I will be careful." Ling Feng smiled faintly. Since the Moon Spirit Flowers only bloom on the night of the full moon—which is also when Duanmu Qingshan's cold poison would surely erupt—he had to take the risk no matter what.
Duanmu Qingshan felt deeply moved in his heart, and after giving Ling Feng a deep look, he suddenly remembered something and hastily opened his Storage Ring. A flash of light appeared, and a pile of pale cyan Light Wings floated in front of Ling Feng.
"Your cultivation isn't enough to cast True Qi Feather. This Magic Treasure, called Qinling Light Wings, can carry you aloft, consuming far less True Qi than True Qi Feather, and it's also much faster."
Duanmu Qingshan taught Ling Feng the mnemonic needed to activate the Qinling Light Wings and then said through clenched teeth, "You must be very careful, you are my last hope!"
"Don't worry, Master!" Ling Feng nodded firmly.
His own life was still needed to go to the Yan Family in the Eastern Capital to retrieve the second half of the "Supreme Mysterious Acupuncture Scripture" and unravel the mystery of his own origins. No matter what, he couldn't die!
"Then I'm off."
Ling Feng grabbed the Qinling Light Wings, turned, and rushed out of the Bamboo House. Following the mnemonic Duanmu Qingshan had told him, he channeled his True Qi into the wings.
The wings began to flap automatically, attaching to his back as if they were a part of him. They flapped rapidly, carrying Ling Feng up into the air.
"I'm really flying!" Ling Feng felt a thrill of excitement as he looked in the direction of Xingyun Peak and soared off.
The night was deep and quiet, and the disciples of the Martial Arts Sect typically meditated in their rooms at night, so there were hardly any people moving around outside.
This provided an opportunity for Ling Feng to take advantage of the night and fly directly to Xingyun Peak.
The light from the Qinling Light Wings was so dim that, under the night sky, it resembled a firefly, unlikely to draw anyone's attention.
Ling Feng rushed to the top of the mountain behind Xingyun Peak and then leaped downward.
His body fell rapidly as he scanned the cliff sides searching for any trace of the Moon Spirit Flower.
The Qinling Light Wings continued to flap behind him, stabilizing his flight through the air. He scrutinized every crevice and cliff face carefully.
Suddenly, a thick fog appeared. Ling Feng flapped his wings to break through the fog, searching for about seven and a half minutes.
"Hmm?"
Ling Feng's eyes brightened, and in the fog ahead, he could see a soft, moon halo-like radiance—the light emanating from the Moon Spirit Flower!
"Found it!"
A thrill of joy filled his heart, and with powerful strokes of his wings, he flew towards the Moon Spirit Flower. Indeed, nestled in the crevices of the cliff, there was a small, moon-white flower. Its halo was soft, emitting a faint mist.
"There you are!" Ling Feng held his breath, reached out his hand to pluck the Moon Spirit Flower.