Hi guys,
Sorry for the late update. I've been busy these days.
Hopefully I will be able to make up for it later.
***
Chapter 10: Vast and Mighty
The next morning, May 7th.
After breakfast, instead of going to hunt monsters, Shen Mu began practicing his spear in the small courtyard. Shen Mu was practicing the basic thirteen spear techniques, not the moves from the "Destroyer" manual.
"Brother Shen Mu, today is an odd-numbered day. As the top of the rankings, aren't you going to hunt monsters?" Chu Qiang leaped down from the second floor of his pavilion, looking at Shen Mu, who was practicing his spear, and asked with a smile.
Shen Mu continued his spear practice while replying, "I won't go today. Anyway, I'm not worried about being surpassed."
"True, even if you slack off for half a month, I still can't surpass you." Chu Qiang shook his head helplessly. His combat amplitude was also high, but he was far behind Shen Mu.
"Senior, how much do you know about the Artistic Conception?" After finishing his practice, Shen Mu put away his spear and looked at Chu Qiang.
Chu Qiang was slightly stunned, and a look of shock appeared on his rough face: "Brother Shen Mu... have you broken through to the perfection level in spear technique?"
Shen Mu didn't hide it: "Yes, I managed to break through in the training tower yesterday."
Chu Qiang took a deep breath to calm his emotions before explaining to Shen Mu.
"The so-called Artistic Conception is a very elusive concept. Among the powerhouses, only a few have understood the Artistic Conception, at most a few hundred people. But to say who can guide others to enter the Artistic Conception, probably only the First Speaker Hong and the Second Speaker Lei Shen (Thunder God) are qualified. They have reached the end of the Artistic Conception and entered higher levels."
Saying this, Chu Qiang looked at Shen Mu: "The Artistic Conception I have understood is the realm of wind, but if you ask me what the Artistic Conception is, I can't explain it."
Hearing this, Shen Mu nodded slightly, obviously understanding that comprehending the Artistic Conception and guiding others to understand it were not on the same level. The only accurate description of the Artistic Conception in the world was the content of the sixth level of the "Destroyer".
Integrating one's perception of nature into body techniques and combat skills is considered the Artistic Conception. The entire Artistic Conception is actually a process of perceiving and integrating with nature. When one's body techniques and combat skills perfectly resonate with nature, it is considered the completion of integrating with nature, which is the harmony between man and nature.
Entering this realm, in addition to the more profound body techniques and combat skills, one can also have a vague, mysterious perception of the surrounding environment. Therefore, strong individuals in the harmony between man and nature can, during combat, even if they do not detect an opponent's attack, can still dodge it based on this mysterious perception.
***
After a day of slacking off, Shen Mu returned to his rigorous training state. Every day, he either hunted monsters to hone his spear technique and body technique or trained in the training room and gravity room.
By the beginning of June, Shen Mu had completely stabilized his spear technique at the perfection level, thus being able to enter the state of human-spear unity anytime and anywhere.
June 9th, night.
After returning from hunting monsters in the wilderness, Shen Mu washed up and appeared in front of the strength testing instrument.
Boom! A terrifying punch exploded on the testing instrument, and the screen displayed Shen Mu's strength data. 73,419 kg, primary Wargod-level.
"Since taking the spirit of nature three months ago, my strength has increased by more than 5,000 kg every month, and I have finally exhausted the latent effects."
Shen Mu took out his phone and applied for the Ten Thousand Year Willow Heart.
After a moment, the phone rang, and a low voice came through: "Hello."
"Hello, I am Shen Mu from the Elite Training Camp. According to the contract terms, I am applying for a Ten Thousand Year Willow Heart."
"Please wait a moment..." There was silence on the other end of the phone for a few seconds, as if they were checking Shen Mu's situation.
"Student Shen Mu, according to the regulations, your application for the Ten Thousand Year Willow Heart has been approved. Someone will deliver it to the training camp shortly. Please pay attention to receiving it."
"Okay."
After hanging up the phone, Shen Mu was about to get up and go to the training camp gate when his phone rang again.
The screen showed the contact's note: Grandmaster Hong. Shen Mu quickly answered the phone: "Grandmaster."
"I'm at the Dojo headquarters. Come over." Hong's voice was calm, as if nothing could make him emotional.
"Yes, Grandmaster."
After hanging up the phone this time, Shen Mu headed straight for the dojo headquarters.
***
At the headquarters, in the same simple reception room, Hong sat cross-legged on a cushion, leisurely brewing tea.
Shen Mu bowed slightly to Hong: "Grandmaster."
"Sit down."
Hong gestured for Shen Mu to sit down and then said, "I heard that this month you've been looking for someone to teach you the Artistic Conception in spear technique."
"Yes, Grandmaster, but I still have no clue about entering the Artistic Conception." Shen Mu said directly.
Hong picked up the teapot and poured two cups of tea, then pushed one cup in front of Shen Mu.
"The so-called Artistic Conception is to integrate the perception of nature into spear technique and body technique, which has little to do with technique. You've been practicing the spear this month, just honing technique, which is a waste of time."
"In theory, even if the spear technique and body technique are not perfect, one can still enter the Artistic Conception, but this is just theory."
"You are still too young. Even to perceive nature, you need enough time. So don't rush, calm your mind to perceive this power of heaven and earth."
After explaining to Shen Mu, Hong lightly raised his hand, and a black briefcase appeared out of thin air on the coffee table in front of him.
"This is the Ten Thousand Year Willow Heart. Keep it safe."
"Yes, Grandmaster."
After putting away the Ten Thousand Year Willow Heart, Shen Mu bid farewell to Grandmaster Hong and returned to the Elite Training Camp.
After returning to the training camp, Shen Mu did not rush to take the Ten Thousand Year Willow Heart. His figure appeared on the rooftop of the pavilion.
"Perceive the heavens and earth, perceive the power within nature..." Shen Mu muttered to himself.
Indeed, whether in his past life or this life, Shen Mu had never experienced the power of the great forces of nature, let alone had any insights. But besides his past and present lives, he also had a king-level monster that had lived in the endless ocean for decades, the Azure Dragon, which was born with the ability to control water.
In the vast deep sea, the fierce Azure Dragon sat at the bottom of the ocean.
"Roar" The dragon's roar echoed in the endless ocean, and the Azure Dragon's eyes were filled with memories, recalling everything it had experienced over the decades. Living in the Pacific Ocean, Shen Mu's Azure Dragon clone witnessed countless towering waves on the ocean every year.
The sky and sea were dark, and endless waves surged and swept, emitting earth-shattering roars. Accompanied by the howling of the gales, lightning flashed in the thunderclouds. As far as the eye could see, there were towering waves, as if the entire ocean was awakening and raging.
Similar scenes happened every year, and it was in this endless ocean that this Azure Dragon of the East Sea was nurtured. In terms of understanding this vast ocean, no one in the entire human race knew more than Shen Mu. He only needed to integrate this perception into his spear technique to enter the Artistic Conception.
On the rooftop, Shen Mu suddenly stood up, and a spear flew to his palm under the control of his spirit force.
"Towering waves, layer upon layer, one wave after another, vast and mighty, endless..."
Shen Mu was recalling the memories of his Azure Dragon clone, witnessing the rise of the waves from a slight ripple to an unstoppable force of nature. Scenes flashed in his mind, with gales howling and huge waves sweeping the sky. The world was dark, leaving only the roar and the boiling of the endless ocean, as if declaring the endless power hidden in the ocean to the world.
The spear in Shen Mu's palm danced, emitting a series of spear sounds. Moves such as thrusting, stabbing, blocking, slashing, and bursting were executed without deliberately performing the spear technique, naturally entering the state of human-spear unity.
Shen Mu's mind was still immersed in the vast ocean scenes, perceiving the endless layers of waves, perceiving that majestic force. Gradually, the moves of the spear in Shen Mu's palm seemed to undergo some subtle changes. The trembling spear light broke through the air, and layers of air waves burst forth from the tip of the spear, sweeping in all directions.
Shen Mu gradually became immersed, and the spear light around him became blurred. The spear breaking through the air formed a series of sonic booms, which had long alarmed Chu Qiang. On the adjacent pavilion, Chu Qiang watched Shen Mu in shock, muttering to himself, "Artistic Conception in spear technique..."
It was no wonder Chu Qiang was shocked. After all, most Wargod-level individuals had not understood the Artistic Conception in their combat skills and body techniques.
Between those who had understood the Artistic Conception, which one of them had not experienced countless life-and-death situations and trials. Yet Shen Mu had just mastered the third realm of spear technique and comprehended the Artistic Conception in a single day.
Was this reasonable?
On the rooftop, Shen Mu's spear swept across, and the spear light was sometimes like waves layer upon layer, as if endless; sometimes it was like a great tide, vast and mighty, shaking heaven and earth.
The roaring sounds continued, the spear rampaged, the air was pushed aside, and layers of invisible air tides burst forth, surging and mighty.
***
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