Chapter 119: Wind-Riding Flying Dragon Shadow
Having reached the Minor Extreme Position, Zhang Ruochen's Qi Sea capacity had expanded once again.
Every time he broke through a realm, his Qi Sea expanded tenfold, but this breakthrough had increased it by nearly twelve times.
Don't underestimate that mere twofold increase. In real martial arts combat, even the slightest advantage could become the key to victory.
"Half-Saint True Liquid is truly a wonderful thing. Not only does it enhance my martial body, but it also expands my Qi Sea." With his cultivation breakthrough, Zhang Ruochen was in an excellent mood.
With the help of ten drops of Half-Saint True Liquid, Zhang Ruochen was confident that he could elevate his cultivation to the Middle Extreme Position of the Mysterious Extreme Realm before the quarterly assessment.
Refining the Half-Saint True Liquid was only a secondary effect for cultivation improvement.
The true preciousness of Half-Saint True Liquid lay in its ability to strengthen the martial body. Under the tempering of the Half-Saint True Liquid, Zhang Ruochen's physique became more powerful, his meridians wider, and his explosive force more intense.
"Having reached the Minor Extreme Position of the Mysterious Extreme Realm, I can now condense blood Qi into a beast. I wonder what blood beast phantom I will condense?"
Zhang Ruochen walked out from the inner space of the Time-Space Crystal and arrived at the Martial Practice Hall.
"Blood Qi, condense into a beast!"
Standing in the center of the Martial Practice Hall, Zhang Ruochen circulated his true Qi through his meridians. Strands of blood Qi seeped out from his pores, completely enveloping his body.
The sound of dragon and elephant harmonizing rang out within the blood Qi.
A seven-meter-tall phantom of a primeval elephant appeared behind Zhang Ruochen, with legs as thick as pillars, tusks like long spears, and a robust, powerful body.
Additionally, a dragon phantom with seven claws coiled around the elephant's back, brandishing its claws and horns, its massive dragon eyes emitting purple lightning light.
Although both the elephant and dragon phantoms were extremely faint, the aura they exuded was exceptionally fierce, as if they were bringing Zhang Ruochen back to the ancient wilderness.
"It's actually a Dragon-Elephant Beast Phantom, which seems even more formidable than the Thunder Dragon Beast Phantom I condensed in my previous life."
Zhang Ruochen withdrew the blood Qi back into his body, and the dragon-elephant phantom vanished as well.
"Let me test my current speed."
The Martial Practice Hall was too small, so Zhang Ruochen went to the square of the Dragon Martial Hall to test his speed.
Exiting Earth Character Number One, he stood before the gate, channeling his true Qi into his legs. With a *shua* sound, Zhang Ruochen shot out like a gust of wind, leaving only a series of afterimages behind.
In a moment, Zhang Ruochen reached the other end of the square, stopping smoothly and effortlessly, a joyful expression on his face. "Without activating my bloodline power, I can already burst forth with a speed of fifty meters per second. If I activate my bloodline power and form the dragon-elephant phantom, I should be able to reach fifty-two meters per second."
For an ordinary martial artist at the Minor Extreme Position of the Mysterious Extreme Realm, their speed is about thirty-six meters per second; at the Middle Extreme Position, it can reach forty meters per second; at the Major Extreme Position, forty-four meters per second; and at the Great Perfection, forty-eight meters per second.
Students of the Martial Market Academy are somewhat stronger than ordinary martial artists at the same realm.
Among the academy's students at the Great Perfection of the Mysterious Extreme Realm, even the weakest can burst forth with a speed of fifty meters per second.
Zhang Ruochen, now only at the Minor Extreme Position of the Mysterious Extreme Realm, can reach a maximum speed of fifty-two meters per second, already comparable to some Great Perfection students in the Western Courtyard.
"With my current strength, even in a direct confrontation with a Great Perfection Mysterious Extreme Realm martial artist, I have the confidence to win." Zhang Ruochen clenched his fists tightly, clearly feeling the enhancement of his power.
"The Supreme Extreme Realm of the Mysterious Extreme Realm is achieving a speed of eighty meters per second."
"At my current level, when I reach the Great Perfection of the Mysterious Extreme Realm, my speed should reach about seventy meters per second, but it will absolutely not reach eighty meters per second."
Seventy meters per second is faster than some Earth Extreme Realm martial artists, but Zhang Ruochen was not satisfied. He desperately wanted to reach the Supreme Extreme Realm of the Mysterious Extreme Realm. Only by doing his best at every realm could he have broader room for growth in the future.
"I must cultivate a high-grade speed-type martial technique to have a greater chance of striking the Supreme Extreme Realm of the Mysterious Extreme Realm."
Zhang Ruochen searched through his memories and quickly selected a Spirit-grade upper-rank speed-type martial technique called "Wind-Riding Flying Dragon Shadow."
Wind-Riding Flying Dragon Shadow was already the lowest-grade speed-type martial technique in Zhang Ruochen's memory, just right for his current cultivation.
With his current cultivation, it would take about two to three months to fully master a Spirit-grade lower-rank martial technique. To fully master a Spirit-grade middle-rank martial technique would take about a year. To fully master a Spirit-grade upper-rank martial technique would take at least five years.
This was only possible because of his powerful spiritual power, which allowed him to cultivate so quickly.
If it were an ordinary martial artist at the Minor Extreme Position of the Mysterious Extreme Realm, it would take at least a year to fully master a Spirit-grade lower-rank martial technique. To master a Spirit-grade middle-rank martial technique would take at least ten years. As for a Spirit-grade upper-rank martial technique, it would take at least sixty years to have a chance of mastering it.
The higher the martial realm, the faster one can cultivate martial techniques.
The stronger the spiritual power, the faster one can cultivate martial techniques.
Zhang Ruochen did not intend to master Wind-Riding Flying Dragon Step to Great Completion in a short time; he only wanted to cultivate it to Minor Completion first.
Once he reached Minor Completion, Zhang Ruochen's movement speed would increase significantly, like a flying dragon riding the wind.
Wind-Riding Flying Dragon Shadow consisted of only nine steps, each with nine variations, totaling eighty-one variations.
When traveling at high speed, one only needed to use the Nine Steps of Wind-Riding. Once cultivated to Minor Completion, taking nine steps would cover one li of distance.
When engaging in close combat with an enemy, one would use the eighty-one step variations, making it impossible for the enemy to guard against, allowing them only to see your shadow but never touch your body.
Zhang Ruochen was also cultivating Wind-Riding Flying Dragon Shadow for the first time, so he could only keep exploring.
At first, he could only walk according to the nine simplest steps. After walking more than ten times, Zhang Ruochen began to increase his walking speed.
The speed grew faster and faster, and Zhang Ruochen's legs seemed to turn into phantoms, with over a dozen leg shadows appearing on the ground.
In the distance, Huang Yanchen and Duanmu Xingling stood on a pavilion, watching Zhang Ruochen cultivating in the square.
"It seems he is cultivating a profound movement technique, at least a Spirit-grade lower-rank movement martial technique," Duanmu Xingling said.
Huang Yanchen gently rested her jade finger on her chin. "Movement martial techniques have always been rare. The movement technique I am currently cultivating is only a Human-grade upper-rank one. The Western Courtyard does have a Spirit-grade lower-rank movement technique called 'Vajra Thunderclap Step,' but it is not suitable for women to cultivate. The Thousand Water King Palace has two Spirit-grade lower-rank movement techniques, but both have some flaws and are not suitable for me. It seems I will have to go to the Inner Palace to find a Spirit-grade movement technique suitable for me."
Duanmu Xingling's eyes sparkled with a strange light as she watched Zhang Ruochen practicing his steps. "How about... we ask Junior Brother to teach us?"
"A Spirit-grade lower-rank movement technique is extremely precious. It would cost at least two million silver coins to buy one. Even in the Martial Market Academy, you would need to spend a thousand merit points to borrow one." Huang Yanchen said coldly, "Do you think he would teach us?"
Duanmu Xingling touched the Space Jade Bracelet on her wrist and smiled. "Junior Brother Zhang has never been a stingy person."
"He's only not stingy with you," Huang Yanchen said irritably.
Duanmu Xingling said, "We should at least give it a try, right? Besides, I noticed that the movement technique he is cultivating is quite unique. It doesn't seem to have the same limitations as other movement techniques, so it might be very suitable for us to cultivate. Sister Chen, if we miss this opportunity, it will be hard to find a suitable movement technique in the future."
"Alright," Huang Yanchen said, also slightly tempted. If the movement technique Zhang Ruochen was cultivating was truly suitable for her, she would even be willing to pay a high price to buy it.
Huang Yanchen and Duanmu Xingling were like two beautiful goddesses, their dresses fluttering, their figures graceful, as they flew down from the pavilion and walked toward Zhang Ruochen.
Seeing them approach, Zhang Ruochen stopped cultivating.
"Junior Brother, what profound martial technique are you cultivating?" Duanmu Xingling blinked her beautiful eyes and asked curiously.
Zhang Ruochen smiled. "It's not a profound martial technique, just a speed-type technique. If you two Senior Sisters want to learn it, I can teach you."
Duanmu Xingling and Huang Yanchen exchanged a glance. They had been a bit awkward, not knowing how to bring it up, but they hadn't expected Zhang Ruochen to see through their intentions first.
Huang Yanchen's face turned cold. "I won't learn for free. How many merit points or silver coins do you want? I'll give them to you now."
Zhang Ruochen stared at Huang Yanchen's stunning face and said leisurely with a smile, "If I were to sell this technique, I'm afraid Senior Sister Huang wouldn't be able to afford it."
Zhang Ruochen could naturally see their intentions. The reason he planned to teach them for free was mainly because Huang Yanchen had timely drawn her sword to kill Hua Lian last time, saving his life.
Hatred must be avenged, and kindness must be repaid.
Hearing Zhang Ruochen's words, Huang Yanchen's eyes turned cold. "Who says I can't afford it? Today, I insist on buying it."
Zhang Ruochen gently shook his head and said nothing.
Even the cheapest Spirit-grade upper-rank martial technique could sell for eight million silver coins outside. Not to mention that Wind-Riding Flying Dragon Shadow was a speed-type technique and the top-tier among Spirit-grade upper-rank techniques. Outside, it would cost at least thirty million silver coins, or even more.
Even if Huang Yanchen was the princess of the Thousand Water Commandery, she couldn't possibly come up with thirty million silver coins. If she sold herself, she might fetch that price—at least the Thousand Water Commandery King would definitely buy her back.
"Zhang Ruochen, what's that expression? Do you dare to look down on me?" Huang Yanchen widened her starry eyes, grinding her teeth, finding Zhang Ruochen very displeasing.
"I don't mean to look down on Senior Sister Huang; I'm just stating the facts. If Senior Sister Huang wants to learn, it would be best to be more humble and not too arrogant. If Senior Sister Huang insists on buying this speed-type technique, then I'll give you a discount—ten million silver coins, not a single coin less." Zhang Ruochen said very seriously.
...
Please vote for recommendations, please tip, please bookmark! Please warm the bed!