"Wind Chasing!"
Chen Chengās body blurred into an afterimage, and in an instant, he was dozens of feet away.
"Powerful Claw Stance!"
Chen Cheng formed his left hand into a claw. Heavy ripples of power vibrated outward, and as his claw descended, the air erupted with a resounding boom.
āThe power is impressive, but thereās a slight flaw. The Wind Chasing Saber Stance and the Powerful Claw Stance arenāt a good match. Thereās a slight delay when transitioning between the two stances.ā
āNo, thatās not right. Master said that cultivating multiple stances offers great benefits for cultivating both Momentum and Realm. The Wind Chasing Saber Stance and the Powerful Claw Stance just donāt flow well together, but practicing both should still be beneficial for my Momentum cultivation.ā
Lost in thought, Chen Cheng began to practice the Wind Chasing Saber Stance. After several repetitions, he switched to the Powerful Claw Stance.
As he alternated back and forth, he gradually began to gain a faint understanding.
[Powerful Eagle Claw Skill deduction progress has increased.]
...
[Wind Chasing Saber Technique deduction progress has increased.]
...
Notifications from the panel appeared from time to time.
Two hours later, Chen Cheng stopped his Cultivation and summoned the panel to check his status.
[Name: Chen Cheng
Realm: Muscle Strengthening (Great Success)
Skills: Iron Armor Skill ā¢ Muscle Strengthening (Small Success 952/1000)
Dragon Eagle Muscle Strengthening Technique (Great Success 2688/10000)
Powerful Eagle Claw Skill (Perfection, Powerful Eagle Claw Stance) (Deduction in progress, current progress: 2/100. Upon completion, this will be promoted to a Superior Technique.)
Wind Chasing Saber Technique (Perfection, Wind Chasing Saber Stance) (Deduction in progress, current progress: 20/100. Upon completion, this will be promoted to a Superior Technique.)]
It seemed that because he didnāt have the Fundamental Diagram, the system had classified the Powerful Eagle Claw Skill as merely a Mid-level Skill and had started deducing it on its own.
The deduction progress was quite good, too; he had gained two points in just over two hours.
The deduction progress for his Wind Chasing Saber Technique had also sped up considerably.
This must be the effect of having mastered two different stances.
āIf I cultivate a third stance, the technique deductions should be even faster.ā
āBut right now, achieving a Realm is more important. It would be much easier to just get the Fundamental Diagram for the Powerful Eagle Claw Skill from Master first.ā
...
Two days later, it was Chen Chengās day off.
The deduction progress for his Powerful Eagle Claw Skill had reached 22 points.
After breakfast, Chen Cheng headed to the Inner City Zheng Martial Arts Hall bright and early.
It had just snowed heavily, so the weather was frigid. Only a handful of disciples were Cultivating Martial Dao in the outer courtyardās plaza.
Chen Cheng walked straight into the Double Courtyard, where there were also few disciples.
Luo Chenghu and Zhao Kui, however, were training as intensely as ever.
Chen Cheng could see what was going on. Neither of them wanted to fall behind the other in their Cultivation Progress, so they were locked in a constant, spiraling competition.
Min Wei was also training. His Powerful Eagle Claw Skill had improved considerably, and Chen Cheng could tell he was on the verge of mastering the Powerful Claw Stance; he just needed that final push.
It could take a few days, or it could take a few months.
After all, for ordinary people, cultivating Momentum and Realm often required a moment of enlightenment. Once you had that epiphany, you succeeded. If you never had it, you would be stuck forever.
"Junior Brother Chen, are you here to see Master?"
Seeing Chen Cheng calling to him from the corridor, Min Wei stopped his training and walked over.
"Yes," Chen Cheng nodded, momentarily debating whether to tell Min Wei that he had already mastered the Powerful Claw Stance.
Min Wei looked troubled. "Well... that might be a problem. Master recently had an insight and is in seclusion. He instructed us not to disturb him."
Chen Cheng couldnāt help but frown. āOf all the times to go into seclusion, why now?ā he thought.
"When will Master be out of seclusion?"
Min Wei smiled. "Well, to be honest, Masterās āseclusionā consists of him cultivating his character, practicing the four arts of music, chess, calligraphy, and painting with his four wives, and reciting poetry. He doesnāt want anything to do with the Martial Dao right now."
"As for when heāll come out, thereās no set date."
Chen Cheng was speechless. āHow is that seclusion?ā he thought. āHeās clearly just slacking off and taking it easy!ā
Min Wei said, "Junior Brother Chen, youāve cultivated the Powerful Eagle Claw Skill to the Perfect Level. Thereās nothing more I can teach you about it."
"However, before Master went into seclusion, he mentioned that if you have any questions about your Martial Arts Cultivation, youāre free to go to his study and read through the books on the Martial Dao. How much you can learn is up to you."
Mr. Zheng was a top-tier Martial Dao expert in Linji City, so his study must contain many precious volumes. Still, they werenāt the Powerful Eagle Claw Skillās Fundamental Diagram, and Chen Cheng couldnāt help but feel a little disappointed.
"Senior Brother Min, Iād like to view the Fundamental Diagram for the Powerful Eagle Claw Skill. Could you please report my request to Master?"
Min Wei chuckled. "What a coincidence. The Fundamental Diagram for the Powerful Eagle Claw Skill is in Masterās study. You can go look at it yourself; no need to report to him."
Chen Chengās eyes lit up. "Senior Brother Min, is that really true?"
"Afraid Iām pulling your leg? Come on, Iāll take you there." Min Wei said warmly, pulling Chen Cheng along.
On the way, Min Wei explained that only he and Chen Cheng were permitted to enter Mr. Zhengās study. No other disciples were allowed, not even the two True Disciples, Qin Ruiyang and Shen Qingshuang.
Before long, they arrived at the study in the rear courtyard of the main residence. Min Wei opened the door but showed no intention of going inside.
"Junior Brother Chen, you go on in. I canāt make heads or tails of Masterās book collection. Reading them just confuses me."
Chen Cheng found this odd. "Senior Brother Min, didnāt you say it was Masterās collection of Martial Dao texts? As a fellow Martial Artist, shouldnāt you be reading them more often?"
Min Wei shook his head. "Thereās no point in reading too many of those Martial Dao texts. Iāll just practice my Powerful Eagle Claw Skill out here and wait for you."
"Alright." Chen Cheng walked straight into the study.
The study was simply furnished, with a set of yellow pearwood desk and chairs by the window, along with some calligraphy supplies.
Other than that, there were only a few bookshelves, and they werenāt heavily laden with books.
Chen Cheng looked around and felt a headache coming on. Most of the books were miscellaneous volumes on the four arts, poetry, and songs.
Only two rows of shelves in the back of the room held any Martial Arts Cultivation Technique Manuals. After a quick scan, Chen Chengās headache intensified.
Most of these Martial Arts Cultivation Technique Manuals were incomplete, and they were all Inner Breath Methods.
Things like the *Health Cultivation Skill*, *Guiyuan Heart Method*, *Embracing Pill Skill*, and *Qi Cultivation Song*.
Chen Cheng also found an incomplete Secret Manual for the *Iron Armor Skill*. After flipping through it, he discovered its contents were identical to the information heād gotten from interrogating Master Xiu Chen.
Next to the *Iron Armor Skill* manual, there was also a copy of the *Red Sun Root Technique*āto his astonishment, it was the very version he had created himself.
Chen Cheng couldnāt help but shake his head. āHow is this the collection of a top Martial Dao expert in Linji City? It looks more like the inventory of a second-hand bookseller.ā
Fortunately, the last row of shelves finally held some proper Martial Arts Cultivation Technique Manuals, along with some miscellaneous notebooks containing insights and reflections on Martial Arts Cultivation.
At last, Chen Cheng found the Secret Manual for the Powerful Eagle Claw Skillāa Superior Cultivation Technique Manual that included the Fundamental Diagram.
The Fundamental Diagram was a drawing on yellowed paper that exuded an ancient air. Unfurled, it was about three feet square.
The diagram depicted steep mountains and rivers under a vast sky, where a Dragon Eagle soared with wings outstretched. The Dragon Eagle was a Tier Five Demon Beast with the head of a dragon and the body of an eagle, making it exceptionally powerful.
The Dragon Eagle in the drawing had its wings fully spread, its talons sharp and powerful. It radiated a fierce momentum, as if it could crush anything and everything.
āSo this is the legendary Fundamental Diagram?ā
Chen Cheng thought to himself and began to immerse himself in studying the diagram.
At first glance, he could tell the Dragon Eagle possessed an extraordinary aura, but that was all. He gained no insight. However, as Chen Chengās focus deepened, the scene before his eyes suddenly changed.
Chen Cheng felt as if he had transformed into a massive Dragon Eagle, soaring through the heavens, brandishing its claws and looking down upon the world. The mountains and rivers, the earth and skyāeverything was beneath its talons.
[Powerful Eagle Claw Skill deduction progress has increased.]
...
Notifications from the panel appeared one after another.
Chen Chengās enlightenment continued.
āNo, thatās not right. The Powerful Eagle Claw Skill I cultivate clearly emphasizes the Power Dao. This Realm should be one of power... ā
The scene before Chen Chengās eyes shifted once more. The Dragon Eagle he had embodied suddenly became infinitesimally small, while the mountains, rivers, earth, and sky grew infinitely vast. An immense, crushing pressure washed over him, and Chen Cheng felt as if he were about to suffocate.
[Powerful Eagle Claw Skill deduction progress has increased.]
...