Chapter 208 - 197: The Edge of Innate

Chapter 208: Chapter 197: The Edge of Innate

Chen Yue crossed the main hall and walked straight to the counter of the Hidden Skills Pavilion.

"I want to redeem the Infinite Skill and the Mixed Element Skill!" Chen Yue said.

The On-Duty Disciple was startled. His initial surprise at seeing the change in Chen Yue’s Cultivation gave way to a new kind of shock.

The Infinite Skill and the Mixed Element Skill were not stored next to each other in the Hidden Skills Pavilion. Their focuses were quite different, so it was rare for a disciple to redeem both at the same time.

But the On-Duty Disciple didn’t ask any questions. He simply nodded and said, "Senior Brother Chen, you’re already on the Cyan Cloud Ranking. You can redeem these two Cultivation Techniques for free."

According to the rules, one could only redeem other Martial Arts Heart Methods after mastering the Fifth Layer of the Panshi Skill. This was a foundational requirement the Panshi Sect had for its disciples.

Being on the Cyan Cloud Ranking, however, was a clear exception. After all, making it onto the ranking was proof enough of a solid foundation.

Not only did Chen Yue meet this condition, but the Contribution Points cost was also waived. This was an additional privilege enjoyed by disciples on the Cyan Cloud Ranking.

As he spoke, the On-Duty Disciple turned and walked over to the cabinets behind him. He bent down and rummaged around for a moment before pulling two hand-copied Secret Manuals from the stacks of scrolls and placing them on the counter.

Chen Yue presented his Waist Token. Although no Contribution Points were needed, the Hidden Skills Pavilion’s procedures required his token to be pressed against the Jade for confirmation, creating a record of the transaction.

The On-Duty Disciple took the Waist Token and pressed it onto the Jade. A faint halo of light bloomed on the Jade’s surface before dissipating a moment later, signaling the confirmation was complete.

Just as he was about to pick up the Waist Token and return it to Chen Yue, Chen Yue’s voice rang out again. "I also need Violent Star Step and Thunderbolt Movement!"

The main characteristic of Chen Yue’s current Soaring Void Thousand Layer Step was its speed. If he wanted to further enhance his Body Technique, it was only natural to continue building in that direction.

He would integrate the new Body Technique into the framework of his Soaring Void Thousand Layer Step, making the existing system more complex and versatile.

Other Martial Artists might have to worry that such an explosive Body Technique would put too much strain on their bodies, their meridians unable to withstand the high-intensity power output. But Chen Yue was backed by the Ten Thousand Forms Tiger Roar Golden Bell.

All Chen Yue needed to consider was how to get faster.

The On-Duty Disciple nodded. "Please wait a moment, Senior Brother Chen. I’ll go find them!"

He turned and walked back to the row of cabinets storing the hand-copied Cultivation Techniques. After bending over and searching for a short while, his fingers flicking rapidly through several stacks of books, he soon pulled out two brand-new Secret Manuals.

Chen Yue cupped his hands in thanks, tucked the four Secret Manuals and his Waist Token into his robes, then turned and walked toward the entrance of the Hidden Skills Pavilion. He quickly vanished into the afternoon light outside.

Inside the Hidden Skills Pavilion, the few On-Duty Disciples and others nearby who had witnessed which Secret Manuals Chen Yue had taken all wore complicated expressions.

One of them glanced down at the yellowed Secret Manual he was struggling to study, then looked up toward the entrance where the figure had already vanished. His eyes held a mixture of indescribable emotions.

For them, mastering a single Cultivation Technique was already an arduous task, requiring caution at every step. Yet Chen Yue had just taken four of the most elite techniques below the Innate Realm in one go.

Including the Cultivation Techniques he had redeemed before, the number of top-tier Refining Organ Realm techniques Chen Yue had access to and was cultivating had long surpassed anything they could ever hope to reach.

The mere thought brought an overwhelming sense of pressure.

Chen Yue returned to his courtyard, the gate closing behind him.

The afternoon sun slanted over the courtyard walls. He entered his house, sat at the table, and took the four Secret Manuals from his robes, laying them out in a row on the desk.

Then, Chen Yue picked up the Mixed Element Skill, opened its cover, and began to read intently.

His eyes scanned the first line, not missing a single annotation. Whenever he came across something he didn’t understand, he would pause to work it out in his mind, only continuing once he was sure he’d grasped it.

By the time he finished the last page of the Mixed Element Skill and set the booklet down, the light outside the window had shifted.

Chen Yue picked up the second manual, the Infinite Skill, and continued in the same fashion, reading it from cover to cover.

Four hours later, Chen Yue set down the manual for Violent Star Step. He had finished reading all four of the new Secret Manuals he had redeemed.

He gently rubbed his temples, which ached from the long period of highly focused reading and mental deduction.

Chen Yue stood up and began practicing the forms of the Ten Thousand Forms Tiger Roar Golden Bell, as if to create space for his thoughts. The wind from his punches stirred up a gentle breeze in the courtyard, causing the flowers and grass in the corner to bow slightly.

After going through the forms twice, Chen Yue stopped. He stood in the center of the courtyard, his gaze resting on the wall as he began to contemplate the similarities between the Vast Heart Rock Skill, the Mixed Element Skill, and the Infinite Skill.

’The core of the Mixed Element Skill is the double-helix flow of Inner Strength through the meridians, while the Infinite Skill emphasizes the multiple compressions and releases of Inner Strength within the Dantian.’

’Both approaches have room to complement the unceasing rotation of my Vast Heart Rock Skill.’

Chen Yue repeatedly worked through the potential paths for fusion in his mind.

’Then there’s the matter of how to merge Soaring Void Thousand Layer Step with Violent Star Step and Thunderbolt Movement. The power generation for Violent Star Step is an instantaneous, complete release of energy the moment you push off, creating an almost explosive propulsive force.’

’Meanwhile, the core of Thunderbolt Movement lies in creating a continuous transfer of momentum during high-speed movement, allowing speed itself to generate a compounding inertia.’

’If I can find the right way to integrate them, both the explosive power and the sustainability of my Body Technique will be enhanced simultaneously.’