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Chapter 111: Chapter 111: Shadow Following, Gathering Qi and Condensing Tripod!
Sitting cross-legged in the Practice Field, Luo Cheng took a porcelain bottle out of his robes.
Inside was none other than the Four-star Spirit Pill—’Awakening God Pill’—gifted to him by Yun Mengli!
Altogether, there were twenty-three pills!
"The Awakening God Pill can replenish a martial artist’s essence, qi, and spirit while enhancing comprehension. I wonder what the exact effects are..."
Murmuring softly to himself, Luo Cheng poured out one Awakening God Pill.
The pill had a deep azure hue, faintly radiating the brilliance of five celestial stars, with essence energy lingering like smoke—mystical and profound.
With a single motion, Luo Cheng swallowed the pill whole, instantly feeling a cool sensation flow from his throat to his entire body, spreading to his limbs and even bones. It was utterly refreshing.
The feeling was akin to plunging headfirst into a frigid abyssal pool on a scorching summer day!
His entire body felt weightless, as if he were devoid of physical form. His mind became a serene void, sharp and invigorated!
"Marvelous!"
Luo Cheng couldn’t help but hum in satisfaction.
Knowing he couldn’t afford to waste this opportunity, Luo Cheng immediately composed himself, took out the Mist Shadow Step secret manual, and entered cultivation mode.
A day quickly passed by.
At the Practice Field.
Luo Cheng stood silently with his eyes closed.
Suddenly, he opened his eyes and took a step forward.
Swish!
His figure blurred for a moment, and Luo Cheng instantly appeared on the other side of the Practice Field. His speed had increased by at least thirty percent!
"Shadow Following!"
With a low shout, essence energy rippled from Luo Cheng’s body, and his speed skyrocketed several-fold. In the blink of an eye, he completed a lap around the Practice Field!
Swoosh!
His incredible speed stretched his shadow behind him unnaturally. To the eye, it seemed that the shadow was chasing after him!
Bam!
He punched the Training Post, and finally, the shadow caught up with Luo Cheng.
"Hoo!"
Exhaling a deep breath, Luo Cheng examined the punch mark left on the Training Post, and his eyes flickered with joy.
"Shadow Following! In less than a day, I’ve already reached the entry-level mastery of Mist Shadow Step! It seems I truly underestimated my own potential!"
Shadow Following was the hallmark of having achieved entry-level mastery in Mist Shadow Step!
Luo Cheng initially thought it would take him two or three days to reach this level of mastery.
But in the end, it had taken less than a day!
Though this was partly due to the Awakening God Pill, the primary factor was Luo Cheng’s own exceptional comprehension.
This rapid progress left Luo Cheng feeling a slight surge of confidence.
"I wonder how long Gao Ming has been practicing and whether he has reached entry-level mastery of Mist Shadow Step."
As for his bet with Gao Ming, Luo Cheng wasn’t worried at all.
A martial artist in the Transcendence Realm couldn’t utilize essence energy, meaning their mastery of Mist Shadow Step capped at entry-level—unable to unleash its true speed.
In contrast, Luo Cheng had reached entry-level mastery and could further leverage essence energy!
What could Gao Ming possibly use to compete with him?
After practicing Mist Shadow Step several more times, Luo Cheng paused to consider whether he should push forward to achieve small mastery of Mist Shadow Step.
Ultimately, he shook his head.
After all, Mist Shadow Step was a Five-star Body Movement Martial Art; breakthroughs weren’t something that happened on mere impulse.
If it weren’t for Elder Yan Feng’s cultivation insights, he wouldn’t have been able to reach entry-level mastery so quickly.
Furthermore, continuing to practice Mist Shadow Step required essence energy.
Right now, the essence energy he could harness was minimal, and it was extremely taxing on his spirit. Spending any more time on it wouldn’t be wise.
"Then I’ll train in the Heavenly Cauldron Fist! Let’s see if I can master its first move, ’Gathering Qi and Condensing Tripod’!"
Luo Cheng decided to capitalize on the remaining effects of the Awakening God Pill and practice the Heavenly Cauldron Fist.
With his increasing strength, the Heavy Mountain Fist Technique—a mere Three-star Martial Art—was clearly falling short in effectiveness.
If he could master the Heavenly Cauldron Fist, his power would undoubtedly rise to new heights!
Resolving himself, Luo Cheng set his stance and began recollecting the cultivation method of the Heavenly Cauldron Fist in his mind while channeling the essence energy in his dantian.
Buzz!
A strand of essence energy surged out from his dantian.
Luo Cheng carefully directed the energy to circulate throughout his body, visualizing a colossal cauldron stabilizing and tempering his form!
The first move of the Heavenly Cauldron Fist, Gathering Qi and Condensing Tripod, was not merely a method for accumulating power but also a technique for body refining!
By condensing energy into a cauldron, stabilizing the body with the cauldron, and integrating body and cauldron together, one could achieve unparalleled unity!
Buzz!
As Luo Cheng practiced the cultivation method of the Heavenly Cauldron Fist, his essence energy surged to its peak, and a closer look revealed subtle vibrations across every fiber of his body!
Time trickled away like a stream, and two days swiftly passed.
At the Practice Field, Luo Cheng stood in a horse stance with his eyes slightly closed.
"Hah!"
Suddenly, a gleam flashed in Luo Cheng’s eyes as he struck the Training Post with a punch.
Buzz!
At the instant his punch landed, a faint apparition of a colossal three-legged tripod emerged from his form. The tripod merged its presence into his fist, elevating its speed to an astonishing level.
Boom!
With a deafening crash, the Training Post splintered with a massive crack, nearly breaking apart. A violent shockwave swept out, sending old willow branches and leaves into a frenzied dance!
The giant tripod faded, and a smile crept across Luo Cheng’s face:
"Looks like I’ve grasped the threshold of the Heavenly Cauldron Fist! This punch’s strength easily exceeds ninety thousand pounds!"
Though Luo Cheng’s mastery of the Heavenly Cauldron Fist was still rudimentary, its power had already far surpassed the Heavy Mountain Fist Technique at the Transformation Realm!
Beyond the strength of the fist, practicing the Heavenly Cauldron Fist strengthened Luo Cheng’s physique. His flesh was as refined as silk, his skin resilient, and his defense significantly enhanced!
The Heavenly Cauldron Fist—condensing energy, stabilizing the body, and forging the cauldron—provided all-encompassing improvement!
If he encountered Sha Qi again, Luo Cheng wouldn’t even need to draw his sword. A simple punch would obliterate him!
"Huang Tie, you’ve truly left me with a priceless treasure!"
Feeling the remarkable changes in his body, Luo Cheng chuckled lightly.
The Heavenly Cauldron Fist, with its seamlessly integrated offensive and defensive capabilities, was profoundly mystical—at least a Five-star Martial Art, perhaps even beyond!
After resting briefly, daylight had already broken.
"Time to head to Song Yuan Valley."
Changing into fresh clothes, Luo Cheng stepped out of the courtyard, ready to depart for Song Yuan Valley.
"Luo Cheng!"
Two familiar figures approached along the lakeside—it was Gu Lingfeng and Yuan Zhilan.
Luo Cheng greeted them with a smile, "Why are you two here?"
Yuan Zhilan smiled faintly. "We heard about your competition against the Outer Sect disciples. Wherever you go, the peace never seems to last."
Luo Cheng laughed helplessly; he wasn’t seeking trouble, but trouble always seemed to seek him.
Gu Lingfeng expressed concern: "I’ve gathered some information. That Gao Ming is very strong, having awakened a Six-star Martial Soul. His cultivation long surpassed the sixth layer of the Transcendence Realm, and he has exceptional talent. On top of that, he’s been training in Cloud Shadow Step for quite some time now. Competing with him in Cloud Shadow Step..."
Luo Cheng wasn’t surprised the news had spread so quickly, and he responded with a faint smile:
"Don’t worry; I know what I’m doing. Besides, it’s only for a little Essence Energy Pill."
"Gu Lingfeng, why do you always build up others’ morale and diminish our own?"
Yuan Zhilan shot Gu Lingfeng a glare before looking at Luo Cheng: "Luo Cheng, I believe in you. Teach those Outer Sect disciples a lesson and bring them down a notch!"
Rising from servant disciple to Outer Sect disciple, Yuan Zhilan and Gu Lingfeng had likewise endured the scornful looks of the Outer Sect disciples in recent days, holding back their frustrations.
Gu Lingfeng smiled bitterly.
Of course, he wanted Luo Cheng to help them reclaim some pride.
But this was no simple task!
Those who directly entered the Xuanyuan Sect’s Outer Sect were already exceptionally talented. Moreover, Gao Ming had been practicing Cloud Shadow Step for several months!
If they were competing in something else, perhaps Luo Cheng had a chance. But winning in Cloud Shadow Step was nearly impossible—an insurmountable challenge!
