Sky-Collapsing

A fierce hunger welled up in Shen Xiuhan's stomach.

He grabbed the roasted fish and, ignoring how hot it was, began to tear into it and swallow in large mouthfuls.

As the first bite of fish meat hit his stomach, his eyes widened, and his chewing momentarily paused.

The meat of the Precious Fish was tender and rich, virtually melting in his mouth. It was even more delicious than the Blue-Spire Chicken, a spiritual fowl, he had eaten before.

Without needing any spices or seasoning, the pure quality of the meat nourished by spiritual qi alone had him devouring it ravenously, thoroughly enjoying the feast.

Within moments, the last piece of savory, roasted fish was swept clean and devoured.

Shen Xiuhan patted his stomach, still wanting more, and let out a long, satisfied sigh.

His eyes narrowed slightly as his mind sank into his sea of consciousness.

The intelligence points that had just been reset to zero due to the Deduction of 【Thousand Lakes Fishing】 had actually risen to twenty-four points.

“As expected of a Tier Two Precious Fish! Such a massive return of essence energy—it's far stronger than that Blue-Spire Chicken back then!”

Shen Xiuhan's eyes gleamed with pleasant surprise.

But after the brief moment of joy, looking at his surging intelligence points, a trace of hesitation rose in his heart.

He sat cross-legged on the ground and carefully took stock of the martial arts techniques he currently possessed:

【Mystic Eagle Stance】, Great Perfection.

【Iron Bone Technique】, also at Great Perfection.

【Thousand Lakes Fishing】, which had just been deduced to Great Perfection.

Although 【Heavenly Mystic Eagle Force】 had officially reached the entry level after this period of bitter cultivation and tempering, it was still a bit away from Minor Accomplishment. If he practiced step-by-step, it would take at least several months of effort.

【Swift Swan, Swimming Dragon】 was about the same; relying solely on his own practice made his progress far too slow.

As for the remaining 【Twenty-Four Paths Mountain-Collapsing Kick】, he hadn't even reached the entry level yet.

These twenty-four intelligence points were, at best, only enough to deduce a single technique.

After thinking it over, Shen Xiuhan ultimately decided to deduce 【Twenty-Four Paths Mountain-Collapsing Kick】.

There were two reasons for this.

First, it would fill the most glaring gap in his combat system.

Currently, he had 【Heavenly Mystic Eagle Force】 for offensive strikes, 【Swift Swan, Swimming Dragon】 for movement and evasion, and 【Iron Bone Technique】 for physical defense. If he could supplement these with a fierce and overbearing kick technique, he would have no weaknesses left in close-quarters combat.

Second, the kick technique used by Gao Nian had left a deep impression on him.

Its moves were broad and powerful, exceptionally fierce, yet hidden within that raw power were uniquely insidious follow-up strikes.

It was easy to imagine: if he were locked in a life-or-death battle with a formidable enemy in the future, using the tricky 【Heavenly Mystic Eagle Force】 to entangle them, and then suddenly changed his stance to unleash a fierce kick technique from his lower body, he would certainly catch them completely off guard.

“It's decided!”

“I'll deduce 【Twenty-Four Paths Mountain-Collapsing Kick】 first. Once I gather enough intelligence points in the future, it won't be too late to deduce the others.”

Shen Xiuhan made up his mind, and with a thought, he activated the system.

【Deductible martial art detected: 【Twenty-Four Paths Mountain-Collapsing Kick】. Begin Deduction?】

“Yes! Deduct!”

The familiar pale golden light erupted once more deep within his sea of consciousness.

Countless profound specks of light rapidly intertwined, transforming into a three-inch-tall golden figure.

This time, however, the figure was not fishing. Instead, its stance sank low, and its legs swept through the void like two giant axes splitting the heavens.

Light and shadow flickered as time flew by.

【Year One: You practice your kick technique bitterly in the courtyard, snapping countless thick wooden posts until your legs are bruised and swollen. You discover you have a slight talent for leg techniques. In less than three months, you have reached the entry level of 【Twenty-Four Paths Mountain-Collapsing Kick】.】

【Year Two: You practice day and night, using your flesh-and-blood legs to clash against giant mountain boulders. Even when your skin is torn and your flesh is split, you never back down, using endless pain to temper your bones and tendons. Your kick technique reaches Minor Accomplishment!】

【Year Five: Having shattered countless boulders and wooden posts, your blood qi thoroughly connects the meridians of both legs. When you kick, it carries the force of crashing thunder. 【Twenty-Four Paths Mountain-Collapsing Kick】 finally reaches Great Accomplishment!】

【Year Ten: You constantly feel your strength is lacking, finding it difficult to unleash the overbearing, fierce power of 'Mountain-Collapsing'. Falling into a bottleneck, you are unable to train the kick technique to Great Perfection. However, with your resilient nature, you are not discouraged in the slightest. You remain behind closed doors, practicing bitterly and repeatedly refining every single move and form.】

【Year Twelve: You finally comprehend the true intent of 'Mountain-Collapsing', thoroughly mastering the kick technique, discarding the false and retaining the true, deducing it to the realm of Great Perfection. On the day of its mastery, a single sweep of your leg unleashes blood qi that penetrates physical matter, possessing the terrifying power to shatter stone tablets, collapse mountains, and sever peaks!】

【Year Fifteen: Building up over a long period, a sudden spark of inspiration strikes you, allowing you to take another step forward on the foundation of the original technique. You identify the gaps and patch the flaws of 【Twenty-Four Paths Mountain-Collapsing Kick】, integrating your own understanding of the martial path. You create an additional twelve paths, twenty-four moves, and forty-eight forms to weave into it. You rename this martial art—【Thirty-Six Paths Sky-Collapsing Kick】!】

【Thirty-Six Paths Sky-Collapsing Kick】 reaches Great Perfection!

The light and shadow dissipated!

A massive flood of memories poured like a tide into Shen Xiuhan's mind and legs.

He abruptly opened his eyes, two terrifying gleams of light bursting from them.

He rose to his feet.

His legs were as steady as ancient trees rooted deep in the earth, every muscle harboring a terrifying, heart-palpitating explosive power.

He took a deep breath, suddenly itching to test his new skills.

Without his body shifting, Shen Xiuhan's right leg swept outward like a venomous dragon bursting from its cave, carrying a piercing, whistling screech as it tore through the air!

With a muffled bang, a head-sized, incredibly hard green reef stone by his feet was kicked by his casual sweep, instantly reduced to a flurry of flying powder and fragments!

The shattered stone splinters flew in all directions like hidden weapons, striking the surrounding reeds with a dense barrage of soft thuds.

Looking at the stone, of which not even a scrap remained, Shen Xiuhan's expression froze slightly, and he rubbed his nose in slight embarrassment.

“Got a bit excited there and didn't hold back my strength...”

But soon, the embarrassment was replaced by a burning excitement in his heart.

He stood up and looked out toward the depths of Cloudwater Lake, a trace of eagerness flashing in his eyes.

“I wonder... with my current strength, would I stand a chance against someone of the Bone Tempering Rank?”

“Forget it...”

“I should still cultivate patiently. Once my cultivation is higher, I can start worrying about the Diaohai Pavilion!”

The morning mist gradually dispersed.

Rippling waves of light shimmered across the lake's surface.

Shen Xiuhan packed his things, leapt back onto his black-awning boat, and rowed away with the wooden oars.

...

Time spent on the isolated island, accompanied only by the rising and falling tides, was always exceptionally dull.

Shen Xiuhan practiced martial arts daily, feeling his cultivation progress with each passing day, so his life felt reasonably fulfilling.

In the blink of an eye, ten days flew by.

It was now the thirty-first day since the death of Gao Nian of the Golden Dragon Gang.

During this period, rain or shine, Shen Xiuhan bitterly cultivated the 【Mystic Eagle Stance】 every single day.

The blood qi within his body had become as full and thick as mercury, reaching the stage of Great Perfection of blood qi, leaving him only a single step away from the Bone Tempering Rank barrier!

Counting the days, it had already been twenty days since he arrived on Yunyi Island to serve his duty.

Shen Xiuhan stood by the window, looking in the direction of Changyun County. He planned to ask Garrison Master Ji for a leave of absence tomorrow, requesting two or three days off.

First, having been away for so long, it was time to go back and see his mother and Momo.

Second... before leaving the Mei Courtyard, his master had instructed him that once his blood qi reached Great Accomplishment, he must return to the martial arts hall.

Both reasons were more than enough for Shen Xiuhan to return to Changyun County as soon as possible.

However, night fell.

A sudden gale whipped up across Cloudwater Lake, causing the felt curtains outside the bamboo hut to flap wildly.

Urgent footsteps echoed from outside the door.

Deng Xiaoshan hurried over, raising his hand to knock on the door, his tone laced with anxiety:

“Patrol Envoy Shen, something has happened.”