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As they walked outside the grand theater and the crowd gradually dispersed, no one around was discussing the performance anymore. Si Huaruo finally came to her senses, her pretty face flushing red. She said apologetically, "I'm sorry, I was the only one chattering on and on, completely oblivious to your feelings."
Si Ming, "It's alright. I'm also very interested in plays and don't find them boring at all, just not as passionate as you are. As long as you're happy, it proves my plan is worthwhile."
Si Huaruo shook her head and said, "Dating is a matter for two people. Both of you should be happy, not one of you having to accommodate the other. I can't let you take care of me all the time."
Si Ming thought for a moment and said, "Alright, then there's a place I need to go with you."
Where?
Si Ming led Si Huaruo to the "Radio and Television Tower," the tallest building in Linked Mountains City, and looked up at it, saying, "I've wanted to try this for a long time."
Si Huaruo understood and said, "You want to go to the top of the tower to see the night view?"
"The conclusion is correct, but the process is slightly different; I yearn for a superhero-style ascent."
After saying that, he picked up Si Huaruo in a princess carry, then used his lightness skill to push off with both feet and climb up the outer perimeter of the TV tower.
Si Huaruo was also highly skilled and daring. Although she was surprised, she did not scream. Moreover, compared to climbing the building, she was more surprised by Si Ming's princess carry. So, blushing, she pressed herself against his strong chest and remained silent.
Si Ming climbed rapidly on the surface of the building, ascending dozens of meters with each touch of his toes. The night wind howled in his face, but he blocked it with his body, preventing it from reaching Si Huaruo in his arms.
In his past life, he particularly enjoyed scenes of flying between skyscrapers in superhero movies, and thought it would be even better if he could fly over them while holding a beautiful woman. Now, he finally has the ability to do so. However, doing it during the day would be too conspicuous and would make the news in no time. Moreover, city regulations strictly prohibit such behavior, and those caught will be detained and fined. Therefore, he can only do it at night. Fortunately, climbing buildings at night has a unique charm.
A moment later, Si Ming carried Si Huaruo to the top of the 500-meter-high radio and television tower. Facing the cool night wind, they looked down at the city's night view. The lights in the boundless darkness seemed like a vast sea reflecting the starry sky.
Si Huaruo climbed out of the warm embrace with some regret, looked down at the city in the night, and breathed out, "It's truly magnificent. I never thought I'd see the night view from this angle."
Si Ming stood atop the tower, arms outstretched against the howling night wind. He spun around, looking around, and suddenly felt an urge to leap in faith. Fortunately, he remembered he still had important business to attend to and quickly stopped himself from leaning forward.
"If we're talking about the best thing for couples to watch together at night, it's definitely fireworks."
Si Huaruo felt a little embarrassed by the word "couple," but pretending not to care, she asked, "Even if we were to set off fireworks, from our height we'd probably only be able to look down at them... I've never seen fireworks from this angle before; it might be quite interesting."
Si Ming was taken aback for a moment, then laughed and said, "If we're too far away, the fireworks will look very small, which would be boring. What I mean is, let's set off the fireworks ourselves."
Si Huaruo, puzzled, "But did you bring fireworks?"
"Anything that explodes and emits light is a firework; it doesn't necessarily have to be gunpowder."
After speaking, Si Ming took out the Dragon Scale Sword from his bracelet, then circulated his internal energy and leaped forward, hovering in mid-air. A powerful Sword Qi erupted, swirling around his body and gradually becoming denser. Each Sword Qi emitted scorching heat, making it look like a giant burning fireball at first glance.
Si Huaruo instantly understood Si Ming's purpose. It wasn't unheard of for martial artists to use their martial arts as fireworks, but most Spirit Transformation experts were proud of their status and disdained to please others.
Painting King Yan Kai on the Spring Festival Gala was already criticized, let alone his display of ultimate moves. These moves are equivalent to a martial artist's reputation and face. After all, the time and effort required to master an ultimate move is no less than that required to master a martial art. Si Ming's situation is an exception. Most martial artists only know two or three ultimate moves and will not use them unless they are desperate.
Si Ming's actions were like an ancient husband helping his wife wash the dishes and wipe the table; it could be said that he humbled himself, which moved Si Huaruo deeply.
"Snow melts, a thousand peaks burn, a crimson dragon blazes!"
As Si Ming's momentum reached its peak, the giant fireball exploded with a deafening roar, and a furious fire dragon emerged, baring its fangs and claws as it charged toward the dark sky. The blazing flames illuminated the night sky, and its enormous body left everyone speechless.
This fiery dragon was over three thousand feet long. Even from a height of five hundred meters, people on the ground could see it clearly and stopped in their tracks, looking up at this awe-inspiring sight.
Si Ming landed back at the top of the broadcasting tower, looked at the fiery dragon soaring in the distance, and let out a long breath. Each move of the "Imperial Dragon Heaven-Defying Sword Art" consumes a lot of True Qi, and in order to make the momentum even more imposing, he squeezed out as much True Qi as possible from his body. If he were to fight a master, he would never be so flamboyant. Instead, he would try to compress the size of the fiery dragon and concentrate the energy in one place.
He turned to look at Si Huaruo, whose face was glowing red in the firelight, and asked, "How is it? Pretty, isn't it?"
"Um."
Si Huaruo nodded shyly, then nestled against Si Ming's chest, quietly watching the rare and spectacular performance of the Flame Dragon.
Three minutes later, as the energy dissipated, the Flame Dragon shrank to Qianzhang size. Si Huaruo suddenly said, "Without an explosion, it doesn't count as fireworks. This is at most a fireworks display."
"You can make it explode, just add a move with the conflict attribute."
Just as Si Ming was about to make a move, Si Huaruo stopped him.
"No, I'll add the final step."
After saying that, she leaped out and activated the Yuan Gong she had secretly accumulated. Instantly, a rolling cold current swept in from all directions, and pure white ice crystals filled the night sky, reflecting the firelight.
"Dusk Snow and Sunken Shadows Seal Heaven's Gate!"
The night wind, carrying ice and snow, swept towards the Fiery Dragon. The moment they collided, the point of contact exploded. The fiery Sword Qi shattered the ice crystals, turning into a swaying ball of sparks that fell to the earth, leaving shimmering streaks in the night sky, resembling drooping willow branches, a truly beautiful sight that drew gasps of amazement from those below who were looking up at the scene.
Si Ming was initially drawn to the exploding ice and fire fireworks, but when he shifted his gaze to the increasingly smaller fire dragon, the image of the large fish weaving between water and fire when he enjoyed the Tianxiong roasted bluefish suddenly flashed through his mind. Now, the fire dragon was flying in the pervasive icy and cold currents, and the two were remarkably similar.
As the images in his memory juxtaposed with the images before his eyes, Si Ming was triggered and entered a state of divine enlightenment.
The five sword techniques of the "Imperial Dragon Heaven-Defying Sword Art" appeared one by one in his sea of consciousness. Among them, the fourth technique, "Snow Melts a Thousand Peaks, Crimson Dragon Burns," and the fifth technique, "Rain Falls on All Things, Purple Dragon Billows," collided with each other. First, the sword techniques decomposed, then they recombine, transforming and being reborn.
"I understand! By combining these two moves, we can create a completely new sword technique, one that was originally part of this Swordsmanship."
Si Ming's eyes shone brightly. This was a sword move he had deduced from his own martial arts experience, and it had nothing to do with his talent for enlightenment. After all, this new move, which was a fusion of two moves, was something he couldn't possibly execute with his current cultivation level. It was theoretically impossible, and his talent was of no use.
"I never expected to receive such inspiration from this experience."
Si Ming sighed, about to share his joy with Si Huaruo, when he saw that she also had a look of sudden realization, and blurted out, "You didn't also realize something, did you?"
Si Huaruo nodded, and said in a tone that even she found unbelievable, "I've learned two things. First, it's indeed easier to advance to the Spirit Transformation after the Eternal Barrier was weakened. Second, I'm going into seclusion."
Chapter 764 List of Participants
Breaking through to the Spirit Transformation is a major life event for any martial artist. After gaining inspiration, Si Huaruo immediately went into seclusion. Si Ming originally wanted to use the connections of the Heaven's Will Palace to find her a good place, but his master Yan Jinghong told him that Dinghu Sect, to which he nominally belonged, had a blessed land. So he sent her there overnight.
Si Ming felt somewhat embarrassed about this. He was clearly a legitimate disciple of the Dinghu Sect, yet he had never visited them even once, and didn't even know where his own sect was located. Although Yan Jinghong believed that the sect was now in decline and that he didn't need to care, he still decided to visit them whenever he had time, so as to at least leave his name in the sect's genealogy.
Furthermore, since Si Huaruo confirmed through her own experience that advancing to the Spirit Transformation was easier than before and that the Eternal Barrier had an effect on this, Si Ming quickly launched the previously discussed public opinion offensive to prepare the people and prevent Remote Heaven Society standing up to bewitch them. For a time, newspapers, radio, and television were full of stories of "seeking help from a tiger," and none of the protagonists had a good ending.