After the terrifying night investigation, Lin Kun became even more determined to quickly improve his strength. Before dawn broke the next day, he quietly got up and slipped to a secluded clearing behind the academy—a secret training spot he had recently discovered.
First, he needed to consolidate his newly acquired movement technique. The knowledge from the Basic Movement Technique Outline needed practice before it could become instinct. Lin Kun weaved and shifted across the clearing, his steps still somewhat stiff yet carrying a distinct rhythm. At times, he was like a butterfly flitting through flowers; at others, like a cunning hare kicking an eagle... All right, that might have been a bit exaggerated. In reality, he looked more like—
"Left foot tripping over right foot, falling flat on level ground! Ow!" Lin Kun rubbed his aching knee as he climbed back up. "This movement technique is harder to practice than I imagined! My body won't listen to me. It feels like I'm dancing some very new kind of dance..."
He attempted a sideways glide followed by a turn, but the motion became distorted. His arm involuntarily drew a circle, and he unconsciously hummed a strange beat, "Ji Ni Tai Mei~~ Oh, baby~~"
The moment he finished humming, Lin Kun froze. Then his old face flushed red as he awkwardly looked around. "Damn! Did that crappy system influence me? Why did I suddenly remember that? If someone saw me, wouldn't my hard-earned low-key persona collapse?"
He shook his head, driving the strange rhythm from his mind, and continued practicing in earnest. This time, he focused on the simplest evasions and bursts forward, and the results were much better. Still, whenever his movements failed to connect smoothly, they occasionally carried a hint of an Iron Mountain Lean or gave the illusion of dribbling...
"What exactly am I practicing here, a movement technique or a dance technique?" Lin Kun laughed helplessly. "Whatever. As long as it works. Worst comes to worst, I'll dance for my opponent before a fight and confuse them!"
After practicing his movement technique, he began testing precise control of his Mental Thread. He found several fallen leaves and tried using his threads to manipulate them all at once in midair.
"Controlling one is fine, but handling several at the same time is a little overwhelming... It feels like playing with several yo-yos at once?" Lin Kun concentrated, and several leaves trembled as they rose into the air, tracing crooked paths. "If there were some background music right now, could I perform a live 'leaf basketball' show?"
Feeling playful, he tried wrapping a Mental Thread around a small stone and imitated a certain classic move, providing his own sound effects. "Watch me sing, dance, rap, basketball! Go!"
The stone shot out with a whoosh, then... flopped weakly onto the ground three meters away.
"...All right, its attack power is negligible." Lin Kun held his forehead. "Better to honestly use it as a scouting skill."
Though the process had been full of comedy and self-mockery, Lin Kun could feel that through this seemingly nonsensical practice, his control over the Mental Thread was indeed improving bit by bit, becoming more precise and flexible.
After resting for a moment, he began his daily Soul Power cultivation. He summoned the ancient Book Spirit and sank his consciousness into it. The light crystal flickered faintly, and the surrounding Soul Power particles seemed to be drawn in, gathering slightly faster than usual.
"Sigh, it'd be great if my Spirit could speed up cultivation. Too bad it can only make things a tiny bit faster right now. It's nowhere near Tang San's cheat-like advantage." Lin Kun let his thoughts wander while meditating. "Come to think of it, could my book Spirit evolve into a 'trainee Spirit' someday? Would it automatically condense a yellow Spirit Ring after two and a half years? Would its skills be singing, dancing, and playing basketball?"
His own absurd thought amused him so much that he nearly lost his meditative state.
"Stop, stop! If I keep thinking like this, the whole tone is going to fall apart!" Lin Kun hurriedly steadied his mind and seriously guided his Soul Power through its circulation.
Once his cultivation was complete, he felt his Soul Power improve by another trace, steadily advancing toward Rank 5. He put away his Spirit, patted the dust from his clothes, and prepared to return to the dormitory.
Just as he reached the edge of the clearing, he saw Xiao Wu hopping toward him, a carrot in her hand that she was munching on.
"Huh? Lin Kun? Why are you coming out from here?" Xiao Wu tilted her head, her large eyes full of curiosity. "What were you doing in there just now? I think I heard something like 'Ji Ni Tai Mei'?"
Lin Kun: "!!!"
The scene of social death had arrived at last!
He forced himself to remain calm and lied without changing expression. "Oh, nothing. I was practicing my movement technique. Maybe I accidentally stepped on something that made a weird noise. Why did you come over here, Sister Xiao Wu?"
Xiao Wu studied him suspiciously for a few moments but did not pursue it. She waved the carrot in her hand. "I came to find some fresh carrots! The ones here seem sweeter! Oh, right, look at this new move I learned!"
As she spoke, she suddenly performed a nimble backflip on the spot. Her scorpion braid traced a graceful arc through the air, and she landed without a sound, proudly raising her little face. "Well? Amazing, right?"
Lin Kun watched her movement, then recalled the sorry sight of his left foot tripping over his right during practice. Tears streamed down his heart. Was this the gap in talent?
He gave her a thumbs-up and sincerely—though with a touch of jealousy—praised her, "Amazing, amazing! Sister Xiao Wu's move is elegant—so elegant!" Unlike him, who had nearly turned his movement technique into a basketball tutorial.
Xiao Wu gave a satisfied hum, then skipped off to look for more carrots.
Lin Kun watched her receding figure and wiped away a cold sweat. "Good thing I fooled her... I need to find an even more hidden place to train from now on. This 'Kun-style cultivation method' is too easy to misunderstand!"
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