Harvest

Xiang Yang was unaware of the vastly different thoughts running through the minds of the constables at the County Yamen. He was currently rushing home, feeling quite impatient.

Whether it was the Divine Steps Shifting Form obtained from completing a mission from the Wordless Book, or the Basic Breathing Technique and Tiger Subduing Fist manuals he received from Jia Kui, they all made Xiang Yang's heart itch with anticipation.

Closing the rosewood door of his small courtyard, Xiang Yang didn't even bother to eat. He immediately dashed into his room, placing the treasured fist manual and breathing technique scripture on the table, his face beaming with joy, eyes shining.

This day felt like a lifetime ago for Xiang Yang.

He had expected his first day on duty to be uneventful, a quiet patrol, collecting money, eating, and going home. Instead, an unexpected incident drew him into a major case that Constable Wang Ying and the other veteran constables were intensely investigating.

That alone would have been enough, but he also received a mission from the Wordless Book and obtained clues about Qian Fu from Jia Kui, which preliminarily set his next target.

All these events were far more exciting than what an ordinary person might experience in a year. He had to admit, Xiang Yang was starting to enjoy this thrilling life.

Sitting down beside the wooden table, Xiang Yang closed his eyes, dedicating all his focus and energy to the Divine Steps Shifting Form from the Wordless Book. He meticulously pondered every word, every sentence of the technique's characteristics, essence, and analysis, his heart growing increasingly calm and joyful.

Lightness Skill was a major branch of martial arts, focusing on lower body techniques. If mastered, it greatly enhanced a person's safety and survivability.

Generally, Lightness Skill was divided into techniques for long-distance travel, evasive maneuvers during combat, and footwork that complemented upper body martial arts. Each had its own focus, or some martial arts combined various traits.

For example, Divine Steps Shifting Form was a superior Lightness Skill with three stages. The first stage, "Greased Heels," was for long-distance travel. The second stage, "Gecko Climbing Walls," and the third stage, "Loach Burrowing Technique," combined evasive maneuvers and footwork, rather than being separate. They were far more profound than common techniques like "Grass on Flying."

Of course, the classification of martial arts was more complex. For instance, the Hu Family Saber Technique that Xiang Yang now excelled at was a saber technique that also included accompanying evasive maneuvers and footwork. While not particularly remarkable on its own, its effectiveness increased greatly when used in conjunction with the saber.

Overall, the Divine Steps Shifting Form was the most profound and esoteric martial art Xiang Yang had encountered so far, surpassing even the Hu Family Saber Technique in comparison.

Xiang Yang estimated that if he could master all three stages of Divine Steps Shifting Form, he might not be able to defeat Qian Fu in a direct confrontation, but he would certainly be able to escape, unless Qian Fu possessed an even more powerful Lightness Skill.

The only regret was that this Lightness Skill belonged to the internal martial arts category; the deeper the Internal Energy, the greater its power. In other words, while Xiang Yang wasn't completely useless with his current strength, practicing Divine Steps Shifting Form wouldn't be as effective as he imagined.

"This third stage, Loach Burrowing Technique, is quite interesting. With thick Internal Energy, one can be invincible, able to dissipate the force of incoming attacks through rotation and vibration. Without Internal Energy, one must learn to control their clothing and muscles, which can achieve a weakened effect."

This was not explicitly stated in the manual, nor was it Xiang Yang's own realization. It was a tip and a training method mentioned in the analysis and commentary.

His eyes burning with eagerness, Xiang Yang rose from his seat and walked to the side. After a moment of thought, he began practicing in a one-square-meter area, his feet moving in a sequence like a waltz. His upper body, meanwhile, began to shake. His arms, shoulders, chest, and abdomen vibrated through controlled breathing.

After a considerable time, sweat beading on his face, Xiang Yang finally stopped his strenuous movements. He returned to his seat, half-leaning on the table, and gulped down a large cup of water. Only then did he have the mind to review his practice.

"It seems I practiced correctly. Although I have no opponent and can't yet see the specific effects, it can basically offset about forty percent of the force from Jia Kui's Tiger Subduing Fist. It shouldn't be too far off."

Only he knew himself best. Although this was Xiang Yang's first time practicing Divine Steps Shifting Form, he had made significant progress, achieving mastery almost instantly.

While Xiang Yang's own comprehension was good, the more important factor was that the Wordless Book had completely deconstructed and transmitted this martial art to him. It was as if it had been ground up and chewed for him, making it even more effective than having a master. As long as one wasn't foolish, they could achieve some level of proficiency.

After a short rest, Xiang Yang's gaze fell upon the two martial arts manuals on the table. Both were of great use to him.

First, the Tiger Subduing Fist was a secret technique of the Fierce Tiger Martial Arts Hall and the foundational fist art of White Jade Temple. In the entire Anyuan County, including the deceased Jia Kui, there were no more than five people who knew it. Among them, besides Old Hero Qian, the one who practiced it most skillfully was Qian Fu, whom Xiang Yang now considered his primary enemy.

There's a saying: "Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated." This applies to warfare and highlights the importance of intelligence.

By studying the Tiger Subduing Fist now, Xiang Yang aimed to find weaknesses in Qian Fu's martial arts, or at the very least, gain an advantage in their confrontation.

For example, if the enemy used a move like "Hungry Tiger Pouncing," Xiang Yang would understand the force application within it, making it much easier to defend or even counterattack.

Even if the Tiger Subduing Fist couldn't directly help Xiang Yang against Qian Fu, learning it himself would only bring benefits.

Currently, Xiang Yang possessed the Iron Crotch Technique, Iron Finger Technique, Hu Family Saber Technique, and Divine Steps Shifting Form. Without the Wild Goose Feather Saber, his combat power would be greatly reduced, making him no different from the rough fighters in other gangs, with significant shortcomings.

The Iron Finger Technique only focused on hardening the index and middle fingers to achieve the purpose of developing the Iron Finger Technique's internal energy. It lacked accompanying finger techniques, leaving him ignorant of acupoint striking and meridian blocking. It could only unleash its full potential when combined with other exquisite finger techniques, making it rather redundant on its own.

Therefore, learning the Tiger Subduing Fist, even without internal cultivation for strengthening and body conditioning, would be enough to compensate for Xiang Yang's shortcomings in hand-to-hand combat, preventing him from becoming useless without the Wild Goose Feather Saber.

After carefully examining the fist manual for a long time, Xiang Yang sat on the wooden stool, clenched his fists, and practiced a few moves back and forth. Although his movements were powerful and imposing, he felt he couldn't grasp the true essence of the Tiger Subduing Fist, and his expression turned slightly dejected, a hint of disappointment.

"It seems my previous martial arts progress was astonishing, achieving mastery instantly, not because I am a natural genius with exceptional comprehension, but because the Heavenly Book assisted me. Now, without the Heavenly Book's help for the Tiger Subduing Fist, I'm back to my original state. Even after seeing it once, I can only grasp two parts of its essence."

From his perspective, the Tiger Subduing Fist wasn't particularly profound. The entire martial art followed a path of raw power, with simple and unadorned punches, lacking any flashy moves. Under normal circumstances, a genius would be able to learn most of it after seeing it once.

He was overthinking it. All martial arts were the crystallization of predecessors' wisdom. The fact that he could grasp two parts of its mystery after just one viewing of the fist manual, without the Heavenly Book's assistance, already indicated exceptional comprehension.

Letting out a long breath, Xiang Yang put down the fist manual and then unfolded the Basic Breathing Technique, which consisted of only two pages. His eyes gleamed. The most precious item was naturally saved for last. In Xiang Yang's eyes, the Basic Breathing Technique was even more valuable than Divine Steps Shifting Form and Tiger Subduing Fist, as it was a martial art that could cultivate Internal Energy.