Light Body Skills

Lu Changfeng devoted himself wholeheartedly to training at the martial arts school.

Given Lu Changfeng's training progress, he occasionally took Zhou Feng's place in teaching the registered disciples.

This gradually raised Lu Changfeng's prestige among the registered disciples as well.

However, after grain prices surged once more, the number of registered disciples at Changle Martial Arts School dwindled drastically again, leaving fewer than twenty.

Those disciples who remained all came from relatively well-off families and had already become formal Martial Artists in the Blood Tempering stage.

The disciples' tuition fees were also a major source of income for the martial arts school. With the number of disciples sharply reduced, the school's finances grew strained. The most visible change was that the cafeteria began serving less meat, and the variety of vegetables also decreased.

Fortunately, the disciples all understood the hardship of the times and voiced no complaints.

During this time, news arrived from Qingshan Prefecture.

Across Qingshan Prefecture's Twenty-Six Cities, the Song Royal Court's forces had been completely driven out of Qingshan Prefecture.

Qingshan Prefecture was now cleanly carved up among the Three Great Sects: the Blood Fiend Sect, the Xuanming Cult, and the Meteor Sword Sect.

Friction between the Three Great Sects never ceased, but unlike their previous campaigns of seizing cities and territory, the three powers now focused their efforts on managing their lands—for instance, forbidding the common people under their rule from fleeing elsewhere.

This seemed to bring a temporary peace, and the number of refugees fleeing from Qingshan Prefecture decreased.

Yet anyone with eyes could see that this was the stillness before the storm.

Sooner or later, Qingshan Prefecture would see a decisive battle among the three powers to determine who would become its master.

Furthermore, among Song Kingdom's Seven Prefectures, apart from the Capital Region, Yunyang Prefecture, and Jiangnan Prefecture, the remaining prefectures had all descended into chaotic warfare.

Song Kingdom's realm was about to fall apart. At best, it would end with the country's territory fractured.

Amid the atmosphere of widespread unease,

Lu Changfeng welcomed the next update to the Copy Interface in the bleak chill of early winter.

This time, Lu Changfeng chose to copy a talent.

Thinking of how, when he had slain rogue soldiers last time, some had escaped while he had been powerless to pursue them,

Lu Changfeng decisively set his sights on Chun Zhu's [Low-grade Lightness Skill Talent].

Though it was low-grade, Lu Changfeng had never seen anyone else with a talent related to lightness skills.

Most people's talents were in things like fist techniques or palm techniques.

Weapon-related ones were rare as well.

Support-type talents were rarer still.

Besides, Lu Changfeng possessed a fusion talent. At worst, he could fuse it several more times and turn a low-grade lightness skill talent into a high-grade one.

That evening,

Chun Zhu fetched water as usual to wipe down Lu Changfeng's body.

After Chun Zhu became a registered disciple of the martial arts school, Lu Changfeng had in fact already removed her slave registration.

But how could a habit of more than ten years be changed so easily?

With Chun Zhu insisting again and again, Lu Changfeng could only continue accepting her service.

Chun Zhu used a soft towel to wipe Lu Changfeng's back.

It was a little ticklish, but very comfortable.

Lu Changfeng suddenly turned around and reached out, cupping Chun Zhu's cheeks in both hands.

"Copy?"

"Copy Chun Zhu's Low-grade Lightness Skill Talent."

"Copy Success!"

Chun Zhu was slightly startled, but instead of pulling away, she gazed at Lu Changfeng with deep affection in her eyes.

How could Lu Changfeng not understand Chun Zhu's feelings?

Moreover, in this world, matters of the bedchamber had a negligible effect on martial cultivation. So long as one did not indulge day and night, there would be no impact whatsoever.

That little expenditure was, to a Blood Tempering Realm Martial Artist's recovery ability, no more than taking a few extra breaths.

With the mood right, Lu Changfeng used copying as an excuse to let go of the barrier in his heart. He lowered his head and gently kissed her, taking Chun Zhu into his room.

The night passed without further words; there was no need to say more.

The next day, the martial arts school's disciples, Zhou Feng included, all noticed the changes in Lu Changfeng and Chun Zhu.

A few rounds of teasing and horseplay were unavoidable. Chun Zhu blushed crimson, while Lu Changfeng had a thick enough skin to remain utterly unmoved.

At noon, Lu Changfeng went to find his Master, Zhang Desheng.

He explained that he wanted to learn lightness skills.

"At the Blood Tempering stage, without Internal Energy, there are very few Light Body Skills you can cultivate."

"Mm, I do have an Antelope Dodge Method here. It can make you more agile in battle."

"There is also a Blood Burst Steps. Once used, it can temporarily increase your speed in a straight-line dash, but it consumes a great deal of stamina."

"Both Light Body Skills are beginner martial arts that can be cultivated at the Blood Tempering stage, but they will still take quite a bit of time to learn."

"If your talent is insufficient, it would be better to choose only one to cultivate, lest you delay your Blood Tempering Cultivation Technique."

Lu Changfeng scratched his head and said, "Master, I want to look through both martial arts first, then decide which one to cultivate."

"Very well." Zhang Desheng nodded, found Two Booklets, and handed them to Lu Changfeng.

"Bring them back to me after you finish reading them."

Lu Changfeng nodded in agreement.

Martial arts at the Blood Tempering Realm were considered simple and easy to understand. It would only take Lu Changfeng a few days to memorize them.

After returning to his room, Lu Changfeng opened the Two Booklets and began reading.

Though they were martial arts of the Blood Tempering Realm, a Martial Artist without the talent would need several years of diligent practice before reaching minor accomplishment.

After Lu Changfeng understood the cultivation methods of the Two Light Body Skills,

he decided to set aside two hours each day to cultivate both Light Body Skills at once.

Since [Gale Sword Technique] had reached perfection, Lu Changfeng had temporarily stopped cultivating that sword technique.

He only spent some time consolidating his swordsmanship and did not seek out any other sword techniques to practice.

Sword techniques of the Blood Tempering Realm were basically methods of exerting force and variations in Sword Moves.

The perfected [Gale Sword Technique] had already given Lu Changfeng an extremely high degree of mastery over moves and methods of exerting force. Practicing more would only waste time.

Therefore, the two hours spent practicing lightness skills would not affect Lu Changfeng's cultivation progress with his Blood Tempering Cultivation Technique.

Lu Changfeng also shared the Two Light Body Skills with Chun Zhu.

So as not to waste Chun Zhu's lightness skill talent.

Thus, another month passed.

With the aid of the Low-grade Lightness Skill Talent,

Lu Changfeng was the first to gain entry into 'Blood Burst Steps.'

This technique tested one's control over Qi and Blood. Cultivating it became relatively easy after the Blood Tempering Realm's second level, not to mention that Lu Changfeng was at the Blood Tempering Third Level.

When he unleashed 'Blood Burst Steps,' Lu Changfeng's movement speed could increase by thirty percent!

If an enemy of the same level tried to flee again, Lu Changfeng could use 'Blood Burst Steps' to catch up and slay them.

Another half month passed. It was now deep winter, and the weather grew ever colder.

Even with Lu Changfeng's robust physique, he could feel the chill when training bare-armed.

It was also on this day that Lu Changfeng gained entry into the 'Antelope Dodge Method.'

This Light Body Skill greatly increased the agility of Lu Changfeng's movements.

Paired with the Gale Sword Technique, it could produce an effect where one plus one was greater than two.

Lu Changfeng put on his outer robe and opened his current interface.

Name: Lu Changfeng

Bone Structure: Grade A Upper

Talents: Mid-grade Talent [Swordsmanship], Low-grade Lightness Skill Talent

Realm: Blood Tempering Third Level

Blood Tempering Cultivation Technique: [Mount Le's Wrathful Vajra] Minor Accomplishment

Martial Arts: [Gale Sword Technique] Perfection, [Blood Burst Steps] Entry, [Antelope Dodge Method] Entry

Replication Interval: Five days.

The Copy Interface would refresh again soon.

This time, Lu Changfeng planned to continue copying Chun Zhu's Low-grade Lightness Skill Talent to strengthen his agility.

Furthermore, Lu Changfeng had used up all of his Exotic Beast Meat, including the Exotic Beast Meat he had just received from his Master at the beginning of the month.

If he did not take action, Lu Changfeng would have no Exotic Beast Meat left the day after tomorrow.

"Before the New Year, I'll pull one more job."

With that thought in mind, Lu Changfeng went to find his Second Senior Brother, Zhou Feng.