All Things Breathing (Please Bookmark, Please Follow)

Thinking of the Heaven Severing Sword Dao, Zhong Ming immediately recalled an extremely famous great sect from his past life: the Intercepting Sect.

Of course, though the Stream Interception he now studied shared some similar principles with the Intercepting Sect, the gap between them was like the faint glow of rotten wood compared to the bright moon in the heavens.

The Great Dao was fifty, Heaven evolved forty-nine. That sect leader could intercept the one that escaped, leaving all living beings a sliver of opportunity to attain the Dao. That was a realm loftier than karma or fate, something Zhong Ming simply could not comprehend.

For now, the Stream Interception he studied was merely observing the flow of all things, then striking at their core and crucial points, causing localized chaos or collapse.

Still, it was incredibly powerful.

"All things in the world are in motion. An enemy's swordsmanship, spells, even the circulation of their spiritual power—it is all the same."

"After learning Stream Interception, if I observe the trajectory of an enemy's swordplay and strike directly at its vital point, I can easily break apart their attack."

"The offensive spells enemies cast, as well as their spell shields, are the same. Find the key point in their flow, tap it lightly, sever it, and the spell will collapse on its own."

"And inside an enemy's body, if I send spiritual power in, I can disrupt the circulation of their spiritual power. That could weaken their ability to resist by thirty to fifty percent, or even cripple them outright."

The more Zhong Ming thought about it, the more useful this secret art seemed.

And it could not only be used on its own, but also combined with Dragon Creek Swordplay—especially the Dragon Stream - Sword Drawing Technique.

"I have to practice this technique. I have to master it, bring it to great accomplishment..."

As he pondered, a string of system notifications rang out beside Zhong Ming's ear.

[...]

This was Zhong Ming's insight and accumulation in Water Flow, transformed into nourishment for [Spirit Stream Finger · Stream Interception].

Yet at this point, Zhong Ming's brow furrowed.

It no longer emphasized smoothness, nor the rhythm of flowing water, nor even dragons.

Its cultivation extended from Water Flow to All Things Flowing, to All Things Breathing—fluctuations.

"Cultivators practice different techniques, and their attributes differ as well."

"..."

Extending from flowing water to all things had already gone beyond the comfort zone of Dragon Stream Peak's techniques. If Zhong Ming wanted to learn it, he would have to put in some serious effort.

Yet after realizing this, Zhong Ming did not feel troubled. Instead, a faint excitement appeared on his face.

"A different direction means that when I advance to the third realm, the trait I comprehend will likely no longer be Water Flow, but something else."

"Better still, it extends from Water Flow, and at the third realm, its difference from Water Flow is not all that great. When Stream Interception advances to the third realm, it can still fuse with the other five Water Flow traits, allowing me to comprehend the Dao rhythm of water."

Different traits filled Zhong Ming with excitement and delight.

This cultivation did not require Zhong Ming to make many moves. He only needed to observe.

He watched the babbling stream, the gentle breeze, the stretching clouds and mist, the growth of grass and trees, the rising sun and setting moon, the changing of the four seasons...

Since flow manifested everywhere within the world, Zhong Ming could observe all the myriad scenes of this mortal world and, through careful contemplation, sense the flow and transformations within them.

After understanding the specific method of cultivation, Zhong Ming's first reaction was:

"This is far too mystical. No wonder Dragon Stream Peak's seniors placed it on the third floor, and neither Senior Brother Qi Hong nor Senior Brother Yang Chen had practiced it. This technique really isn't easy to cultivate."

For those who pursued the Dao, the hardest techniques to cultivate were never those with specific sword moves, or things that merely required diligent practice.

Even techniques that required resources were not the hardest.

No matter what, such techniques had clear cultivation steps. As long as one followed them, however difficult they might be, one could still advance.

But techniques described in such mystical terms were different.

They told you to observe, but they did not mean merely staring blankly.

You had to gain insight.

And that required a cultivator to possess extraordinary comprehension or exceptional talent.

Without such talent, even if you sat in meditation for a year, you would truly only be sitting there, unable to comprehend anything at all.

This kind of cultivation, where one did not even know how to begin, was the most maddening.

"For disciples of ordinary talent to cultivate this technique would be a complete waste of time. Keeping it on the third floor of the Golden Treasury Pavilion and preventing ordinary disciples from accessing it is appropriate."

"Fortunately, I'm not ordinary."

With Heaven Rewards Diligence, Zhong Ming only needed to cultivate diligently to keep improving.

Most of the time, however, Heaven Rewards Diligence required Zhong Ming to complete an entire round of cultivation. And as the realm of his techniques increased, its requirements grew higher and higher.

But Heaven Rewards Diligence rarely gave Zhong Ming conditions he could not fulfill.

Take reading, for example. To raise this skill from the fourth realm, Minor Accomplishment, to the fifth realm, Master, Zhong Ming not only had to finish a book but also comprehend its meaning. That seemed difficult, but in truth, it was not.

At the fourth realm, Zhong Ming had obtained the trait Intent Reading. As long as he activated it, he could comprehend the true meaning within a book. It was because of this trait that reading had such a requirement.

[You saw fallen leaves and thought of leaves returning to their roots, turning into spring mud... You gained insight into Spirit Stream Finger · Stream Interception. Technique progress +2]

[You saw clouds and mist and thought of the transformations of water, clouds, and mist. You gained insight into All Things Flowing. Spirit Stream Finger · Stream Interception technique progress +4]

[You saw the sun rise and the temperature of the world increase, gaining new insight into All Things Flowing. Spirit Stream Finger · Stream Interception technique progress +13]

[...]

Sitting in one place and observing everything between heaven and earth was indeed a viable cultivation method.

Naturally, cultivating this way increased technique progress very slowly.

Fortunately, Zhong Ming had a cheating method as well.

"Intent Reading, activate!"

"Buzz!"

After activating Intent Reading, Zhong Ming's mind became clear. He treated the tree before him as a book and began reading it with complete concentration.

What made Zhong Ming raise his brows was that this kind of reading actually worked.

As Zhong Ming gazed directly at the tree, it was as if he saw its entire life.

He saw a sapling absorb sunlight and water as it grew clumsily and sturdily. He saw birds build nests in its branches. He saw it scatter its seeds and send them far away.

"Trees absorb sunlight and water to grow themselves. That is a kind of flow..."

"A tree scattering its seeds is also a kind of flow..."

"If I want to sever a tree's growth, the best method is to cut off its roots and leaves, preventing it from absorbing sunlight from the sky or drawing nourishment from the earth..."

[You observed a tree and gained a new understanding of All Things Flowing. Spirit Stream Finger · Stream Interception technique progress +73]

After activating Intent Reading, Zhong Ming was like a genius of comprehension close to nature. He personally experienced the growth of all things and sensed the flow and transformations of everything in the world.

And as he calmly sensed the true meaning of the Dao, the consequences of Zhong Ming defeating Xie Yuzhu and comprehending Dao rhythm also began to ferment on a small scale.

The first to be affected by this matter was naturally... the Xie Family.