Improving Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track and Lingbo Step

The success of the Bei Ming Hand greatly excited Li Yue.

To him, the knowledge from his previous life truly was a treasure trove. Merely digging into it a little had given him a top-tier hand technique.

He decided to continue drawing on Lingbo Weibu—the footwork that appeared alongside the Bei Ming Divine Skill in Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils—to improve Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track.

For one thing, this footwork was connected to the Bei Ming Divine Skill—it was originally meant to be practiced only after one had mastered the Bei Ming Divine Skill, absorbed others' internal energy, and built up considerable internal energy of one's own.

And Li Yue had happened to master the Bei Ming Hand.

For another, Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track resembled Lingbo Weibu in its effects—it was exceedingly profound. Its movements did not appear fast, yet every step contained deep principles.

Thus, Li Yue planned to improve Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track in the direction of Lingbo Weibu.

He found Ode to the Luo River Goddess written by Cao Zhi and located the passage containing the words "Lingbo Weibu." He continued reading: "Treading lightly upon the waves, dust rose from silken stockings. Her movements followed no fixed pattern, seeming at once precarious and steady. Her advances and retreats were impossible to predict, as though she went away, then returned."

Her movements followed no fixed pattern, seeming at once precarious and steady. Her advances and retreats were impossible to predict, as though she went away, then returned.

—These sixteen characters were the essence of Lingbo Weibu.

He then took out the Book of Changes.

The Sixty-Four Hexagrams in the Book of Changes were depicted as two trigrams combined, one above and one below. In truth, it was base eight: eight times eight made sixty-four, representing sixty-four directions.

Just like east, south, west, and north, only more precise.

This was also why Lingbo Weibu required not only footprints and route diagrams, but also the directional descriptions of the Sixty-Four Hexagrams from the Book of Changes—it told you which direction to move in.

Therefore, the Book of Changes was of little use to Li Yue. After all, he had not obtained the actual Lingbo Weibu manual.

If he created a footwork technique himself, then he could use the Sixty-Four Hexagrams to describe it.

The essence of Lingbo Weibu was using Dynamic Skill to cultivate internal energy. Rather than treating the Book of Changes as reference material, he might as well look for some Dynamic Skills.

Li Yue wrote down the Primordial Chaos Skill and Hun Yuan Palm from memory. These were Mount Hua Sect techniques he had previously memorized in the Scripture Library.

The Primordial Chaos Skill was a technique cultivated from the outside in, the opposite of other internal cultivation methods in the world.

Once mastered, it possessed tremendous power. Every move carried internal energy, and there was no risk of cultivation deviation, since Dynamic Skill did not require circulating energy like internal cultivation did.

However, it had one drawback: it took a long time and produced slow results.

To Li Yue, who wanted to improve Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track, this was not a drawback. After all, he only wanted to obtain a footwork technique.

When using this footwork against an enemy, even if it could only accumulate a little internal energy, that would still be an advantage.

Others consumed internal energy when using footwork, while I could build up internal energy. One weakened while I grew stronger. That was already a huge advantage, wasn't it?

Although Hun Yuan Palm was a palm technique, one could use palm practice to cultivate internal force. It was also a Dynamic Skill.

After the Primordial Chaos Skill reached mastery, every move would carry internal energy. Combined with this Hun Yuan Palm technique, its power was easy to imagine.

Li Yue intended to integrate the Primordial Chaos Skill's footwork, Hun Yuan Step, into Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track, then incorporate Hun Yuan Palm into the Bei Ming Hand.

In truth, there was no need to force them together. He only needed to combine them organically.

After all, one was a Dynamic Skill and the other was an internal cultivation technique. They did not conflict.

Li Yue went back to the Scripture Library and found a large number of Dynamic Skills, sorting through them and experimenting with combining them with Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track and the Bei Ming Hand.

After cutting and revising, retaining only the essence, he was left with sixty-four steps. Perhaps it could be called the Lingbo Step.

With this Lingbo Step, every step contained deep principles. After taking all sixty-four steps, his internal breath would complete a circuit through the meridians in his legs and accumulate in the Guanyuan acupoint of his lower dantian.

One day, Tang San came to Li Yue's residence, his face full of the joy of completing a task. "Tang Yue Senior Brother, the cellar you ordered has been dug. All the facilities have also been arranged according to your requirements."

Although Tang San was an Outer Disciple, Li Yue's special favor allowed him to enter the inner sect.

As for the reason, Tang San was the Outer Sect Supervisor appointed by Li Yue. Since he needed to report to Li Yue regularly, he was granted the privilege of entering and leaving both the outer and inner sects.

"Xiao San, you've done well."

A trace of approval flashed through Li Yue's eyes. He was very satisfied with Tang San's performance. This cellar would be of great use to him, as it concerned the cultivation of the Mysterious Heaven Skill.

The Mysterious Heaven Skill was a balanced and peaceful Daoist cultivation technique. Once mastered, its energy would flow endlessly, vast and boundless, displaying the phenomenon of Three Flowers Gathering on the Crown.

Compared to the divine martial arts manuals of the martial world, it was superior by an unknowable margin. It could be said that while others practiced martial arts, he cultivated immortality.

However, it had one flaw: its progress was slow. Compared to other orthodox martial arts, it was actually not bad, but if one wished to cultivate it to the level of Three Flowers Gathering on the Crown, then its progress was indeed slow.

At that rate, it would probably take more than a thousand years to master.

Thus, Li Yue thought of the Cold Jade Bed. Sleeping on a Cold Jade Bed for one year was equivalent to ten years of cultivation.

He did not have a Cold Jade Bed, but he could make an Ice Bed. He could dig a cellar, gather ice in winter, then take it out for use—or cultivate directly inside.

Even if it could not compare to a Cold Jade Bed, it should still be faster than before.

Therefore, Li Yue had Tang San lead the Outer Disciples in digging a cellar to prepare for gathering ice in winter.

"Xiao San, I've seen all your growth during this period. In a few days, once I report this to the elders, you will replace Tang Chuan and take charge of the outer sect's Hidden Weapon affairs."

Joy flashed across Tang San's face, but he immediately replied respectfully, "Not at all. It is all thanks to Tang Yue Senior Brother's excellent guidance. Tang San has merely followed Senior Brother's teachings."

"You brat, you've learned how to flatter people too." Li Yue laughed and scolded him. Thinking of the newly integrated Bei Ming Hand and Lingbo Step, his hands began to itch. "Come spar with me. Let me see whether you've neglected your cultivation."

"Then please forgive my offense, Tang Yue Senior Brother."

Tang San apologized, circulated the internal energy of the Mysterious Heaven Skill, and used Mysterious Jade Hand. His hands immediately became lustrous and white like jade as he assumed the grappling stance of Controlling Crane Capturing Dragon.

Controlling Crane Capturing Dragon was not only a method of directing force, but also an overbearing grappling technique.

Li Yue merely clasped his hands behind his back and paced around Tang San, silently watching him assume his stance.

The atmosphere gradually grew heavy.

Tang San's use of Mysterious Jade Hand consumed his cultivation.

Li Yue's Lingbo Step, meanwhile, could accumulate internal energy.

As time passed, one weakened while the other grew stronger.

Tang San sensed that maintaining Mysterious Jade Hand was constantly draining his internal energy, but if he stopped now, he would lose the initiative and waste that energy for nothing.

Li Yue remained calm. The longer this dragged on, the greater his chances of victory, though he had no need to rely on this advantage in a spar with Tang San.

"Senior Brother, be careful!"

At last, Tang San could not hold back any longer. He used Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track to close in, and layers of ghostly shadows instantly appeared.

He activated the pulling force of Controlling Crane Capturing Dragon, drew a pebble up from the ground, and fired it at Li Yue with a technique from Hundred Solutions for Hidden Weapons to harass him.

But Li Yue remained unhurried and did not rush to counterattack. Faced with Tang San's fierce assault, he simply used the Lingbo Step to evade.

His steps appeared casual, yet they concealed profound mysteries. Every step precisely avoided Tang San's attacks.

At the same time, he cleverly maintained a distance from Tang San—neither too far nor too close.

Only when Tang San realized that he had been circling in place did he discover that he had not closed the distance between himself and Li Yue in the slightest.

His heart jolted. Tang Yue Senior Brother's Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track had improved again.

"Tang San, losing focus in battle is not a good thing."

Hearing the call, Tang San saw that Li Yue had somehow already arrived before him and was slowly sending out a palm strike.

Cold sweat instantly covered Tang San's back. He immediately used the force-directing method of Controlling Crane Capturing Dragon, using four ounces to deflect a thousand pounds and ease Li Yue's attack.

Unexpectedly, the moment his jade-colored right hand touched Li Yue's hand, it was seized. The acupoints on his wrist were locked, and the hand that had been gleaming white like jade immediately dimmed.

Tang San was shocked. He sensed his internal energy pouring out wildly and tried to pull his wrist free.

When he saw Li Yue attack with his other hand, Tang San raised his left hand and instinctively leaned backward, trying to evade the seemingly ordinary grab that carried no vicious aura. Yet he was caught again.

With both hands seized and twisted, Tang San was immediately unable to move.

Tang San begged for mercy. "Senior Brother, your cultivation has improved again. Tang San has lost."

Li Yue released a burst of force and let Tang San go. Seeing his flustered state amused him, and the corners of his lips curved slightly upward. "Again."

After being seized several more times, with his internal energy nearly exhausted, Tang San refused to continue no matter what. "Senior Brother, I have already given my all. My internal energy is now depleted, and I truly cannot continue."

"Then I'll let you off. Go back and rest well." Li Yue was not someone who liked forcing others, so he ended the spar.

At that moment, the somewhat familiar electronic voice of the system sounded in his mind: "Detected that the host has guided Tang San in martial arts. Tang San's karma has deepened."