Pulse of the Earth

Zhao Nan mentally weighed the differences between the Profundities of Wind Laws and Earth Laws, as well as the connections between them.

After a long while, Zhao Nan finally let out a slow breath and settled his mind. He decided to begin studying Earth Laws with the Profundity of the Earth Element.

With a goal in mind, Zhao Nan began practicing the Earth Spike Technique nonstop.

That was right—he planned to use the same method he had used to develop his understanding of Wind Element Laws.

Perhaps Zhao Nan had a strong aptitude for Earth Element magic, or perhaps it was because he had comprehended the Profundity of the Wind Element. Whatever the reason, he grasped the Earth Element quickly. In just eight days, he had already comprehended its profundity.

After developing an understanding of the Profundity of the Earth Element, Zhao Nan began studying the Profundity of Gravity Space.

After all, he had already comprehended the Profundity of Wind Space, and the two shared certain similarities.

However, while studying this profundity, Zhao Nan began to understand just how deep and mysterious the profundities truly were.

Although he had the Earth Element spell Gravity Spell and some insight into the Profundity of Wind Space, after more than ten days of study, he still hadn't grasped even the slightest hint of it.

Seeing this, Zhao Nan stopped trying to comprehend Gravity Space and turned his attention to the Pulse of the Earth, the profundity Linley had first comprehended.

Anyone who had read the original story knew that the Pulse of the Earth was much like the hidden force in the novels of his previous life.

The difference was that this hidden force didn't come in a single wave, but in many.

After changing his goal, Zhao Nan began learning from Linley, seeking to comprehend this profundity through the path of a warrior.

In the original story, Linley had cultivated the Pulse of the Earth thanks to the instructions recorded in his family's Dragonblood Secret Codex.

It described three stages. The first was to train with a weapon until one reached perfection. The second was Weight as Light as a Feather, and the third was the realm of Momentum.

With a direction for his training in mind, Zhao Nan took the weapon the system had given him out of his Space Ring.

The set of equipment the system had provided, which could grow along with its owner's level, included armor, a helmet, boots, a belt, a weapon, a soul-defense necklace, and a Space Ring.

Unlike the other equipment in the Panlong Plane, however, the system's gear could change its appearance.

The armor, for example, could turn into a mage's robe. Even after changing its appearance, though, its defensive properties remained extraordinary.

The weapon was the same.

It could become a magic staff, a rapier, a greatsword, a long saber, or take on other forms. Its weight and appearance could also be customized.

Zhao Nan didn't understand what made this equipment so special, but he knew how important it was.

After taking out the weapon, Zhao Nan began setting its appearance and weight.

Zhao Nan was only a seventh-level warrior at the moment. Although he had already reached the Saint Realm as a mage and had tempered his body with the magic elements of the world, his body was still nowhere near as strong as Linley's in the original story.

So Zhao Nan chose the shape of the Dark Iron Heavy Sword wielded by Dugu Qiubai in Jin Yong's The Return of the Condor Heroes, a novel from his previous life, and set its weight to six hundred and fifty jin.

Naturally, Zhao Nan's sword couldn't compare to Linley's greatsword. Linley's weapon weighed three thousand six hundred jin and was 1.41 meters long.

But Zhao Nan didn't mind. After setting its weight, he picked it up and tested it. It was within his limits. Though heavy, it was just right for helping him comprehend the realm of Weight as Light as a Feather.

After setting up his weapon, Zhao Nan glanced at Ace, who was watching him with a dazed, innocent look, and smiled. He took out some wood, made a wooden sword for Ace, and then started preparing their lunch.

After lunch, Zhao Nan first coaxed Ace to sleep. Then he began carefully practicing the basic sword techniques he had trained in as a child.

With his powerful soul force bolstering him, Zhao Nan could clearly identify what he was doing wrong each time he practiced.

He practiced over and over, correcting himself each time and making sure that every attempt was a little better than the last.

When Ace woke from his nap, Zhao Nan taught him the basic sword techniques, one move at a time.

And so, the two of them, master and disciple, slowly made their way along, practicing as they went. By the eighth day, Zhao Nan had perfected his basic sword techniques.

Once his swordsmanship had reached perfection, Zhao Nan increased the weapon's weight from six hundred and fifty jin to eight hundred and twenty.

The change in weight introduced flaws into his basic sword techniques once more.

So he started the same training process all over again.

Three months passed. By the time Zhao Nan and Ace had nearly reached the exit of the Magical Beast Mountain Range, Zhao Nan turned to look back at the range and smiled. He gave the weapon in his hand a gentle swing toward a nearby mountain.

As Zhao Nan swung his sword, a visible shock wave slammed into the mountainside.

The mountain seemed like butter beneath a hot knife. A tunnel appeared straight through it.

"It worked!"

Looking at the tunnel that now pierced the mountain, Zhao Nan couldn't help smiling.

"Teacher, what worked?" Ace asked, staring at the tunnel in confusion.

Hearing Ace's question, Zhao Nan chuckled and ruffled his hair. "Haha, it worked because it worked. You don't understand it now, but you will when you're older.

"All right, don't think too much about it. We're about to leave the Magical Beast Mountain Range. Teacher will take you to get something delicious!"

"Yay!" Hearing Zhao Nan, Ace put the matter aside and focused on the delicious food he'd promised.

Zhao Nan smiled, then opened the system panel to take a look!

[Host: Zhao Nan

Talent: Wind Element, superlative; Earth Element, superlative; Fire Element, superlative;

Bloodline: None;

Magic Level: Saint Realm Mid-Stage;

Warrior Level: Eight;

Secret Technique: Visualization Technique;

Profundities: Wind Laws (Wind Element 3%, Wind Space 2%), Earth Laws (Earth Element 2%, Pulse of the Earth 3%);

Profundity Fusion: Two Wind Element profundities fused, 2% (Wind Element, Wind Space); two Earth Element profundities fused, 2% (Earth Element, Pulse of the Earth);

Disciples: (SSS Rank) Linley Baruch (shared); (SSS Rank) Ace Hyde (shared);

Items: One set of Saint Realm equipment;

System Acceleration: Level Two.]

[Disciple Name: Linley Baruch

Disciple Rank: SSS;

Disciple Talents: Wind Element and Earth Element, superlative; Fire Element, intermediate;

Disciple Bloodline: Dragonblood Warrior (not activated);

Disciple Secret Technique: Visualization Technique;

Disciple Magic Realm: Third-level mage;

Disciple Warrior Realm: Third-level warrior.]

[Disciple Name: Ace Hyde;

Disciple Rank: SSS;

Disciple Talents: Fire Element, superlative; Earth Element, superlative;

Disciple Bloodline: Violet Flame Warrior (not activated);

Disciple Secret Technique: Visualization Technique;

Disciple Magic Realm: Second-level mage;

Disciple Warrior Realm: First-level warrior.]