The Bow in the Heart, Archery Reaches the Divine!

[Your Horsemanship has entered the realm of Perfection!]

At this moment, Zhao Cheng felt his consciousness—or rather, his spirit—extend through his waist and legs, enveloping the horse.

He had the sensation that the horse had become a part of his own body; he could make it go wherever he wished, and if he wanted it to lift a front leg, it would never lift a hind one.

He could even feel the force generated by the horse standing on the ground, the way it braced itself against the earth.

He could perceive the power flowing through the muscles of the mount beneath him, sense the limits of its skeletal structure, and feel how this creature, not particularly intelligent by nature, had become more docile and submissive due to his own transformation.

This feeling was incredibly profound, as if he had truly spent ten years of his life practicing horsemanship, day and night, without sleep or rest, until he had reached an indescribable, divine state.

For an ordinary person, ten years of such riding might not yield these results, but Zhao Cheng had already achieved Great Success in Flesh Refining. His understanding of power and the human physique far surpassed that of common men, which was why he could reach such an incredible state after ten years of dedicated, immersive practice.

He closed his eyes to feel it more closely, then let out a sigh, "Alas, this horse is mediocre; it cannot even bring out thirty percent of my horsemanship!"

Beside him, the County Commandant's tiger-like eyes widened, and he nearly stumbled from the sheer absurdity of that statement.

You haven't been thrown off the horse yet, which is only because you have the strength to hold on tight, and you still have the nerve to complain that the horse can't keep up with your skills??

Have some shame!

He looked at Zhao Cheng, only to see the man close his eyes again, sitting upright on the horse, still as Mount Tai. Strangely, the horse seemed to obey his will completely, standing there motionless, appearing as if it, too, were lost in deep contemplation.

The scene was so bizarre that an inexplicable aura of a master emanated from him, leaving the County Commandant unable to find the words to call his bluff.

Strange. Could the horse have been worn out by him?

Had it given up resisting?

The County Commandant stood there, staring fixedly at the horse that had been restless but was now suddenly docile. He refused to believe the animal could stay this obedient, waiting for the moment it shifted its rump so he could witness Zhao Cheng's failure with his own eyes!

He wouldn't be able to rest until he had mocked Zhao Cheng for that!

Meanwhile, within Zhao Cheng's consciousness, the system continued to consume his lifespan to deduce Archery.

[Beginning to consume lifespan to practice Archery...]

[Year 1: You practice archery without sleep or rest. Although your control over your physical strength has reached its peak, your arrows always end up in unexpected places. You begin to realize that you seem to have no talent for archery.]

[Year 2: You are convinced you have no talent for archery and still prefer to charge in with a blade, but the long hours of practice and accumulation are not without effect. You begin to hit targets accurately from thirty paces while standing still.]

[Year 3: You find your rhythm in stationary archery and become unstoppable. Fifty paces, seventy paces, eighty paces—you discover that the further the distance, the harder it becomes, and your accuracy drops sharply. You finally understand the true weight of the legendary 'piercing a willow leaf at a hundred paces'...]

[Year 4: You can finally hit the bullseye every time from eighty paces. Your archery has entered the threshold of mastery. However, when you are on horseback and moving, you still frequently miss. You begin to practice mounted archery.]

[Year 5: Because your horsemanship is at the level of Perfection, you easily grasp the key. You can now hit the bullseye every time from eighty paces while mounted. But enemies won't stand still for you to shoot, so you begin to consciously practice on moving targets...]

[Year 7: Having found the key, your archery progresses by leaps and bounds. Now, even at a full gallop, you can easily hit moving targets from eighty paces. Your archery has reached the level of Pure Perfection!]

[Year 8: You become increasingly proficient, and the distance of your accurate shots grows ever further. Gradually, you can hit the bullseye from a hundred paces every time. At full gallop, you can easily strike birds in flight. Your archery has reached the realm of Perfection!]

[Year 9: You become obsessed with the charm of archery, wanting to unlock more power and greater distances. Since you have achieved success in Body Refining, strength is not an issue for you. You begin practicing hitting the bullseye from one hundred and fifty paces... Your archery grows daily, and you are unable to extricate yourself from the pursuit.]

[Year 10: You practice archery with fanatical devotion. Gradually, you can pierce anything within one hundred and fifty paces with a single arrow. Now, what limits you is no longer accuracy, but your eyesight. You begin to unconsciously circulate your Body Refining Technique to train your vision, wanting to see the details of objects at even greater distances...]

The deduction stopped abruptly. Zhao Cheng felt a sudden sense of emptiness, so without hesitation, he invested another five years of his lifespan.

[Year 11: You discover that the Body Refining Technique can indeed train your vision. As you try to see further and more clearly, the technique circulates quietly, constantly strengthening your eyes. The distance you can see clearly grows ever further, and your vision continues to improve...]

[Year 13: Now, you can see the veins on the wings of a fly from two hundred paces away. You draw your bow to shoot, confident of a hit, but at this moment, you realize your bow cannot withstand such power and snaps...]

[Year 14: Now, what limits you from hitting targets at greater distances is no longer your vision, but a bow capable of bearing your strength. Lacking a suitable bow, you practice archery with a 'bow of the heart.' Your archery has long since merged into one with your spirit; even with this mental bow, your skills continue to refine, and you feel the distance at which you can hit the bullseye growing ever greater...]

[Year 15: You shoot with the bow of your heart—two hundred paces, three hundred, four hundred, until five hundred paces. You feel your vision and strength have reached their limit. From this point on, you are confident that you can pierce anything within five hundred paces with a single arrow. Your archery has reached the Divine Realm!]

Outside, the County Commandant stared with his tiger eyes, fixed on Zhao Cheng and the horse.

For a long while, both remained motionless, the aura of a master growing even more intense, leaving him feeling suspicious and uneasy.

How strange!!

It was understandable for a human to remain still, but how could this furry beast be so obedient? It had been restless just a moment ago, and now it was as docile as a young bride!?

His brow furrowed deeper, and the confusion in his eyes grew thicker.

Just then, Zhao Cheng, sitting on the horse, let out a long sigh, "Alas..."

This sigh contained endless melancholy, helplessness, and the loneliness of being at the peak.

It was a sigh of such desolation that it struck right at the heart.

It left the County Commandant feeling both desolate and utterly bewildered.

Why are you sighing for no reason?

He heard Zhao Cheng lift his head and say in a lonely tone, "What use is archery reaching the Divine Realm? There is no good bow in this world that can bear my strength. This archery... it is better left unpracticed..."

He lowered his head in desolation, and the horse, as if understanding his heart, turned around in obedience to his will, preparing to leave silently, leaving the County Commandant with nothing but his back!

The County Commandant felt the world go black before his eyes, his heart filled with absolute madness!