Fusing Strength, Mid-Stage

Su Yuan urged the Cloud-Striding Strength through his right palm. A gentle, unending force surged forth, like flowing clouds unfurling and curling, shifting without pause, continuous and unbroken.

The many secret techniques of the Cloud-Striding Palm were all based on this Cloud-Striding Strength.

Her mastery of the Cloud-Striding Strength was divided into three stages: white clouds, dark clouds, and black clouds, corresponding to the three realms of External Force.

This was not merely an increase in the total strength. It also required a profound understanding of strength and sufficient comprehension to perform the Black Cloud Secret Art, transforming the originally gentle white clouds into explosive black clouds.

As expected of Great Jing martial arts—their distinctions were so precise.

By contrast, the two Great Liang techniques he had mastered only required him to throw away his brains and train like mad.

The drawbacks of Great Liang martial arts were also obvious. Under such high-intensity training, a single mistake could easily cause injury and damage one's foundations.

But with his Destiny Pattern's blessing, Su Yuan perfectly avoided this weakness.

As he continued to activate the Cloud-Striding Strength, his palm suddenly went out of control, and a sharp pain shot through it.

The Cloud-Striding Strength and his original Flying Star Strength clashed violently!

Su Yuan quickly moved the Flying Star Strength aside, no longer obstructing the growth of the Cloud-Striding Strength.

Sure enough, the pain eased considerably.

It seemed that as long as these two strengths did not collide directly, there would be no major problem.

He then made the Vajra Strength touch the Cloud-Striding Strength. As expected, a clash erupted again.

"What should I do? Do I have to give up the Cloud-Striding Strength? But all paths in martial arts lead to the same destination. There must be a way to fuse them."

He had worked so hard to train the Cloud-Striding Palm to the second layer. How could he give up so easily?

He racked his brains, pondering while directing the three strengths within his body. He wanted to use the way the Vajra Strength and Flying Star Strength stacked together as a reference.

On closer inspection, he discovered that the two strengths did not blend perfectly either. They merely coexisted without clashing.

As he endured the discomfort and continued experimenting, the conflict among the three strengths seemed to lessen a little.

"That's it! Smoothing Edges!"

Strength was, in truth, the refinement and elevation of Blood Qi, or perhaps it could be called force energy. At its core, it was a kind of personal vital energy, which could be adjusted using [Shadow Concealment].

By the same logic, perhaps these three strengths could also be polished into harmony using [Smoothing Edges].

But if he ground away the edges of all three strengths and then tried to fuse them, what would they become?

Still, if he kept polishing them, the strengths would surely grow more harmonious.

As for the precise process, Su Yuan might be able to adjust it himself, forging a version best suited to him.

[Golden Horse-Head Technique: 602/2000 (Third Layer)]

[Heavenly Horse Flying Star Fist: 13/2000 (Third Layer)]

[Cloud-Striding Palm: 21/2000 (Third Layer)]

[Cloud-Covering Art: 169/1000 (Great Accomplishment)]

Su Yuan had a plan.

He intended to use the Cloud-Striding Strength's adaptability and inclusiveness to guide the fusion of the other two strengths, then conceal the result with the Cloud-Covering Art.

The inheritance he had received for the Cloud-Striding Palm was the most complete, allowing him to train all the way to the Internal Force Peak.

According to Yun Xu, once Ji City was reclaimed in the future, they might be able to join the Cloud Mist Sect, and the Cloud-Striding Palm could be integrated with the sect's techniques.

Now, Su Yuan had an escape route on either side: the Cloud Mist Sect in Great Jing, and Gao Mian in Great Liang.

But he could not yet decide where to go.

After all, the world was unpredictable. It was impossible to know what the future held.

It was enough to cherish the present.

He continued training.

With the Cloud-Striding Strength, and his constant efforts to harmonize it with the others, his control over his inner energy also improved. His progress with the Cloud-Covering Art accelerated rapidly.

"The Flying Star Strength is external—explosive and lethal. The Cloud-Striding Strength is in the middle, harmonizing and concealing. The Vajra Strength is held within, making up for the lack of staying power."

Over the next few days, Su Yuan immersed himself in fusing his strengths and tempering his martial arts.

[Golden Horse-Head Technique: 667/2000 (Third Layer)]

[Cloud-Striding Palm: 97/2000 (Third Layer)]

[Heavenly Horse Flying Star Fist: 13/2000 (Third Layer)]

[Cloud-Covering Art: 5/2000 (Perfection)]

"Savage Strength, mid-stage."

Su Yuan felt the Vajra Strength within him, rich and powerful, nearly twice as strong as it had been in the early stage.

The fusion had already begun to bear fruit, and he could not wait to put it to the test.

Su Yuan looked at Yun Xu, who stood before him in a moon-white martial outfit. Her complexion had already recovered. "Senior Sister, if you please."

They moved at the same time and sparred using the Cloud-Striding Palm techniques.

Their palms and wrists rose, like flowing clouds chasing each other—sometimes gently entwining, sometimes abruptly unleashing their strength.

Su Yuan's palms seemed gentle, but concealed within them was an explosive force that was difficult to detect.

Yun Xu, meanwhile, defended without a single opening, her palm techniques flowing in smooth, perfect circles.

After more than a dozen exchanges, they withdrew in tacit agreement.

Yun Xu smiled brightly. "Junior Brother, your palm technique looks gentle, but it secretly conceals the Flying Star Strength. That explosive force is hard to guard against. Still, have your martial arts improved again lately? Your Flying Star Strength seems much denser than before."

Su Yuan was secretly pleased.

She had not noticed that his strengths had already begun to fuse. It seemed his experiment had succeeded.

But a new problem had emerged: the Flying Star Strength he possessed was the weakest of the three.

In a full-power battle, it might not be enough to completely envelop the other two strengths within him. But if he switched the roles of the Vajra Strength and the Flying Star Strength, he would not have to worry about that, and could keep improving the arrangement.

"It's only a small improvement, nothing compared to you, Senior Sister. You're just one step away from Internal Force. How could I compare?" Su Yuan replied modestly.

"Crossing the threshold into Internal Force is hardly easy. Even with everything prepared, I'm only fifty percent confident, despite having superior aptitude. I still need your help if I'm to break through," Yun Xu sighed, holding out both hands.

Su Yuan understood. He stepped forward and began expertly massaging her hands. Her skin was delicate and warm as jade.

There was nothing he could do. The other party paid so well.

It had been Yun Yan's suggestion. As one of Su Yuan's longtime clients, she was extremely satisfied with his skill and had even recommended him to her own daughter.

Su Yuan's massages might help Yun Xu break through to Internal Force.

Yun Yan had prepared a long speech to persuade her daughter to accept. But before she could even begin, Yun Xu readily agreed.

At that moment, Yun Xu felt the tingling warmth flowing from her palms. Though this had happened many times before, a faint blush still rose on her fair cheeks. She pressed her lips together, fighting back a soft moan that nearly escaped.

Not far away, Ji Haoyang and Zhou Xing watched from a distance.

Ji Haoyang still clung to hope. In a low voice, he said, "Senior Sister Zhou, Senior Sister Yun said she was doing this to keep Senior Brother Su here. It's for the greater good of the nation, a sacrifice of the self..."

Zhou Xing could not bear to shatter his fantasy, so she only nodded gently.

But in her heart, she saw things clearly. There was no way things between Senior Sister and Su Yuan were that simple.

Thinking of this, she felt a little stifled. She had also heard that Su Yuan's massages could aid cultivation and bring all sorts of benefits. She had once approached him herself, only to be turned down.

When she turned to the senior sister for help, she had been rejected too.

Her senior sister was clearly keeping him all to herself!

Yun Xu seemed to sense her junior sister's resentful gaze and sighed inwardly.

It was not that she was unwilling to help her fellow disciples. Su Yuan had simply made it clear that his energy was limited, and for now he could take no more than two clients.

She did not want to put Su Yuan in an awkward position, so she had taken on the role of the villain herself.

"Junior Sister, Su Yuan is too ambitious. You can't handle him."

The thought had barely crossed her mind when a strange, tingling ache suddenly flared in her palm. She could not help crying out, "Ah!"

Su Yuan had brought his fingers together and jabbed them sharply into the Laogong point in her palm.

Su Yuan returned to Chai Mansion.

"Young Master, I'd like to study the third layer of the Heavenly Horse Flying Star Fist," Su Yuan said frankly.

"The third layer? You haven't even reached Savage Strength—" Chai Nian started to frown and refuse, but Su Yuan cut him off.

"Young Master, I've reached Savage Strength. With the Blood Bone Pill's help, my aptitude has reached the middle grade, and after taking three Break Strength Pills in a row, I was lucky enough to break through." Su Yuan did not want to delay any longer.

It had been nearly three months since the Wolf God Ritual. He already had a foundation in martial arts, and with the pills' help, his progress was reasonable.

"What? You made it?" Chai Nian sprang to his feet and flashed to Su Yuan's side, reaching out to examine him.

"You really did it. You've had a bit of luck this time." After a moment of astonishment, he tapped his palm with his folding fan.

"But it's good that you made it! Tie Niu has already stabilized his Savage Strength, and I, your young master, recently reached the late stage of Savage Strength." Chai Nian's face was wreathed in smiles.

Lately, good news had been pouring in for the Chai Family.

There had also been major progress with the Blood Bone Pills, and the resources and prestige Su Yuan had won for the family by taking first place had nearly all been put to use.

"Congratulations on breaking through to the late stage of Savage Strength, Young Master. With your talent, Vein Splitting is just around the corner. You're truly the foremost among the younger generation of the Chai Family—and even of Ji City! When the Martial Arts Tournament comes, you'll surely sweep the field!" Su Yuan immediately flattered him.

"Good, good! Take a look first. Once you're done, we'll head to the Treasure Horse Chamber of Commerce. The rules for the Martial Arts Tournament should be finalized soon." Pleased with what he heard, Chai Nian took out a manual.

Su Yuan hurried forward and focused on memorizing the third-layer techniques of the Heavenly Horse Flying Star Fist.