First Layer

"Hoo!" "Hoo!"

Inside the Dimensional Space, Luo Zhe stood at the very center, his Blood Shadow Battle Blade slashing out again and again.

According to the description in the manual, the reason the Nine-Fold Thunder Blade technique possessed such immense power was primarily due to a marvelous method of force exertion.

An ordinary person swinging a blade with all their might might reach at most ten-tenths of their strength. However, when a practitioner of the Nine-Fold Thunder Blade swings their blade, they only use seven-tenths of their strength. Yet, as they release the first layer of force, they strive to make their body release a second, third, or even fourth layer of force. Each layer is also seven-tenths of their strength, and with several layers stacked together, the power naturally far exceeds that of ordinary manuals.

The Nine-Fold Thunder Blade is divided into nine layers.

Each layer allows for one additional hidden force to be released. With nine layers stacked, plus the seven-tenths of strength from the body itself, a single swing can exert seventy-tenths of force! That is a full seven times the original physical strength!

What kind of concept is that?

Originally, an ordinary prospective martial artist could at most swing with a force of one thousand kilograms. If this prospective martial artist were to comprehend the Nine-Fold Thunder Blade up to the ninth layer, a single swing would possess seven thousand kilograms of force! It would be enough to rival a veteran high-level warrior!

He swung the blade hundreds of times in succession, each time attempting to see if he could add a hidden force on top of the initial swing.

But Luo Zhe simply couldn't do it; it was too difficult for him.

First, his rapid surge in strength over this period had left him no opportunity to stop and integrate his skyrocketing power into his blade technique.

Second, every swing ended in an instant. Trying to force his body to release internal power repeatedly within that same split second while executing the initial swing was simply asking the impossible!

Moreover, hundreds of continuous swings placed a massive load on his arm muscles, especially since the Nine-Fold Thunder Blade required internal body force, demanding the use of the entire body's strength and mobilizing the power of almost every cell.

Although there was an abundant supply of cosmic energy within the Dimensional Space, Luo Zhe's body was not actively cultivating, and the rate of genetic energy production was not as rapid as expected. Gradually, Luo Zhe began to feel physical fatigue. Even though he had finished lunch two hours ago, the drastic energy consumption still left him feeling hungry.

"The first layer of the Nine-Fold Thunder Blade contains 18 blade techniques. According to the manual, practicing these 18 moves is conducive to comprehending the first layer's force exertion." Standing in place, Luo Zhe began to cultivate his genetic energy while simultaneously pondering how to master these first-layer techniques.

Luo Zhe had only recently discovered that he could cultivate genetic energy while standing. He couldn't do it in the outside world yet, but within the Dimensional Space, the density of cosmic energy was so high that he could absorb enough without needing to adopt the Five Hearts Towards Heaven posture. Therefore, for convenience, after finishing his blade practice, Luo Zhe would often stand in place, multitasking by cultivating genetic energy while contemplating other matters.

Although his genetic energy cultivation speed slowed down due to the distraction, it gave Luo Zhe more time to reflect on his blade techniques.

However, because he was using a Guidance Technique in conjunction with his genetic energy cultivation, the results were quite significant. Even with the slight decrease in cultivation speed, his physical fitness had still grown much faster than it had two months ago.

Furthermore, because the Nine-Fold Thunder Blade's techniques and footwork were designed to complement each other, the exercise effect on his body was even better, allowing Luo Zhe to feel that the power contained within his body was clearly stronger than before.

Speaking of footwork, one must mention Luo Zhe's natural talent.

Although the Nine-Fold Thunder Blade's blade techniques and footwork were always paired, some people managed to master the first layer of the blade technique while failing to even get started with the footwork. Luo Zhe was different. On the third night after receiving the Nine-Fold Thunder Blade manual, he had already mastered the first layer of the footwork. Combined with his still-maturing Micro-Level footwork, his efficiency had greatly increased.

Yesterday, during the neural reaction test at the martial arts gym, he had even achieved a perfect score for the Junior Warrior Level!

In this way, Luo Zhe's Micro-Level footwork was considered fully initiated. Three days later, when he left the base city for the first time to officially enter the Wilderness Zone for a mission, he would finally have a formidable skill to show off.

A week ago, Luo Zhe had already received notice from Chen Gu: on August 28th, all members of the Fire Hammer Squad, both new and old, would assemble to enter the Wilderness Zone and complete a hunting mission.

In the half-month since the martial arts practical exam, besides occasionally eating at Luo Feng's house and discussing the Nine-Fold Thunder Blade, Luo Zhe had been shuttling back and forth between his villa and the gym. Although he had been training for over twenty days, the first layer of the Nine-Fold Thunder Blade still felt like it was behind a veil, impossible to break through. But Luo Zhe believed that as long as there was a catalyst, he would be able to shatter that barrier and master the first layer.

Luo Zhe's training time today was longer than usual. He maintained his standing posture; even with the Guidance Technique, he usually stopped after two hours of intense training.

Nearly three hours had passed now, yet Luo Zhe remained in his original standing position, maintaining his genetic energy cultivation state.

The only difference from before was that the Blood Shadow Battle Blade, which had been propped downward in his hand, was now held pointing upward.

At this moment, within the Dimensional Space, in Luo Zhe's meditative world, the space was crisscrossed with countless fine threads—red, blue, gold—various colors rendering the entire gray-white space into a colorful dye house!

This was not the first time Luo Zhe had seen such a sight. Ever since he first began cultivating genetic energy in the Dimensional Space, he had often seen this. Sometimes, as he absorbed cosmic energy, some mischievous cyan threads would enter his body along with it, only to quietly slip out from somewhere in his body a moment later.

But this time, the cyan threads entering Luo Zhe's body along with the cosmic energy all surged toward his right hand, where he gripped the Blood Shadow Battle Blade.

In Luo Zhe's meditative perception, more and more cyan threads flowed toward his right hand, gradually wrapping around the Blood Shadow Battle Blade as well.

A sudden flash of inspiration struck his mind, and Luo Zhe felt an urge to swing his blade. As his thought moved, his right hand naturally swung forward.

Almost like a conditioned reflex, his entire body's strength erupted to its limit. It felt as if all his force had vanished with the swing, yet at that moment, after the initial force was released, his waist and hips—the center of his physical power—suddenly erupted with a brand-new surge of force. The two forces stacked together.

The first layer of the Nine-Fold Thunder Blade, successfully mastered!

The barrier that had confined him for so long had been shattered just like that!

With the addition of this force, the Blood Shadow Battle Blade, wrapped in a multitude of cyan threads, saw its speed soar once more!

Luo Zhe only felt a cyan blade glow streak out along the edge of the blade, landing heavily upon the spatial barrier not far away!