You've Learned It Too

Vice Minister of War Mansion.

Upon hearing the news from the Ten Thousand Stars Sect's initiation ceremony, Chen Yuan let her sword drop to the ground, oblivious to the clatter.

"First stage of Qi Refining?" Chen Yuan muttered to herself. In her mind, she couldn't help but recall the sight of Zhou Cheng on the road; that person who had looked so frail and weak had actually broken through to the first stage of Qi Refining?

The maid beside her stammered, "I heard that the Minister of Rites and his wife just took their youngest daughter to the Zhou Mansion."

The Minister of Rites' youngest daughter was around the same age as Chen Yuan and superior in every way, having already reached the ninth stage of Body Refining at fourteen. The implication of the Minister of Rites visiting the Zhou Mansion was self-evident.

Chen Yuan remained silent, picked up her long sword, and continued to practice, but no matter how she performed the Jade Maiden Sword Technique, she couldn't find the essence of the style.

In his new courtyard, Zhou Cheng sparred with Qin Meng and Lin Ru, practicing his saber techniques, fist techniques, and footwork. However, now that his three martial arts had reached the realm of Perfection, sparring with Qin Meng was no longer effective.

It seems I need to spar with someone who has mastered martial arts at the Peak realm to improve quickly, Zhou Cheng thought to himself. I wonder if my master Xing Yao's martial arts have reached the Peak realm.

Since sparring with Qin Meng and the others was no longer useful, Zhou Cheng went to the study and began flipping through the Ten Thousand Stars Sect Rules.

The rules were few; the book detailed not only the sect's regulations but also the various mission ranks and their corresponding rewards.

As an inner sect disciple of the Ten Thousand Stars Sect, one enjoyed considerable freedom and could come and go from the sect as one pleased. At the same time, the rewards for completing missions issued by the sect were quite generous.

After finishing the sect rules, Zhou Cheng turned to the book titled The World.

The World contained detailed records of the Great Feng Dynasty, as well as the martial arts, experts, and general situations of the various sects and factions in the surrounding nations. The book was thick, and it took Zhou Cheng over an hour to finish it.

Only then did he turn his attention to the three martial arts manuals issued by the Ten Thousand Stars Sect today: the internal energy manual Star Gathering Great Method, the fist technique Star-Splitting Fist, and the movement technique Spirit Monkey Hundred Transformations Movement Technique.

The Star Gathering Great Method was a technique for sensing the star energy of heaven and earth, drawing it into the body, and converting it into internal energy. The Star-Splitting Fist consisted of eighteen moves with decent power; Zhou Cheng had witnessed it firsthand when Jiang Shuo used it yesterday.

What interested Zhou Cheng most was the Spirit Monkey Hundred Transformations Movement Technique. It shared similarities with the Wind-Facing Willow Steps but was distinct; while the latter was purely a movement technique, the former integrated movement, palm strikes, and fist techniques into one. This technique comprised one hundred and eight moves, becoming increasingly difficult to master as one progressed.

Zhou Cheng flipped through the pages one by one.

His memory was now excellent, and he committed every move to mind after reading each page. Finally, he finished the entire manual. As he memorized all one hundred and eight moves, he noticed that the Spirit Monkey Hundred Transformations Movement Technique had appeared on his system character panel.

Host: Zhou Cheng
Wind-Facing Willow Steps: Perfection (Progress 1)
Roaming Dragon White Tiger Fist: Perfection (Progress 1)
Demon-Subduing Saber Technique: Perfection (Progress 1)
Spirit Monkey Hundred Transformations Movement Technique: Entry (Progress 1)

The Spirit Monkey Hundred Transformations Movement Technique had already begun to cultivate automatically.

"Due to the similarities between the Spirit Monkey Hundred Transformations Movement Technique and the Wind-Facing Willow Steps, the former has been inspired by the latter, and its cultivation speed has greatly increased."

Hearing the notification, Zhou Cheng checked the panel and saw that the progress for the Spirit Monkey Hundred Transformations Movement Technique had already reached 2 and was increasing at an astonishing rate. At this pace, he should reach the Proficient stage by tomorrow morning.

Seeing this, Zhou Cheng also flipped through the Star-Splitting Fist. Since his martial arts cultivated automatically, learning another fist technique wouldn't hurt. Once he finished reading it, the Star-Splitting Fist appeared on his list.

"Congratulations to the host for successfully cultivating the Star-Splitting Fist."

"The Star-Splitting Fist challenges the Roaming Dragon White Tiger Fist. After a brief clash, the Star-Splitting Fist is soundly defeated and absorbed into the Roaming Dragon White Tiger Fist."

"Due to the absorption of the Star-Splitting Fist, the foundation of the Roaming Dragon White Tiger Fist has greatly increased, and its cultivation progress has increased by 1."

The series of notifications left Zhou Cheng stunned. After the Roaming Dragon White Tiger Fist reached the realm of Perfection, its automatic cultivation progress had become extremely slow. Could learning a new fist technique increase its progress by 1? If so, wouldn't he be able to push the Roaming Dragon White Tiger Fist to the Peak realm by learning ninety-eight more fist techniques?

Zhou Cheng's heart began to race.

However, what puzzled him was why the Spirit Monkey Hundred Transformations Movement Technique could not be integrated into the Wind-Facing Willow Steps.

The next day, the weather was fair and the breeze gentle.

Zhou Cheng arrived at the palace where Xing Yao resided.

Xing Yao was beaming with radiance. Upon seeing Zhou Cheng, he smiled warmly and said, "You've arrived. Sit." He then sat down with Zhou Cheng in the front hall.

"How did you rest last night?" Xing Yao looked at Zhou Cheng, his eyes filled with affection. "Have you looked at the three martial arts manuals the sect issued to you?"

Zhou Cheng replied, "I have already finished reading all three martial arts manuals."

Hearing that he had finished them, Xing Yao did not pay much mind and smiled, "The Star-Splitting Fist is one of the strongest Houtian martial arts techniques of our Ten Thousand Stars Sect."

"It is somewhat difficult to comprehend; if there is anything you do not understand, feel free to ask me at any time."

Zhou Cheng thought for a moment and said, "Master, actually, I have already learned the Star-Splitting Fist."

Xing Yao nodded, then suddenly froze, staring at Zhou Cheng in disbelief. "What did you say? You learned it?"

Zhou Cheng answered truthfully, "This disciple has already learned it."

"Demonstrate it for me to see," Xing Yao said, rising to his feet in excitement.

Zhou Cheng walked to the center of the hall and began to perform. Although the Star-Splitting Fist had already been integrated into the Roaming Dragon White Tiger Fist, he had mastered it, so performing it was not a problem at all.

Zhou Cheng's movements were as smooth as flowing water, without a hint of hesitation. Every move and every stance stirred up a strong gust of wind.

Xing Yao watched every move and stance of Zhou Cheng with rapt attention, his hands trembling slightly, unable to calm his heart.

When Zhou Cheng finished performing the Star-Splitting Fist, Xing Yao took a deep breath. Every move and stance Zhou Cheng had just performed was completely flawless.

"A prodigy! A true prodigy!" Xing Yao exclaimed excitedly.

Gao Yi, the head disciple of the Ten Thousand Stars Sect, had taken half a month to learn the Star-Splitting Fist back in the day, which had already broken the sect's record. Yet Zhou Cheng had learned it in just one night! If this wasn't a prodigy, what was?

"Actually, I have also learned the Spirit Monkey Hundred Transformations Movement Technique," Zhou Cheng said, hesitating for a moment before deciding to be truthful while Xing Yao was still overcome with excitement.

Xing Yao stared at Zhou Cheng in a daze, unable to react for a moment.

"You have also learned the Spirit Monkey Hundred Transformations Movement Technique?" Xing Yao's voice trembled slightly.