Five Elements Escape Technique

In the time that followed, Lu Chuan was very busy.

Yes, very busy!

Not only did he have to follow his cultivation method every morning and evening to gather the spiritual energy of heaven and earth and the essence of the sun and moon, but he also had to circulate his Small Heavenly Circuit to strengthen his true qi.

After that, he still had to tend the shop, cook for himself, and practice his swordplay...

Speaking of which, Lu Chuan wanted to secretly complain: he discovered that the so-called martial arts of these Qi Refiners were actually just a single style of swordplay.

Because they specialized in using Daoist Arts and magical artifacts to fight and kill, rather than the head-on, hand-to-hand combat of a martial artist.

If one wanted to practice other skills like palm techniques, fist techniques, or weapons like blades, spears, and halberds, one either had to figure it out through self-study or find a martial artist to learn from.

Of course, if one reached the level of his master, Shen Gongbao, or his martial uncles—true immortals and golden immortals—they could long ago grasp the essence of all things, mastering a hundred weapons by understanding one, so teaching a disciple was no problem at all.

Two months passed in this busy fashion for Lu Chuan.

During these two months, his foundation grew increasingly solid, his true qi strengthened significantly, and he could now perform internal observation.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

A fierce wind whistled through the courtyard as Lu Chuan practiced his swordplay.

He stood in the center of the yard holding a long sword, his footwork agile as he moved his body constantly. His wrists turned, and the long sword danced rapidly like a flowing river, continuous and unending, leaving faint afterimages in its wake.

Shen Gongbao stood to the side, watching the figure and the sword in the yard, and nodded in satisfaction.

A moment later.

Lu Chuan stopped his sword, turned his head to look at Shen Gongbao, and raised an eyebrow: "Master, how was it?"

"Not bad, great progress!"

Shen Gongbao nodded, then suddenly added: "Remember, you are not allowed to slack off in the future; keep practicing regularly."

"Understood, Master!"

Lu Chuan smiled speechlessly. Even if Shen Gongbao hadn't said it, he wouldn't have been lazy. After all, who wouldn't want to become stronger and be a powerhouse respected by everyone?

"Chuan'er, after these two months, I see that your foundation has become increasingly firm, and you have gained some cultivation."

Shen Gongbao smiled: "I think it is time to teach you some Daoist Arts."

"Really?"

Lu Chuan was overjoyed upon hearing this and hurriedly leaned in, asking with a grin: "What Daoist Arts will Master teach me?"

"First, I will teach you the Five Elements Daoist Art. This is the foundational Daoist Art of our Mystic Gate, broad and profound."

Shen Gongbao said: "Many people spend their entire lives without being able to master all of the Five Elements Daoist Art. Disciple, you must work hard and practice diligently."

"Five Elements Daoist Art?" Lu Chuan was startled: "Is that the legendary Five Elements Escape Technique?"

"Not quite. 'Escape' means to flee! It is true that the Five Elements Escape Technique uses the objects of the five elements to ride an escape light to flee..."

Shen Gongbao corrected him: "But the Five Elements Daoist Art is not just about methods of escape; it contains other marvelous techniques that will keep you busy learning for a long time."

"Oh!"

Lu Chuan nodded.

"However, since you mentioned it, I will teach you the Five Elements Escape Technique first."

Shen Gongbao said: "As the saying goes: before considering victory, one must first consider defeat. If you encounter an opponent you cannot beat, you can use this method to escape."

"Good!" Lu Chuan said, unable to contain his impatience: "Then Master, let's start quickly!"

This Five Elements Escape Technique basically ran through the entire Investiture of the Gods. Whether it was a high-level immortal or a Qi Refiner, everyone used this escape technique.

Although this method was neither rare nor precious, it was extremely useful for saving one's life and traveling. In the early stages, the twelve immortals of the Exposition Sect all used the Earth Escape method.

"The Five Elements are metal, wood, water, fire, and earth; they are the five basic substances that constitute this world."

Shen Gongbao paused here, raising his hand to point one by one at the ground in the courtyard, the water vat, the plants, and the house.

"These five things can be seen everywhere in the world, which is why they are the most suitable for escaping."

"To use a specific escape technique, you must have the corresponding element in hand. Then, you form a Daoist seal and chant the true incantation; the divine ability will manifest, and you can ride the escape light through the air."

"Those of us in the Exposition Sect specialize in Earth Escape, while those in the Biyu Palace of the Jie Sect specialize in Water Escape."

"Through the air?"

Lu Chuan looked stunned: "Earth Escape is also through the air?"

To be honest, he had always thought Earth Escape meant burrowing into the ground and Water Escape meant diving into the water to flee. How could...

Shen Gongbao said: "Of course!"

"Isn't it burrowing into the earth?" Lu Chuan muttered.

"Burrowing into the earth is called the Earth Travel Technique!"

Shen Gongbao glanced at him and said indifferently: "Did you think Earth Escape was a technique for running underground, and Water Escape was for fleeing inside the water?"

"Yes!"

Lu Chuan nodded honestly.

"Traveling through the earth is called the Earth Travel Technique, and entering water without getting wet is called the Water Avoidance Technique; both have their own specific incantations."

Shen Gongbao shook his head speechlessly and said, "If we truly followed your logic that the Five Elements Escape Technique is just for running away, what would you do if you couldn't beat your opponent and there happened to be no ground or river nearby?"

Lu Chuan scratched his head, suddenly struck by a thought. His face flushed red, and he fell silent.

Shen Gongbao was right.

If it were truly as he had described, with the Five Elements Escape Technique being a means to enter these elements to flee, then Earth Escape and Water Escape were fine, as they were everywhere.

But what about Metal Escape?

What about Fire Escape?

Did he have to set the mountains ablaze just to use Fire Escape, or pave the world with iron rails just to use Metal Escape?

"Come closer and listen. I, your master, will now teach you the incantation for the Earth Escape."

After teaching him the incantation, Shen Gongbao said, "Before casting the spell, you only need to grab a handful of soil from the ground, then recite the true mantra. Once finished, scatter the soil into the air, and then..."

"Master, this incantation is a bit long. Won't the process be too time-consuming?" Lu Chuan asked hesitantly.

"Once you have practiced diligently, you will only need to recite the incantation silently in your heart."

Shen Gongbao continued, "When you have fully mastered it, the Five Elements Escape Technique can be deployed at will. By then, let alone reciting incantations, you won't even need to form hand seals or grab soil."

"Understood!"

Lu Chuan nodded earnestly, squatted down to grab a handful of soil, and said, "Master, may I try it now?"

"Mm, practice with peace of mind. I will watch from the side, though you won't be able to..."

Whoosh!

Before he could finish his sentence, a gust of wind whistled by.

Shen Gongbao turned his head to see a streak of earthy-yellow light shooting into the sky from the courtyard, leaving only a puff of dust drifting down.

"Uh..."

Shen Gongbao stared at the streak of light, dumbfounded, his jaw nearly hitting the ground. He muttered, "This brat... he learned how to run away even faster than I did back in the day..."

He suddenly realized that Lu Chuan seemed to possess truly extraordinary talent for learning Daoist arts.

One must know that even he, with his superior intelligence, had spent about the time it takes to burn a stick of incense to learn Earth Escape, which was considered top-tier aptitude on Kunlun Mountain, while Jiang Ziya had spent an entire month.

"Oh no!"

His expression suddenly changed. "The boy's internal energy is still limited; he can't fly very far. I hope he doesn't fly too high and fall to his death. Disciple, wait for me..."

Shen Gongbao let out a loud cry, and his figure transformed into a streak of earthy-yellow light, shooting into the sky with a whoosh.

Yet his speed was far greater than Lu Chuan's.

Outside the western gate of Chaoge City.

A streak of earthy-yellow light wobbled as it descended toward the woods.

When it was finally three feet from the ground, the light suddenly transformed into a young man. He landed with a thud, but his footing was unstable, and he stumbled, nearly falling over.

Fortunately, his hand caught a nearby tree, steadying him. He didn't fall, but he was already drenched in sweat before he even realized it.

"Is this... the Earth Escape?"

Lu Chuan leaned against the tree, his face covered in beads of sweat from his first time taking flight with the Earth Escape.

Yet, there was no fear in his expression; instead, he looked excited and eager to try again.

Daoist arts!

This was the Daoist art of the Investiture of the Gods. He had finally experienced the wonder of it.

Lu Chuan adjusted his breathing while suppressing the excitement in his heart.

In the Investiture of the Gods, Earth Escape was a skill many possessed; some used it for travel, others to save their lives.

But for Lu Chuan, experiencing it for the first time, the sensation was naturally indescribably wonderful and exhilarating.

"It's a pity that I exhausted all my internal energy just to travel from inside the city to the city gate. I'm still living near the South Gate, so my cultivation is still too weak."

Looking at the city gate not far away, Lu Chuan sighed softly, "I should sit down and recover my energy first, then go back to learn the other escape techniques..."

Just as he was pondering, another streak of earthy-yellow light landed on the ground, transforming into Shen Gongbao.

"Disciple, how was it? First time riding the escape light, you didn't fall, did you?"

Hearing this, a warmth spread through Lu Chuan's heart. He felt that his master actually cared about him; this master was worth serving.

Just as he was about to say he was fine, he heard Shen Gongbao chuckle and continue, "But falling a couple of times is normal. How can a child learn to walk without falling, right?"

Lu Chuan's face darkened.