The Five Elements Escape Technique

Lu Chuan was very busy in the days that followed.

Yes, very busy!

Every morning and evening, he had to follow his cultivation method to absorb the essence of Heaven and Earth and the essence of the sun and moon. He also had to circulate his energy through the Small Heavenly Circuit to strengthen his true energy.

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

Speaking of which, Lu Chuan wanted to sneak in a little complaint. He had realized that the so-called martial arts of these Qi Refiners were really just swordsmanship.

That was because they excelled at fighting and killing with Daoist arts and magical artifacts, rather than the hand-to-hand combat techniques of martial artists, who relied on their fists, feet, and weapons to clash head-on.

If you wanted to practice other palm techniques, fist techniques, or the arts of the saber, spear, and halberd, then you either had to figure them out and practice on your own or find a martial artist to teach you.

Of course, once you reached the level of his master, Shen Gongbao, or his senior uncles, who were True Immortals and Golden Immortals, you could draw parallels from one thing to another and master a hundred weapons after learning one. Teaching a single disciple would be no problem.

And so, two months passed amid Lu Chuan's busy schedule.

Over those two months, his foundation grew steadily more solid, his true energy increased considerably, and he had also learned to look inward.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

Gusts of wind howled through the courtyard as Lu Chuan practiced his sword.

He stood in the middle of the courtyard, holding a long sword. His footwork was nimble, carrying him from place to place as his wrist turned and the sword flashed through the air like a surging river, flowing without end and leaving faint afterimages.

Shen Gongbao stood to one side, watching the figure and the sword in the courtyard. He nodded in satisfaction.

A moment later,

Lu Chuan stopped and turned to Shen Gongbao, raising an eyebrow. "Master, how was that?"

"Not bad. You've improved a lot!"

Shen Gongbao nodded, then added, "Remember, don't slack off from now on. Keep practicing."

"I know, Master!"

Lu Chuan smiled helplessly. Even if Shen Gongbao hadn't said it, he wouldn't have been lazy. After all, who didn't want to become stronger and earn everyone's admiration?

"Chuan'er, after these two months, I can see that your foundation has grown steadily firmer, and you've made some progress in your cultivation."

Shen Gongbao smiled. "I think it's time for me to teach you some Daoist arts."

"Really?"

Lu Chuan was delighted. He hurried over with a grin. "Master, what Daoist arts are you going to teach me?"

"I'll start with the Five Elements Daoist Art. It's the foundation of our Mystic Gate, yet profound and vast."

Shen Gongbao said, "Many people spend their entire lives without mastering all of the Five Elements Daoist Art. So, my disciple, you must work hard and practice diligently."

"The Five Elements Daoist Art?" Lu Chuan was taken aback. "You mean the legendary Five Elements Escape Technique?"

"Not quite. 'Escape' means fleeing to save your life. The Five Elements Escape Technique does indeed use objects of the Five Elements to ride their light and flee..."

Shen Gongbao corrected him. "But the Five Elements Daoist Art isn't limited to escape techniques. It includes other wondrous arts, too. You'll have plenty to study for a long time."

"Oh!"

Lu Chuan nodded.

"But since you brought it up, I'll teach you the Five Elements Escape Technique first."

Shen Gongbao said, "As the saying goes, before thinking about victory, you must first consider defeat. If you run into an opponent you can't beat, this technique can help you escape."

"Good!" Lu Chuan was eager to begin. "Then let's get started, Master!"

The Five Elements Escape Technique ran through nearly the whole Investiture of the Gods. Whether they were cultivators who had become immortals or ordinary Qi Refiners, they could all use it.

Though this technique wasn't rare or precious, it was extremely useful for escaping or traveling. In the early days, the Twelve Immortals of the Exposition Sect all used the Earth Escape technique.

"The Five Elements are metal, wood, water, fire, and earth. They are also the five fundamental substances that make up this world."

Shen Gongbao paused, then gestured one by one toward the ground, the water vat, the plants, and the house in the courtyard.

"These five things can be found everywhere in the world, which makes them ideal for escaping."

"To use any particular escape technique, you need the corresponding element in your hand. Then form a Daoist seal and recite the incantation. Your divine ability will manifest, and you can ride its light through the air."

"Our Exposition Sect specializes in Earth Escape. The people of the Interception Sect's Biyou Palace, on the other hand, specialize in Water Escape."

"Through the air?"

Lu Chuan stared at him, dumbfounded. "Earth Escape is through the air, too?"

To be honest, he had always thought Earth Escape meant burrowing underground, while Water Escape meant diving underwater to flee. How could—

"Of course!"

"Doesn't it mean burrowing into the earth?" Lu Chuan murmured.

"That's called the Earth Travel Technique!"

Shen Gongbao glanced at him and said evenly, "Did you think Earth Escape meant burrowing underground, and Water Escape meant fleeing underwater?"

"Mm-hmm!"

Lu Chuan nodded honestly.

"Traveling through the earth is called the Earth Travel Technique. Entering water without getting wet is called the Water Avoidance Technique. They each have their own incantations."

Shen Gongbao shook his head, at a loss for words. "If the Five Elements Escape Technique worked the way you described, 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, as if he had thought of something, his face turned red, and he fell silent.

Shen Gongbao was right.

If the Five Elements Escape Technique really meant fleeing into the element itself, Earth Escape and Water Escape would be easy enough, since they could be found everywhere.

But what about Metal Escape?

What about Fire Escape?

Would he have to set a mountain on fire before he could use Fire Escape, or lay railroad tracks across the world before he could use Metal Escape?

"Come closer. I'll teach you the incantation for Earth Escape first."

After Shen Gongbao finished teaching him the incantation, he said, "Before casting the technique, just scoop up a little earth from the ground. Then recite the incantation. Once you've finished, scatter the earth into the air, and then..."

"Master, this incantation is a little long. Won't it take too much time?" Lu Chuan asked hesitantly.

"Once you've practiced diligently, you'll only need to recite it silently in your heart."

Shen Gongbao said, "Once you've mastered it completely, you'll be able to use the Five Elements Escape Technique at will. Then you won't need to recite any incantation, form a seal, or even grab any earth."

"Good!"

Lu Chuan nodded seriously, crouched down, and scooped up a handful of earth. "Master, can I try it now?"

"Mm. Go ahead and practice. I'll watch from the side, but you won't get it in just a few tries—"

Whoosh!

Before he could finish, a gust of wind sounded beside him.

Shen Gongbao turned his head and saw a streak of earthen-yellow light shoot skyward from the courtyard. Only a little dust remained, drifting down.

"Uh..."

Shen Gongbao stared at the streak of light, dumbfounded, his jaw nearly dropping. He murmured, "That brat learned how to run away even faster than I did back then..."

He suddenly realized that Lu Chuan did seem to have an exceptional talent for learning Daoist arts.

Even he, despite being exceptionally clever, had taken about the time it took an incense stick to burn to learn Earth Escape. That was considered excellent aptitude on Kunlun Mountain. Jiang Ziya, meanwhile, had taken a whole month.

"Oh no!"

His expression suddenly changed. "That brat's cultivation is still limited. He can't fly very far. He'd better not fly too high and fall to the ground! Disciple, wait for me..."

Shen Gongbao shouted, and with a whoosh, his figure shot up from the ground in a streak of earthen-yellow light.

But he was countless times faster than Lu Chuan.

Outside Chaoge City, to the west.

A streak of earthen-yellow light wobbled toward the woods.

Then, when it was three feet above the ground, the light suddenly turned into a boy, who landed with a smack. He was unsteady on his feet and staggered, nearly falling over.

Luckily, his hand found a nearby tree, steadying him before he could fall. By then, he was already drenched in sweat.

"So this is... the Earth Escape technique?"

Lu Chuan leaned against the tree, sweat beading across his face after his first time using Earth Escape to rise into the sky.

But there was no fear in his expression. If anything, he looked excited—and eager to try again.

Daoist arts!

This was the magic of the Daoist arts in the Investiture of the Gods. At last, he had experienced their wonder for himself.

Lu Chuan adjusted his breathing as he tried to calm his excitement.

Earth Escape was a skill that many people in the Investiture of the Gods knew. Some used it to travel, while others used it to flee for their lives.

But this was Lu Chuan's first time experiencing it. There was no need to say how wonderful and exhilarating it felt.

"Too bad I used up all my true energy and only made it from the city to just outside the gate. I even live near the south gate. My cultivation is still too weak."

Looking toward the city gate not far away, Lu Chuan sighed. "I'd better sit down and recover first. Then I'll go back and learn the other escape techniques..."

As he was thinking, another streak of earthen-yellow light landed nearby and turned into Shen Gongbao.

"Disciple, how was it? Your first time riding the light—did you fall?"

Lu Chuan felt a warmth in his heart. His master really did care about him. He hadn't chosen the wrong master.

He was just about to say he was fine when Shen Gongbao chuckled and continued, "But a few falls are normal. How can a child learn to walk without falling a few times, right?"

Lu Chuan's face darkened.