A New Direction

His awareness sank into the Star Martial Battle Net, and he called up the legacy footage of Wind-Settling Spear once again.

As Xu Wuyi repeatedly hammered the beginner-level basic forms to proficiency, the inherited information updated as well, unlocking new content.

It was a force-generation technique called Cloud-Parting Force.

This was not an independent spear move, but a special method of channeling power, created specifically to strengthen thrusting attacks.

In the footage, the virtual figure held a spear and demonstrated the secrets of Cloud-Parting Force.

Its core lay in the instantaneous eruption and transmission of blood energy. It required the practitioner, at the moment the spear was thrust out, not to rely purely on arm strength, but to link the power of the waist, back, shoulders, arms, and even the wrists, section by section.

Like layers of waves stacking upon one another, finally concentrating on a single point at the spear tip and releasing all at once.

It was also like parting clouds and mist to reveal the truth beyond, hence the name Cloud-Parting Force.

Once this force was mastered, it could raise the power and speed of Cloud-Piercing Thrust by several tenths. At higher levels, it could even produce a second burst of force and pierce through defenses.

Xu Wuyi watched with his mind surging.

This Cloud-Parting Force had extraordinary killing power. If he could master it, his actual combat ability would leap up an entire level.

He immediately began trying it in his private training space.

Holding a virtual spear, he assumed the Army-Settling Stance, focused his mind, recalled the key points of the inheritance, and began slowly mobilizing his blood energy along a specific route.

On the first attempt, the force grew stagnant at his waist and hips, unable to travel upward smoothly, and the spear tip was limp and powerless.

On the second attempt, the force barely made it through to his shoulder, but his arm exerted too much strength and disconnected from the power of his waist. The spear shaft wobbled, with no sense of "force" to speak of.

A third attempt, a fourth...

The difficulty of Cloud-Parting Force far surpassed the three basic forms. It involved precise control of blood energy and coordinated muscle exertion. The slightest mistake in any link would lead to failure.

Xu Wuyi did not mind at all. His gaze remained focused as he repeated it again and again, then adjusted.

With the Martial Dao Diligence Record as guidance, his grasp of the standard movement essentials was far faster than that of ordinary people.

Sweat slid from the corners of his virtual avatar's forehead, and waves of fatigue from his highly concentrated mind kept washing over him, but he was enjoying himself.

That feeling of conquering a difficult barrier and approaching his goal little by little intoxicated him.

"Buzz!"

The spear thrust out, and the spear tip actually let out a short, clear tremor. Its speed suddenly increased, carrying a sharp aura, as if it truly meant to pierce through the air!

I'm almost there! Xu Wuyi felt a faint joy in his heart. He already had a premonition.

Although that strike was far from perfect, and the force was still somewhat stiff, that unique feeling of power gathering and erupting in an instant was undoubtedly the embryonic form of Cloud-Parting Force!

He immediately looked toward the panel in his sea of consciousness.

[Current realm of Wind-Settling Spear: Beginner (36.1%)]

[Standard training completed today: 3 times]

As expected, the thrust that successfully used Cloud-Parting Force had been recognized by the panel as "standard training."

Although the proficiency increase each time was extremely small, many little things added up. More importantly, this meant he had found the correct direction for practice.

After today's virtual class time ended, in the real world, inside Honghe No. 1 High School's No. 1 Training Hall, Wang Wenhai found him.

"How does it feel? Has getting started with Wind-Settling Spear gone smoothly?" Wang Wenhai looked at Xu Wuyi, who had just come out of the connection pod, and asked.

"I'm still feeling it out. I just learned Cloud-Parting Force," Xu Wuyi answered honestly, leaving out the panel and his specific progress after reaching beginner level.

"Cloud-Parting Force?" A hint of surprise flashed through Wang Wenhai's eyes, then turned into appreciation. "Not bad!"

"That counts as the first small threshold of Wind-Settling Spear. For you to find the way in such a short time, your comprehension is even stronger than I thought."

"You flatter me, Teacher. I just practiced a little longer." Xu Wuyi could not help scratching the back of his head.

He truly did not think his comprehension was that good. He had only relied on repeated practice to master the new martial art bit by bit.

Wang Wenhai did not dwell on it. He simply smiled and said, "I came to find you to settle the focus of the next stage of training."

"The core remains unchanged: increasing your blood energy and actual combat ability. In terms of resources, keep exchanging for Blood Energy Potions and push to level 11.5 or above as soon as possible. That is the basic foundation for aiming at the Three Great Universities and Seven Stars."

"I understand." Xu Wuyi nodded.

Life energy level was the foundation. He had never doubted that.

"As for actual combat." Wang Wenhai changed the subject. "Your Basic Body Tempering Method is now at minor mastery, and your foundation is so solid that it's rare among your peers. If you only rely on arena matches to accumulate experience, your progress will become slower and slower. You can go straight to Ranked Battle."

Ranked Battle in the Star Martial Battle Net had always been the core field of the battle net, and also the place martial artists flocked to most eagerly.

Within it, martial artists had to conduct virtual battles completely according to the results of their body scans, in line with their real-life energy levels and physiques.

This meant that in every Ranked Battle, the opponents they encountered were completely consistent with reality and could bring out their combat power to the greatest extent.

Although it was limited by the simulation accuracy of the battle net itself, for martial artists below Martial Master, it was already more than enough.

"All right." Xu Wuyi nodded. "Once I'm a little more familiar with Wind-Settling Spear's Cloud-Parting Force, I'll go try Ranked Battle."

This had been his original plan to begin with. By the time he fully mastered Cloud-Parting Force, the proficiency of Wind-Settling Spear would likely be close to minor mastery as well.

But if he wanted to break through to minor mastery, he would probably encounter a bottleneck. When the time came, he could use actual combat to search for that breakthrough.

"It's good that you have a plan."

Wang Wenhai paused, then looked at Xu Wuyi with a burning gaze. "Also, you can begin trying to actively comprehend Martial Dao True Intent."

"Normally, I wouldn't advise students to try, but you previously sensed the embryonic form of 'intent,' so your situation is somewhat different."

Xu Wuyi's heart stirred, but his expression stayed calm. "Martial Dao True Intent? Teacher Wang, I've occasionally gained some understanding lately too, but it's all very vague, and it seems even harder to comprehend it in Battle Net."

According to the Martial Dao Diligence Record, Xu Wuyi had once "slightly comprehended" the True Intent of "Mountain."

He was not sure what level his comprehension counted as, and Martial Dao True Intent was also very difficult to describe verbally, so he could only speak vaguely.

Wang Wenhai had no doubts about this. Instead, when he heard the latter half of his words, he could not help smiling. "That's only natural. Battle Net is built on the basis of the mind to begin with. Its simulation accuracy isn't high enough, so it's very hard for you to gain further comprehension there."

"Conversely, if you comprehend Martial Dao True Intent in reality, you can bring it out quite well in Battle Net."

"So that's how it is..." Xu Wuyi suddenly understood. This finally answered one of the doubts in his mind.

The last time, he had gained some understanding while fighting Zeng Bonan, but his true comprehension of the True Intent of "Mountain" had come from practicing after returning to reality. So that was the reason.

Wang Wenhai added, "However, nothing in this world is absolute."

"As I just said, the reason you can't comprehend Martial Dao True Intent in Battle Net is because the simulation accuracy isn't high enough. But what if it were?"

Xu Wuyi froze for a moment, then blurted out, "Battle Net can temporarily increase its simulation accuracy to help me comprehend Martial Dao True Intent?"