Breathing Method: Dragon-Elephant Prajna Art

"Warriors clashed with fists and feet, and neither had eyes. Injuries were inevitable." Su Yunwan chose her words carefully before speaking slowly.

"Although the Military District Grand Tournament prohibited deliberate torture, killing, and permanently crippling others, once on the arena, life and death were one's own responsibility. As long as someone did not intentionally violate the rules and kill, they generally would not be held accountable. Every tournament had its quota of casualties."

"Understood." Lin Ming nodded. That bottom line was enough.

He had only one goal in joining the tournament—the championship, along with the spot as a core disciple of Peak Martial Arts Hall. Whoever dared block his path, he would not mind sending them on their way.

"Prepare yourself well." Su Yunwan looked at Lin Ming, her eyes brimming with expectation.

"With your record of killing the Third Tier Blood Wolf King across realms, you are absolutely among the very best of South River Base City's younger generation. As long as you perform normally, you have a great chance at the championship! For the next few days, focus on recovering from your injuries, deducing martial techniques, and cultivating your Breathing Method. I'll get the tournament's specific schedule and rules to you as soon as possible."

"Mm." Lin Ming agreed.

After giving him a few more instructions, Su Yunwan hurried away. As a major, she still had much post-battle cleanup and reporting to handle.

Once Su Yunwan had left, Lin Ming returned to the corner and sat down. Rather than immediately beginning to cultivate the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Art, he first picked up the two incomplete B-rank martial technique jade slips.

"System, analyze and deduce the Dragon Roaming Step and Immovable Mountain Seal."

[Command confirmed. Consuming 1000 Kill Points to analyze and deduce Dragon Roaming Step... Deduction complete. Obtained complete B-rank movement technique Dragon Roaming Step.]

[Consuming 1000 Kill Points to analyze and deduce Immovable Mountain Seal... Deduction complete. Obtained complete B-rank defensive martial technique Immovable Mountain Seal.]

Almost instantly, the information for both complete martial techniques flooded into Lin Ming's mind, including their full footwork, visualization diagrams, qi-blood circulation routes, methods of exerting force, and even subtle adjustments optimized by the system that perhaps the original versions had never possessed.

Dragon Roaming Step made the body like a wandering dragon, unpredictable and ever-changing. It excelled at maneuvering and evading within a small area, as well as short-range explosive charges. At high mastery, it could create afterimages within a space no larger than one's palm, confusing enemies.

Immovable Mountain Seal was not merely about taking attacks head-on. It used a unique qi-blood seal to form a defensive aura around the body or a weapon, like the phantom image of a mountain. It could divert force, rebound attacks, and hold firm in defense, with exceptional effects against blunt impacts and energy strikes.

Both were highly practical martial techniques, perfectly making up for his lack of agile movement and weaker defense.

"System, raise Dragon Roaming Step and Immovable Mountain Seal to the Proficient level."

Lin Ming did not begrudge the Kill Points. Martial techniques could only display their power once practiced to familiarity, especially movement and defense techniques, which could save his life at critical moments.

[Command confirmed. Raising Dragon Roaming Step to Proficient. Kill Points consumed: 5000.]

[Raising Immovable Mountain Seal to Proficient. Kill Points consumed: 5000.]

[Infusion beginning...]

Two streams of cultivation insight utterly unlike the Heaven-Splitting Three Forms poured into his mind. The drifting agility of the Dragon Roaming Step and the weighty steadiness of the Immovable Mountain Seal were swiftly mastered by him and integrated into his battle instincts.

[Infusion complete.]

[Remaining Kill Points: 30215.]

Over thirty thousand points remained. Lin Ming's gaze fell upon the dark-golden scroll of the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Art.

He unfurled the scroll and carefully studied the visualization diagrams and qi-blood circulation routes of the first four levels again. This time, he tried following the description of the first level, guiding the qi-blood within his body to circulate slowly.

With merely that initial guidance, Lin Ming felt as though the qi-blood within him had ignited like an oil depot, boiling over with a thunderous roar!

His originally heavy, solidified qi-blood seemed to have been granted life beneath the unique circulation route of the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Art, emitting faint roars of dragons and trumpets of elephants!

Though the circulation speed was not fast, every thread of qi-blood became more condensed and weighty, carrying an overbearing intent to suppress all things!

Even the dark-golden glimmer of qi-blood from the Indestructible Asura Body seemed to brighten slightly, faintly resonating with it!

What a powerful cultivation art! Lin Ming was shaken. This was only the introductory guidance for the first level, yet it already possessed such might!

As expected of an A-rank Breathing Method! Compared with his trashy Basic Breathing Method, it was stronger by more than a hundredfold!

He continued trying, but soon discovered that the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Art demanded extremely high control over qi-blood, great strength in the meridians, and considerable spiritual power.

With his current realm and level of control, even cultivating the first level felt somewhat strenuous, much less the three deeper levels that followed. Moreover, just as Su Yunwan had said, this cultivation art only had its first four levels; everything afterward was cut off.

"System, scan the first four levels of the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Art. Can the later levels be deduced and completed?" Lin Ming asked inwardly.

[Scan complete. Detected information for the first four levels of the A-rank Breathing Method Dragon-Elephant Prajna Art.]

[Kill Points may be consumed to deduce and complete the subsequent levels.]

[Deduction and completion of the fifth level requires Kill Points: 10000.]

[Deduction and completion of the sixth level requires Kill Points: 50000.]

[The cost of subsequent deductions will increase exponentially.]

Lin Ming's eyes narrowed.

Deducing the fifth level alone required ten thousand points? The sixth jumped directly to fifty thousand? And it would cost even more afterward?

The grade of this Dragon-Elephant Prajna Art was likely far higher than the A-rank Su Yunwan had mentioned! It was at least S-rank; otherwise, the deduction cost would not be so terrifying.

The Su Household only possessed the first four levels. It seemed they had not failed to collect the later ones because they did not want to, but because the cultivation art itself was severely incomplete, or its later levels had long been lost. Even a Lineage with the Su Household's foundations could do nothing about it.

Yet to Lin Ming, this was good news instead. The stronger the cultivation art, the greater its potential!

And he had the system. As long as he had enough Kill Points, he could complete it step by step! Once he cultivated the complete Dragon-Elephant Prajna Art, its power would be simply unimaginable!

"System, consume ten thousand Kill Points to complete the fifth level of the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Art." After a brief consideration, Lin Ming made his decision. His previous thirty thousand Kill Points were just enough.

[Command confirmed. Consuming 10000 Kill Points to deduce and complete the fifth level of Dragon-Elephant Prajna Art... Deduction complete.]

Even more profound and majestic information on the fifth level of the cultivation art surged into his mind, linking perfectly with the previous four levels.

The visualization diagram for the fifth level was even more complex, and its qi-blood circulation route involved more hidden acupoints. The qi-blood cultivated through it would acquire the characteristics of Dragon-Elephant True Force—combining hardness and softness, endlessly regenerating.

"Raise the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Art to the Proficient level." Lin Ming gave the command again. The Breathing Method was the foundation; he had to master it as soon as possible.

[Command confirmed. Raising Dragon-Elephant Prajna Art (first five levels) to Proficient (1%). Kill Points consumed: 10000.]

[Infusion beginning...]

This infusion felt entirely different from those of martial techniques. It was as if he had endured years, perhaps even more than a decade, of painstaking cultivation—visualizing dragons and elephants day and night, circulating qi-blood, and tempering his foundation without cease.

When the infusion ended, Lin Ming slowly opened his eyes and exhaled a long breath.

That breath did not immediately disperse after leaving his body. Instead, it formed a pale-golden arrow of air that shot more than ten feet away, striking the opposite wall with a muffled puff and leaving behind a shallow dent.

Feeling the vast, ceaselessly flowing, heavy qi-blood within him, like the Yangtze River and its great tributaries, as well as the subtle yet continuous strengthening sensation spreading through his bones and muscles under its nourishment, he was satisfied.

An A-rank Breathing Method truly lived up to its reputation. Combined with the Immortal Foundation of the Indestructible Asura Body, his physical foundation and total amount of qi-blood already far surpassed those of others at the same level. He might not even lose to some ordinary Third Realm warriors!

He looked again at the system interface:

[Host: Lin Ming]

[Martial Realm: Second Realm · Dragon Tendon (Third Layer)]

[Martial Talent: Indestructible Asura Body (SSS-rank)]

[Breathing Method: Dragon-Elephant Prajna Art (Proficient, first five levels)]

[Martial Techniques: Heaven-Splitting Three Forms (Mastery), Dragon Roaming Step (Proficient), Immovable Mountain Seal (Proficient), Basic Spear Art (Microscopic Control), Ironstep Armor (Proficient), Mountain-Splitting Palm (Proficient)]

[Current Kill Points: 10215]

A little over ten thousand points remained. He would keep them in reserve for now.

Lin Ming rose to his feet and moved his body. His joints crackled like popping beans, his qi-blood brimmed to fullness, and vitality filled him.

The grievous injuries from yesterday had, under the triple effects of the Jade Muscle-Rebirth Pill, the Indestructible Asura Body, and the newly initiated Dragon-Elephant Prajna Art, already healed seventy to eighty percent.

He picked up the Silver Frost Spear and casually spun it in a flourish. Its tip sliced through the air with a faint whistle, carrying a hint of wind and thunder. With the Heaven-Splitting Three Forms at Mastery, its power would certainly rise another level.

"Peak Martial Arts Hall... core disciple..." Lin Ming muttered, a cold gleam flashing in his eyes.

The South River Base City Military District Grand Tournament?

That would be his next battlefield.