Deng Qing waved his hand, "Never mind, I'll try stepping on it first."
Having said that, he activated the Collapse Step again and rushed towards the green light.
As he chased after him, he realized that his earlier stepping on the wrong spot had been somewhat due to luck.
The reason is that the green light is too elusive.
Every time it flashed past, Deng Qing would lift his foot and it would change position; sometimes the green light would be clearly moving to the left, then suddenly flash by and be in the upper right.
Next, Deng Qing tried to step on it more than ten times, but missed once.
It wasn't until more than a hundred breaths later that he managed to barely touch the green light with his toes using a Threefold Midair Step.
However, the murals remain unchanged.
Su Yun frowned as he watched. Although Deng Qing's Movement Technique were quite remarkable in his eyes, they were still far inferior to the elusive and agile green light.
Su Yun looked at it for a while longer, but finally gave up hope. Instead, he took out a Booklet and a Charcoal Pencil from his pocket, and began to copy the mural.
Deng Qing, however, became engrossed in a contest with that green light.
He originally intended to practice the Collapse Step, and now that he had a moving target, he simply used it as a training tool.
At that moment, he was refining the Wasteland Blood to replenish his energy while continuing to use the Collapse Step to chase the green light.
At first, he remembered how many times he had stepped on the wrong spot, but he gradually forgot about it and stopped caring about the result.
Suddenly, Deng Qing stopped in his tracks, a realization dawning on him.
Previously, I was used to first defining the circle under my feet, and then incorporating the green light into the arc of the circle.
When the green light changes, one must adjust accordingly, redefine the circle, and find the most suitable arc again.
In this way, I will always be a step behind.
But why must I define the circle by myself? What if I take the green light as the center?
The thought arose, and Deng Qing took another step. With a swift movement, his toes struck the green light with a snap.
Deng Qing was secretly delighted, but he didn't stop there.
As the green light shifted, the center of his mind also shifted.
He began to insist on placing the green light at the center of the circle, positioning himself on the circumference, and with each advance, retreat, and turn, he moved towards the center.
With another soft click, he stepped on it again!
Deng Qing gradually realized that the center of the circle did not need to be fixed.
Wherever your thoughts settle, that place will become a perfect circle.
Suddenly, the panel appeared on its own.
[ Collapse Step: Grand Mastery (60%)]
Deng Qing's heart skipped a beat.
Immediately afterwards, a series of insights came flooding in. Those things that I had never quite understood during my practice, yet couldn't quite explain why, now became as clear and distinct as the moon reflected in a river.
Deng Qing greedily absorbed these insights and continued walking.
The green light still flickered, but he was no longer troubled and walked with a light, graceful stride, becoming more and more relaxed with each step.
He sometimes strode forward, sometimes darted sideways, his movements so light and agile as if he were riding the wind.
Snap! Snap! Two more blows followed.
Su Yun was copying a painting when she heard the sound and instinctively turned around.
With just one glance, the pen in his hand stopped, and he stared wide-eyed as Deng Qing turned around, his right foot touching the corner of the left wall, while his left foot precisely touched the green light.
The third time!
The green light suddenly shifted to the left, and Deng Qing gracefully spun around, stepping forward with her right foot.
Fourth! Fifth! Sixth!
A series of soft sounds echoed through the passageway.
Su Yun didn't even notice the Booklet had fallen to the ground; he was staring intently at Deng Qing.
He saw Deng Qing advance and retreat suddenly, his steps unpredictable and seemingly without a trace, yet every time he landed, he landed precisely on that ball of green light.
Deng Qing got more and more into it, and inexplicably found the feeling of playing Audition Online in his previous life.
One landing point after another, as long as you keep up with the rhythm, the subsequent movements will follow naturally.
Suddenly, the green light shot upwards, and Deng Qing used the wall as leverage to rise up, striking the target again with his foot.
The next instant, the green light disappeared from above and suddenly landed on the tip of the sword of the woman in the painting.
Taking advantage of the momentum of his fall, Deng Qing stretched out his waist and performed a series of Threefold Waves of the Yangtze, striking the ground one after another.
Then I heard a series of slapping sounds...
This time, he triggered Ninefold Burst!
Suddenly, the green light beneath Deng Qing's feet solidified.
Immediately afterwards, the green light suddenly sank into the stone wall, and the entire passageway shook violently.
With a thud, the Charcoal Pencil in Su Yun's hand fell to the ground, and he stared blankly at the wall in front of him.
Suddenly, all the lines on the mural lit up at the same time.
A faint light flowed from the woman's sleeve to the sword's edge, then spread along the edge, quickly covering the entire wall.
Deng Qing landed and stood still, stunned by what she saw. The ancient wall in front of her seemed to have suddenly gained depth and layers.
Strands of green light transformed into countless starlight, flowing within the painting. In the next instant, the woman in the painting seemed to come alive.
The paintings on the entire wall also show signs of transitioning from 2D to 3D.
Suddenly, clouds and mist rose behind the woman in the painting, and the long sword in her hand reflected the starlight, its chilling aura seeming to pierce through the stone.
"It's open..."
Su Yun murmured, "It's really open!"
Before he could finish speaking, the woman in the painting suddenly turned around, flicked her long sleeves, and a flash of sword light appeared.
Deng Qing's eyes widened suddenly; even a child could see how amazing what he was seeing.
The woman in the painting lightly touched the ground with her toes, gracefully swung her long sword, and began a sword dance.
Deng Qing quickly focused his attention to observe closely. But just as he remembered the direction of her sword strike, he missed the change in her footwork; by the time he turned his attention to her footwork, the woman had already changed her Sword Technique.
Deng Qing was extremely anxious.
If this continues, I'm afraid I won't remember even a fraction of the entire Swordsmanship after it's performed.
Suddenly, he remembered something and quickly took out the Divine Shadow Stone from his Waist Pouch.
Xiao Jinglin gave him this thing originally as a pledge of loyalty, but it couldn't be more fitting to use it here.
Deng Qing tried sending in a wisp of Internal Breath. The stone surface lit up, and light and shadow gathered, but Xiao Jinglin's voice could be faintly heard.
He quickly stopped his Internal Breath and asked, "Brother Su, how do I use this? I need to record the Swordsmanship on the wall!"
Su Yun snapped out of his daze, saw the Divine Shadow Stone, and immediately slapped his forehead, "Yes, this is the best!"
He quickly said, "By exhaling the power of Qi-Blood from the palm outwards, the ability to retain images can be activated."
What you just sent in was Internal Breath, which is used to view the recorded images.
Deng Qing followed his instructions, holding the Divine Shadow Stone in his palm, gathering his Internal Breath, and channeling his Qi-Blood to his palm.
As his palm grew warm, a wisp of Qi-Blood energy seeped into the Divine Shadow Stone.
The Divine Shadow Stone lit up again, but no image appeared.
Deng Qing breathed a sigh of relief, steadily supporting the Divine Shadow Stone and aligning it with the wall.
Freed from the burden of memorization, Deng Qing watched the woman perform swordplay again and found its wonders even more profound.
When her Sword Momentum is gentle, it's as light as brushing away the clouds in front of her. But when her Sword Momentum is rapid, it's like a stream of light shooting through golden armor, with golden scales stretching for thousands of feet.
Deng Qing even held her breath while watching.
He also practices swordsmanship himself, and has even mastered the Seven Forms of Settling Solitude to Perfected Mastery.
But he never imagined that someone's Sword Technique could possess such profound meaning.
Yes, Deng Qing can no longer see the Sword Technique; he can only see the imagery of the female Sword Technique evolving in the painting.
Time passed slowly, starlight shimmered on the wall, and the woman's sword danced across the world, radiating boundless brilliance.
Deng Qing and Su Yun stood in front of the wall, completely mesmerized.
Before anyone knew it, the woman sheathed her sword and stood still, her fluttering dress finally falling to the ground.
The starlight in the wall dimmed, the clouds dispersed, and the vivid colors sank back into the stone surface, instantly transforming it into that mottled ancient painting once more.
Su Yun still tilted his head back, his left hand loosely clenched, maintaining the posture he had just used to demonstrate Sword Technique.
Only when the last glimmer of light on the wall disappeared did he shake his head, sigh, and lower his hand. "What a pity."
Deng Qing, who was also enjoying the show, asked, "What's a pity?"
Su Yun sighed, "It's a pity that the divine sword's imagery is beyond our imagination; it's too difficult to master."
I heard my grandfather say that in the Previous Epoch, martial arts did not have the concept of " Mental Method " as we know it today.
Most of them convey the meaning through spirit, allowing martial arts learners to first grasp the essence and then comprehend the methods of practice from that essence.
But the teachers and mentors will still offer guidance on the key points.
As he spoke, he looked at the mural again, "The woman just now was demonstrating swordsmanship, perhaps she was passing on her skills. But she didn't give any instructions. Just by watching the Sword Technique moves and trying to understand the meaning, it's already difficult to even Initiation, let alone master it. It's as difficult as climbing to the sky."
After saying that, Su Yun began to caress the mural again, picked up the paper and pen on the ground, and began to copy it.
Deng Qing pondered for a moment, thinking to himself, "Just because it's difficult for others to practice doesn't mean it's difficult for me. I just don't have time to work on it right now. Once I get the Initiation of any technique, I'll never be able to close the door from the front door to the Main Hall again."
Deng Qing withdrew his palm strike, put away the Divine Shadow Stone, and tried walking the Collapse Step again, feeling slightly better.
Reaching Grand Mastery in the Collapse Step technique is truly a cause for celebration.
When faced with danger, there is much more room for maneuver than before.
Deng Qing brought up the panel again and looked at the "Devour Heaven Scripture " section.
[ Devour Heaven Scripture: Minor Mastery (59%)]
Just one percentage point away from Grand Mastery.
But this is the step they've been unable to take for so long.
Deng Qing's joy subsided slightly, and he thought of Zhang Yan again.
The person must be saved, but this Divine Hall is so vast, and the terrain inside is constantly changing. I don't even know where Zhang Yan has been taken. Searching aimlessly like this is far too risky.
Suddenly, a thought struck him.
If Li Dashan was able to locate himself using the Wasteland Blood, could he also use the Wasteland Blood to find Zhang Yan?
Although the possibility of him refining the Wasteland Blood given by Li Dashan is slim, it's not impossible to try another path.
Based on past experience, the cultivation of the Devour Heaven Scripture will bring new insights as one breaks through the barriers of cultivation realm.
Deng Qing wasn't sure if this new insight would encompass the methods for locating the Wasteland Blood, but the more he thought about it, the more he felt it was worth a try.
Instead of blindly searching for Zhang Yan in a dead end, it would be better to first master the Devour Heaven Scripture Grand Mastery.
Having made up his mind, he glanced at Su Yun, who was still lost in her reverie, took out the last two Great Fortune Pill, and swallowed them together.
Once the pill entered the stomach, its medicinal effects quickly dissipated.
Instantly, a surge of scalding heat rose from his abdomen and, with the circulation of the Devour Heaven Scripture, rushed towards his Spine.
Where the heat flowed, his muscles began to tighten, and a familiar tingling sensation rose deep in his spine.
Clearly, the effects of Great Fortune Pill are still quite good.
Before long, the effects of the Great Fortune Pill subsided, and he glanced at the panel, where the number remained at fifty-nine.
Deng Qing frowned, thinking to himself, "It seems that this tremor after the three hundred and sixty bows is indeed not so easy."
Next, he examined his Dantian and immediately discovered that the stored Wasteland Blood was almost gone.
Deng Qing immediately stopped circulating the Devour Heaven Scripture, turned to Su Yun, and asked, "Brother Su, how's the research going?"
Su Yun remained mesmerized, staring at the mural, and murmured, "It's so beautiful."
The more I think about that painting of the woman dancing with a sword, the more exquisite it seems. But if I were to actually depict it in a painting, something just doesn't feel right.
As he spoke, he made sword gestures in the air.
Deng Qing laughed and said, "Seeing how obsessed Brother Su is, once we get out, you can find a way to copy the image from this Divine Shadow Stone and enjoy it at your leisure."
Su Yun suddenly looked up, "Brother Deng, is this really true?"
Deng Qing laughed and said, "What's there to lie about?"
Su Yun was overjoyed and quickly cupped his hands in greeting, "In that case, I, Su, will accept with great pride! Such superior swordsmanship is truly rare, especially when performed by such a beautiful woman. I am deeply grateful that Brother Deng is willing to share some with me."
As he spoke, he bowed deeply to Deng Qing, clearly adoring the mural.
Deng Qing waved his hand, "Brother Su, you're too kind. We're just helping each other out. Without you recognizing the formation on the Stone Pillar and finding the mechanism to open the mural, I could walk back and forth here ten times and still not figure out the trick."
Su Yun listened with a broad smile and nodded repeatedly.
As the two were talking, footsteps came from ahead in the passageway.
However, Xiao Jinglin led the way with his guards, followed by the other Martial Artist had gone out to investigate.
Judging from their expressions, it was clear that their harvest was not good.
Deng Qing asked, "Brother Xiao, how is it outside?"
Xiao Jinglin shook his head, "We searched several places, but all we found were ruins and broken pillars. We didn't find anything good. However, we did see quite a few Wasteland Beast."
With our forces scattered, we dare not act rashly and can only return first.
As he spoke, he sighed, "I thought that since it was the Upper Divine Hall, we would surely find some opportunities."
It seems that everyone's efforts have been in vain.
Deng Qing's mind raced, and he said, " Wasteland Beast are also valuable, but unfortunately, this place is strange, Wasteland Beast corpses cannot be preserved."
Xiao Jinglin sighed, "Indeed. Guarding so many Wasteland Beast, yet unable to even take a single piece of meat, it's quite disheartening."
Everyone else sighed as well.
"In my opinion, there was no way to deal with it before, but that may not be the case now."
Su Yun suddenly spoke, appearing as a confident and shrewd expert.
Everyone turned to look at him.
Su Yun stuffed the notebook back into his chest. "The disappearance of the Wasteland Beast's flesh and blood last time must be because an Ancient Formation here has been activated and is extracting its blood."
But every formation has a key point. If we just find the Formation Eye, with Brother Deng's abilities, shutting it down would be a piece of cake."
Deng Qing glanced at Su Yun, thinking to himself, "I don't even know what the Formation Eye looks like, and this guy is already bragging about it for me."
Xiao Jinglin and the others were greatly encouraged.
Everyone had witnessed Su Yun identifying the formation and Deng Qing turning the Stone Pillar to break it.
Now that these two have joined forces again, they might actually be able to break the mystery of this place.
In an instant, everyone looked at Deng Qing, their eyes filled with hope.
Deng Qing said, "There's no time to lose, so let's listen to Brother Su and go take a look."
At that moment, everyone headed outside.
Before leaving, Su Yun looked back at the mural one last time with lingering reluctance before quickly following behind.
At that moment, Xiao Jinglin led the way, and the group left the passageway, climbed the steps, exited the underground space, and entered another plaza.
Deng Qing looked around, feeling a chill run down his spine.
The furnishings here are practically twins of the previous square.
The same Black Stone, the same tall Stone Pillar, and even the positions of the four corridor entrances are similar to the previous square.
If it weren't for the different statues in the Stone Forest, Deng Qing would have suspected that everyone had gone in circles and returned to the same place.
As Xiao Jinglin was explaining the situation, a muffled thud came from the southeast.
Then, several more sounds followed, making the stone slabs beneath everyone's feet tremble.
"It's over there." Xiao Jinglin pointed to the direction from which the sound came and led everyone towards it.
After passing seven or eight rows of Stone Pillar, the scene ahead came into view.
But then they saw three Wasteland Beast charging wildly around a stone wall.
One of them was as big as a bull, with gray scales covering its back and a curved horn on its forehead.
The other two had protruding fangs and long, thick forelimbs; each time they pounced, their sharp claws scraped against the wall with a piercing sound.
The Wasteland Beast with curved horns took a few steps back, then suddenly accelerated and charged forward.
Then, with a loud bang, it crashed into the stone wall, sending up clouds of dust and scattering broken stones.
The Wasteland Beast's forehead was already torn open, with blood flowing down, but it shook its head and began to retreat to gather strength.
The other two were doing the same, relentlessly tearing and lunging at each other, as if determined to tear the wall apart.
Deng Qing immediately recalled the Wasteland Beast had previously rammed into the Sealing Wall.
The scene before us is almost identical.
The group stopped behind the Stone Pillar, not daring to approach rashly.
Su Yun stared intently for a moment, then whispered, "Something's not right. These Wasteland Beast are most likely under the influence of Nightmare Art."
Everyone was looking at him.
Su Yun pointed at the horned Wasteland Beast, "Look at it, its head is all smashed like this, yet it keeps fighting to the death, it's practically begging for it."
As they were speaking, a sliver of dark light flashed at the base of the stone wall that had been struck, before disappearing back into the crevice.
Su Yun's gaze sharpened. "Sure enough, someone is using this Ancient Formation formation to their advantage."
Xiao Jinglin said, "The people from the Donghuang Cult broke in from behind the Sealing Wall earlier. Could it be that they want to open another opening here and let their people in again?"
Upon hearing this, everyone's expression changed.
Chen Jun subconsciously tightened his grip on the hilt of his knife, and several guards from the Xiao Family also moved closer, keeping an eye on the left and right entrances to the corridor.
"Won't."
Su Yun shook his head and pointed around, "Look at the structure here. That Sealing Wall, which was the weakest point of the entire building. Once it was broken, people could come in through the breach."
"But we're already deep in the heart of the territory. Since the Donghuang Cult has broken through the outer perimeter, they can get here by following the corridor. Why bother with all this effort, letting Wasteland Beast smash through the walls to clear a path for them?"
Xiao Jinglin nodded in approval.
Chen Jun asked, "What are these Wasteland Beast doing?"
"That's what I want to know too."
Su Yun replied in a low voice and then walked towards the center of the Stone Forest.
The crowd followed behind him, watching as he would sometimes crouch down to examine the base of a Stone Pillar, and sometimes stand on tiptoe to look at the patterns behind a stone carving.
At first, he walked and stopped intermittently, but then his pace quickened. Suddenly, he stopped abruptly, his expression changing drastically.