Star-Treading Step

"What?!"

Chen Shi'an hurriedly stopped cultivating.

He immediately examined the Mysterious Stone Stele in his mind. It stood silently at the very center, displaying a line of text: Sword-Draw, 381,613 times.

It showed no activity whatsoever, nor any change.

Could I be practicing it wrong?

Chen Shi'an sheathed his saber, sat back down at the desk, and took out the Flowing Flame Saber Technique to study it carefully.

About an hour later.

He rose and resumed practicing the saber technique.

The exact same scene repeated itself. When Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy gathered into a stream and tried to enter his dantian, the Mysterious Stone Stele in his mind trembled slightly, instantly dispersing the energy.

Chen Shi'an tested it repeatedly.

He reached a conclusion: there was nothing wrong with his cultivation. The problem lay with the Mysterious Stone Stele.

It was clearly stopping Chen Shi'an from cultivating Origin Force through other methods.

There seemed to be only one way to increase his Origin Force: draw his saber, draw his saber, and draw it again!

Unwilling to give up, Chen Shi'an continued practicing the Flowing Flame Saber Technique for another hour.

The result was exactly the same.

Isn't this a little too domineering?!

The Mysterious Stone Stele had opened a window for Chen Shi'an, only to close a door.

After a spell of frustration, a thought suddenly flashed through his mind.

He drew the Horizontal Saber once more.

Slowly channeling Origin Force into it, he unleashed the Flowing Fire Saber Strike.

A faint red glow lit up the blade, which radiated scorching waves of force.

Chen Shi'an closed his eyes, quietly sensing their power and heat.

A moment later, he opened his eyes with a brilliant smile.

Origin Force cultivated through different methods would differ to some degree.

In theory, his Origin Force had been cultivated through Sword-Draw and was incompatible with the Flowing Flame Saber Technique. When he used it to execute the Flowing Fire Saber Strike, its power should have suffered.

Yet the Flowing Fire Saber Strike he had just unleashed had not weakened. Instead, it was considerably stronger than the technique's description indicated.

This also meant that the Origin Force cultivated through Sword-Draw was perfectly compatible with moves from other cultivation methods, and even surpassed them.

To test this theory.

Chen Shi'an took a sheet of yellow paper from his desk and tossed it into the air.

Then he channeled Origin Force into his blade and abruptly drew it.

A dazzling flash of cold light swept past.

The sheet of yellow paper was instantly cut into seven pieces, which fluttered down from midair.

That last strike.

It had been the first of the Zhao Family's Seven Star-Chasing Forms.

Chen Shi'an remembered Zhao Ling telling him that, with sufficient speed, the first of the Seven Star-Chasing Forms could deliver nine cuts in an instant.

Among the Zhao Family's ancestors, the fastest had managed seven cuts.

Just now, Chen Shi'an had delivered six cuts in a single stroke.

Moreover, he was confident that with more Origin Force, he could increase that number.

Thus, he confirmed his judgment.

Although cultivating through Sword-Draw increased his Origin Force slowly, it was exceptionally compatible with other cultivation methods and clearly surpassed them.

With this discovery, all the regret in his heart vanished.

So what if I can't cultivate Origin Force through other methods?

The Origin Force I cultivate through Sword-Draw is without equal.

What am I waiting for, then?

Draw my saber, keep drawing it, and draw it until heaven grows desolate and the earth grows old!

The setting sun gradually sank in the west.

Night shrouded the Demon Hunting Team's camp.

Inside a tent in one corner of the camp, several tables had been pushed together.

Chen Shi'an, Pi Hou, and ten other men sat around them, laughing and chatting, gulping wine and devouring meat.

Although Chen Shi'an had told his subordinates to keep their voices down, once the wine took effect, they could no longer control their volume. Their voices grew louder and louder.

The Demon Hunting Team's camp was sizable. The ten newly formed squads occupied the same area, with ample space between their tents.

But at night, the laughter from Chen Shi'an's tent sounded especially loud.

Meanwhile, the aroma of wine and meat drifted everywhere, having long since reached the neighboring tents.

The Demon Hunting Team served meat with dinner, but no wine.

These men who licked blood from their blades all enjoyed a drink or two to some degree.

Now, of the ten recruit squads, only Chen Shi'an's could gulp down wine to their hearts' content. Naturally, this stirred resentment among the others.

"Chen Shi'an, you've got some nerve, daring to drink inside a military camp!" a voice suddenly rang out beyond the tent.

This brat couldn't hold back even this long?

Chen Shi'an frowned. He recognized the man shouting outside as Song Yuming.

He rose and slowly walked out of the tent.

Pi Hou and the other ten men hurriedly stood and followed close behind him.

Outside stood Song Yuming and his ten subordinates, all wearing hostile expressions.

Chen Shi'an fixed his gaze on Song Yuming, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly. "Squad Leader Song, if you want wine and meat, just bring a bowl and chopsticks over. It's not as though I'd deny you a mouthful.

"Why come here with such a grand procession?"

His words plainly painted Song Yuming as a beggar asking for scraps.

Song Yuming immediately flew into a rage. "Shut your mouth, Chen!

"Your entire squad, from top to bottom, has no regard for discipline! You've only just joined the Demon Hunting Team, yet you already dare to drink inside the camp. Your audacity knows no bounds!"

Pi Hou grinned. "Good thing I haven't drunk myself senseless yet, or I really might have mistaken Squad Leader Song for Commander Ye.

"What business is it of yours if we drink here, Squad Leader Song?"

Song Yuming's face reddened at those words. "Who the hell are you? I'm speaking to your squad leader. What right do you have to interrupt?"

Pi Hou was about to retort when Chen Shi'an raised his voice. "Pi Hou speaks for me."

Song Yuming grew even angrier. "Chen Shi'an, you lead the way in violating the Demon Hunting Team's military discipline, yet you still dare to stand here spouting righteous nonsense..."

By then, men from the nearby squads had heard the commotion and hurried over, including Tu Gou and Xu Yun.

Chen Shi'an curled his lip. "Squad Leader Song, how did you get drunk without drinking? Didn't you understand what Pi Hou just said?

"Whether our drinking violates the Demon Hunting Team's military discipline is none of your business. You don't have the authority to interfere!"

His gaze turned cold and sharp. "Song Yuming, you brought your men barging into my camp in the dead of night without even announcing yourselves.

"That's the real violation of military discipline!

"You have ten breaths to get the hell out of my camp. Otherwise, don't blame your fellow squad leader for showing no mercy!"

Under everyone's watching eyes, Song Yuming naturally refused to back down. His expression filled with disdain. "You lucked into a squad leader's position, and now you actually think you're somebody.

"Chen Shi'an, I'd very much like to see just how merciless you can be!"

Chen Shi'an's gaze chilled, and he asked loudly, "Brothers, someone has come to our doorstep looking for trouble, climbed onto our heads to shit and piss. What should we do?"

Pi Hou was the first to answer. "What else? Beat the bastards!"

Fired up by alcohol, the other men roared one after another:

"Brother Pi's right! Beat them!"

"Boss, give the order! Beat the bastards!"

Disdain still lingered on Song Yuming's face. "Stop putting on a show. Let's see which of you dares lay a hand on us!"

Chen Shi'an's lips curved slightly. "Brothers, let loose! Just don't draw your blades! Whatever happens, I'll shoulder the consequences!"

The moment he spoke, Pi Hou and the other ten men sprang into action, charging like tigers pouncing on prey.

Chen Shi'an moved at the same time, heading straight for Song Yuming.

Lu Chenyang and Xiang Chuxiong would not interfere in his conflict with Song Yuming. In fact, they hoped the two would clash more often.

And Fu Qingyang clearly wanted to use him to suppress Song Yuming.

Thus, Chen Shi'an had no qualms whatsoever about attacking Song Yuming.

His only consideration was to keep the stream flowing rather than exhaust it at once. He could not beat Song Yuming into submission and terror in a single fight.

For now, he still needed this shield to mislead Xiang Chuxiong and Fu Qingyang.

Song Yuming had not expected Chen Shi'an to actually dare attack.

Tu Gou, Xu Yun, and the other onlookers were likewise somewhat surprised.

The Demon Hunting Team had rules, with harsh punishments for internal fighting.

Tu Gou and the others stood on the sidelines, content to watch the show. Xu Yun's eyes, however, flickered with hesitation.

She was weighing whether to help Song Yuming.

As a fellow graduate of the Martial Academy, she too had received Lu Chenyang's instructions and naturally favored Song Yuming. But once she joined the fight to help him, the Demon Hunting Team's punishment would certainly fall on her as well.

She lacked Song Yuming's powerful backing. If things went badly, she might lose her position as squad leader outright, or even be expelled from the Demon Hunting Team.

Those were consequences she could not bear.

While she was still hesitating, the two sides had already clashed.

Chen Shi'an's squad had twelve men, while Song Yuming's side had only eleven.

None of those who had passed round after round of selection to join the Demon Hunting Team were weak.

With one fewer man, the disparity in strength was evident.

Song Yuming was tied down by Chen Shi'an, while his subordinates were being hammered by Pi Hou and the others. It was an ugly sight.

Every so often, someone was knocked to the ground, screaming in pain.

Seeing his subordinates losing ground, Song Yuming naturally grew anxious. He pushed his strength and speed to their limits, every punch whistling through the air.

Chen Shi'an, however, did not meet him head-on. Instead, he fought on the move, avoiding his strengths and striking at his weaknesses, keeping Song Yuming firmly occupied.

Having undergone marrow-washing seven times, his body far surpassed Song Yuming's in both speed and strength.

Using only seventy percent of his speed, he left Song Yuming unable to touch even the hem of his clothes.

"Chen, fight me head-on if you've got the guts! What's so impressive about dodging back and forth?" Unable to defeat Chen Shi'an, Song Yuming was both ashamed and furious.

Chen Shi'an sneered. "I thought you had some real ability. Turns out this is all you've got."

Those words enraged Song Yuming completely.

He bellowed, "Chen Shi'an, today I'll show a frog at the bottom of a well like you just how vast the gap between us really is!"

As his words fell, his feet rapidly stamped the ground in a particular rhythm, and his speed suddenly surged.

Caught off guard, Chen Shi'an almost took a punch.

A movement technique!

What Song Yuming was using was a movement technique.

As a core disciple whom the Windrise Martial Academy had focused its resources on nurturing, and the son of the chief steward of Windrise Stronghold's Internal Affairs Office, how could he not have a few tricks tucked away at the bottom of his chest?

With the movement technique's assistance, Song Yuming's speed increased considerably, but it still fell noticeably short of Chen Shi'an's.

Chen Shi'an sped up slightly and continued tangling with him.

Song Yuming had the illusion that if he could just move a little faster, he would catch Chen Shi'an and defeat him.

Yet no matter how hard he pushed himself, he always fell just a little short.

While fending off Song Yuming's attacks, Chen Shi'an focused his attention on his feet, observing the path of his movements.

As his gaze sharpened, the familiar sensation he had experienced while watching Zhao Ling practice her saber technique returned. He could clearly sense an invisible power surging inside Song Yuming's body.

The force exerted through every joint, along with the path his feet traced, gradually sketched an increasingly clear image in Chen Shi'an's mind.

After roughly half an incense stick's time, the image was complete. Chen Shi'an had essentially grasped Song Yuming's movement technique.

Putting his newfound knowledge straight to use, he began rapidly stepping according to the image in his mind.

The moment he moved, his speed surged, once again leaving Song Yuming unable to touch even a scrap of his clothing.

"Star-Treading Step! You know Star-Treading Step too?"

Song Yuming cried out in shock.

So this movement technique is called Star-Treading Step.

Chen Shi'an's lips curved slightly. "A little, but not much."

"How is that possible?"

Song Yuming swung his fists as he shouted angrily, "Star-Treading Step is the Martial Academy's exclusive movement technique! Only core disciples are qualified to practice it. How could an ant like you, who scrabbled around in the streets, have learned Star-Treading Step?"

The corners of Chen Shi'an's mouth rose noticeably higher. "I happened to pick up a battered book in the Outer City. Its pages were too stiff even to wipe my ass with. Who would've thought it contained your Martial Academy's exclusive technique?

"If I'd known, I wouldn't have used it to wipe my ass. I should've sold it at the market. It probably would've fetched a fair bit of silver."

"You're courting death!"

Song Yuming roared, suddenly leaping ten feet backward. He stamped his right foot hard against the ground and swiftly traced two semicircles in front of him with his hands.

At the same time, his aura rapidly intensified.

He was about to unleash another trick from the bottom of his chest.

Chen Shi'an rejoiced inwardly, but his face took on a mocking expression as he jeered, "Song Yuming, you shout louder than anyone, but your actual skills are worse than everyone's!"

Song Yuming's face turned the color of pig's liver. He abruptly pulled his fists back to his waist, stepped his right foot backward, and sank his body, preparing to lunge.

Just then, an angry shout came from outside the camp entrance. "Stop! What are you all doing?"

As the shout fell, three burly figures strode inside.

The dark-faced man at the head of the group was none other than Iron Bull.

Iron Bull's eyes were wide, and a fierce, iron-blooded killing aura radiated from him.

That killing aura had nothing to do with his strength. It had developed naturally through repeated struggles between life and death, as the saber at his waist drank its fill of his enemies' blood.

Every Demon Hunting Team recruit present felt a chill in his heart at that iron-blooded killing aura. None dared meet Iron Bull's eyes.

Both sides in the fight hastily stopped and withdrew to one side.

Chen Shi'an inwardly sighed in regret. Had Iron Bull arrived a little later, he would have had a chance to learn another technique.

Still, he would have plenty of dealings with Song Yuming in the future.

There would be ample opportunities to dig out every last one of his hidden tricks.

"Bodyguard Tie, you've come just in time! Chen Shi'an brought his men into the barracks to drink, and he even let them attack us!" Song Yuming immediately stepped forward to lodge his complaint, brimming with righteous indignation.