The Training Camp Nears Its End

Shen Heng stared at Li Daoyi's hand.

A Origin Power of shimmering white energy was seen extending upwards from his palm.

That Origin Power seemed to have a life of its own, resolute and tenacious.

It just kept growing upwards.

Soon, a branch of Origin Power, almost identical to the branch Li Daoyi held in his left hand, appeared in his right hand.

The grooves in the bark, the twists and turns of the branches, and even the direction of the leaf veins are all perfectly reproduced.

Shen Heng stared in surprise at the branches that gleamed in the sunlight.

"Is this even possible?"

"Of course!" A smile appeared on Li Daoyi's gaunt face. "However, your current abilities are far from sufficient to achieve that level."

Shen Heng nodded; he hadn't expected to achieve that effect immediately upon arrival.

"Then how should I practice?"

"Start with simple tree branches, capturing their shape and curves;"

Then try focusing the lens on the leaf to make every vein on the leaf clearly visible;

Finally, you can start trying to assemble a complete branch like I did.

"How long will it take?"

"It depends on talent!" Li Daoyi scattered the Origin Power branch in his hand. "If you have good talent, you can learn it in a few years; if you don't have good talent, you might never learn it in your entire life."

Shen Heng nodded.

Li Daoyi glanced at Shen Heng and added:

"As for Origin Power, just practice hard. The future may be even brighter than you imagine."

"Hmm? What do you mean?" Shen Heng asked.

Li Daoyi:

"The Research Department at headquarters came up with an idea some time ago."

"All abilities, whether fire or water, ultimately originate from the Origin Power."

"In this process, ability only plays a supporting role in the transformation."

"It seems there's no problem?" Shen Heng pondered for a moment and said.

"No problem, but this has led to an idea." Li Daoyi nodded slightly.

Shen Heng looked at the other person quietly, waiting for their answer.

"Since abilities only play a supporting role in the conversion, is it possible to bypass abilities altogether and allow Origin Power to be directly converted into different abilities?"

"This..." Shen Heng frowned slightly.

If you were to tell him directly that it doesn't matter what abilities a person awakens, since they can use other abilities anyway, he definitely wouldn't believe you.

But after the preceding guidance, it does seem somewhat feasible.

only...

Is it really possible for humans to do this on their own?

Li Daoyi glanced at Shen Heng, who was frowning, and smiled:

"Alright, kid, stop thinking about it."

Even if it were possible, that would be a long way off.

"After all, we don't even know exactly how Origin Power is transformed into different types of effects through abilities, let alone try it out."

"Compared to that, if you improve your control over Origin Power, there's another, more immediate effect."

What effect?

"It can better contain the Origin Power within your body, making it impossible for ordinary people to detect the Origin Power overflowing from your body, just like I, the old Daoist!"

Shen Heng looked up at Li Daoyi.

He was standing there, looking rather slouchy.

Let alone being one of the strongest fighters in the Great Xia, if he changed his clothes, Shen Heng would believe he was a sanitation worker.

"Daoist Master..."

Just as Shen Heng was about to speak, he suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.

Li Daoyi remained standing there, looking relaxed and unsteady.

But his entire being seemed to have transformed into a bottomless abyss, with a vast and silent pressure spreading outwards.

Shen Heng felt the chirping of insects and birds around him suddenly disappear, and even the wind seemed to stop.

It was as if the whole world had shrunk to just him and Li Daoyi.

Soon, the momentum subsided, and the noisy sounds gradually returned to Shen Heng's ears.

"Besides making your Origin Power undetectable to others, you can also, like I just did, exert pressure on others purely through the Origin Power within your body."

"Of course, these two effects are more effective for people whose rank is much lower than yours, and less effective for people whose rank is much lower."

Shen Heng let out a soft breath, still not fully recovered from the oppressive aura he had just experienced.

"Is Fifth Tier that strong?" Shen Heng asked in a low voice.

"5th Tier is quite strong, but the main difference is the transformation that occurs when transitioning from Tier 3 to Fourth Tier."

Li Daoyi casually offered an explanation, then immediately said:

"Alright, I'll teach you the Falling Wild Goose Steps now."

Shen Heng nodded.

Li Daoyi broke off a branch from the tree he had just picked and then drew a nine-square grid on the soft soil.

The name "Falling Wild Goose Steps" comes from the phrase "wild geese fly without casting shadows, their feathers fall without making a sound" in the Nanhua Classic.

"The overall footwork appears light and airy, but it's actually connected to the Nine Palaces..."

As Li Daoyi spoke, he took a step forward.

His figure moved like a falling leaf, constantly shifting and turning in the small space.

More than ten days have passed in the blink of an eye.

Night, in the woods.

Shen Heng and Li Daoyi gathered around the campfire once more.

This time, however, it was Shen Heng who was grilling, while Li Daoyi watched from the side.

"Hey kid, I've already treated you to two meals of Calamity Beast, so you'll have to treat me next time we go to Linhai!" Li Daoyi leaned against a tree trunk, legs crossed.

"Hmm? Last time the Daoist priest did the grilling, this time I'll do it. Doesn't that even things out?"

"What's this talk of evenness? Didn't I provide all the Calamity Beast?" Li Daoyi at Shen Heng.

"Alright then," Shen Heng chuckled, "But..."

"If possible, I would rather not see the Daoist priest in Linhai, but of course, I would be happy to see him in Capital."

"Why?"

Under what circumstances might the Daoist priest go to Linhai?

Upon hearing Li Daoyi paused, his shaky feet stopping, and looked at Shen Heng with his cloudy eyes.

Are you worried that my arrival means Linhai City is facing a major problem?

Shen Heng nodded.

If the Supervision Bureau is unable to resolve the issue while dealing with the Calamity Beast, it can seek assistance from higher authorities.

If the problem still cannot be solved, they will search for the city where the nearest Fifth Tier expert is located.

The city closest to Linhai with Fifth Tier expert stationed there is Shenzhen.

Therefore, there is only one possibility if Li Daoyi were to appear in Linhai.

That means the Fifth Tier in Shenzhen is no longer sufficient to solve the problems in Linhai!

"Alright, in that case, just remember to invite me next time you come to Capital." Li Daoyi climbed down from the tree trunk and walked to the campfire.

"Yes, don't worry, I'll never forget you, Daoist Master," Shen Heng replied with a smile.

As he spoke, he handed over a portion of the roasted Calamity Beast he had already prepared.

Li Daoyi took the skewer and took a bite, the grease sliding down his chin.

"I didn't expect you to be such a good griller!" Li Daoyi casually wiped his mouth and exclaimed in admiration.

Shen Heng smiled and took a bite as well.

The sound of two people chatting softly drifted from the woods.