Qin Shuang Tests Him
His gaze first fell on the Phantom Steps.
Grandmaster -level movement techniques.
He clicked on the details of the cultivation technique, and lines of information appeared in his mind.
The core of the Phantom Steps is to leave a trail of afterimages in place while moving at high speed, which lasts for about a breath.
The afterimage carried a faint aura, enough to confuse the opponent's senses.
Upon reaching perfection in cultivation, one can simultaneously create three afterimages.
Most importantly, the user can switch back and forth between the three afterimages, making it difficult to distinguish between the real and the fake, and the reality and illusion are uncertain.
The reason why only those with the cultivation level of Grandmaster can cultivate this technique is because it places extremely high demands on speed and physical strength.
The load generated during high-speed movement is simply unbearable for the body of Hua Jin artist.
Lu Feng did not immediately improve.
He took out the jade bottle containing the essence blood of a first-tier demon beast from his bosom.
"System, upgrade the Hundred Beasts Body-Tempering Art."
[Ding! Detected that the host has collected the essence blood of ten Tier 1 demonic beasts. Upgrading the Hundred Beasts Body-Tempering Art to the first level requires 1000 Demon Points. Confirm upgrade?]
"Confirm."
As soon as he finished speaking, a warm sensation surged from under every inch of his skin.
Lu Feng could clearly feel his epidermis peeling off at an extremely fast rate, new skin being generated, and then being replaced by even tougher skin.
This process was repeated dozens of times within a few breaths.
After the warmth subsided, he raised his arm. His skin still had its normal color and texture, but when he touched it, it felt noticeably firmer than before.
He took out the Six Harmonies Saber and lightly made a cut on his arm.
Where the blade passed, only a faint white mark was left.
"Not bad. His physical strength alone is already equivalent to that of a first-tier demonic beast."
He stood up and stretched his joints.
The defenses of the Golden Bell Shield and Iron Cloth Shirt are external, while the defense of the Hundred Beasts Body-Tempering Art is integrated into the body.
Satisfied, he glanced at the second-tier essence blood in his storage bag.
The second level of the Hundred Beasts Body-Tempering Art requires the essence blood of ten second-tier demonic beasts, and we are currently missing eight.
Lu Feng spent a full hour experiencing the physical changes brought about by the first level of the Hundred Beasts Body-Tempering Art from head to toe.
His skin, muscles, and bones—every inch of them had been tempered by his essence and blood. Even if he eventually exhausted his Nei Jin, this physical body alone would be able to withstand the attacks of a first-tier demonic beast.
An hour later, he finally turned his gaze back to the Phantom Steps on the panel.
"System, upgrade Phantom Steps to its maximum level."
[Ding! Phantom Steps requires 50,000 Demon Points to enter the beginner stage. Minor Success requires 100,000, Major Success requires 200,000, and Perfect Success requires 500,000. The host's current Demon Points are 170,700, which can be upgraded to the mid-stage at most. Upgrade?]
Lu Feng fell silent.
Reaching the mid-stage requires 150,000, the late-stage requires 200,000, and reaching the final stage requires 500,000.
A Grandmaster- level movement technique requires a total of 850,000 Demon Points from beginner to mastery.
This number made him truly realize for the first time how high the threshold for the Grandmaster Realm was.
"Upgrade." Lu Feng didn't hesitate for long.
moment,
A vast, almost frenzied surge of cultivation experience flooded into his mind.
That's not just simple formulas and techniques, but the memory of every muscle in the body from thousands of high-speed movements.
How to maintain balance at high speed, how to avoid tearing ligaments when changing direction, how to use minimal displacement to gain maximum evasive space—all of these were etched into his instincts in an instant.
[Phantom Steps (Minor Success)]
Lu Feng stood up, circulated his Nei Jin, and exerted force with his feet.
In a flash, he appeared several meters away.
Where he had stood, a shadowy figure, identical to him, stood silently, even the folds of his robes were exactly the same.
Three breaths later, the afterimage slowly dissipated.
"Xiao Cheng could only leave behind an afterimage, and it only lasted for three breaths."
"However, it's sufficient for the current battle. In combat, a moment's misjudgment can determine life or death."
For the next half hour, he practiced the Phantom Steps repeatedly in the secret room.
From sprinting in a straight line to sudden stops and changes of direction, from single afterimages to continuous dodges, each practice session deepens the understanding of this movement technique.
Half an hour later, he sat on the ground, panting heavily, his internal Nei Jin completely drained.
It should be noted that although he was only at the Early Hua Jin, he had cultivated the foundation of Innate Primordial Qi, and his Nei Jin strength was even more profound than that of a cultivator who Hua Jin Perfection.
Even so, they only held out for half an hour.
"Truly worthy of being Grandmaster- level technique."
He wiped the sweat from his brow and muttered,
"The initial stage is fine, but if one cultivates to perfection, I'm afraid one will be exhausted after only a few uses."
He sat cross-legged, took out a Origin Recovery Pill from his pocket, swallowed it, and began to meditate to recover his Nei Jin.
Just as his Nei Jin had recovered to about 60-70%, a fluctuation suddenly came from the restrictions outside the cave.
Lu Feng got up, walked out of the secret room, and opened the cave door.
The person standing outside the door startled him slightly.
Xiaolian wore a light green dress today, with a silver hairpin in her hair, looking more casual than her usual businesslike demeanor.
"Xiaolian, it's been a long time."
"Sure, Lu Feng."
Xiaolian tilted her head, looked him up and down, and a half-smile played on her lips.
"It's only been a few days, and you've already broken through to the Hua Jin. Your cultivation has surpassed mine. Will I have to call you 'Master' soon?"
"Xiaolian, what are you saying? You were just lucky," Lu Feng replied with a smile.
"Alright, I'm not going to joke with you anymore." Xiaolian stopped laughing and said seriously.
"Deputy Commandant Qin wants to see you. Come with me."
Qin Shuang wanted to see him again.
Lu Feng's mind raced for a moment, but he remained outwardly calm as he followed Xiaolian toward the Captain's residence.
Upon reaching the entrance of the main hall of the Commandant's Mansion, Xiaolian stopped and gestured with her chin towards the inside of the hall:
"Deputy Commandant Qin is waiting for you inside. I won't go in."
Lu Feng nodded, straightened his clothes, and stepped into the main hall.
Qin Shuang was the only one inside the hall.
She sat in the main seat, her right hand supporting her chin, her left index finger tapping the table slowly, her gaze fixed on some uncertain point in the void, lost in thought.
"Your subordinate, Lu Feng, greets Your Excellency. May I ask what business Your Excellency has with me?"
Qin Shuang only came to her senses when she heard the sound.
She looked up and her gaze fell on Lu Feng.
Then she moved, without any warning.
His figure vanished from the seat and appeared in front of Lu Feng in the next instant, one hand with five fingers spread out, reaching for his shoulder.
This arrest was incredibly fast.
The improved movement skills brought about by mastering the Phantom Steps have become ingrained in his instincts, even without his conscious use.
Before his brain could react, Lu Feng's body reacted and he dodged. He shifted his feet and slid two steps to the left, barely avoiding the grab.
"Not bad."
A hint of surprise flashed in Qin Shuang's eyes, and the corners of her mouth turned up slightly.
"Let me try your methods again."
She gave Lu Feng no time to catch his breath, changing her palm into a fist, and her second move followed immediately.
This punch was faster and heavier than the previous grab, and it made a soft hissing sound as the wind from the punch cut through the air.