NOVEL SIMPLE Chapter 64: The Initial Understanding of Soul Techniques
Ling Yi sat before a spread of opened books, with the ink on the pages still glistening wet.
Beside him, there stood a pile of books, some old, some new, adding up to about twenty or thirty in number at first glance.
Ling Yi picked out three from the stack and set them neatly side by side:
"Beast Martial Soul: Xingyiquan Framework—Ling Yi," "Artifact Martial Soul: Secrets of Forge—Ling Yi," and "Blue Silver Grass: Mimetic Environment—Ling Yi."
And lastly, "Analysis of Soul Rings and Techniques 1.0—Ling Yi!"
Ling Yi's gaze lingered over the four books, contemplating briefly before returning "Artifact Martial Soul: Secrets of Forge" to its place. He kept the "Analysis of Soul Rings and Techniques 1.0" and "Blue Silver Grass: Mimetic Environment" close by.
Opening up "Beast Martial Soul: Xingyiquan Framework," he skimmed through lines of text, familiar words to refresh his memory.
For a full fifteen minutes, Ling Yi went over this book, which he had penned himself, with its contents long committed to memory. Only then did he set the book down and stood up in the middle of the tent.
Shedding his shoes and socks, he stood steady with his feet apart, eyes gently shut. He emptied his mind, entering a serene state, but his spiritual energy swiftly ignited into motion.
"Swoosh—!"
A gust of wind whispered as Ling Yi sprang into action, his previously slack demeanor transforming into one of taut determination.
Ling Yi crouched slightly, both feet firmly gripping the ground with a claw-like hold reminiscent of a chicken's foot. Some stems and leaves of the Blue Silver Grass were crushed, the faint bluish-green sap staining his fair toes.
As his toes and soles shifted, so too did his legs, knees, waist, hips, spine, neck, and head, straightening and rising in a smooth, continuous motion.
With each breath, his form sank slightly, synchronously releasing his toes, loosening his knees, his waist suspended, abdomen expanding...
Soon, his entire body moved as if he were astride a galloping stallion, undulating, his muscles and bones trembling almost imperceptibly.
Outwardly he appeared so, but inwardly his soul energy was far from idle.
The soul power, brimming with vitality and vigor, coursed rapidly along twelve principal meridians and various minor paths, forming a not overly intricate but subtly profound circuit.
"Beast Martial Soul: Xingyi Boxing Stance" First Form: Soul Technique - Roaring Stallion Dash—!!!
With the swift flow of soul power, Ling Yi distinctly felt his physical capabilities steadily enhance.
The cost, however, was a proportional consumption of his internal soul power.
As each cycle of energy circulated, a portion of Ling Yi's soul power transformed into a unique energy that permeated every corner of his body. It started from his meridians and extended to his internal organs, bones, fascia, muscles, and skin.
This special energy was absorbed the most by the muscles, followed by the blood in his veins, then the skin and bones, and the fascia, with the least absorbed by the meridians and internal organs.
When approximately thirty percent of his soul power was depleted, Ling Yi stretched his body and sprawled upon the ground, transforming into a peculiar twisted form resembling a great serpent slithering across the earth.
"Beast Martial Soul: Form Intent Fist Frame - Second Movement: Soul Skill - Serpent Twist Assassination!!!"
At this moment, Ling Yi's entire skeleton seemed to have been removed. Energized by the movement of soul power within, another special energy endowed his bones and tendons with flexibility, allowing him to twist and constrict like a snake.
"Beast Martial Soul: Form Intent Fist Frame - Third Movement..." Ling Yi did not perform the third move; instead, he chose to calm his soul power and conclude this brief training session.
His soul power was still over thirty percent, barely enough for a further attempt.
Once his breath steadied, Ling Yi turned his palm upward. With a single thought, the blue-silver hue of the "Blue Silver Grass" martial soul emerged.
"First Soul Skill: Vitality Burst!"
Within his body, the soul energy surged, instantly transforming into a vibrant energy radiating vivid green light, resembling a tempting fruit on the stem and leaves of the Blue Silver Grass martial soul.
Resting the living energy and the Blue Silver Grass martial soul in the palm of his right hand, Ling Yi pressed it firmly against his chest.
In that moment, like spring rain nurturing the earth, the living energy soaked into his body, where blood and energy still churned subtly. It was like oil over hot flames, increasing its vigor, like a long-awaited rain nourishing the land silently.
As his soul power dwindled to just over a tenth, Ling Yi, feeling the emptiness in his meridians, broke into a genuine smile.
At this time, Ling Yi's body, both inside and out, had undergone subtle enhancements. Besides slightly widening meridians, his internal organs, bones, tendons, muscles, and skin were all somewhat fortified.
Though not as intense as during fast soul power circulation, these enhancements were permanent!
The soul skill known as "Galloping Horses," derived from the first soul ring skill of camp captain Ma Huatiao, reportedly originated from a Red-Blooded Horse with over eighty years of cultivation.
Soul Skill Effect: By consuming soul power, it accelerates blood circulation, strengthens muscle power, and enhances overall status. The effect depends on the amount of soul power expended, with an estimated strength cap around a thousand pounds.
Upon completing its analysis, Ling Yi utilized his soul power to operate the soul skill pathway, making it the first form of "Beast Martial Soul: Xingyi Fist Frame." The effect could mimic Ma Huatiao's initial soul skill virtually identically by converting soul power into the energy used for body enhancement when deploying the soul skill.
Moreover, since the soul power does not go through the internal engraving transformation of martial souls and soul rings, a portion of the enhancement effect could be retained.
A single enhancement might not be obviously effective, but over time, Ling Yi is confident that he can permanently solidify the strengthening effects of this spirit technique in his body!
Just like this, the second move after "Beast Martial Soul: Form Intent Fist Frame" is Spirit Technique: Serpentine Constriction; the third move is Spirit Technique: Agile as a Swallow; the fourth move is Spirit Technique: Tiger's Roar; and the fifth move is Spirit Technique: Bull's Charge.
Fiery Horse focuses on strength, Serpentine Constriction on tendons, Agile as a Swallow on breath, Tiger's Roar on bones, and Bull's Charge on skin.
These five spirit techniques were specifically chosen by Ling Yi from over twenty thousand soldiers within the Cold Wind Camp.
They share a common feature: they all originate from spirit rings of soul beasts under a hundred years old!
It cannot be helped; spirit rings from soul beasts over a hundred years old definitely have stronger effects, but their complexity also increases exponentially.
For Ling Yi at this stage, spirit techniques from spirit rings under a hundred years old are already sufficient to strengthen himself.
By practicing the "Beast Martial Soul: Form Intent Fist Frame" daily, his physical qualities will rapidly and steadily improve. The intersecting effects of the five beast form fist frames will gradually enhance and expand the width and resilience of Ling Yi's meridians bit by bit.
'Next comes the enhancement of mental strength and the transformation of the external environment...'
Feeling a hunger pang in his stomach, Ling Yi casually plucked a few blades of "Blue Silver Grass" and tossed them into his mouth. He put on his shoes and turned to walk out of the barracks.
It's time to eat~
(End of Chapter)
