This couldn't go on any longer.
This method wasn't without precedent, but it tested a cultivator's willpower and focus to the extreme. Even combat forces of the same attribute differed in the composition of the hexagram blood circulation formed by their major bloodline nodes, especially in the arrangement of the minor bloodline nodes within. If certain special variations were involved—such as the connection of unique bloodline nodes—it was enough to make anyone tear their hair out. The cultivator had to forget all their old training habits and start from scratch to master the new method.
It was truly an enormous hassle.
Blaze Combat Force, as the name implied, should be a fire-attribute combat force. This was because the handwritten copy of the combat force manual that Lorist carried with him contained no explanation whatsoever—only those four large characters on the cover. Upon opening it, he found the cultivation method for the hexagram blood circulation formed by the major bloodline nodes for the Bronze and
Lorist spent a great deal of money to obtain a mid-to-high-tier fire-attribute combat force manual: Inferno Combat Force. It was said that this combat force could be cultivated up to Silver Three-Star. But when Lorist eagerly flipped it open, he was dumbfounded.
The hexagram blood circulation formed by the major bloodline nodes of Inferno Combat Force was far too different from his Blaze Combat Force—the major bloodline nodes weren't even in the same locations. How was one supposed to cultivate this?
At first, Lorist thought this was simply a difference between high-tier and mid-to-low-tier combat forces. But upon further reflection, something felt off. No matter how different they were, combat forces of the same attribute should have roughly the same major bloodline node composition. To figure out what was going on, Lorist went out of his way to obtain several mid-tier fire-attribute combat force manuals. After comparing them one by one, he discovered that the hexagram blood circulation formed by the major bloodline nodes in all these fire-attribute combat forces was largely the same as Inferno Combat Force's method—but bore no resemblance whatsoever to the hexagram blood circulation in his own Blaze Combat Force. This indicated that the Blaze Combat Force he'd been cultivating was very likely not fire-attribute at all.
What a rip-off—if Blaze isn't fire, then what is it?
With no other choice, Lorist obtained several mid-tier combat force manuals of metal, water, wood, and earth attributes. He even managed to get his hands on mid-tier light and wind attribute manuals. After careful study, he found that Blaze Combat Force had absolutely nothing to do with any of these attributes. This result left Lorist thoroughly puzzled, and he began to wonder if he was overthinking it. Blaze Combat Force was fire-attribute—it was simply that, as a high-tier combat force, its cultivation method differed greatly from those mid-tier fire-attribute forces.
However, something happened during this period. With his combat force cultivation going nowhere and the academy on break, Lorist decided to clear his head. He formed a small adventuring party with a few friends from the academy and headed into the Sunset Mountains to hunt low-tier magical beasts.
The Sunset Mountains harbored a rare low-tier magical beast called the Golden Horn Fire Fox. Its fur changed color with the seasons—the colder the weather, the more crimson the coat became—making it highly valuable on the market. The small golden horn emitted a faint fragrance, and carrying it on one's person could ward off insect bites. There was also a rumor that grinding the golden horn into powder could enhance a man's stamina—well, everyone knew what function that referred to, so there was no need to spell it out. As a result, the Golden Horn Fire Fox was extremely sought after and had nearly been hunted to extinction in the Sunset Mountains.
Lorist's group was very fortunate—they actually discovered the trail of a Golden Horn Fire Fox. The five of them spent three days and nights, giving it everything they had, before finally managing to slay the beast. High spirits soaring, they were preparing to leave the mountains when they realized they were being tailed.
A place like the Sunset Mountains, perfect for adventuring and hunting magical beasts, was always remote and lawless. Backstabbing and the strong preying on the weak were inevitable. Avoiding becoming someone else's prey while hunting was something every adventurer and mercenary understood.
Lorist's group hadn't planned to venture deep into the mountains—they'd just been hunting low-tier beasts along the outer edges, which wouldn't attract attention. With no real spoils to speak of, no one would bother targeting them. But now, with a Golden Horn Fire Fox in hand, they'd attracted highwaymen.
Seven Silver-rank mercenaries blocked their path. They belonged to a mid-sized mercenary company based in a small town at the foot of the Sunset Mountains. Their reputation was poor—they were half-soldier, half-bandit. Most likely, one of Lorist's companions had let something slip while buying supplies in town, drawing their attention, which was why they'd sent seven Silver-rank experts.
Lorist's group numbered only five—three at Black Iron rank and two at Silver rank. The seven robbers not only demanded that they hand over their haul, but also insisted they strip down to their underwear and scram. They were clearly planning to bully them without resistance. Shrade the fatty was among them, at Silver One-Star rank. The money-loving, life-be-damned fool flew into a rage at the demand and drew his sword without a second word. The rest shrugged and followed suit, and a fierce firefight erupted in the forest.
The seven Silver-rank mercenaries stumbled badly. No one expected that after just a few exchanges, three of those facing Lorist would already be on the ground. The remaining four had to split two just to barely hold off Lorist's swordplay, while the other two were fighting a sweating, cursing battle against Shrade and the other three.
The robbery came to an end when Lorist's sword pierced the back of the last fleeing mercenary. Of the seven Silver-rank fighters, two were killed and five wounded. This was also Lorist's first kill since transmigrating to Galentea. To his own surprise, he found that he felt no discomfort whatsoever—not even a hint of nausea.
The loot gave all five a nice little windfall. An unexpected bonus was a high-tier earth-attribute combat force manual found on the last mercenary who had tried to flee: Heavy Mountain Combat Force.
None of them cultivated earth-attribute combat force, though. Lorist still hadn't figured out what attribute his own Blaze Combat Force was. So this high-tier earth-attribute manual was essentially useless to them—though they could sell it for several hundred gold coins.
It was Fatty Shrade who recalled that Lorist had been collecting combat force manuals of various attributes recently, researching them in preparation for breaking through the Black Iron rank. On top of that, in the fight just now, Lorist alone had taken down five Silver-rank mercenaries. If not for Lorist's extraordinary prowess, their five against seven Silver-rankers would have ended very badly. So, with everyone's agreement, the Heavy Mountain Combat Force manual was awarded to Lorist as a reward for his tremendous contribution.
After dividing the spoils, the five fled through the night, putting as much distance as possible between themselves and the Sunset Mountains. Back in
Lorist scratched his head in bewilderment. Through studying Heavy Mountain Combat Force, he could now confirm that the Blaze Combat Force he'd been cultivating was not fire-attribute at all. Otherwise, the hexagram blood circulation formed by its major bloodline nodes wouldn't be so drastically different from those mid-tier fire-attribute forces.
On one hand, he had cultivated Blaze Combat Force to the peak of Black Iron Three-Star, with no further manuals available to continue. On the other hand, he couldn't determine what attribute Blaze Combat Force actually was, so he didn't dare rashly switch to a different mid-tier combat force. The longer time dragged on, the more his body's physical capabilities would lag behind his reaction speed—and that was something Lorist absolutely refused to let happen.
What should he do? How should he proceed with his cultivation? Lorist ate without tasting and slept without rest. Sigh… what the hell was going on with this Blaze Combat Force?
On one such restless night, Lorist suddenly recalled a scene from his previous life—his grandfather teaching the young him to cultivate the Golden Water Technique. A jolt ran through him. That's right! Why not try cultivating the Golden Water Technique? For him, this was the real deal—a genuine ancestral art!
In his mind, images flashed one after another: his grandfather pointing with a willow branch as he guided their practice, he and his cousins standing in horse stance in the courtyard, drenched in sweat. The cultivation principles, the energy circulation routes, the general outline of the Golden Water Technique, the diagram of the body's acupoints, the Golden Water Sword Art… Lorist had never imagined he could recall all of this so clearly—as if it were branded into his bones, now surfacing entirely before his eyes.
Tears streamed down Lorist's face as he sat there in a daze…
After what felt like an eternity, Lorist swung his legs off the bed. In the silvery moonlight filtering through the window into the room, he planted his feet in a horse stance.
The First Form of Manifest Force in the Golden Water Technique: Cliff Standing a Thousand Fathoms.
Clear the mind. Calm the heart. Three exhales, one inhale. Gradually enter a state of ethereal emptiness, forgetting both self and the world…
Suddenly, it was as though a crimson sun rose from the vast ocean, illuminating all directions. The seas calmed, the rivers ran clear, and stillness reigned without a ripple. In the next instant, the winds howled and the waves surged, rolling billows of wild surf rising into hundred-foot walls of water, crashing with the force of mountains and seas against a cliff that stood proud and unyielding in the midst of the ocean. The peaks were sharp as blades, shattering the relentless waves—their majestic bearing like vajra itself.
After an unknown time, the raging surf began to tire, and the waves gradually subsided. Soon the ocean was smooth as a mirror once more, without a single ripple. Only that hundred-fathomed cliff remained, standing tall as ever, gazing proudly over this stretch of heaven and earth…
Lorist slowly opened his eyes, his heart filled with both astonishment and delight. What astonished him was how fast his progress had been. In his previous life, he had trained under his grandfather's rod for three full years before reaching this step—visualizing the cliff-and-ocean realm in his mind. But in this life, on his very first attempt at cultivating the Golden Water Technique, he had entered the art in a single step. It was utterly unbelievable.
What delighted him was that having mastered the First Form of Manifest Force, with diligent practice, he would be able to cultivate the Second Form—Flowing Like Water—within three months. In his previous life, the First Form had taken him three years, and the Second Form another six. After that, he'd enlisted in the army, cultivating the Golden Water Technique only intermittently, and had never reached the Third Form—Iron Steed, Golden Halberd. Not until after his discharge, when he took over his father's small handicraft factory, did he even think of it again—and even then he would train for a few days before stopping. This was arguably his greatest regret from his previous life.
In truth, cultivating the three forms of Manifest Force in the Golden Water Technique wasn't particularly complicated. The First Form involved circulating energy through the twelve primary meridians. The Second and Third Forms involved opening the eight extraordinary meridians and merging them with the twelve primary meridians to form a Grand Circulation, which would bring Manifest Force to its peak and open the path to the Hidden Force realm.
But the First Form of Manifest Force posed two difficulties. First was generating an awareness of qi—one had to develop this awareness before circulating energy through the twelve primary meridians. Second was visualizing the cliff-and-ocean realm during circulation, using the image of wild waves crashing against the cliff to temper and solidify the mind. Upon mastering it, one could face a mountain crumbling before them without so much as a change in expression.
Lorist never expected to accomplish this in a single attempt. At that moment, he felt refreshed and alert. Though drenched in sweat, his body felt remarkably light and sharp. Buoyed by the impulse, he drew his sword and began to dance. His body moved at the whim of his mind—wherever his thoughts went, the sword followed. The joy was beyond words, and that sluggish feeling of his body failing to keep up with his reactions had vanished entirely.
Sheathing his sword, Lorist decided to strike while the iron was hot and run the Golden Water Technique through a Minor Circulation along the twelve primary meridians to consolidate his gains. He was just about to drop into horse stance when his expression suddenly changed in horror.
Where had all his combat force gone?
The combat force that had been stored in his bloodlines had vanished without a sound. Lorist broke into a cold sweat and immediately sat cross-legged to meditate. He cultivated the Blaze Combat Force as usual, then felt it fully restored in the hexagram blood circulation of his major bloodline nodes. But before he could even breathe a sigh of relief, he sensed the combat force dissipating again, disappearing completely in moments.
What was going on now? Lorist felt as though nothing in his life was going right. Why did his combat force keep acting up? He cultivated Blaze Combat Force several more times, and the result was the same each time. Fine, he thought in despair. Forget it—I'll just go back to the Golden Water Technique.
He dropped into horse stance, ready to circulate energy through a Minor Circulation, when he immediately felt the internal qi in his meridians surging and swelling, brimming to the point of overflowing. Huh? Why was this qi awareness so familiar? Lorist calmed his mind and probed carefully. He nearly fainted—it was his combat force! How had it all migrated to his meridians? No wonder his progress with the Golden Water Technique had been so fast—it was because of the combat force.
Whether using combat force to cultivate the Golden Water Technique was a good thing or a bad one, Lorist couldn't tell. But his body's strength and physical capabilities had clearly improved, and being able to keep up with his reaction speed was obviously a positive. For now, all he could do was continue cultivating the Golden Water Technique and see what would happen.