Chapter 74: 74. Making waves, one step at a time.
Meanwhile, inside his secluded courtyard, Lin Xuan slowly opened his eyes.
The copied manual of the Cloud Chasing Technique rested quietly before him.
He exhaled softly before flipping open the first page.
Unlike martial techniques that focused on power, the Cloud Chasing Technique revolved entirely around movement.
Every step, every shift in posture, and every circulation of spiritual qi had been meticulously recorded.
Lin Xuan quietly immersed himself in the manual.
Only after committing every word to memory did he slowly close it.
"I suppose it’s time to give it a try."
He circulated his spiritual qi according to the technique.
The moment he took his first step, his figure blurred.
Whoosh!
He shot forward several meters before abruptly stopping.
Lin Xuan blinked.
"...That was faster than I expected."
He adjusted his footing and took another step and with each attempt, revealed new flaws.
Sometimes he used too much spiritual qi, sometimes too little.
Sometimes his balance was off, while at other times his footing lacked stability.
Rather than forcing himself to progress, Lin Xuan patiently corrected each mistake one at a time.
Three months quietly slipped by.
Throughout those three months, Lin Xuan never stepped outside his secluded courtyard.
Most of the time, he sat beneath the old tree with his eyes closed, silently replaying the Cloud Chasing Technique within his mind.
Whenever a new insight surfaced, he would rise, walk a few steps across the courtyard, then return to meditation once more.
Step by step, the once unfamiliar movement technique gradually became second nature.
On the final day of the third month, Lin Xuan slowly opened his eyes and a sharp glint flashed across them.
He extended his right hand, and a long spear materialized within his grasp.
Dark crimson patterns ran along its shaft, intertwining like flowing blood vessels.
At the tip, the spearhead emitted a faint blood-red glow that gave off an oppressive aura.
Lin Xuan slowly raised it until the spear rested level with his shoulder.
The next instant, he stepped forward.
Whoosh!
His figure vanished from where he stood.
Almost at the same time, the spear tore through the air.
Boom!
A deafening explosion echoed throughout the courtyard.
The force of the thrust stirred up a violent gust of wind, sending fallen leaves spiraling into the sky.
The moment the spear reached the end of its arc, he shifted his footing with the Cloud Chasing Technique.
His body glided effortlessly to the side.
The spear followed naturally, flowing into another thrust without the slightest pause.
Each movement connected seamlessly with the next, as though the spear had become an extension of his own body.
The more he practiced, the brighter his eyes became.
The Cloud Chasing Technique perfectly compensated for the greatest weakness of the Trojan Spear Technique.
Its lack of flexibility.
Previously, every powerful thrust left a brief opening before the next attack.
Now, each step carried him into the ideal position for another strike before his opponent could even react.
As the practice continued, Lin Xuan’s figure became increasingly difficult to follow.
One moment he stood at the eastern corner of the courtyard.
The next, the spear was already descending from another direction.
The spear flashed like a dragon breaking through the clouds while his body drifted like the wind itself.
A smile slowly spread across Lin Xuan’s face.
"So this is what it means for two techniques to complement one another."
Just as the smile lingered on Lin Xuan’s face, the familiar translucent screen appeared before him once more.
———————————————————
[Congratulations for successfully mastering the Cloud Chasing Technique.]
[Reward: One hundred sets of Qi Refinement Pill ingredients.]
Contents per set:
Spirit Gathering Grass ×1, Azure Dew Flower ×1, Jade Essence Root ×1, Purple Mist Fruit ×1
[All ingredients have been deposited into the system inventory.]
———————————————————
Lin Xuan’s eyebrows twitched.
"...Did you run out of pills now?"
He had barely finished speaking when the screen rippled once more and a second notification appeared before him.
———————————————————
[Sudden Side Quest]
Objective: Refine one hundred Qi Refinement Pills.
Reward: Flowing Cloud Fan Art.
Time Limit: Seven Days.
———————————————————
Lin Xuan dismissed the translucent screen before stretching his stiff shoulders.
He had secluded himself for three entire months without informing the clan elders beforehand.
Knowing how many matters the Patriarch had to oversee, there should have been no shortage of problems waiting for him.
"I should check on the clan first."
With that thought, Lin Xuan left his secluded courtyard for the first time in three months.
As he walked through the estate, however, he gradually slowed his pace.
"...What happened?"
He had expected an atmosphere of tension.
Instead, the clan felt more livelier.
Disciples hurried along the pathways with smiles on their faces.
Training grounds echoed with spirited shouts and even the servants appeared far more relaxed than before.
Rather than growing chaotic during his absence, the Lin Family seemed to have become even more prosperous.
Before long, Lin Xuan arrived outside the Treasury Hall.
The guards standing at the entrance immediately straightened their backs.
"This subordinate greets the Patriarch!"
The heavy doors were opened without delay.
Lin Xuan gave them a slight nod before stepping inside.
As expected, Su Qinglan was seated behind her desk.
Stacks of ledgers surrounded her from every direction.
Her brush moved across the pages with practiced ease, recording one transaction after another.
Yet, there wasn’t the slightest trace of exhaustion on her face.
On the contrary, she looked to be in an exceptionally good mood.
Lin Xuan stopped in front of the desk and stared at her for a long moment.
Finally, he could not help but ask,"..Elder Su, aren’t you supposed to be overworked?"
Su Qinglan looked up in surprise.
"Oh... Ah, right. Patriarch, you’re here!"
She set down her brush before smiling.
"Where have you been?"
Lin Xuan noticed how naturally she had sidestepped his question but chose not to pursue it.
"I’ve been in seclusion."
He paused briefly before asking,
"Did anything happen while I was away?"
Su Qinglan thought for a moment before shaking her head.
"Not that I’m aware of."
She looked at him and a faint smile appeared on her lips.
"Congratulations, Patriarch. Your aura has become far more refined than before."
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