338 Movement Techniques
Kaze stood before the assembly of Immortals and soldiers, ready to learn from him. "Today, we shall delve into the art of movement techniques," he declared.
"Allow me to elucidate, as the term may be subject to misinterpretation."
A palpable excitement rippled through the crowd, and thousands of eyes locked onto him, hanging onto every word.
"Movement techniques encompass any method or combination of methods that augment your mobility or utilize your movement to modify the environment," he explained. "For instance, you can reduce your gravitational pull."
The emperor demonstrated by lessening his gravity until he hovered just an inch above the grass. "Next, you can employ a wind technique..."
With a sudden burst of wind, the emperor soared across the training grounds to the opposite side. The soldiers scrambled out of the way in a panic. However, the emperor vanished into thin air, only to reappear in his original position.
"And harness wind to propel your frictionless form," Kaze grinned, reveling in the awe-struck expressions. "Of course, it isn't chaotic. Typically, you would integrate a technique like this between strides."
The emperor sprinted, gliding across the battlefield, pivoting just before reaching the outer circle, and proceeded to circumnavigate the thousands of onlookers. "As evident, you retain full control in this manner," he added.
"Furthermore—"
The crowd's eyes widened in amazement as they witnessed the emperor gracefully skating through the sky. The sharp turns set this display apart. Kaze executed swift reversals using his wind skates and soared back at breakneck speeds.
Upon completing his demonstration, the emperor returned, hovering above the crowd with a faint smile, reveling in their astounded expressions. Satisfied, he circled the assembly before resuming his lesson.
"While these techniques emphasize speed and aerial agility, not all movement techniques share these traits," Kaze expounded. "Some methods are designed to disrupt your momentum rather than propel you forward. A prime example is General Skye's Icicle Steps."
Evalyn leaped into the air and seamlessly conjured an ice platform beneath her, evidence of her diligent practice since her battle above the ocean. She advanced in full view of the onlookers, crafting a stairway toward Kaze's position, nonchalantly walking on air. The spectacle left the crowd gasping and whispering with excitement.
"Contrary to what one might expect, Icicle Steps aren't typically used in lieu of flying, as the latter is much more effortless to achieve," Kaze stated. "Instead, this technique is employed to break a fall or alter one's trajectory. It proves beneficial when plummeting to the ground and flying is ineffective — in such cases, summoning steps can break the fall, allowing one to resume flight."
The blonde leaped off her ice platform for demonstration purposes, conjuring a platform that softened her fall without causing injury before soaring back into the air. Although ironic, her mastery of the advanced Icicle Steps surpassed her flying skills, making for a realistic demonstration.
"Acceleration, trajectory shifts, and momentum-breaking constitute the three primary applications for movement techniques," Kaze said with a smile, casting an enigmatic glance at the crowd. "However, there exist movement techniques specifically designed to inflict harm. These can be divided into two categories: impeding movement and trapping."
Puzzlement swept through the Immortals like a gentle breeze at the mention of "trapping."
"Let's begin with impeding movement, as it's the most logical starting point," Kaze announced. "Impeding techniques are straightforward in concept — you utilize your momentum to disperse the technique across a given area. A prime example is General Skye's Sky Rink technique."
Evalyn suppressed the urge to reveal her confusion, as she had never heard the technique's name before and didn't want to contradict him.
"Sky Rink shares similarities with the technique I demonstrated earlier, in that both employ conjured objects to alter trajectories," Kaze expounded. "However, Sky Rink bends trajectories and leaves a lingering effect. Observe."
The emperor descended a few feet from the sky and summoned an ice slide upon which he glided gracefully, curving around the enthralled audience, captivated by the spiraling ice formations.
"Beautiful..." Evalyn murmured, her eyes following his mesmerizing movements as he left a flawless spiral of ice suspended in the air like a chandelier, narrowing downward like a funnel. She snapped back to reality when Kaze did the unexpected — he began skating upward!
"I'm not sure why you're all so astonished," Kaze smirked, defying the laws of physics as he slid on the ice at a 45-degree incline. "l can fly."
At his remark, the group erupted in laughter, recognizing the absurdity of their disbelief.
"That highlights a fundamental principle of hindrance techniques," Kaze expounded. "Primarily, the objective of a hindrance technique is to generate a challenging environment to navigate in the air."
As he spoke, he glided over to Evalyn and circled her rapidly, constructing an icy enclosure around her. In response, she conjured an ice platform above her and propelled herself downward, escaping the spiraling prison he had swiftly fashioned.
Kaze pursued her, crafting an intricate, frustratingly difficult pattern to maneuver through, leaving just enough space to prevent her escape. Despite her efforts to evade the entrapment, whether she employed gravity, flying, or her own rink, she found her movements constrained and restricted.
Eventually, the sky rink resembled a tangled ball of yarn, and Evalyn had no room to move. "I'm not sure if I want to attempt this, as that ice seems unnatural," she murmured, gearing up to strike the ice to free herself. However, she suspected it might not be a wise course of action.
The ice encircling her bore no resemblance to her creations. It resembled a tube of cookie dough with a snowflake design carved through its center. Eight razor-sharp points jutted out, and although she recognized it as water ice already melting, multiple layers of Qi enveloped it — one appearing solid and the other emanating a sinister aura.
"I'll handle this safely," Evalyn whispered, forming a massive ammonia ice sword and reinforcing it with a technique she had deliberately omitted from her explanation to Wanda, the cultivator who had pursued her to the shipping yard.
Once dense and unnaturally resilient, she brought it down with force.
Shiiiiiink!
General Skye's eyes widened in shock as the ice sliced through her sword with a satisfying shink, akin to the sound of sharpening a kitchen knife. Regrettably, her momentum carried her forward, necessitating a trajectory change to avoid colliding with the razor-sharp ice.
In a split second, she conjured an ice wall in front of the sky rink and collided with it. While it served its purpose—
"Ah!" Evalyn cried out, a jolt of electricity surging through her. It wasn't strong enough to cause real harm, but its suddenness and intensity left her momentarily stunned, falling helplessly. "I need to break this!"
As she fell down the ice funnel, she remembered something horrifying. The ice she fell to was sharp enough to cut through fortified ammonia ice! She didn't know what it would do to her body. However, she flew through a dimensional rift and landed before Kaze.
Though disoriented and slow to respond, an unseen force halted Evalyn's fall with remarkable grace, lowering her to Kaze's position as if she had intended it all along. The entire scene appeared premeditated to the onlookers, whose hearts raced after witnessing the sky rink slice through her sword and subsequent plummet.
Evalyn glanced at Kaze, discovering a cunning smile on his face that seemed to say, "What? Did you think I'd embarrass you in front of your soldiers?" She didn't find it particularly amusing, but she had to concede that it was simultaneously impactful, terrifying, and awe-inspiring.
While many of Kaze's techniques, like the Emperyon Rift, harbored an enigmatic element that eluded her understanding of his true talent or power, the display he had just shown her was tangible, offering her guidance and enlightenment. The experience was both humbling and inspiring. She felt grateful and wanted to express her gratitude, but given their public setting, she remained silent as he continued.
"Thank you, Evalyn, for demonstrating the experience of facing an adversary," Kaze expressed his gratitude amid resounding applause. "Now then, has everyone grasped the meaning of 'hinder'?" he asked, sporting a playful grin.
The Immortals and soldiers responded with laughter and enthusiastic agreement.
"As you can see, movement techniques are formidable tools in combat, designed to impede motion or ensnare opponents," Kaze elaborated. "If you're withdrawing from a cultivator, you can employ sub-techniques to generate barriers between you, hindering their advance. Alternatively, you can use these techniques offensively."
Everyone nodded, comprehending the concept entirely.
"In employing such a technique, you're not enhancing your own mobility," he continued. "Rather, you're utilizing your movement to disperse the technique, weaving a net around your target. That's what makes Sky Rink so versatile.
Finally, did anyone observe the last detail of that demonstration?"
Several individuals pointed out the sharpness of the ice, implying that he had set a trap.
"You're mostly correct," Kaze acknowledged, his smile sly. "The ice wasn't a mere slide; it was sharp on all edges, reinforced with a technique to render it nearly indestructible, and imbued with a heaven realm concept known as battle aura. This combination made touching it quite a challenge."
He then glanced at Evalyn, his grin impish. "However, that wasn't the real trap, was it?"
"No," Evalyn responded. "You anticipated that I would erect a wall, so you crafted your ice with water and employed it as a conduit for electricity. That was the actual trap."
Astonishment and incredulity washed over the group as they grasped the intricacy of his trap, and he nodded in affirmation.
"Constructing a lethal ice rink epitomizes the essence of hindrance," Kaze expounded. "If it were ordinary ice, it wouldn't obstruct anyone, as they could simply pass through it. Trap movement techniques are more subtle. You could disperse a fine mist across an area and electrify it as the enemy traverses it; you could freeze the oxygen beneath you and ignite it; or you could generate catalysts to ignite a tornado around someone. That's the nature of a trap technique."
Excitement rippled through the cultivators, who were astonished, bewildered, and eager to acquire such a technique.
"Everything you witnessed here today represents a divine realm technique or a divine realm adaptation of a technique — so you won't be learning these just yet," he chuckled as shock spread throughout the group. "We'll begin with trajectory control, which allows you to change your movement at high speed.
While it may not be as flashy, it will serve you well for a lifetime."
A fresh wave of enthusiasm swept over the group, reigniting their passion.
The practice continued for eight hours as they honed their techniques. Evalyn focused on Sky Rink while Kiera and his other partners worked on specific techniques he had taught them over the past week. Once everything was completed, he made an announcement.
"At present, you inhabit mortal bodies," Kaze declared. "However, for many of you, that will change this week. The time for treasure harvesting is drawing near, and those who partake in tomorrow's one-on-one matches will receive body-cleansing treasures and a body constitution. Gradually, these will enhance your physical appearance, fortify your muscles and bones, and increase your skin's resilience. I can assure you — you'll want to compete tomorrow!"
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