Chapter 96: The Pinnacle

Chapter 96: Chapter 96: The Pinnacle

Chen Yue repeatedly practiced the many variations of the Vertical Cloud Thousand Layer Step until his movements flowed with his intent, only then did he slowly come to a stop.

He calmed his slightly ragged breath from the high-speed movements, then sat down cross-legged again in a meditative posture and began circulating the Vast Firm Essence Technique.

This Cultivation Technique, which focused on Inner Breath for Strengthening the Foundation and Nourishing the Essence, was also nearing the end of its current realm (Perfection 5633/6211).

Chen Yue could feel the warm, mellow energy in his Dantian growing more condensed and pure, and the speed of its Circulation was a touch faster than before.

The effect of the Bone Marrow Cleansing Pill remained stable, lowering his Cultivation threshold by 3 points each day and steadily broadening his Martial Dao foundation.

And as the Vast Firm Essence Technique neared complete Perfection, the technique’s own cultivation efficiency was also improving. The number of Cultivation points it provided Chen Yue each day had increased from 15 to 17!

Combined with the Bone Marrow Cleansing effect of the pill, the number of Cultivation points Chen Yue gained daily reached a staggering 20 points.

In Youlin County, this speed would have been enough to leave any Martial Artist of his age utterly dumbfounded.

’I wonder how much Cultivation I’ll gain each day once the Vast Firm Essence Technique reaches complete Perfection?’ Chen Yue wondered.

Reaching Perfection in a Cultivation Technique often meant fully unlocking its potential. This was crucial for him to break through to the Marrow Refining Realm as quickly as possible, and even to higher realms in the future.

The night deepened and silence fell, broken only by the faint crackling of the bonfire and the indistinct whispers of the Night Watchers from the distant merchant caravan’s camp. As the hours passed, midnight arrived, and the familiar ripples appeared once again.

[Daily Settlement]

[For diligently practicing Vertical Cloud Thousand Layer Step, Experience +40]

[For diligently cultivating Vast Firm Essence Technique, Experience +211]

...

[Skill: Vertical Cloud Thousand Layer Step (Perfection)]

[Skill: Vast Firm Essence Technique (Perfection 5843/6211)]

...

A flood of insights flowed like a gentle stream into the depths of Chen Yue’s consciousness, especially concerning the mysteries of the Vertical Cloud Thousand Layer Step’s Perfection Realm.

How to perfectly synchronize his Qi with his footwork, how to unleash explosive speed within inches, how to use the environment to aid his movements, how to minimize the consumption of Inner Strength...

These insights quickly settled and transformed, imprinting themselves as an instinct that ran bone-deep. It was as if he had arduously practiced this exquisitely profound Body Technique for decades, and today, his efforts had finally and naturally come to fruition.

A moment later, the torrent of insights gradually subsided.

Chen Yue slowly opened his eyes. A light shone from within his pupils, clear and bright.

His heart stirred, and he looked up at a withered, nearly bare tree several yards away.

At that exact moment, a withered yellow leaf, nudged by the night wind, broke free from its branch and began to slowly spiral down.

Chen Yue casually took a step forward with his right foot.

In the next instant, his figure vanished, reappearing almost simultaneously in mid-air beneath the withered tree.

With fingers slightly spread, Chen Yue deftly caught the falling leaf in his palm.

The entire movement was as smooth as flowing water, so fast it exceeded the limits of the naked eye. Yet, it possessed an effortless grace, as if he was always meant to be there to catch that fated leaf.

After catching the leaf, his body did not fall. With a light tap of his right foot on a thin, withered branch beside him, the branch barely trembled as Chen Yue’s figure, like a weightless feather, floated leisurely back to his original spot and sat down cross-legged, as if he had never left.

Chen Yue looked down at the withered, yellowed leaf with its slightly curled edges in his palm, a satisfied smile touching his eyes.

’My Body Technique is really on another level now,’ Chen Yue mused.

Previously, his Body Technique was already considered top-tier among those in the Marrow Refining Realm.

Whether it was Gu Yiqiu and Chen Xuanli, whom he’d met in Youlin County, or Yin Mo Li of the Divine Flame Cult, they were all a notch below him in terms of pure speed and agility.

But Chen Yue knew full well that much of his previous speed had relied on the terrifying physical strength and explosive power granted by his Tiger Roar Golden Bell Shield.

With enough strength, the push-off force from the ground was stronger, and thus his speed was naturally faster. It was a kind of brute force approach—overwhelming power conquering all.

But now that the Vertical Cloud Thousand Layer Step had reached complete Perfection, its exquisite Force Transmission Technique, Qi Transformation, and methods for harnessing the environment had all become instinctual to Chen Yue.

His Body Technique was now a perfect fusion of consummate skill and raw power.

It wasn’t just faster and more agile; it now possessed an indescribable rhythm, as if he could sense minute changes in airflow and space, allowing him to slip through the narrowest of gaps in a hair’s breadth.

Chen Yue estimated that his current speed and Spirit Transformation had increased by at least twenty to thirty percent!

It was faintly reminiscent of the elusive speed the Alchemy Ghost had displayed within the ghostly mist.

Of course, the Alchemy Ghost was a Ghostly Object with extraordinary inborn Talent, and it might still hold an advantage in short-distance bursts and concealment. But when it came to long-distance sprints and navigating complex terrain, Chen Yue was confident he could now match it.

Settling back into a cross-legged position, Chen Yue circulated the Vast Firm Essence Technique again to nourish his Qi Blood, simultaneously turning his senses inward to inspect his body.

Currently, the Cultivation Techniques he had yet to master to complete Perfection were: the Vast Firm Essence Technique, Tiger Roar Golden Bell Shield, Great Vajra Palm, Heart Nourishing Technique, and the recently acquired Celestial Demon Dissolution.

Once the Vast Firm Essence Technique also reached complete Perfection, he could devote more time and energy to focusing on his other Cultivation Techniques.

Chen Yue reined in his thoughts and sank into deep meditation, focusing on comprehending the final hurdles of the Vast Firm Essence Technique.

...

Time slipped away during the tedious journey, and in the blink of an eye, seven days had passed.

At the end of the road ahead, the silhouette of a town much larger than Youlin County finally appeared.

Banners atop the city walls were faintly visible, and soldiers stood guard at the gate. Though the foot traffic was sparse, there was at least a sense of civilization.

The caravan ahead paused for a long time, likely undergoing inspection, before quickening its pace toward the city gate.

They were clearly eager to enter the city to replenish their supplies and rest their party. Seeing this, Chen Yue and his three companions closed the distance slightly, followed the crowd, and entered the town of Pinggu County.

Pinggu City had clearly not been a primary target of the Divine Flame Cult. Order remained, and the shops lining the streets were all open for business. While not bustling, the city exuded a sense of stability that was rare in such chaotic times.

However, the pedestrians’ faces still held a measure of fear and vigilance. Something had likely happened on the day of the eclipse, but at least the city hadn’t been completely overrun by Ghostly Objects and turned into a deadland like Youlin County.

Upon entering the city, Chen Yue’s group of four immediately wasted no time in resupplying.

With the Little Pill Furnace, a miraculous Storage Spirit Soldier, Chen Yue’s procurement of supplies was much more relaxed this time.

He not only replenished their stock of long-lasting dry rations and meat jerky, but also purchased better-quality salt, sugar, Fire Sticks, and other necessities.

In an unnoticed corner, with a mere thought from Chen Yue, all the items were silently stored away into the Pill Furnace’s space. He kept only a small bundle on his person for show.

Their emergency supplies were suddenly much more plentiful.

While procuring supplies in the city, they inevitably ran into members of the caravan.

When the caravan members saw Chen Yue and his companions, they still kept their distance, but the wariness and coldness in their eyes had diminished considerably since the first few days.

For days, Chen Yue’s group had consistently kept their distance—not getting too close, not prying, and not causing trouble. This tactful behavior had clearly caused the caravan to lower its guard.

Occasionally, a guard’s gaze would sweep over them, but it was now just a cursory, routine glance, no longer holding any obvious hostility.

However, the caravan still showed no intention of letting Chen Yue’s group join them. The two parties remained distinctly separate.

Chen Yue and his companions were content with this arrangement. They didn’t try to find out the caravan’s destination, nor did they attempt to strike up conversations or build friendships.

There was a tacit understanding between them: as long as they were headed the same way, they would travel together. If their paths diverged, they would go their separate ways without any fuss.

For both parties, this silent agreement was the most convenient and safest option.

While in the city, Shen Dujiang and Hu Shaoyu had privately asked some local stable hands if any other caravans or travelers were heading to Celestial State Prefecture. It would be better, of course, if they could find others to travel with.

But after asking around, most of the answers they received were evasive; most people simply shook their heads.

Clearly, in these times, very few groups dared to undertake long-distance trade, especially to the State Capital. Even if such groups existed, their movements were kept extremely secret and not easily disclosed.

The two had no choice but to give up. It seemed that for now, they would have to continue tagging along with the caravan ahead.

During their rest, Lin Quan looked at the relatively peaceful scene in Pinggu City and couldn’t help but feel tempted.

"Chen Yue, Boss Shen, look at Pinggu City. It’s bigger than Youlin County, and it seems peaceful. Why don’t we rest here for a while?"

He left his sentence unfinished, but his meaning was clear. For an Alchemy Master like him, with no Martial Arts to speak of, constantly roughing it and trekking through the wilderness was truly exhausting, both physically and mentally.

Hearing this, Shen Dujiang and Hu Shaoyu exchanged a look and both shook their heads.

Shen Dujiang said after a moment’s thought, "Master Lin, we understand how you feel, but it’s still safer to press on to Celestial State Prefecture."

The Divine Flame Cult is so rampant now, and their methods are bizarre. Who can guarantee that Pinggu City will remain peaceful? Just think about Youlin County. Wasn’t it a picture of harmony right before disaster struck?"

Hu Shaoyu chimed in, "Boss Shen is right. Rather than living on edge every day, worrying whether this city will suffer the same fate as Youlin County, we’re better off going straight to Celestial State Prefecture."

Celestial State Prefecture is the seat of the state government. It’s filled with powerful experts, and the Government Office’s forces are strong. I’ve heard it’s even protected by a great formation. If real chaos breaks out in the world, a major city like that should be the last to fall."

Chen Yue listened to their discussion, having already made up his mind.

"I also lean toward going to Celestial State Prefecture," Chen Yue said. "Whether we’re talking about starting fresh in a new place or seeking stability and resources, it’s the better choice."

He paused, looked at Lin Quan, and said in a calm but firm voice, "It’s just as Boss Shen and Hu said. There’s better shade under a big tree."

In fact, over the past few days of travel, Chen Yue had used the keen perception granted by his Heart Nourishing Technique to clearly sense that the cold, sinister energy between heaven and earth was thicker than ever before.

This might have been due to the lingering effects of the eclipse, but it was more likely that some fundamental balance between heaven and earth was undergoing an unknown transformation.

Against this backdrop, choosing a major city with a more stable order was undoubtedly the wiser decision.

Seeing that the other three were in agreement and that their reasoning was sound, Lin Quan, though exhausted, knew they spoke the truth and dropped the subject of staying.

However, while in Pinggu City, the four of them did pool their money. They spent some silver taels to purchase a reasonably sturdy, two-wheeled covered carriage, complete with a draft horse that had decent stamina.

Traveling on foot was exhausting, and it limited the amount of supplies they could carry. The carriage solved the better part of that problem.

Lin Quan and some of the supplies could ride in the carriage. Hu Shaoyu and Shen Dujiang could take turns driving, and Chen Yue would be able to meditate and cultivate inside. Both their travel efficiency and comfort would be significantly improved.