Extreme Spirit Chaos Technique

Once he understood the technique, Mu Chen began circulating his body’s power just as the Combat Skill described. From his waist to his shoulders, then to his arms and fists, he gathered and released his strength in a single, fluid motion.

Mu Chen’s aptitude was not just good—it was exceptional. The first move of the Huang Character Technique didn’t pose any real challenge. Yet, when he threw the punch, there was only a gust of wind from his fist, no sound of thunder.

’Looks like it failed?’ He wasn’t disappointed in the slightest. ’A Combat Skill this powerful wouldn’t be worthy of the name Earth Rank Middle Grade Combat Skill if I could master it on the first try.’ So, Mu Chen paid it no mind. He began to mentally deconstruct the key to unleashing Thunderous Roar, throwing punch after punch. He was a firm believer in the saying that if you read a book a thousand times, its meaning will naturally reveal itself. The same principle applied to techniques; if you perform a move a thousand times, you will eventually understand what you didn’t before.

In truth, while Mu Chen’s method was clumsy, it was also effective. As he threw punch after punch, making small adjustments each time, he gradually zeroed in on the correct way to execute the technique.

As time passed, the evening sky darkened completely, revealing a tapestry of stars. The vast Demon Beast Forest grew still. The occasional chirp of an insect only added to the forest’s serene atmosphere.

HUFF... HUFF...

He let out two deep breaths. Mu Chen’s cheeks were already covered in sweat, which glinted like crystals under the bright moonlight.

"Almost there."

Mu Chen frowned and glanced at the Black Iron Lock Chain binding his left hand. He raised his heavy arm once more, took a deep breath, and roared, "Thunderous Roar!"

RUMBLE...

The moment the word left his lips, his Fist Power abruptly condensed into Gang Force. The air swirled, tearing through the space before him and unleashing a wave of thunder that shattered the night’s silence.

"Heh, it worked..."

Mu Chen chuckled, and his body suddenly felt completely drained of strength. He collapsed spread-eagled on the ground. Beads of sweat trickled down his temples, splashing onto the grass beneath him.

HUFF... HUFF...

His chest heaved violently. From noon until now, Mu Chen had been swinging his fists almost ceaselessly, throwing tens of thousands of punches. He had been reluctant to stop and recover, understanding that resting before his stamina was completely depleted would only restore his energy, without providing any strengthening effect.

After resting for a long time, Mu Chen finally rolled onto his side. The Extreme Spirit Chaos Technique began to circulate within him, drawing the surrounding Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi into his body to steadily nourish his damaged tissues. His muscles, through this constant cycle of tearing and repairing, grew tougher and more powerful. Through this repeated process, his physical strength had reached an astonishing level. One could even say that the body of a Third Ring Martial Artist might not be as formidable as that of Mu Chen, a Fifth-Ring Martial Disciple.

Before long, some of his stamina had returned, but his stomach started to GRUMBLE. He gave a helpless smile. It seemed that even with Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi replenishing his energy, he still needed to eat. Otherwise, his appetite wouldn’t be satisfied, and he’d always feel like something was missing.

Brushing the dust off his clothes, Mu Chen decided to embark on his first hunt. After so many days of dry rations, he was eager to sink his teeth into some real meat.

’Since this is the outer edge of the Demon Beast Forest, I should be fine just wandering around. Even though I’m only a Fifth-Ring Martial Disciple, my physical strength is at the level of a Third Ring Martial Artist. Add the Furious Thunder Force to that, and I’m confident I could put up a fight even against a Level 1 Magical Beast. If worst comes to worst, running away shouldn’t be too difficult.’

No sooner thought than done. He had to head northwest anyway, so he simply continued in that direction, his locking chain CLANKING as he walked. Mu Chen didn’t want to waste a single moment, not even while walking. Though he had successfully executed Thunderous Roar, he needed to use it constantly to become proficient. Besides, while he had grasped an Attack Technique, he had yet to start practicing the Moving Rune Technique from the Instant Body Technique.

At this thought, information about the Moving Rune Technique surfaced in his mind. Like the Huang Character Technique, the Moving Rune Technique also had three levels: the first was Deceptive Step; the second, Mist Step; and the third, Instant Body. These could only be cultivated after mastering the three stages of the Huang Character Technique.

The characteristics of the three levels were as follows: The first level, upon reaching Great Success, produced uncanny footwork. Each step was accompanied by a tremendous roar, a trait it shared with the Thunderous Fist technique.

The second level, Mist Step. Upon reaching Great Success, the thunderous roar would fade, replaced by fine arcs of thunder crackling beneath one’s feet. This would cause an explosive increase in the speed of the Body Technique, creating afterimages that were both illusory and real, hence the name Mist Step.

The third level, Instantaneous Step. Upon reaching Great Success, one could move like thunder. A single step was akin to Instant Teleportation.

Seeing the description of the Moving Rune Technique again left Mu Chen speechless. He couldn’t remain calm. ’Instant Teleportation! That’s a signature ability that only a Great Power at the Martial Venerable realm can use.’ The very thought filled him with longing. ’If I’m diligent enough, I could master the Moving Rune Technique to Great Success within five years.’ 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

’The hard work starts now.’ With that thought, Mu Chen began practicing the first level of the Moving Rune Technique: Deceptive Step. The entire Step Technique was built around the concept of "deception." Following the diagrams in the Furious Thunder Force manual, and with his high aptitude, it only took him a few hours of practicing the Deceptive Step to grasp its fundamentals. With one movement, he vanished into the night; with the next, he reappeared.

"This Step Technique really is deceptive."

After executing it several times, the more he used it, the more practical Mu Chen found the Deceptive Step. He locked his gaze on a tree trunk ahead, as thick as an arm. With a shift of his feet, his figure flickered and reappeared at an uncanny angle.

"Thunderous Roar!"

With a low roar, Mu Chen channeled power into his arm and slammed a punch into the tree trunk.

RUMBLE...

CRACK...

With a sharp CRACK, the tree trunk snapped. The attack, from start to finish, was as swift as lightning. A look of delight spread across Mu Chen’s face. ’Combining Deceptive Step with Thunderous Fist will definitely give me a huge advantage in a fight. It’s just... I don’t feel like I’m getting any of that Explosive Power.’

GRUNT... GRUNT...

But just then, a series of boar-like grunts sounded from behind him. Mu Chen spun around to see a creature resembling a wild boar, but the size of a water buffalo, standing before him and staring at him ferociously.

This was the first time Mu Chen had ever seen a Magical Beast, and he was slightly nervous. He didn’t even know its name. ’It must have been attracted by the sound of my Thunderous Fist,’ he thought.

"Master, what kind of Magical Beast is this?" Mu Chen asked the Profound Old Ghost, a hint of anxiety in his voice.

The words had barely left his mouth when the Profound Old Ghost’s figure drifted into view before him. He sized up the creature and said dismissively, "You call this a Magical Beast? It’s one of the lowest of the low, a Giant Wild Boar. An ordinary beast, doesn’t even count as a Level 1 Magical Beast. However, it does have one very popular characteristic."

"What characteristic?" Mu Chen asked, his curiosity piqued. His knowledge of Magical Beasts was next to nothing.

"Their meat has a unique, fragrant aroma that both humans and other Magical Beasts find irresistible. They usually stay well-hidden. You’re quite lucky to have stumbled upon one today." The Profound Old Ghost couldn’t help but inwardly praise him. ’This kid’s luck really is something else.’

Mu Chen grinned. "So, do I have a chance of killing it?"

The Profound Old Ghost nodded. "With your current physical strength and the Furious Thunder Force, you wouldn’t be at a disadvantage even against a regular Level 1 Magical Beast. As long as your technique is sound and your Insight is sharp enough, you could even kill one with ease."

Hearing this, Mu Chen was slightly taken aback. He had never been in a real fight, so he had no idea where his current abilities stood. He shook his head. ’Looks like I’ll have to kill more Magical Beasts from now on. The only way to keep breaking my limits is to temper myself in life-or-death battles.’

With that thought, his expression shifted, becoming cold as he stared at the water buffalo-sized Giant Wild Boar. The boar had come out to forage for the night. Since they were often hunted by both Magical Beasts and humans, they rarely ventured out during the day. It had accidentally stumbled upon Mu Chen as he was practicing on the tree. Sensing no threat from him whatsoever, the boar was overjoyed, certain that it was about to have a meaty meal.

SQUEAL! Letting out a gleeful cry, it fixed its two massive tusks on Mu Chen’s chest. Its powerful hind legs scraped at the ground, and then it shot toward Mu Chen with a WHOOSH.

Seeing the behemoth charge at him, Mu Chen chuckled. He activated Deceptive Step, his body twisting uncannily to slip right past the boar’s tusks. In an instant, he was at its left flank, his left fist already raised for a punch.

RUMBLE...

Accompanied by a peal of thunder, Mu Chen’s fist slammed solidly into the Giant Wild Boar’s left side. The entire motion was clean and decisive, without an ounce of wasted movement.

CRACK.

The Giant Wild Boar’s body lurched, and it let out a pained squeal. Mu Chen knew it wouldn’t go down from a single hit. Pressing his advantage, he rained a flurry of furious punches onto the exact same spot.

AWOOO...

The Giant Wild Boar let out a final, wretched cry, collapsed to the ground, and after a few twitches, went completely still.

"All done."

His first battle was a success, and Mu Chen felt a surge of satisfaction.

"Heh, not bad, kid. You knew enough to focus your power on a single point. For your first Magical Beast hunt, this is pretty good. It’s not just because you’re stronger than the Giant Wild Boar; your Combat Awareness is also quite high. But don’t get complacent. Remember, the Giant Wild Boar is just an ordinary beast."

The Profound Old Ghost praised him, but out of the corner of his eye, he glanced at the fallen Giant Wild Boar. A large crater was now indented in its left side. Clearly, its internal organs had suffered immense damage. ’That’s... Explosive Power,’ he noted. ’But the kid himself was too excited to even notice he’d used it.’

"Mm," Mu Chen nodded earnestly. He replayed the process of killing the Giant Wild Boar in his mind and realized there were many areas where he could have done better. Sometimes, you can only see where to improve after you’ve done something once.

’For instance, after I dodged its attack, I could have used Thunderous Fist to strike its neck directly and shatter its spine. A one-hit kill.’

Even as he thought, Mu Chen’s hands didn’t slow. He took a dagger from his Storage Ring and, somewhat clumsily, began to gut the Giant Wild Boar, carving off the meat and placing it in his Storage Ring.

He was starving, but he didn’t dare cook here. If the Giant Wild Boar Meat really did emit such a unique aroma, it would soon attract countless other Magical Beasts. This was no place to linger.