chsdbacks Chapter 300 Masterful Skill
Chapter 300 Masterful Skill
Nie Lingfeng stood on the cliff face behind the mountain, the mountain wind ruffling his slightly messy but spirited short hair. He wore a clean and neat black outfit, newly made for him by Chen Duo in the past few days; the stitches, though not perfectly fine, were sturdy. He closed his eyes slightly, adjusting his breathing, his entire aura like a dormant volcano, seemingly calm, yet containing surging power within. A month and a half of training had transformed his temperament dramatically; he had lost some of his sharp edges and gained more depth, only his occasionally opening eyes still burning with an indomitable fighting spirit and a blazing light.
The old Celestial Master was still wearing that simple Taoist robe, his beard and hair were all white, his face was ruddy, and he looked at him with a smile, his eyes filled with undisguised admiration.
"A month and a half has passed in the blink of an eye," the old master sighed. "Young friend Lingfeng, you remind me of my younger self, so eager and diligent. However, your opportunities and resilience are probably even greater than mine back then."
"You flatter me, Celestial Master." Nie Lingfeng opened his eyes, his gaze clear and firm. "Without your generous guidance, I would never have made the progress I have today. This is the last time I will ask for your instruction, Celestial Master. Please do not hesitate to teach me!" He clasped his hands in a salute, and the dormant aura around him suddenly became sharp, like a precious sword about to be drawn.
"Good! Let this old Taoist see just how far you've progressed after a month and a half of hard work!" A glint flashed in the old Taoist's eyes, and the natural aura emanating from him, in harmony with heaven and earth, became more profound. This time, he didn't use his whisk, but slowly raised his hands, assuming an ancient and simple fist stance. "Today, this old Taoist will use this 'Natural Fist' to have a good spar with you."
"Natural Fist?" Nie Lingfeng's heart skipped a beat. He had never seen the Old Master use his fist technique before, but just from the name, he knew it was anything but simple. The so-called "natural" means returning to simplicity and authenticity, achieving great skill without artifice, which is often the embodiment of the highest realm of martial arts.
"Please!" Nie Lingfeng didn't hesitate any longer and launched the first attack! He stomped his foot, causing the cliff face to tremble slightly, and his figure shot out like an arrow! He didn't use the extreme speed of the Wind God Leg, nor did he unleash the ferocity of the Qilin bloodline; he simply threw out a straight punch! However, as this punch landed, the air emitted a low groan. Wherever the fist passed, there were faint traces of crimson-gold flames and frost-white cold air intertwining and swirling. The heavy fist intent was like a mountain collapsing, and the icy killing intent seemed capable of freezing the soul! He had poured all the power and intent he had fused over this period of time into this seemingly simple punch!
"Well done!" the old master praised, neither dodging nor avoiding, but simply meeting the punch head-on with a straight punch of his own! His fist looked ordinary, without any brilliance or imposing force, just like a casual punch thrown by an old man doing his morning exercise in the park.
"boom!"
The fists collided! The expected deafening roar did not occur. The instant the two fists met, Nie Lingfeng felt as if his punch, a fusion of multiple powers powerful enough to split mountains and shatter rocks, had struck a boundless, soft yet incredibly resilient ball of cotton! It was as if his punch had plunged into a deep ocean, all its power silently absorbed and dissolved by the unfathomable depths! His fierce and violent fist intent, colliding with the Old Master's seemingly ordinary punch, was like a mud ox sinking into the sea, failing to stir even the slightest ripple!
"This...how is this possible?!" Nie Lingfeng was shocked! He could feel that the power contained in the Old Celestial Master's punch was not much stronger than his, but the way he used that power, the way he subtly harmonized with the surrounding world, was far beyond his reach! It was as if the Old Celestial Master's punch was the mountain, the wind, and a part of the natural world, perfectly integrated and flawless!
"My fist moves with my will, and my intention moves in harmony with the heavens." The old master's voice rang in Nie Lingfeng's ears. His fist spun gently, and a soft yet overwhelming force came from it. Nie Lingfeng immediately felt his fist force being deflected, and he involuntarily staggered to the side!
"Again!" Nie Lingfeng roared, forcibly stabilizing his body, and his fist technique suddenly changed! The footwork of the Wind God Leg was integrated into the fist technique, and his figure became elusive, with many fist shadows covering the Old Master from all directions! The changes of the Cloud Dispelling Palm and the fierceness of the Heavenly Frost Fist were used alternately, sometimes like a storm, sometimes like misty clouds, and sometimes like frost covering the ground!
However, the Old Master's Natural Fist was as steadfast as a rock and as fluid as flowing water. No matter the raging storm, he remained unmoved; no matter the misty clouds, he was like a gentle breeze; no matter the frost covering the ground, he was like the warm sun melting the snow. His fist techniques appeared extremely simple, merely basic stances and footwork, but each strike perfectly sealed off Nie Lingfeng's strongest points or struck the gaps in his power transitions. It was as if Nie Lingfeng had painstakingly woven an impenetrable net, while the Old Master merely picked up a needle and gently pricked it, riddling the net with countless holes!
"No! We can't hit him at this rate!" Nie Lingfeng became increasingly alarmed and excited as he fought! He could sense that the Old Master was demonstrating to him a higher level of martial arts! A state of harmony with heaven and earth, where one's fists are made of nature!
"Roar! Qilin True Form!" Nie Lingfeng knew that with his current fused power, he couldn't possibly shake the Old Master's "Natural Fist" defense. He held back no longer, and the crimson-gold energy within his body erupted! A scorching aura soared into the sky, and fine, illusory scales instantly covered his entire body. His speed, strength, and defense all surged dramatically! With a single punch, the air itself was distorted and burned, carrying a destructive force capable of incinerating everything!
"That's more like it." The old master's eyes gleamed even brighter, and his fist technique changed accordingly! It was no longer just about defense and deflection, but he began to take the initiative to attack! His fists were still simple, but each punch seemed to draw upon the power of the surrounding heaven and earth! One punch was like a mountain pressing down, incredibly heavy; one punch was like a great river rushing forth, endless; one punch was like a gentle breeze brushing against a willow, penetrating every crevice!
"Bang bang bang bang!"
The dense sounds of collisions rang out like war drums! Nie Lingfeng pushed the power of his Qilin True Body to its limit, his fists, feet, elbows, and knees—his entire body transformed into the most lethal weapons. Crimson-gold light enveloped him, making him appear like a burning war god! However, the Old Master's Natural Fist always managed to neutralize his attacks in the simplest and most direct way at the last second, delivering a fierce counterattack!
Nie Lingfeng fought with increasing ferocity and focus. He forgot that this was a friendly sparring match, forgot that his opponent was the unparalleled Celestial Master, and only one thought remained in his mind—to break it! To break this seemingly simple yet unbreakable fist of nature!
He pushed the speed of his Wind God Leg to its limit, leaving afterimages across the cliff face! He incorporated the ever-changing Cloud Dispelling Palm into his fists and feet, his attacks as unpredictable as clouds and mist! He concentrated the chilling power of the Heavenly Frost Fist into a single point, attempting to freeze the Old Celestial Master's movements! He enhanced himself with the profound power of the Xuanwu True Skill, enduring the Old Celestial Master's heavy punch imbued with the power of heaven and earth!
War! War! War!
A figure in crimson gold and a figure in simple Taoist robes clashed and collided repeatedly on the cliff face! Forces radiated outwards, sending sand and stones flying! Deep footprints were constantly trodden into the hard rock, and deep furrows were carved out by the force of the punches! The ancient pines around them suffered again, their branches rustling, many thin branches being severed by the dissipating energy!
"That was exhilarating! Again!" Nie Lingfeng, caught up in the excitement, let out a long roar, no longer bound by any particular technique, relying entirely on instinct and fighting spirit to unleash his attacks! Fist was palm, palm was leg, leg was fist! The essence of various martial arts flowed through his mind, ultimately transforming into the purest form of attack! He seemed to have entered a profound state, his eyes fixed only on his opponent, his mind solely on the battle, the flow of power within his body reaching an unprecedented harmony and fluidity!
However, the Old Master's Natural Fist remained an insurmountable mountain and an uncrossable river. No matter how fiercely Nie Lingfeng attacked, he could always calmly respond, deflecting the attacks in the most effortless and effective way, and delivering precise counterattacks the instant Nie Lingfeng shifted his offensive, causing Nie Lingfeng's blood and qi to surge repeatedly, leaving him in a sorry state.
"Is it... truly unshakeable?" In the midst of the fierce battle, a sense of confusion and frustration suddenly flashed through Nie Lingfeng's mind. He had already used all his strength, even exceeding his usual limits, but the gap between him and the Old Celestial Master remained as insurmountable as an insurmountable chasm! That feeling of powerlessness surged into his heart like a tide.
Just then, a mantra inexplicably flashed through his mind; it was the opening principle of the "Easy Formula of No Desire": "When the mind has no desires, nothing can frighten it; when the will has no attachments, no attack can break it. The highest good is like water, which benefits all things without striving... It is precisely because it does not strive that no one in the world can contend with it..."
No desires... no attachments... no contention...
Nie Lingfeng's ferocious offensive suddenly faltered slightly. The crimson-gold light in his eyes flickered faintly, and his unwavering determination to break through everything quietly dissipated.
He no longer obsessed over "breaking" the old master's fist, no longer insisted on making every strike reach its maximum power. His heart suddenly became very calm. His fist, too, changed.
The attacks remained the same, incorporating the essence of various martial arts, but the deliberate ferocity and sharpness had gradually diminished. His fists moved like a gentle breeze, invisible and intangible; his legs swept like flowing water, following the natural flow; his palms struck like floating clouds, unpredictable and ever-changing. He was no longer simply resisting the Old Master's Natural Fist, but rather imitating, learning, attempting to integrate his own fist techniques into this world.