The citizens of Yong Mountain City had mixed feelings—

Sheng Xuan punished evildoers and upheld the law, they revered City Lord Sheng Xuan, loving this Mang Vajra dearly.

Yet, from Guangming City, they learned that Yan Chuan gave daily martial arts lectures for all to hear, teaching without discrimination, benefiting countless individuals.

This ’Big Horn’ was a great philanthropist!

The rivalry between the two was indeed heartbreaking.

Fortunately, it didn’t lead to fatal conflicts; the City Lord’s escape was for the best: "After Big Horn is done with his martial arts talks, he will leave on his own, and the City Lord can return."

Everyone pretended nothing happened.

Yong Mountain City.

A million soldiers and civilians raised their heads, listening to Yan Chuan’s martial arts lecture—

"The Xingyi Boxing I created consists mainly of the Three Body Formation Pile Skill, Five Elements Boxing, and Twelve Forms Boxing."

Yan Chuan began his lecture.

Again it was Xingyi.

Yong Mountain City is one of the major cities within Tan Valley. After the fall of King City, it and two other major cities aggressively developed, intending to compete for the King City qualification two years later. Now, all three cities continued to expand, each with a population exceeding a million.

Over a million people!

This is a vast experience library, unlike Guangming City, which Yan Chuan had almost emptied and exploited. Yan Chuan came to Yong Mountain City for the first time; everything here was new, an undiscovered treasure.

The martial arts lecture there yielded endless feedback.

...

"Spying won’t escape my notice." As Yan Chuan lectured on the city wall, feedback flowed continuously, and within it, the most exquisite and vast portion of cross refining and saber skills was surely from the fleeing Sheng Xuan.

Outside the city on a mountain peak.

Hidden in the dense forest.

This ’Mang Vajra’ hadn’t truly fled; he saw that Yan Chuan and Tan Yunqing weren’t pursuing him, so he hid outside the city, listening intently to Yan Chuan’s martial arts lecture.

Thinking, pondering, comprehending.

Finally, providing feedback to Yan Chuan.

"Golden Sun Eight Treasures Mystic Body."

"Evil Extinguishing Righteous Yang Saber."

"Third-grade cross refining, Ten Layers of Physique!"

"Saber Technique Eighth Realm, at its Peak!"

Yan Chuan focused on sensing Sheng Xuan’s espionage feedback, becoming increasingly aware and increasingly shocked: "This Sheng Xuan actually achieved a third-rank physique in such a remote place like Tan Valley, and his saber techniques are comparable to the late stage Eighth Realm?!"

Yan Chuan was shocked beyond words.

He hadn’t expected there to be such a Heavenly Pride within Tan Valley. Though he had known Sheng Xuan only started cultivating at age twenty-five, endowed with exceptional talent, Yan Chuan really couldn’t imagine Sheng Xuan could be that much of a genius.

In less than ten years, how did this person practice to such a level?

"Could it be that I really don’t understand cross refining?" Yan Chuan hesitated.

A life of cross refining.

A mastery in saber techniques.

Sheng Xuan’s cultivation appeared as merely at the Innate Ten Layers, third-rank entry, but in true battle prowess, he was undoubtedly no less than a Fourth-rank Divine General, definitely the number one within Tan Valley after King City’s fall.

Unfortunate that he encountered Tan Yunqing.

"That Sheng Xuan’s physique is indeed strong. Even after releasing eleven types of alien sword qi, only the eighth could break his saber techniques and his flesh, but still didn’t pose any substantive threat." Tan Yunqing, having personally clashed with Sheng Xuan, had more understanding of this person’s strength.

Third-rank Physique.

Late stage Eighth Realm Saber techniques.

Sheng Xuan was terrifyingly strong.

But Tan Yunqing was stronger—

"Senior Tan’s cultivation is somewhat inferior, but he nurtures seventy-two kinds of exotic sword energy within his body, making his physique extremely strong, able to withstand the full force of a Fourth-rank Divine General. Normally, five ranks can’t withstand his twelve sword qis all at once, and twelve sword qis still aren’t his limit." Yan Chuan knew well Tan Yunqing’s strength.

Fourth-rank Physique.

Fifth-rank attack power.

Entirely crushing Sheng Xuan.

Seeing Sheng Xuan—

Injured by Tan Yunqing’s sword qi.

The superb saber techniques landed on Tan Yunqing, yet couldn’t leave a single mark.

This was why Sheng Xuan couldn’t be blamed for his fast escape.

...

"Direct advancement, advancing with a strike, striking while moving, moving while striking, like a river breaking its banks, that’s Xingyi."

"Good."

"This is the end of today’s session; we’ll discuss more next time." Yan Chuan lectured in Yong Mountain City for a full three hours, mainly to exploit Sheng Xuan, and only after secretly learning these two supreme skills, ’Golden Sun Eight Treasures Mystic Body’ and ’Evil Extinguishing Righteous Yang Saber,’ did he leave Yong Mountain City with a sense of fulfillment.

Today, Yong Mountain City.

Tomorrow, Mengsha City.

The day after, Guangming City.

Yan Chuan planned to focus on these three cities, with visits to the other fourteen cities in between, conducting a lecture tour throughout Tan Valley, which contains a total of seventeen major cities, with a combined military and civilian population exceeding tens of millions—

"After a lecture tour, my most practiced ’Wave Riding Micro Steps’ has the potential to reach the peak of the Eighth Realm."

Eighth Realm Peak.

Comparable to the strongest move of the True Skill Innate Chapter.

Absolute height, absolute strength.

At that time, there would really be only one step left to comprehend an impression, and once an impression is grasped, everything before the Sixth Grade would be a smooth path.

"Eighth Realm Peak, it’s not difficult."

"As for the impression—" Yan Chuan shook his head; not having cultivated to that point, he truly didn’t know what it would be like or how difficult.

On his return journey from Yong Mountain City to Tan Valley Royal City, Yan Chuan reviewed all his absolute skills—

[Late Stage Eighth Realm: ’Wave Riding Micro Steps’, ’Holy Fire Order Divine Skill’.]

[Mid Stage Eighth Realm: ’Ghost Prison Yin Wind Roar’.]

[Early Stage Eighth Realm: ’Nine Yang Divine Skill’, ’Six Meridian Divine Sword’, ’Nine Yin Scripture’, ’Dugu Nine Swords’, ’Heavenly Mountain Broken Plum Hand’, ’Ladder Cloud Jump’, ’Shadowy Charm’, ’Divine Light Scripture’, ’Qiankun Great Shifting’, ’Dragon Elephant Wisdom’, ’Vajra Unbreakable Body Divine Skill’.]

A month of martial arts lectures in Heavenly Ladder City.

A month of martial arts lectures in Guangming City.

A month of martial arts lectures in Tan Valley Army.

With the backing of ’Mutual Teaching and Learning’, Yan Chuan had already progressed all his main cultivated absolute skills into the Eighth Realm, reaching the Peak.

His array of skills could be described as luxurious.

"Early Stage Eighth Realm corresponds to the third ultimate move of the True Skill Innate Chapter, corresponding to a Third-Rank Divine General."

"Mid Stage Eighth Realm corresponds to the fourth ultimate move of the True Skill Innate Chapter, corresponding to a Fourth-Rank Divine General."

"Late Stage Eighth Realm corresponds to the fifth ultimate move of the True Skill Innate Chapter, corresponding to a Fifth-Rank Divine General."

In other words, Yan Chuan currently mastered a Fifth-Rank Absolute Skill, ’Wave Riding Micro Steps’, a Fourth-Rank Absolute Skill, ’Ghost Prison Yin Wind Roar’, and besides those, he also mastered a bundle of Third-Rank Absolute Skills.

This lineup was sufficient!

As Yan Chuan continued teaching martial arts, along with his ongoing lecture tour in Tan Valley, and as he gained more Divine General friends in Heavenly Ladder City, the advancement of these absolute skills would undoubtedly accelerate, reaching the mid, late, and eventually peak stages, ascending to Fourth Rank, Fifth Rank, and even Fifth Rank Peak.

However—

"What lies beyond the Eighth Realm Peak?"

"What lies beyond the Fifth Rank Peak?"

Yan Chuan understood that at the current stage, he should focus not solely on absolute skills; he should be more concerned with—

True Skill!

...

[Task One: Washing Marrow Scripture (Ji ★)]

[Inspiration: 21]

...

"True Skill."

"The ’Washing Marrow Scripture’ I independently developed is progressing slowly, with only 21% completion so far."

This is too slow.

Yet even this was only after Yan Chuan met Zhang Tao and Ge Ji in Heavenly Ladder City, and after he stole ’Tiger Soul Divine Spear’ and ’Wave Cutting Saber Technique’, the True Skill Innate Chapters from them, that it increased. Before that, the progress of ’Washing Marrow Scripture’ was truly pitiful.

Even now, completion of research and development remains a significant distance away.

"To accelerate the development of ’Washing Marrow Scripture’, one must experience more True Skills or obtain the second Chapter, third Chapter, or even the complete cultivation technique of ’Tiger Soul Divine Spear’ and ’Wave Cutting Saber Technique’."

But all of these are not easy.

The entire True Skill?

Even Zhang Tao and Ge Ji, coming from prestigious families, only possess the True Skill Innate Chapters.

In affluent families or prominent sects, the transmission of True Skill is very stringent, layer by layer, only granting the corresponding cultivation technique at a certain level.

These two currently can’t even access the Innate Peak Chapters of their respective True Skills, let alone the full version.

Yan Chuan does his best in teaching, but doesn’t expect to obtain the full version from these two; at most, getting the Innate Peak Chapter would be a success.

The complete True Skill is hard to obtain.

As for more True Skill Innate Chapters and Innate Peak Chapters—

Also difficult!

In Heavenly Ladder City, with countless Divine Generals, Yan Chuan has already participated in forty or fifty matches, with more than forty friends, but only Zhang Tao and Ge Ji practice True Skill.

"Divine Generals proficient in True Skill can usually achieve higher combat strength, possibly starting in lower leagues, but soon rising above 1000 points, advancing to Silver Level or even higher."

Finding Divine Generals practicing True Skill in low leagues has too low a probability.

But previously, Yan Chuan could only control the games in such low leagues, leisurely managing three-hour matches, comfortably lecturing martial arts.

Competitions.

Martial arts lecturing.

These are the essential roots of Yan Chuan’s knowledge theft and ’Mutual Teaching and Learning’.

Once the league increases, the effect of ’Mutual Teaching and Learning’ might be compromised.

"Previously, I could control the pace between 1000 to 1300 points, but now, as my ’Wave Riding Micro Steps’ further progresses, coupled with significant improvements in ’Snake Movement and Fox Flipping’ from the Nine Yin Scripture, my movement technique is outstanding; even reaching 1500 points facing Second-Rank Divine Generals, I can easily manage."

1000~1999 points is the ’Bronze Level’, mostly First-Rank and Second-Rank Divine Generals.

2000~2999 points is the ’Silver Level’, mostly Third-Rank and Fourth-Rank Divine Generals.

At this moment, with Fifth-Rank body techniques, Yan Chuan easily toys with Second-Rank Divine Generals—

"Above 1500 points."

"Second-Rank Divine Generals."

"Among them, opponents with True Skill are much more frequent than in the low-league First-Rank."

"Next, it’s time for a small ranking push."

Yan Chuan set his mind on it.

...

But before pushing the ranks, Yan Chuan faced a happy choice—

[Experience: 10.24 million]

[Spiritual: 6.99 million]

...

This year, on February 22, ’Treasure Rock’ rose to level four.

On March 12, ’Experience’ accumulated to 3.02 million.

Today is April 13, ’Experience’ once again broke the 10 million mark—

"Throughout the month in Heavenly Ladder City, Tan Valley Army, and Guangming City, lecturing continuously without rest, the progress of Absolute Skills research and development is astounding, advancing three Geng One and Geng Two Absolute Skills easily in one day."

"In fact, even six Geng Five Absolute Skills have been developed—"

Geng Five: ’Sea Waves Raising Song’.

Geng Five: ’Hundred and Eight Arhats Formation’.

Geng Five: ’Eight Desolates and Six Harmonies, Only I Am Venerated’.

Geng Five: ’Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms’.

Geng Five: ’Vajra Demon Suppression Circle’.

Geng Five: ’Tai Chi Divine Skill’.

These six Geng Five Absolute Skills alone earned Yan Chuan a total of 1.5 million experience.

Over the month, the frenzied martial arts lecturing not only brought ’Mutual Teaching and Learning’ an infinite amount of feedback for Yan Chuan, but also rapidly accelerated ’Derivation Skill’ progress. Coupled with Yan Chuan’s deepening foundation, what was once an extremely difficult task of Geng Five Absolute Skills research and development has become simpler.

Frantic martial arts lecturing.

Frantic research and development.

As Yan Chuan acquired more and more Absolute Skills, unknowingly, his ’Experience’ broke the 10 million mark again, and he was once more faced with a happy decision—

Choose ’Derivation Skill’?

Or ’Mutual Teaching and Learning’?

...