C29 Azure Cloud Embracing Moon Palm

Woo Zhengyang was pleasantly surprised to have obtained the original manuscript of the "Dragon Countering Nine Steps." While he couldn't vouch for other techniques, this ancient martial art was undoubtedly superior to his own transcriptions. Such ancient secrets were often penned by legendary figures themselves, with their insights and aura woven into every word, making it easier to grasp the essence of the technique.

Zhengyang had experienced this firsthand with the "Sword Sacrificing Spell," and since both it and the "Dragon Countering Nine Steps" were crafted by the same author, he had no doubts about the writer's prowess.

Returning to Six-union Valley just in time for dinner, Zhengyang's presence inevitably drew attention. Everyone knew about the three local bullies who had chased him down the mountain, and now that Zhengyang had returned without them, it sparked curiosity about what had transpired.

Zhengyang, however, wasn't interested in satisfying anyone's curiosity. He went straight to his stone chamber and began studying the "Dragon Countering Nine Steps." After a thorough examination, night had fallen. He set the manuscript aside, a bit puzzled.

The "Dragon Countering Nine Steps" was peculiar. It wasn't a movement technique, nor a leg technique, and it couldn't even be considered a sophisticated martial art. It simply involved gathering energy in the legs and feet for a powerful stomp.

The method of channeling energy in this technique is quite remarkable, allowing one to maximize their strength. However, it also has significant limitations. In Woo Zhengyang's vision, executing the first step of the Dragon Countering Nine Steps requires impeccable timing, which is incredibly difficult to create and even harder to seize.

Many techniques demand precision, but the issue with the Dragon Countering Nine Steps is that it cannot be broken down. It must be performed sequentially, from the first step to the ninth. If interrupted, all accumulated power dissipates, and one must start over.

Most techniques become more powerful with each successive move, and the Dragon Countering Nine Steps is no exception. Yet, in the heat of battle, how often can one find the perfect opportunity to flawlessly execute all nine steps? Especially when facing a formidable opponent, initial attempts are expected, but reaching the eighth step before unleashing the strongest strike is nearly impossible. The greatest likelihood is that one might be defeated before even delivering their most powerful blow.

Due to this limitation, the power of the Dragon Countering Nine Steps is significantly reduced, its difficulty increased several times over, and its practicality diminished. It's no wonder that those who attempted it before eventually abandoned it, leaving it as a discarded ancient martial art.

Shaking his head, Woo Zhengyang set aside the Dragon Countering Nine Steps and pulled out the other four manuals.

"Floating Light Step," "Azure Cloud Embracing Moon Palm," "Tyrannical Mountain Shattering Fist," and "Silky Hair Soft Finger."

After reviewing three offensive techniques and one movement technique, Woo Zhengyang understood the importance of focus over variety. While movement techniques are essential, for now, he could set them aside due to his resilience. This left him with three offensive techniques to choose from.

The "Tyrannical Mountain Shattering Fist" was the most suitable for Woo Zhengyang's current skills, yet he ranked it last. Although this technique could maximize the power of his physical training, it conflicted with his rigorous body conditioning. His approach relied on enduring pain to speed up progress, and using a technique would diminish the benefits of tempering his body in battle.

Woo Zhengyang had made quite a few enemies. With the Three Overlords gone, potential repercussions were uncertain. While Yue Liqing and Liu Tiancheng posed little threat, the backgrounds of Liu Tianli and those behind Yue Liqing were significant concerns. What Woo Zhengyang needed was a technique that could swiftly incapacitate opponents, so he immediately picked up the "Silky Hair Soft Finger."

"Silky Hair Soft Finger" was less a finger technique and more akin to a hidden weapon skill. Woo Zhengyang initially thought its name was inspired by the phrase "silky hair entwining softly," but it turned out the technique could indeed achieve such finesse.

As he spoke, Woo Zhengyang brought his right hand up, his index and middle fingers together in front of his eyes. A faint, almost imperceptible, light blue thread began to swirl around his fingers. This was the manifestation of his genuine energy in a unique way.

However, it wasn’t long before Woo Zhengyang set aside the "Silky Hair Soft Finger" technique.

The "Silky Hair Soft Finger" was impressive, at least in Woo Zhengyang's opinion. This single-move technique was not exaggerated; if mastered to its peak, even a Martial Master could be severely injured if struck at a vital point.

Yet, despite its power, the "Silky Hair Soft Finger" held little practical use for Woo Zhengyang.

Firstly, the technique relied purely on genuine energy, and no matter how advanced Woo Zhengyang's physical training was, it wouldn’t help. His sword-shaped genuine energy was potent but too limited in quantity to fully execute the "Silky Hair Soft Finger."

Secondly, the technique was about taking risks and striking unexpectedly. If it didn’t succeed, it could lead to losing the advantage and becoming vulnerable.

Thus, the "Silky Hair Soft Finger" clearly stated that to truly perform it, one must reach the Great Completion Stage with the technique. Otherwise, it would not only be ineffective but could also backfire.

These two issues were not something Woo Zhengyang could resolve quickly. Reluctantly, he decided to set aside "Silky Hair Soft Finger" for now and picked up "Azure Cloud Embracing Moon Palm" instead.

"Azure Cloud Embracing Moon Palm" doesn't follow a fixed sequence of moves. It emphasizes speed and unpredictability, reaching such extremes that illusions appear, making the moves hard to predict and the real and the fake indistinguishable.

Although "Azure Cloud Embracing Moon Palm" primarily relies on genuine energy, as long as one's vitality is sufficient, the same effects can be achieved. For Woo Zhengyang, practicing it wasn't a major challenge. He just needed to leverage his own strengths to bring out the best in the technique.

Woo Zhengyang memorized the palm technique's moves and then began practicing them slowly.

He hadn't truly engaged with martial arts techniques before, but this basic-level skill was detailed enough. With his current understanding and some combat experience, it wasn't too difficult.

After about an hour, Woo Zhengyang finally grasped the combination of speed and unpredictability in "Azure Cloud Embracing Moon Palm," marking his entry into the technique.

With one palm strike, a double image followed. Before the double image dissipated, another palm strike was already on its way. Just by sight, it was impossible to tell which was the palm's shadow and which was the real hand.

A day and night passed in the blink of an eye. Woo Zhengyang practiced tirelessly, and he made some notable progress with "Azure Cloud Embracing Moon Palm."

At this moment, Woo Zhengyang unleashed a palm strike, with nine shadowy images following in perfect succession. As long as Woo Zhengyang kept his palms moving, the layers of shadows would remain intact.

Yet, Woo Zhengyang couldn't afford to relax, as he was still quite a distance from achieving mastery in the Azure Cloud Embracing Moon Palm. Unlike many martial arts that require specific sequences, this technique was even more challenging to master due to its lack of fixed patterns. This meant that every move could seamlessly connect with another, allowing for unparalleled speed and unpredictability.

To flawlessly link all the moves, one had to thoroughly understand the characteristics of each, enabling unique adaptations that flowed naturally from the heart. This wasn't something that could be achieved through sheer practice alone. Woo Zhengyang closed his eyes, repeatedly visualizing and analyzing each move in his mind, searching for the perfect points of connection...

​