Deduction of the Jade-Shattered Fist

"Is... Is this so incredible?"

Dan Chen was astonished. Though he had just achieved Spirit Gathering and had limited knowledge of martial arts, he understood the importance of techniques and skills for a martial artist and a clan.

The Dan family, as one of the five major clans in Tianyun City, possessed a mid-grade technique known as the "Supreme Jade True Art." This technique, coimg with two mid-grade skills, could unleash peak mid-grade power. This was the foundation of their position in Tianyun City.

However, to advance further and become a prominent clan in the county, they needed high-grade techniques and skills, to which the Dan family did not yet qualify.

"Deduction of the Jade-Shattered Fist!"

Without hesitation, Dan Chen decided to deduce the only skill he had mastered. The Body Tempering Stage only involved strengthening the physical body, and since he hadn't practiced any techniques, he had no other choice.

In his consciousness, the radiant light from the jade disc emitted complex and mystical patterns, drawing the swiftly drifting beams of spiritual energy into itself.

Then, a vague figure appeared on the jade disc. It had a head and limbs and seemed to be dancing within the disc. Although it was a dance, the movements were identical to the Jade-Shattered Fist, as if it were evolving the martial art.

Dan Chen felt a profound sense of understanding and began to dance along with the image, performing the Jade-Shattered Fist he had practiced a thousand times before.

The first time, it was no different from the past. But from the second iteration, subtle changes occurred in the technique. Moves that had previously been stiff now flowed smoothly and effortlessly.

On the third iteration, the movements generated wind and stirred up mist.

The fourth time, winds howled, and sand and rocks flew about.

On the fifth iteration, all phenomena disappeared, making it seem ordinary, but Dan Chen was well aware that this was not the case.

To an expert in martial arts who observed this, they would undoubtedly be shocked. At this moment, Dan Chen's performance of the Jade-Shattered Fist had already reached a state of perfection.

For each martial skill, there were four levels of mastery: initiation, minor achievement, major achievement, and perfection. In the past, Dan Chen had only achieved the level of major achievement in the Jade-Shattered Fist. Now, with just five repetitions, he had made astonishing progress.

This couldn't be described as anything other than a miracle!

An absolute freak of nature!

"Jade-Shattered Fist!"

Dan Chen suddenly shouted. A blue fist radiance shot from his right fist and shattered a three-foot rock a yard away, sending stone fragments flying.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

The sounds of shattering echoed, and the surrounding rocks bore the brunt of it. Each punch he threw caused a rock under the waterfall to shatter into various-sized pieces that scattered all around.

"Shockwave Burst!"

Dan Chen shouted sternly, and his hands moved in a series of gestures. In front of him, a mysterious arc of True Qi appeared, with two interweaving streams of blue and white True Qi in mid-air, creating ripples. The ripples vibrated and exuded an incredibly powerful aura, as if they were about to shatter the void. In the blink of an eye, it struck a massive rock.

As the mountain wind swept by, stone dust flew into the air. The huge rock vanished into nothingness.

Dan Chen's mouth hung open, able to fit a duck egg inside. He couldn't believe that everything before his eyes had been his own doing.

After a long while, he finally snapped out of his reverie and gave himself a slap. The pain made him wince, but he soon rubbed his small face and began to think seriously.

"The Jade-Shattered Fist is incredibly powerful. It's indeed a low-grade martial skill. I used to believe that I had already taken the Jade-Shattered Fist to its limit, but now I realize how far off I was."

In fact, his previous thinking wasn't entirely wrong. In the Body Tempering Stage without True Qi he had indeed taken the Jade-Shattered Fist to its limits at that time.

"I remember what the family instructor said. The Jade-Shattered Fist was obtained together with the Supreme Jade True Art by our ancestors. The complete Jade-Shattered Fist is a low-grade martial skill, but what the clan obtained was only an incomplete version, lacking the most crucial killer move."

"All mid-grade martial skills have their unique killer techniques. This skill, the 'Shockwave Burst,' was deduced by the jade disc based on the entire set of martial art's intent. It represents the essence of the entire martial art. The current Jade-Shattered Fist is a ture low-grade martial skill."

"I've just achieved Spirit Gathering, and my True Qi is limited. I cannot fully unleash the power of the 'Shockwave Burst' yet. As my cultivation advances, its power will become stronger, undoubtedly reaching the pinnacle of a low-grade martial skill."

The process of the jade disc's deduction was incredibly mystical. It extracted the martial art from Dan Chen's memory and continuously evolved and perfected it under the influence of spiritual energy. It took only five iterations to complete this incomplete low-grade martial art, making it smooth and perfect in every aspect.

This had transcended human comprehension, and once this information got out, it would surely cause a great commotion.

"I wonder how different my Jade-Shattered Fist is from the original complete version? It's a pity that the founder of this martial art has probably long passed away, and we may never be able to verify it."

Dan Chen felt a hint of regret. If there were a clear comparison, the effectiveness of the jade disc could be even more evident.

"Oh no!"

Dan Chen suddenly exclaimed, "It's getting so late; I need to hurry home."

The moon had already risen high in the sky, casting a soft glow across the entire land.

In just a little over two hours, Dan Chen had undergone a transformation beyond imagination.

However, the resonance of the Nine Stars was causing far greater ripples.

In the central part of the Infinite Continent, atop a towering peak that reached into the clouds, there stood an octagonal stone tower.

At the top of the stone tower, a Daoist elder with a solemn expression gazed at the nine celestial stars, which had once again become obscure. He remained silent.

Behind him was a middle-aged Daoist.

"Master, what does the Nine Palaces Resonance signify?" The middle-aged Daoist had refrained from asking for quite some time but finally couldn't hold back.

"The Nine Palaces Resonance, with stars falling, foretells significant events. The Infinite Continent will likely never be peaceful again from this point on."

The Daoist elder sighed softly and then became serious. "Wangchen, relay this message: from this year onwards, open up and recruit many disciples. Three years from now, I shall take in another disciple."

The middle-aged Daoist trembled. As a Senior Disciple of the Daoist Ningzhen, the master of the Daoist Palace, he understood what this decision meant — there would be another junior disciple added to the fold.

When one of the Three Grand Sages accepted a disciple, the news would send shockwaves throughout the world.

"Your orders will be followed diligently, Master!" The middle-aged Daoist bowed and withdrew.

In the Haoran Academy, capital city of Great Qian Dynasty, a long-bearded and tall scholar dressed in Confucian robes stood on a wooden tower, gazing at the starry sky with a stern expression.

Subsequently, news of the Haoran Academy once again opening its doors to accept inner disciples spread throughout the entire country.

For a time, the country was in turmoil, and every aristocrat was moved.

In a nondescript inn on the edge of the continent, a middle-aged commoner looked at the bright night sky with a hopeful expression. "As the stars fall, martial arts will prosper. The great era is about to come, and I hope to encounter some decent opponents."

...

"You little brat, you finally came back? I thought you'd been abducted by that girl Tianyin."

Liu Wanfeng raised her eyebrows, placed her hands on her hips, and looked quite angry.

"Mother, you're talking nonsense! I was practicing martial arts on the mountainside..." Dan Chen's face turned bright red, and he quickly explained. But as soon as he saw the somewhat teasing expression on Liu Wanfeng's face, he knew his mother was about to make fun of him again.

So he hurriedly said, "Mother, I have some good news to tell you—I've successfully achieved Spirit Gathering!"

"What did you say?" Liu Wanfeng's body shook, her face turned pale, and she seemed to have lost her composure. Trembling, she asked,

"Say it again."

"Mother, I've achieved Spirit Gathering. I've become a genuine martial artist," Dan Chen said loudly.

"Good... Good, good, good!" Liu Wanfeng stammered. For years, she had always presented herself as a strong woman, not only appearing prominently in public to manage the family's elixir shop but also enduring pressures from both inside and outside the family. She had done all of this for what? It was all to provide a favorable environment for Dan Chen's growth.

Liu Wanfeng had a resilient character, especially when she was with Dan Chen. She always appeared optimistic, silently bearing all the pressure. When she couldn't take it anymore, she would hide in the corner of her room and cry silently. But as soon as she stepped out of the room, she would regain her composure and appear energetic.

All her facades vanished at this moment. The pent-up emotions she had been repressing for a long time could no longer be controlled. They were fully unleashed, and tears flowed incessantly like pearls breaking free from a string, impossible to hold back.

"Mother!"

Seeing his mother cry for the first time, Dan Chen was somewhat flustered and comforted her repeatedly, "Your son will receive special training from the family, and I'll handle things from now on. You can enjoy your life at home..."

Liu Wanfeng cried loudly, and it took a long time for her to recover. She took the towel Dan Chen handed her, wiped away her tears, and then smacked him on the head with a stern expression, saying, "You little brat, you better not tell anyone what happened just now, got it?"

Dan Chen nodded repeatedly, fearing he might be scolded if he reacted too slowly.

Liu Wanfeng was then satisfied and said, "The food has gone cold; I'll reheat it."

Only then did Dan Chen remember he hadn't eaten yet, and his stomach had started to growl.

A little while later, Dan Chen sat at the table, gobbling down his food, while Liu Wanfeng sat beside him with her gaze fixed on him.

"By the way, the Wang family came today. They want the family to hand us over, or else they'll wipe out the entire Dan family!" Liu Wanfeng suddenly blurted out this news.

"Ah? The Wang family is quite audacious!" Dan Chen was initially shocked, but he was also somewhat skeptical. The Dan family was also one of the great families, and they wouldn't be easily wiped out. "What does the family say?"

Liu Wanfeng sneered, "Your father offended the great elder of the family years ago, and he's the one who suggested handing us over. However, it's up to the family leader to decide. You should know your grandfather's temperament, right?"

Dan Chen nodded. "Yes, Grandfather values the family's honor above all else. Not to say that the Wang family is unjust, and we were forced to retaliate, even if the Wang family were the one with reasons, Grandfather wouldn’t back down in face of their challenge."

Liu Wanfeng nodded in satisfaction. "Yes, you've grown up. You said it right. The family leader personally kicked the fourth son of the Wang family out when they came to threaten us."

Dan Chen laughed in relief for a moment but then became worried. "Mother, could our family be in danger?"

Liu Wanfeng shook her head. "It's hard to say; the Wang family has been suppressing us for many years. The current situation isn't very optimistic."

Dan Chen's mood also turned heavy.

"For major family matters, our family leader will handle it, so you don't need to worry, little guy. Focus on your martial arts training, and when you become stronger, you'll naturally be able to contribute to the family."

Hearing his mother's words, Dan Chen had a sudden realization. With the assistance of the jade disc, he could deduce the family's martial arts, which would enhance the family's strength and allow him to make a contribution.

Thinking about this, Dan Chen couldn't help but feel excited.