23 Combat Arts
"Why have you come here, young master?" A white-bearded man with a bald head asked, his surprise evident.
Draped in a classic green robe, his weathered countenance indicated his old age.
"Nothing in particular, just attending to my business, Elder," Lu Zhen responded respectfully, his gaze sweeping across the library.
Although the library's interior appeared smaller than its exterior, the space was impeccably clean, devoid of even a hint of dust.
Books rested on metal shelves, protected by glass casings that created an atmosphere akin to a museum. His amazement deepened as his gaze fell upon the books; they were as thick as the heavens themselves.
Some of the books were so thick that he bet that even the "Shree Haricharitramrut Sagar," considered the thickest book in his previous world, couldn't come close to the thickness of these volumes.
Approaching a set of shelves displaying the smallest books, he selected the thinnest one from among them. As he held the book, he noticed its weight, feeling the heft in his hands. The cover was crafted from the leather of an unknown animal, cold and yet surprisingly smooth to the touch.
On the cover were the words "Cloud Steps" written. Turning the pages, he quickly glanced at the contents, swiftly skimming through the less significant sections and focusing on the most crucial information.
As he read the text, a clear understanding of these combat techniques began to form in his mind.
While the cultivation method itself had certain basic movements, it wasn't as profound as these combat arts. It was more closely related to the understanding and principles of wood qi, whereas these combat arts were crafted to fully utilize qi, thereby significantly enhancing the combat power of martial artists to a truly formidable degree.
Essentially, these arts revolved around refining one's body control to fight more efficiently. This concept was similar to the fighting techniques in his previous world. However, here there was a key distinction: while the previous world focused solely on muscle manipulation, this world integrated both muscle and qi control.
Although Lu Zhen could control his body after obtaining the divine physique, it was a tedious and slow process that required him to be active.
Muscle memory was a thing in this world. Although the combat arts were nearly identical, Lu Zhen's divine physique only enabled him to control his body, whereas the combat arts allowed martial artists to manage both their body and qi at a subconscious level, achieving a harmonious equilibrium.
While he had an advantage due to his ability to manipulate his body easily, allowing him to train in the combat arts more rapidly, he still required further practice.
The combat art he had read enabled him to manipulate qi within his legs, exert control over his muscles, and redirect them to facilitate rapid movement on the ground.
This combat art had a total of four mastery; they were collectively called beginners, middle, peak and the master realm. He slowly became engrossed in the book.
However, his reading was suddenly interrupted.
"Young master, you shouldn't read this book unless you possess attributeless qi," the old man suddenly interjected, interrupting Lu Zhen's thoughts.
"Then, where can I find combat arts for wood attribute qi?" Lu Zhen inquired, a touch of annoyance in his voice, though he still listened.
"Young master, for that, you need to head towards the green-coloured section of the library," the old man hurriedly directed, guiding Lu Zhen to the green section of the library.
"Here are all the combat arts related to wood attributes," the old man announced.
"Thank you, Elder Tianming," Lu Zhen said respectfully, hurrying toward the shelves with a hint of impatience.
The old man, known as Lu Tianming, felt pleased, thinking he had made a good impression on Lu Zhen, and left him to his own devices as he departed.
Despite being an elder, his status was lower than that of the family heir. After all, the heir would become the family head, so he aimed to leave a positive impression on Lu Zhen.
Lu Zhen immersed himself in the books, seeking ones suitable for him.
"Hmm, let's see now," Lu Zhen pondered as he began to choose.
Observing the plethora of books around him, he thought, "I'm going to be here for a while."
As Lu Zhen read through them, he felt a headache building as he searched through the options. He struggled with what to choose, knowing he couldn't practice everything. After all, practicing a combat technique took too long, and some were not even suitable for him at all.
Finally, he chose 5 which were most suitable for him.
[Whispering Shadow Steps: This technique enables a martial artist to gather wood qi in their feet, allowing them to move with remarkable swiftness, as light and agile as a falling leaf.]
[Verdant Saber Whirlwind: This technique combines the attributes of the wood qi with the prowess of a saber, creating a whirlwind of force that can overwhelm opponents.]
[Cedarstrike Saber Surge: This technique focuses on infusing the strength and tenacity of wood qi into the saber creating a powerful strike.]
[Verdant Grove Fist: The Bamboo Grove Fist technique draws inspiration from the wood element's characteristics. It melds strength and suppleness to deliver a potent and impactful punch. By incorporating the qualities of wood qi, this fist technique becomes a fusion of power and flexibility.]
[Ancient Willow Palm: Similar to how a willow branch yields under pressure and redirects energy, practitioners of this technique skillfully manipulate an opponent's strikes or momentum. This redirection creates openings for precise and effective counterattacks.]
All these techniques had a similar level of mastery similar to the cloud steps, starting from the beginner's level to the master's level.
He chose combat arts that he felt were most suitable for him. However, he changed his mind as he decided not to get ahead of himself and finally settled on three martial arts that were to his liking. He decided to abandon the [Ancient Willow Palm] and [Cedarstrike Saber Surge], which he felt were not practical for him due to their complexity. He preferred simpler techniques.
In total, he had three combat arts to practice: one saber art, one fist art, and another movement art.
"Let's get started."
