Chapter 4: The Nine Appearances of Yun Long

  Got it, so the game is just rubbish.

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  "What's a secret technique?" Tang An had heard of the term for the first time. Before this, he had always thought that martial arts training was just about tempering his body and nourishing his meridians to keep his body in its peak state at all times.

  And the swordsmanship he practiced, although it was his own creation, was also evolved from the Shu Mountain Sword Classic in essence. It's just that his sword-killing aura was more intense, and the moves were more overbearing, simpler, and more suitable for his extremely fast hand speed.

  No one had ever told him what the concept of Tianjing was. Nor did anyone tell him that after reaching Tianjing, the true energy would transform into true yuan, and the internal energy would merge with the physical body to nourish the mind. He didn't have a master, so naturally no one told him these things.

  So he didn't know that Tian Jing meant, divine thought, enlightenment of the Heavenly Way, seeking a unique path among countless great paths, solitary journey. Everyone's understanding is different, and the moves they create, the martial way they enter, are also different.

  However, after entering the heavenly realm, there is a characteristic that can be possessed, which is to have an extremely introspective ability, and can clearly explore the situation of each acupoint in one's own body. Therefore, strong practitioners at the heavenly level have an unparalleled understanding of their own bodily acupoints.

  They are also able to apply internal energy, stimulating the major acupoints, and then circulating the internal energy, through the subtle changes of those acupoints, studying their relationships. Thus, in continuous research, they discovered that different acupoints can be linked together through the flow of true energy, allowing a certain ability of the body to be instantly enhanced. This is the earliest origin of martial arts classics such as "Dragon Subduing Eighteen Palms" and "Six Pulses Divine Sword".

  Tang An's mind was completely immersed in the system's "Secret Technique System". He currently had 51 points of prestige, which he previously thought were useless because he didn't need those elixirs. In the path of martial arts, if one relies too heavily on elixirs to boost their internal energy, they will lack actual training and ultimately become mere decorations without any real combat power.

  Learning martial arts is naturally for killing enemies. Otherwise, what's the point of learning it? To strengthen one's body and health? Nonsense!

  【Secret Technique System】 has three major options. The first option is the attack-type secret technique, such as 【Flame Slash】【Electric Light Cross Sword】, etc. If Tang An chooses these secret techniques, then when he uses his sword again, he can follow the method indicated on the secret technique to stimulate the flow of true yuan at specific acupoints, allowing his sword energy to attach a special effect in an instant. However, Tang An has already grasped the killing sword and although it is not yet fully developed, below the fifth level of the Tian Ren boundary, he can almost sweep through everything. If the killing sword cannot handle something, then even if the secret technique is strong, it would be useless. Therefore, this attack-type secret technique is undoubtedly a waste for him.

  The second option is various strange means. For example, the legendary shrinking bone technique that has been circulating in Jianghu for a long time. It can change its skeleton and muscles in an instant, as well as change its appearance. There are also secret techniques similar to the Turtle Breath Method, which is great for playing dead. Of course, in extremely harsh environments, such as places without food or water sources, using the Turtle Breath Method can allow you to hold on for a longer period of time and wait for others to come and rescue you.

  This type, Tang An only took a few glances and thoroughly gave up. The characteristic of this type is that it has very strong practicality, but precisely because its practicality is too strong, it limits their universality. As a result, only special personnel can use these methods. For example, the shrinking bone technique is like creating the best secret technique for tomb robbers and thieves.

  Tang An jumped to the third category of secret skills, which was already the last type of secret skill. If there wasn't a suitable one, Tang An would give up hope on this secret skill.

  However, Tang An was immediately captivated by one of the secret techniques.

  Yun Long Jiu Xian, a mysterious and unpredictable lightness skill, was created by the fastest sword in the world. When used with the fast sword, its power is boundless.

  Tang An's swordsmanship was very fast, and his speed of drawing his sword was also very quick. However, his lightness skill was not that great. If he were to fight against an expert in lightness skills, those people would only need to dodge far away from him, making it impossible for him to get close, and he would fall into a state of unlimited passivity. He wasn't someone who would go out of his way to practice and study lightness techniques. He wasn't a genius, nor did he have that much time to spend on things outside of swordsmanship. His body technique was entirely for the sake of his swordsmanship, neither elegant nor agile, but rather straightforward to the extreme. If he were to encounter someone with exceptional body technique, no matter how fast his swordsmanship was, if they dodged him, he would be left helpless.

  Without hesitation, Tang An chose to purchase the secret technique "Cloud Dragon Nine Appearances".

  "Ding~ Host, are you sure you want to exchange for the secret skill, Yun Long Jiu Xian?"

  Confirmed!

  At this moment, Tang An suddenly felt clearly that his body seemed somewhat different from before.

  He could feel the Shangqiu acupoint on his left foot (the first depression inside the tendon connecting the sole of the foot to the calf), the Shangqiu acupoint on his right foot, and the Zhongting acupoint on his chest (where the stomach and chest meet, a recessed area in the middle of the chest). The three acupoints seemed to be connected by some kind of primordial energy. Under internal vision, he couldn't see the flowing primordial energy clearly, but he could indeed feel it.

  Tang An suddenly felt a surge of joy. He knew that this must be the luck-bringing method of "Cloud Dragon's Nine Appearances".

  His injuries were nothing, at this moment, he didn't care about them anymore. He used his true energy to flow through those acupoints, and suddenly, he felt as light as a feather. With a turn of his true energy, his shadow moved with him, and in an instant, he appeared at the door, then with another turn of his true energy, he instantly returned to his original position.

  Tang An gently flexed his muscles and tendons, he could feel that this technique was indeed incredibly mysterious, if combined with his swift sword, he really couldn't think of anyone who could dodge it!

  Suddenly, his ears moved and he heard the heavy footsteps at the door. His expression changed, and he suddenly flashed out of the doorway. His shadow only left a few residual shadows on the doorway, corridor, and hall, and then he appeared at the door!

  Miao Miao's face lit up with joy when she saw Tang An, and her nervous heart finally found a sense of relief. However, when she saw Tang An's sudden and swift movements, she was taken aback, covering her mouth in shock and staring at him with sparkling eyes: "Tang big brother's movement is so fast, it seems even faster than Master's! What kind of lightness technique is this? How can it be so fast?"

  However, as Tang An stood at the door, Miao Miao became nervous again, because the doorway was actually crowded with black-helmeted and black-armored soldiers, over a hundred people. Thick killing intent emanated from those soldiers' bodies. They stood there, each one incredibly powerful, and surprisingly, every single one of them had reached the Tian Ren Fourth Realm, combining both hardness and softness!

  It's Hu Bao Army!

  And at this time, in that dark and oppressive expanse, a scarlet cloak suddenly flashed out.

  The scarlet cloak fluttered and flapped in the wind, making a rustling sound. He raised his horse and his figure emerged in the white and black sky.

  The horse is a fierce steed, with short and dense black mane standing upright on its back, like a cluster of steel nails, full of spirit!

  "..."

  The knight shouted, and the horse stopped obediently. He lightly swung his whip in mid-air. Suddenly, the black-armored soldiers blocking his way let out a uniform shout and quickly parted to clear a path.

  Tang An finally saw clearly what this person looked like.

  Young, with a face as sharp as a knife cut. His eyes were as sharp as an eagle's when he looked at people, and there was something in that sharpness that made one afraid. It was a murderous aura!

  It's not killing intent, it's boundless murderous aura!

  This kind of aura isn't something that can be obtained simply by killing many people, only those who have been through mountains of corpses and seas of blood and have become seasoned warriors will possess it!

  But most importantly, Tang An surprisingly couldn't see through his strength! That means...

  This is a strong man in the Small Heaven Realm!

  Miao Miao hid behind her, a sense of tension following in her heart. She looked at the black-armored soldiers with some fear and couldn't help but worry: "Could it be that they've come to catch Tang Da Ge?"

  The knight rode his horse, glanced at the sign of Yue Lai Inn with a casual look in his eyes, and then loudly said: "Who is Tang An, the 'Tianjian'? The commander of the Tiger and Leopard Army, Nian Dajun, has an invitation!"