Chapter 150 – Pinnacle Movement Ability
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Those present couldn’t even clearly see the sword light. If this sword struck, then Lin Ming’s head would be split in half!
It was too late to even cry out in alarm, but Zhang Guanyu’s sword actually hit nothing!
It was as if Lin Ming had eyes on the back of his head. In that brief flash as the sword fell, he took a strange half step forwards, and it was as if he were a wisp of flame that had been blown away by a breeze, and he evaded Zhang Guanyu’s sword by a hair’s width.
“Mm?!”
Zhang Guanyu was frustrated that his sword strike had failed. He did not believe that there was some evil force at hand, and he raised his sword to strike again!
Chi chi chi chi chi chi!
In that moment, not even Zhang Guanyu knew how many sword stabs he had made. His sword had completely integrated into the wind; there was only a blurry mirage of sword light, the sword blade had already completed vanished from sight!
Seeing only sword light and not the sword blade was already a very high boundary of swordsmanship. But one could actually not clearly see the sword light from Zhang Guanyu’s sword!
Such a terrifyingly quick sword light enveloped Lin Ming from all sides. But in this moment, Lin Ming’s figure also blurred, and a thick stack of afterimages appeared around his body!
In the midst of these afterimages, Lin Ming looked like he moved, but also like he didn’t move. But what was without a doubt was that Zhang Guanyu’s sword stabs had all missed!
“This… this is… what’s going on?” Murong Zi had turned silly as she hid in that corner watching this decisive battle. Lin Ming had obviously been shrouded in so many sword lights, and yet not even a single hair of his had been touched; he was completely unscathed!
“Whats going on? He’s dodged everything!” Bai Jingyun deeply inhaled, trying to keep her trembling voice as calm as possible.
Lin Ming’s movements were just too terrifying!
Those martial artists familiar with movement abilities knew that this sword light was impossible to dodge with speed when it showered down like sword rain. The faster one’s sword drew to the limit of speed, the less time there would be to dodge and the shorter gap between each sheen of sword light. Not only that, but the sword light was chaotic, without almost any dead angle. To escape such sword light, one had to be at least as fast as that sword light!
To accomplish this task of dodging the sword light, one also had to have extremely accurate eyesight, near instantaneous keen judgment, and the ability to control one’s movement at the microscopic level, where one had exquisite control over every part of the body. They would have to make numerous short and quick movements in a split second in order to dodge that sword light!
Lin Ming’s thick stack of fuzzy afterimages were because he had made so many brief and rapid movements, that it left behind a visual afterimage in that 1/10 of a second in a person’s iris!
This was simply the pinnacle of movement!
But Lin Ming, why would he have such ghostly movement speed?
Those young elites present were knowledgeable, if Bai Jingyun could think of this, then so could they. They knew how difficult a task this would be too dodge such a crowded sea of sword light.
“Who? Just who said that Lin Ming is weak? He needs to open his damn eyes to see. Could this really be called a ‘weak point’?” The one speaking was the Heavenly Abode disciple ranked fourth on the ranking stone. He knew that Lin Ming’s previous assessment on the Ranking Stone had been sixth place. He didn’t think that after several days, Lin Ming’s strength would overtake his own. But now, looking at the present, his idea was simply a joke!
“How can this be!?” I remember that in the past Lin Ming rarely moved on the battlefield. His basic fighting method was to meet an opponent’s toughness head on. Moreover, what he cultivations is the ‘Foundation Movement Technique’; how can it possibly be that quick!?” An aristocratic junior said. He was the one that had spoken out loud that Lin Ming’s weakness was his low speed.
“You’re too stupid. Would you dare to say that Lin Ming’s ‘Foundation Spear Technique’ is also weak? As for him not moving on the battlefield, that is obviously because of how weak his previous opponents were. There was no need for Lin Ming to display his terrifying movement skills.”
A prominent Linmaniac plausibly responded.
He had an ominous aura that was motionless like a mountain, amazing strength, incomparably thick true essence, and simultaneously a peerless speed. He simply did not have a single weakness. Facing such an abnormal beast, how could one fight him?
The fight on the military field was becoming increasingly intense; it was top movements against top movements. Zhang Guanyu’s sword speed was accelerating, becoming more and more swift and violent, and the sword lights interweaved to a point where not even raindrops could enter!
The countless sword lights had already split the military field into broken pieces. The stones under Lin Ming’s feet were already broken to the point they could not be broken anymore; the largest fragment was the size of a fingernail.
However, even under the aggression of such a violent blade storm, Lin Ming was casually strolling like he was taking a walk through a park. His steps had completely integrated into the concept of wind, and it was impossible to catch his exact location.
Zhang Guanyu’s sword light seemed to create a dense crisscrossed net, but there was always a first and a last sword stroke. Lin Ming was able to exploit this small difference in time, and his movements were like passing clouds and flowing water, acutely smooth and incomparably gentle. It was as if he wasn’t even dodging the sword, but instead the approaching sword wind would blow him away.
Murong Zi stared with a vacant expression, eyes growing wide. She murmured, “It’s impossible, no matter how fierce that farm animal is, the movement ability he chose is only the ‘Foundation Movement Technique’. How can the ‘Foundation Movement Technique’ possibly have such speed?”
Murong Zi’s question was also Bai Jingyun’s question. She also thought it was strange; since when had Lin Ming learnt such an extremely formidable movement ability?
But at this moment, a fresh and pleasant voice said, “Lin Ming is using the ‘Foundation Movement Technique’.”
Murong Zi turned her head to see that the one speaking was Qin Xingxuan.
At this time, Qin Xingxuan was looking towards the center of the field, and her eyes were filled with admiration and praise.
“The ‘Foundation Movement Technique’? No way!” Murong Zi would rather be beaten to death than believe such propaganda. She also had some understanding of the ‘Foundation Movement Technique’. Lin Ming’s movements were completely different from the ‘Foundation Movement Technique’, and moreover, would the ‘Foundation Movement Technique’ have such strangely abnormal speed?
But as Bai Jingyun followed this point mentioned by Qin Xingxuan, she felt a faint hint of discovery. She looked again at Lin Ming’s movements, and her complexion rapidly began to devolve into inexplicable horror, “It… it really… really is the ‘Foundation Movement Technique’! Lin Ming’s movements are all steps from the ‘Foundation Movement Technique’! But, each step has been reduced to the lowest possible limit, and the speed of each step approaches the ultimate boundary!”
“Yes, that’s it. Qin Xingxuan nodded.
What Lin Ming was displaying really was the ‘Foundation Movement Technique’. What ‘Golden Roc Shattering the Void’ stressed was comprehension of the concept and revolution of true essence. There were no requirements as to the required movements. To put it plainly, movement abilities that required certain steps were all mediocre garbage that belonged to offshoot branches. The truly formidable movement abilities all relied on comprehending the concept.
As for the order of steps, it was arbitrary, and one could move as they pleased. If a movement ability was defined by how a martial artist’s steps were, then it would inevitably become a shackle to that martial artist; how could it possibly display movement like passing clouds and flowing waters, where one’s movement was like leisurely strolling through the yard?
Lin Ming had already comprehended the concept of wind, thus every step he took was filled the same lofty grace. He had chosen the “Foundation Movement Technique’ only to conceal the ‘Golden Roc Shattering the Void’.
Under such an intense battle of speed, both persons consumed a large amount of energy, especially Zhang Guanyu. His movements were larger and flashier than Lin Ming’s, and he was also the one attacking, his consumption of true essence and physical strength was higher. After several dozen breaths, Zhang Guanyu’s true essence began to show signs of exhaustion. At that moment, Lin Ming took one step forward and thrust out his spear!
Clang!
There was a harsh grating sound of metal colliding with metal, and Zhang Guanyu suddenly froze. His sword was set in front of his body, blocking Lin Ming’s spear.
Zhang Guanyu was startled and uncertain as he looked at Lin Ming. He had just been about to revolve more true essence and release a new round of offensive attacks, but Lin Ming had suddenly struck out at his heart with his spear!
In the throes of such fast movements, Zhang Guanyu’s ability to dodge should have been very strong. He should have been able to easily avoid the spear like Lin Ming had avoided his sword. He did not know why, but Lin Ming’s spear seemed to follow his movements and rush toward his heart, so Zhang Guanyu had no choice but to lift his sword to fend it.
But how could a soft sword block a heavy spear?
Zhang Guanyu could only pour a vast amount of true essence into the sword blade, and the result was that his blood was sent tumbling in his effort to block the spear, and his bodily flow was sent into a maddening disorder.
“He saw through my movements? Impossible! The movement ability I study comes from the Seven Profound Valleys’ top-tier movement technique ‘Shadowless Acacia’. Not only that, but my movements were all erratic, and yet his spear that he sent found me; how could a thrust be so accurate?” Zhang Guanyu had a great sense of humiliating frustration in his heart. His strongest point was his speed, but in terms of speed, he had been completely suppressed by Lin Ming. He only felt that the dazzling movement abilities he displayed were like a clown in a play; it was all useless work that had been ruined by a single thrust from Lin Ming!
“You… how did you do this?”
“Your sword cut open the wind, so the wind simply betrayed you.” Lin Ming said with a slight smile. After having comprehended the concept of wind, Lin Ming did not even need to use his eyes to look at Zhang Guanyu’s movements. As long as he perceived the sensations of the wind, he was able to instantly judge Zhang Guanyu’s position and path of movement.
Zhang Guanyu certainly could not understand the meaning behind Lin Ming’s words. His cheeks twitched and he coldly said, “Just some misleading tricks!”
“You truly let me be startled very much. Good, very good! I will put forth my complete strength to kill you!” Zhang Guanyu extended his left hand’s index and middle finger. He cut it with his longsword, and a wisp of fresh blood left his body and entered into the blade.
At the same time, Zhang Guanyu’s face began to turn a rosy red. And from that rosy red he turned to the color of jade. His arms began to turn translucent, as if there were lights in body.
“’Divine Acacia Power’! This is the ‘Divine Acacia Power’!” Those present that had a wide range of knowledge immediately recognized what cultivation method it was that Zhang Guanyu had displayed at this time.
“The Seven Profound Valleys’ ‘Divine Acacia Power’! This is a cultivation method that is only passed down to core disciples; not even the Heavenly Abode disciples of the Seven Profound Martial House may learn it. Lin Ming is in danger!”
The ‘Divine Acacia Power’ had deep true essence, and its moves were all sinister and ruthless. After Zhang Guanyu displayed the ‘Divine Acacia Power’, it immediately brought a strange aura. This aura was not formidable, yet there was an alternating bizarre coldness of the loins and burning of the breath. It made one experience countless illusions, almost causing the mind to fall.
“So formidable!”
The young elites present were not some average people of low ability, but still, facing this kind of weird imposing aura from Zhang Guanyu, they were actually forced to stimulate true essence within their entire bodies to barely resist the attack of this aura.
Just seeing this aura caused them to revolve true essence throughout their entire bodies to just barely resist. If one were to face Zhang Guanyu’s attack head on, how would they be able to fight back?
“This is the ‘Divine Acacia Power’?” Facing Zhang Guanyu’s bizarre aura, Lin Ming began to revolve the true essence within the tiny units in his body. True essence filaments emerged from his body and easily tore apart this strange aura, shattering it into nihility.