I Can Merge Techniques

Twilight descended, the setting sun like molten gold.

Beams of light passed through the antique, carved window lattice, spilling quietly into the room.

Amid the interplay of light and shadow, a figure sat cross-legged upon a bed, his aura as profound as a silent abyss and as imposing as a towering mountain. It was none other than Chu Fan.

His eyes were shut tight, his long lashes casting a delicate shadow beneath them.

[Spiritual Essence: 4322]

[Pollution Level: 11/100]

[Cultivation: Third Heaven of Divine Power Realm]

A barely perceptible stream of air escaped from the tip of his nose, seemingly stirring the motes of dust that danced in the light...

Chu Fan slowly opened his eyes. His deep gaze held none of the elation that should follow a breakthrough. Instead, a thoughtful, somber expression flickered within them.

With a mere thought, the Nine-Petaled Jade Lotus in his hand vanished, stored away in his Sumeru Ring.

From the Second Heaven of the Divine Power Realm to his current Third Heaven, only sixteen days had passed.

If word of such cultivation speed were to get out, it would undoubtedly create colossal waves throughout the Great Yan Dynasty’s Cultivation Realm.

Countless so-called geniuses would be put to shame, their Dao hearts likely stained with doubt.

Yet Chu Fan was far from satisfied. His brow furrowed slightly. His extreme demands on his own potential made him feel an unusual sense of ’slowness’.

He was no longer the novice he once was.

He possessed a heaven-defying talent that allowed him to learn from all things and naturally internalize the rhythm of the Dao. His Comprehension had reached an unbelievable level.

He could take all things in existence as his master and perceive the Great Dao of the heavens and earth with a tranquil mind.

Moreover, he had already completed the Refinement of the Yin Demon Sect’s Nine-Petaled Jade Lotus. This meant that for his cultivation in the Divine Power Realm, he was essentially standing on the shoulders of giants, reaping the benefits of all the experience and insights gained by generations of the Yin Demon Sect’s old masters from their Visualization of the lotus.

And that wasn’t even mentioning his ample supply of Vein Opening Pills.

Furthermore, the formidable physique granted by his Vajra Undying Body made him completely immune to the excruciating, will-shattering pain of Opening Veins.

With so many top-tier resources and heaven-defying advantages stacked in his favor, it had still taken him nearly half a month to break through a single minor heaven.

’Slow. Still too slow...’

But the thought only lingered for a moment before he shook his head in self-mockery.

’Then again, it seemed reasonable.’

Over those sixteen days, he had actually spent very little time focused on breaking through to the next Cultivation Realm.

The vast majority of his time and energy had been poured into cultivating and mastering various Martial Arts techniques.

Chu Fan glanced at the panel in the depths of his consciousness.

[Technique: Silent Extinction Quicksand Technique (Perfection) Progress: (2913/3000) (Trait: None)]

[Technique: Shenxiao Imperial Golden Shield (Perfection) Progress: (2425/2500) (Trait: None)]

[Technique: Twelve True Forms Fist (First Limit Break 4179/7500) (Traits: Vajra Undying Body First Level, Immovable as a Mountain, Pillow Sea as Emperor...)]

[Technique: Nine Tribulations Blood Prison Saber (Perfection) Progress: (202/4500) (Traits: ...Blood Evil Invading God; Overlapping Waves Chasing Stars)]

[Technique: Mind Enchantment Skill (Perfection) Progress: (185/2500) (Trait: None)]

[Technique: Netherworld Soul Refining Technique (Small Success) Progress: (1500/3000) (Trait: None)]

[Technique: Netherworld Sword Prison (Entry-Level) Progress: (155/500) (Trait: None)]

[Technique: Netherworld Array (Uninitiated) Progress: (9/50) (Trait: None)]

...

Gazing at the rows of clear data, Chu Fan understood completely.

The Silent Extinction Quicksand Technique, which integrated both offense and defense, and the pure defense of the Shenxiao Imperial Golden Shield were now just one step away from Breaking their Limits, thanks to his focused efforts.

His Twelve True Forms Fist, the foundation of his physical body, and his Nine Tribulations Blood Prison Saber had also progressed remarkably. Every practice session brought new epiphanies.

Even the Mind Enchantment Skill, which he had never taken too seriously and only practiced in his spare moments, had now reached the Realm of Perfection. Its power had long surpassed that of Madam Zhang.

Of course, not all his Martial Arts could advance in tandem.

Worried it might contaminate his Cultivation, he had kept the Celestial Capital Black Flame Technique safely stored away, leaving it untouched.

Meanwhile, the Nine Heavens Wind Mastery Scripture remained stuck at the Small Success Realm, unable to advance a single step because it was too difficult to practice within the city walls.

Finally, his gaze fell upon the Netherworld Sword Prison and the Netherworld Array.

He had obtained both of these Martial Arts from the black-robed woman of the Moon Worship Sect.

The Netherworld Sword Prison was both an exquisite form of Swordsmanship and an immensely powerful Divine Technique.

Chu Fan could still vividly recall the suffocating feeling of being hunted by that colossal, sky-piercing greatsword within the All-Seeing Mirror. He also remembered the overwhelming, endless rain of dark green swords that followed...

That was the most terrifying power of the Netherworld Sword Prison.

If he hadn’t possessed a formidable physique like the Vajra Undying Body, he would have suffered a great deal.

Anyone else, even a cultivator at the Peak of the Acupoint Realm, would have faced certain death if sealed inside the All-Seeing Mirror and confronted with the Netherworld Sword Prison.

The technique’s grade was so high that it even surpassed his Nine Tribulations Blood Prison Saber.

It could be used for close-quarters combat or for wide-ranging attacks from afar. It could transform swords into mountains and condense them into a sea—its transformations were unpredictable, its power profound and limitless.

However, such a powerful Divine Technique placed incredibly strict demands on its user... It was extremely dependent on the Cultivator’s Divine Sense.

Chu Fan had attempted to cultivate it several times, only to end up frustrated on each occasion.

After just a single hour of cultivation, his sea of Divine Sense would be completely drained. His head would ring, his vision would swim with black spots, and he would be utterly exhausted.

The familiar feeling of weakness took him back to his early, difficult days in the Seven Stars Gang, when he had just begun practicing the Twelve Forms Fist.

’It seems I’ll need to advance my Cultivation further to practice this technique—I’ll have to wait until I reach the Peak of the Divine Power Realm, at the very least, before I can truly begin.’