I Can Merge Techniques

Meanwhile, Zhao Tianxing, who had been training diligently on his own, saw this and his eyes suddenly lit up.

He immediately stopped what he was doing and trotted over, his face alight with excitement.

What Zhao Tianxing was practicing was the new version of the Moon Eclipse Arrow that Chu Fan had passed on to him after its Second Limit Break.

Its power and intricacy far surpassed anything he had learned before.

For days, he had been so engrossed in it that he’d forgotten to eat or sleep, and he hadn’t dared to disturb Chu Fan.

Now that he saw Chu Fan practicing his archery, how could he possibly miss it?

Seeing his expectant expression, Chu Fan couldn’t help but smile.

He drew a straight Purple Bamboo Arrow from his quiver,

and began to explain the true meaning of the Arrow Dao to Zhao Tianxing in a gentle and steady voice:

"The way of the bow and arrow is founded on ’stillness.’ This is the beginning of all techniques..."

"If your stance is unsteady, your body is like a candle in the wind, and your arrow cannot be aimed true."

"If your gaze is not focused, your mind will be restless, and the bullseye will be hard to distinguish."

"If your heart is not clear, distracting thoughts will arise, and the arrow will not fly straight..."

Chu Fan’s voice seemed to possess a strange Magic Power, causing Zhao Tianxing to hold his breath without realizing it.

"Therefore, to master the Moon Eclipse Arrow, first practice the ’steadiness’ of your Body Technique—stand like a pine, move like a sparrow. When you step, your body must not sway, so your bow frame remains as steady as a rock."

"Then, practice the ’focus’ of your mind—do not rush to fire when drawing the bow, and do not worry about hitting the target when releasing the arrow. Let the bowstring tremble and the arrow fly; hold only to the single thought of ’striking the mark’..."

He paused, then changed his tone, elevating the way of the bow to the level of military strategy:

"Compared to the fierce clash of swords and sabers, archery emphasizes the strategy of ’striking first from afar.’ There is no need for close combat; a single feathered arrow can neutralize a threat from a hundred paces. There is no need for physical contact; a single focused thought can convey intent over a thousand miles."

"Thus, a student of warfare who only knows fists, feet, and melee weapons but has not studied the bow is like one who looks at a mountain and sees only the peaks, not the sea of clouds. They lack the ’wisdom of foresight’ and the tactical completeness of ’using softness to overcome hardness, and distance to control the near.’"

Not far away, Mo Yunzi, who had just returned from an outing, happened upon this scene. Her eyes went wide, and she froze completely.

Since joining the Seven Stars Gang, she had seen Zhao Tianxing practice archery and had been secretly amazed by his superb precision.

’But I never expected the Young Master to be an expert in archery as well!’

’From the looks of it, not only does he know it, but he’s also teaching Zhao Tianxing, whose archery is already extraordinary?’

’This... How is this possible!’

Disbelief filled Mo Yunzi’s eyes.

She quietly suppressed her breath and stood at the edge of the Martial Arts Arena, staring intently at the figure under the moonlight.

The Sunset Bow in Chu Fan’s hands seemed to have merged with him, like a natural extension of his arm.

He took a half step forward with his left foot, his right foot planted firmly on the ground, which was damp with a thin layer of frost. His body sank slightly, like an ancient, gnarled pine tree rooted in the earth.

But he did not rush to act.

First, he closed his eyes to focus his mind for a moment, his chest rising and falling slowly with his long, steady breaths.

The sound of the wind, the shadows of the trees, the faint murmur of distant voices...

It was as if he took in everything in the world, only to filter it all out the next moment.

When he opened his eyes again, his deep gaze held nothing but the target three hundred paces away—

the center of the lone target, a red dot smaller than a copper coin.

That was his entire world.

He flexed the bow.

Nocking the arrow...

The nock at the tail of the arrow lightly touched the bowstring with a soft CLICK,

landing precisely on the nocking point that only he knew.

The web of his left thumb was slightly open as he steadily cradled the bow’s grip. The tip of his index finger lightly touched the base of the arrowhead, just for that initial moment, using the most subtle touch to confirm that the arrow’s position relative to the bow was perfect.

Hooking the string...

The pads of three fingers on his right hand settled into the bowstring’s groove, their pressure even and stable.

His right elbow naturally rose to shoulder height, creating a stable and powerful baseline for the draw.

Drawing the bow...

Surging Primordial Qi flooded from the core of his torso into his arms like a tide!

Under the immense tension, the body of the Sunset Bow emitted a faint, pleasant hum.

At that moment, the accumulated power reached its peak!

Under the watchful eyes of Mo Yunzi and Zhao Tianxing, every one of Chu Fan’s movements was smooth and precise, carrying a unique rhythm born of countless repetitions.

The entire world seemed to have blurred into the background in his eyes.

All that remained was the invisible line, stretched to its absolute limit, connecting his fingertips, the bowstring, and the target.

His gaze was like a drawn sword, locked deadly still on the center of the target!

"TWANG—"

The deep, powerful vibration of the bowstring sent invisible ripples through the quiet night.

The next moment, with a dull THUD,

the arrow, with its black shaft and white fletching, was already embedded precisely in the center of the target.

The immense force drove the arrow more than halfway in. Only the tail continued to tremble from the impact, emitting a faint, sustained hum.

Chu Fan’s movements quickened as he loosed arrow after arrow!

SWISH! SWISH! SWISH!

The arrows tore through the air, each one striking the bullseye with perfect accuracy!

’This... This archery... It’s incredible!’

Mo Yunzi’s beautiful eyes were wide, and her breath caught in her throat.

She was a worldly person, but she had never seen such perfect archery!

From preparation to release, the entire process was as smooth as flowing water, filled with an indescribable sense of beauty and power.

It was as if he wasn’t shooting an arrow, but performing a solemn ritual!

...

More than an hour passed in a flash.

Chu Fan tirelessly repeated the motions of drawing his bow and shooting, seeking perfection with every arrow.

As the last arrow left his hand and struck the bullseye, a notification finally appeared in his mind.

[Moon Eclipse Arrow Experience Points +7]

["Moon Eclipse Arrow" has reached its limit. Spend 150 Spiritual Essence to perform a Limit Break?]

’This moment has finally come!’

Chu Fan tilted his head back slightly, gazing at the starry sky. With a single thought, he commanded, ’Break the Limit!’

As the Spiritual Essence was consumed, an incredibly profound sensation instantly swept through his entire Sea of Consciousness—

The Moon Eclipse Arrow... Third Limit Break!

Countless past scenes of him shooting arrows replayed in his mind like a bursting dam.

Every arrow he had ever loosed was replayed in slow motion in the depths of his Sea of Consciousness.

The deviation of his arm when exhausted, the swaying of the arrow shaft in a strong wind, the minuscule errors caused by a wavering mind...

Images from thousands of draws flooded his mind, every minute mistake appearing with the clarity of a line carved by an Engraving Knife:

A knuckle hooking the string a fraction deeper, an elbow raised a few millimeters higher, an exhalation a moment too soon;

Even the almost imperceptible, superfluous tremble as the arrow left the string...

These once-overlooked flaws now converged into a chaotic torrent.

From within the chaos, a cool stream of energy arose from his spiritual altar,

like brilliant moonlight cascading from the highest heavens, instantly illuminating all his errors.

The places of deviation and distortion seemed to be gently corrected by an invisible hand;

those moments of flawed timing were also silently mended by a mysterious power.

The accumulation of countless quantitative changes had finally triggered a miraculous qualitative transformation!

CRACK!

A sound like shackles shattering deep within his soul echoed through Chu Fan’s entire being!

The Limit Break for Moon Eclipse Arrow was a success, revealing a new horizon in his Arrow Dao!

[Skill: Moon Eclipse Arrow (Third Limit Break 2/5000) (Traits: Soul Split; Breaking Gang; Annihilation)]

[Annihilation: Condenses the intent of "extermination" into a single arrow. Once loosed, the arrow locks onto the enemy’s aura. The karmic link is set; unless they are a great power whose Realm is far superior to yours and can forcibly block or erase causality with absolute strength, it is impossible to evade. Upon impact, the "Annihilation" property of the arrow strongly suppresses the enemy’s recovery—flesh, Primordial Qi, and Divine Soul are all restrained. Wounds become difficult to heal, and a desperate end is inevitable!]

Gazing at the incomparably domineering new Trait on his panel,

Chu Fan’s chest heaved slightly with excitement, and a terrifying light glinted in his eyes.

’The karmic link is set, impossible to evade!’

’It suppresses all recovery!’

Although Chu Fan knew many of the Trait’s descriptions seemed exaggerated,

there was no doubt that this new Trait was stronger than Soul Split and Breaking Gang!

Moreover, these Traits weren’t independent; they could be stacked!

’Now this, this is a true killing arrow!’

Suddenly, the image of Princess Zhaohua from the valley surfaced in Chu Fan’s mind...

The Commandery Princess’s sword was indeed terrifyingly powerful, but in Chu Fan’s opinion, her movements were a bit slow.

It seemed she had to gather her strength before she could unleash that earth-shattering strike.

That was why, as the sword fell, he had still managed to do several things...

Shoot an arrow.

Lie down.

Summon his great shield...

Perhaps Princess Zhaohua’s sword strike, like the Annihilation Trait he had just obtained, could also lock onto an enemy’s aura, preventing them from escaping in the short term.

’But if I encounter such an expert and that kind of attack again...’

’If I shoot first, aiming not at the Sword Qi, but at the person wielding the sword...’

’Could she dodge that arrow?’

Chu Fan shook his head.

Whenever he encountered a powerful opponent, he would subconsciously imagine countering them with his various Martial Arts...

But the gap between his Cultivation Realm and Princess Zhaohua’s was vast. Even with the Third Limit Break of his Moon Eclipse Arrow, it was almost impossible to threaten her with this archery skill.

His greatest strength right now was his defense, which was why he had been able to withstand her sword strike.

However, his offensive capabilities were limited by his Divine Power Realm Primordial Qi. Even with many powerful Traits stacked together, it was difficult to threaten an expert of her caliber.

It was just like when he had first met Baili Bing; even the Extreme Cold Qi and Yellow Springs Death Qi from his Extreme Night Cold Prison Hand couldn’t break through her Protective Primordial Qi.

’I still need to keep working hard and improving.’

Chu Fan walked into the house, took out the books Baili Bing had brought from Medicine King Valley, and began to read.

[Literacy Experience Points +2]