Becoming a Saint Starting with the Chasing Wind Leg Technique

Chapter 121 Locking in Pingtian Gate in Advance

From that day on, Song Jing entered a period of almost self-torture-like, frantic cultivation.

He meticulously planned his time each day down to the hour, devoting all his remaining time, except for necessary meals, sleep, and short periods of rest, to honing his skills.

As dawn broke, he was already in a secluded valley behind the Chasing Wind Martial Arts School, holding a white waxwood staff, practicing the Wildfire Spear Technique over and over again.

From the initial stance of "Sparkling Fire" to the ultimate killing move of "Burning the Sky and Boiling the Sea," the Three Warriors' Six Styles of Spear Technique cycle endlessly.

He was no longer satisfied with merely resembling the moves; he sought to achieve a spiritual connection with the opponent.

He imagined himself wielding a truly blazing divine spear capable of incinerating the eight wastelands, pushing his understanding of the "wildfire" concept, his control over the transformation of strength and softness, and the coordination of his footwork and spear thrust to the limit.

The sound of the wooden pole cutting through the air gradually changed from a "whoosh" to a sharp, piercing shriek, and eventually, it even seemed to be accompanied by the force of wind and thunder, incorporating the insights of the Wind and Thunder Leg Technique.

Wherever the gunfire swept, vegetation was broken, and shallow trenches were carved into the ground. Sweat poured down like rain, only to be quickly dried by the rising heat.

In the afternoon, he switched to practicing the Nine Shadow Steps.

Whether in courtyards, on rooftops, or even sometimes venturing into the city's intricate alleyways, honing their skills in real-world combat environments.

He brought the speed and agility of the Chasing Wind Leg Technique to its fullest potential, constantly trying to integrate its essence into the illusion and change of the Nine Shadow Steps.

His figure flickered like a ghost, and the number of afterimages gradually increased from one or two to three or four, and the time they stayed also increased from an instant to half a breath and then a breath.

His precise control over his qi and blood reached an astonishing level, enabling him to complete the bursts, circulation, and recycling of qi and blood between different meridians in his legs in an extremely short time, supporting high-frequency and highly difficult movement techniques. In the darkness of night, his figure often transformed into a blurry phantom, leaving dazzling trails in a small area, as if several Song Jings were moving simultaneously.

Nighttime is the time for practicing the Golden Bell Cover and the Wind and Thunder Leg Technique.

By continuously nourishing and tempering the body with abundant qi and blood, one can solidify the foundation for great achievements and penetrate to deeper levels.

The Wind and Thunder Leg technique erupted in the night with a thunderous and lightning-like momentum, further refining the explosive and penetrating power.

The medicinal power of the two Qi and Blood Pills became the foundation for him to sustain this high-intensity cultivation. The pure and abundant Qi and blood, like an inexhaustible spring, allowed him to maintain his peak condition for a long time, and his mental and physical exhaustion could be quickly restored.

He was like a dried-up sponge, greedily absorbing the medicinal power and transforming it into real progress in his cultivation.

He could feel that his strength was undergoing subtle yet gratifying changes almost every day. His Wildfire Spear Technique had rapidly become more refined from its initial awkwardness, with increasingly fluid transitions between spear techniques, and his understanding of the "Wildfire" concept was deepening day by day. His Nine Shadow Steps had improved even more significantly, with his ability to create afterimages becoming more and more skillful. The pale golden luster of his Golden Bell Shield was restrained, yet its defensive power steadily increased.

The power of the Wind and Thunder Leg Technique also increases due to the abundance of Qi and blood.

However, he also clearly sensed that as his cultivation deepened, especially with his study of the two profound techniques, Nine Shadow Step and Wildfire Spear Technique, the rate at which his Qi and Blood Pills were being consumed far exceeded his expectations.

The potent medicinal power provided by those two pills is visibly diminishing.

He practiced asceticism until late at night on the twentieth day.

The bright moon hung high in the sky, its clear light bathing the backyard of the Chasing Wind Martial Arts School.

After twenty consecutive days of intense, sleepless cultivation, even with the support of Qi and Blood Pills, Song Jing's face still showed signs of exhaustion. However, his eyes were brighter and sharper than ever before, as if two flames were burning deep within his pupils.

He stood quietly in the courtyard, adjusting his breathing to bring himself to peak condition. Within his body, the last trace of the Qi and Blood Pill's medicinal power flickered like a candle in the wind, on the verge of being extinguished.

However, his mind was exceptionally focused. The various insights he had gained about the true meaning of "speed" in the Chasing Wind Leg Technique, along with his understanding of the Nine Shadow Steps after twenty days of arduous training, were like two surging rivers converging, colliding, and merging at this moment.

The Chasing Wind Leg Technique's speed lies in "riding the wind," and its essence lies in "agility." It pursues the seamless transition between straight-line speed and changing moves, representing the ultimate in "movement."

The Nine Shadow Steps are characterized by their speed of "explosiveness" and their intent of "unpredictability." They pursue the ghostly maneuvering within a small space and the deceptive afterimages that are indistinguishable from reality. They represent the ultimate transformation of "stillness accumulating power and dynamic explosion."

"The wind has no fixed direction, and the shadow has no constant shape—speed, slowness, illusion, and reality all depend on one's mind—" Song Jing's mind was filled with inspiration.

He suddenly realized that the two were not opposites, but could complement each other.

The "movement" of chasing the wind can provide a wider space for maneuver and a faster starting speed for the "transformation" of the nine shadows; the "stillness of accumulating power" and "illusion" of the nine shadows can add more unpredictable changes and deceptive means to the "movement" of chasing the wind.

"Now is the time!"

In a flash, Song Jing made his decision.

Without any earth-shattering fanfare, he simply took a half-step forward with his left foot with remarkable lightness, as if walking normally.

But just as his foot was about to touch the ground, "whoosh!"

Suddenly, a solid figure, identical to him and even with the exact direction of his flowing robes, appeared in the same spot! It was as if he had never left, still standing there lost in thought.

Song Jing's true form was pulled by an invisible force and instantly appeared three zhang to his right. At the same time, a second and a third figure, with slightly different postures but equally clear, appeared on his left and behind him almost simultaneously!

The three afterimages echoed the first one, sealing off all directions.

This is not the end.

Without pausing, Song Jing used the momentum from his first burst of speed to tap the ground several times with his right toe at a frequency imperceptible to the naked eye, blurring his figure once again.

"Swish! Swish!"

The fourth and fifth afterimages, accompanied by his real body making two short, ghostly turns, suddenly appeared beside the courtyard wall and the artificial hill.

These two afterimages were not as solid as the previous three, appearing somewhat illusory, but their angles of appearance were extremely tricky, enough to disrupt any opponent's judgment in battle.

Finally, Song Jing's true form drifted back to the center of the courtyard like a wisp of smoke. Near the spot where he initially started, a sixth faint, rapidly dissipating phantom perfectly confirmed his inexplicable movement trajectory.

With each step, six shadows appear, making it difficult to distinguish the real from the fake; an unparalleled ghost!

"Nine Shadow Steps, Minor Completion!" Song Jing stood still, his body stiff, and slowly uttered these words. An indescribable feeling of exhilaration and power swept over his entire body.

He succeeded!

Not only did he advance the Nine Shadow Steps to a minor level, enabling him to create six afterimages, but more importantly, he successfully incorporated the essence of "speed" and "agility" from the Chasing Wind Leg Technique into the Nine Shadow Steps system.

This gives his Nine Shadow Steps a unique flavor in terms of explosive speed and agility compared to the simple inheritance of the Gale Martial Arts School. Now his short-range burst and evasion abilities have reached a whole new level.

He was confident that with his newly mastered Nine Shadow Steps, he would be no less fast than an ordinary early-stage Body Refining Realm martial artist who had not cultivated top-level speed techniques. He might even be able to win by using his unpredictable movements!

"That was exhilarating! Truly exhilarating!" Song Jing couldn't help but let out a long, clear, and stirring cry that carried far across the silent night sky, startling several roosting birds in the nearby treetops.

Twenty days of arduous practice, neglecting sleep and meals, and countless failures and attempts, have finally yielded fruitful results at this moment!

The feeling of overcoming obstacles and leaping forward in strength through one's own perseverance, wisdom, and resources is truly exhilarating and inspiring.

The whistling gradually subsided, and the courtyard returned to silence.

His clothes were already soaked with sweat, and the night breeze brought a slight chill.

Song Jing slowly exhaled a breath of turbid air, which was faintly tinged with a light red, a sign that his blood and qi had reached their peak and been refined to remove subtle impurities.

However, as he exhaled, he clearly felt that the last trace of the medicinal power of the Qi and Blood Pill—the "flame" that had been burning within him for twenty days, supporting his breakthrough—had finally been extinguished and dissipated completely. A faint sense of emptiness quietly spread from the depths of his body.

It wasn't the weakness from the injury, but rather the feeling of unease and disparity when suddenly returning from a high-speed state of "stepping on the gas pedal to the floor" to "normal cruising".

The excitement on Song Jing's face gradually faded, and his brows furrowed slightly.

He walked to the stone bench in the courtyard and sat down, looking up at the bright moon in the sky, his heart filled with turmoil.

"The pills—are all used up." He muttered to himself, his tone tinged with helplessness and urgency.

We already owe Senior Sister Li Ling Shuang a favor.

Two Qi and Blood Pills helped him break through to the minor completion stage of the Nine Shadow Steps; this sentiment was truly profound.

Moreover, Senior Sister Li herself needs resources for cultivation, and the amount is probably limited.

"Without a continuous supply of pills, my cultivation speed will likely plummet," Song Jing calmly assessed the situation. The Qi and Blood Pills not only improve cultivation efficiency but also shorten recovery time, allowing him to engage in more intensive and prolonged training. Losing the pills means his daily effective cultivation time will be significantly reduced, and his comprehension of advanced techniques will slow down.

"The martial arts competition is still a little over a month away—" he silently calculated. His progress in the Wildfire Spear Technique was rapid, but he was still some distance from achieving mastery, and he estimated that he would need to work hard again.

The Golden Bell Shield technique is now fully mastered and stable, but further advancement requires accelerated resource acquisition. The Wind Chasing Leg Technique is complete, and the Wind and Thunder Leg Technique is at its peak; this forms the foundation. The Nine Shadow Steps, though only partially mastered, is the biggest surprise and a crucial trump card.

He compared his own strength with those of the inner city's prodigies described by Lu Beichen.

The four heroes of the inner city—Zhao Yuanqing, Qian Rushan, Sun Sihai, and Li Qingmei—have all broken through to the mid-stage of the Flesh Refining Realm.

They cultivate the top-tier techniques passed down through their families, mastering at least one of them, and some even specialize in the Mountain-Splitting Axe Technique, a technique so perfected that it yields as much wealth as a mountain.

Their weapons were all crafted by their families at great expense, with the help of master craftsmen. Some were even heirlooms worth tens of thousands of taels of silver. They were perfectly suited to their cultivation techniques and could greatly enhance their combat power.

The leading figures of the three major martial arts schools, Bai Yunfei, Lei Zhen, and Nie Feng, are all at the Body Refining Realm, with their martial arts techniques at least at the Great Perfection stage, and their weapons and armor are of excellent quality.

Lei Zhen, in particular, has reached the mid-stage of the Flesh Refining Realm and perfected the Thunderclap Palm Technique. His attack power is probably among the top ten.

Not to mention, these people have an ample supply of Qi and Blood Pills every day, or even better pills, so their cultivation never stops and their realm steadily improves.

Looking back at myself:

Realm: Late stage of Copper Skin Realm (Peak), Unresolved Body Refinement.

Skills: Chasing Wind Leg Technique (perfected, but not as good as the top-tier technique in the inner city); Wind and Thunder Leg Technique (mastered, top-tier in the outer city, and also quite good in the inner city); Golden Bell Shield (mastered, a defensive skill); Nine Shadow Steps (minor mastered, a speed advantage); Wildfire Spear Technique (beginner level, progressing towards minor mastery, a beginner).

Weapon: The custom-made top-grade blood weapon spear has not yet arrived, estimated at five thousand taels. Compared to the opponent's weapon which costs tens of thousands of taels or even a divine weapon passed down through generations, there may be differences in material, compatibility with the technique, and additional effects.

Resources: With the supply of medicinal pills cut off, the speed of subsequent cultivation is worrying.

"The gap is all-encompassing." Song Jing did not belittle himself, but soberly recognized the reality: "In terms of cultivation technique grade, years of cultivation, weapons and equipment, and daily resources, I am lagging behind in almost every aspect."

Especially his cultivation level; failing to break through the Body Refinement stage is a major weakness.

The leap from the Flesh Refining Realm to the Copper Skin Realm is a qualitative one; the difference in blood and qi, strength, true qi quality, and recovery ability is incomparable.

"With my current overall strength, if I were to face off against top figures like the Four Heroes of the Inner City or the Three Prodigies, my chances of winning would be slim."

Even against the weaker of the Eight Masters of the Inner City, or the next-tier masters from the three major martial arts schools, he would likely face a tough battle, with the outcome uncertain. He had a clear understanding of his position in the martial arts competition: "Making it into the top fifty is perhaps a more realistic goal for me. If I can perform exceptionally well and break into the top thirty, that would be an unexpected bonus."

Top ten—unless there's an extraordinary stroke of luck, or a breakthrough to the Body Refining Realm during battle, the chances are slim.

Thinking of this, Song Jing was not discouraged at all; instead, a more intense light ignited in his deep eyes.

A more steadfast flame.

"The gap exists objectively, but so what?" He clenched his fist, his knuckles turning slightly white. "My success today is not due to innate resources or background! It's due to every drop of blood and sweat, countless life-or-death struggles, and an unwavering will to never give up in dire straits!"

"They're ahead only because they started running a few years earlier than me, and they have people feeding and watering them along the way. But my legs, Song Jing's legs, are not necessarily slower than theirs!"

My willpower is no weaker than theirs! My talent is "Heaven rewards diligence," which is the fairest resource in the world!

"Give me time, and as long as I can get the same amount of clean water and dry rations, I will definitely catch up with them, and even surpass them!"

"In the martial arts competition, whether it's the top fifty, the top thirty, or even the top ten—I will give it my all without holding back! This is not just about winning a ranking for the Chasing Wind Martial Arts School, but also a test of the results of my hard training over the past year, and a stage to announce my existence to those inner city prodigies!"

More importantly—it's an essential battle for me to obtain a higher platform and richer resources!

Only by entering Pingtian Gate can I truly escape my resource predicament and compete fairly with them in a wider world!

The moonlight, like water, flowed quietly across the boy's resolute face.

That slightly slender yet ramrod straight back cast a long shadow in the moonlight, like an unyielding spear pointing straight to the sky.

Although the elixir was exhausted, the fighting spirit remained undiminished, burning even more fiercely.

Despite the gap, we are determined to reach the top and forge ahead with even greater determination.

The road ahead is long, and powerful enemies surround him, but in the young man's heart, only two words remain—

"forward!"

With ten days left, Song Jing felt his bottleneck loosening slightly. He was certain he could break through to the Body Refining Realm within those ten days—it would happen in the next few days!

[Character] Song Jing [Realm Progress] Perfected Skin Forging Realm, Late Bronze Skin Realm (95/100)

【Chasing Wind Leg Technique - Perfection】(8/100)

[Golden Bell Cover - Mastery] (10/100)

【Wind and Thunder Leg Technique - Mastery】 (10/100)

[Nine Shadow Steps - Minor Success] (1/100)

[Wildfire Spear Technique - Beginner] (20/100)

Song Jing stared at the panel, lost in thought. Pingtianmen recruits twenty people each year, and his current strength should place him in the top fifty.

Once I break through to the Flesh Refining Realm, my strength will naturally be close to the top twenty, and entering the Pingtian Gate will be a sure thing.

Who knows what kind of opportunity the captain will grant us then?

It couldn't possibly be some junk; it must be some extremely precious cultivation technique or elixir!

Thinking about this, Song Jing began to feel a sense of anticipation!