Starting with Mingyu Gong, the Soul-Chasing and Life-Stealing Technique

[Ding! This system wants the host to recognize a reality: you are a good-for-nothing, not a genius.]

Lu Chen was speechless. When did he ever call himself a genius? Or rather, where did he show any signs of genius? Couldn't he just correct it next time? Was it really necessary to drag him out and lash out at him like that?

"Tongzi, be honest, are you a man or a woman?"

[Beep, do you want to claim your reward?]

"After this dissipation of my power, won't I lose all my strength? What about my fourth level of Mingyu Gong? Am I putting the cart before the horse?"

Lu Chen was incredibly shameless. Since he didn't understand, he simply asked. This was called being humble and asking questions, a sign of good character.

The strength of the Star Absorbing Technique for you lies not in its ability to absorb energy, but in its ability to open up a new path in martial arts.

Lu Chen said, "Please explain more clearly, my knowledge is limited."

Lu Chen didn't even understand the meaning of the Mingyu Gong incantation. If it weren't for the system's instruction, he would have been busy enough at this level, let alone the fourth level. So he was relying on a cheat code; without the system, he was nothing. Of course, he was also aware of this.

[Ding, generally speaking, internal energy is stored in the dantian, similar to the Nine Yang Divine Skill you mentioned.]

The Northern Darkness Divine Art stores internal energy in the Tanzhong acupoint in the chest, using it as the sea of ​​qi, while the Star Absorbing Great Art distributes internal energy to acupoints throughout the eight extraordinary meridians. The creator of these techniques broke the long-standing rule that internal energy does not need to be stored in the sea of ​​qi, instead storing it in 360 acupoints throughout the body.

Moreover, every acupoint can store and absorb nutrients, without using hands; feet or vital points such as the chest can also be used.

Once you use internal energy to attack an enemy, you can gather the internal energy from various acupoints into one. Can you understand this martial arts concept?

Lu Chen understood somewhat. If the human body is likened to the universe, the 360 ​​acupoints in the body are like stars. Internal energy is stored in each acupoint. Once it is activated and unified, what great power it will be.

"Brother Tongzi, Ren Woxing isn't that strong, are you exaggerating?"

[Beep, I'm showing you Ren Woxing's example so you can understand the general outline of the technique. He absorbed too much power, which was impure and mixed with other techniques, which led to the backlash against him.]

This isn't to make you use him as a standard. Besides, Ren Woxing lived in a place with scarce spiritual energy; even with high talent, there are limits. If he were in this place, with his abilities and divine skills, he would still dominate the world. Moreover, you possess the Mingyu Skill. Given time, this system will help you fuse the two skills. Can you imagine?

Lu Chen's mouth was practically watering. He understood now: the Star Absorbing Technique could open another place to store internal energy, and he could directly absorb internal energy now, unlike the high requirements of the ninth level of the Bright Jade Technique.

If the two skills were combined, wouldn't it be the Mingyu Star Absorbing Skill, even better than the original?

"Brother Tongzi, does that mean that after you disperse my internal energy, my Mingyu Gong power won't disappear?"

[Ding! This system will help you disperse your internal energy with ease. After dispersing your internal energy, you only need to receive ten years of internal energy to disperse it through your meridians.]

When internal force is needed, one should lift the fist according to the law, and the strength in the eight extraordinary meridians and acupoints will still gather in the dantian and be used accordingly.

When not practicing, internal energy will be stored in the meridians and acupoints.

Your current Mingyu Gong power is only temporarily dispersed into your meridians and acupoints. It only requires a trigger to be activated again. This situation can be compared to Linghu Chong, who possessed a unique type of internal energy.

Skill is easy to acquire, but mastering martial arts knowledge and applying it in practice is like ink painting—he naturally only vaguely understood what was being said. But he felt relieved: as long as the Mingyu Skill remained, that was good.

"Come on, Brother Tong, give me the cheat code."

[Beep, beginner-level instruction in the Star Absorbing Technique]

In an instant, Lu Chen felt dizzy and as if he had fallen asleep. He felt the energy in his dantian flowing to his limbs and bones, and he felt an indescribable comfort.

There was also some mantra in my mind: "The breath in the dantian spreads to the four limbs, the qi in the chest disperses to the eight extraordinary meridians..."

The various mantras were deeply imprinted in his mind, and as the Qi in his Dantian flowed continuously, it spread into his meridians and acupoints.

Lu Chen also came to his senses: "So dispelling cultivation is this simple. System, without you, I might not have been able to dispel cultivation even in fifty years. Aren't you underestimating me? I don't think it's difficult at all."

【…】

Little did they know that the Star Absorbing Skill was created from the Northern Darkness Divine Skill passed down by the Duan family of Dali.

Both methods of absorbing internal energy originate from the same source. Unfortunately, when Duan Yu practiced the Northern Darkness Divine Art, he only cultivated the meridians in his hands that absorbed internal energy, and then destroyed the diagram. He had no way to access the other meridians.

The creator of the Star Absorbing Technique not only completed all the methods for absorbing internal energy through the meridians, but also made it possible to absorb internal energy even through the feet, and changed the way internal energy is stored.

However, both of these require the complete dissipation of one's internal energy in the dantian when first cultivating. For this one step, others often spend ten or twenty years of hard work, gradually dissipating all their internal energy bit by bit.

They were extremely cautious during the process, fearing the slightest mistake, but nine times out of ten, they still failed at the last hurdle, ending in casualties.

Therefore, the Star Absorbing Skill is extremely difficult to cultivate, and only unparalleled geniuses like Ren Woxing and Linghu Chong were able to achieve it.

Lu Chen relied entirely on the system, and didn't have to put in any effort himself, so he found it incredibly easy.

"Receive ten years' worth of internal energy and distribute it once again through your meridians."

[Beep, received]

Lu Chen felt a surge of energy flowing from Baihui (GV20) into his meridians, converging at his dantian. He immediately felt a blockage in the flow of qi and blood in his chest and abdomen: "Brother Tongzi, help me quickly!"

Immediately, I felt the internal energy in my dantian disperse into the Ren and Du meridians, as well as the Yangwei, Yinwei, Yangqiao, Yinqiao, and even the Chong and Dai meridians. My dantian felt hollow like bamboo and empty like a valley, and my whole body was invigorated, feeling indescribably happy.

Lu Chen took a deep breath and felt a surge of internal energy flowing from all his meridians. Even though it was only a part of it, the energy in his dantian was already very strong.

Lu Chen hurriedly swung his palm and struck out, a gust of wind rushing towards the window. Several feet away, the railings cracked and fell down in sections.

The power of the drink made Lu Chen's mouth dry, so he picked up a bowl to drink some water.

With a slight exertion of force, a rough earthenware bowl shattered into dozens of pieces in his hand with a series of cracking sounds.

Lu Chen was taken aback. He casually squeezed the tile again, and it shattered into fine particles.

Lu Chen was a little stunned: "Do I have that much strength in my hands right now?"

It turns out that Lu Chen's internal energy cultivation relied entirely on the system's infusion, a kind of hasty absorption, and his own internal energy cultivation was extremely limited. Little did he know that the internal energy from the previous Mingyu Gong had been dispersed into his meridians, which was itself a form of internal energy. And just now, he received ten years' worth of internal energy, stored it in his dantian, and then dispersed it into the eight extraordinary meridians, which meant he had gained another ten years' worth of internal energy.

You must understand that after practicing the Star Absorbing Technique, once your power dissipates, you must absorb internal energy again, store it in your dantian, and then guide it into your eight extraordinary meridians for your own use. However, if your own internal energy is already exhausted, then trying to absorb the internal energy of others is like throwing an egg against a rock, as the Northern Darkness Divine Art says, a great taboo, like seawater flowing back into a river, extremely dangerous.

Therefore, after the practitioner of this skill dissipates, unless someone truly sacrifices their own true energy to help them, they will secretly use cunning tricks to get the person drunk, knock them out, or bind and knock them unconscious, and then try to steal their true energy.

Lu Chen also had ten years of internal energy as a reward from the system. He dispersed it into his acupoints, and with proper use, he naturally gathered the internal energy in his acupoints into one, causing the internal energy to originate from his dantian. The more energy he gained, the stronger he became.

However, Lu Chen's power came too easily, and he couldn't adapt to it. Without deliberately restraining his strength, he used the same amount of force as when he usually holds a bowl, yet he still managed to crush the bowl.

Lu Chen finally realized that his body was not used to the sudden increase in strength. He needed to know exactly how much power he had now so that he could control it effectively.

Lu Chen hurriedly left the thatched hut and entered the forest. With a "thud," his long sword flashed like lightning, bursting forth with a burst of light.

Lu Chen, wielding a three-foot-long sword, unleashed the "Seventy-Two Paths of Soul-Chasing and Life-Taking Sword Technique".

A flash of sword light appeared, the tree was cut into several pieces, and it arrived with a roar, causing leaves to fly everywhere.

Lu Chen's sword shadow moved towards the fluttering leaves. With a few "swish... swish... swish" sounds, the leaves were already pulverized by the sword energy.

Lu Chen stopped, let out a long sigh, exhaled the stale air from his chest, sheathed his longsword, and muttered, "Am I already that powerful? I need to be more careful in the future, lest I get killed without realizing it."

Lu Chen began to circulate the internal energy of "Mingyu Gong" again and unleashed "Youlong Bagua Palm".

He turned his palms together, channeling his energy into his dantian, and his true qi circulated through the meridians of his arms, finally reaching the Laogong acupoint in his palm.

Once the true energy was fully charged, he struck out with both palms, one in front of the other, each palm spewing out a sharp stream of true energy that flashed like white light and instantly struck a rock several feet away.

With a loud "bang," pebbles flew everywhere, dust billowed out, and a large rock was shattered into pieces.

Lu Chen thought to himself, "Goodness, this can't be right. Martial arts in Jin Yong's world aren't this powerful. Could it be just a TV drama setting?"

Lu Chen knew that the worlds of Jin Yong and Gu Long were more realistic. No matter how high a character's martial arts skills were, how deep their internal strength was, or how powerful their palm strikes were, no one could use their palm strikes to smash a rock to pieces in mid-air.

However, his own technique seemed excessively powerful.

But Lu Chen thought to himself, "I've already cheated!"

In his past life, he was a loser; with the system, he became a god.

As a cheater, why would you think about those things? Isn't that just a waste of time?

Lu Chen thought again, if Li Feiyu were to fight in the future, he could use the Star Absorbing Technique to wreak havoc on the martial arts world!

As for me, Lu Chen, I'll just practice the Great Vajra Fist.

"Amitabha Buddha, the compassionate and merciful Vajra Lu greets all fellow practitioners."

Lu Chen then naturally accepted the "Great Vajra Fist".

In my mind, I saw a monk in a bow stance, a fierce wind swirling around him, his robes fluttering, his sleeves billowing.

With a twist of his waist and hips, his bones creaked and his muscles cracked, and his fists shot out with lightning speed. In an instant, waves of air surged, the ground trembled, and sand and gravel flew up. Behind the monk, a Vajra image appeared, as if Vajra was subduing demons, its power awe-inspiring.

"System, goodness, this isn't right. It's like a mythological world. Is the Great Vajra Fist really that powerful?"

"How could there be such a Dharma form? I know that Xuan Ci from the Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils didn't have this kind of formation!"

[Beep, I told you long ago, the world is different. The power that martial arts can unleash is different!]

The Seventy-Two Arts of Shaolin Temple are divine skills and unique techniques that the monks of Shaolin Temple have refined over thousands of years based on the experience of thousands of people.

In this world where spiritual energy is extremely abundant, the power is different from before.

All immortal techniques, supernatural powers, and martial arts are created by living beings. Even if the most advanced martial arts in this world were to be applied to the world of Jin Yong that you know, they could only be performed at the level of that world, and could not be performed as well as in this world.

These are the rules established by the Way of Heaven.

Just like the Monkey King you mentioned, when he arrives at a certain place and uses his golden cudgel, he can only leave a mark on a piece of iron with one blow.

It's not that he's not strong enough, but that in that place, he can only be this strong. This is the power of the rules, do you understand?

Lu Chen nodded: "In short, are we not allowed to have such an awesome person, nor are we allowed to have martial arts that are beyond the understanding of that world?"

[You are a promising young man. In the future, if you encounter people who can cross water on a boat or fly through the air, don't be surprised. You should be a knowledgeable person.]

Lu Chen replied humbly, "Understood. I want to be a person of class, and never panic no matter what happens!"

[Ding! Remember this: even the most powerful martial arts still require a person to wield them. This system can teach you martial arts and improve your skills, but the true power you unleash still depends on yourself.]

Lu Chen naturally understood that he needed to have the mindset, aura, and combat experience to match his martial arts skills.

How much of my current martial arts skill can I utilize?

I'm afraid it's less than 50%.

"Receive the Moonlit Fragrance Lightness Skill."

In my mind, I saw a handsome man with slightly slumped shoulders and a slender waist. "True energy rises from the Yongquan point, flowing along the Du meridian straight to the Baihui point."

Even without moving, the handsome man exuded an aura of elegance, his hair and clothes fluttering slightly, as if he might ride the wind away at any moment.

With a light touch of his toes, he rose into the air like a wisp of smoke, more than five or six zhang above the ground. His robes billowed like butterfly wings, and after a slight twist in the air, he had already drifted more than ten zhang away.

The moonlight was like water. He landed lightly, his toes barely touching the ground. With one step, his figure moved with the grace of a swan, instantly reaching the summit of the mountain. He stood on one foot atop the peak, his robes fluttering. The silvery moonlight bathed him, making him appear as if he were not a mortal, but a celestial being banished from the moon.

"Wow, Brother Tong, that's so cool! Can I be this good?"

[Ding, beginner level. To advance to mastery, 500 Origin Points are needed. Host does not have enough Origin Points.]

Lu Chen's lips twitched: "I need a loan."

[Beep, host's credit rating is insufficient; application unsuccessful]

Lu Chen's expression was very unpleasant: "How am I lacking in credibility?"

[Ding, the host is facing difficulties and is only interested in taking benefits without giving anything in return; this system is aware of this.]

Lu Chen had indeed thought that way. Let me explain: "As the saying goes, actions speak louder than words..."

[Ding! This system is all about the mind! Some thoughts are harmless to have, but some thoughts shouldn't even be had!]

For example, if you wanted to kill your parents, take everything from them, and make them your slaves, your beasts of burden, and you didn't, should I still praise you for being a decent human being?

Lu Chen was slightly taken aback and said, "You're just being argumentative!"

[You're the one making a fuss. Do you know why there are so many shameless people in the world? It's because of that bullshit argument that actions speak louder than words, and that no one is perfect when it comes to their heart.]

Many people harbor delusions for profit, beauty, and power, resorting to any means necessary. Some are deterred by reality and refrain from taking action. Others, however, act on these desires, resorting to any means necessary, violating human ethics, and causing numerous bloodshed incidents.

Therefore, if you currently have the mindset of avoiding trouble and disregarding morality, you might act on it if the opportunity arises.

"Fine!" Lu Chen resigned himself to his fate.

I'm convinced.

I do have some thoughts, but thinking about them won't hurt.

But some thoughts shouldn't even be thought of; to even think of them is a sin!

Lu Chen said, "Then I will rely on my own efforts to master this 'Stepping on the Moon and Leaving Fragrance' technique to the level of Chu Liuxiang, and let you see my abilities."

[Beep... Good luck...]

The system was also somewhat speechless.

It's really hard to get Lu Chen to face reality.

I wonder where he learned this shameless and inexplicable self-confidence.

The next morning, Lu Chen and the Zhou siblings ate some pancakes and drank corn porridge.

Lu Chen said, "Let's go!"

The brother and sister didn't have much to pack, just a decent set of clothes, and set off with Lu Chen.

Lu Chen said on the way, "I want to find you a place where you can learn skills. You must seize this opportunity."

He's decided to cooperate with the Demon Extermination Bureau, so handing these two over to them is fine too.

The Zhou siblings remained silent for a long time.

They all felt that the world was too dangerous. The reason for this was their own weakness. Lu Chen had taken such good care of them, and it seemed that all they could do was kowtow and express their gratitude.

Lu Chen didn't like them kowtowing.

Zhou Ermin had hoped that the girl could serve him, but Lu Chen scolded himself again.

They all understood that Lu Chen was different from other important figures; he truly treated himself as a human being.

The three were almost at the mountain god temple when they suddenly heard the sound of hooves behind them. They turned around and saw a cloud of dust rising behind them as two strong horses, one black and one red, galloped towards them.