Shadow Training & The Synergy of Abilities

In the middle of the night, deep within the Green Abyss Forest, the sounds of quick swipes and swift punches and kicks can be heard.

Zhou Lin is facing someone, or the apt term is practicing through his imagination. His eyes can see the perfect replica of one of the Cultivators who fought on the tournament this morning, and he is fighting him. Feeling very surprised at the life-like reaction of the person he is imagining.

They are swinging their sword at him, though his reaction seems to be faster than the one he is imagining. He only needs to lean to the side, before using his Qi to quickly dash to his opponent's face.

With a quick hook to the left, the imaginary opponent fell to the ground with a resounding thud. Something that he only imagined in his mind.

The feeling of punching the cultivator to the face felt so real despite it only being a product of his mind. This shows that the maxed out Shadow Training is really useful for him when he wanted to train.

It accurately simulates what he wanted even if he didn't know their personalities. It felt like fighting them face to face without the original person knowing about it at all.

He has been fighting these imaginary battles for awhile now. He has defeated every cultivator on the tournament. Even the so-called prodigies are nothing to him with his skills.

"Then... I think I should try that next." He muttered to himself.

Then he once again simulated the Cultivators. Though this time he wanted to train against all of them at the same time.

Sixty four cultivators with differing backgrounds and appearances all appeared on his surroundings. Their expression are cold or furious based on how he imagined them to be.

"Bastard! Your courting death!"

They can even shout things like that like they are truly going to a battle to the death to him.

He didn't really care what his imaginary opponent is saying and decided to recall some things like the way those cultivators uses their Qi.

They might be very inefficient when using their Qi, but they have some techniques which enables them to cause supernatural attacks like coating their fist in flames, releasing sword intent, creating gale of winds, etc. He wanted to learn it.

He remembers how they control their Qi, though he seems to be missing some key components. They are doing something through their own breathing, the movement of their muscles and limbs, and even something else he don't know about.

First of all, he wanted to try some of it. Use his Qi the same way they flowed it through their veins, and let it come to his fist as he goes on the attack to strike the cultivator in front of him.

They are just cultivators whom he didn't really care about. He don't even know their name, so he can only see them as some faceless mob from the street.

With a quick punch laced with his Qi, the head of that cultivator exploded. The strength of his punch even causing a sonic boom that destroys the tree behind the downed enemy.

He didn't stop even when he felt surprised at his attack. He transitions to a swirl of his feet, turning around to slam both of his palm to the sword cultivator who sneaks behind him. That sword cultivator was blown away with his Qi infused attack.

Two more strikes at him on both sides. With the use of Martial Arts, he sides step both of their swings and then punches their head brutally. As their heads are rolling on the air, the others were unperturbed as they continue their attack on him.

His thought process are moving at a faster rate, making things more slower to him than it seems. The way his opponent moves felt like they aren't moving at all. He can proudly say that he will have enough time pouring himself his tea due to how slow they are with his perception.

This is why he also have a lot of leeway to contemplate about things. Like how he can waste some time looking at the prompt that appeared in front of his eyes.

[You learned an Ability, Supreme Martial Arts]

When he learned that ability, the knowledge of what it entails struck his mind. It immediately dawns on him why he manages to learn it.

It's basic principle is basically the way to use any forms of mortal martial arts and complimenting it with the masterful control of internal Qi. If Martial Arts is the combat techniques of the Mortals, then Supreme Martial Arts can be considered the combat techniques only reserved for Cultivators.

'I see.... so by combining two abilities I can acquire new abilities!' He thought in surprised and amazement.

This is a great discovery. He might have failed replicating the techniques of the cultivators he just watched this morning, but discovering another way to acquire new abilities is a good thing for him.

He quickly looks at his status.

[Status]

Points: 22,300 (1/s) (+)

Physical Rank: Lower Stage Bone & Marrow Improvement (+)

Cultivation Rank: 1st Stage Nature Realm (+)

Spiritual Rank: Quarter Stage Silver Core (+)

[Technique]

(Grade 98) Divine Sense X

(Grade 98) Presence Concealment X

(Grade 99) Appraisal X

(Grade 99) Defensive Aura X

(Grade 99) Enhanced Strikes X

(Grade 99) Pitch Control X

(Grade 99) Sprint X

[Abilities]

(Rank 95) Lightning Resistance II (+)

(Rank 97) Supreme Martial Arts I (+)

(Rank 99) Qi Manipulation X

(Rank 99) Shadow Training X

(Rank 100) Martial Arts X

(Rank 100) Mortal Bodybuilding X

(Rank 100) Thought Acceleration X

He was surprised to see that it was actually a Rank 97 Ability. This meant it was a superior ability than even his cultivator techniques like Divine Senses. Upgrading it will be costly, as it starts with 1,000 Points. Though he is sure he only needs to wait half a day to maxed it out.

He decided to just do that tomorrow as he didn't have enough points currently. He turns his attention back to his imagined enemies and grinned at them.

"Let's try and see how powerful is this!"

He quickly uses the knowledge he got from the Supreme Martial Arts ability, and quickly got in front of the imaginary Zhu Lingli. He blows her away with ease through a single palm strike, and saw the imaginary female cultivator slamming against many trees.

The trees are also destroyed in real life, not just through his imagination. Showing the force of his palm strike and how the energy of his strike pierces a straight line.

"Amazing!" He exclaims in surprised.

The difference between the normal Martial Arts and the Supreme Martial Arts is like heaven and earth. One is only used to move normally without any mystical effects, the other fully uses the strength of a cultivator to achieve more devastating and efficient results.

It only took awhile before he manages to destroy all of his imagined opponents.

"So this is how strong am I...." He muttered under his breath. Surprised and excited at his quick growth.

He looks at the night sky. Seeing that it's getting really late.

"I still need to learn about how they can change their Qi into elemental ones... I'll do that next time."

With that, his little training session is over.