Chapter 10

After getting to the technique hall, I didn't rush into picking anything flashy right away. Nope, instead, I decided to just take my time and scour through all the techniques I could find, taking in everything: the way each one worked, the flows, the moves, even the tiniest details. I wanted a mix of all of them in my head so that, later, when I had time, I could build my own techniques—a combination of the best ideas from everything I'd seen.

In the end, though, I didn't actually choose any technique outright, even if a few were pretty tempting. Eventually, I settled on a Mantle technique. It was kinda similar to the original protagonist's, but mine came out as Shadow Chi instead of whatever demonic or dark thing he had. I figured Shadow Chi would be a lot less obvious and would let me keep a low profile. I could always tweak things later.

I also saw the Spirit Horn technique, which I think I'll make a version of eventually. But for now, keeping things simple felt like the smarter play. No sense drawing attention to myself. I left the technique hall with my head full of ideas and memories of everything I'd seen, ready to get to work on what I'd actually use.

After leaving, the teacher who'd been running the hall introduced herself. She took me to the place I'd be staying and set me up, and then I got to work on crafting my own Chi cultivation technique. Not just some fighting move, but something that actually cultivated Chi. That took a good week to pull together, a proper technique to really circulate and grow my Chi, rather than just push it out in attacks. 

Once that was solid, I started experimenting with the moves I'd seen in the technique hall. I'd try each one, blending different types of Chi like Fire, Ice, and Earth Chi. Instead of sticking to one, though, I got something better: Chi manipulation itself. So now, instead of just controlling one type, I can manipulate just about any Chi that's out there, which makes for a lot more versatility.

For now, I'll keep an eye out for the protagonist. His cosmic Chi would be a huge boost, and I'll work on that once I can get my hands on it. But for now, my own pure Chi cultivation technique is coming together.

Now that I'd settled on my Chi cultivation technique, it was time to focus on actual combat. Not just a single move—I wanted an entire style. Something flexible that could cover all kinds of situations, not some one-hit wonder that would get stale quick. So, I started with movement techniques since that was one area I was seriously lacking in. After spending another week analysing every movement technique I'd seen so far and fusing the best parts, I ended up creating what I called *Cloud Fleeting Steps*.

Yeah, generic name, but it fits. With this, I could move crazy fast, almost as if I was walking across invisible steps on the ground. By blending my Life Force with my Chi, I got this seamless flow that let me glide across surfaces without really making contact. The technique made me feel light, almost like a cloud, and by adding in Shadow Chi, I became nearly invisible—easy to miss in a crowd, or even in broad daylight if I wanted.

Once I had movement locked down, I shifted my focus to close combat. I needed something versatile, and after looking into the fist techniques I'd found, I mixed a few styles: boxing for the footwork and speed, kickboxing for the power, and a few other bits from techniques I'd seen. The result? My own fighting technique, where each strike had a flow that let me move with my opponent, dodging and attacking like second nature. For fighting on the ground, I added another movement skill to keep things tight and balanced. But, if things went airborne, I could blend in *Cloud Fleeting Steps* to shift seamlessly to the air. The freedom was incredible.

By the time I was done, a month had passed, and now it had been about six weeks since I'd arrived. I had my fighting technique, my movement, and all the groundwork laid. Now I wanted to test it out somewhere interesting. So, I decided to head to *Purgatory Mountain*.

The second I got there, something clicked. *Wasn't the protagonist's sister supposed to be around here?* But, after scouting the area, I didn't catch sight of anyone. So, for today, I just settled in to cultivate, taking in the mountain's energy and getting a feel for the place.

After a solid session, I made my way back down to the sect, feeling the weight of the day settle in. Not bad progress for a month and a bit.