After Hengsheng sifted through the mountain of scripture, many techniques caught his attention, but only a few were suited to his cultivation method and his neutral-affinity Spirit Core. Hengsheng needed a Qi technique that could take advantage of his vast Qi reserve, avoid specializing in specific types of spiritual qi, and still maintain its power—a rare combination.
While there was no limit to how many techniques he could learn, overloading himself would weaken his foundation. He needed to carefully select a few and focus on mastering them.
Hengsheng began by choosing a movement Qi technique. He settled on the Endless Step Technique, which forms qi runes underfoot that grow stronger with each step, amplifying speed over time. However, this technique consumed more spiritual qi the longer it was used, making it excellent for battle but suboptimal for quick escapes. To cover this weakness, he selected a complementary technique:
Horizon Shift Technique, which harnesses raw qi to create Qi path of movement. This technique allows the user to traverse long distances almost instantly, making it perfect for sudden retreats or unexpected repositioning.
With his movement skills covering all his needs, Hengsheng turned his attention to attack Qi techniques. This category had the largest number of generated techniques, given the abundance of offensive methods in the source material. He immediately ruled out sword techniques, recognizing that the path of a sword cultivator required lifelong dedication, which clashed with his philosophy as a system maker aiming for efficiency and shortcuts.
Hengsheng decided to select three attack techniques for versatility in different combat scenarios.
The first was World Shatter Palm Art. While its name sounded grandiose, it was a practical technique that channeled an enormous amount of raw qi into the palm, delivering a ground-shaking blow that damaged both foes and the terrain. This close-range technique was well-suited to his cultivation method, allowing him to deal with multiple enemies at once.
Next, for long-range combat, he chose the Qi Surge Cannon Technique, which condensed an enormous amount of qi into a sphere and launched it, detonating on impact in a controlled explosion. The simplicity and effectiveness of the technique made it a reliable option for ranged attacks.
Finally, he picked a finisher technique for critical moments Heaven’s Pulse Fist Technique. Though still classified as an earth-grade technique, it was considered half-step heaven-grade due to its unique ability to passively mobilize a small amount of spiritual qi from heaven and earth without requiring the cultivator’s mind or soul power. While its power was immense, it came with significant drawbacks, placing a heavy burden on both the Qi reserve and the body. Fortunately, Hengsheng’s cultivation method and Spirit Core mitigated these limitations, making the technique a perfect fit for his arsenal.
With his techniques selected, Hengsheng felt satisfied. The next thing on his mind was finding a defense technique. However, he didn’t place much importance on it because he already had defensive treasures provided by the Lan clan. As a member of the main bloodline and a potential future patriarch after his father’s term in the next 30,000 years, the clan ensured his safety with various life-saving tools.
And speaking of his father, Hengsheng didn’t see his uncle, Lan Wangyu, as a real contender in the patriarchal succession. His uncle’s cultivation realm was far lower, and once Hengsheng's father, Lan Fuyu, broke through to the Tribulation Saint realm, it would solidify his position, closing any slim chance Lan Wangyu had.
After briefly pondering his family’s political dynamics, Hengsheng refocused on selecting a defensive technique. Even though he didn’t see it as crucial for himself, having one was better than nothing. He chose the Pure Qi Rebound Technique, a simple and practical technique that reflects a portion of the energy from incoming Qi attacks back at the assailant. The best part of this technique was its continuous, passive nature—it could remain active as long as it was supplied with qi. Although it wasn’t designed to withstand major attacks, Hengsheng wasn’t worried; he could compensate by supplying more qi as needed.
With his techniques complete, Hengsheng believed he was ready for a real battle. Unlike the other young cultivators who lacked practical experience, Hengsheng had already honed his skills extensively using his mind space. Through simulations, he had placed himself in countless dangerous situations, even temporarily erasing parts of his memory to make the scenarios feel real. During the three years of his Qi Gathering breakthrough, he had done this more than ten times, sharpening his instincts and techniques to a razor’s edge.
However, Hengsheng wasn’t finished. He continued browsing through the other Qi techniques available in categories beyond the standard trio of attack, defense, and movement. These miscellaneous techniques included methods for manipulating elemental qi, creating illusions, detecting surroundings, and even inducing sleep through suppression techniques. Despite their usefulness, Hengsheng wasn’t interested in learning these techniques.
To him, their specific nature or overly broad applications didn’t align with his current focus. Instead, he saw them as something he could replicate their effects if he needed it later by creating new system modules. With his ability to design systems tailored to his needs, Hengsheng found it more efficient to keep these techniques in reserve as inspiration for when he might need their effects.
After finishing his technique selection, Hengsheng wasted no time and commanded, "Blue, add the selected techniques to my Qi techniques section."
[You have learned new techniques: Endless Step Technique, Horizon Shift Technique, World Shatter Palm Art, Qi Surge Cannon Technique, Heaven’s Pulse Fist Technique, Pure Qi Rebound Technique.]
The next moment, Hengsheng felt the basic mastery of all six techniques settle into his mind. He reviewed their contents carefully, ensuring he understood their mechanics and principles. Satisfied, he decided to test their full potential inside his mind space, where he could simulate their effects at maximum power. Though he knew the real-world application might differ, seeing their full strength would motivate him to practice diligently.
He started with the Endless Step Technique. Activating it, he took a step forward and immediately noticed a glowing white Qi rune appear beneath his foot. With each successive step, another rune appeared, resonating with the previous ones to amplify his speed. As he increased his pace, more runes manifested, stacking their effects and propelling him forward at incredible velocity. Eventually, the technique reached its limit with 300 Qi runes, providing an impressive 3,000% speed boost. However, this came at a steep cost—consuming 3,000% more spiritual Qi.
Next, he tested the Horizon Shift Technique. Upon activation, it immediately drained a substantial amount of spiritual Qi. He felt a strange sensation as the world seemed to fold inward, bringing his destination closer. Taking a single step, he instantly appeared far away from his starting point. The technique was incredibly effective for long-distance travel or escape.
Hengsheng then moved to the sky to test his attack techniques. Starting with the World Shatter Palm Art, he activated it, causing his palm to glow with intricate Qi patterns. He extended his hand, and a one-meter Qi palm materialized, striking its target with incredible speed. A thunderous boom echoed as the ground below trembled from the impact.
Next, he activated the Qi Surge Cannon Technique. A sphere of pure, condensed Qi appeared above his palm, radiating power. He launched it toward a distant target, and upon impact, it exploded with a resounding boom, creating a large crater.
Finally, it was time for the Heaven’s Pulse Fist Technique. This one required a preparatory sequence. Hengsheng chuckled as he realized the moves resembled a Tai Chi dance, but he diligently followed through. As he performed the sequence, the surrounding energy surged into his rising fist, causing it to glow with seven vibrant colors. With a powerful punch, the multicolored Qi fist shot forward and struck the ground below, triggering a massive explosion that dwarfed the previous techniques. Its power was equivalent to ten World Shatter Palms combined. Hengsheng laughed at the absurdity of the "dance," but the results left him more than satisfied—it was undeniably worth it.
Lastly, he tested the Pure Qi Rebound Technique. Activating it, his body was briefly enveloped in white Qi runes before they disappeared, leaving him seemingly unprotected. To test its effectiveness, he wished for a Qi attack rain to fall from the sky. As the attacks hit his body, the runes reappeared, absorbing a portion of the impact and redirecting the energy back toward the sky. Hengsheng nodded in approval and murmured, "It’s usable."
With all his techniques thoroughly tested and evaluated, Hengsheng felt a newfound confidence.
Spirit Core: System Neutral Spirit Core {Mortal}
Cultivation Realm: Early Stage Qi Gathering {0.15%}
Qi Cultivation Method: Vast Meridian Refinement Art
Special Traits: Mind Space, Super Spirit Body, Vast Meridian {1/512}
Earth-Grade: Endless Step Technique, Horizon Shift Technique, World Shatter Palm Art, Qi Surge Cannon Technique, Heaven’s Pulse Fist Technique, Pure Qi Rebound Technique
Auxiliary Systems Capacity {78/100%}:
Ultimate Fighting System {34%}
[System Points]: {0/1000 Points}