I Can See Your Combat Power

Tang Luo’s words caused Tang Guangyu to furrow his brows, “You intend to study body techniques, and that’s like giving up your greatest advantage!” Having absolute control over spiritual power, such god-like talent in anyone would lead them towards research on spirit art, all the way to its peak. In Tang Guangyu’s view, Tang Luo’s actions were simply squandering his own talent. “Although your study of spiritual power is as simple as eating and drinking, the study of body techniques cannot be shortcutted, it demands hard work. No one can surpass the dedication of immersing oneself in it for a lifetime, regardless of their talents or comprehension ability. If you truly want to study body techniques, the pavilion elder is the authority, all you have to do is ask. There’s no need to abandon the essential for the trivial. If you devote all your energy to researching Spirit Art, you will undoubtedly become a Martial Arts Grandmaster in fifty years. Why give up halfway and ruin a promising future?” pleaded Tang Guangyu, despite his frequent arguments with Tang Luo which outsiders may perceive as disharmony.

Yet in his heart, he knew he was among the ones in the Secret Arts Pavilion, second only to Pavilion Elder Tang Hongtao, who hoped for Tang Luo’s smooth growth most, because he knew that only someone like Tang Luo could lead the Tang Clan to leapfrog developments. So, he didn’t want Tang Luo to take a less efficient path.

Smiling, Tang Luo nodded, “I know.”

“Since you know, are you still going?” Tang Guangyu looked at Tang Luo’s nonchalant expression and felt annoyed, knowing that his words had fallen on deaf ears.

Shaking his head, Tang Luo felt the need to explain to show his consideration for Tang Guangyu’s concern, “Do you all know what makes me different from you?”

“I am a warrior first, and then a martial arts researcher. Everything I have done until today is to make myself stronger, whether it be the Warrior’s Finger or these prints, all are aimed at enabling me to fight against martial artists of the same or even a higher level.”

Must a martial artist be a researcher? This is obviously a fallacy, as most researchers are more interested in research, not combat, even though we can say confidently that every Martial Arts Grandmaster is a strong warrior, reaching the Grandmaster level based solely on the research is a rarity. Listening to Tang Luo’s words, Tang Guangyu felt complicated as if he was ridiculing their inability to become a Martial Arts Grandmaster, which changed their expressions.

“Shouldn’t you be studying Spirit Art even more then?” Tang Guangyu asked gloomily. He knew very well that despite his extensive study of martial techniques, he could only operate at 70% capacity when actually fighting, his many defeats leading him to abandon combat in favour of studies.

Of course, he understood that Tang Luo was different from him. After all, Tang Luo was well-known as a genius in Xiling who could even hold his own against a disciple of Martial Saint Mountain. Even though it was merely a friendly exchange, it still proved his combat ability.

Tang Luo shook his head seriously, “The amount of water a bucket can hold is determined by its shortest wooden strip. I don’t think any warriors transitioning from the Mortal Realm to the Fierce Realm can match me in terms of spiritual power application. But close combat, ha ha ha.” Feeling embarrassed, he rubbed the back of his head, and continued, “So my decision to study body techniques came after careful consideration. In simple terms, studying body techniques could make me stronger, while studying spirit techniques could no longer do so. However, don’t worry, if you encounter any critical problems in your studies, you can still come to me for help—I’ll be in the training field of the Secret Arts Pavilion.”

Watching Tang Luo look decisively, Tang Guangyu made a dismissive grunt, ”Since you’ve already decided, then I’ll wait to see what level you can achieve in studying body techniques. Now that you’ve relinquished your responsibilities as the leader, I’d kindly ask you to leave the research room as soon as possible. After all, I’m a mediocre talent who can only catch up by neglecting rest. I wouldn’t want to fail your “trust”.”

“Alright, alright, I’m leaving – You guys keep it up!” Tang Luo rose from his seat, laughing wryly and shaking his head, and was about to leave the research room. Suddenly, he paused and turned back.

The three men who were watching his every move perked up, thinking that he was having second thoughts, only to hear Tang Luo say, “Almost forgot.” He took a piece of paper from his bosom and handed it to Tang Guangyu, saying, “I won’t interfere with your research on gestures. This is a killing technique I’ve created based on the current gestures.”

“This technique has far more potential than you can imagine. I’ll leave this set of cubic gestures to you guys, hoping that you can promote them, and even compete with the sacred places of the sect in the end.”

Initially, this set of gestures was Tang Luo’s final kill method at this stage, where a burst of 9,000 points of spiritual power could cause 50,000 points of spiritual damage.

A common warrior, when entering the Fierce Realm has a total of 29999 points of spiritual power. Adding all the chaotic methods including killing techniques, defensive arts, and body techniques, facing this cubic gesture will lead to serious injury if not death.

Frankly, Tang Luo felt a little regretful, because for ordinary warriors transitioning from Mortal Realm, this set of gestures was void as they couldn’t use 9,000 points of spiritual power for execution. Hence, this set of gestures could only be used as a standard attack method for the warriors in the Fierce Realm. But an additional 50,000 points of spiritual damage was far more than the usual techniques at the early stage of the Fierce realm. This was the final contribution he made to the Tang Clan’s Spirit Technique as a researcher.

Tang Guangyu held the piece of paper with trembling hands, too overwhelmed to react. Although he always knew that Tang Luo might have surpassed them in gesture research, it had never occurred to him that the gap would be so wide. If another group could successfully research the secret technique to reduce the spiritual consumption of gestures, it would provide the Tang Clan’s peak warriors transitioning from Mortal Realm with a secret technique that could threaten those in the Fierce Realm.

If the three initially held any grudges against Tang Luo, in the face of the cubic gestures, they were left in awe. Just like Tang Luo himself stated, he had already advanced far ahead of everyone else in the path of gestures. Unless he made a breakthrough in his state, the gestures would no longer benefit him. “I’m going-” Not paying attention to the three middle-aged men scrutinising the paper, Tang Luo waved his hand In a carefree manner, leaving the research room and closing the door behind him.

As a person with a jam-packed schedule, he was going to the forge next, to make suitable weapons. As a warrior about to possess the strength to split mountains, having a too-light weapon could also be a nuisance.

Gongye Sibo, a heavily bearded man, turned from a stem master to a fawning businessman the moment he saw Tang Luo. He scurried over to Tang Luo’s side, his face breaking into a wide grin, “Lord Luo, what would you like this time?”

It seemed that his order for fifty sets of black copper armour last time had left a deep impression. Smiling, Tang Luo said, “It’s good to see that Master Gongye remembers me. This time, I don’t need armour, but several heavy weapons..¹‘