Chapter 18: Fast and Slow Artistic Conception!

Chapter 18: Fast and Slow Artistic Conception!

Realizing the flaws in the Power Release Secret Technique left Jiang Zhe slightly disheartened. But he quickly steadied himself, returning his mind to a state of calm, his thoughts racing as he explored new possibilities.

"I need to master higher-tier techniques—I must reach Domain Tier!"

Domain Tier Body Technique or Domain Tier Spear Art—both were viable.

"Either works!" he mused. "The first would make guerrilla tactics feasible. With Domain Tier Body Technique, I could outmaneuver even Lord-Level Monsters, and the burst speed would cover any openings my power exposes. The latter relies on a single killing strike! If my body can withstand the recoil from the initial impact, the battle ends there—no need for a second strike."

Jiang Zhe hadn’t abandoned his ambition to challenge stronger foes.

That night, his eldest uncle arrived with supplies and experience packages, prompting Jiang Zhe to pause his Genetic Primordial Energy cultivation. As he opened his eyes, his uncle’s booming voice echoed from afar.

Master Jiang, a broad-shouldered man in his forties with a square jaw and towering two-meter frame, radiated reliability. Standing there, he muttered, "Already achieved the second stage? It took me three years to get this far…" His tone carried a mix of awe and disbelief.

Elder Jiang replied, "Haven’t you noticed? Xiao Zhe excels at physical cultivation—both in power output and Genetic Primordial Energy."

After a moment’s thought, Master Jiang nodded. "He reminds me of Lei Shen."

A faint smile tugged at Elder Jiang’s lips. "Stronger than Lei Shen—and by a wide margin. He’s already reached tenfold power output."

"Tenfold!" Master Jiang chuckled. "I can’t wait to see the birth of Earth’s First Secret Manual!"

Elder Jiang waved a hand. "Let me handle the manual’s compilation. Don’t let trivialities distract Xiao Zhe’s training. He’s given me some inspiration already."

"Fair enough", Master Jiang agreed. "But tell me—how did Xiao Zhe kill that Lord-Class Golden-Furred Ape?"

"He used Mentalist techniques."

"Wait, you’ve been training him in Mentalist methods too?"

"No. He wanted to challenge a Lord-Level Monster using pure martial arts, so I brought the Ape here. He was caught off guard but turned the tide with Mentalist techniques in the end."

Master Jiang’s expression turned odd. "Father, you’re trying to humble him, aren’t you? Why not pick a weaker beast, like a boar-type Lord? Even as a low-tier Warrior General, with tenfold power output, he could handle it through martial arts alone."

(Overhearing this, Jiang Zhe blinked in confusion.)

He suddenly realized that Beast species varied greatly in strength, even within the same tier. The strongest were mysterious mutated dragon-beasts, while humanoid Lord-Level Monsters far outclassed War God Rank cultivators of equivalent levels.

Elder Jiang coughed lightly. "Let the boy stew in frustration for now. He needs to refine his Spear Art to perfection."

Jiang Zhe groaned inwardly but closed his eyes again, pretending not to notice his uncle’s arrival as he resumed cultivating Genetic Primordial Energy.

"Tenfold power output is like a massive artillery shell", he mused. "I can’t afford a suicidal strike and survive. So I need to create a launcher—fire the shell to maximize damage."

---

On the eleventh day of wilderness training, limitations prevented him from advancing to the third stage of thrusting techniques—"Mirror Piercing Drill."

In the morning, Jiang Zhe sparred with his uncle using Spear Techniques.

He was utterly crushed by a martial arts form called "Seven-Strike Serpent Coil Lance."

Seven relentless attacks flowed like water. The spearhead grazed his body in a blur, the wind slicing his skin, raising goosebumps. For the first time, Jiang Zhe felt his long spear was a burden, an obstacle.

An illusion! he knew. Even if he wielded a shield or mace, that perfect Spear Art would still make him feel like a novice with a firewood stick. His skill was far from "man-and-spear-as-one."

The sparring shifted—Jiang Zhe attacked, his uncle defended.

Determined to prove himself, Jiang Zhe unleashed his hard-earned thrusting techniques.

Only to be overwhelmed again by "Seven-Strike Serpent Coil Lance." The technique’s defensive prowess left him nearly nauseous.

One form, two applications—equally devastating in offense and defense. As his uncle twirled his spear, Jiang Zhe felt a giant serpent coiling around him, ready to smash anything that dared approach.

The Jiang Clan’s traditional martial arts held countless such forms, preserved in the ninth-floor AV Chamber of the Traditional Martial Arts Hall, categorized as "scattered hands" alongside techniques like "Decisive Strike."

With each spar, Jiang Zhe absorbed knowledge like a dry sponge in water, rapidly improving his Spear Art.

As the saying goes: A wooden bucket’s capacity depends on its shortest plank.

Relying solely on thrusting techniques, Jiang Zhe’s Spear Art could only reach "Proficient" mastery. But if he elevated all foundational techniques to the same level, then combined them with his unparalleled thrusting skill, his Spear Art would achieve "Perfection."

This wasn’t wishful thinking. Each spar brought him closer to that reality.

In the afternoon, Elder Jiang introduced a new drill.

He dumped wild chestnuts into a waterfall while Jiang Zhe stood in the pool below, water waist-deep. His task: pierce the chestnuts hidden in the cascading water with precise thrusts. The exercise honed his thrusting, waistwork, and footwork—explaining why Elder Jiang chose this waterfall.

For ten days, Jiang Zhe abandoned thoughts of hunting Lord-Level Monsters, wholly focused on refining his Spear Art.

By the twentieth day of wilderness training, Jiang Zhe’s spear lanced forward, slicing through the "serpent’s" coils. The silver tip blazed like a comet, halting a centimeter from Master Jiang’s forehead.

Master Jiang stood motionless, unblinking, a faint smile on his lips.

"I trust you", he said. "You’ve mastered control perfectly."

The progress was undeniable.

"Unbelievable! In under forty days of martial cultivation, you’ve achieved flawless body movement and perfected your Spear Art… This would shatter the beliefs of countless Martial Artists. Even I feel inferior standing beside you."

Indeed, his perfected body movement came from being relentlessly chased by his uncle’s spear. During sparring, Jiang Zhe learned to exploit every environmental advantage to evade attacks—a skill innate to Mentalists at the "Microscopic" and "Flawless" levels.

Master Jiang sighed. "You might surpass me within a year or two."

Jiang Zhe grinned, "Then I am also a member of the Jiang Clan, raised by both you and Grandfather. The glory belongs to the Jiang Clan!"

Master Jiang paused, then burst into laughter. "Right! The glory belongs to the Jiang Clan!"

"You clever boy, always saying the right things!"

"I believe you'll surpass Hong and Lei Shen, becoming a new legend! This legend belongs to our Jiang Clan!"

"You want to challenge Lord-Level Monsters? I know just the Beast for training. I'll have your Grandfather catch a few for you."

Master Jiang chuckled, clapping Jiang Zhe's shoulder heartily, completely ignoring the death glare from his own father.

Catch a few piglets for me?

But even Pig Lord is still a Lord!

Jiang Zhe clenched his fists, eager to test how his Perfect-Class Body Arts and Complete Spear Techniques would boost his combat power.

Last time I was utterly defeated—I reflected on it. This time, I dare to challenge again.

A Martial Artist who fears tasting the sweetness of defeating higher-tier opponents is destined for mediocrity.

Still, only my uncle truly understands me!

Grandfather has no martial virtue, throwing me straight into hard mode. My uncle cares for me, letting me start with easy mode.

Elder Jiang couldn't resist interjecting, "Xiao Zhe still needs to learn Domain Tier techniques. There's no plan for Lord-Level practical combat training yet."

He glared at his restless eldest son.

Under Jiang Zhe's hopeful gaze—

His nephew's youthful, innocent eyes stood no chance against his father's death stare.

Master Jiang immediately backtracked, "Learning Domain Tier techniques is more important. Come, Xiao Zhe, let me show you my Domain Tier Spear Art."

Domain Tier Spear Art? Fine, I'll watch.

Jiang Zhe thought he could accept that.

Nodding, he watched his uncle suddenly slash his spear downward with a piercing, whistling wind that hurt the ears.

A simple downward strike left Jiang Zhe nearly breathless, eyes wide, pupils constricted.

The silver Supreme Spear seemed to loom larger, crashing down like the collapsing Mount Buzhou, its mountainous weight pressing down.

In that moment, Jiang Zhe felt trapped in a swamp, sinking deeper, helpless as he watched the "mountain" fall.

The "mountain" veered slightly, landing near his right, shattering a half-meter stone into fist-sized fragments.

Mental Energy surged, halting the flying debris and tossing them into the pond for a few skips.

"Che, Mentalists always have it easy", Master Jiang remarked, retrieving his Supreme Spear.

Jiang Zhe ignored him, still savoring the sensation.

Suddenly, Elder Jiang spoke, "Xiao Zhe, my and your uncle's Artistic Conceptions share similarities. Watch mine."

As Jiang Zhe looked up, Elder Jiang thrust a simple, unadorned strike with his Eight-Treasure Alligator Dragon Lance.

The strike seemed limp, devoid of power.

But to Jiang Zhe, it was different.

The needle-like spear tip drew closer!

A bone-chilling wind arose, gnawing at his body, slowing his limbs as if trapped in an ice cave, frost encroaching.

The two Domain Tier Spear Arts were indeed similar.

Same suffocating sensation, different expressions, leaving him unable to break free.

Elder Jiang hadn't finished, but an accident occurred.

A water droplet from the waterfall pierced the Artistic Conception, crossing Jiang Zhe's vision, shattering its cohesion.

Ping ling!

Ping ling!

Jiang Zhe felt as if he'd been in a mirror maze, suddenly shattered into darkness.

Time perception blurred.

A single light streaked—a "comet" arced by.

Seemingly fast, yet slow, carrying a unique rhythm.

Instinctively, Jiang Zhe raised his Long Spear, mimicking the rhythm, merging it with his ingrained thrusting technique.

Recreating the "comet's" trajectory with his most familiar skill!

Thrust!

The spear tip carved a silver arc, striking Elder Jiang's Eight-Treasure Alligator Dragon Lance aside at impossible speed, aiming straight for his brow.

For the first time, Elder Jiang's expression shifted, shock flooding his eyes.

He'd faced many Artistic Conception masters—experiencing wind's lightness, fire's fury, lightning's speed… but never such an eerie Conception.

Eerie was the word.

A paradoxical blend of speed and slowness!

Facing the thrust, the spear tip's silver glint expanded.

You'd think it agonizingly slow, like slow-motion replay, yet it was faster than imaginable, a meteor piercing the void.

When you tried to react leisurely, it was already too late—nothing graspable!

From Master Jiang's perspective, the same rift of perception struck him.

Both fast and slow—defying logic!

He murmured, "What kind of Artistic Conception is this?"

Elder Jiang, a Stellar-Level Martial Artist, easily escaped the paradox, catching the spear tip aimed at his brow.

A crimson bloom erupted on his brow, sliding down his nose, splattering on the ground.

Master Jiang looked stunned, "Still a step too late..."

"Haha, excellent! What an incredible Artistic Conception!"

Freezing the wound, Elder Jiang laughed heartily, this eerie Conception boosting his confidence in Jiang Zhe's future.

Two or three minutes later, Jiang Zhe snapped back.

Recalling the moment, he felt guilty, "Grandfather, I..."

"Nothing wrong! I wish you'd do it again!" Elder Jiang waved it off, smiling broadly. "Quick, how much of that Artistic Conception did you grasp?"

Jiang Zhe frowned, "I think... I remember most of it."

"Try again—aim for me!"

Nodding, Jiang Zhe thrust his Long Spear, the tip carving a silver arc at unimaginable speed.

But... that was all.

"Why's half missing? Where's the slowness?" Master Jiang exclaimed, noticing the difference.

Elder Jiang easily caught the spear, concern flickering.

The Artistic Conception remained, but only half—blazing speed, yet missing the paradoxical rift.

Jiang Zhe let out a bitter smile, "I only remembered this half. The rest... I'll reconstruct it later. Probably won't lose it."

"Good. Focus on consolidating it later, regain that sensation without pressure. Even this half is formidable—it's still Domain Tier, speed at its peak!"

Comforting him, Elder Jiang encouraged, "Name your new Artistic Conception."

"Name?" Jiang Zhe recalled a possibility, "Time!"

"Call it the Temporal Duality Concept!"

"Time? Time!"

Elder Jiang repeated, startled, "Time acceleration? Truly fitting!"

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end