Chapter 637: Advancing Skills
Chapter 637: Advancing Skills
Talu's staff movement was grand, with clear intentions, but it was not fast. It was easy to dodge, and in a formal combat, this could only be considered a friendly probe.
Chen Chuan, however, did not choose to evade. He could tell that despite it being a probing move, the force within was seamlessly connected, flowing exceptionally well, far surpassing her previous sparring sessions.
So, he took a step forward and blocked the staff with the back of his blade. With a 'dang' sound, he held the staff in place. Talu gave a shout, pulling and thrusting the staff, but Chen Chuan deflected it again with a swing of his blade.
Then, a whistling vibration that made one's scalp tingle filled the air, as staff shadows struck from all directions.
As Chen Chuan blocked, he clearly felt that Talu's strength hadn't increased much, but the force within had undergone a noticeable change. This time, it wasn't the Second Level Force, but a continuous succession of forces, one after the other, like an endless flow of water.
Having experienced Single Stream Pavilion's techniques, he quickly identified this as the Second Level Force of Single Stream Pavilion, but with the addition of the staff's vibration, creating a link between the forces. This resulted in an endless stream of force.
This connecting technique, he judged, was likely inspired by the secret teachings of Anyao Pavilion.
It wasn't as simple as just adding a staff force. Whether it was Anyao Pavilion or Single Stream Pavilion, their forces were designed to counter altered tissues. With the forces accumulating, they could significantly impact and damage the altered tissues of their opponents.
The staff played a crucial role in this, and with an altered weapon in hand, Talu's combat power had qualitatively improved.
If it were a life-or-death battle, the easiest way to counter this force would be to clash forces, using a higher level of Heart Force to disperse it directly.
However, as Talu had requested a friendly sparring match, responding with technique was the most appropriate approach.
He immediately switched to the Iron Body Technique, and as the incoming force resonated with his altered tissues, he felt a tingling sensation, making it difficult to gather his strength. Clearly, this technique could also counter the Iron Body Technique.
He realized that if he only used the Iron Body Technique defensively, it might hold up for a short time, but in the long run, his defense might be overwhelmed by the vibrations. Inwardly, he couldn't help but praise the brilliance of this force.
Given his current restrained situation, he had to take the initiative and launch an aggressive attack to suppress her offensive, interrupting her force. So, he didn't stay in place to block.
With a swift movement, he lifted his blade, allowing the staff to strike his shoulder. Using the simplest Iron Body Technique, he blocked the attack and advanced at a similar pace as Talu, swinging his blade to slash at her.
Talu, anticipating Chen Chuan's decision to withstand the force, had already adjusted her breathing. As he stepped forward, she retreated, maintaining the same distance between them.
Then, gripping the staff with one hand, she switched her grip. The staff's front end tilted to one side, as if she was about to perform a blocking and parrying technique. But as the blade approached, she suddenly shouted, pressing down with her front hand and raising the back one, using the exposed end of the staff to strike the blade forcefully.
With a 'crack', the blade snapped, and one end flew off.
This was the unique Second Level Blade-Breaking Force of Single Stream Pavilion, specifically designed to counter Anyao Pavilion's blade techniques. In that moment, the force concentrated at the staff's tip, and with a light tap, the weapon was broken.
Without her weapon, Talu couldn't fully utilize most of her skills.
This technique was undoubtedly well-suited against Anyao Pavilion's fighters, but Chen Chuan didn't rely solely on his bladework. He wasn't affected in the slightest. As the front part of the blade flew away, he took advantage of Talu's force and thrust the broken blade like a short sword towards her.
Once the staff was within close range, it became almost useless. However, at that moment, Talu executed another transformation. With a forceful twist of her wrists, the staff snapped in half with a 'snap', turning into two short staffs. In a swift wrist rotation, she blocked the broken blade and then thrust forward with both staffs.
As Chen Chuan retreated with a dodge, she spun around, swinging the two short staffs in an up-and-down motion. The whooshing sound of breaking the air, accompanied by smashing, poking, chopping, and striking movements, came from all angles.
Chen Chuan matched her strength and speed, blocking over a dozen attacks. At this point, he began to notice that as the force unfolded, it became increasingly powerful.
This wasn't due to an increase in her physical strength but rather a more intricate application of force, with more reasonable exertion. It was also possible that certain altered tissues had undergone slight growth and change.
Even though he was suppressing his strength, his combat experience couldn't be easily dismissed. So, he seized upon a brief moment of breathing gap, which seemed to be caused by an unadjusted rhythm in the attack or perhaps some imperfections in the combination of the two pavilions' forces.
In any case, this was a flaw.
He believed that Talu's intention in sparring with him was not only to better master the force but also to have him help identify flaws in her offensive techniques. So, without hesitation, he took advantage of this gap and slashed the staff, opening half of the block and switching from defense to offense, pressing forward with relentless slashes.
Talu's short staff was blocked, and she barely had time to retract it for defense, only able to parry with a single staff. But Chen Chuan, having understood her force application, combined it with her breath, and every time, he struck at the crucial moment of her force, preventing her from fully unleashing her power. With each parry, she would retreat half a step, and the once tightly integrated force gradually weakened.
After more than ten consecutive strikes, Chen Chuan sensed that the opposing force had significantly weakened. He suddenly lifted his staff, and with a loud cry, half of Talu's staff flew away.
However, he could feel that at the last moment, Talu had intentionally given up. She leaned back, dodging the broken blade, then twisted her body and leaned towards him.
Chen Chuan's force was under his precise control. The blade descended, instantly pressing against her shoulder, but she ignored it. Taking advantage of her turn, she drew the other short staff towards his abdomen.
He reached out and slapped it away, finding no force behind it. Talu let out a cry, and the free hand suddenly grabbed for his elbow.
Single Stream Pavilion specialized in hand-to-hand combat, and their true expertise lay in free-form fighting, but they also possessed some grappling techniques. This move, 'Injury Reversal,' was designed to break through defenses at critical moments.
But just like before, this technique, effective against Anyao Pavilion, failed to have the desired effect on Chen Chuan. With a twist and a grab, he not only countered Talu's hold but also seized her wrist, instantly penetrating her body with his grappling force. Talu's entire body went numb.
Before she could adjust, the broken blade was already pointed at her neck, and seeing this, she immediately abandoned her plan.
Chen Chuan, sensing her relaxation, released her and took a few steps back.
Talu moved her numbed body, straightening up. She bowed deeply to him and said solemnly, "Mr. Chen, thank you so much!"
Chen Chuan returned the bow and said, "You're welcome."
Talu, far from being discouraged by her defeat, was instead exhilarated. During the fight, she had grasped many things that she might never have understood on her own, even after a long period of contemplation. Once she digested these insights, her strength would undoubtedly improve significantly.
Chen Chuan also gained valuable insights from Talu's display of force, especially the combination of long staff force and his own, which seemed to double his power.
He realized that the force he had been cultivating should not be practiced in isolation. Within certain limits, it should be combined with the weapons he used, and when borrowing the power of weapons, he should be able to exert even greater strength than with hand-to-hand combat, thus maximizing the weapon's advantages.
Hmm, after Snow Lady Saber awakens, he can delve deeper into this aspect.
Since it was still early, he didn't linger there. Accompanied by Talu, who had gained tremendous insights, they left the rift and returned to the island.
This time, to express her gratitude for his help against Anyao Pavilion, Olber specially arranged a bonfire party and prepared various delicacies from the island for him.
Chen Chuan was in no hurry, and after enjoying the feast, he returned to the rift to continue his cultivation.
Without distractions, he resumed his previous cultivation routine. At night, he accumulated spiritual energy, and during the day, he relaxed at the Lotus Throne, while also engaging in other forms of training.
Sometimes, he would try to instruct some of the Single Stream Pavilion disciples.
Previously, he had witnessed many of Single Stream Pavilion's secret techniques, and although he didn't use them himself, his broad experience allowed him to understand them at a glance. He could instantly discern the stage each disciple was at and pinpoint their individual issues.
His guidance was incredibly effective, and more disciples sought his instruction. However, he didn't refuse them, as Single Stream Pavilion had only about twenty disciples, most of them children, and only three or four could receive his guidance.
Moreover, he had obtained the teaching certificate from Wu Yi Academy, and with resources came the expectation that he would instruct some students. This was an excellent opportunity to familiarize himself with the task.
After a few more days, the continuous rain on the island finally stopped.
On this day, when Chen Chuan returned to Cliff Mountain from the rift, he looked outside and saw a clear blue sky and white sails dotting the sea. The grayish-white mist rising from the island soared into the sky.
It was already late July, and time was running out. By August, he would have to return.
At that moment, he turned to look back and saw many disciples practicing under Olber's guidance, but Talu was nowhere to be found. He thought for a moment and realized he hadn't seen her for several days.
This situation was unusual.
He approached Olber and asked, "Olber, where has Talu been these past few days?"
Olber said, "I was just about to tell you, Mr. Chen. The Far Ocean Expansion Group has arrived at Ro Wang Island. They sent an invitation for Talu to discuss the continuation of the Combat Academy."
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(End of Chapter)
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