Chapter 56: Tremor Armor Technique – Skill Ascension!?
In the training room, Meng Qingjiao and Chen Fuguang had already left, leaving only Xue Jing and Li Qi behind.
Li Qi turned his wheelchair around twice in the training room, pondering, "I initially thought, no matter how extraordinary your talent, it would take at least another month before your body could meet the conditions to practice the Shaking Armor Skill."
"But now it seems, your growth rate has once again exceeded my expectations."
"The time is right. It's time to teach you the Shaking Armor Skill."
Upon hearing this, Xue Jing felt a rush of excitement.
"Please, Master, teach me!"
Li Qi chuckled, "Why the rush? The Shaking Armor Skill is not like the Dormant Dragon Technique. It's not something you can learn in just one day; it requires a lot of support and isn't merely about practicing some movements."
"Wait here for a while, I'll go make the arrangements."
Xue Jing nodded.
After Li Qi left, Xue Jing took out his phone and glanced at it, discovering a message from his sister, Xue Wan.
[Xue Wan: [Picture]]
Xue Jing looked at it—it was a photo, presumably taken by Xue Wan herself, seemingly in a large sports arena. The main focus was the spectator stands, filled with a sea of people, all eyes on the center stage of the grand platform.
Due to the distance of the shot, only two figures could be barely made out on the platform, but four large screens mounted above the arena displayed the stage in close view.
Two very young-looking men clashed on the arena. The ground around them was riddled with cracks and dents, a chaotic scene reminiscent of a landscape devastated by the aftershocks of an intense battle. It's hard to believe that just two human beings could have caused such destruction.
【Xue Wan: Live from the U19 Martial Arts Tournament~ The two on stage are your age! How on earth do these martial artists train to reach this level? It's almost inhuman.】
Xue Jing chuckled as he typed his response.
【Xue Jing: It's nothing special. I bet if they hit me with a full swing, I wouldn't even flinch.】
【Xue Wan: Haha! If your aim with that old joke was to make me laugh, you've failed completely.】
【Xue Jing: Haha, so it doesn't count as humor, huh?】
They chatted for a while, and Xue Wan sent him another picture.
The photo showed a peculiar middle-aged woman, seemingly sitting next to Xue Wan. Her expression was calm as she watched the fierce exchanges on the arena, utterly indifferent to the excitement surrounding her. The contrast between her placidity and the fervor of the crowd was striking.
The woman’s appearance was rather ordinary, but her hair was an unusual dark green, styled into dreadlocks like vines cascading down, embellished with flowers of various colors.
【Xue Wan: This is my university's horticulture professor. Isn't she trendy?】
Xue Jing paused his typing, examining the picture closely.
For some reason, something about this middle-aged woman seemed off to him.
As he pondered what to reply, another message from Xue Wan popped up.
【Xue Wan: Got caught taking snaps... Let's talk later, I'm about to get scolded by the professor.】
Xue Jing replied with a nodding emoji, putting his phone down.
After a while, Li Qi rolled into the training room, turning the wheels of his wheelchair.
He held something peculiar in his hand, resembling a white thermos flask attached to an... oxygen mask?
“Master, what is this?” Xue Jing inquired curiously.
Li Qi held up the contraption, explaining, “This is a nebulizer.”
Handing it over to Xue Jing, he observed the device, then placed the oxygen mask over his own face, securing it in place with an elastic strap around his head.
It looked quite odd.
“Every martial arts school has its own 'blood cleansing' secret techniques,” Li Qi remarked pensively.
“With modern technology, martial training has become more convenient. Traditional methods have evolved, just like this nebulizer...”
“I’ve concocted our Hidden Dragon Style secret medicine into liquid form, placing it inside, allowing it to atomize into microscopic particles that can be absorbed through the lung alveoli. Using a complementary breathing technique, the medicine can penetrate into the bloodstream, cleansing and rejuvenating every drop of blood, even reaching the brain, vital organs, and bone marrow throughout your body.”
“This method of medicinal absorption is far more efficient than 'ingesting' it, with virtually no wastage of its potency.”
Li Qi marveled, “This is one of the scientific martial arts methods developed by major corporations from the inner ring of the city, effectively shattering all outdated techniques from the old era. Even the most stubborn martial artists have no choice but to reluctantly adopt such 'crafty arts.'”
Xue Jing, hearing these words, curiously examined the nebulizer in front of him, giving it a little shake, which produced the sloshing sound of liquid inside.
“The Tremor Armor Technique involves movement postures, comprising five sets of actions that respectively correspond to skin, muscle, tendon, bone, and blood, aligning with our Hidden Dragon Stream’s five major 'killing moves.'”
“Today, I’ll teach you the first set of actions, which are used for 'practicing skin'!”
With that, Li Qi grabbed Xue Jing's wrist and, like whipping noodles, gave a sudden, forceful shake!
A powerful and refined force instantly surged from his palm into Xue Jing’s body, causing him to involuntarily perform various movements.
Halfway through the first set of actions, Xue Jing began to feel his entire skin tingling as if struck by electricity, every hair standing on end, mixed with an almost unbearable prickling pain.
Reaching the end of the movement, his whole body experienced a strong shudder, like a true dragon shaking its scales, extending its form. The scales trembled all over, bringing simultaneous excruciating pain and a subtle sense of cathartic release, almost compelling him to shout out loud.
What followed was the second action, with the feeling of tingling and pain becoming increasingly intolerable, ending again in a shudder.
Then came the third, fourth...
Each action was far more challenging than the preceding one. By the time all twenty-seven actions were performed, Xue Jing involuntarily collapsed to his knees, his whole body convulsing, tears nearly welling from the pain.
This is... the Tremor Armor Technique!
Far exceeding the difficulty of the Dormant Dragon Technique, even with Xue Jing’s current physical condition, merely practicing the first set of actions once almost brought him to his limit.
Xue Jing's entire body tingled and burned, as if being electrocuted while countless needles simultaneously pierced through every pore, the pain so intense it felt like he was about to take flight.
Simultaneously, a faint sense of comfort emerged from his skin, akin to an old parched tree bark suddenly being infused with vitality, bringing a sense of refreshment.
Xue Jing opened his panel, intending to check the progress of his Tremor Armor Technique training, only to find a notification popping up.
[Condition for "Fitness" Ascension Detected...]
[Condition Not Met, Ascension Failed]
[Fitness Lv6]
[Ascension Conditions:
First, ?????
Second, Level Reaches Lv10
Third, Required Divinity: 1000]
Xue Jing was taken aback, forgetting the intense pain searing through his body, he hurriedly sat up.
Skill Ascension!?
……
In the dimly lit dojo, the air crackled with tension. Xue Jing stood in the center, sweat glistening on his brow.
His muscles tensed as he focused on mastering the Tremor Armor Technique, a skill that promised untold power if only he could unlock its secrets.
Yet, despite endless hours of practice, success eluded him.
Each movement he executed left him gasping for air, teetering on the brink of collapse.
The room was filled with the echoes of his heavy breaths, an endless symphony of fatigue and determination.
Xue Jing knew he was close, so achingly close to the breakthrough he desperately sought.
And then, as if a switch flipped within him, he felt a shift.
His pulse quickened, every fiber of his being vibrating with new energy.
This was the moment he had been waiting for—a tantalizing glimpse at a higher level of mastery within his reach.
But as quickly as it came, the sensation faded, leaving Xue Jing with nothing more than a burning resolve.
He realized that while he had unlocked a new layer of understanding, the true ascension of his skill required more.
He needed something he didn't yet possess, the key to elevating his technique to unparalleled heights.
This drive, powerful and unyielding, fueled Xue Jing's ambition.
The path ahead was shrouded in mystery, but he embraced the challenge, thirsting for the knowledge that would finally bring his dreams to fruition.