314: Dragon Claw Hand: Tear the Sky, Stargazing Technique: Control Objects with Spirit

What are the Five Elements?

Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth.

In the Daoist system, the Five Elements are a very complex concept.

They embody the ideas of mutual generation and mutual overcoming, contain the dynamics of Yin and Yang evolution, correspond to the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches, and can represent human characteristics and the rules of heaven and earth.

But for Yang Dian, the Five Elements are simple.

They are simply the five natural elemental energies.

Metal: metal;

Wood: plants;

Water: liquid;

Fire: flames;

Earth: earth.

Mastering the Five Elements means mastering the application of five related attributes.

Mastering the power of Metal means that if he carefully studies it, he can, like some Awakened with Awakened Physiques, metalize his own Physical Body.

This includes, but is not limited to, turning his Physical Body into gold, silver, copper, iron... Mastering the power of Wood means he can make plants wither and flourish, imbued with the meaning of life and death.

Water is the control of liquids, or their derivatives, such as mist, ice, snow, and frost.

Fire is simple: it is the control of flames and temperature.

Earth, on the other hand, is the control of things related to the earth.

Such as soil, or gravity.

"How come developing one trait feels like other Awakened have Awakened dozens, hundreds, or even more abilities?"

Thinking back, Yang Dian felt it was normal.

He developed the 'Mastery of Five Elements' trait, which cost 2.5 million energy.

This was after his Physique had been sublimated by star matter.

If his Physique had not been sublimated, he would have needed 100 million energy to develop this trait.

What is the concept of 100 million energy?

Calculated at 550 energy per heaven and earth treasures, it would take more than 180,000 heaven and earth treasures for him to develop this trait.

The entire Earth combined doesn't have that many rare treasures.

Even if it did.

How many Awakened could be nurtured if so many heaven and earth treasures were given to ordinary people?

It is only right that the 'Mastery of Five Elements' trait can extend into multiple abilities.

He curled his fingers into a claw, transforming his Qi and blood into Dragon claws and scales that adhered to his hand.

Yang Dian then had a thought.

The next moment, his crimson Qi and blood turned golden under the influence of Battle Intent, and then the tips of his five fingers glowed with five colors.

White was Metal, appearing incredibly sharp.

Green was Wood, but at this moment, it was somewhat lifeless.

Black was Water, containing the intent of erosion.

Red was Fire; just looking at it made one's eyes feel scorched.

Brown was Earth, appearing incredibly heavy, containing immense power, as if a light touch could shatter one's tendons and bones.

"Am I enchanting my attacks like this?"

His five fingers collided with a "clanging" sound. Yang Dian looked around and finally casually swiped a claw at the cliff face behind him.

Five claw energies of different colors surged from Yang Dian's fingertips, landing on the cliff face in the blink of an eye.

And then each showed different effects.

The white claw energy cut through the mountain cliff, leaving a bottomless claw mark on the cliff face, seemingly wanting to pierce through the mountain range.

All the earth and stone touched by the green claw energy turned into lifeless gray-white.

A gentle gust of cold wind blew, and it scattered everywhere like flying ash.

The mountain cliff cut by the black claw energy was corroded like aqua regia, becoming pockmarked.

The marks scratched out by the red claw energy were charred black, as if burned by a great fire.

While the first four had their respective special effects, their power remained incomparably sharp.

Only the last brown claw energy seemed to have lost its sharpness.

Instead of cutting the mountain cliff and earth, it directly pressed the soil touched by the claw energy deeper, leaving a mark.

"'Enchanted' attacks seem a bit outrageous."

He mumbled, then waved his hand again.

The earth began to stir.

A seed deeply hidden within the earth was pushed up onto the crack torn open by the claw energy.

Then, melted snow turned into water and watered its surroundings.

A moment later, the seed began to take root and sprout.

Another moment later, the seed of an unknown plant grew several white roots and a few wisps of green shoots.

Then it stopped its rapid growth.

Nothing else.

The consumption was a bit high.

Creation is far more difficult than destruction.

Nurturing a tree is also far more difficult than destroying a tree.

For Yang Dian to kill a tree, he just needed to flick his finger.

But now, just making the seed, which had been buried underground for an unknown number of years, take root and sprout, consumed nearly one-tenth of the energy in Yang Dian's Physical Body.

This was one-tenth of the energy in his Physical Body!

Taking one-tenth of that energy to the small island of Dongying would be enough for him to sweep it several times back and forth.

"But no matter what, my strength has already undergone a qualitative improvement."

"Even without the enhancement of Qi and blood, just with the strength of my Physical Body, it seems I can contend with the Lizardman God who entered Earth?"

"It's just that my recovery ability isn't as abnormal as the Lizardman God's."

"If my head is blown off, I'll still die."

After assessing his strength, Yang Dian sat back down in the cliff cave he had dug out.

Although the new fourth trait of the Heaven and Man Unity Skill, [Mastery of Five Elements], had been developed, he still had a lot of energy left, and there was still room for improvement in his strength.

He casually condensed some star matter into several copper coins, letting them hover between his fingers as he Cultivated the Dragon Claw Hand.

Before inwardly observing the stars to Cultivate the Star Gazing Art, Yang Dian glanced at the panel again.

It was the same as usual.

As his Physical Body strength greatly increased, his Soul became more vigorous under the nourishment of his Physical Body, and the energy required for the next traits of the Dragon Claw Hand and the Star Gazing Art was also significantly reduced.

"Originally, developing these two traits combined would have cost almost 300,000 energy."

"Now, combined, it's less than 200,000."

"It's reduced by almost one-third."

After a quick calculation, Yang Dian immersed his mind in the place where his Soul resided, beginning to split his attention into thousands, simultaneously visualizing thousands of stars... When one is fully immersed in something, the concept of time fades and begins to pass unnoticed.

Like Yang Dian.

When he developed the new traits for the Dragon Claw Hand and the Star Gazing Art and walked to the edge of the cliff cave, he found that much of the snow on the cliff edge had melted, and the world had once again reached the time of lush grass and singing orioles.

He opened his wristband to check.

[Expedition Calendar Year 02, February 29th (month is lunar month)]

"Tomorrow is the first day of the third lunar month, huh?"

"So I've been in seclusion for almost half a month?"

Rubbing his brow, Yang Dian again curled his fingers into a claw, wanting to swipe at the sky.

But seeing the planes flying overhead, he still suppressed his restless urge.

Because the new trait of the Dragon Claw Hand was called 'Tear the Sky'.

Tear the Sky, where power reaches, leaving marks in the sky.

In short, after developing this trait, attacks made with the Dragon Claw Hand possess the 'mark-leaving' characteristic.

Previously, if he swiped a claw at the sky, the claw energy would dissipate.

But now, the claw energy would leave a mark, lasting for a long time, as if tearing an opening in the sky.

If a bird or swallow were to hit the opening torn by the claw energy before it completely dissipated, it would be equivalent to taking a full claw strike from Yang Dian.

Ordinary birds would be instantly defeated.

"Crack the Earth, Tear the Sky."

"So what's the next trait?"

"Shatter the Stars, or Break the Void?"

He flicked his finger, and a hiltless Flying Sword condensed from star matter flew from his fingertip, landing at Yang Dian's feet, carrying him towards the Walled City in Wuhou District.

The new trait of Star Gazing Art: Control Objects with Spirit.