87: Chapter 87 100% Control of the Physical Body

The laughter from below grew louder, as if everyone was watching a comical performance.

Those spectators who had just been discussing Li Wen's bad luck were now absolutely certain that this battle held no suspense.

"A Contract-level seed, and this is his level? He's not that impressive either."

"Shield Mountain is mighty! Standing there letting him hack away and he can't even scratch him, hilarious!"

"Give him another minute, he'll collapse from exhaustion himself! Haha!"

Surrounded by mockery, Li Wen's eyes remained as calm as still water. The previous probing had not been in vain.

Through repeated precise saber strikes and dodges, combined with the Primordial Spirit's perception that bordered on microscopic insight, he had clearly "seen" the rhythm of his opponent's "Immovable Bulwark" energy circulation and the momentary gap within it!

Just as Shield Mountain once again experienced a brief shift in his center of gravity from swinging the hammer, and the energy of his shield barrier exhibited a faint, fleeting fluctuation with his turning motion—at that precise instant.

A sharp glint suddenly condensed in the depths of Li Wen's pupils.

Absolute Focus 1v8 instantly activated!

Buzz!

There was no dazzling saber aura, no deafening roar. Only an extremely condensed, almost transparent, pale white ray of light.

"Flowing Rainbow Five Forms - Rushing Shadow Form"!

It seemed to manifest directly from the Void, ignoring the conventional concept of spatial distance, moving so fast it surpassed the limit that visual nerves could capture.

It wasn't even so much as slashing forward; it was more like—it sliced open space itself.

Pfft!

A slight sound, like piercing tough leather, rang out.

That yellow energy shield, which seemed as solid as iron, was like thin ice encountering a red-hot needle before that pale ray of light.

With unparalleled precision, it cut into the core node of the fleeting energy fluctuation, instantly piercing and tearing it apart!

The light of the defensive field suddenly dimmed.

The sinister grin on Shield Mountain's face instantly froze, transforming into extreme horror and bewilderment.

He only felt an indescribable, bone-chilling sharpness that seemed to ignore all his proud defenses and penetrate directly into his body.

After tearing through the shield, the pale ray of light paused and lost almost no momentum. Carrying the absolute will of "Unbreakable Only Through Speed," it lightly and skillfully swept past the vital point of Shield Mountain's thick neck, which was protected by heavy armor.

Swish!

Li Wen's figure had appeared ten paces beside Shield Mountain at some unknown time. His long saber pointed diagonally at the ground, his posture steady, and his breathing even, as if the earth-shattering strike just moments ago had nothing to do with him.

Shield Mountain's massive body stood frozen in place.

He subconsciously tried to raise his hand to touch his neck, but only felt his consciousness instantly blur, his vision swallowed by endless darkness.

The next second, his massive alloy body, along with his great shield and warhammer, dissolved into countless golden data points, scattering explosively on the platform.

[Lve Ying (Gold Rank Four) defeats "Shield Mountain" (gold rank one)!]

[Rank Up Challenge Success! Points +40!]

The entire Arena fell silent enough to hear a pin drop.

The audience, which had been roaring just a second ago, seemed to have collective Mute applied to them at this moment.

All the laughter, discussion, and cheering sounds were stuck in their throats.

Countless pairs of eyes stared fixedly at the brief victory notification on the light screen, and at the composed young figure retracting his saber in the center.

The dead silence lasted for a full two or three seconds.

"Holy—crap!!!"

"What—what just happened?!"

"Did my eyes deceive me? That big guy Shield Mountain is gone?"

"Th-that white light, what Blade Technique was that?!!"

"Instant kill?! Gold Rank Four one-shotted gold rank one?! My god!"

"This—this is hardly Gold Rank Four! This must be some Platinum big shot smurfing to farm wins!"

"Too terrifying! That speed—was he just messing around before?"

"I recorded it! This is definitely going to be the top highlight reel for this week's Arena matches! Who is this Lve Ying?! Which faction's super rookie?!"

Exclamations of shock, disbelief, and frenzied adoration erupted like a volcanic explosion, almost overturning the entire virtual spectating space.

Every spectator was utterly stunned by this unbelievable scene.

The saber speed and insight Li Wen displayed in that instant, surpassing the cognitive limits of the Gold Rank, and the precise strike that instantly destroyed an impregnable defense, left an indelible impression on their minds.

Li Wen paid no mind to the deafening clamor or the eager gazes focused upon him.

He felt the surging power within him and his perfect control over his body, confirming that the success of this strike relied more on the extreme burst brought by 95% control and a deeper understanding of the Lueying Style's Profound Truth.

Points acquired: +40. One step closer to the goal.

"The journey in the Infinite Arena," he murmured inwardly, "has only just begun."

The light of teleportation lit up again, taking the easily victorious Li Wen away from the center of the platform, leaving behind a legend and countless mysteries waiting to be revealed, as he prepared for the next fight.

The glorious light of victory faded from the screen, and Li Wen exited the ranked match he had just fought against the gold rank one opponent.

This was already his third easy victory today, clean and swift.

His opponent was a Martial Artist specializing in spear techniques, whose attacks were tricky and swift, but in Li Wen's eyes, the trajectory of the spear shadows was clearly discernible.

He hadn't activated [Absolute Focus], nor had he used Primordial Spirit Power. Relying solely on his 95% Physical Body control and the Lueying Style, which he had honed to 45% mastery, he neutralized every one of the opponent's attacks.

Saber light flashed, concise and fatal. Every exchange carried a sense of fluid precision, as if every inch of muscle, every wisp of Qi, was serving that blade light of 'Unbreakable Only Through Speed'.

Opponents in the Gold Rank could no longer pose any real pressure on him.

Glancing at the countdown displayed below the screen, the free training time for Kindling Hall members in the Infinite Arena for the day was about to expire.

Li Wen let out a light breath, choosing not to spend precious xinhuo points to purchase extra time.

On one hand, as his rank increased, the opponents' skill level sharply rose. They were no longer ideal punching bags for purely honing the Lueying Style; a slight lapse could lead to complete suppression, negating the purpose of practicing the blade.

On the other hand, he deeply understood that cultivating the Dao required a balance of tension and relaxation. Blade Technique was an extension of the body and will; it required hard training and tempering, but also time for sedimentation and digestion. Being immersed endlessly in combat might instead erode that sharpest intuition for the blade's edge.

With a slight movement of his mind, the virtual arena scene dissipated like water ripples, and his consciousness returned to reality.

Li Wen opened his eyes. Beneath him was the cold yet comfortable sensory mat in the private martial arts room. The light outside was just right; it was afternoon.

The AG Year 88 saw the sun rise and set, cycling endlessly.

In the blink of an eye, a week slipped by quietly, and the calendar had flipped to March 31st.

On the top floor of Hongyi Building, inside the private martial arts room.

Li Wen sat cross-legged. His six hours of cultural lessons in the morning had concluded. On the [Scholar] profession panel, experience points had quietly increased by 36 points, changing from 944 to 1696 / 12800.

This continuous accumulation brought him another small step closer to Scholar Level 19.

After consuming a custom lunch that efficiently replenished energy, warmth circulated through his abdomen.

He didn't rush to stand up and practice his blade. Instead, with a slight thought, he summoned his personal status panel.

A semi-transparent light screen floated before his eyes, emitting a soft and clear glow:

[Name: Li Wen]

[Age: 18]

[Realm: Unranked (Level 8.3)]

[Profession: Scholar 1v8 (944 -> 1696 / 12800)]

[Skills: Blade Technique - Unity Realm (Control 99 / 100), Five Luminaries Heavenly Rainbow Art - Flowing Rainbow Five Forms - Lueying Style (70 / 100)]

[Cultivation Technique: Splitting Edge Golden Fiend Method (Perfection)]

His gaze finally settled on the last line: Blade Technique - Unity Realm (Control 99 / 100).

An indescribable anticipation and excitement surged in his heart.

Ninety-nine percent to one hundred percent—this seemingly trivial one percent difference was known in the martial world as the "Threshold to Heaven."

It was the mark of the true Great Perfection of the Unity Realm, the symbol of Physical Body control reaching the theoretical limit for humans.

Crossing this step meant that his excavation of his body's potential, his utilization of every trace of power, had reached an astonishingly precise level.

Only by crossing this threshold could he knock upon the door to the Momentum Realm in the most perfect posture.

After resting briefly until the essence of the food was completely dissolved, Li Wen abruptly stood up.

Without extra hesitation, the saber was already in his hand—it was the standard fast saber that had accompanied him on his journey.

Where the saber light appeared, it was no longer a sudden storm, but like spring rain nurturing the earth, refined to the extreme.

What he practiced was still the "Flowing Rainbow Five Forms - Rushing Shadow Form."

The trajectory of every strike, every subtle adjustment of his body, was like performing a silent, ultimate masterpiece.

1v8's [Absolute Focus] activated naturally, boosting his Comprehension Ability by 80%, allowing his mind to be as clear as a bright mirror, reflecting the movement of every muscle fiber and the flow of every wisp of Qi and blood.

The jade-like Primordial Spirit in the center of his Sea of Consciousness also gently undulated, assisting him in viewing his interior with a perspective beyond common sense.

In this state, the final trace of disharmony in the body's minute details, the imperceptible delay in power transmission, were infinitely magnified, clearly feeding back into his consciousness.

The Intent was like flowing water, becoming smoother and smoother.

Suddenly, an indescribable sense of transparency spread throughout his body.

It was as if an invisible membrane had been completely broken through. All internal blockages instantly vanished. The circulation of Qi and blood suffered no further loss, and the transmission of force was precise down to the finest hair.

Muscles, bones, fascia, internal organs—every component of his body became a perfectly resonant, harmoniously vibrating whole.

100%! Physical Body control, Great Perfection.

At that very instant, Li Wen felt the entire world become clearer by more than one dimension.

The trajectory of the air flow, the faint vibration of the ground beneath his feet, even the sound of his own blood flowing, all became distinct.

With a thought, his fingertips trembled slightly. The subtlety of his control reached an appalling degree, as if he could individually control whether a single strand of hair stood up or lay flat.

The power within his body was no longer a reserve that needed to be mobilized, but rather an extension that followed his will, manifesting the moment he thought of it.