154: Chapter 154 Learning in Battle

Lin Yun dodged and parried with difficulty, while forcing himself to calm down.

A century of martial arts experience surged, compared, and analyzed wildly in his mind.

He no longer viewed the opponent as just an adversary to be defeated, but rather as... the best teacher!

"This dodge... the timing of the center of gravity shift is precise to the millisecond, reducing Qi consumption by thirty percent!"

"This Move... it seems to defy common sense, yet it perfectly seals off three of my possible retreat paths!"

"The attack transition... it's completely effortless, as if it were meant to be!"

The more he watched, the more excited Lin Yun felt, even temporarily forgetting the pressure of being in a dangerous situation.

So, Combat Technique could be used this way!

So, beyond Perfection, there is an even deeper Realm.

That is transforming technique into instinct, merging Combat Technique with one's own body, elevating from "using a Combat Technique" to "I am the Combat Technique"!

He began to consciously imitate and learn the exquisite details in the opponent's footwork.

He optimized the footwork transitions and Qi coordination of his Thousand Shadow Steps.

Slowly, his once clumsy dodging figure seemed to gain a hint of indescribable fluidity.

At first, the changes were subtle, but as time passed, this optimization began to accumulate.

Five minutes later.

Lin Yun found that he was no longer dodging as precariously as before.

Occasionally, he could even seize a gap in the opponent's attacks to tentatively thrust a sword.

Although this strike was quickly neutralized or dodged by the opponent, posing no threat at all.

But this was progress!

In the monitoring room.

Shen Qingqiu's cold, clear eyes were brilliantly bright at this moment.

Her slender fingers tapped the tabletop unconsciously.

Her gaze was fixed without blinking on the two figures moving at high speed and colliding on the screen.

The other three teachers were already looking at each other, their faces filled with disbelief.

"This... this kid..."

"He has lasted nearly ten minutes on the fifth floor? And... he seems to still be adapting? Still improving?"

The chubby middle-aged teacher's voice was somewhat dry.

The old teacher stared intensely at the changes in Lin Yun's footwork, his voice trembling slightly:

"Did you see that? His Thousand Shadow Steps... are changing!"

"Some subtle force-exerting habits and turning rhythms are aligning with that White-Light Figure!"

"He is learning! He is learning and optimizing his own Combat Technique during the battle!"

Teacher in Green gasped:

"The 'Guardian' of the fifth floor of the Trial Tower has reached the level of 'Technique Approaching Dao'."

"It is a 'theoretically perfect template' simulated by the Empire's database based on data from countless Geniuses!"

"Many senior students who have been on the Genius Ranking for ten or twenty years are stuck on this floor, unable to break through, simply because they cannot understand or keep up with this level of skill!"

He paused for a moment, his tone full of incredulity:

"But now... Lin Yun, this freshman, is not only fighting the 'Guardian', he is learning!"

"His rate of improvement... is simply inconceivable!"

The corners of Shen Qingqiu's mouth finally curled into a clear and captivating arc.

She had guessed right.

This Lin Yun would certainly not disappoint her.

The fifth floor of the Trial Tower is the place to test a student's true "talent" and "Comprehension Ability".

Skills can be practiced through hard work, and Realms can be built up with resources.

But that "spirituality" to instantly understand, absorb, optimize, and even surpass during battle is the key to distinguishing ordinary Geniuses from peerless Prodigies.

What Lin Yun is displaying right now is exactly this terrifying "spirituality"!

"Perhaps, he really can..."

A bold thought began to sprout in Shen Qingqiu's heart.

With the powerful foundation of a century of martial arts insights.

Lin Yun was like a sponge absorbing water, greedily soaking up the "Technique Approaching Dao" Combat Technique application displayed by the White-Light Figure.

His brain was like an overclocking biological computer.

The century of martial arts experience provided massive basic data and analytical models.

And every movement, every flow of Qi, and every ounce of force application of the White-Light Figure before him became the most vivid and efficient "learning sample."

At first, it was just clumsy imitation, trying to understand the opponent's "flowing like clouds and water, natural and perfect" combat rhythm.

But soon, quantitative changes led to qualitative changes.

Ten minutes later, the operation of Lin Yun's Thousand Shadow Steps had already broken free from the inherent framework of the Move.

The stagnation in footwork transitions had disappeared.

Qi consumption was significantly reduced, while the solidity and deceptiveness of the afterimages were further enhanced.

His figure flickered and flashed in the martial arts arena.

Although not as perfectly integrated into the environment as the White-Light Figure, it achieved a certain nuance of "the antelope hangs its horns, leaving no traces."

From "using Thousand Shadow Steps," he was gradually moving toward the Realm of "I am Thousand Shadow Steps."

Twenty minutes later, Lin Yun's swordsmanship also underwent a transformation.

The inherent, exquisite yet slightly "formulaic" sword Moves of Startling Swan Shadow began to become agile and changeable in his hands.

He was no longer confined to the fixed Move sequences in the sword manual.

Instead, he adjusted the force, angle, and speed of his sword Moves at any time according to the White-Light Figure's offensive, the subtle air currents in the arena.

Even the subtle changes in the opponent's actions were factored in.

Thrust, lift, wipe, carry, point, collapse...

The basic sword Moves were at his fingertips, yet when combined, they were incredibly ingenious.

He could always use the minimum consumption to neutralize or deflect the opponent's concise and deadly "blade technique" attacks.

Moving from "performing swordsmanship" toward the Realm of "the sword follows the heart."

Lin Yun began to counterattack!

The sword light was no longer just a defensive barrier, but transformed into a viper waiting for an opportunity, piercing cunningly time and again into the gaps during the White-Light Figure's offensive transitions.

However, the White-Light Figure seemed to have no flaws.

It was completely different from the opponent on the fourth floor.

Although the light figure on the fourth floor was powerful, its attack patterns still had traces to follow.

There were also small "gaps" in its force operation that could be seized.

But the White-Light Figure before him was rounded and perfect in its movements, with offense and defense integrated.

Even if Lin Yun's counterattack was exquisite, it could always easily neutralize or avoid it with the smallest amplitude and the most economical method.

It was as if all attacks were within its expectations, and the entire combat rhythm was always firmly grasped in its hands.

Lin Yun was not in the least anxious; he was even becoming more immersed in it.

He was not frustrated by the inability to score a hit after a long time, nor was he discouraged by the opponent being "impeccable."

On the contrary, he devoted his whole heart and soul to this unprecedented duel.

The vast experience bestowed upon him by a century of martial arts insights now collided and blended constantly with the "supreme skill" displayed by the White-Light Figure.

He forgot that he was challenging the Trial Tower, forgot the score, and forgot victory or defeat.

In his eyes and heart, there was only the opponent, only that exquisite Combat Technique application, and only the martial arts inspiration that kept emerging.

Gradually, a profound and mysterious feeling welled up in his heart.

Everything around him seemed to slow down.