169: Flash Skill
More than half an hour later, Jiang Fan's eyes lit up.
Since the opponent's vital point was on his clothes, could he use fire-element energy to destroy it?
However, he didn't know if he could use the energy of heaven and earth in this space.
Up until now, whenever he challenged in this space, he always defaulted to using basic punches and kicks, relying on his own combat awareness to fight the opponent, and had never tried anything else.
The current situation might be worth a try!
If he could mobilize the energy of heaven and earth, then his plan should be feasible.
Thinking of this, Jiang Fan no longer hesitated.
"Challenge!"
As Jiang Fan confirmed his voice, the python-robed middle-aged man instantly billowed his robes, Flashing around Jiang Fan.
Jiang Fan retreated to avoid, while simultaneously circulating the Innate Breathing and Guiding Technique to communicate with the energy of heaven and earth.
A few seconds later, a smile appeared on his face.
It really worked!
As he communicated, a vibrant white Qi appeared in the space, gathering in wisps around his body.
He split his attention and individually drew out the fire-element energy.
"Dragon's Fiery Dance!"
Jiang Fan roared.
Immediately, the fiery red energy transformed into a giant Dragon, moving through the martial arts space.
'Roar!'
Burning energy overflowed from the Dragon's body, constantly spreading outwards.
The python-robed middle-aged man's expression changed, and his body continuously Flashed across the arena.
However, because the Dragon's body was too large, no matter how he Flashed, he couldn't escape the Dragon's radiant range.
The scorching energy affected his python robe, and his body became increasingly sluggish.
He even started leaving afterimages when Flashing!
"Now!"
During the skirmish, Jiang Fan seized the opportunity, instantly captured the opponent's trajectory, and punched towards him.
The python-robed middle-aged man's figure had just Flashed beside Jiang Fan when he was sent flying by a punch from Jiang Fan.
His strange techniques instantly collapsed, and his body flew backward.
Jiang Fan pressed on, not giving the opponent a chance to breathe.
"Thorns of the Earth!"
On the fighting stage, the jade-like surface suddenly transformed into sharp, sword-like stone spikes, overwhelming the python-robed middle-aged man.
'Puff! Puff!'
The python-robed middle-aged man's body was instantly pierced through!
Then, his shattered body suddenly turned into specks of light and flowing sand, disappearing from the arena... "Congratulations, challenger, you have successfully completed the fifth trial!"
"Do you wish to enter the Martial Arts Moment?"
Jiang Fan immediately nodded.
"Yes!"
Immediately, the damaged fighting stage was restored to its original state in that instant.
At the same time, the python-robed middle-aged man's body reformed in the arena.
"My name is Zhao Chang. I was born into royalty. At 5 years old, I was forced to drink poisoned wine for testing.
At 10 years old, I personally used a broken ceramic shard to cut my third brother's throat.
At 18 years old, I failed to win the succession, was enfeoffed as Prince Yin, and entered Prince Yin's Mansion, still possessing immense power.
At 22 years old, the Great Yin Imperial Dynasty was overthrown by a single powerful foreign expert. Powerless, I finally had an epiphany: all imperial power struggles were but fleeting clouds before individual great power. I began to Cultivate martial Dao.
At 35 years old, I entered the Acquired Realm... At 67 years old, I obtained a spatial Legacy, and my Cultivation advanced by leaps and bounds, entering the Innate Realm... At 89 years old, my Cultivation could not advance further, so I created my own Cultivation Technique, the Soaring Dragon Startling Swan Art... At 137 years old, I was still ultimately trapped in this world. I abandoned martial Dao and began to explore the mysteries of this space... At 168 years old, I glimpsed a trace of a secret, became disheartened, and hid myself in the bustling city..."
As Zhao Chang introduced himself, memories unfolded before Jiang Fan like a scroll: the jade brick ground, the blood-red palace walls, the young child cowering in the corner, the Golden Throne Hall filled with the clamor of battle...
After a long while, Jiang Fan sighed with emotion.
Zhao Chang's childhood was tragic. To survive, he fought with all his might for power and influence, finally achieving a great dominion, subtly showing a tendency to contend with the emperor. Yet, he never expected the Imperial Dynasty to be annihilated by a single person's power, ultimately shattering his dreams.
It was no wonder he turned to Cultivating martial Dao and came to the realization that everything was but fleeting clouds before individual great power.
However, for him to begin Cultivating martial Dao in his twenties and still achieve extraordinary success in the end, was partly due to the Legacy and partly due to his astonishing will.
This earned Jiang Fan's admiration.
Yet, such an extraordinary figure became disheartened after learning the secret of the space, which made Jiang Fan curious.
"Heaven and earth will eventually decay, and the human body is but a cage!"
Perhaps for some reason, Zhao Chang did not elaborate on the so-called secret, merely leaving behind this simple sentence.
Jiang Fan's brows furrowed as he listened to these words!
Human body... cage... what did it mean?
The guardians of each level left behind some information, and these pieces of information seemed to point in one direction.
Heaven and earth will decay, and the human body has shackles!
But that was his original world, what did it have to do with this current world? Jiang Fan was utterly bewildered... More than ten minutes later, Zhao Chang finished speaking and began to impart his Legacy.
"I created this Soaring Dragon Startling Swan Art with the original intention of counteracting the effects of the decay of heaven and earth. Unfortunately, on the day I comprehended the mysteries of space, I realized that the cage was not in heaven and earth, but within ourselves!"
"I have no hope left, so I can only leave behind this Legacy. May future generations comprehend it and find a way to break the cage. This can also be considered my small contribution..."
"The Soaring Dragon Startling Swan Art originally used Qi as an index. Cultivators needed to use their own True Qi to tear apart the Meridian gaps around their bodies. Each Meridian gap served as a Flash anchor point, carrying immense risk. A slight mistake could lead to the complete destruction of the Meridians..."
"Later, after modifications, a Formation was placed on the python robe to replace the Meridian gaps..."
"..."
As Zhao Chang spoke, his python robe billowed.
Star trails flowed on the python robe, finally converging into the 'Dragon's Eyes'!
An invisible ripple swept through, and his figure instantly appeared several yards away.
Jiang Fan carefully sensed and slowly analyzed the principles within.
Dozens of minutes later, he suddenly realized that Zhao Chang's so-called Flash concept didn't need to be that complicated.
The reason Zhao Chang used Meridian gaps or the python robe Formation as anchor points was because the energy in his world at that time was scarce, making it impossible to attach anchor points to other objects.
However, in his current high-martial world, the energy of heaven and earth was abundant. If he followed Zhao Chang's method, couldn't he create anchor points at will?
Moreover, in this world, the range of the anchor points could be larger, farther, and more stable!
Thinking of this, Jiang Fan felt a surge of excitement. He immediately sat on the ground and began to simulate and draw with his fingers.
"If I leave an anchor point on one side of the fighting stage and record its position..."
"Then, on the other side of the fighting stage, I sense this anchor point..."
"And then use Zhao Chang's method from the Soaring Dragon Startling Swan Art, wouldn't that be..."
Whoosh!
As soon as Jiang Fan's thought arrived, he instantly appeared at the location of the anchor point!