On the summit of a mountain peak, a young man in black robes sat in meditation, forming delicate cultivation seals with his hands. His breath was calm and steady, and with each inhalation and exhalation, subtle ripples appeared throughout the surrounding space. Warm energy flowed outward in gentle streams, eventually entering his body through the rhythm of his breathing. This quiet practice lasted nearly two hours. Only then did the sleeves of his robes, previously fluttering without wind, gradually settle. His tightly closed eyes gently trembled before opening. "Two months of secluded mountain cultivation—quite a harvest," he murmured, turning his neck and feeling the flowing qi within him, like spring water continuously rushing through. A gentle smile played at the corners of his lips. After two months of rigorous training, Xiao Yan not only refined the "Three Thousand Thunder Strikes" to the first stage's "Thunder Flash" level, but his inner ki also grew increasingly concentrated and pure through the wind and dew of his mountain sojourn. According to Xiao Yan's estimation, he might have, without realizing it, quietly reached the peak of an Eight-Star Grand Combatant level during his cultivation of the Three Thousand Thunder Strikes. Of course, achieving this peak after just two months was far slower than his previous progress in the "Heaven-Burning Qi Tower." Yet Xiao Yan was quite satisfied—reaching the first stage of the Three Thousand Thunder Strikes had already surpassed his expectations, and the additional refinement of his ki was a welcome bonus. Thus, he felt no sense of disappointment. Standing up from the stone, Xiao Yan stood with his hands behind his back, gazing far into the vast sea of trees. At that moment, a gentle breeze stirred across the forest expanse, causing the trees to ripple and surge. Waves of towering trees, nearly a hundred feet high, surged forth from the distance, one after another, flowing continuously—so much like the waves of the sea that it was nothing short of awe-inspiring, revealing the immense power of nature. Zi Yun Yi retracted, and Xiao Yan stood alone in the midst of this forest sea. To his eyes, everything was a deep green, while he himself was merely a small, dark dot within that green—small in scale, yet strikingly noticeable. He slowly spread his arms, and the rushing waves of trees surged swiftly toward him, eventually sweeping past with a tremendous roar, as if thunder had passed through. His feet, like the talons of an eagle, firmly gripped the tree branches. Amidst the relentless, continuous waves of trees, Xiao Yan's form moved swiftly, like a leaf dancing in the wind—yet never torn or shattered by the powerful forces of the waves. The waves, stretching over a hundred paces, lasted nearly ten minutes before gradually receding. The wave passed, leaving the young man in a dark robe pale but eyes blazing with intense excitement. He turned his gaze toward the towering waves retreating and swiftly fading from sight, and within his heart, something was deeply stirred. "This atmosphere..." Slowly grasping it with his right hand, a massive black ruler materialized and swept forward. Xiao Yan held the ruler tightly, murmuring softly, "If the attacks could also flow like waves, continuous and unceasing, wouldn't that surely be an exquisite form of assault?" With the Xuangzhong Chi in his hand, Xiao Yan slightly tilted his head, his dark eyes filled with an unusual bewilderment and deep contemplation. His body had completely frozen at that moment. However, those with keen observation would subtly notice that the right arm holding the Xuangzhong Chi was trembling with a barely perceptible arc—as if fine-tuning something. Xiao Yan's state of stillness lasted nearly an hour, yet he seemed entirely unaware of it. Deep within his mind, he continuously replayed the flash of luminous insight that had briefly appeared when the tree waves surged past. In this peculiar state, time seemed to have come to a standstill, and Xiao Yan remained undisturbed, patiently feeling the growing intensity of that flash and the strange imprints emerging within the flowing tree waves. The waves of trees surged, then vanished, surged again, then vanished once more—repeating, cycling endlessly, without ceasing... Time outside continued to flow, though only a little over an hour had passed. During that hour, thanks to this extraordinary state, Xiao Yan had already experienced the miraculous sensations at each surge of the tree waves countless times. Amidst these repeated experiences, a subtle dawning comprehension began to emerge in the depths of his dark eyes. The astonished murmurs of the Elder Pharmacist did not disrupt Xiao Yan's peculiar state. With his extensive experience, the elder naturally understood that such a state signified an extraordinary fortune for a cultivator—should it be broken due to external circumstances, it would undoubtedly become a lifelong regret. Subtly, a powerful soul force emanated from the dark, ancient ring in Xiao Yan's fingers, spreading out and encompassing the entire space within several dozen meters around. As this soul force took effect, the distant roars of the wild beasts that had previously been heard faded completely. Thanks to the Elder's strength, the area became utterly serene, ensuring no unforeseen incidents would now disturb Xiao Yan from this remarkable state. … Time still flowed slowly. Since Xiao Yan entered a state of stillness, nearly three hours had passed. During these three hours, Xiao Yan’s body remained as motionless as a statue carved from black stone—so still that, unless one noticed the slight arc of tremor in the black ruler he held, one would have thought it a lifeless black stone sculpture. Only, this sculpture was remarkably lifelike. Amidst the serene, enclosed forest, the young man in his black robe, previously stiff and rigid, suddenly trembled gently. As his body did so, the bewilderment and deep contemplation in his dark eyes swiftly faded, giving way to a growing clarity. With his right hand firmly gripping the handle of his measuring ruler, Xiao Yan stood straight as a spear, a sharp, incisive aura subtly radiating from him. His face remained taut, and he slowly raised the black ruler before him, then executed a series of deliberate, measured movements—first a gentle slash, then a sweep, followed by a flick and a stroke. The fundamental attacking techniques of the heavy ruler were now fully and completely demonstrated by Xiao Yan. As his hand movements grew more dynamic, the speed of his ruler gestures accelerated rapidly. By the end, Xiao Yan's entire body was almost enveloped within a solid black sphere—this refined technique, one that had never been possessed by Xiao Yan before! The wind roared across the sea of trees, a massive black sphere rolling swiftly upon it. Wherever the sphere passed, leaves were torn to shreds, occasionally falling into the sphere and instantly turning to dust. The heavy staff swung faster and faster, yet at a certain moment, just as it was about to reach its peak velocity, it suddenly slowed down, the abrupt shift leaving a sensation as though something had been compressed in the chest, making the heart uneasy. A low, muffled hum emerged from the figure within the sphere, and faintly, the young man's face appeared pale. Despite this pallor, Xiao Yan did not immediately cease. Deep within his mind, the flash of insight that had briefly appeared amidst the surging tree waves kept resurfacing, subtly altering the trajectory and arc of his staff's movements without conscious effort. With unwavering focus, Xiao Yan began to relinquish control of the staff, instead entrusting the guidance to that sudden, intangible spark of insight that had emerged from the depths. The sharp, forceful strokes gradually softened, replaced instead by a notably slow, deliberate movement of the heavy staff. The heavy staff, moving with such sluggishness, appeared to outsiders as inherently flawed—its technique scattered with vulnerabilities, easily shattered by a single well-placed strike. As the staff danced through the air, the dark eyes once again flickered with an odd, bewildered stillness. Suddenly, Xiao Yan’s previously stiff and hesitant strokes transformed into a fluid, seamless rhythm. With this shift, the once-fragile technique, previously riddled with openings, underwent a dramatic transformation—each stroke now flowed seamlessly into the next, the staff’s movements interlocking and continuous, forming a solid, unbreakable sphere, with no single point of attack exposed. This style of staff-fighting stood in stark contrast to Xiao Yan’s earlier, chaotic approach, which relied solely on raw strength and speed. Since acquiring the Xuan Chong Chi, Xiao Yan has never practiced any standardized chi techniques. In combat, he primarily relies on his own strength. Though he possesses the ability to overcome a thousand attacks with sheer force, this force must reach a certain level of power to achieve such overwhelming effectiveness. When facing opponents of comparable strength, however, how could he possibly prevail? In such cases, the refinement and ingenuity of each attack become decisive. In terms of technique refinement, Xiao Yan's chi methods may even be less refined than Bai Shan's spear techniques. While Xiao Yan excels in strength and speed, his technique remains his weakness. Should he encounter opponents of similar strength in the future, he would undoubtedly suffer significant setbacks. This sudden realization, however, seems poised to completely resolve this weakness. "Shriek!" The vigorous swing of the heavy staff suddenly stilled, a sharp gust of wind bursting forth from its tip. A series of crisp cracking sounds echoed as the trees ten meters ahead were entirely severed at their tops. Maintaining the downward-striking posture of the staff, Xiao Yan's initial bewilderment swiftly faded, and clarity returned. He stared at the staff in his hands, his face expressing a touch of astonishment— the precise trajectory and arc of the previous staff movements remained vivid in his mind, as if etched in permanent impression. "Hm..." Xiao Yan opened his mouth, yet found himself at a loss for words. Though only a few hours had passed since his confusion began, he had discovered a remarkably subtle and refined staff technique. While the current form of the technique was still in its infancy, its power had already begun to reveal a fraction of its immense potential. With further refinement, it would undoubtedly become a significant asset in his arsenal. "Don't be surprised. The path of cultivation isn't something accidentally acquired—it's an opportunity. You've encountered it, and remarkably, you've held onto it. That's your good fortune." The Elder's voice slowly echoed within Xiao Yan's mind. "Many people encounter such opportunities, yet fail to grasp them. You've managed to hold onto it—this proves your ability and talent. To achieve success without effort? That's nothing short of a joke." Hearing this, Xiao Yan gently nodded, and the astonishment in his heart gradually faded away. "This technique of measuring with a ruler carries a flowing, continuous essence, reminiscent of the tree-waves I observed earlier. Though it's currently still weak, there's no need to be disheartened. This is merely the beginning. As long as you diligently refine and cultivate it in the future, I believe you will eventually develop your own unique ruler-based combat technique." "The old medic smiled, his voice filled with a sense of satisfaction. Starting anything is always difficult, but now Xiao Yan has taken the first step. Success, he believes, is merely a matter of time. Though creating combat techniques is no easy task, the old medic has an unusual confidence in this young prodigy who frequently brings about miracles. Nodding with a smile, Xiao Yan turned and inserted his heavy staff behind him, then retrieved a Regeneration Pill from his storage pouch, placing it in his mouth. As a warm sensation rose within him, he was about to find a spot to rest when suddenly, a thunderous roar erupted from the distant mountain range, like a bolt of lightning. 'What a powerful roar! Just from the sound, it seems to be a beast of at least Royal Rank,' Xiao Yan was momentarily stunned by the sudden blast, quickly lifting his head and gazing toward the mountains, expressing his astonishment. 'Indeed, it's a Royal Rank beast. There are also several strong presences within its range—likely engaged in combat,' the old medic remarked calmly." "Could there actually be someone daring to aim at a Champion-level contender?" A flicker of surprise crossed Xiao Yan's face. He felt a slight curiosity, smiling and saying, "Let's go take a look." "Alright, follow your lead," the Herbal Elder didn't seem concerned at all. Hearing this, Xiao Yan smiled, and the Purple Cloud Wing shot out from behind him, gently vibrating as his form rose into the air, then streaked toward the source of the beast's roar.