Chapter 36

"Master Ping believes that the cultivation method practiced by Young Master might also bring about some changes to the Swift Swallow Step. Using the lightning power cultivated by Young Master, it might make the steps even faster, like a flash of lightning! Young Master, in Ping’s view, sharp reflexes and quick movements to avoid being hit by the opponent are the most essential martial arts skills you need to train!"

Liu Ping’s figure continued to dart around the training room, his posture light and his speed varying, with no discernible pattern. With the power generated by his footwork, he seemed to be free from the effects of gravity.

Zhu Lingwu couldn’t help but be amazed as he watched Liu Ping demonstrate the Swift Swallow Step. Such lightness of body was truly something, completely different from the parkour in his world, which required the use of both hands and feet to jump over various obstacles.

But now, Liu Ping only needed to lightly tap his feet, using the qi released from his feet to fly several meters in the air, without needing any help from his hands. At most, he would use his hands to change direction in the air.

Although Liu Ping couldn’t truly fly, such agile movements made Zhu Lingwu’s eyes dazzle. If he wanted to attack Liu Ping, he felt he wouldn’t even be able to catch the hem of Liu Ping’s clothes. This was the power of footwork.

"The best defense is to prevent the opponent from attacking you. No matter how strong your defense is, it can’t withstand a stronger attack. Divine weapons, sharp blades, and the attacks of monsters? Hmm, it does seem to make sense, but this also depends on individual talent! Speed and agility, can they really do it?"

Although he had seen Liu Ping demonstrate the Swift Swallow Step and heard his explanation, Zhu Lingwu still had some doubts. While the idea was good, he felt that his body wasn’t suited for the agility route.

Moreover, even if your footwork is agile, how can you avoid attacks that follow you like guided missiles?

This might be the limitation of Liu Ping as a martial arts practitioner. But now, it seems that learning this Swift Swallow Step still has its uses. The question is, can the Nine Turnings Lightning Body Technique I practice release electricity to make this footwork even faster?

"Alright, then, Master Liu, I will cultivate the Thunderclap Palm and the Swift Swallow Step! Thank you, Master Liu!"

After some thought, Zhu Lingwu agreed to Liu Ping’s suggestion. Since Liu Ping had chosen these two martial arts techniques for him, he would practice them. After all, Liu Ping was the expert, and choosing palm techniques and footwork could help him open the major meridians.

"Very well. Today, Ping will first teach Young Master the blood and qi circulation mantras for these two martial arts techniques. Young Master can familiarize yourself with the acupoints and meridians involved in these techniques. You can also use your blood and qi to open these acupoints, which will greatly speed up your cultivation of the Thunderclap Palm and the Swift Swallow Step. Additionally, Young Master can start to understand the mantras. The specific moves are just the form; understanding the essence of the mantras is the key to truly mastering these martial arts techniques. Yes, Ping also needs some time to prepare the wooden stakes and hanging bags for Young Master’s training. There’s no need to be too anxious in the coming days."

Liu Ping was initially surprised that Zhu Lingwu didn’t show much excitement, but he quickly realized that as a noble’s son, Zhu Lingwu had seen many cultivation techniques and spells. In comparison, these martial arts techniques were like showing off in front of an expert.

So, when Zhu Lingwu agreed, Liu Ping didn’t say much more. He simply passed on the mantras for the Thunderclap Palm and the Swift Swallow Step to Zhu Lingwu.

These mantras were often made into rhymes, but they contained the special points of the martial arts techniques. One could say that besides the descriptions of the internal acupoints and meridians, the most important part of a martial arts technique was these mantras.

As for the specific moves and routines, those who had cultivated martial arts techniques to the highest level could easily create new routines on the spot for others to practice. This wasn’t really important.

Without the mantras, even if you watched someone perform the moves of a martial arts technique, and you learned them perfectly, it would be meaningless. You would never be able to cultivate the true power of the technique. The higher the quality of the martial arts technique, the more it emphasized the mantras and the less it required specific moves. Therefore, you could practice the moves and routines of a martial arts technique openly in front of everyone.

For some low-level martial arts techniques, you might be able to learn some basic things by watching and stealing techniques, but for a high-quality martial arts technique, you could watch it a hundred times and still not steal it.

Unless you had X-ray vision and could see the flow of blood and qi inside someone’s body, you might be able to understand some of the secrets of the martial arts technique.

Therefore, the mantras of any martial arts technique were mostly passed down orally. Even if they were recorded, they were usually kept in extremely secret places and not easily discovered.

Cultivating martial arts techniques also required first reading the mantras. Only by doing so could you understand the principles involved when practicing the moves and routines, allowing you to quickly get started.

At the same time, you could use the moves and routines to exercise and achieve the circulation of blood and qi within your body. Through long-term practice of the moves and routines, you could open the acupoints required for the martial arts technique.

Therefore, those who didn’t understand internal cultivation methods could also help open their acupoints through long-term practice of the moves and routines, thereby unleashing the true power of the martial arts technique.

However, for those who didn’t understand internal cultivation methods and couldn’t mobilize their internal blood and qi to open acupoints, using the method of practicing routines to cultivate martial arts techniques might take decades or even a lifetime.

For someone like Zhu Lingwu, who had already cultivated internal cultivation methods to open the Ren and Du meridians, it was different.

As long as the internal cultivation method had reached a certain level, you could first open the acupoints required for the martial arts technique, then cultivate the mantras and moves. In this way, you might be able to unleash the power of the martial arts technique in just a few months.

It’s like in some martial arts novels where the protagonist gains a century of cultivation from a cliff jump and can easily learn any move, mastering it instantly.

This also illustrates how significant a high-quality internal cultivation method is for a martial artist, allowing them to achieve in a few short years what others might spend a lifetime cultivating.

Of course, while internal cultivation practitioners can quickly unleash the power of martial arts techniques, truly mastering the essence of a martial arts technique still requires long-term practice. There are no shortcuts for this.

Now, Liu Ping hopes that Zhu Lingwu can first understand the mantras of the Thunderclap Palm and the Swift Swallow Step and open the required acupoints and meridians.