Night had fallen on the Luo family mansion, and a silence had crept over the stone and lacquered walls. The light from the lanterns running along the outer paths spilled faint pools of light that seemed to drift in mid-air, but the quiet of Luo Feng's courtyard was so profound that it was as if it were isolated from the rest of the mansion.
In his room, Luo Feng sat cross-legged, and in front of him, the system panel hovered faintly in his sight like a lantern. His gaze lingered on the symbols under Huang Lei's name.
[Nine Cauldron Hegemon Body Art(+), Cloudburst Stride(+)]
For an instant, he did nothing. Since arriving in this new body, he had discovered that indecision was not an entirely bad thing. Acting rashly had brought about the downfall of more protagonists in the novels than he could remember. Power that was seized too readily was never truly free, with a cost that often far exceeded its advantages.
Finally, his focus turned to Cloudburst Stride.
He also had a good idea about what the plus sign was for. It was not likely to merely give a name to the skill. Perhaps, however, it would allow him to inherit the current level of proficiency that Huang Lei had.
Just the possibility made this feature terrifying.
After another short pause, Luo Feng made his decision.
Shi Beck would reach out with his will to activate the symbol.
The instant it occurred, his vision blurred.
Information poured into his mind like water from a broken dam. This did not happen in a random fashion, nor did it flood his senses. Footwork patterns fell neatly in sequence, with corresponding breathing sounds and minute variations in his spiritual energy. There was intent in every step. There was purpose in every movement of his weight.
He was able to see where this technique was to be deployed, where momentum was to be harvested and not forced, and where speed was to be gained through polish rather than brute power. The incorrect elements of that burgeoning process would be exposed to him, too.
By the time he stopped receiving these flashes of insight, his breathing became more regular, as if his own system was beginning to adjust to this new information.
A small, almost implicit, sense of accomplishment emerged quite naturally, without needing this system for verification/confirmation.
Luo Feng slowly opened his eyes.
There was just a flicker of surprise on his face, quickly dampened. This was what he had expected, efficiency, yes, but not to this extent. It was not, he realized, the same thing as memorizing instructions from a manual. This was more like memory itself, an experience embedded in his mind, waiting to be called on.
He flexed his fingers slightly, feeling this new sensation of balance seep into his system.
This power was much more dangerous than he had originally thought.
For a fleeting instant, temptation soared.
He wanted to test it.
It was almost an instinct. His body was light, springy, as if it had already started to move. It was even hard to sit there, as if being inactive was wasted time.
However, reason soon asserted itself.
Luo Feng's eyes wandered out to the courtyard beyond his chamber. Though it was no small yard in common terms, in a cultivation family, it was relatively humble. More to the point, however, was that it was surrounded, this little safe-haven zone in which action might indeed be noticeable.
He quietly breathed out and pushed the urge away.
It would come in due time. Nothing would be gained by rushing.
Again, his eyes moved to the system panel.
Beneath Cloudburst Stride was the second skill: Nine Cauldron Hegemon Body Art.
The surname was enough to command respect, to speak of bloodlines and training.
However, Luo Feng had not personally witnessed this technique, but through all the stories that had come to his attention during his time within the Luo family, he was able to appreciate its significance to that family and to the martial world at large. The Huang family was well-known for their physical practices, of which this art was central.
It was not a subtle technique.
This alone gave Luo Feng pause.
If he said it, the understanding would stamp itself into his flesh in the same way that the style of the Cloudburst Stride had. Cultivation techniques, in contrast to movement patterns, yielded more profound and lasting imprints. The details of the path that the spiritual energy took, the force of the energy on the meridians, even the lingering presence of the energy, would all be recognizable.
If an elder were to feel even a glimmer of this kind of circulation, questions would certainly follow.
Where did he get it?
What was he cultivating this for?
What was the connection between him and the Huangs?
There would be no easy answers to any of those questions that would protect him.
He leaned back slightly, allowing the weight to press against the wall at his back.
Unless he had an effective means to totally mask his qi, he could not possibly have made such a claim.
Currently, he has no way of doing this.
Even putting all that aside, there was no pressing need. The Luo family's cultivation method was not inferior. It may not be quite so specialized in terms of body cultivation, but it would be stable, well-balanced, and very accepted in the family. Nobody would find it fishy if they practiced it.
Power derived from silence surpassed the value of unbridled power displayed openly.
With this in mind, Luo Feng did not hesitate. He shut down the system panel, causing it to fade away.
The room fell back into its calm, nearly holy silence.
Instead, he remained seated, allowing his mind to naturally assimilate further insights from Cloudburst Stride. His rate of breathing gradually decreased to match that suited to his current cultivation base. There was no need to press on further this night.
But outside, the mansion continued in anonymous obscurity.
No footsteps were drawing near his courtyard. No voices were calling his name. As usual, he remained in the background, unnoticed.
Luo Feng was not resentful. Obscurity was his protection.
Until he had the strength and resources to decide otherwise, being alone was no burden but a protection. And so he remained where he was, waiting quietly for this gradual building of power that only he could see.