I achieved mastery of martial arts during the Republic of China era.

Chapter 17 The Shadowless Technique, Relationship Heats Up

Zhou Tong focused his mind and calmed his breath. The trajectory of the knife-wielding figure moving and slashing in his vision merged perfectly with the stream of information flowing into his heart. Every move, every gesture, and even the most subtle tremor of the body between breaths was deeply imprinted on his mind.

Before long, the illusion dissipated, Zhou Tong's mind returned, his eyes opened, and his inner light was concealed.

The perfect version of the first twelve moves of the "Dragon Tiger Ruyi Blade" has been engraved deep in my consciousness.

With a slight thought, the transparent panel reappeared.

【Dragon and Tiger Ruyi Blade (Perfect Version) - First Twelve Forms】

[Cultivation Notes: Due to the perfect harmony between the technique and the host's physique and spirit, its power is slightly higher than the normal version. Upon full mastery, a unique secret technique can be derived: Shadowless.]

[Secret Technique - Shadowless: A unique burst technique generated based on the host's traits and spirit, which greatly enhances attack speed and movement speed when used.]

[Estimated time required to fully master the skill: 70 days.]

"No shadow?"

Zhou Tong muttered these words to himself, his eyes almost overflowing with surprise.

Of all martial arts techniques, none are invincible except for speed!

He subconsciously recalled a sentence he had seen in his past life, and a surge of heat rose in his heart.

Unable to contain his excitement, he immediately went to the courtyard.

The cold wind still blew, but a fire seemed to burn in his heart.

He assumed a stance and, following the perfect trajectory in his mind, slowly began to execute his sword technique.

Sure enough, just like the perfect version of the stance training, it looks exactly the same as Professor Chen Zong's moves. However, the angle of rotation of each joint, the rhythm of muscle tension and relaxation, and even the speed of breath flow in the nasal cavity have been adjusted in an extremely subtle but crucial way.

It was these adjustments that allowed the entire sword technique to resonate with his body, making it feel smooth and natural, even though it was somewhat clumsy due to his initial learning.

The difficulty has indeed increased, but the control over the body has also become more refined.

Information flowed into his mind at just the right time, like the strictest yet most caring mentor, constantly correcting every unconscious deviation he made.

After practicing once, stand still and finish the posture.

Looking at the 70-day forecast on the panel, Zhou Tong couldn't help but smile.

As far as he knew, even geniuses like Liu Qing and Zheng Hao took about a month and a half, nearly fifty days, to master the first twelve moves.

Although he still needed seventy days, twenty days slower than them, his speed was still outstanding compared to the vast majority of ordinary people in the martial arts school who needed to endure more than a year of hardship.

More importantly, he recalled that it had taken him three months to practice stance training, while Liu and Zheng had only taken one month, a difference of two months. Now, in swordsmanship, the gap had narrowed to about twenty days.

"It seems that my poor physical condition and stiffness hindered my learning progress back then."

Zhou Tong pondered to himself, "Now that I have been honed by stance training, my blood and qi are flowing smoothly, my muscles and bones are gradually opening up, and my body's ability to adapt to and learn martial arts is incomparable to what it used to be."

Perhaps the absolute gap between me and those top geniuses in terms of learning speed isn't as large as I imagined? At least, that's true at the level of mastering techniques.

After resting for a while to calm his blood and qi, he took out the Golden Jade Ointment, carefully applied it to his acupoints, and began his standing meditation practice for the day.

Under the dual stimulation of the medicine and blood circulation, his muscles experienced waves of soreness, numbness, and itchiness, but he found it quite pleasant.

At the same time, his anticipation for the improved prescription that was being developed was already at its peak.

I wonder how much time the improved prescription will save him?

……

The next day, at the Dragon Tiger Martial Arts School.

The rare pale winter sun barely pierced through the clouds, casting thin shadows in the courtyard.

Just as Zhou Tong took off his thick cotton robe and placed the cloth bag containing the wooden knife and the gold and jade ointment on the corner bench, a figure appeared in front of him and stood still.

Looking up, I saw Ji Chang.

He wasn't wearing the silk jacket we'd seen the other day; instead, he was back to the martial arts school's uniform gray outfit. But his carefree and unconventional air, typical of someone who frequents the streets, was still undeniable.

At this moment, he was standing with his arms crossed, staring intently at Zhou Tong.

Zhou Tong was a little confused by his gaze: "Senior Brother Ji, good morning. Why are you looking at me like that? There's nothing on my face."

Ji Chang didn't take the joke, but instead took half a step forward: "You saw it."

Zhou Tong was taken aback, somewhat confused: "Saw? Saw what?"

"Still pretending?"

Ji Chang raised an eyebrow, his usual smile faltering slightly, revealing a hint of nonchalant arrogance mixed with a subtle tension:

"Yesterday, across the street from Ruifuxiang, across the street from Renjitang. I spotted you there."

"Oh—" Zhou Tong suddenly realized, so that's what it was about.

He smiled and said in a relaxed tone, "Senior brother, you're talking so casually this early in the morning. I thought it was something important, but it turns out you're talking about this."

He looked Ji Chang up and down, a hint of amusement in his smile, and lowered his voice, saying, "Yes, I saw it. Hehe, Senior Brother is quite perceptive, and your methods are impressive. Junior Brother admires you."

"I...I admire you?"

Ji Chang was stunned for a moment, his eyes widened slightly, and his feigned composure was instantly replaced by astonishment.

He had imagined all sorts of reactions from Zhou Tong—disdain, contempt, pretending not to see, or even sarcasm—but he never expected to hear the word "admiration."

In the past, even if others knew about this matter, they could tell from their eyes that Ye Menqing understood.

He used to have several fellow students at the martial arts school with whom he had a good relationship, but after they learned about this private matter, they all distanced themselves from him.

Zhou Tong's reaction was truly unexpected.

Seeing him in a daze, Zhou Tong was puzzled: "What's wrong? I'm serious. It's a mutual thing, Senior Brother. You're a handsome man, and you seem to know how to make people happy. You've been chatting and laughing with people to cheer them up, being gentle and considerate, and you've also put in the effort. It's only natural to ask for some money in return."

He paused, recalling the woman's charm from yesterday, and added, his tone even more teasing: "Besides, that lady... she's not bad looking either. Senior brother is quite lucky with women."

Ji Chang stared intently at Zhou Tong, trying to find even the slightest hint of hypocrisy or sarcasm in his eyes, but all he saw was complete indifference.

That's really what he thinks!

This left Ji Chang momentarily stunned. The thorn that had been subtly raised in his heart due to the exposure softened quietly, replaced by a strange and indescribable emotion.

He murmured, "Junior brother, do you really think so?"

"Of course." Zhou Tong nodded. Having awakened his memories of his past life, some of his ideas were out of step with this era.

In his view, romantic relationships between men and women should be based on mutual benefit, without deception or cheating, and as long as both parties are happy, that's fine.

He wouldn't use this to morally judge others.

Ji Chang stared blankly at Zhou Tong, then saw his face twitch a few times, and he grabbed Zhou Tong's arm with such force that Zhou Tong was jolted.

"This...this!"

Ji Chang blushed, his face flushed with excitement as if he had found a kindred spirit.

"Junior Brother Zhou! Your words...you really...you've truly touched my heart! I never expected, I never imagined, that I would meet such a insightful person as you in this martial arts school, in this Cangzhou City!"

His reaction left Zhou Tong somewhat amused and exasperated.

Ji Chang couldn't wait any longer. He looked around to make sure no one was paying attention to them, then grabbed Zhou Tong's arm and led him behind a more secluded pillar: "Come on, let's talk over here."

The two stopped in the corridor. Ji Chang's excitement hadn't subsided. He rubbed his hands together, looking at Zhou Tong with fervent eyes.

"Since you're not such a pedantic person, then I won't beat around the bush with you anymore and will speak frankly from the heart."

He sighed, a hint of genuine bitterness tinged with his smile:

"When I first reached the Stone Muscle stage, my family suffered a misfortune. My father fell seriously ill, our savings were depleted, and in the end, he passed away. Without financial support, my path in martial arts was about to end."

With his current cultivation level, Shi Ji could easily make a living as a guard, escort, or even a thug for gangs. However, that would mean living a life of constant danger, risking serious injury or even death. How could he possibly break through to the Bone Forging stage then?

He looked at Zhou Tong with a frank expression: "That's why I took this path. I found a few widowed women who were quite wealthy, and... well, couldn't stand being alone. It was just a matter of mutual benefit."

Zhou Tong nodded, indicating his understanding: "In that case, Senior Brother had no choice but to resort to this tactic, enduring humiliation and hardship in pursuit of martial arts."

His tone was reassuring.

To everyone's surprise, Ji Chang waved his hand, a sly smile spreading across his face: "Hey, stop! Junior brother, this might fool outsiders, but I won't put on that pitiful act in front of you."

He leaned closer, lowered his voice, and revealed a straightforwardness:

"Senior brother, I won't lie to you. My association with those older sisters is, on one hand, indeed for the sake of practicing martial arts—that's the fundamental reason; on the other hand..."

He paused, winked at Zhou Tong, and gave him a knowing look. "It's just that I like it myself! Damn, martial artists have lots of energy, you know!"

Zhou Tong: "..."

His lips twitched slightly. Looking at Ji Chang's blatant "I'm a womanizer, so what?" attitude, he was momentarily at a loss for words.

After a two-second silence, he managed to stammer, "Senior brother is... quite frank."

"Hehe, when it comes to talking among our own people, why pretend to be some moral saint? That's no fun."

Ji Chang seemed to have completely let go. He looked Zhou Tong up and down, his gaze sweeping over Zhou Tong's still somewhat immature and handsome face.

Then, he nudged Zhou Tong with his elbow, raising an eyebrow and revealing a mischievous and inquisitive smile characteristic of men:

"Hey, Junior Brother Zhou, if I'm not mistaken... you're probably still a virgin, aren't you?"

Zhou Tong's smile froze: "???"

What a presumptuous question you're asking!

He secretly pondered how to deal with this situation:

Is it shamefully bowing its head and pretending to be an ostrich?

Or should they blush and defend themselves?

Or perhaps he would slap his thigh and say, "Senior brother has a good eye!"

In the end, facing Ji Chang's mocking gaze, he merely stiffened slightly and uttered a few words with a hint of helplessness: "Senior brother... has discerning eyes."

"Hahaha!" Ji Jing chuckled smugly, patted Zhou Tong on the shoulder, and gave him a knowing look.

"No wonder, no wonder you don't understand this, junior brother. Let me tell you."

His tone carried the air of someone who had been there and was sharing their experience:

"What's the point of those naive young girls? They're all shy and clueless. The ones who truly know how to care for others and are sensible are the experienced and beautiful women!"

You have no idea what it tastes like... a silver tongue... juicy and delicious, with captivating charm...

As he spoke with great enthusiasm, his eyes began to wander, as if he were savoring the moment.

Zhou Tong felt a chill run down his spine as he listened. Seeing that Ji Chang was about to elaborate further, he quickly raised his hand to stop him, his face a mixture of amusement and exasperation: "Stop, stop, stop! Senior Brother Ji, there's no need for such detail."

Seeing his embarrassed state, Ji couldn't help but burst into laughter. The laughter was so hearty that the subtle distance that had been created by the discovery of their secret completely vanished.

He patted Zhou Tong's shoulder twice more heavily: "Alright, alright, I won't say anymore! Junior brother is shy, I know that! If you don't understand anything in the future, just come and ask!"

After this incredibly candid conversation, Zhou Tong could clearly sense a subtle change in the relationship between the two.

Previously, they were partners who appreciated each other and had mutual value; now, they have become like family.

In front of him, Ji Chang completely shed his "generous but distant" social mask, revealing a more authentic, even somewhat reckless, true nature.

That's how relationships work. Sometimes, a trigger is needed to break through certain boundaries of politeness and touch upon a less formal, private area. This can quickly warm up the relationship and make it more solid and casual.

"Alright, I won't interrupt your practice."

Ji Chang finished laughing, composed himself, and returned to his usual capable demeanor, only his eyes were closer than before:

"Keep it up, train hard! If we brothers can all break through the Bone Forging stage, we might just make a name for ourselves in Cangzhou City!"

Zhou Tong nodded with a smile, watching Ji Chang sway away to the other side, then suddenly smiled.

In this chaotic world, having another interesting and genuine friend like Ji Chang seems like a good thing.

……

In the afternoon, the sparse sunlight slanted through the branches of the locust tree in the front yard of the martial arts school, casting dappled shadows on the rammed earth ground.

Zhou Tong wiped his sweat and sat alone on a bench in the corner. His right knuckles unconsciously tapped his knee, but his gaze was fixed on the transparent frame in front of him that no one else could see.

[Time remaining for the Jin Yu Gao (Golden Jade Cream) compatibility improvement plan deduction: 00:07:59]

The numbers ticked slowly.

Zhou Tong picked up the kettle, took a sip, and slowly scanned the courtyard with his gaze.

About thirty or forty students were still practicing. Shouts, the sound of fists and feet cutting through the air, and heavy breathing were mixed together. The rising heat condensed into patches of white mist in the cool winter afternoon air.

Most of the people were shirtless, their skin glistening with sweat, their muscles contracting and relaxing with each movement.

This is the everyday scene in the world of martial arts.

It's tedious and repetitive, requiring you to practice the same movements hundreds or thousands of times, enduring soreness, pain, and fatigue, in order to make even the slightest progress.

There are no shortcuts—at least for the vast majority of people.

Zhou Tong closed his eyes slightly, then opened them again.

Just then—

[Ding! The adaptation and improvement plan for Jin Yu Gao has been completed.]