Chapter Seven: The Floating Willow Technique

Relying on the Creation Cauldron, Yaoye gradually began to adapt, his strength progressing bit by bit. Because he had to use his spiritual sense to dodge the attacks of the airstreams and resist the demonic energy that disturbed his mind, his body was still injured from time to time. Yet, both his physical coordination and spiritual perception underwent a qualitative leap, making it much easier to contend with the currents.

When he encountered a small stream of wind, Yaoye would channel his strength and withstand it with his body; with larger currents, he would evade in advance, knowing he was not yet capable of bearing such force. The old man in the shadows observed all this, nodding approvingly. “Heh heh! Let me give you a little push.”

With a wicked grin, the old man began to slowly release his oppressive aura toward Yaoye. In an instant, the pressure Yaoye felt doubled, and his steps grew disordered again. The wind currents became even more violent; in a moment of inattention, a dozen fresh wounds appeared on his body.

“What’s going on? Why did the pressure and the wind suddenly intensify?” Yaoye snapped out of his meditative state, whispering in confusion.

At that moment, he noticed the currents around him gradually converging toward him, as if he had become a magnet. Fortunately, because the winds were so dense, the surrounding demonic energy had been swept away.

“This is bad—I’m surrounded. I can’t fall here; I must get out,” Yaoye exclaimed in alarm. Though the currents seemed to move slowly, in reality they were incredibly swift, leaving him with no route of retreat. Luckily, the winds did not assault him all at once, but attacked in waves.

“Let’s see how you handle this, boy,” the old man chuckled mischievously.

“No—I must not panic. There has to be a flaw, a way through!” Yaoye said gravely. With no need to split his attention to resist the demonic energy, he concentrated all his mental power, preparing with every fiber of his being for the torrent of wind about to encircle him.

As soon as Yaoye made contact with the winds, his body was slashed by numerous fresh wounds. If not for his prior physical training, which had greatly increased his resilience, he might have collapsed instantly. Even so, he was soon overwhelmed; his body was soaked in blood, and the Creation Cauldron’s restorative power was far from enough. New wounds appeared before old ones could heal, only to be torn open again.

Under such pressure, Yaoye’s spirit was pushed to its very limits. Gritting his teeth, he struggled not to yield. Raising his head, he caught sight of a torn scrap of his garment, shredded by the fierce winds, fluttering in the air. The cloth drifted on the very edge of the airstream, dancing with the current, yet remained untouched by any attack. Yaoye sensed something, a feeling just out of reach. He stared desperately at the drifting cloth, his spiritual sense tightly locked onto its movements…

Draining his mental strength, Yaoye’s steps gradually found a rhythm, as he entered a state of sudden understanding. His spirit followed the fluttering cloth’s movements, paying no heed to his injuries.

In that moment, Yaoye resembled a leaf caught in the wind—sometimes swift, sometimes slow, swaying with the currents, moving wherever the wind led him. In this way, he slowly slipped beyond the reach of the fierce winds. Standing steady at last, Yaoye understood: every attack followed the flow of the airstream. So long as the body moved in harmony with those currents, the enemy’s attacks could never truly harm him.

Opening his eyes, Yaoye exhaled gently, a faint smile playing at his lips. “I’ll call this the Drifting Cotton Technique. This will be my first step toward rising above—it’s a blessing in disguise.”

Having just created his Drifting Cotton Technique, Yaoye spoke joyfully. He realized that the fierce winds could no longer confine him. In the areas where the wind was thickest, the oppressive force was actually lightest. Not wishing to squander this chance to temper his body, he pressed on. Though without the rare Marrow Cleansing Pill progress was slow, every bit of improvement filled Yaoye with hope.

The old man in hiding watched as Yaoye stood motionless, a gratified smile on his face. “Well done, boy. You did not disappoint me, nor did you bring shame to your mentor.”

Looking around, Yaoye discovered that the winds had carried him to the very center of the battlefield, where neither pressure nor demonic energy remained. Just as he was about to return and continue training, a gentle and kindly voice stopped him.

“My young friend, would you come and join me?”

“Who are you?” Yaoye asked in surprise.

“If you wish to know who I am, come meet me in the great hall ahead,” the voice replied. Extending his spiritual sense, Yaoye found not a trace of another presence.

“Who could be speaking to me here? This was once the site of a great battle between humans and demons—who could it be?” he muttered to himself in confusion. At last, Yaoye decided to go and investigate; after all, the teleportation array leading out was also in the direction of the great hall. Resolute, he set off with firm steps toward his unknown destiny…