Urban Immortal Cultivation Supreme

Zhu Bufan's meridians emitted a dazzling blue light, soft and refined; it manifested only on the surface of Zhu Bufan's body without any blinding sensation.

The blue light flowing down from the Light Pearl moved through Zhu Bufan's body at a steady pace, and as the blue light circulated, more and more rays began to stand out from him.

If Zhu Bufan were conscious, upon seeing his own state, he would surely believe he had been struck by the Nine Curves Spider Poison, his entire body encased in a strange layer of blue webbing.

Just as the blue Light Pearl appeared, the Snow Wolves that had been pursuing Zhu Bufan halted their steps, gazing at him with uncertainty as he emitted blue light. Their keen senses were extremely sharp, feeling an intense, overwhelming pressure surging from Zhu Bufan's body, emerging abruptly and then gradually intensifying.

Dozens of Snow Wolves watched Zhu Bufan with doubt, contemplating whether to continue their advance, but in the moment of their hesitation, the apparition of a mermaid-like figure formed in mid-air, like the sovereign of heaven and earth. Upon her appearance, everything in the entire space came to an abrupt halt, whether it was the drifting snowflakes or the formless, intangible cold wind, all were suspended!

"Wuu wuu..."

A massive pressure swept across the entire pack in an instant, causing both psychological and physical terror to the wolves; they could only whimper and lie prostrate on the ground, shaking violently and not daring to move.

This was a pressure that originated from their soul lineage, rooted in the most primal memories deep in their hearts, formidable to the extent that they had no room for resistance.

The apparition of the mermaid-like figure was abrupt and likewise vanished swiftly; in less than two seconds, it disappeared without a trace, as if it had never existed.

With the disappearance of the apparition, the pressure imposed on the wolves vanished as well. However, they did not immediately stand up; instead, they continued to crouch on the ground until the blue light on Zhu Bufan's body had completely dissipated, then they got up one after another.

Yet, faced with Zhu Bufan who had slaughtered members of their species, they no longer took a single step forward. The previous scene had been too shocking for them, completely shattering their spirit, as they struggled to their feet, tails between their legs, and dejectedly retraced their steps.

A gust of cold wind blew by, carrying with it an offensive stench; it turned out that the wolves had been so terrified by the immense pressure that they had lost all control over their bodily functions, leaving excrement and urine scattered about.

As the apparition of the mermaid-like figure vanished, Zhu Bufan's body, which had been under prohibition, regained its ability to move. However, Zhu Bufan made no movements, standing still in place with his eyes slightly closed.

During the moment of Zhu Bufan's realization of Water's Good Flexibility, his body underwent a stunning transformation.

The Cold Ice Internal Energy became extremely spirited at this moment. Originally, it was confined to Zhu Bufan's Dantian, as silent as still water, but now it burst with vibrant life.

Gurgle, gurgle...

After absorbing the blue mist, Zhu Bufan's body, like a long-dried riverbed, suddenly encountered a bountiful rainfall, guzzling eagerly.

The automatic execution of the Hanhai Tide Skill and the flow of blue light lines gradually diverged from the meridian Qi circulation route, forging new cultivation routes within Zhu Bufan's body.

These newly emerged Qi circulation routes were not mentioned even slightly in the Cold Ice Technique, not even in the Tenth Layer's cultivation route.

Of course, Zhu Bufan didn't notice, and even if he did, he wouldn't have thought much of it, merely assuming it was a unique Qi circulation route characteristic of some cultivation technique.

Zhu Bufan couldn't possibly imagine that the Qi circulation routes opened by the Hanhai Tide Skill were the legendary Hidden Meridians.

The so-called Hidden Meridian, as the name suggests, exists in contrast to regular meridians, which are referred to as Visible Meridians. The hidden aspect is not because of their secretive location but rather due to their extreme subtlety and difficulty to detect. If Visible Meridians are likened to main roads, Hidden Meridians wouldn't even count as narrow paths.

Because the Hidden Meridians are extremely delicate, they are very fragile and cannot withstand the slightest of impacts. Thus, it is practically impossible to use Inner Qi to open the Hidden Meridians. Countless historical instances have confirmed this; damage to the Hidden Meridians could at best result in a significant loss of power, and at worst lead to disability and life-threatening injuries.

However, the benefits of opening Hidden Meridians are immensely tempting. There are thirty-one Hidden Meridians, and opening just one of them brings endless advantages. The speed of cultivation will increase exponentially, and the endurance and burst strength of Inner Qi will be greatly enhanced.

It is said that in the current world, only one person has mastered the method to strike through the Hidden Meridians, known as the Divine Doctor with the Feather Fan, a legendary figure.

Unbeknownst to Zhu Bufan, out of the thirty-one Hidden Meridians, three had been opened.

After everything had settled down, Zhu Bufan had not returned to his senses, but mechanically walked back and forth across the ground.

And the direction he was walking in was exactly his Floating Snow Step Technique.

"To comprehend the dao of water is to observe its form, understand its essence, and realize its nature; then the true explanation of its essence can be obtained. The three states of water transform and vary endlessly; martial arts and movement techniques are all encompassed within..."

"Water's characteristics, water's good flexibility!"

...

Zhu Bufan's mind was rolling with these two sentences. Suddenly, a flash of insight, fleeting as a white steed passing through a gap, trying to grasp it, but the light had already faded, leaving Zhu Bufan to wrack his brains, scrambling to recall the vanishing spirit light.

Step by step, he walked slowly through the snow. Suddenly, a divine light shone in Zhu Bufan's eyes, looking at the falling snow around him with a face full of surprise.

"Ha ha ha... I understand now, so that's how it is... ha ha ha..."

With that said, Zhu Bufan's figure flashed, disappearing from the spot, only to appear two zhang up in the air, like a weightless snowflake, twirling and tumbling without falling.

Zhu Bufan remained suspended in the air for the duration of five breaths before slowly descending.

Suspending in the air is different from leaping. The so-called suspension refers to the complete dissipation of the lifting force, being mid-air without any supporting strength, the old force gone and the new force yet to arise; by all reason, one should fall.

If others were to see this scene, they would be scared to death, as only Martial Artists of the Innate Realm could achieve such a lengthy suspension, yet Zhu Bufan was merely Seventh Rank!

But Zhu Bufan himself was not satisfied with this. The movement technique he had suddenly realized was inspired by the wind and snow before his eyes, and its essence was the first characteristic of water he comprehended: water's good flexibility.

Water's good flexibility is the essence of this step technique, demanding the Inner Qi to imitate the swirling of wind and snow to support the body, thereby negating the effects of inertia to a certain degree.

Of course, causing Inner Qi to form a swirl within the body is extremely difficult, unless one has the corresponding Cultivation Technique. Otherwise, it would require countless attempts, and the meridians would inevitably be damaged during the process.

However, developments often defy expectations. To this common knowledge issue, Zhu Bufan had not a clue, and even more astonishing was the Cold Ice Internal Energy within his body which was incredibly obedient, forming a faint Qi Vortex within his acupoints according to his intentions.

"Now this step technique is still unrefined; the Qi Vortex takes too long to form, and its duration is too short. It seems I need to become more familiar with it!"

After only one attempt, Zhu Bufan acutely recognized its flaws.

"Eh, where did those Snow Wolves go?" Realizing he had been standing idle here, Zhu Bufan suddenly broke out in a cold sweat; if the wolf pack took advantage of his distraction to devour him...

Thinking of this, Zhu Bufan felt a chill rise from the back of his head, sweeping over his entire body in the blink of an eye.

But when he turned around, all he saw was emptiness. Aside from the vast expanse of white, there was nothing else; the yellow and white remains left by the wolf pack were completely concealed by the heavy snow, and naturally, Zhu Bufan could not detect them.

"How strange!" Puzzled by the disappearance of the Snow Wolves, Zhu Bufan couldn't come to a conclusion no matter how hard he thought and decided not to spend more brainpower on this, turning his full attention back to the insights he had just experienced.

The Floating Snow Step Technique was originally gained from a comprehension in the snowy fields, and Zhu Bufan's perception of Water's Good Flexibility likewise came from observing the snow; both had many commonalities.

"The esteemed predecessor who wrote Water Element Strange Tales indeed spoke profound truths; the essence of true understanding, Water's Three States, ever-changing, incorporating both Martial Arts and Step Techniques. If that predecessor could comprehend the Surging Wave Palm, why can't I realize a Martial Technique of my own?" Thinking of this, Zhu Bufan felt his blood boiling, a surge of heroic spirit erupting, and he couldn't help but let out a long, sky-reaching howl!

This howl was as sonorous as the raging waves of the sea and as lofty as the dragon's chant of the Nine Heavens.

After the howl, Zhu Bufan felt a fluctuation of Inner Qi within his body. The barrier that had troubled him for months burst open in that moment, dissipating completely.

With the barrier gone, the Cold Ice Internal Energy naturally began to follow the Eighth Layer Qi Circulation Route of the Cold Ice Technique; everything was as natural as water flowing into a channel. Zhu Bufan himself felt like an outsider and by the time he came to his senses, the Cold Ice Internal Energy had already circulated for almost a full day.

"This... ha ha..." Zhu Bufan now felt as if he had been hit by a pie falling from the sky, not just one, but multiple, leaving him somewhat dizzy.

This advancement, although unexpected for Zhu Bufan, was still reasonably anticipated.

Zhu Bufan had already reached the pinnacle of the Seventh Rank, and with diligent practice of the Hanhai Tide Skill, his body was tempered to the limit; all he was missing for advancement was an opportunity.

Now that Zhu Bufan had a sudden grasp of the True Meaning of Water, his realm had greatly improved. It is understood that for Postnatal Martial Artists, the requirement for Realm advancement is quite low; with enough Inner Qi, it is possible to brute force through the barriers between each stage.

Only when assaulting the Innate Realm does the Mental Realm play a significant role; those with a profound Mental Realm can increase their chances of success by about threefold when attacking the Innate Realm.

One mustn't underestimate this mere threefold increase in the chance of success; typically, the success rate for most Martial Artists attacking the Innate Realm is less than one percent. Having just one person succeed out of a hundred is considered rare, and thus the significance of a threefold increase in chances is immense.