The Myriad Tomes Pavilion was a treasure trove of techniques, but Li Yu knew that possessing a map was not the same as owning the gold. The scrolls in his hands were just ink on paper, profound theories and intricate diagrams. To turn them into true, life-saving power required a currency he had in abundance: relentless, solitary effort. The Azure Serpent Lake, his secluded paradise, was about to become his personal forge.
During the day, he was the diligent Junior Steward. He would make his rounds, "observing" the beasts, offering insightful advice to Brother Kai as the two worked together. He was also learning about beast care from Brother Kai, there was a wealth of knowledge to be tapped and he was a willing student. Later in the day he would spend a few hours in the pagoda's courtyard, practicing the «Azure Water Scripture».
His progress was a carefully metered performance. After two months of "hard work," he allowed himself to officially reach the Fourth Stage of Body Tempering. The achievement earned him praise from Brother Kai and the two guards, who were impressed with his progress with a high-grade scripture. They had no idea they were watching a leviathan pretend to be a tadpole.
These daytime sessions, while somewhat of a charade, were not entirely useless. The «Azure Water Scripture» was a genuinely profound art. While it couldn't compare to the sheer domineering power of his own technique, its focus on intricate Qi control and subtle manipulation was far more refined. He used it to polish the fine control of his own vast sea of Qi, learning slowly to command his power with the precision of a master calligrapher, not just the brute force of a tidal wave.
But his nights were when the true forging took place. In the deepest, darkest hours, when the moon was hidden and the only sounds were the soft lapping of water and the distant cries of nocturnal beasts, Li Yu would begin his real training. His companion, the Crimson-Gill Marsh-Drake, which he had simply named "Crimson," would stand guard at the edge of the training ground, its intelligent eyes scanning the darkness. The two of them have slowly been getting closer to one another and are enjoying each other's company.
His first focus was the «Rippling Shadow Step». He didn't practice on dry land. He practiced on the surface of the lake itself. At the Tenth Stage of Body Tempering, his control over his Qi was exquisite. He could form a thin, almost invisible film of spiritual energy on the soles of his feet, allowing him to stand on the water as if it were solid ground. It was a common application of Qi control for when one wanted to trek across water. His more water attuned sensitivity made the task even easier.
At first, his movements were clumsy. He would take a step and create a large, splashing ripple, his balance precarious. But he was a creature of the water and his understanding of its flow was innate. He didn't fight the water's nature; he embraced it. He learned to move with the water, his steps becoming lighter, his shifts in weight becoming seamless.
He would spend hours "dancing" on the lake's surface, his movements becoming a fluid, unpredictable series of glides, pivots, and sudden, silent bursts of speed. He was not just practicing a technique; he was becoming a living ripple, a shadow on the water's surface. Crimson would often join him, the powerful Rank 3 beast swimming silently beneath him, its own movements a perfect, predatory ballet that Li Yu studied and incorporated into his own.
Next came the «Tidal Aegis Art». For this, he needed a training partner that could provide a real, tangible impact. He found one in the powerful tail of the Black-Vein River Wyrm. He would stand on the shore of the wyrm's enclosure, and through his spiritual connection, he would ask the great beast to strike at him. The wyrm, which now viewed him with a bit more respect since he last helped it, would oblige.
Its massive tail, capable of shattering a small mountain, would rise from the water and lash out. It was not with its full lethal force, but with a controlled concussive power. The first time the tail struck, even at a fraction of its true strength, the impact sent Li Yu flying. His chest was aching from the hit, the air driven from his lungs. His 'Kraken's Heart' physique absorbed the worst of the shock, preventing any real injury, but the lesson was clear.
He began to practice the art in earnest. As the tail descended, he would not brace for impact. He would relax, allowing his body to become pliable, and circulate his deep, viscous Qi in the spiraling patterns described in the scroll. The next impact was completely different.
He felt the immense force connect, but instead of a sharp, shattering blow, it was a deep, pushing pressure. The spiraling Qi beneath his skin acted like a vortex, catching the kinetic energy, dispersing it across his entire body, and channeling it down into the earth. His feet sank a foot into the ground, but he remained standing. He smiled at the result.
Night after night, he endured the wyrm's controlled assaults. He learned to perfect the timing, to anticipate the flow of force, to become the ocean receiving a stone. His defense was becoming invisible, an internal resilience that was far more useful than any external shield.
Finally, he practiced the «Deep-River Seal». This was the art of unleashing his monstrous power. He needed a target that could withstand his full strength. He found it in the deepest part of the Azure Serpent Lake, a section known as the Abyss. It was where a massive underwater rock formation of Black-Iron Ore, a substance known for its incredible density was located.
He would take a deep breath and dive, his body cutting through the water with the ease of a fish. He would swim down into the pitch-black darkness, his spiritual sense his only guide, until he reached the massive, jagged ore formation.
There, in the absolute silence of the abyss, he would practice. He started with the first seal, 'Crushing Current.' He would place his palm on the ore and channel his Qi. At first, the effect was minimal, a slight vibration in the rock.
But as he began to understand the technique's principles—not just pushing, but creating a resonant, concussive wave—the results became devastating. A single palm strike would send a deep, booming thud echoing through the water, and hairline cracks would appear on the ore's surface.
He moved on to the 'Vortex Grip.' He would grab onto a jagged outcrop of the ore and activate the spiraling Qi. The rock would groan and creak, and with a surge of his inhuman strength, he would tear chunks of the super-dense ore away, the rock crumbling in his grip as if it were sandstone.
His progress was terrifyingly fast. His foundation was simply too powerful. His Tenth Stage Qi was a boundless wellspring, and his Second Level 'Leviathan Bone' physique gave him a frame that could withstand the immense recoil of his own techniques.
He eventually learned to wrap Qi around his body creating a pocket around him. This would allow him to store some additional air for his trips down to practice. It also allowed him to move more freely in the water.
One night, after three months of this relentless, secret training, he felt he was ready. He stood before the largest, most solid section of the Black-Iron Ore vein. He took a deep, calming breath, the water flowing into his lungs as easily as air. He brought both of his hands together in front of his chest, his fingers forming the final, most profound hand seal of the art.
He channeled every ounce of power he possessed. The viscous sea of Qi in his dantian churned, and the strength of his Leviathan Bones and Kraken's Heart surged into his arms. A faint, dark light seemed to gather around his hands, a light that seemed to devour the darkness of the abyss itself.
This was the 'Abyssal Tide.'
He thrust his hands forward. There was no sound, no explosion. There was only a silent, absolute release of power. The water in front of him seemed to compress, to solidify for a single, impossible moment. When his hands struck the ore, a deep, soul-shaking tremor ran through the entire lakebed. A massive, web-like pattern of cracks spread out from the point of impact, and with a low, grinding groan, a section of the ore vein the size of a carriage house sheared off and tumbled into the deeper darkness.
Li Yu floated in the water, his arms trembling from the sheer exertion. He had done it. He had turned his raw power into a truly lethal weapon. He was no longer just a boy with a strong body. He was a predator who had sharpened his claws. While he still hasn't fought anyone yet, at least now he felt he had some techniques to do so.
As he swam back to the surface, a new sense of calm confidence settled over him. He was still hiding, still playing the part of the weak and lucky disciple. But now, his deception was not just a shield born out of fear.