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

Chapter 27 Mastering the Secret Technique

The thirteenth day of the first lunar month.

Dragon Tiger Martial Arts School, noon.

The courtyard was sparsely populated, with only a dozen or so disciples scattered around practicing their skills, their breath condensing into a thin mist in the cold air.

On the seventh day of the first lunar month, the martial arts school will reopen, and students can come to practice.

However, since the New Year holiday is not over yet, most people are still visiting relatives and friends. The martial arts school will not be lively again until after the Lantern Festival.

Zhou Tong's home was unusually quiet this year. He had nothing to do at home, so after the seventh day of the Lunar New Year, he went to the martial arts gym to practice as usual.

At this moment, he stood alone in the southeast corner.

The dark wooden sword in his hand sliced ​​through the stagnant air as he moved.

The swordplay was sometimes heavy and powerful like a crouching tiger, and sometimes light and agile like a swimming dragon. There was no hesitation at the connection between the twelve moves, and the breath rose and fell in unison with the blade.

laugh--

The final move, "Dragon Returns to the Abyss," slashes down diagonally, the tip of the blade hovering motionless in mid-air.

Zhou Tong slowly exhaled a breath of stale air, lowered his arm, clenched his fist, and a hint of barely suppressed joy flashed in his eyes.

Persistence pays off, and it's done!

Just then, a transparent panel quietly appeared in front of them:

[The first twelve moves of the Dragon Tiger Ruyi Blade (Perfect Version) have been mastered.]

The next second, his mind was jolted!

Countless memories flooded back like a tide.

In that newly acquired memory, he practiced with his sword day after day, without fail, through all seasons, for countless hours.

One evening as dusk settled, he suddenly felt a clarity in his mind. Countless sword shadows collided and recombine in his heart, and he comprehended a powerful secret technique: Shadowless!

Once this move is mastered, both movement speed and attack speed will increase dramatically!

The process of imprinting memories on the senses can feel like an eternity, while in reality, the outside world is but a fleeting moment.

To onlookers, Zhou Tong simply closed his eyes and concentrated for a moment after sheathing his sword, showing no signs of anything amiss.

Zhou Tong opened his eyes again, looked around, and felt a burning sensation in his chest that almost overflowed.

"So that's how it was obtained..."

He gripped the hilt of the knife tightly and whispered to himself.

He had wondered how this "Shadowless" technique would be taught to him, but he never expected it to be like this.

After the memory infusion just now, the "Shadowless" secret technique had become as natural as breathing to him, as if it were something he had truly mastered through hard practice.

"I wonder how powerful this Shadowless Technique is?" Zhou Tong was eager to try it out, his spirits soaring.

Previously, he only had strong physical abilities, but lacked key fighting techniques and systematic methods of combat. Now that he has mastered swordsmanship, he can be called a true martial artist.

However, Zhou Tong quickly suppressed the turmoil in his heart.

He knew very well that the Shadowless Technique was of great importance and should be kept as a closely guarded secret, not displayed in public.

These days, he had subtly inquired with Ji Chang about the martial arts school's disciples, and none of them had ever heard of anyone having discovered any "secret techniques" from the "Dragon Tiger Ruyi Blade".

A sword technique that has been passed down for hundreds of years, how many talented and brilliant people have practiced it?

He mastered an unprecedented secret technique in just over two months, which is impossible to explain. Who knows what trouble it might cause? It would be best to keep this secret technique hidden.

This action not only aligns with the Gui Zang Dao (the Way of Returning to the Source) as taught by the eldest disciple, but also with the survival rules of this chaotic world.

"However, there's nothing special about the perfect swordsmanship; I can show it off."

Zhou Tong's thoughts shifted again.

The perfect version of the Dragon Tiger Ruyi Blade can slightly increase the power of the moves, but the moves look no different from the normal version, so there's no need to worry about others thinking too much.

Moreover, Zhou Tong observed the martial arts school members these days and found that although everyone practiced the Dragon Tiger Ruyi Saber, each person had subtle differences and their own personal style.

This is what they mean by "the master leads you through the door, but the practice is up to you."

After all, people aren't machines; even when practicing the same things, there will always be some differences.

The only difference is that the styles are slightly different, but the power is about the same, unlike my own which has an increased power.

With these thoughts in mind, Zhou Tong couldn't contain himself and began practicing his swordsmanship.

The sound of the wooden sword cutting through the air suddenly became sharper, and with each transition, the angle of the waist and hips twisting, the amplitude of the wrist shaking, and the rhythm of breathing all reached an indescribable harmony.

The blade flashed like a bolt of lightning; though it had no real edge, it exuded a deep and powerful aura of killing intent!

The disciples chatting and laughing nearby couldn't help but be drawn to them.

Of course, they only glanced at it briefly before looking away.

Although Zhou Tong's swordsmanship looked exceptionally agile and had an indescribable beauty, in their eyes, good looks were not the same as ability. Those fancy moves were beautiful, but they had no practical value in actual combat.

However, they couldn't see the mystery, but some people could.

Under the shadow of the eaves, a figure had been standing silently for a long time.

Senior Brother Chen Zong crossed his arms, the sleeves of his dark blue cotton robe rolled up to his forearms, revealing his muscular wrists.

He was initially just making a routine inspection, but when his gaze swept over Zhou Tong, he felt that Zhou Tong's swordsmanship was exceptionally smooth today.

After taking a few more glances, he couldn't help but stop, his eyes like an eagle's, locking onto Zhou Tong's every move.

As he looked on, a hint of surprise crept into his eyes.

"His breathing and exhalation are perfectly synchronized with the rise and fall of his sword movements..."

"The exertion seems to have been subtly adjusted, based on my physical condition, yet the power has subtly increased..."

Chen Zong had countless disciples, and he could tell at a glance that Zhou Tong's swordsmanship was similar in form but different in spirit.

On the surface, it still looks like the Twelve Forms of Dragon and Tiger, but the internal power generation and rhythm control seem to have been slightly adjusted!

It was this subtle adjustment that made Zhou Tong's swordsmanship slightly better than others.

Zhou Tong was immersed in practice, feeling a sense of exhilaration. He used his sword technique three times in a row before finally stopping and exhaling.

"call--"

He had just wiped his forehead when he heard steady footsteps from his side.

Looking up, the eldest brother, Chen Zong, was already five steps in front of him.

"Senior Brother." Zhou Tong quickly clasped his hands in greeting.

Chen Zong nodded slightly, his face expressionless, and said calmly, "Come on, lend a hand."

Without further explanation, he stood still, his right hand hanging naturally at his side, while his left hand stretched forward with his fingers slightly spread—he was about to face the knife empty-handed.

Zhou Tong felt a chill run down his spine, but said nothing. He took a deep breath and his eyes suddenly sharpened.

"Excuse me!"

Before he finished speaking, he had already moved!

The first move, "Dragon Emerging from Shallow Abyss," involves a wooden sword slashing diagonally upwards, creating a sharp, whistling sound as it strikes directly at Chen Zong's left rib opening!

He delivered this strike without holding back, achieving peak speed and power.

However, Chen Zong didn't even lift his eyelids.

Just as the blade was half a foot away from his body, his outstretched left hand suddenly pressed down—

It was neither a block nor a grappling move.

He simply and gently placed the sides of his index and middle fingers on the back of the wooden sword.

The movements were light and casual, even somewhat relaxed.

But Zhou Tong felt as if the blade had suddenly crashed into an invisible wall of energy!

All the forward momentum was instantly dissipated, and the sword strike came to an abrupt halt.

He instinctively tried to change his move and twist his wrist, but those two fingers were stuck to the back of the knife as if they were rooted to the ground. No matter how hard he tried, the wooden knife did not budge!

"The second move," Chen Zong said, his voice steady.

Zhou Tong gritted his teeth, twisted his waist and hips violently, and the blade sank down to turn into a horizontal slash, which was the defensive stance of "Tiger Crouching on the Hill" turning into an offensive stance!

This time Chen Zong made a move—but not to hide.

He slightly twisted the two fingers resting on the back of the knife, a movement so subtle it was almost invisible.

Zhou Tong felt a strange swirling force coming from the blade, and his originally steady horizontal slash involuntarily deviated three inches upward. The blade grazed the corner of Chen Zong's clothes and missed!

"The third move."

"The Fourth Form"

"The fifth move..."

Chen Zong always used only two fingers of his left hand to either touch, guide, flick, or press.

Each contact was as light as a drop of water, yet Zhou Tong's blade was like a puppet pulled by invisible threads, always veering off course at crucial moments, causing all his killing moves to miss their mark.

What alarmed Zhou Tong even more was that Chen Zong hadn't moved an inch!

After using all twelve moves, Zhou Tong's forehead was covered in sweat.

He slowly sheathed his sword, took a step back, clasped his hands in a fist and bowed, saying, "Thank you for your guidance, Senior Brother."

Chen Zong lowered his hand, his expression remaining as calm as still water, and simply nodded slightly: "You've practiced well."

He paused, then said, "You have grasped the true meaning of the first twelve moves. Come back tomorrow, and I will teach you the subsequent moves."

The voice wasn't loud, but it carried clearly throughout half the courtyard.

The disciples watching from a short distance immediately erupted in uproar!

"It's done? It's only been a little over two months!"

"I remember Senior Sister Liu Qing took a month and a half back then, and Senior Brother Zheng Hao took about the same... Junior Brother Zhou's speed is almost catching up with theirs!"

"No wonder the senior brother personally tested the moves..."

Some people whispered sourly, "What's the use of learning swordsmanship quickly? Training your muscles is the key. He mastered stance training in three months; his comprehension is excellent, so this progress is normal."

"That's right, he can't see the situation clearly, which makes Senior Sister Liu and Senior Brother Zheng unhappy. What good is it if he practices his swordsmanship faster..." someone echoed in a low voice.

Zhou Tong seemed oblivious to the murmurs, turning to Chen Zong and asking with a smile:

"I heard that the later techniques require the Bone Forging Realm to unleash their true power. Is it too early for me to learn them now?"

"It's alright." Chen Zong shook his head. "You can learn the form first and understand the principle. Once you break through the Bone Forging stage, you can then study the deeper power generation methods, which will save you a lot of time and effort."

"Thank you, Senior Brother!" Zhou Tong solemnly clasped his hands in thanks.

Chen Zong said no more and turned to walk towards the backyard.

Only after his figure disappeared behind the moon gate did the calm shell on his face loosen slightly, and a hint of barely suppressed surprise flashed in his eyes.

He went behind the courtyard wall, recalling Zhou Tong's moves, and subconsciously practiced them again and again, but he always felt something was wrong. Not only did the power not increase, but he also felt inexplicably awkward.

"It seems that he improved his swordsmanship based on his own physique and developed something unique to himself that others simply cannot learn."

A look of shock crossed his face as he murmured, "I've heard of such prodigies before, but I never imagined that my Dragon Tiger Martial Arts Academy would produce one like them."

……

In the corner of the front yard, Zhou Tong slowly sheathed his sword.

He looked in the direction where his senior brother had disappeared, a slight smile playing on his lips.

He caught the fleeting look of surprise in Chen Zong's eyes when he placed his two fingers on the knife during the trial move.

"I knew it..." Zhou Tong thought to himself.

He came to the martial arts school every day without fail, not only to practice but also to "show off" in front of Chen Zong.

This senior disciple was in charge of the disciples' affairs. He was calm and fair. When the controversy surrounding his division of the family was making a big fuss, he showed him a bit of goodwill. With that foundation, he naturally wanted to deepen their relationship.

Zhou Tong never believed in the idea that "gold will always shine."

In this chaotic world, we should fight for what we should fight for, and show what we should show—especially to those who have the power to speak for us.

Given his status as the eldest disciple, he would likely have a say in the disputes among the direct disciples.

Zhou Tong had always harbored ambitions for the position of a direct disciple, and thus he did everything in his power to achieve this.

Whether it's useful or not, it's better than doing nothing.

After practicing stance training for a while, and once his qi and blood had calmed down, Zhou Tong put on his outer robe and left the martial arts school.

The martial arts school was crowded and noisy, so he wanted to go home and test the power of the Shadowless Secret Technique.

……

The Zhou residence, backyard.

The winter sun slanted into the courtyard, casting long, bare tree shadows on the bluestone slabs.

Zhou Tong bolted the small gate to the backyard and stood alone in the yard.

He took off his cotton robe, leaving only a thin, close-fitting outfit. The chill instantly clung to his skin, causing his blood to boil slightly.

Concentrate and calm your mind.

The operating method of the "Shadowless" secret technique naturally emerged in my mind like a stream.

The next second—

hum!

Zhou Tong felt a slight tremor throughout his body, as if some kind of constraint had been suddenly broken!

The flow of qi and blood throughout his body surged dramatically, and a faint blush appeared on his skin. Everything in his field of vision—falling dust, swaying withered branches, and even the faint light floating in the air—suddenly "slowed down."

No, it's not that the world has slowed down.

He'll be here soon!

Just then, a gust of north wind swept through the courtyard, causing the old elm tree in the corner to tremble and more than twenty withered yellow leaves to be swept up and scattered in disarray.

Zhou Tong's eyes narrowed, and he thrust out his wooden sword with lightning speed!

Hiss hiss hiss hiss hiss hiss!

The sound of something cutting through the air was as fine as raindrops pattering on banana leaves, yet it all blended into a series of sharp screechs!

A gray shadow flashed among the fallen leaves, and with each flash, the tip of the wooden knife precisely pierced a withered leaf.

The moment the blade touched the leaf, it pierced through the center, but instead of shattering, it floated backward along the blade's momentum, like a yellow butterfly strung together with a thread.

In just two breaths, all the fallen leaves were pierced and slowly drifted to the ground, each with a perfectly round hole in its center.

Zhou Tong sheathed his sword and stood there, his chest rising and falling slightly, his eyes shining brightly!

"This speed... is at least 70-80% faster than before!"

He crouched down, picked up a withered leaf, and looked at the edge of the hole in the light—it was neat and smooth, without a single rough spot.

"The control at the moment of attack is still there; it hasn't been lost despite the sudden increase in speed. Moreover, with the increase in speed, the power of the attack has also increased considerably."

Zhou Tong narrowed his eyes slightly, silently making his assessment.

He recalled the scene of the Stone Muscle Realm disciples sparring in the martial arts school.

Upon careful comparison, he realized that those people were no match for him after he used the Shadowless Technique!

Upon realizing this, Zhou Tong was filled with excitement, feeling a surge of pride welling up in his chest, and he couldn't wait to find someone to test his skills against.

"The Shadowless Technique cannot be exposed; to test it out, I must disguise myself..."

Zhou Tong thought to himself.

However, changing his appearance was nothing special; what he couldn't find a suitable opponent for the time being was what he was thinking about.

Just then, suddenly, without warning, an image flashed through Zhou Tong's mind—

On the first day of the Lunar New Year, in front of the old house.

Two pine nut candies wrapped in oil paper fell straight down to the ground.

Zhou Tong's eyes suddenly turned cold: "Zhou Jing recently broke through to the Stone Muscle stage. The White Crane Martial Arts School is known for its agility, so it's a good opportunity to test the effectiveness of the Shadowless Form against the Swimming Movement Technique."

But after thinking about it again, he chuckled softly and slowly shook his head.

"What are you thinking? Although Zhou Jing is wrong, Father clearly treats him like a child, so why should I argue with a child?"

He stamped his foot, put on his clothes, and slowly walked towards the front yard.

"Zhou Jing is my cousin after all. My father is a sentimental person and would definitely not want to see me and him have a falling out."

If I did that, wouldn't I be lowering myself to the same level as him?

As Zhou Tong pondered this, he passed through the moon gate and arrived at the front yard. The more he thought about it, the clearer his mind became.

He planned to go straight back to his room, take a shower, and relax.

So, he naturally turned right and walked towards the main gate.

"My cousin is immature, but I can't be immature too. That would be too narrow-minded, too childish, and too naive."

As Zhou Tong walked, he shook his head and chuckled as he stepped out the door.

The biting winter air suddenly hit his face, making him shiver.

He stopped in his tracks, and when he looked up, he realized that he was standing at the front door without realizing it.

"Huh, how did I get here?"

Zhou Tong looked around and paused for a moment.

After a moment of silence, he suddenly sighed softly.

"Alas, one can never truly deceive oneself."

"Never mind, Father is an adult, we can overlook it."

"But I... am only two months older than Zhou Jing."

A gentle breeze ruffled the stray hairs on Zhou Tong's forehead, revealing a pair of clear, sharp eyes beneath.

"In that case—I won't pretend to be an adult anymore."