Chapter 477 - 219: One Song Brings the Dawn
Chapter 477: Chapter 219: One Song Brings the Dawn
Fang Shuwen nodded, finding it a bit strange. ’The term "sichen" means to herald the dawn, yet the hour of "you" represents dusk. The *Morning Book* is named for the dawn, but it steals power from both times and mixes them together. Isn’t that utterly bizarre?’
Just then, the sound of footsteps hastily retreating came from behind him. He knew it was the other patrons from the teahouse. Seeing that a fight was about to break out, they wanted no part in it and were making a quick exit.
Hearing the commotion, the shop assistant poked his head out from inside.
When he saw what was happening, his expression grew even more impatient.
He didn’t come over to say anything, though. Instead, he ducked right back into the kitchen, adopting an "out of sight, out of mind" attitude.
Fang Shuwen didn’t know the background of this teahouse’s shopkeeper and assistant, but he wasn’t particularly concerned. ’The Jianghu is filled with countless experts and eccentrics; how could I possibly know about all of them?’
His attention remained focused on the Masked Man before him.
"Your mask depicts a large rooster.
"According to the twelve zodiac animals, the Rooster is the third to last.
"Does that mean there are eleven others on par with you?
"Dragon Abyss, Dragon Abyss... If your organization is named Dragon Abyss, what place does the Dragon himself hold?"
The Masked Man stood on one foot, ignoring Fang Shuwen’s words and posing a question of his own:
"You suddenly attacked right after I mentioned what happened twenty years ago.
"Could you truly be connected to them? ...When I saw you use your Fist Technique earlier, it felt familiar.
"That’s why I followed you to investigate, and I never expected to make such a discovery."
Fang Shuwen sighed.
"We were having a perfectly fine conversation, and now you’ve decided we can’t again. No matter..."
As the two words "No matter" left his lips, Fang Shuwen’s feet blurred, and in an instant, he was in front of the Masked Man.
His right fist clenched, suddenly gathering the surrounding energy from all eight directions.
Sea-Shaking Divine Fist—Eight-direction Burst!
As the fist was thrown, the surrounding air instantly thickened like congee. It was impossible to see the expression on the Masked Man’s face, but seeing Fang Shuwen’s attack, he had no intention of meeting it head-on.
Shi Wuya had been blinded by hatred—driven mad, foolish, and obsessed.
He couldn’t see the gap between himself and Fang Shuwen.
But the Masked Man knew with certainty that he was no match for this person.
After all, his Martial Arts were roughly on par with Shi Wuya’s. He wasn’t weaker, but he wasn’t necessarily stronger, either.
Therefore, his body moved, and he once again executed the Startling Flash, attempting to use the same trick to escape.
’If I can get away this time,’ he thought, ’I won’t hesitate for a second. I’ll turn and run immediately.’
"Stay!!"
How could Fang Shuwen let someone escape with the same Technique twice?
As he spoke, the surrounding air instantly began to distort.
An immense suction force seemed to surge from Fang Shuwen’s body. The already thick air instantly became like a swamp, impossible to escape.
This was still the North Nether Divine Technique.
What Fang Shuwen had obtained from the system was the complete Cultivation Technique.
Although he usually used this technique to pull objects from a distance—channeling its power through the various acupoints in his palms for maximum effect—it didn’t mean he could only perform it with his hands.
It was just that using other acupoints was far less convenient than using his hands.
A few days ago, at the ruins of the Lingyun Sect, he had obtained the Nine Yin Scripture. He had integrated it with his existing knowledge and taken some time to organize his thoughts.
Suddenly, inspiration struck. ’With the North Nether Divine Technique alone,’ he wondered, ’though the power of other acupoints to pull objects and people is far inferior to those in my palms, what would happen if I activated all the acupoints in my body at once?’
The moment he had this thought, Fang Shuwen grasped a new application for it, without even needing a boost to his Talent or comprehension.
This application could tentatively be called the North Nether Force Field. It operated by using the absorptive power of the North Nether Divine Technique throughout his entire body, churning the surrounding air and making it impossible for anyone within it to control their movements, let alone escape.
However, this Technique was inextricably linked to the North Nether Divine Technique; its foundation remained the principle: ’The stronger the Inner Strength, the greater the suction.’
Specifically, by opening all the acupoints in his body and channeling his power through them simultaneously, the force was dispersed, spreading out in all directions.
Even with Fang Shuwen’s current Cultivation, he could only affect an area with a radius of three zhang.
And within this three-zhang range, the closer one was, the stronger the suction.
It wasn’t completely unnoticeable beyond three zhang, but the force was only strong enough to affect an ordinary person. Against a master, it was far from sufficient.
Therefore, during the few days he had spent waiting for Shi Wuya, Fang Shuwen had temporarily defined the limits of this technique to a radius of three zhang.
As long as someone stepped within those three zhang, they wouldn’t be able to run even if they wanted to!
Of course, this method was still just for bullying those he could already beat. ’If I faced someone whose Martial Arts surpassed my own,’ he mused, ’I’d be the one running...’
But as Fang Shuwen roamed the Jianghu, he had never once used his full strength, not even from the very beginning.
Later, as he swept through all opposition and his Martial Arts grew ever stronger, he had even less of a chance to go all out.
And that gave this Technique meaning.
Like right now...
The *Morning Book* was based on the principle of "the hen announcing the dawn" combined with the way of the "You Rooster." Though its form appeared crude, its contents were, in fact, the most supreme of Martial Arts.
It even transcended the scope of conventional Martial Arts. The move known as Startling Flash, for instance, was completely unreasonable.
Under any circumstances, a simple flicker of the body was all it took to move three zhang away.
And while the marvel of its Lightweight Technique couldn’t claim to surpass the speed of the world’s number one, Miao Feichan, its method of escape was ingenious in its own right.
This was the source of his confidence, the reason he dared to appear before Fang Shuwen, this Human World Demon God, despite knowing he was no easy opponent.
At this very moment, however, the Masked Man suddenly felt like he had made a bad move.
True, he had gained a great deal from this venture.
But the problem now was... it seemed he wouldn’t be able to take that prize with him!
The surroundings were a boundless chaos, and his body was being involuntarily pulled toward Fang Shuwen. Even as he used the *Morning Book* to stabilize himself, Fang Shuwen’s Eight-direction Burst was already upon him, like an army at the city gates.