I Can Merge Techniques-Chapter 45 - 44: Firewood Splitting Saber Technique’s Second Limit Break, Running Technique at Small Success

Chapter 45: Chapter 44: Firewood Splitting Saber Technique’s Second Limit Break, Running Technique at Small Success

Chu Fan’s heart tightened. He immediately held his breath and focused, lightening his steps as he slowly retreated, melting into the deeper shadows by the riverbank.

A soaking wet figure emerged from the water and scrambled onto the bank in a sorry state—

It was the slender servant who had jumped into the river earlier!

The man had some skill, after all.

Not only had he escaped into the water and deceived that white-robed person from the Moon Worship Sect, but he had also managed to hold his breath and swim underwater for so long!

He was shivering violently from the cold. As he coughed uncontrollably, he raised his head and looked around warily.

Then, he staggered over to his companion’s corpse.

"..."

Seeing the two additional corpses of the ruffians, the slender servant froze, his pupils contracting sharply.

He recognized these two ruffians. They seemed to be hangers-on who did odd jobs for his young master.

At that very moment, Chu Fan silently emerged from the shadows and slammed a heavy punch into the slender servant’s back, right over his heart!

BANG!

The slender servant spat out a mouthful of blood as he was sent flying more than ten feet.

Chu Fan strode forward and stomped on his neck.

The slender servant breathed his last.

Chu Fan frisked the four corpses, finding three money pouches and a dagger. He tucked them all away before leaving without a sound.

...

[Spiritual Essence: 49.9]

Back home, Chu Fan pulled the three money pouches and the dagger from his robes and placed them on the table.

’Killing three people has earned me another three points of Spiritual Essence!’ 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

He emptied the money pouches, and the broken silver and copper coins clattered together with a crisp sound.

All told, there were six taels and three mace of silver, plus 433 copper coins.

’That’s enough to buy eleven Blood Refining Pills,’ Chu Fan thought, a hint of joy in his heart.

’Is this killing becoming an addiction?!’

It was as if an unseen, demonic thought was growing in the depths of his mind, luring him to indulge in slaughter.

Although everyone he had killed deserved to die, this subtle shift in his mentality still sent a slight chill down his spine, making him feel a sense of alarm.

He took a deep breath, forcefully suppressing the restless killing intent in his heart.

The image of that mysterious Demon Suppression Stele surfaced in his mind again.

’Could this be the very thing the Moon Worship Sect and the Huang Family are trying so desperately to find?’

The clues were too fragmented to say for sure.

’But if they really are after the Demon Suppression Stele...’

Chu Fan’s expression became as still as water.

He felt some pressure from a Blood Refining Realm expert like Huang Yu, but he didn’t take it too seriously.

Once his Ninefold Thunder Shock Saber reached the Great Success stage, augmented by the advantage of Sword Swift as Wind, it wouldn’t be difficult to take Huang Yu’s life in ten-odd days.

But if his opponent was the entire Blood Saber Sect, plus the even more bizarre and unpredictable Moon Worship Sect...

The thought of that white-robed person from the Moon Worship Sect, whose terrifying perception could detect his presence from such a great distance, sent an involuntary chill through Chu Fan’s heart.

’What’s going on?’

’Is it because their strength far surpasses my own?’

’Even Master Cao probably couldn’t do something like that, could he?’

’I’ll definitely have to ask Master Cao about this later,’ Chu Fan thought to himself.

Placing his Long Saber within easy reach, Chu Fan blew out the oil lamp and lay down in his clothes, drifting into a deep sleep amidst a whirlwind of thoughts.

...

「Three days passed in a flash.」

Before dawn, the Martial Arts Arena of the Seven Stars Gang was already filled with shouts, as many disciples were already training their fists diligently.

After practicing the Twelve Forms Fist five times, his breathing long and steady, Chu Fan immediately began to run laps around the vast Martial Arts Arena.

[Running Technique Experience Points +1]

[Running Technique Experience Points +1]

The cold wind cut at his face like a knife.

But his running speed only grew faster and faster, his figure kicking up a breeze, causing many in the arena to turn their heads and start whispering.

"What’s wrong with that kid? Running nonstop around the Martial Arts Arena so early in the morning?"

"Oh, isn’t that Chu Fan? He’s the one who used a trick to defeat Jiang Yuanfan the other day! I’ve seen him running like a madman around the arena for the past few days. Did he take the wrong medicine or something?"

"Running might strengthen the body, but for Martial Artists like us, it’s missing the point! Strengthening our qi and blood and forging our muscles and bones ultimately relies on Martial Arts like the Twelve Forms Fist."

"What do you guys think Instructor Cao sees in him? He gives him special treatment, even giving him two bowls of Blood-Nourishing Medicine Soup every day! How are we any worse than him?"

...

[Skill: Running Technique (Entry-Level) Progress (99/100)]

’Just one more point!’

With a thought, Chu Fan pushed his speed to the absolute limit, shooting forward like an arrow released from a bowstring!

[Running Technique Experience Points +1]

[Skill: Running Technique (Small Success) Progress (0/300)]

The instant he broke through to Small Success, a warm current suddenly coursed through his entire body, as if some kind of blockage had been cleared!

A third of the fatigue accumulated from his fist practice instantly vanished. The heaviness in his legs disappeared, replaced by the illusion of being as Light as a Feather, with Wind under the Feet!

Chu Fan took a few casual steps, then suddenly burst forward, covering several dozen yards in an instant!

His speed had definitely increased!

It was no illusion!

A single leap now carried him more than three feet farther than before!

He suppressed the sudden surge of wild joy, wiped the sweat from his brow, and headed toward the firewood-splitting courtyard with a light spring in his step.

[Skill: Firewood Splitting Saber Technique (First Limit Break 2933/3000) (Trait: Sword Swift as Wind)]

[Skill: Twelve Forms Fist (Great Success) Progress: (706/800) (Trait: None)]

’My Firewood Splitting Saber Technique can reach its Second Limit Break today.’

’The Twelve Forms Fist is still a little short. I’m afraid it won’t break through to Perfection until tomorrow morning.’

With a new spring in his step, Chu Fan unconsciously quickened his pace.

He walked briskly into the firewood-splitting courtyard, picked up the Firewood Splitter, and immediately started chopping wood.

Meanwhile, the short, stout youth and his two companions watched Chu Fan’s energetic display and looked at each other in dismay.

Spurred on by Chu Fan, they had also started treating firewood chopping as a form of training these past few days.

But no matter how much they chopped, they never saw much improvement and had long since lost their initial enthusiasm.

Now, seeing Chu Fan chopping wood as if he were enjoying himself, the three of them were speechless.

’To think there’s someone in this world who actually finds joy in chopping firewood...’

CRACK!

[Firewood Splitting Saber Technique Experience Points +1]

He gathered the sixty-seven Experience Points he needed in just a few moments!

["Firewood Splitting Saber Technique" has reached its limit. You can spend 20 Spiritual Essence Points to achieve a Limit Break. Spend them now?]

’The Second Limit Break requires 10 more Spiritual Essence Points than the last one...’

Chu Fan didn’t hesitate, and with a slight stir of his will, he made his choice.

Twenty Spiritual Essence Points instantly vanished from his panel.

The next moment, a sudden change occurred!

The "Firewood Splitting Saber Technique" and the "Map of Mountains and Rivers" on his panel shimmered with light, blurring for an instant!

A vast and mighty Force erupted from deep within his body, circulating through his Eight Extraordinary Meridians!

In Chu Fan’s mind, countless chopping trajectories flashed, intertwined, and merged, simplifying from complexity until they reached an entirely new realm!

After a moment, the strange phenomenon subsided, and everything returned to normal.

[Skill: Firewood Splitting Saber Technique (Second Limit Break 0/6000) (Traits: Sword Swift as Wind, Sword Heavy as a Mountain)]

[Sword Heavy as a Mountain: After millions of chops, you have gained a profound understanding of the way of exerting force. When practicing any Sword Technique, you can more easily perceive the essence of its power generation. Your strikes will carry a condensed, heavy, and overwhelming Force, and their power will be increased by thirty percent!]

’Sword Heavy as a Mountain...’

Chu Fan gripped the Firewood Splitter, feeling the handle fit perfectly in his palm. The weight of the blade seemed to merge with the bones of his arm.

His gaze focused. Without any wind-up, he flicked his wrist, sending the blade straight down into the log at his feet!

THWACK!

With a flash of the blade, the log split in two. The Sword Momentum didn’t stop there, hacking deep into the earth below until the handle was buried!

’A thirty percent increase in power out of thin air...’

Chu Fan stared at the handle buried in the dirt, his heart filled with a mixture of shock and delight.

This Sword Heavy as a Mountain Trait complemented Sword Swift as Wind perfectly.

’If the next Limit Break can trigger one of these Traits again, my speed could increase by another sixty percent, or my power could grow by another sixty percent!’

For a Martial Artist in training, whether in Sword Technique or Fist Technique, increasing one’s speed or power by sixty percent was an incredibly difficult feat!

Just as he suppressed his turbulent emotions and prepared to continue chopping, Zhao Tianxing burst in excitedly, shouting, "Old Chu! Stop chopping! Master Cao has summoned you urgently! He wants you to go see him right away!"

Chu Fan’s movements paused. He glanced at the small pile of wood that remained and hesitated slightly before saying, "Just a moment. I’ll go as soon as I finish chopping this wood."

Hearing this, the short, stout youth and his two companions stared, dumbfounded, and nearly fainted on the spot.

’Instructor Cao summoned him urgently, and he’s still... still thinking about chopping wood?!’

’He’s crazy!’

’That bastard Chu Fan has really lost his mind!’

’Chopping wood isn’t some rare delicacy... Even if it were a gourmet meal, any of us would have dropped it in a heartbeat!’