Chapter 54
Ch.54 Don’t Worry—I’ve Got Potions
Ignoring Aina as she knelt by his feet, gathering books from the floor, Luo Nan carefully examined the martial technique in his hands.
“Thunderflash Step… a transcendent martial art integrating offense, defense, and speed—trainable at Tier One.”
“This technique differs from conventional ones. Instead of merely using vital energy to assist physical strikes or blocks, it deeply integrates vital energy into the limbs and bones to enhance strength and resilience.”
“In other words, once mastered, it won’t just boost my physical attributes—it’ll also let me unleash vital energy in unexpected ways during critical moments, pushing my power to the next level.”
“My current strength isn’t weak in offense or defense—especially with the ‘Thousand-Scale Radiant Armor’, which lets me, at Tier One Early, withstand attacks from Tier One Peak cultivators.”
“But against that fast, bandage-faced guy, I was clearly at a disadvantage. If not for the threat of the Silent Hammer, last night could’ve been dangerous.”
“Once I master Thunderflash Step, I can instantly boost my speed, create distance, then either draw the Silent Hammer or crush my opponent with other paid-for artifacts.”
“Hmm, perfectly fits my low-key, non-confrontational-but-unafraid nature.”
“The only drawback… is that it requires large quantities of high-grade body-tempering and recovery potions. To learn it quickly, I must ruthlessly exhaust my vital energy—smash my meridians, heal them, smash again, heal again…”
“It’s not that lower-grade potions won’t work—but for rapid mastery and full potential unlocking, high-quality, side-effect-free potions are essential.”
Luo Nan closed the manual and murmured, “So even martial cultivation ultimately comes down to wealth… and pill-popping.”
“Luckily, my family’s rich enough to afford it.”
With that, he made his decision. “This one it is—train Thunderflash Step!”
This wasn’t impulsive—it was a rational choice based on his current strengths and weaknesses.
Once mastered, Thunderflash Step wouldn’t just patch his only flaw—speed—but would also amplify his existing advantages through secondary physical refinement.
Aside from costing a fortune, the technique had no real downsides.
Tucking the manual into his robes, Luo Nan stood and ruffled Aina’s hair. “Aina, you’re my lucky little angel!”
“Eh? R-really, Young Master…?”
The girl tilted her head in the direction of his touch, eyes half-closed in contentment.
She didn’t know why he called her his lucky angel—but his joy was unmistakable.
If Young Master was happy, Aina was happy.
…
In the training chamber, Luo Nan pulled out several vials of premium body-tempering potion, uncorked them, and downed them in one go.
“Ah… the taste of paid advantages!”
As the potion burned through his abdomen and spread heat throughout his body, Luo Nan followed the Thunderflash Step method he’d memorized, guiding his vital energy along precise pathways.
“Thunderflash Step begins with ‘destruction’—shattering the meridians that normally channel vital energy, then rebuilding them through natural recovery and potion aid, rising from the ashes.”
“Gah… it… hurts!”
Teeth gritted, Luo Nan sat cross-legged on the floor, pouring all his focus inward to direct the surging vital energy against his own meridians.
“I desperately need speed—so I’ll prioritize waist, leg, and foot meridians first. Other areas can follow later.”
Crack… crack…
He could almost hear his meridians fracturing under the pressure of condensed vital energy.
“This sensation… yes! Just as the manual described—break first, then rebuild!”
Clutching his chest, Luo Nan fought to regulate his ragged breath. “Hold on, Luo Nan von Medillion. This isn’t enough yet—push harder!”
Crack-crack…
Time lost meaning—seconds or minutes, he couldn’t tell. The pain had warped his perception until it faded into numbness, replaced by a tingling, swollen fullness, as if soaked in liquid lightning.
“That’s enough—retract!”
He severed his connection to his power. Instantly, the rampaging vital energy was sucked away by the Infinite Tree, vanishing without a trace.
“P-perfect.”
Collapsed on the floor, Luo Nan immediately gulped down a high-grade recovery potion.
Feeling the potion mend his shattered meridians, he grinned.
“The hardest part of Thunderflash Step isn’t the destruction—it’s controlling how much to destroy. Too little, and progress stalls. Too much, and you ruin your foundation forever.”
“Technically, it’s trainable at Tier One—but ordinary Tier One cultivators lack the precise vital energy control required.”
“But I’m different. Through my connection node, I can toggle my power and vital energy on/off with flawless precision—far exceeding the technique’s demands.”
“Once my body heals, I’ll start the second cycle immediately. Strike while the iron’s hot—trade gold for time, and master it fast.”
For nearly a week afterward, Luo Nan became a shut-in—sleeping, training Thunderflash Step in the chamber, guzzling potions, and stabilizing his Tier One Mid cultivation.
He estimated the cost of auxiliary potions alone had already reached several thousand gold Faras!
“Thunderflash Step—activate!”
In the training chamber, at his mental command, vital energy surged through his meridians—especially in his legs and feet.
Boom—
He stepped forward. A blur flashed. The air crackled with explosive pops.
Like a loosed arrow, Luo Nan shot ahead, leaving afterimages in his wake.
“Stop!”
Vital energy from his feet and core flared simultaneously, halting his forward momentum instantly.
“Good. Burst and control both pass. Basic mastery achieved. Now it’s just about refining proficiency and applying it in real combat.”
If martial technique proficiency ranged from LV1 (Beginner) to LV10 (Master), Luo Nan now stood at LV3 in Thunderflash Step.
Ending his session, he took a hot bath to ease fatigue and stepped out of the training chamber.
“Phew… spent days obsessing over power. I wonder how Serela’s investigation is going,” he mused as he walked toward the dining hall. “Though knowing her, it’s probably just a front—what’s she scheming in the shadows now…?”
When it came to the ‘Benevolent Imperial Princess’ in the original plot, Luo Nan always assumed the worst of her motives.
He couldn’t help it—her character and actions in the story were simply that manipulative.
Back when playing The Shining Myriad Trails, Luo Nan had sworn that if she ever appeared in real life, he’d stay as far from her as possible.
‘Hope she doesn’t come looking for me soon… I’m scared…’
With that thought, he decided to first inspect the cursed skull he’d acquired for free. Since Serela’s investigation couldn’t be trusted, hunting down the true mastermind would fall to him alone.
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