Mystical Journey

"There's just an average increase of 0 . 01 in Attributes . I still need 2% more to enhance my Potential, just short by a little . Too bad there aren't any Antiques of Tragedy for me to absorb Potential . Antiques of Tragedy… What secret lies within these objects?" He had been unable to figure out what the Potential within Antiques of Tragedy actually was . He merely speculated that the more an antique was associated with a dangerous and bloody ancient legend, the more Potential it contained .

"It's unfortunate . If only the ring in uncle's hands was stronger, I could wear it for a few months to top up that final 2% . But if it were stronger, there would probably be problems before uncle could wait for me to realize it . " The level of the ring was too low; it was essentially ineffective for him . He would probably have to wear it for a few years before there was any effect . He might as well approach the issue through Golden Hoop .

"I wonder if this Golden Sword Throne contains Potential . If an antique with a widespread legend could be an Antique of Tragedy, why were the similar antiques that I later found completely useless? Is it that only objects which are able to bring the collector misfortune contain Potential?"

"Forget it, I shouldn't think so much . This matter is unfinished . I will know when the time comes . "

He stopped thinking further, and looked at the current Skills Pane .

——Secret Martial Art——

Mammoth Mutation: Explosive (Top level), Skin Hardening Level One (Iron Body), Blood Qi Stabilization (Boulder Martial Art) .

Dark Iron Palm: Accumulation has not reached rudimentary level (accumulation of physical toxins Level Two)

Firestream Fist: Weak progress (Level Four)

"Duskdune Shura should have no idea that I killed a Royal General, otherwise he wouldn't have talked so much nonsense in the end, and would have just ended me directly . I've escaped this time, but the next encounter would be troublesome . "

"Now that I'm caught up in this whirlpool of trouble, I can't leave to find low-level Secret Martial Arts . But even though I can't, that doesn't mean Su Lin can't! I could maybe seek his help in finding some low-level Secret Martial Arts for me to train in . "

The ones most valuable to him were those inferior Secret Martial Arts that required little external criteria . Generally, for middle- or high-grade Secret Martial Arts, the higher the level, the more powerful it was, the less restriction it posed, the more it required external conditions to supplement it . Those would be unfavorable to his training .

He got out of bed and put on the prepared clothes by the bed . Garen suddenly saw, at the bottom of the bed, the martial arts notebook that he had previously found on the body of the Pink Pupil Royal General . He picked it up to browse .

On it were notes about the confusions the Pink Pupil Royal General faced in his martial arts training and the eventual solutions that he came up with . It was like someone recording their own difficulties, then focused their energies to conquer them .

Initially, Garen was merely browsing casually . He didn't expect to be unwittingly absorbed in it .

Much of the notes recorded some unexpected deficiencies and difficulties of martial arts . Garen had encountered many of them and had yet to encounter many more . Most of them contained solutions on the back .

It was then that Garen realized the value of this notebook . Because of his lowly origins from a low-level small sect, a lot of his martial arts experience had been unable to reach a certain height . This notebook could coincidentally make up for a portion of his deficiencies .

This also made him realize why his physical qualities and Attributes hadn't had much progress after all this while .

In other words, if it were not for his inherent special ability maintaining the solidification of his physical qualities, maybe he would have experienced a decline in quality long ago .

"Although its usefulness for me isn't that great, it would be very accessible and helpful for the average person learning martial arts . " Garen looked at the book satisfactorily . This was an unexpected gain .

Unintentionally, he turned to a page about difficulties in Secret Martial Art training .

'Attempt to train in cumulative low-level Secret Martial Art, failed, extremely poor progress! Why?' This was a problem faced by the Pink Pupil Royal General . It was exactly what Garen was facing .

He started to look more serious .

He gently turned to the next page . The line of words recorded on it initially made Garen's heart skip a beat, but when he instantly saw the lines underneath; his lips couldn't help but curve upwards slightly .

Dense black wordings were clearly recorded on the pale yellow paper .

'Cumulative low-level Secret Martial Arts are mostly incomplete . Here I have collated the deficiencies of some common Secret Martial Arts . '

'1 . Dagger Fist: Boil safflower petals in water and apply the solution to both hands . Method identical to previous medication . '

'2 . Buzzbeck Arc Sword Skills: Need to forge a special hilt for continuous practice . The hilt design is as follows…'

'3 . Odin Steel Fist: Need to use spiked board together with the medication for Level One Fist Arts in training . '

The more Garen read, the more he felt satisfied . Not for the deficiencies of the many Secret Martial Arts that he had never heard of, but because he actually found the practicing deficiencies for the two low-level Secret Martial Arts he was training in: Firestream Fist and Dark Iron Palm .

'31 . Dark Iron Palm: Need to be upside down when practicing . ' After reading this short line of content on the deficiency, Garen searched his memory and recalled the method of training for Dark Iron Palm, and was instantly enlightened .

Those training methods that seemed strange, if practiced upside down, would instantly make sense from the perspective of martial arts concepts .

He turned a page, and read on .

'38 . Firestream Fist: A Secret Martial Art that is relatively more time-consuming . Practice needs to be complemented with hot iron sand . Strike and stab fists into a basin of iron sand in the initial stage, which can later be replaced with real charcoals . See illustration for specific training method . ' On the back were a few clearly drawn illustrations for practice methods and stages . It covered every stage of practice for Firestream Fist .

Garen could not help but give a low laugh .

"Finally, I am able to complete these two low-level secret Martial Arts even if I don't go to Southern Sky Holy Fist Gate!" This bounty eased the depressed mood he had experienced from his injury and defeat .

"Practicing upside down, hehe, I'd like to give it a try . " Garen was impatient to give it a go immediately . His sudden excitement caused him to feel a dull sensation in his chest .

"I have not recovered yet . Duskdune Shura is powerful indeed . Such a light strike has caused me prolonged negative effects . " A chill ran through Garen's heart . He recalled Duskdune Shura's tactics and his high spirits were calmed once again .

Knock knock knock .

"Mr Garen, Master requests your presence in the conference room . Breakfast will be served there too . "

"Alright," Garen replied aloud . He quickly straightened his clothes and glanced at himself in the mirror .

His strong, fair body was evenly toned and muscular . There wasn't the slightest flabbiness and no muscles seemed overly uncoordinated .

His purple hair was somewhat long and almost covered his eyes . It draped at his shoulders, and seemed slightly frizzy . The faint dark red tone gave others a sense of cool toughness .

Wow .

He put on a black shirt and a white suit, and allowed his shoulder-length hair to hang freely . Garen tugged the shirt collar and looked at himself in the mirror .

The man in the mirror gave off a sense of wildness, as well as a trace of cool and strength . His chin was slightly lifted . He could give others a strong sense of fear and oppression without saying a word .

"Unconsciously, I have become like this…" Garen swept aside the hair covering his vision .

He gently touched his chest; there was still a slight numbness .

"Duskdune Shura…"

He stowed the notebook, turned, and left through the door .

*****************

Estate Conference Room

A yellow boardroom-style table was placed in the middle of a small room with pale yellow tones, with a few black leather chairs surrounding it .

Above the table, a square-ish lamp hung from a black wire, emitting a soft, yellow light .

Su Lin and his father, Lieutenant Crohn sat in the main seats by the curtains . They were clad in black suits, slowly sipping coffees .

The Dragon King, Yoda sat with Su Lin . He looked calm, and was casually drinking coffee too .

A gloomy-looking old lady sat alone at the other end . This old lady was also wearing a military uniform . The golden badge on her shoulder shone with three silver stars and a pair of crossed swords . It was the symbol for lieutenants .

"Apologies, I am late . " At the opened door, Garen slowed his pace and entered . He glanced at everyone inside, then sat directly beside Su Lin .

"No worries . Your injuries are not light . " Crohn gave Garen a friendly smile . In that moment, after a suitable change of attire, Garen's temperament perfectly embodied his powerful true strength and Bravery .

Su Lin and Yoda looked at Garen, shocked . After the battle with Duskdune Shura, Garen's initial strong Bravery had become more restrained, and the impression he gave now was akin to a volcano hidden beneath the seabed . It wasn't like before, where the sight of him would be associated with strength, power, and pulverization!

He was indeed worthy of being deemed a martial arts expert capable of directly countering Duskdune Shura in a short amount of time .

Crohn was silently impressed . He pointed at the white-haired old woman sitting alone .

"Allow me to introduce . This is the person in charge of the Special Response Unit newly established by the Confederation, Lieutenant Lenny . "

The old woman, Lenny, nodded dully at the three of them, not saying a word .

"Lieutenant Lenny is the main person in charge of tracking and following-up on this terrorist attack . She is interested in your understanding of the situation, and hopes that you can provide her with some information on Duskdune Shura . Of course, I too will reveal the source of conflict between myself and Duskdune Shura . "

"No problem," Su Lin was the first to respond .

"I have some reservations about matters related to my personal privacy, but rest assured there will not be any impact on this incident," Yoda answered lazily .

"I have no opinion either . " Garen nodded .

Crohn nodded in satisfaction .

"In that case, let me start . "

He gestured for the guards to shut the door, then glanced around the room once .

"Actually, no one knows what the essence of the Golden Sword Throne is apart from its maker, including myself, its owner . "

He broke off, then continued .

"When I went to the ruins of Nabudas Empire on the Fivestar Continent, I acquired a golden ornament from the chief of the indigenous tribe there . It looked like a sword pierced into a throne-like ancient stone . It is merely the size of a palm, almost like a pen holder . I didn't expect it to be the legendary mysterious Golden Sword Throne . "

"Fivestar Continent is different from Stonecliff Continent where we are at, as well as Azure Continent . There are many backwards and ancient areas there, so it's not surprising that they had a golden ornament like that . How do you know that the ornament is the Golden Sword Throne?" Lieutenant Lenny asked .

"Hold on . Can you explain what the effects of the Golden Sword Throne are, specifically?"

"This was confirmed by my daughter, and also by Duskdune Shura . As to its effects, it is said that the secret to the inheritance of an ancient and powerful martial art is hidden within . It has also been said that it was an object used by medieval warlocks to curse souls . There are also rumors that the Golden Sword Throne is the key to a mysterious ruin, and the person who accesses the ruin will obtain a gift from the devil . These are all different words telling the same story . I, too, am actually unsure of its true secret," Crohn explained . "Originally, I wasn't too concerned about it, and viewed it as a nice collectible . I didn't expect Duskdune Shura to contact me about trading for it . You must understand, terrorist organizations like Duskdune Shura's, if able to be eliminated, would be a fortunate event for the Confederation, and for the three continents, so…"

"So you used it as bait and mobilized the entire Special Agents Bureau, all to capture Duskdune Shura . What you didn't expect was for the opponent to be too strong, resulting in our current situation?" Yoda interjected .

"Indeed . My estimates were miscalculated, causing such a big casualty . It is indeed my responsibility," Crohn let out a long sigh .

"Even the entire Special Agents Bureau couldn't stop Duskdune Shura . If not for your son, Su Lin soliciting the help of two elite experts, I'm afraid you would have been killed in a miserable defeat," Lenny said casually .

"I am miserable enough . " Crohn shrugged helplessly . "The reason I invited you all here, is mainly because we have discovered the location of the ruins where Duskdune Shura is headed . We are hoping that you would assist our military forces in killing the leader of this terrorist organization . Even though we are reluctant, we still have to admit that perhaps only with Garen and Mr Yoda, combined with the military, can there be a chance in suppressing Duskdune Shura . "