Mu Jinyu returned to his courtyard after testing the strength of his pure physical power post-cultivation of the Dragon-Elephant Prison Suppression Technique.
Wen Rou and Jian Ruyan were still in secluded cultivation, diligently training.
Mu Jinyu didn't disturb them, using this time to practice the last body technique manual he hadn't started yet.
Ten Steps Move!
After spending more than three days, Mu Jinyu finally learned the Ten Steps Move technique.
Back of Tianlan Peak.
In a bamboo forest.
Mu Jinyu exhibited the Ten Steps Move, immediately his feet erupted with murderous aura, kicking up dust and sand everywhere. His figure, as swift as a specter, dashed more than ten meters away in the blink of an eye.
"Boom, boom, boom!"
Along the way, a dozen green bamboos were inexplicably assaulted by murderous aura, exploding into countless fragments!
Mu Jinyu stomped the ground again, his figure flipped, instantaneously darting twenty meters away, leaving chaos behind with dust and wood splinters flying everywhere!
Mu Jinyu took the third step of Ten Steps Move, darting thirty meters away once more with murderous aura sweeping through, leaving nothing intact; even the giant rocks blocking the way were blasted to pieces!
In a flash, Mu Jinyu exhibited all ten steps of the Ten Steps Move, leaving him somewhat breathless.
A vast stretch of the bamboo forest had turned unrecognizable, with hardly any intact bamboo remaining!
"This Ten Steps Move is really tough to practice, it took three days to barely manage to complete all ten steps!"
Mu Jinyu, panting slightly, leaned on an intact bamboo, muttering to himself as he looked at the chaotic scene before him.
If anyone else had heard his words, they would have been desperate to punch him to death before shamefully committing suicide!
It took just three short days to learn a body technique, and a top-quality profound rank Ten Steps Move at that. How could others live with that!
It's known that they struggled to comprehend even a yellow-grade body technique manual in three days, let alone completely perform it.
Yet, Mu Jinyu was still unsatisfied.
Truly, comparisons can be exasperating!
But Mu Jinyu wasn't intentionally showing off. After all, be it the Green Emperor's Wood Emperor Art or the Great Freedom Heavenly Wood Sword Qi and Dragon-Elephant Prison Suppression Technique learned in the Heavenly Sword Faction, he only took a day or two to master.
In ten days, he achieved masterful skill in the Great Freedom Heavenly Wood Sword Qi.
Thus, taking three days to barely complete all ten steps of the Ten Steps Move was just an initial insight into the cultivation path for him, so how could he be satisfied?
Looking at the chaotic scene before him, Mu Jinyu smiled bitterly and said: "I suppose when I can perform the Ten Steps Move lightly, restraining the murderous aura and not destroying everything along the way, that's when I've truly mastered it."
"Masterful skill probably means being able to sprint a thousand miles using the Ten Steps Move without getting breathless, right?"
Mu Jinyu speculated.
Then, Mu Jinyu used Life Source Energy to restore the shattered bamboo, quickly returning the forest to its original dense state.
In these three days, Mu Jinyu performed the Ten Steps Move hundreds of times, each time wrecking the bamboo forest.
If not for the Life Source Energy derived from the Green Emperor's Wood Emperor Art which could accelerate plant growth, he would have faced a scolding upon being discovered for the forest's state!
One step of Ten Steps Move covers over ten meters, but it releases murderous aura, devastating everything along the ground. Mu Jinyu identified this issue right when he started cultivating.
This is likely why the Ten Steps Move is considered the first in close-range profound rank movement techniques for sudden assaults.
This also results in an unimaginable consumption of True Yuan for the performer!
"The Four Sects Martial Meeting seems to be approaching, I need to quickly master Ten Steps Move. Then I can secure a good rank on the Heaven's Pride list and obtain resource rewards to start advancing to the Fanxu Realm!"
After catching his breath slightly, Mu Jinyu restarted cultivating Ten Steps Move!
In a flash.
Another three days passed.
In the same bamboo forest.
"Whew!"
Mu Jinyu performed the Ten Steps Move again, his body light as a flying swallow, darting tens of meters away in an instant without any bamboo being destroyed by his murderous aura.
"Whew whew whew..."
Mu Jinyu continued performing Ten Steps Move, his figure moving swiftly like lightning, leaving behind countless residual images that, upon a rough count, totaled at least a thousand.
Within ten seconds, he ran out over a thousand steps, demonstrating a terrifying speed!
"Whew!"
Mu Jinyu stopped and returned to his original spot; none of the bamboo around him were destroyed.
Indeed, he had mastered Ten Steps Move, achieving integration and effortless performance.
"Finally succeeded."
Mu Jinyu smiled softly as he watched the dense cluster of residual images gradually disappear.
...
At the entrance to the summit of Tianlan Peak.
Mu Jinyu stood in front of the stele displaying the ranking of the Inner Gate List of Outstanding Talents.
He was observing the rankings.
The top ten remained unshaken, Yun Ge standing firmly at the first place.
Beyond the top ten, the rankings had changed significantly from Mu Jinyu's first observation; some had moved up a few spots, while others dropped several positions.
The changes were dramatic.
As for Huang Kun, who once ranked thirteenth, he had fallen to the twenties!
Mu Jinyu didn't see Huang Daochen's name in the rankings, probably he couldn't make it up there anymore. Huang Daotian, who was forty-fifth before, now lingered outside the top fifty.
Mu Jinyu glanced at their names briefly before focusing back on the top ten!
"Tenth place, Wei Qingfeng, Eighth Layer of the Divine Transformation Realm, reportedly holding the tenth position for three months now!"
"Ninth place, Xuu Changfu, Eighth Layer of the Divine Transformation Realm, rumored to be holding the ninth place for two months?"
"Eighth place, Gu Qianqiu, Eighth Layer of the Divine Transformation Realm, apparently in the rankings for half a year?"
"..."
Mu Jinyu silently studied these names, recalling their information, pondering whom to challenge next.
Yes, Mu Jinyu planned to challenge someone in the top ten of the ranking.
Inner Sect disciples closer to the top of the ranking receive more cultivation resources. For the top ten, they get to cultivate in the Heavenly Sword Pool for a day each month. Mu Jinyu wouldn't settle for staying at the forty-fifth spot forever!
His cultivation had broken through to the Eighth Layer of the Divine Transformation Realm continuously in the Heavenly Sword Pool. Having learned the Dragon-Elephant Prison Suppression Technique and Ten Steps Move body technique, he had virtually no weaknesses left. Naturally, he intended to challenge the top ten on the ranking.
Being at the Eighth Layer of the Divine Transformation Realm, Mu Jinyu didn't think he was lacking compared to them!
Soon, Mu Jinyu chose his opponent.
It was Gu Qianqiu, ranked eighth.
This person having stayed in the top rankings for half a year must possess unfathomable strength. Just right to test his skills and see the strength of those at the top of the list.
If he fought evenly with Gu Qianqiu, it would mean progressing further would be difficult. If he overcame with ease, he might even try for the top three spots.