Chapter Fifty-Eight: King Level

Movement technique, Level Four. There’s little to say about the basic level; at the Subtle level, it’s about mastering one’s own strength, every step measured with utmost precision, each motion executed with peerless grace. The Perfect level is the ability to instantly calculate the state of all nearby objects, making use of the surrounding environment. The Realm level, however, is somewhat mysterious; one must comprehend the true essence of wind, turning the resistance of the air into propulsion, thereby increasing speed.

Upon reaching the Realm level in movement technique, Qin Ming felt as though he had cast off his shackles and attained true freedom.

A piercing cry sliced through the air—the White Mist Owl King shrieked. Although it was baffled as to why its prey had stopped fleeing and instead stood his ground, it didn’t hesitate. It continued its deadly assault.

Its wings swept forward, transforming into twin saw blades that tore through the air.

Qin Ming narrowed his eyes, his blade already humming in his hand.

“Ninth Strike of the Ninefold Thunder Blade!”

He swung his sword, splitting the sky in two.

Yet, the White Mist Owl King’s body flickered, instantly appearing to the side, its wings already slicing toward him. Each feather was as hard as alloy, vibrating violently in the air, brimming with lethal force.

“Did you think I wouldn’t anticipate that?”

Qin Ming snorted. The arc of his blade shifted with the momentum.

This strike was blindingly fast, as swift as a thunderclap.

Having grasped the movement technique’s essence, he had also, by analogy, comprehended the ninth strike of the Thunder Blade.

This blow, too, was imbued with intent.

Its essence was speed—speed taken to the very limit, the realm of pure swiftness!

The Owl King had no chance to evade.

A spray of sparks, a scattering of feathers.

The White Mist Owl King screeched in pain and hastily retreated.

One of its wings had been severed.

“Die!”

Qin Ming gave chase.

The White Mist Owl King was terrified, but with its wing maimed, its flight was greatly impeded. Escape was impossible.

Panic gave way to the savage brutality of a beast. With a shrill cry, it turned to fight once more. Its talons ripped the air, its razor beak darting for Qin Ming’s eyes.

“Beast is beast!”

“By comprehending the movement technique’s essence, your fate was sealed!”

“Moreover, I’ve grasped the heart of the Ninefold Thunder Blade!”

“Die!”

Qin Ming roared, stamping his foot, and in an instant he was above the Owl King’s head. The creature reacted with incredible speed, but it was still too slow.

With speed lacking, the outcome was clear.

With a single slash, Qin Ming beheaded it.

“In the sky, defense is paramount, but speed is king!”

A realization dawned in his heart.

Without the Black God armor, he would have been dead already.

Without the Air-Stepping Technique, even with the armor, he might have been worn down.

But in the sky, once you fall behind in speed, true danger arrives.

With a twist, Qin Ming descended to the ground.

“High-tier Commander-level materials—these must not go to waste!”

After collecting the primary spoils from the White Mist Owl King, he glanced in the direction of the fleeing enemies. After a brief hesitation, he strode into the air in pursuit.

“To be hunted so wretchedly—how could I not repay the favor?”

“I was a bit overconfident—didn’t even bring my shield!”

Qin Ming’s thoughts raced.

He’d thought the shield would be a burden, so he’d left it behind. But in this fight, had he brought it, things might have gone more smoothly.

“Yet if I had, I might not have reached the movement technique’s essence!”

“In the end, the shield is of little use now.”

With these musings, he arrived at the shrouded region of white mist.

Above, countless White Mist Owls still circled, including three at the low Commander level—clearly awaiting their king.

But their king hadn’t returned; instead, their enemy had arrived.

The three Commander-level owls sensed danger. With a chorus of sharp cries, a storm of White Mist Owls fled back into the mist, the three leaders diving in after them.

“A bit of cleverness, but unfortunately, you’ve run into me!”

Qin Ming wasted no words, giving chase.

What speed he now possessed! The very air aided him rather than hindered!

The movement technique of the Realm surpassed all common sense, so subtle that not even sound accompanied his flight.

A flash of his blade—one was slain.

Qin Ming swung dozens of times in a single second. In the blink of an eye, a rain of corpses fell from the mist.

It was a one-sided slaughter.

Even if they encircled him again, it could not change the outcome.

In less than ten minutes, he had cut down half their number, including two low Commander-level owls. The survivors scattered in terror.

“One of you remains—where do you think you’re going?”

Qin Ming locked onto the last Commander-level owl and gave chase.

The White Mist Owl, frantic with fear, sped along the canyon, soon arriving at the foot of a towering mountain. It hesitated, but sensing Qin Ming close behind, pressed onward.

At the base of the mountain was a deep pool, fed by a roaring waterfall, its depths unfathomable.

The Commander-level owl shrieked, suddenly accelerating, trying to soar across the pool to the far side of the peak. But at that moment, the pool erupted, water spraying skyward.

From the depths, a massive head emerged, rocketing up beneath the owl.

The terrified bird screamed, reaching its utmost speed, but it could not evade the gaping jaws below. In a flash, it was seized and swallowed whole.

Qin Ming, who had just arrived, came to a sudden halt at the sight.

It was a gigantic head—the head of a python, fully five meters wide.

Upon its brow were two pronounced bulges.

In comparison, the python he’d encountered during the rat tide was a mere juvenile.

The creature’s gaze shifted, fixing on Qin Ming.

Those cold, vertical pupils, devoid of emotion, made Qin Ming shiver.

The dreadful aura, the overwhelming killing intent—despite his Black God armor, he felt a chill in his bones.

With a flicker, the massive head seemed to traverse space, appearing directly before him.

“Such speed—a King-class beast?”

Qin Ming was stunned, but quickly retreated.

At the same time, he slashed with his war blade.

Two hundred thousand kilograms of force, amplified sevenfold by the Ninefold Thunder Blade’s technique—the total reached 1.4 million kilograms.

Such a blow could slay even a high-tier War God.

The blade struck the python’s upper lip with a screech, sparks showering, but left only a faint white mark on the scales—no damage at all.

Qin Ming felt a terrible counterforce surge through his arms, forcing him backward.

“Run...!”

He dared not linger.

With the Ninefold Thunder Blade’s leverage, he activated the Air-Stepping Technique, leaving only an afterimage as he shot a kilometer away in an instant. Yet the python’s tail lashed out at the same moment. Though it didn’t strike directly, the pressure wave crashed into him.

He staggered, nearly plummeting.

“Without the Black God armor, I’d have been shattered to pieces!”

Qin Ming was shaken.

The Black God armor had absorbed ninety percent of the force, and the attack was only compressed air; had it struck directly, he might not have died but he’d have suffered terribly.

He was now certain: this was a King-class beast!

“What is a King doing here?”

Qin Ming grimaced.

What rotten luck.

He had barely finished off the White Mist Owls, not even had time to celebrate, when he ran into this monster.

And as for the Commander-level White Mist Owl just now—it must have known the python dwelled here, fleeing in the hope that the beast would kill its pursuer.

In the end, it was the one to die first.

“In the sky, I am the true king!”

After fleeing more than ten kilometers, Qin Ming was just about to sigh in relief when he glanced back and saw the python in relentless pursuit.

“What did I ever do to you, to deserve this?”

“Damn it all!”

He couldn’t help but curse aloud.