The Hao-surnamed cultivator stared at Ning Zhuo, his gaze profound.
Ning Zhuo’s tremendous progress time and time again, until now collecting the fifth Mysterious Armor, gaining qualification for the third stage, the entire process he had witnessed in person.
He suddenly had a feeling: "Ning Zhuo came prepared!"
"He has immense confidence in his learning ability. All of this is part of his plan."
"Is this what a first-rate genius looks like? Such confidence in oneself! Even when dealing with the Ban Family, Ban Ji, he is full of confidence. He firmly believes that even if he sharpens his skills at the last minute, just starting to learn, he can suppress and block Ban Ji?"
"Is this truly unparalleled confidence, or another form of arrogance?"
Ning Zhuo sat cross-legged on the ground, examining himself, and also reviewing the recent battle.
He reflected: "Is this No Move Beats a Move? It’s really impressive!"
This made Ning Zhuo think of a saying among Confucian Cultivators: "Follow the heart’s desire without overstepping."
Brilliant Confucian Cultivators can act according to their heart’s desire without surpassing social rules and laws.
"Isn’t No Move Beats a Move in martial arts essentially ’following the heart’s desire without overstepping’?"
"It seems as if every strike is without form, following the heart’s desire, but in reality, it’s based on the actual battle situation. In terms of physical exertion and weapon use, it all conforms to martial arts principles."
Ning Zhuo set aside his sigh and thought of another important matter: "My martial arts learning has reached its limit!"
Even if he hadn’t employed the Awl-Thorn Vigilance Art tactic, he had reached his limit, unable to progress further.
Currently, Ning Zhuo’s martial arts realm stayed at the Martial Craftsman Level, far from the Master Realm.
One mark of the Master Level is No Move Beats a Move, a standard Ning Zhuo still falls short of.
"Those Demon Cultivators I absorbed, none have reached the martial arts Master Realm. So, my foundation is inadequate."
"Even if there were some, relying solely on others’ memories and experiences, reaching the Master Level is impossible!"
The reason here is simple.
To achieve No Move Beats a Move, one needs meticulous fundamental skills, Continuous Techniques, and abundant flexible tactical thinking.
Even if others are martial arts masters, Ning Zhuo absorbed their experience and memory, he can’t immediately meet these two needs.
Others’ physiques differ from Ning Zhuo’s, in height, arm span, flexibility, and so on, with differences. Weapons used by others can’t completely match those Ning Zhuo uses.
These differences make it so that even if Ning Zhuo masters techniques and Continuous Techniques, he can’t fully replicate them, can be meticulous but not micro.
The temperament of others also differs from Ning Zhuo’s. This leads to different choices in many situations. Tactical strategies will also be different.
Ning Zhuo, wanting to have "rich and flexible tactical thinking," must put in hard practice and constant actual battles.
"Martial arts at Master Level cannot be easily replicated. It has strong personal characteristics, so I must struggle and strive through my efforts."
"Unless I can obtain a realm infusion."
If Ning Zhuo’s martial arts realm directly elevated to Master Level or higher Master Level, Grandmaster Level, wanting to achieve "No Move Beats a Move" would become very easy.
Looking back now, Ning Zhuo increasingly feels that the opportunity to achieve Five Elements God Master at Ten Thousand Medicine Sect was truly immensely valuable.
"However, even if I can’t reach Master Level, refining this Long Spear is tantamount to having the assistance of a spear skill master."
"The preciousness of the Nine-layered Profound Armor lies precisely in this."
"Of course, it is ultimately just armor, an external thing that, after a stress response, follows martial arts reactions, not comparable to a cultivator achieving Master Level."
Ning Zhuo thought again of Ban Ji: "According to the intelligence, he has practiced melee weapons for only a few years. It’s highly unlikely for him to reach Master Level."
"Unless there’s an opportunity or specific innate talent."
"In this way, my confidence in dealing with him greatly increases. As long as I stop him from getting nine sets of Mysterious Armor, it counts as success!"
"Encountering the bronze shield was indeed a pleasant surprise. Currently, everything is well calculated."
Ning Zhuo’s behavior of learning and practicing was certainly not a spontaneous decision but a meticulous plan already set before departure.
Previous actual combat opportunities were actually very precious, missing them would mean losing rare chances.
Ning Zhuo seized every actual combat opportunity, willing to spend more time and energy, greatly improving his actual combat capabilities.
Upon facing the bronze shield and bronze spear afterwards, he immediately experienced the huge results of his learning.
"If I hadn’t mastered the Path of Illusion and Reality, couldn’t perceive ’power.’ Even with a shield protecting me, my bones would be shattered by a Long Spear."
"Now that I’ve mastered five pieces of Mysterious Armor, I’m ahead of schedule. Advancing to the third stage won’t be a big problem anymore."
This was all because he encountered the bronze shield.
"Next, the sixth Mysterious Armor will be stronger, and combat power will have a qualitative boost!"
"I need to go all out while ensuring my physical condition, not getting injured too severely. Otherwise, once numbers are met for the third stage, I will face a complex situation of multi-party melee."
Ning Zhuo didn’t rush to stand up but instead managed his Divine Sense and infused mana, letting the five pieces of Mysterious Armor float nearby, continuously practicing techniques.
"Earlier, I created the Three-Form Blade-Sword Combined Strike. Can I involve more Mysterious Armor?"
Ning Zhuo clearly controlled the situation, no longer hasty, and began practicing again.
He practiced for a moment, and his head ached immensely.