CHAPTER 162: CHAPTER 162: COMPOUND STAR MARTIAL SKILL, QUITE SIMPLE

In an instant, Xu Xiangwen’s figure dashed towards Wang Lan, four figures in total moving faster than fleeting light and shadow. Jiang Xinyu and the other four were all highly spirited, intently watching the fierce battle before them.

After Xu Xiangwen activated his three clones, even Jiang Xinyu found it challenging to deal with him. With the four figures’ hearts and minds acting as one, their coordination was impeccable. Jiang Xinyu could only keep Xu Xiangwen at bay by kiting him, preventing him from getting close.

The scions of the three Star Martial Art families, along with Mingyue Wucheng, wore solemn expressions. Although they inherited their families’ legacies, they acknowledged that the potential of Jiang Xinyu’s group was no less than their own.

Wang Lan’s strength had been demonstrated during the Star Martial Contest, but several months had passed since then, and no one knew to what extent Wang Lan had grown.

Under his dynamic vision, the movements of Xu Xiangwen’s four figures were all within Wang Lan’s sight. If Wang Lan were to follow his previous tactics, he could only dodge, as any attempt to strike one would lead to an attack from another.

But now, it was completely different.

In a flash, Wang Lan’s hands produced two Solar Wheels, spinning at high speed like sharp cutting discs, serving as both a defense and a formidable offense.

"BOOM—"

An explosion of air sent the four Xu Xiangwens flying backward. Three retreated on their own, while the fourth was kicked away by Wang Lan.

That moment was so fast. Even the few who were watching the battle without blinking had not seen clearly what had occurred. Only Mingyue Wucheng’s eyes showed a hint of shock.

"Wang Lan... you... you actually utilized the characteristic of Star Martial Skills switching without a time delay to instantly change to the Flame Sword?" Xu Xiangwen asked, a puzzled look on his face.

In that span of time, it was something he definitely couldn’t achieve—completing a switch and counterattacking in less than a second.

If he had reacted even slightly slower, Wang Lan would have landed two blows on him.

"No!" Mingyue Wucheng’s deep voice resounded.

"What’s wrong?" Lin Gao asked in a low voice, frowning, as he too hadn’t seen clearly.

"Wang Lan didn’t switch his Star Martial Skill... he is... using two Star Martial Skills simultaneously."

As disciples of Star Martial Art families, their horizons and knowledge far surpassed what Jiang Xinyu and the others could compare with. Mingyue Wucheng’s words suddenly made Lin Gao and the others’ faces change drastically.

"Composite Star Martial Skill? Are you sure you didn’t see it wrong?"

"I’m not mistaken!"

"How is that possible? A composite Star Martial Skill is something even those at the Star Cloud Stage can’t master. Only at the Galaxy Stage does one have the capability to attempt such high-level combat skills. He’s just at the Star Shine Stage."

"That’s why... I’ve always said that Wang Lan is the most terrifying talent with the deepest potential I have ever seen."

"Even geniuses aren’t *that* much of a genius," Gu Zeyang shook his head in disbelief. "Even if he can’t yet execute a composite Star Martial Skill that merges two Star Martial Skills, the... simultaneous use of two Star Martial Skills, in a sense, is already a composite Star Martial Skill. Mastering a fully integrated composite Star Martial Skill is only a matter of time."

At this moment, Xu Xiangwen launched another attack. This time, he changed his strategy: three feints and one main attack, aiming to take advantage of the instant he believed Wang Lan would switch to the Flame Sword to launch a deadly strike at maximum speed.

Instantly, Wang Lan’s Flame Sword grazed the throat of one Xu Xiangwen. That clone exploded on the spot, while the other two, fearless of death, attacked Wang Lan with mutually destructive moves.

Xu Xiangwen had been watching Wang Lan intently. Wang Lan’s hands had wielded the Flame Swords without extinguishing them for even a second.

This time, I’ve got him!

Xu Xiangwen seized the flaw in Wang Lan’s movement at an incredibly tricky angle and threw a punch at Wang Lan’s back.

And at that moment, a classic scene unfolded.

Wang Lan slightly turned his head, locking eyes with Xu Xiangwen behind him.

That one look gave Xu Xiangwen the sensation that his heartbeat had stopped abruptly.

It wasn’t a love that spanned a thousand years found in a single glance, but rather a peculiar sorrow, one that originated from a very sensitive place.

Because at that moment, Wang Lan made a feint with his leg towards a particularly vulnerable spot. Almost on instinct, Xu Xiangwen’s legs clamped shut fiercely. Seizing this brief opening, Wang Lan instantly struck with an Inch Strength Fist.

BOOM—

Xu Xiangwen’s body flew backward, as if he’d been forcefully shoved from behind with immense power.

"SHIT—"

Xu Xiangwen cursed loudly as he soared through the air.

Meanwhile, Lin Gao and Gu Zeyang, who had been closely observing Wang Lan, exchanged a look and simultaneously raised their middle fingers. "Beast!" they cursed.

They hadn’t seen clearly the first time, but this second time they saw very clearly.

Wang Lan’s eyes were shimmering with distinct Star Energy Fluctuations that one couldn’t sense without specialized training.

This fluctuation was the tell-tale sign of a Star Martial Skill being activated. Perhaps the Star Power required for the skill was minor, or the skill hadn’t actually been released, which was why the fluctuation was exceedingly faint. Sensory-type Star Martial Warriors could discern the hidden locations of enemies through these Star Energy Fluctuations.

Two Star Martial Skills, executed at the same time. They simply couldn’t believe that such a feat would appear on a Star Shine Stage Star Martial Warrior.

"Wang Lan... you..." Xu Xiangwen righted himself and stood up. "How did you manage to use the Flame Sword while your dynamic vision was active?"

Jiang Xinyu and Gong Feiyu’s faces immediately revealed astonishment. They didn’t have the observational power of Mingyue Wucheng and still thought, as Xu Xiangwen had said earlier, that it was a special ability to switch Star Martial Skills without any time interval.

But using two Star Martial Skills at the same time carried a completely different implication.

"This... it’s very complicated to explain," Wang Lan said, relaxing his combat stance and scratching his head with some hesitation.

"To perform a composite Star Martial Skill, one must meet many conditions," Mingyue Wucheng said in a deep voice, approaching slowly. "Mastery of Star Martial Skills must be consummate, control over Star Power through the body must be consummate, and most importantly, the understanding of Star Martial Skills must reach their very essence. Am I right, Wang Lan?"

"This... it’s not that complicated. I don’t know how to explain it in a way you’ll all understand and accept," Wang Lan said, looking conflicted.

"Just say it directly. We’ll ask you if there’s anything we don’t understand," Jiang Xinyu asked eagerly.

When it came to composite Star Martial Skills, if anyone present had the greatest need for them, it was undoubtedly Jiang Xinyu. She was born with three attributes, and with her wind and Water Attributes combined, the number of Star Martial Skills she could potentially perform simultaneously was immense. If she could master this, her strength would absolutely double.

"Didn’t I spar with Xu a few days ago? Although I activated dynamic vision then, I lost my offensive capability. I could dodge Xu’s attacks, but I couldn’t counterattack effectively.

"Just dodging without fighting back, that’s definitely not my style, right? So, I started thinking if there was a way to use the Flame Sword while maintaining dynamic vision.

"I began to study it in-depth, and after four days of research and contemplation, I finally figured it out yesterday..."

"CRACK—"

The jaws of Mingyue Wucheng, Lin Gao, and Gu Zeyang seemed to make a series of crisp, cracking sounds, and their eyes instantly became vacant.

No matter how much you calculate and plan, some things are just impossible to guard against!

Damn it, this guy managed to show off successfully again! Can anyone believe that? ’After four days of research’? Give him four years, and he still wouldn’t figure it out!

"Wang Lan, it’s not right for you to say that," one of them interjected. "Putting other things aside, aren’t we friends? Aren’t Xu Xiangwen and the others your good brothers? It’s not good to keep your insights hidden away, is it?"

"I’m not keeping anything to myself, really. Look, don’t we all have a left hand and a right hand? Isn’t using two Star Martial Skills at the same time just like drawing a circle with your left hand and a square with your right?

"Of course, it’s a bit more difficult than that. It’s more like drawing a circle with your left hand and a square with your right, while simultaneously doing rapid mental arithmetic and writing calligraphy with your feet.

"It’s just multitasking and perfect control of Star Power, that’s all..."

’That’s all?’ Damn it, forget Mingyue Wucheng and the others; even I want to hit you now! Is ’that’s all’ something you can say so nonchalantly?

"What are you all discussing?" a voice asked. Liu Jie and Xie Sisi, who had been gone for quite some time, had returned. Xie Sisi looked very excited and happy.

"Nothing much. We were just discussing the practical possibility of composite Star Martial Skills."

Liu Jie scoffed. "Heh."

"You’re all quite ambitious for your age, but are composite Star Martial Skills really something you should be considering right now? Practice well; the provincial martial arts tournament is coming up soon. Do you think it’s enough to be among the best in Suzhou City?

"Suzhou City’s strength is only average in Jiang Province. I’ve heard that in Jin City, your generation alone has sixteen individuals at the Star Cloud Stage. When the time comes, Jin City’s ten-person representative team will consist entirely of Star Cloud Stage warriors."

"But... Wang Lan has already succeeded in using a composite Star Martial Skill!" Xu Xiangwen pointed at Wang Lan with a face full of bitter resentment. "My Star Martial Skill was completely nullified by him; I couldn’t display any of my strength at all!"

Liu Jie let out another chilling laugh. "Heh heh heh..." He then turned and walked over to another sparring group.

"Mr. Liu doesn’t believe me?" Xu Xiangwen asked, looking wounded.

"Who would believe it if they hadn’t seen it with their own eyes?" Mingyue Wucheng said with a wry smile, shaking his head.

"I can’t do it," Jiang Xinyu’s voice suddenly sounded. Everyone turned to look, only to see that in front of her, she had drawn a lopsided square that almost looked like a circle, and a wobbly circle that was somewhat square.

"I can’t even draw different patterns with both hands at the same time, let alone expect to perform two kinds of Star Martial Skills simultaneously. It’s just not possible."

"I’ll try it too, maybe I have the talent," Xu Xiangwen said as he picked up two pebbles and started experimenting on the ground.

"I’ll try it too..."

For a moment, all the elite contestants in the first group stopped sparring and began trying to draw on the ground with both hands. However, everyone failed; only Mingyue Wucheng’s attempt was barely passable. Even so, he was still a long way from mastering a composite Star Martial Skill.

"Lanzi, if you think you’re so good, then show us!" Xu Xiangwen challenged. "You talk a big game, but let’s see you actually try it! I don’t believe you can."

Without a word, Wang Lan took the pebbles, squatted down, and started to draw with both hands, each moving independently as if drawing separate bows. It wasn’t just his hands; it seemed as if each of his eyes was focused on a different task.

It was as if Wang Lan had been split down the middle into two separate people, each side doing its own thing. They looked so independent they could have started fighting each other.

The mouths of Xu Xiangwen and the others gradually fell open.

Because Wang Lan wasn’t just drawing a square with his left hand and a circle with his right; he was sketching portraits with both hands.

His left hand drew Jiang Xinyu, and his right, Xie Sisi.

Two complete portraits were finished in just a few minutes. The movements of his hands never paused, nor did they show the slightest similarity to each other.

Witnessing this scene, Mingyue Wucheng couldn’t help but be awestruck.

This is a master. This is truly a master...

Xie Sisi didn’t feel too surprised; It seems like I could also draw a square with my left hand and a circle with my right, she thought. What she cared more about was that Wang Lan drew Jiang Xinyu with his left hand and her with his right hand... Could it be...

As her thoughts progressed, her small face suddenly turned red.

But to Wang Lan, it was simply that Xie Sisi was beautiful, and it was convenient to draw her alongside Jiang Xinyu. Should I have drawn Jiang Xinyu with my left hand and Xu Xiangwen with my right? Even Gong Feiyu wouldn’t agree to that, he mused.