Li Mingfu returned to his villa and entered the cultivation room.
Sitting cross-legged on the floor, he finally looked at the book he had borrowed from the sect library.
The title was Shadow Drift Steps.
Yellow High-Grade.
Li Mingfu read through the whole book.
"According to the description, it's one of the best movement techniques on the first floor."
He hadn't expected that.
His own Thousand Thread Qi Weaving Art had been a technique no one cared about.
Because of that, he originally thought he would accidentally find another forgotten or rare technique.
Yet somehow he had picked a popular one.
"Well… luck is luck."
He began reading it again, but carefully this time.
Shadow Drift Steps did not focus on explosive speed.
Instead, it taught the user how to move like a drifting shadow.
The technique emphasized weight transfer, breath-synced stepping, and minimizing sound while moving.
It also included methods for navigating different terrains while maintaining silent movement.
Li Mingfu nodded slowly.
"This actually fits the sect perfectly."
It prioritized stealth and survival rather than pure speed.
For Qi Refinement cultivators, it was considered extremely practical.
The first lesson focused on breathing.
Every step had to be synchronized with breathing.
So he stood up and started to practice the technique.
Inhale.
Step.
Exhale.
Step.
After mastering the breathing rhythm, the book said the disciple would apply Qi to the movement.
Stabilizing both heart rate and Qi fluctuations.
After understanding heart rate and Qi fluctuations, the next focus is on stepping techniques.
The book explained how to circulate Qi into the feet and distribute impact through the foot meridians.
This would cushion footsteps and significantly reduce noise while walking or running.
The third section recommended night training.
Disciples needed to learn how to move along shadow lines, avoid bright areas, and blend into their surroundings.
The final section focused on evasive movements.
It taught sideways dodges, angled steps, and short burst evasions for close combat situations.
Li Mingfu's eyes brightened.
"I like this."
Although slower than many movement techniques, Shadow Drift Steps excelled at evasion, stealth, and terrain movement.
For assassins, that was far more important than raw speed.
According to the book, the technique was useful all the way up to Foundation Establishment Stage Five.
"By then, I'll probably replace it with something better anyway," he said.
Instead of resting, Li Mingfu headed toward the public training grounds.
The training grounds were still busy even though night had fallen.
Many disciples were practicing techniques under the moon and lantern light.
Li Mingfu soon noticed someone practicing Shadow Drift Steps.
He quietly observed the disciple's breathing, foot placement, and body movement.
Once he felt he understood the basics, he stepped onto a nearby training field.
Tall black stone pillars were randomly placed.
Between them hung thin silk threads.
Wooden training dummies were moving slowly across the field.
Pressure plates were hidden throughout the ground.
Li Mingfu took a step forward and accidentally stepped on one.
Click.
A quiet noise echoed.
"I see…"
This was a stealth training field.
The goal was simple.
Cross the entire field without touching the silk threads or triggering the pressure plates.
Li Mingfu adjusted his breathing and circulated Qi to his feet.
Step.
Step.
Step.
Five steps later, he felt something tugging at his arm.
On his sleeve was a silk thread.
"I must have touched a silk thread, but when?"
He removed the silk thread and continued forward.
Step.
Step.
Click.
This time it was a pressure plate.
Li Mingfu frowned.
This continued throughout the night.
Again and again, he tried crossing the field.
Again and again, he failed.
Silk threads hung onto his clothes.
Pressure plates clicked.
Wooden training dummies forced him to adjust his movement.
By the time the sun rose, Li Mingfu was exhausted.
Yet he had improved slightly.
Li Mingfu reminded himself.
"Cultivation requires patience."
He returned to his villa, washed up, and prepared for class.
Today's lecture was taught by a different elder.
This elder specialized in tracking techniques.
He explained how to read footprints, broken branches, disturbed grass, and subtle Qi fluctuations.
He also discussed predicting a target's movement.
Several times throughout the lecture.
The elder asked the disciples questions.
When someone answered incorrectly, the elder patiently explained why their reasoning was flawed.
Li Mingfu listened carefully.
This kind of information could save his life someday.
After class ended, he immediately ran to the sect library.
This time, he needed an offensive technique.
Inside the library, he learned something interesting.
There were many categories of attack techniques.
Close-range.
Long-range.
Palm techniques.
Finger techniques.
Fist techniques.
Weapon techniques.
Li Mingfu originally wanted a long-range attack technique.
However, his Thousand Thread Qi Weaving Art specialized in thread-like Qi control rather than explosive power.
Even if he used a basic fireball spell, his version would likely be weaker than most cultivators.
He could only place the fireball spell book back and sigh.
"Long-range techniques probably aren't ideal."
He walked toward the close-range section.
Fingers.
Palms.
Fists.
Weapons.
Just like before, Li Mingfu grabbed a book and flipped his coin.
Heads meant he would take the technique.
Tails meant he moved on.
He went through the finger section.
Then the palm section.
Then the fist section.
Still no heads.
Eventually, the library bell rang.
Signaling that the library was closing soon.
Li Mingfu sighed.
"Guess I'll check the weapon section tomorrow."
That night, he continued practicing Shadow Drift Steps.
After another night of practice, he slightly improved again.
Nothing dramatic, but he did better than the night before.
The next lecture was far darker.
The elder spoke about killing techniques.
Weapons.
Poisons.
Traps.
Psychological manipulation.
Anything that guaranteed the death of a target.
For the first time since arriving in this world, Li Mingfu felt genuine fear.
"There are way too many ways to die here…"
He memorized everything the elder taught.
After class, he ran to the library again.
This time, he went directly to the weapon section.
Book.
Coin.
Flip.
Move on.
Book.
Coin.
Flip.
Move on.
The library elder only looked up at him for a few seconds, then resumed reading his book.
At this point, the strange disciple who flipped coins had become normal.
When nearing the end of the weapon section.
The coin landed heads.
Li Mingfu quickly grabbed the book and went to check it out.
Back in his cultivation room, he read the title.
Shadowless Dagger, Yellow Top-Grade.
The technique required two daggers.
Li Mingfu's eyes widened after reading it once.
"This is perfect!" he shouted with excitement.
He silently thanked his Heaven-Defying Luck talent.
Learning how to dual-wield daggers would also help him later when he eventually used dual-wielding pistols.
The technique focused on several key concepts.
Quick-draw dagger strikes.
Instant re-sheathing after attacks.
Close-range burst kills.
Immediate concealment after striking.
Silent assassination flow.
Draw.
Kill.
Vanish.
Repeat.
Unfortunately, Li Mingfu had one problem.
He didn't own any daggers.
"That's tomorrow's problem."
Instead, he studied the training method.
Step One was simple.
Draw the dagger.
Ten thousand times per arm every day.
Walking.
Mid-step.
Running.
Standing.
Kneeling.
Sitting.
After mastering all that, one would practice drawing while looking away.
Eventually, he would practice drawing with his eyes closed.
Then one would repeat the process with Qi.
And again, without Qi.
Every movement required perfect hand placement, blade alignment, and minimal clothing friction.
Li Mingfu stared at the book in silence.
"Ten thousand draws per arm…"
That was twenty thousand total.
He sighed deeply.
"I should probably find my limit first."
"Cultivation truly was a long road."
He leaned back slightly.
"I wish the system could help more…"
"If it could cheat a little more, life would be easier."
"I just want to enjoy the cultivation world."
"But dying here is way too easy."
Li Mingfu shook his head and stood up.
Complaining wouldn't help.
He walked back toward the training grounds.
To practice moving like a shadow.