Returning to the Mysterious Era

Chapter 322 - Mastery of the Southern Dipper Sonic Snake Fist

Rumble...

A white streak of cascading water hung upside down from the mountains, wide and long. One could hear the roar of the waterfall from miles away, like thunderclaps or a furious silver dragon plunging from the heavens.

It dove into the heart of the pond below, stirring a mist of water.

The torrent continued without a moment's pause, with thousands of tons of water crashing down, sometimes splashing mid-air and turning into wisps of white vapor coiling around the verdant peaks

It was an awe-inspiring sight.

Beneath the waterfall, a hunched figure with white hair stood at the edge of the pool. His hands were clasped behind his back as he silently gazed up at the descending curtain of water.

A faint black speck could be seen inching upward against the rushing waterfall, like a stubborn rock. The waterfall in this Qi World was enormous, with torrents of water smashing down every moment, creating an ongoing, terrifying force of resistance.

Yet, the black speck persisted, climbing upward at a pace of a meter per minute. His body remained steady and was as immovable as a rock. The water soaked his clothes, revealing a physique beneath that seemed to be sculpted from steel.

Boom... Buzz...

Cassius could no longer hear anything but the roaring water. His steel-like arms stretched out, ten fingers splayed into claw-like shapes. Veins bulged, muscles swelled, and his hands forcefully dug into the holes in the mountain that had been gouged out by the waterfall.

Ordinarily, rock climbing like this wasn't too difficult. Although it was dangerous, a normal human could accomplish it with great effort. But this was entirely different—this was beneath a waterfall.

Tons of water smashed onto his body every second, creating immense downward pressure. Even standing under this waterfall would be impossible for a normal person; they would be crushed, with their neck and spine snapping instantly, as if a car were dropping from the sky.

Though it was liquid, it was lethal.

What Cassius was doing was climbing upward against the current, from the pool at the base, all the way to the peak—an ascent of over a thousand meters.

Even for someone with his terrifying physique, this task was grueling beyond measure. This was a pure trial of endurance. It required tremendous arm strength, vast stamina, and incredible resilience. It was not just physical torment but also a mental and spiritual ordeal.

This was part of the training for the Southern Dipper Sonic Snake Fist. Reverberating Force, one of the core aspects of this technique, was characterized by explosive shockwaves. The turbulent waterfall matched these traits, making it an ideal place to train.

Training under the constant pressure of the waterfall and climbing against the current helped in the practice of the Southern Dipper Sonic Snake Fist, especially in mastering its acupoints and the Southern Dipper state.

By using the external force of the water to stimulate his internal energy, Cassius was refining both his body and his mind. This was a dangerous, advanced form of training. Only those with a strong physique and a deep understanding of the technique could attempt it. For beginners, trying this too early would surely lead to death.

Even someone as accomplished as Cassius struggled for the past four months. At first, he couldn't climb more than ten meters. Gradually, he improved over time. Sometimes, he would climb several hundred meters only to lose his grip and fall, sustaining serious injuries when he crashed into the pool below.

Over the last month or two, he could occasionally reach eight or nine hundred meters before his stamina gave out, leaving his limbs trembling and forcing him to descend.

But throughout this process, he worked to construct the Southern Dipper Sonic Snake Fist's Southern Dipper state. He attempted to find the sixty-six acupoints and connect them in accordance with the meridian pathways, forming a complex structure resembling a suspension bridge. Gradually, he aimed to reveal the three-dimensional pattern of the Star Python constellation within his body and create a stable resonance.

Unfortunately, despite hundreds of attempts, each one ended in failure. Sometimes, the path would skew or collapse midway, or he would lack the strength to complete it, undoing all his efforts. Although compatibility was the most important factor in mastering the Sonic Snake Fist, luck also played a crucial role.

Upon reflection Cassius realized that he was still inexperienced in many aspects during the first three months. But by the final month, he felt he had reached the entry level.

Yet, the moment of inspiration still eluded him. As a result, he climbed the waterfall twice a day, spending the rest of his time sparring with the old Ultimate Fist practitioner, hoping to find that spark that would allow him to enter the Southern Dipper state of the Sonic Snake Fist.

"There are seven days left. If I still can't grasp it, I'll have to seek out another Southern Dipper Covert Martial Inheritance. If I succeed, it's my fortune; if not, it's my fate..."

Finally, the tightrope that had been strung within Cassius for a hundred days loosened, and he suddenly felt the world open up.

Crackle, crackle...

A strange sound reached his ears over the heavy noise of the waterfall. It was more like the crackling of electric sparks, coming from within his body. It was near and far, faint and elusive, like an auditory hallucination. Cassius' vision blurred, his mind growing foggy, as golden spots danced before his eyes, a sign of his exhaustion.

Snap!

Instinctively, he reached out, grabbing a crevice in the rock above and forcing his body upwards.

Immediately, the phantom noise in his ears grew louder.

"An opportunity!"

The thought passed quickly through Cassius' mind, but he remained calm. He maintained his rhythm, as he inched his way upward like a lizard.

The entire cliffside was pockmarked with handholds, gradually gouged out over hundreds of climbs. He was now intimately familiar with them. He endured the pressure of the waterfall as he steadily ascended.

From a distance, the black speck was about two-thirds of the way up the waterfall, around six or seven hundred meters in height, and climbing at a rate of two meters per minute.

Cassius was now in a strange state. His powerful physique resisted the external pressure of the water, while inside, his body was building the Southern Dipper state of the Sonic Snake Fist. It was as though two currents of water, one inside and one outside, were opposing each other, and the only barrier between them was his body.

His mind grew hazy, as the Star Python guidance map flashed through his thoughts, showing the location of the acupoints, their function, and how to store and transfer Reverberating Force, along with the meridian combinations.

Crack... Crack...

Every movement of Cassius' arms splashed water, as if he were swimming upward, except his direction was vertical, and the resistance was far greater than in any river.

An hour passed and he reached eight hundred meters.

Cassius's arms faltered and his body trembled. At this moment, twenty-two acupoints had been activated, and he had connected a third of the meridians. But he still had strength left and enough momentum to keep moving.

Another hour passed and he reached nine hundred meters.

His fingers twitched, and his muscles weakened. Cassius was drained of stamina. He almost lost his grip and fell, but managed to hold on with one hand, hanging there for two minutes before mustering the strength to raise his other hand.

After an hour and a half, at a height of one thousand and fifty meters, Cassius stopped just before the final step, hanging on for five minutes. His entire body trembled, his face alternating between pale and flushed, while his skin was a fiery red, as if a roaring furnace burned within him.

The constant stream of water cooled and tempered this heat, yet it continued to rise, vaporizing into a white mist that shrouded the air above him.

Suddenly!

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

A series of white splashes exploded from the top of the waterfall, turning into several slanted steam columns shooting out.

A figure shot through the misty spray, spinning wildly. He spun elegantly in the air and both feet lightly touched down on a smooth boulder by the riverbank.

"Southern Dipper. Sonic. Snake. Fist!"

The blond youth placed his left foot forward and his right leg back at an angle behind him. His spine arched slightly, like a taut bowstring. His center of gravity sank as his arms crossed diagonally in front of his chest.

It was the combat stance of the Southern Dipper Sonic Snake Fist!

Cassius faced another massive boulder. The old man in black was seated quietly upon it. His legs were crossed and his hands resting on his knees. His eyes were downcast, with a serene expression.

The azure sky, soft white clouds, and golden sunlight illuminated the towering green mountains and a crystal-clear river.

The two figures stood in opposition across the river, while a waterbird circled overhead.

It was like a serene landscape painting, a moment of stillness captured in time.

Humm...

A force slowly radiated from the area. The very atmosphere seemed to still, and even the roaring waterfall seemed muted.

Bang.

Suddenly, a burst of force erupted from Cassius' chest. The energy he had been gathering for a long time finally broke free. He had established the Southern Dipper Sonic Snake Fist's framework and activated his acupoints through his meridians. After four months of struggle, his inspiration had broken through the barriers.

The first acupoint of the Southern Dipper Sonic Snake Fist opened!

Crackling noises, like beans popping in a pan, echoed from within his body. It was the sound of Reverberating Force rushing into his acupoints. At that very moment, the second Southern Dipper Covert Martial Inheritance, the Southern Dipper Sonic Snake Fist, was complete!

Joy and relief surged through his chest. After nearly half a year of grueling training, stumbling and falling countless times, he finally saw the light at the end of the tunnel.

Hundreds of attempts, hundreds of brushes with death— it had all been worth it!

"Haa..."

Cassius exhaled a long breath of hot murky air.

His body naturally stretched out, resembling a coiled Sonic Snake. His muscles carried a strange combination of flexibility and strength.

"Now that I've mastered two of the Southern Dipper Covert Martial Inheritance techniques, whether the Killer Persona and Cold Persona can achieve balance will be decided today..."

Cassius brought his hands together, then lowered himself into a seated position. His damp blonde hair was dried by his body heat and blown aside by the wind, revealing his forehead.

On his smooth skin, a cross-shaped mark faintly glowed red. The Golem Covert Martial Technique involved three core techniques, dividing Cassius' Main Persona into two extreme sub-personas to combat the dark corruption.

The Killer Persona, through mastering the Southern Dipper Red Falcon Fist, had grown increasingly powerful, and was now threatening to overpower his Main Persona.

Originally, Cassius only needed the Cold Persona to suppress it, but now, even the Cold Persona and Main Persona combined only barely hold it back, especially in the heat of battle.

At times, the Killer Persona would overwhelm his reason, causing him to lose judgment.

But now, the Cold Persona had mastered the Southern Dipper Sonic Snake Fist! Theoretically, he should have the foundation to counteract his Killer Persona.

But he was still anxious. Would training both the Southern Dipper Sonic Snake Fist and Southern Dipper Red Falcon Fist at the same time create a conflict?

Ding, ding, ding, ding...

The thirteen acupoints of the Southern Dipper Red Falcon Fist lit up one by one. Death’s Fang Force surged through his meridians like a school of ravenous piranhas.

Ding...

The just-activated acupoint of the Southern Dipper Sonic Snake Fist also lit up. It stood alone, somewhat isolated.

Cassius took a deep breath, his entire body tense with nervous anticipation, while a wave of heat flowed through his heart.

He closed his eyes and activated the Golem Covert Martial Technique's three core principles.

Killer Persona, Main Persona, Cold Persona; the conflicting emotions swirled inside him, creating a strange sense of division.

In the next moment...

Both the Southern Dipper Sonic Snake Fist and Southern Dipper Red Falcon Fist activated simultaneously!

Two distinct forces surged within him: one as hot as fire, the other as cold as ice. They were utterly opposed to each other.

In an instant, the two fist techniques clashed inside him.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

It felt as though massive hammers were smashing into his body!

Cassius' eyes snapped open as he spat out a mouthful of blood. Half of his body burned with heat, while the other half froze with cold. The two forces weren't harmonizing at all; instead, they fought violently within him.

They collided and obliterated each other inside him, rapidly causing internal injuries.

"It's not working?! Are the techniques from the Southern Dipper Covert Martial Inheritance inherently contradictory and meant to oppose each other?"

Cassius' mind was in turmoil, but he could no longer control the conflict between the two Covert Martial Arts. He could only forcefully channel his life vibration energy to repair his body. However, his energy reserves were almost depleted! Most of it had been used during his five months of training, leaving him with just a few remaining pulses!

At this rate of internal conflict, he could only hold on for another three minutes!

"Sigh..." Cassius let out a regretful sigh.

"Sigh..." At that moment, an elderly voice seemed to echo his sigh.

Cassius blinked, his vision obscured by blood. He could barely make out a figure standing up. The old man stepped onto the surface of the water, approaching him, his steps not sinking even an inch into the water.

"You... Urgh..." Cassius tried to speak, but another mouthful of blood welled up in his throat.

Cassius felt his bones buckling under the pressure, his muscles tearing apart. His skin felt like it was on the verge of bursting open.

Whoosh! Bang!

The blurry figure vanished in an instant, and Cassius was flung into the air. He was near the edge of the mountain, and soon, he plummeted downward like the rushing waterfall beside him.

A shadow followed swiftly behind him, descending like a falling star.

The old Ultimate Fist practitioner suddenly exploded with an unimaginable purple light, radiating an aura like the sun itself. His figure trailed a long tail of light as he reached out toward Cassius.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

As the old man extended his fingers, the air around him erupted with a series of blasts. His fingertips pushed forward, and the overwhelming Reverberating Force roared. He crossed several meters and struck Cassius in an instant.

He hit him just below the left side of his chest, near the last rib.

It was the location of the second acupoint of the Southern Dipper Sonic Snake Fist!