Thinking of this, I decided to return to the passage first. In my opinion, Berserking is a double-edged sword; if not used properly, one can be harmed by it, a truth I have experienced deeply. I still vividly recall the sensation of losing control of my body the first time I fell into a Berserk state in the Skeleton Cave.
Of course, back then, my primary concern was that my body would be controlled by another lurking soul. Now that the mystery of Berserking has been unveiled—it is merely a natural phenomenon inherited through bloodline, nothing to worry about.
Yet, subconsciously, I still resist the idea of my body acting against my own will. Even though Berserking drastically boosts my power, undoubtedly erasing any fear of the Dragon Fiend Warriors or Dragon Fiend Generals, in that state of utter loss of control, my skills and specialties become unusable. Everything seems to be operating under the direction of another consciousness.
Frankly, I resist this feeling intensely. To me, power that cannot be wielded according to one's own volition, no matter how immense, ultimately does not belong to oneself.
Admittedly, I also know that the Berserk state can actually be controlled. In my view, the perfect combat state is maintaining a clear, sober mind even while Berserk.
Experience has proven this state does exist. In the battles against the Dragon Fiend Warriors and the Giant Dragon Moth, I utilized the power of Berserking twice. Though both times I nearly lost control, I managed to pull back at the final moment.
What I need to do now is to replicate the method of energy circulation from that time as closely as possible, allowing myself to remain in that marvelous state of overwhelming strength while keeping my mind sufficiently rational. Above all, I must maintain absolute control over my body.
I believe that once I successfully master this technique, the Berserker bloodline within me will truly become a controllable power belonging solely to me.
As I pondered this, I channeled the Thunder Battle Aura, carefully sensing the changes throughout my body.
The Thunder Battle Aura, centered in my lower abdomen, began to gradually spread outward. The current intensity was one-tenth, without any very obvious sensation of qi or energy reaction. I judged this while cautiously increasing the intensity of the Thunder Battle Aura.
One-tenth!
Two-tenths!
Three-tenths!
Four-tenths!
Five-tenths!
Six-tenths!
Seven-tenths!
As the Battle Aura intensity continued to rise, the sensation of qi within me grew stronger! Upon reaching seven-tenths, I instinctively stopped.
The Battle Aura inside my body was now like a constant energy vortex, spinning ceaselessly.
I felt an inexhaustible supply of strength coursing through me. In terms of controlled output, the seven-tenths intensity was undoubtedly the optimal level for control. Speed, technique, and power all remained in a state of poised readiness; muscle tension, the expansion and contraction of the Battle Aura—everything felt utterly subject to my will.
I attempted to push the Battle Aura intensity up by another tenth.
Soon, I felt my body growing hot, and the Battle Aura within began to show signs of disorder. However, this intensity was not yet enough to trigger the Berserk state.
I maintained this state for an hour, my Dragon Shadow Sword moving swiftly, cycling through the five movements of Basic Swordsmanship from start to finish. This was followed by the various combination sword forms of the Fencing Sword Style.
I quickly discovered that at the eight-tenths intensity of the Thunder Battle Aura, my movements were either too exaggerated or too rigid. The flexibility of my muscles, as well as the deployment and retraction of the Battle Aura, felt cumbersome.
Mentally, I remained in a state of mild excitement, unable to achieve a mind as still as water.
Tian Tian had once taught me in modern times that a swordsman’s physique must always maintain a balance of tension and relaxation, allowing for fluid advance and retreat. Only then could one display one hundred percent of their competitive skill.
If the muscles are too stiff and tight, movements become distorted, directly impacting one's competitive state.
The mental state is equally important.
An excellent swordsman must always remain calm, because only a cool head can objectively analyze the situation, utilize one's body, and thus perform at their true level.
Once one falls into an overly excited state, it hinders competitive performance. It easily leads to missed attacks, distorted movements, and exposing weaknesses for the opponent to exploit!
Undoubtedly, within the energy field of eight-tenths or higher Thunder Battle Aura, I was no longer in a perfect competitive state, either physically or mentally.
I subconsciously increased the energy of the Battle Aura to nine-tenths!
Soon, the vortex of Battle Aura inside me grew stronger! I felt this energy was ready to burst out of my body at any moment. Every sword swing speed, movement step, and attack force increased significantly.
In terms of sheer power, it was still within the range I could barely manage. At this moment, I was like a car running at full throttle on a highway; if the road conditions were good, it would be fine, but any sudden sharp turn could cause a rollover. Control over my body deviated severely due to the strengthening of the Thunder energy field. Movements were either too large or too small.
Swish! The three consecutive thrusts involved arm extensions that were too long. The accompanying footwork lagged by half a beat, failing to advance or retreat flexibly as intended.
I believed that if a master faced me now, such an obvious flaw would certainly not be overlooked.
As for the mental aspect, it was even worse. I felt a pent-up frustration, a need to vent, and it was precisely this mental state that caused my movements to severely deform and expose flaws.
I once again raised the intensity of the Thunder Battle Aura to its absolute maximum: ten-tenths!
Immediately, a sensation completely different from before enveloped my entire body. My physique seemed to be saturated with some kind of gas, and even my muscles swelled considerably, revealing knotty bulges. Although unimpressive compared to true bodybuilders, this level of musculature was truly exaggerated for my frame.
The sword I swung could not even be stopped mid-motion, let alone allowing for mid-combat changes in strategy. While movement speed also exploded, it was no longer under my mental control.
I clearly intended to move a small step sideways using the Lightning Step technique, but the actual result was my entire body shooting out ten meters with a whoosh, nearly smashing into the wall.
The mental state was even more catastrophic.
After the intensity reached ten-tenths, the colors of the entire world began to rapidly shift, eventually turning into a blurry, blood-red hue. At the same time, that insane killing intent erupted without warning, and the pent-up frustration in my chest felt like it was about to explode!
It was Berserking! No mistake, this was when the Berserk state began. I could only barely force the Battle Aura towards the arms gripping the sword. The sapphire blade of the Dragon Shadow Sword instantly became encircled by a dazzling seven-colored stream of light.
And the mad killing intent in my mind grew wildly like a demon, causing my body to tremble slightly beyond my control.
No doubt, starting now, this killing intent was attempting to seize control of my body.
A slight alarm went off in my mind, and I simultaneously tried to stabilize my spirit while adjusting the intensity of the infused Battle Aura.
The Battle Aura gathered, growing stronger and stronger. The Dragon Shadow Sword in my hand trembled slightly, like a fierce beast desperate to break free from my restraint.
Roar! Soon, the Battle Aura intensity seemed to reach its limit, and the confrontation between rationality and killing intent began to show signs of defeat. I felt my body was on the verge of slipping from my control!
Now! This was the limit of Berserking that my flesh and spirit could control.
My thoughts flashed like lightning, and the Dragon Shadow Sword slashed out instantly.
Swish! A dazzling rainbow light band shot towards the sky above the entrance and finally vanished.
Hoo! That was terrifying! Honestly, this was the first time I had experienced the transition from a normal state to a Berserk state so clearly.
It seemed the crux of the problem was found.
That is, as the Thunder Battle Aura continuously increased, and the Battle Aura intensity within my body rose, I was gradually losing control of my body. Furthermore, the struggle between rationality and killing intent was slowly giving way under the constant enhancement of the Battle Aura.
By calculating the time, the Berserk state began when the Thunder Battle Aura reached ten-tenths, and approximately five seconds later, my body and reason reached the limit of Berserking.
I suspected that if I had continued further, I would absolutely have faced a meltdown.
How to improve my control over my body under high-intensity energy fields, and how to allow my rationality to hold out longer against the killing intent’s struggle—this must be the key to effectively utilizing the Berserk power.
At this, I couldn't help but recall my weighted training. If physical strength and resilience could be achieved through weighted training, perhaps there was also a method to improve resistance against high-intensity Battle Aura fields and the struggle against the inner demon of killing intent.
With this realization, I rearranged my somewhat chaotic thoughts. It seemed necessary to devise a method that was truly feasible, allowing me to fully utilize the power of Berserking without having my rationality crushed by the inner demon of killing intent.
However, I didn't know how to train for this immediately. Out of options, I resorted to the most rudimentary, brute-force method: slowly increasing the intensity of the Thunder Battle Aura layer by layer to let my body and mental state continuously adapt to these changes.
It started at seven-tenths intensity of the Thunder Battle Aura, then gradually increased to eight-tenths.
At this point, that familiar feeling of losing control reappeared. My spirit also began to grow agitated.
But being fully prepared, I did not panic at all. I decided to maintain this state for the time being. I believed that once I adapted to remain calm in body and mind under the eight-tenths intensity of the Thunder Battle Aura, my objective would be achieved.
Then, nine-tenths!
Ten-tenths!
If I could consistently maintain a calm state of mind and absolute control over my body at ten-tenths, my training goal would be met.
Of course, I knew this process would be extremely long, and I had no idea how long it would take to adapt.
But I believed that as long as I persisted, success was inevitable.
Sometimes, the clumsy method is the most direct one.
However, continuing this kind of training confined underground was not ideal.
Perhaps I could try killing monsters while simultaneously cultivating the adaptation ability for Berserking.
At this thought, I recalled the other exit of the Dragon Ridge, leading to the East Dragon Pass checkpoint, rumored to be the hunting ground of Dragon Fiend Soldiers. It seemed that if I had nothing better to do, cleaving through Dragon Fiend Soldiers there while practicing my Battle Aura and my adaptation to Berserking wouldn't be a bad idea.
With that decision made, I could no longer sit still.
Taking advantage of the cover of darkness, I began heading east along the mountain wall, toward the East Dragon Pass checkpoint.
Wearing light armor with the Ice Stone Membrane Cloak over it, I engaged full speed toward the location of the East Dragon Pass.
Before dawn broke, I finally arrived before the East Dragon Pass checkpoint.
After passing through another narrow passage, a world shrouded in gray mist appeared before my eyes once more.
...............................
Roar! Roar! Roar! Not long after entering, I heard several muffled, fierce roars—the Dragon Fiend Soldiers. I quickly shed the Ice Stone Membrane Cloak. Soon, within the range of the Eye of Death Lust, several blurry figures charged rapidly towards me.
I naturally showed no mercy. Taking off the Ice Stone Membrane Cloak was precisely so the Dragon Fiend Soldiers could spot my presence from afar and charge; it saved me the trouble of searching for them, wasting time.
After all, slaughtering Dragon Fiend Soldiers now was trivially easy. Astounding speed, combined with deep-penetration charge tactics, meant that even facing thousands of Dragon Fiend Soldiers, I could cut in and out seven times, emerging completely unscathed.
Roar, roar, roar, roar! Five or six Dragon Fiend Soldiers immediately gave chase, but a single charge from me was enough to sever their heads.
Still too few. I unleashed my movement technique and charged towards the central area of the East Dragon Pass. If I'm going to kill, it has to be in droves; that's the real thrill!
Roar, roar, roar!
.....................................
Countless rough roars rose and fell, immense silhouettes of Dragon Fiend Soldiers surrounding me, all roaring and frantically throwing themselves at me.
Welcome! I charged straight into the dense mass of Dragon Fiend Soldiers without reducing speed!
Roar! Roar! Slice, slice, rumble!!
Instantly, blue shadows flashed, and mist of blood filled the air! Countless heads, accompanied by towering columns of blood, tumbled to the ground. Innumerable figures, like small hills, crashed down, never to move again.
The entire world was dyed crimson! Amidst the fog, the massacre resumed.
......................................
I didn't know how much time had passed, as I never bothered to check the Magic Clock! Driven by the eight-tenths Thunder Battle Aura, I only knew to charge back and forth incessantly. My overstimulated nerves, my restless flesh, and the surging Battle Aura energy within my body seemed to find peace only through endless slaughter.
Days passed, and the excited nerves gradually cooled down; the restless flesh and the surging Battle Aura energy became much more orderly. I didn't know if it was exhaustion, or if my body was slowly adapting to the eight-tenths intensity of the Thunder Battle Aura. After such prolonged slaughter, the feeling was now no different from when I was at seven-tenths Battle Aura.
A jolt of joy shot through me. Had my body adapted to the eight-tenths intensity of the Thunder Battle Aura?
With this thought, I gritted my teeth and increased the energy intensity of the Thunder Battle Aura to nine-tenths.
Soon, the familiar restlessness, excitement, and that mad killing intent flooded my body and nerves once more. However, all of this was still within my limits of endurance.
A new round of slaughter began! From east to west, then west to north, then north to south, I slaughtered my way through the entire East Dragon Pass. Every Dragon creature that appeared within the range of my Eye of Death Lust was instantly vaporized.
I felt as if I were hopped up on stimulants, completely unwilling to stop. This applied to both my physical body and my spirit. Yet, my steadfast rationality stubbornly held the final line of defense.
I let this body continue its rampage. I didn't know what kind of peculiar Battle Aura the Thunder Battle Aura was, but it was like an engine that never quit, sustaining this over-excited body and continuing the frantic slaughter. It seemed the more frantic the killing, the more abundant the Thunder Battle Aura became.
Frankly, even I was beginning to frighten myself by now. This wasn't cultivation; it was slaughter. Yet, my subconscious was driven by a strange sense of pleasure.
After a long time, the nine-tenths intensity of the Thunder Battle Aura could no longer bring me any unusual sensations. It seemed that the excitement and agitation had been entirely expended by the previous frenzy of killing.
And at the nine-tenths intensity of the Thunder Battle Aura, my physical flexibility and mental excitement returned to normal.
Excellent. Only the tenth level remained.
I began to increase the energy intensity of the Thunder Battle Aura to the tenth level.
It was very similar to the previous state of lost control, but the intensity was much weaker than before. For a moment, I thought it was an illusion on my part. It felt no different than challenging the eighth or ninth levels previously.
The excited physical state and the mad killing intent were still difficult to control, but they could never break through the final barrier guarded by my rationality.
After a period of intense fighting, I no longer felt that inexplicable restlessness or the maniacal killing intent.
Swish! The Dragon Shadow Sword slashed out, but what emerged was a strange, seven-colored crescent moon. Its light was identical to the mutated Soul-Chasing-Ten-Thousand-Miles technique that had instantly killed the Dragon Fiend Warrior and the Giant Dragon Moth.
Slice! Slice! Slice!.......................
The terrifying power not only decapitated the Dragon Fiend Soldier before me, but the crescent moon, which seemed almost tangible, passed through the soldier's body like a giant Reaper's scythe, shooting across the mist along the horizon toward the distance!
Slice, slice, slice!.........
All Dragon Fiend Soldiers that stood in the path of its edge were mercilessly cut in two—whether it was their heads, necks, bodies, or even the heavy broadswords they held. This continued until the strange crescent moon disappeared at the far end of the horizon.
Ah! I could hardly believe my eyes. What kind of crescent moon was that? It was too exaggerated.
Unknowingly, I had broken past the limit of Berserking and unleashed the mutated Thunder Battle Aura. More importantly, at this moment, I felt absolutely no discomfort.
Had I succeeded? I tried to reawaken the wild killing intent within me, but no matter how I gathered my qi, it was useless. The limit of the Thunder Battle Aura was ten-tenths, and my current body had already adapted to this intensity of Battle Aura.
Unless my overall Battle Aura cultivation advanced another tier, perhaps only then would the Thunder Battle Aura potentially push me to the brink of a meltdown again.
Thinking of this, I subconsciously sensed the Battle Aura energy within me. Although there still seemed to be a gap before reaching the peak of Scarlet Moon, I felt this gap would not be too far off, with the possibility of a breakthrough at any moment.
Regardless, my cultivation must be complete now, right? Realizing this, I could no longer contain the ecstasy surging within me. I knew that in that very moment, I had found my own true power. Its significance far outweighed the strength level of Scarlet Moon peak, because this was a method of wielding power. As long as my Battle Aura cultivation continuously advanced, my strength would grow exponentially.
This was the true power of Berserking, and it was now completely under my command.