Every academy houses a cohort of old scholars dedicated solely to studying Combat Skills, and even for these individuals, modifying or creating a new Combat Skill isn't something that can be done in just a few days.

For someone like himself, who still understood absolutely nothing about Battle Qi, his theoretical foundation in this area didn't even rival that of an old scholar. If he tried to research modification methods, he’d likely never figure them out before dying. As for telling the Martial Proving Academy about the Battle Qi sequencing? Qian Jin shook his head again. Simply revealing the concept of consecutive archery wouldn't be enough. Unless he handed over the Wind and Cloud Battle Qi, which possessed an extremely strong mimicry ability, even if they did manage to figure it out, it would likely be placed on the Qian family patriarch's desk by the next day.

“It seems for now, there’s truly only one viable method,” Qian Jin bit his lip, tasting bitterness. “Although it’s a crude method, it is the most effective one: strengthen the body until it can endure this life-threatening pain.”

“Kid, that Combat Skill you just used…” Enrack scrutinized Qian Jin’s continuously trembling arms. “It hurt, didn’t it?”

Of course! Qian Jin nodded heavily, feeling that if he didn’t nod so forcefully, he couldn't possibly convey the sheer agony he had felt.

“Why not change it?” Enrack made it sound simple. “Just modify it to eliminate the part that causes the body pain, wouldn’t that solve it?”

Qian Jin offered a weak smile. That was easy to say! Modify it? Did this man think it was easy to change? Right! Just how powerful was this uncle figure? He had no idea. Perhaps...

“What is it?” Enrack smiled at Qian Jin. “You want me to step in and change it?”

Qian Jin grinned slyly. “Since you say it’s easy, you should be able to do it, right? Or are you just boasting? Can’t change it at all?”

“Oh? Is that so?” Enrack patted Qian Jin’s shoulder. “Kid, trying to provoke me? Useless! If you truly want me to modify it for you, it’s not a difficult matter. A group brawl—one versus a hundred. Win that fight, and I’ll change it for you immediately! I’ll have it done within three days.”

A hundred? Qian Jin pursed his lips. Wasn't that a joke? If he could take on a hundred opponents like the one he just faced, would he even need a modification? How strong would his body have to be? He’d probably be able to suppress the pain caused by distortion. What would there be left to modify?

“Oh, right, kid.” Enrack nudged his chin. “What did you actually come to see me about?”

Qian Jin smacked his forehead hard. He had come to see Uncle Enrack about a specific issue, but he’d forgotten all about it due to the earlier distraction.

“Uncle,” Qian Jin gently waved his arm, which had regained some sensation, letting the Fēn Jīn Lián Zhǎn slash repeatedly through the air.

“What is this? Didn’t your Battle Sequence shatter?” Enrack’s eyes flashed with confusion, his pupils suddenly contracting as he stared fixedly at Qian Jin. “Kid… you… you obtained the Soul Battle Sequence?”

Soul Battle Sequence? What was that? Qian Jin tried hard to recall every record he had ever read—there was still no mention of the Soul Battle Sequence.

“After your Battle Sequence shattered, did you recover in an extremely short period?” Enrack’s speech was faster than ever before. “Did this Battle Sequence of yours form suddenly, all at once? What did you feel during the time it was forming?”

Qian Jin stared at Enrack in astonishment. This uncle seemed to have witnessed the event firsthand; every word he spoke was precisely accurate. It seemed this really was the Soul Battle Sequence.

“Battle Sequences are usually a form of combat power accumulated through strenuous effort; they are like soldiers awaiting command,” Enrack stated seriously. “But there is one type of Battle Sequence that is different: the Soul Battle Sequence. They possess life; it is when a warrior pours will perfectly aligned with the Sequence into it, giving it life.”

Qian Jin nodded repeatedly. That was right! In that instant, the Fēn Jīn Lián Zhǎn Battle Sequence felt as if it had come alive, as if the unyielding soul of the Iron Arm Mantis Bloodline Warrior had been poured into the Sequence.

“There are many Combat Skills in this world, but very few truly possess will,” Enrack shook his head lightly with a sigh. “Combat Skills are always treated as mere techniques for killing opponents.”

Qian Jin nodded again. The warrior textbook of the True Strategy Dynasty explained Combat Skills as techniques for killing opponents.

“That isn’t wrong in principle, but accidents always happen. Or rather, they were always there—it’s just that few people discover them,” Enrack rotated his wrist and executed a light slash in the air. A massive crack appeared on the ground beneath his feet.

Earth-Splitting Slash!

Even though both attacks used the same amount of Ten Thousand Revolutions Battle Qi to launch the Earth-Splitting Slash, Enrack’s strike caused far greater destruction than Qian Jin’s.

So strong! Qian Jin’s eyes widened as he watched Enrack. That brief Earth-Splitting Slash carried an imposing aura he had never encountered before, as if it wouldn't stop until the earth itself was cleaved apart.

“This is the Soul Battle Sequence. Many Combat Skills have no corresponding will, some possess it innately, and others develop it later,” Enrack told him calmly. “…Typically, the Soul Battle Sequence can only be perceived after forging the Golden Battle Heart that nurtures the Battle Soul. Yours… is a bit strange…”

Qian Jin shrugged, long past being surprised. Only Demon Slaying Warriors were supposed to have a Battle Heart, so how did he have one as a Demon Subduing Warrior? Although, he needed to thank Qian Zhanxuan for sabotaging him in secret, thank the strange environment of the Ancient Desolate Sea, and thank Uncle Black’s iron-forging breathing technique for forcing his state into a qualitative change ahead of schedule, making him strong enough to contend with a certain degree of quantitative difference.

“No matter what, congratulations on obtaining the first Soul Battle Sequence,” Enrack smiled at Qian Jin. “Do you know what the strongest point of a Soul Battle Sequence is? While its power is greater when used than when it lacks a soul, that's not the main point.”

“The point is infinite shattering? That every time it shatters, it reforms?”

Qian Jin blinked, his excitement tinged with nervousness as he offered his guess.

“Exactly! It’s infinite shattering!”

Enrack gave him a thumbs-up. Talking with a young man like this was truly pleasant!

Infinite shattering! Qian Jin couldn't contain the excitement surging through him. Being able to shatter the Fēn Jīn Lián Zhǎn an infinite number of times meant what? If he possessed this ability, even when facing an opponent at the level of a Demon Exterminator Warrior, as long as he could hold on a little longer, he might very well rewrite the final outcome of the battle.

If he could possess several Soul Battle Sequences? Qian Jin imagined it, and his body trembled with excitement. If he had ten Combat Skills with Soul Battle Sequences, he could have them shatter in sequence. By the time the tenth one shattered, the first one should have reformed and be ready for use again.

Ten Soul Battle Sequences—under certain conditions, they could form an infinite loop in sequence. Then, when facing that Ape-Bloodline Warrior…

Qian Jin’s lips curled into a slight smile. The outcome of the victory might truly be up for rewriting.

Ten Soul Battle Sequences? Qian Jin forcefully patted his head. What was he dreaming about? Many things had happened recently, and he had only obtained one Soul Battle Sequence. Uncle Enrack also said Soul Battle Sequences were rare, and most Combat Skill Sequences lacked corresponding will.

“Oh, right, that strange Combat Skill you used when you were being swarmed by a hundred people earlier, that sudden charge…” Enrack rested his chin on his hand, thinking seriously for several seconds. “I estimate that one probably also possesses will. Because I felt a faint resonance of will, but it was too small. So small that you couldn’t perceive its existence. Perhaps…”

Enrack pondered for a few seconds before nodding firmly. “Perhaps it’s because your experience wasn’t deep enough, and the surrounding environment didn't influence you enough?”

The eighth form, created by merging the Seven Forms of Blood Battle, had the will of a Battle Sequence? Qian Jin’s pupils contracted deeply into the core of his eyes as he tried hard to recall the previous battle, faintly sensing a flavor of utter bleakness within it.

“To possess that Battle Sequence Will, perhaps…” Enrack looked at Qian Jin earnestly. “You need to encounter a truly desperate battle. That slash should have conveyed a sufficient amount of despair.”

Despair? Qian Jin sighed. It was likely impossible to find despair here. The Endless World was his place of hope. Every time there was a problem, he came here searching for answers; this place represented hope. How could he possibly seek despair in a place of hope?

“Alright, I’ve answered your questions,” Enrack raised his hand and pointed to the desolate battlefield environment. “Watch for a while, and then you can leave.”

Watch for a while? What was he supposed to watch?

Qian Jin wanted to ask, but his gaze swept over the collapsed area on the ground. His body suddenly shivered. The surroundings were clearly empty, showing only traces of battle aftermath, yet in that instant, these traces seemed to come alive, as if people were standing there again.

They were fighting—stomping, punching, twisting their waists, swinging swords! Qian Jin felt as if he had merged back into it. Although he hadn't actually struck a blow, it could be said he had participated in the battle.

Half an hour vanished in the blink of an eye. Qian Jin wiped the sweat from his forehead. Although he hadn't physically fought, in that short time, he had mentally repeated the same battle thousands of times. If a similar situation arose again, he was confident he could drag fifteen opponents down with him to their doom.

“No wonder Uncle doesn't clean up this place.”

Qian Jin bowed deeply with reverence to Uncle Enrack, who was closing his eyes in meditation, then quietly withdrew from the room. Straightening his back, he found that the chaotic room had returned to its original neatness.

“Qian Jin, what about the Demon Core I asked you to find for me?”

Akenash strode out of the room holding a carving knife, shouting at Qian Jin, who stood on the street, looking very much like a collector demanding payment.

Demon Core? Qian Jin suddenly remembered. Not only hadn't he brought Akenash his Demon Core, but he also hadn't collected from the Battle Crystal lode Uncle Enrack mentioned last time, nor had he gathered the various materials demanded by Uncle Black’s notes left in the mountains, and by Teacher Eulalia and Adams.