Chapter 87: The Marvelous Cultivation
The area of Skull Island is comparable to that of Baffin Island, spanning approximately four to five hundred thousand square kilometers. Before venturing into the valley mentioned by Horus, I retrieved the magical map I had obtained from Snoke. Initially, I intended to utilize the map's identification feature to create a new outline of Skull Island. However, to my surprise, upon unfolding the map, I discovered a red dot pulsating vibrantly.
This map delineated a slender maritime region of about one hundred thousand kilometers, with Demon Island at its northernmost point and a coastline at its southern end, while Skull Island lay not too far from that coastline. According to the map's scale, I estimated that Skull Island was approximately seven to eight thousand kilometers from the shore.
This revelation provided me with a vague understanding of the world of Demon Island, suggesting that the teleportation magic circle could traverse to any location within this realm, albeit requiring exceptional skill for precise positioning.
Nevertheless, the map only indicated a rough shape and orientation of Skull Island, with the coastal outline recorded relatively clearly, while the inland areas remained exceedingly vague, implying that the map's owner had not ventured deep into Skull Island. After activating the automatic recording function, I stowed the magical map away and drew out my accustomed silver spear and the long knife, Ancient Moon. Upon seeing the long knife, Horus casually flipped it and lightly tapped the blade, murmuring, You'd do well to refrain from using such a weapon.
Once you become accustomed to a weapon that enhances agility and speed, you may lose the ability to accurately gauge your own strength. Moreover, this type of weapon has its limits; when your speed and agility surpass a certain threshold, they will no longer be of any assistance."
His words sent a chill down my spine, as I had become heavily reliant on the tenfold strength card, the perfect hit card, the dynamic vision card, the long knife, and even the berserk pills, often factoring them into my overall strength.
They were all level three or four cards and treasures, and I had considered that one day they might become ineffective. Although I rarely used them under normal circumstances, I subconsciously regarded them as crucial supports.
"It seems this old man is quite a remarkable mentor." After sheathing the long knife, I kept only the silver spear, as I was accustomed to wielding dual-handed weapons; however, I felt somewhat uneasy. I contemplated equipping the black dagger I had seized from the bullets. While the soft sword of the voodoo master suited me better, that pliable weapon required special techniques to wield effectively, and given my lack of expertise in swordsmanship, I risked injuring my own arm with it. "Is this what you refer to as a skeleton warrior?
The valley was not far, and we made swift progress, soon arriving there. However, the sight of those leaping, immensely powerful skeleton warriors completely shattered my previous perceptions, which had primarily been shaped by games. "Indeed, they were once warriors of an ancient dynasty, who perished on this cursed island during an assault and subsequently transformed into their current forms. They not only retained their memories and martial skills from their previous lives but also continue to improve through relentless combat.
"Don't jest; I could hardly contend with a single one of these skeleton warriors, let alone a multitude. I would surely perish!" The valley boasted at least several hundred skeleton warriors, but fortunately, they seemed to belong to different factions, engaged in lively skirmishes, with only a few taking notice of us. Even a mere handful of them would suffice to turn me into one of their own. "Whether I would become like them after death remains uncertain;
I highly doubt that the warrior wielding a blade wider than my body would hesitate to cleave me in two.
As the first skeleton warrior charged towards me, wielding a massive, fearsome cleaver, I instinctively summoned the mental energy I had honed for years and pushed it outward with all my might. Bang! It felt akin to colliding with a train moving at two hundred kilometers per hour; the recoil left me feeling quite unwell, while the skeleton warrior was sent flying by my mental force. "Do not rely on mental energy;
it is unsuitable for this kind of combat. Follow my instructions: first, slow your breathing…
I finally understood Horus's purpose for being here. His words flowed like a continuous stream, guiding me through the battle. Under his tutelage, I struggled to defend myself against the onslaught of over ten charging skeleton warriors, facing numerous dangers yet surprisingly managing to persevere.
Each of these skeleton warriors towered over me, possessing greater strength, larger weapons, and far superior techniques and combat experience. In a one-on-one duel, I might have had a chance, though the odds of my defeat would be significantly higher. However, against such a multitude, merely avoiding immediate dismemberment would require a miracle. Horus was instructing me on how to create that miracle. What appeared to be a swift and powerful strike in his eyes could reveal a tiny flaw due to a minor movement. With minimal effort and a not particularly fast maneuver, I could evade such attacks at the right angle.
Even when several skeleton warriors coordinated their strikes, sealing off all angles and spaces, Horus could guide me to nimbly step aside, finding the fleeting space to escape unscathed. One particularly skilled skeleton warrior, significantly more adept than its companions, launched a strike imbued with unmatched vitality, akin to the Milky Way cascading downward. Master Horus merely instructed me to sway gently to the side, allowing me to slip free from the opponent's sword energy and counterattack, causing my adversary to become flustered and resort to desperate measures, reducing its skeletal frame into a huddled mass, thus averting a potentially grievous injury.
I wielded a two-handed weapon, prioritizing agility, and Horus's suggested adjustments always seemed perfectly suited to me, never demanding anything beyond my capabilities.
I had never realized how marvelous combat could be; as I fully immersed myself in this cultivation, I gradually began to make one or two independent judgments even before Horus offered his guidance. Though I sustained minor injuries, it confirmed that my instincts were correct. When my muscles were exhausted and refused to respond, Horus finally intervened. He extended a single finger, leisurely traversing the battlefield, effortlessly tapping a few times, causing the troublesome skeleton warriors to collapse.
Today's training is complete. Return to me tomorrow, and we shall continue this practice."
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone