The Growth of a Titan-Chapter 79- Learning A Movement Skill

"Senior, how are you doing that?"

Sol stood at the edge of the lake and stared at the old man’s feet curiously.

"Do you know the difference between a Martial Art and a Skill?"

Sol nodded.

"A Martial Art involves the movement of one’s physical body, and a Skill involves the movement of Aether in one’s body."

The old man had to pause when he heard Sol’s answer. He thought for a movement then said.

"I’ve asked countless children your age this question but this is the first time I’m hearing the answer being phrased like that. Interesting..."

The old man gave Sol a once over before he asked again.

"Then do you know what happens when a Martial Art and a Skill is combined?"

"That’s called a Martial Skill or a Martial Arts Technique, it’s when the movement of the physical body and the movement of Aether is used at the same time."

The old man nodded.

"Watch my movements closely."

The old man then started to take steps further into the lake.

Sol watched as he took his first step and instantly moved eight meters. Then another sixteen meters for his second, then thirty-two for his third, sixty-two for his fourth, and this went on until the old man was several hundred meters out in the lake. Almost reaching the other end.

It had only taken a split second for him to reach such a distance.

Sol had no problem seeing the old man’s movements from his position since he discreetly used his Heavenly Eyes.

However, it was rather strange that the old man went that far out into the lake even though he knew Sol might not see him from his position.

Or did he know he could somehow?

Sol placed this at the back of his mind and focused on the old man’s movements wholeheartedly.

What he also noticed aside from the increases in distance traveled by each of the old man’s steps, was how the water was completely still. Not a single ripple was present in the lake as the old man walked.

The old man soon returned, and he said nothing as he looked at Sol who had his head down in thought.

Only after a few minutes did he raised his head, and the old man began explaining.

"Almost all, if not every Martial Skill is created while using the twelve main meridians as a base. They’re stronger, and they are the same for everyone so anyone can use the Skills created. This is common knowledge, but my Movement Skill is slightly different."

The old man left the lake as he continued to say.

"I was able to move Aether to my legs and increase my speed in an instant. But this is not sustainable and even if I wanted to do it successively my twelve main meridians would get damaged or completely burst with prolonged usage. However, by using additional smaller meridians, I was able to move Aether to my legs and have that explosion of speed continuously. Going further I could double the distance I travel with each step by continuously increasing the Aether to my legs."

Sol listened closely to the old man’s words. Afterward, he turned and suddenly took a step forward.

However, he immediately fell flat on his face with his butt sticking up.

Sol embarrassingly got up and said.

"You made it sound so simple but it’s really hard to do."

"You were able to copy the Wudang Clan’s Eight Trigrams Palm Martial Art Skill from that youth so you should be able to learn this quite easily."

Sol smiled bitterly at that.

"Senior, that time is different."

"Oh? How so?"

The old man said with an amused look on his face.

The bitterness Sol was feeling increased because the old man knew full well why he couldn’t copy his Movement Skill.

"Senior, you aren’t making you’re breathing pattern obvious."

"Oh? Why do you need to see my breathing pattern to copy the Movement Skill?"

Sol smiled wearily then went into a cross-legged position before he patiently explained.

"To copy a Martial Art is very simple, you just need to learn the movements of the person’s physical body. However, to copy the ’Skill’ aspect of the Martial Skill one has to know the circulation path and how the person moves the Aether through their twelve meridians. And it’s practically impossible to figure out this pathway without inspecting someone’s body while they’re using the Martial Skill."

"Oh? Then how were you able to copy it if it’s impossible?"

Sol scratched his head.

"I...uhh, all I did was study the pattern of his breathing. Since one’s Aether flows through the body the same way as air does, I just have to mimic the way how the person breathes during each movement and move my Aether accordingly."

After Sol explained this, the old man smiled and nodded.

"This isn’t something a normal child could do, perhaps if you had studied numerous Martial Skills, you could copy a person’s Martial Skill somewhat."

"I... I’ve never learned a Martial Skill before that."

The old man’s smile grew wider.

"If any genius had heard you now, they would be shocked."

A slightly awkward smile couldn’t help but appear on Sol’s face as he glanced at an unassuming rock several meters away.

However, the old man didn’t address his expression or the rock. He only continued by performing the Movement Skill once again this time his breathing pattern was clearly visible for Sol.

It would be simpler if the old man just told Sol the circulation pathway, but it looked like he wanted to give Sol a challenge.

And it was slightly challenging for Sol.

He realized that despite knowing how to circulate the Aether in his body, there was a timing to when he should connect his steps.

He would take one step and move eight meters, but as he took his second step he would fall flat on his face.

This happened repeatedly with the old man watching off to the side.

After nearly an hour of Sol mechanically falling down and getting right back up, a breakthrough happened.

When Sol took his second step, he suddenly moved another sixteen meters. Sol didn’t get distracted by his success and tried to take his third step, but he immediately falls onto his face.

"Pupu..."

Sol spat out the grass that had gotten into his mouth.

However, he quickly jumped up and yelled.

"I get it!"

"What did you get?"

The old man asked, but Sol didn’t respond, he merely focused on trying the Movement Skill once again.

The Aether in his body moved through his twelve main meridians towards his legs using a particular pathway, and with his first step, he moved eight meters.

Then, using his smaller medians ’along the pathway his acupoints were opened,’ he sent Aether into his legs once more.

He made sure to chain the explosion of Aether of his first step with the second, and he was able to move sixteen meters with his second step.

Sol didn’t waste time and as he took his third step, Sol moved the Aether using his main meridians this time.

He moved an additional twenty-four meters with his third step.

What Sol realized was that he didn’t only have to get the timing right by chaining his first step with his second step and so on, he realized that he should switch between using his main meridians and the smaller ones.

But not only that, it was less taxing on his meridians if he used the ones that led to the acupoints he opened.

However, that essentially meant that learning this Martial Skill success relied on the number of acupoints one opens as well as how they strengthen their meridians, more than most Martial Skills.

It was universal knowledge that a person’s meridians were just as important as their acupoints since this is what carries Aether through one’s body.

When opening an acupoint, one needed to widen their meridians at the same time to make it easier for Aether to circulate.

If Sol hadn’t opened any acupoints in his legs and widened his medians as a result, he wouldn’t have been able to use this Martial Skill since his meridians would be weak to handle the speed and the amount of Aether he circulated to his legs.

However, as Sol tried taking his fourth step he suddenly fell onto his face; failing once again.