Time continued its steady march in the hidden valley. Ling Hua blossomed into a bright and energetic young girl, her control over her innate energy growing under Lia's tutelage. Baihu's mastery of the wind became increasingly refined, allowing him to perform feats of agility and even create powerful gusts with a mere flick of his tail. For Tian Chen, the training never ceased, each day bringing new insights into the vastness of the Omniversal Dao.
One misty morning, Lia led Tian Chen to a secluded clearing within the valley, a place where the ancient energies of the Shenmu seemed particularly potent.
"Today, Tian Chen," Lia said, her voice barely a whisper in the still air, "we will explore the concept of formlessness in your strikes. While structured techniques like the "Flowing Water Strike" and the "Yang Burst Fist" are essential foundations, true mastery lies in adapting and striking without adhering to rigid forms. The Omniversal Dao grants you the potential to embody the very essence of all combat styles, fluidly shifting between them, or even creating entirely new ones in the moment."
Tian Chen listened intently, his gaze fixed on Lia. He had come to understand that her teachings often contained layers of meaning, prompting him to think beyond the surface level of the techniques.
"We will begin with an exercise in observation," Lia continued. "Watch Ling Hua and Baihu."
Nearby, Ling Hua was playing, giggling as she chased after butterflies. Baihu, with the playful energy of a youthful spirit beast, would occasionally bound into her path, nudging her with his head before leaping away. Their movements were spontaneous, unpredictable, yet undeniably effective in their playful interaction.
"Do you see, Tian Chen?" Lia asked. "Their movements are not constrained by pre-defined forms. They react instinctively to the moment. This is the essence of what we seek to achieve in your strikes."
Lia then demonstrated a series of movements, her body flowing like water, her strikes appearing and disappearing without telegraphing her intent. There was no wasted motion, no reliance on complex stances, yet each strike carried an inherent power.
"The "Formless Strike,"" Lia explained, "is not the absence of form, but rather the ability to adapt any form, or no form at all, to the specific circumstances of the encounter. Your intent becomes the form, your understanding of the Dao guides the execution."
For the rest of the day, Tian Chen practiced this concept. He would begin with a familiar technique, like the "Yang Burst Fist," but then, mid-strike, he would consciously alter its trajectory, its focus, its very nature, guided by his intuition and his understanding of the flow of energy. He tried to emulate the fluidity of water, the unpredictability of the wind, the focused intensity of light, all without adhering to a strict pattern.
It was challenging, requiring him to let go of the structured movements he had diligently practiced. At first, his strikes felt clumsy and unfocused. But with Lia's patient guidance and his own persistent effort, he began to grasp the underlying principle. He started to feel a sense of freedom in his movements, an ability to react instinctively, his strikes becoming more fluid, more unpredictable, imbued with the boundless potential of his Omniversal Dao. The path to invincibility in the Mortal Realm was not just about mastering individual techniques, but about transcending them entirely.