Swords, magic, and martial arts

The day's events left Rod with little appetite for dinner. The bandits were incredibly cruel; after burying the victim's body, they set fire to the wooden house along with the bandits' corpses.

The Nords believed that if a body was burned by fire, the soul would be taken away by the dragon god and tormented by the flames, never to find peace again.

Rod didn't dare close his eyes; the sight of the innocent dead in the wooden house was all he could see.

When he burst through the door, she was turned to face him.

After dinner, he picked up a one-handed sword and went to a nearby place to practice the White Rainbow Sword Technique until dawn, which also served as a way to keep watch for them at night.

早上的时候他检查了一下系统，现在他的武功栏中挂载着：白虹剑法lv2、基础剑法lv4、踏雪无痕lv1、神照功lv2、抱元守一lv1。

The skill bar below the martial arts bar has disappeared, and a mastery bar has appeared alongside it.

He opened the "Mastery" section, which contained: Taizu Changquan [Gradually Improving] and Jinzhongzhao Tiebushan [Beginning to Get Started].

Rhodes looked at the two martial arts that had changed. Although he had mastered the essence of Taizu Long Fist and reached the maximum level, it still had a level, just like the martial arts in the skill bar. Why is it gone now?

And this is what happens when the Golden Bell Cover and Iron Shirt skill levels aren't maxed out?

He began to examine the effects of the two martial arts techniques:

Taizu Changquan [Gradually Improving]

Active effect: After use, the next punch deals 250% damage and increases punch and palm power by 50% for 30 seconds.

Passive effect: Punches and palm attacks deal additional damage and increase parrying, deflection, and body-breaking abilities when using punches and palms.

It seems the damage from active use has increased, and the duration of the increased fist and palm power after use has also been extended.

In addition to this, there is another skill:

Golden Bell Cover and Iron Shirt [First Glimpse]

Active effect: Increases defense by 100% for ten seconds after use.

Passive effect: Greatly enhances physical and magical defense, and increases the ability to deflect physical attacks.

Rhodes looked at the revamped system skill bar, wondering why such a big change had suddenly occurred. He then went into the shop to see if he had enough chivalry points to draw a prize, only to find that the only Sinful Soul he had previously acquired had disappeared.

It seems that the Sinful Soul caused the system to upgrade, but I don't know why it wasn't upgraded directly when I obtained it. Anyway, it's not a bad thing. I just don't know if the Golden Bell Iron Shirt upgrade will add extra abilities in the future.

Rhodes currently has enough chivalry points to participate in a lottery.

After some thought, he chose to draw the equipment. A blue light flashed, revealing a three-meter-long long broadsword.

The system didn't provide any explanation for this. Is this also a change after the system upgrade?

After using the active effect of Taizu Long Fist, Luo De felt that his internal energy had decreased. He punched a tree next to him, breaking the arm-thick trunk in one blow.

Does using active effects now consume internal energy that I didn't know how to use before?

He then used the active effect of the Golden Bell Cover Iron Shirt technique and found that it did indeed consume internal energy.

It seems I need to focus on cultivating the Divine Illumination Skill from now on. Although I can't level up, I might be able to grasp its essence and then level up without having to rely on proficiency like in the martial arts section.

To upgrade the Mastery section, you need to comprehend it; that's the real way to cultivate martial arts. The Martial Arts section, on the other hand, is just an initial benefit from the system. Most martial arts can be mastered simply by grinding for proficiency. Although it can increase strength faster, its power is not as great as the Mastery section, Rhodes thought.

He then took out the Mo Dao he had just obtained from the system space and walked towards Baron.

"I'll trade this knife for my two-handed sword," Rhodes said to Baron, who had just been woken up by him hitting the tree.

"I didn't steal your two-handed sword. Take it back if you want it," Baron said, taking the Mo Dao.

Rhodes was somewhat speechless. Ever since he had given the two-handed sword that the female knight had given him to Baron, who was fighting the Blackheart Knight, every time he asked Baron for it back after the battle, Baron would always change the subject and try to brush him off.

Baron picked up the longsword and twirled it around, finding it quite good, before returning the two-handed sword to Rhodes.

Rhodes picked up his two-handed sword and continued practicing the Rainbow Sword Technique before they set off. As he practiced, he kept thinking about how to grasp its essence. The Taizu Long Fist was the essence he had grasped after defeating many beasts and mercenaries with his fists and finally defeating the werewolf.

He unknowingly mastered the essence of the Golden Bell Cover and Iron Shirt techniques while being beaten and burned by that dragon man.

It seems that to truly grasp the essence, one needs real combat experience; practicing like before only upgrades the superficial level in the martial arts skill bar.

He sheathed his sword and carried it on his back. After a quick wash, he reheated the leftover food that he had deliberately made a little extra from yesterday and ate it for breakfast. After the four of them ate, they continued on their way.

After about half a month, they reached the southernmost part of the Nordic-controlled territory. Further south, they would enter the territory of the Roman Empire.

Rod knew that eradicating the bandits here was only a temporary solution. After each war, some deserters would remain in the area to become bandits and plunder, and the number of people they killed was far less than the number killed in the war.

The root of all problems lies in war; if only this chaotic world could be ended…

Rhodes only thought about it; it was too far-fetched. A war that had lasted for nearly a thousand years couldn't be so easily resolved by a transmigrator like him. He originally thought that if he mastered martial arts, he could defeat an army single-handedly and end the chaos with his personal strength. However, recent battles made him realize that he was too naive.

Even if he possessed the strength of the King of Assassins, a single squad of heavily armored Roman Empire soldiers could easily surround him and defeat him on the battlefield. Individual strength is still too weak compared to a collective; he needs his own organization or his own army.

In the past, there were heroes in Nord who were able to kill real dragons with their own strength and had the idea of ​​unifying the continent, but when they arrived on the battlefield, they were riddled with holes by a group of knights.

He began to share the same idea as Weber—to become a nobleman.

Rhodes had been thinking about how to survive the army's siege. It seemed that the only way was to be able to fly like a dragonman, and he would have to fly high and fast, otherwise he would be shot down by archers.

However, he only has a martial arts system, not a fantasy system. Although it is possible that the highest level of Wudang's Cloud Ladder Leap could allow him to step on his left foot and leap out of the atmosphere.

All he can do now is hone his martial arts skills; every bit of strength he gains increases his chances of survival.

Even that arrogant and powerful Blackheart Knight was chased all over the place by the Radiant Knights. There are countless forces on the continent stronger than the Radiant Knights. The Dukes of Nord alone have forces that are much larger than it.

The more I know, the more I realize my own weakness. I originally thought that I could roam the continent with Baron because I saw him easily deal with the robbers in Darniel's caravan.

"It seems we're halfway through our journey. From now on, we'll head northeast," Weber said.

Rhodes looked ahead and spotted what was now the southernmost castle belonging to Nord...