Chapter 142: Chapter 142 Perception

The Sword Alliance and the Xu Family’s people were observing the iron lump, but with the affair of the Mutator, they also didn’t dare to casually mess with it, planning to first take the iron lump back, back to the homeworld for further study.

With Ascenders stationed on the homeworld, there was no fear of any more surprises.

Lin Shen had no interest in pondering what those iron lumps were; he was continually reminiscing about every move the Mutator made.

He had been practicing Stepping on the Immortal Court lately and although there had been progress, he always felt as if something was missing.

Seeing the Mutator’s every action today suddenly made him realize why he always felt like something was missing.

Even though the Mutator wasn’t using the Stepping on the Immortal Court, Lin Shen saw something called “momentum” in him.

It had nothing to do with the speed of the movements, but instead, it was about that powerful aura.

Lin Shen’s seventy-three-step Stepping on the Immortal Court was now well-practiced, but it lacked that kind of aura.

Without that aura, Stepping on the Immortal Court is still Stepping on the Immortal Court, but with that aura, Stepping on the Immortal Court becomes Lin Shen’s Stepping on the Immortal Court.

Remembering the Mutator’s momentum, what Lin Shen wondered was how he could imbue Stepping on the Immortal Court with his own style of momentum.

“The Mutator’s momentum isn’t suitable for Stepping on the Immortal Court, nor is it suitable for me, so what kind of momentum should my Stepping on the Immortal Court have?” Lin Shen pondered this question.

Momentum, that intangible thing that you can’t see or touch, yet can be felt by people.

The same dance moves performed by one person might deeply move those who watch, while another, executing the exact same moves, may only impress with their technique and evoke no deeper feeling.

If it was just a matter of the moves not being practiced enough, that probably wouldn’t be the problem.

Some people may sing without the best technique but manage to touch others; others may sing with full technique but only come across as greasy.

“The difference, perhaps, is just a matter of personal interpretation, so what is my interpretation?” Lin Shen wondered.

Before, Lin Shen thought that the four opening lines of Stepping on the Immortal Court were there just to show off the creator’s own pompous nature.

But now, he thinks that they weren’t solely for showing off, but to tell the practitioner what kind of momentum is needed for Stepping on the Immortal Court.

Previously, Lin Shen hadn’t considered this, and now that he did, he couldn’t fully agree with the momentum expressed by those four lines.

I am but a guest in this world, with no intent to visit the skies, but the heavens cannot wait for me, so I casually step on the Immortal Court.

Taken at face value, it seems to say, “If you look down on me, I’ll smash your doorstep, what can you do to me then?”

But Lin Shen felt that whether you look up to me or not is irrelevant; I really don’t need to care about your opinion.

So, after much thought, practicing Stepping on the Immortal Court in the way those four lines suggest would ultimately not align with his nature, and he wouldn’t reach the original author’s realm.

Besides, Lin Shen had already practiced Stepping on the Immortal Court to a point where it was nothing like the original, so following the original intentions would probably be wrong as well.

“The squabbles of flies and dogs are not what I wish for, petty benefits are not what I seek; I seek joy in my heart, the thrill of fresh stimulation, to walk a path not taken by others before, in the end, I can only walk my own road…” Moved by this realization, Lin Shen felt as if he had come to an understanding.

A lone ant makes its noise, but if it’s off to the side, it need not be heeded; no one would stoop down to listen to the voice of an ant. If it blocks the way, then it gets trampled underfoot, not even requiring deliberate effort—so insignificant that its existence might not even be noticed at all, the ant beneath one’s foot has never been the goal.

Lin Shen rose to his feet and took a step. Though this step still contained the technique of Stepping on the Immortal Court, it was not entirely the same.

Lin Shen simply let go of the deliberate pursuit of perfect uniformity in those movements, instead moving according to his body’s and heart’s desires.

It looked no different from normal walking, but the strength within his body surged accordingly, indescribably smooth.

“So this is how it is!” Lin Shen rejoiced in his heart.

He had always felt somewhat awkward practicing Stepping on the Immortal Court, but today it was exceptionally smooth. Every action he took triggered the flow of strength within his body without needing deliberate guidance.

To onlookers, Lin Shen seemed merely to be leisurely walking and loosening up his body, completely concealing the fact that he was practicing the Evolution Skill.

To move as one desires does not mean there is no technique or rules; rather, Lin Shen had already disassembled those techniques and rules, integrating them into his every movement, no longer adhering to any specific, complete action.

“Eh, why does Shen seem a bit different today?” Xu Tiange observed Lin Shen, who appeared to be taking a stroll. He seemed to sense something but couldn’t pinpoint what it was—only that today’s Lin Shen seemed somewhat different from before.

After walking two laps, Lin Shen returned, feeling very satisfied. Before he had been practicing Stepping on the Immortal Court; now, he was embodying Stepping on the Immortal Court.

Just as he planned to sit down to rest and ponder the principles involved, he suddenly heard someone shout, “That iron lump seems to be moving.”

Lin Shen turned to look and saw the person in charge of watching the iron lumps, pointing at one and shouting.

Lin Shen’s heart tightened. Without hesitation, he called Tu Xiaodao and backed away while also alerting Xu Tiange.

Xu Tiange reacted quickly as well, immediately summoning the Xu Family’s people to run away with Lin Shen.

The Sword Alliance members, already like startled birds, were directly ordered to retreat by Zuo Qinglong, abandoning even their camp’s belongings.

The group had not run far when they saw the wobbling iron lump crack open, and a Base Variant Creature rolled out of it.

Upon a closer look, it was a warrior, clad in frost armor, radiating cold air from his body.

“That iron lump was actually a Base Mutation Egg, and that’s a Base Variant Creature that just hatched!” Everyone recognized what was happening, their hearts filled with ecstasy.

Zuo Qinglong immediately commanded, “No one move, we will first tame this Base Variant Creature, then distribute it.”

The agitated Mutators held back their impulses, with Zuo Qinglong assigning a Crystal Base to try and tame the creature.

The Frost Warrior tried to eat the iron lump, but was blocked by the Crystal Base. He immediately threw a punch, his fist covered in cold air, looking very eerie.

The man didn’t dare to block it with his bare hands, instead pulling out a shield made of Crystal Base material to block the Frost Warrior’s fist.

Although the Frost Warrior’s punch didn’t leave a mark on the shield, a layer of frost formed on it.

“That Base Variant Creature actually possesses Frost Power!” The onlookers gazed at the Frost Warrior with even more burning interest.

Such Base Variant Creatures carrying special attributes are very rare, and even if they only have an ordinary Crystal Base instead of a Mutated one, their value is no less than that of the usual mutations.

The man grew more cautious, avoiding direct confrontation with the Frost Warrior, only using the shield to repeatedly block him from reaching the shattered iron lump.

Over an hour passed, and the Frost Warrior’s stamina seemed still abundant. Zuo Qinglong let another Crystal Base replace the man, continuing to spar with the Frost Warrior.

Afterward, every half hour they switched out. After several rotations, the Frost Warrior finally ran out of strength.

To be able to eat the iron lump, he presented his Pet Key.

Zuo Qinglong took the Pet Key, then allowed the Frost Warrior to eat the iron lump. Once he finished, he used the key to turn him into a crystal-like Pet Capsule.

“It’s a Mutated Crystal Base; let’s name it Frost Warrior,” Zuo Qinglong said joyfully.