Chapter 442: Instant Body Step

Ancient martial arts leg techniques!

Wang Yu's face showed a flicker of surprise.

This answer was somewhat unexpected.

"Yes, our Li family's ancient martial arts are famed for leg techniques; several leg arts have been passed down, the most famous being Blood Shadow Leg, which follows a brutal, rigid path, hardening the legs like iron."

"But there's another lesser-known technique called 'Residual Shadow Step,' originally just a basic Li family method to train leg speed—it uses fixed footwork to move the body at high speed, creating blurred afterimages during evasive maneuvers to confuse opponents," Li Shiyi replied.

"Residual Shadow Step," Wang Yu murmured twice, his expression turning thoughtful.

Techniques that produce afterimages are numerous in the cultivation world—even the Monkey Howl stance of the Four Beasts Art can flip out a string of afterimages with a single somersault.

"But the old Residual Shadow Step could only fool outsiders; it had little practical use in combat. After I replaced my limbs with semi-mechanical prosthetics and studied with several ancient martial arts masters, I transformed Residual Shadow Step into 'Instant Body Step.'"

"This improved step technique, with over a hundredfold instantaneous acceleration, combined with precise timing and specific pauses, creates true phantom bodies in the eyes of ordinary people," Li Shiyi said with a hint of pride.

"So the Li brother's figure I saw in the lightning earlier was just an illusion?" Wang Yu, with his current understanding, instantly grasped Li Shiyi's meaning, his eyes brightening slightly as he asked.

"Yes, because it's a phantom, to outsiders my movements appear calm and unhurried—but in truth, my true body had already dodged away at extreme speed, then used 'Instant Body Step' to form a new phantom. When the lightning struck the original position, it missed every single time."

"All these movements were completed at speeds beyond ordinary human vision, exploiting visual blind spots, and required countless hours of training and experimentation to master—making it seem as if I could predict the lightning's strike points and evade them effortlessly," Li Shiyi said.

"Wow, this 'Instant Body Step' sounds incredible, but it doesn't sound easy to master—hasn't only you learned it so far?" Wang Yu exclaimed, then asked.

"Haha, Number One, you're absolutely right—without mechanical prosthetics, no one can master this step technique using only flesh and blood. Even if one's body met the requirements, this step also requires the 'Super Vision' ability; otherwise, after executing such extreme-speed movements, you wouldn't even know where you'd ended up," Li Shiyi admitted.

"Good. I'm satisfied with your answer. Now let's discuss the deal?"

"You and the other two want something from me that can extend or restore lifespan, right?" Wang Yu, clearly pleased with Li Shiyi's response, said seriously.

"Yes, although we volunteered for the modification surgery originally, we never anticipated the drastic reduction in lifespan. If it can be cured, of course that would be best."

"The authorities once consulted China's top doctors to treat us, but they had no solution for this kind of natural lifespan depletion."

"Instead, due to our special status, we gained access to fragments of cultivation world data, which mentioned that cultivators in this world possess extremely long lifespans, along with magical techniques and miraculous medicines like those in myths—including substances capable of extending life," Li Shiyi said without further concealment.

"So you want me to obtain such items from the cultivation world for you?" Wang Yu replied after a brief pause.

"Yes. The medical standards of Britain and other countries aren't much ahead of ours. We can only place our hopes on cultivation world techniques and medicines," Li Shiyi admitted.

"Though I don't know how much cultivation world data you've accessed, there are a few things I must clarify before you decide whether to make this deal," Wang Yu said solemnly.

"Number One, please speak," Li Shiyi said, his smile fading slightly as he sensed Wang Yu's seriousness.

"First, in the cultivation world, anything related to lifespan—whether techniques or medicines—is extremely rare, with the former even rarer. Moreover, without spiritual energy, even possessing cultivation methods is useless," Wang Yu began.

"I know a bit about spiritual energy—it's said to be the greatest difference between the cultivation world and our Blue Star," Li Shiyi nodded.

"Exactly. So don't count on cultivation world techniques or spells—I might find them for you, but you couldn't practice them," Wang Yu said.

"So we can only rely on the medicines you mentioned," Li Shiyi murmured.

"Given your condition, you need either a medicine that restores your original lifespan, or one that directly extends it. The former is rare, but I have some chance of finding it; the latter is sought after even by high-level cultivators—extremely difficult to obtain," Wang Yu said calmly.

"Extending is rarer than restoring—I understand that. We don't need extra lifespan; we only need to restore what we've lost," Li Shiyi replied quickly.

"But now there are two problems: first, my return this time was accidental—I'm not certain if I can return to the cultivation world again."

"Second, even if I can return to the cultivation world and come back again, I might not be able to bring anything directly back, since I only have my consciousness crossing over—not my physical body," Wang Yu explained slowly.

Li Shiyi's face turned pale, as if doused with icy water.

"But…" Wang Yu paused, then a thoughtful expression returned to his face.

"But what?" Li Shiyi asked urgently.

"But in the cultivation world, there's a special profession called Alchemist—they can refine various herbs into pills with astonishing effects. Though their raw materials are mostly spiritual herbs, if we could bring back the corresponding lifespan pill formula to Blue Star, our scientific technology might deduce other substances with the same effect."

"Even if the pill formula won't work, there are also Pharmacists in the cultivation world—they can create potent potions and powders from ordinary, non-spiritual herbs, many with powerful healing properties. Perhaps some of those could treat lifespan depletion—I can also look into this for you."

Wang Yu spoke calmly, while in his mind flashed a series of pharmacist formulas he'd collected in the cultivation world—many of which used only ordinary ingredients and produced astonishing effects.

Of course, these medicines meant nothing to him, whose cultivation body was impervious to blades, fire, and water—but to ordinary people on Blue Star, they remained critically important.

As for whether any of these formulas contained substances capable of restoring lifespan, he believed the probability was genuinely high.

He had no intention of mentioning the mysterious talisman in his spiritual consciousness—the one that stored items and enabled interdimensional travel.

After all, if he could continue traveling back to the cultivation world, it would remain his greatest advantage for shuttling between worlds.

"Pill formulas and medicine recipes! Fine—if there's even a sliver of hope to restore our lifespans, we're willing to try. After all, our current situation can't get any worse," Li Shiyi said, his expression shifting several times before ending in a bitter smile.

"Since Brother Li thinks this deal is viable, let's discuss the payment," Wang Yu said with a smile.