Chapter 00066: Ding Huan's Students
# Ding Huan's Students
Chapter 66
Novel: After the Myth
Chapter 66: Ding Huan's Students
Returning to the lab, Ding Huan tossed the stone monkey aside and pulled out an unknown small creature from his bag, throwing it into a corner.
Worried that the little thing might starve, he left some food and water in front of it.
Whether it ate or not was up to it.
Ding Huan didn’t immediately start searching for the memory genes of the stone monkey.
Instead, he took out the drop of blood from the brow of the Great Desolate Golden Ape.
Finding the memory genes of the stone monkey was just a side task for him.
What he really wanted to do was extract the Great Desolate Eye gene from the Great Desolate Golden Ape.
This was a tedious and time-consuming task, but Ding Huan was mentally prepared for it.
Fortunately, with the Gene Devouring Technique, he could save a lot of time.
As time passed, Ding Huan prepared various gene solvents and recorded numerous data points.
While Ding Huan was busy with his gene experiments, Kong Dan had come up to the lab several times, each time bringing a boxed meal.
However, since the lab door remained closed, he had to take the meals back with him.
---
**Great Han Yi Academy**
As one of the top ten academies on Blue Star, even if it ranked last, the Great Han Yi Academy was a place everyone dreamed of attending.
Fang Chong tossed aside a powdered energy stone and exhaled deeply as he stood up.
He had finally reached the level of a third-level gene cultivator after nearly half a year of effort.
Li Wanran probably never imagined that while she had joined the Martial Vein Mountain for a single energy stone, Fang Chong had come to the Great Han Yi Academy, where the old dean, Zhang Yongcheng, personally taught him and even gave him five energy stones.
Not only that, but Fang Chong also had the opportunity to visit the library three times a month to read the various ancient texts stored there.
He had never expected to gain so many resources after entering the Great Han Yi Academy.
He figured that Lü Zi, who had joined the Guardians, probably wasn’t doing too badly either.
As for Li Wanran, who had gone to the Martial Vein Mountain, it was likely that aside from the one energy stone she had received, it would be difficult for her to obtain more cultivation resources.
As for Qin Qiang, that woman didn’t seem like the type to share resources generously with her students.
She probably didn’t even have enough for herself.
It was only after coming to the Great Han Yi Academy that Fang Chong learned that the academy originated from the *Yi Jin Jing* (Muscle-Tendon Change Classic).
However, since he was already cultivating the *Thousand Veins Gene Technique*, he didn’t choose to practice the Great Han Yi Dao, which was derived from the *Yi Jin Jing*.
Still, Fang Chong believed that choosing the Great Han Yi Academy was the wisest decision he had made—or rather, it was Ding Huan’s wisest idea.
Here, besides gaining cultivation resources, Fang Chong had also learned the *One Yang Finger*.
Of course, *One Yang Finger* was a name he had come up with himself, inspired by the cool and powerful technique from novels.
In reality, what he had learned was the *One Finger Zen*.
Strictly speaking, *One Finger Zen* wasn’t a cultivation technique or a martial skill.
It was actually a Zen story Fang Chong had come across in the academy’s library.
At first, Fang Chong found the story amusing because some martial artists had created a finger technique based on the name.
Now he knew that *One Finger Zen* wasn’t a finger technique at all—it was just a Zen story.
After leaving the library, Fang Chong had a sudden idea.
If others could create a *One Finger Zen* technique, why couldn’t he? Who said there was a specific way to perform *One Finger Zen*? If others could create it, so could he.
Besides, his internal energy was now so strong that using it just for basic long-range punches felt like a waste.
So Fang Chong started experimenting, repeatedly condensing his internal energy into his fingertips and using them to attack pieces of wood.
At first, the stronger he condensed his energy, the deeper the marks he left on the wood.
However, this method was hard on his fingers, and they often ended up fractured.
His internal energy was strong, but his fingers were still just flesh and blood.
If it weren’t for the injury recovery gene potion Ding Huan had given him, Fang Chong wouldn’t have been able to practice *One Finger Zen* at all—he would have spent all his time recovering from injuries.
Later, Fang Chong tried to avoid direct contact between his fingers and the wood, instead attempting to attack from a distance using his internal energy.
The idea was good, but putting it into practice was difficult.
Fang Chong didn’t mind, though.
Every day, besides practicing the *Thousand Veins Gene Technique* and basic long-range punches, he spent his time repeatedly trying to release his internal energy externally.
Releasing internal energy was easy, but condensing it into a single point and controlling its force was much harder.
To Fang Chong’s delight, what he had initially treated as a pastime and a way to practice internal energy actually bore fruit after four months.
He managed to release a concentrated beam of internal energy that obediently shot out in a straight line, piercing a small hole through the wood.
Fang Chong was ecstatic.
He continued to refine his technique, repeatedly adjusting the flow of his internal energy through the *Thousand Veins Gene Technique* to perfect his finger strikes.
By the fifth month, he had finally created his first small spell: the *One Yang Finger*.
To execute the *One Yang Finger*, Fang Chong had to coordinate the circulation of his internal energy through the *Thousand Veins Gene Technique*.
When the energy reached his fingers, he would manipulate it to shoot out a concentrated beam of energy.
Fang Chong didn’t realize it, but this technique had already entered the realm of hand seals.
Fang Chong didn’t care much about the theory.
After mastering the *One Yang Finger*, he practiced it almost every day.
Compared to basic long-range punches, the *One Yang Finger* was incredibly powerful.
Within a range of several meters, he could pierce through a block of wood with a single finger.
Just imagine what it could do to a human body.
“Fang Chong…” a clear voice called out.
Fang Chong turned around and saw Ai Xi.
After coming to the Great Han Yi Academy together, Ai Xi had witnessed the Great Han Yi Dao, which was derived from the *Yi Jin Jing*.
This made her even more grateful that she hadn’t made the wrong choice.
However, she didn’t practice the *Yi Jin Jing* herself.
Instead, she wanted to learn the technique Ding Huan had taught Fang Chong.
Remembering Ding Huan’s words—that he could teach the technique to anyone he deemed worthy—Fang Chong didn’t hesitate to pass on the *Thousand Veins Gene Technique* to Ai Xi.
It had to be said that compared to Fang Chong, who had relied on gene potions to improve his aptitude, Ai Xi’s natural talent was truly exceptional.
In less than five months, Ai Xi’s cultivation level had surpassed Fang Chong’s, and she was now a fourth-level gene cultivator.
This was probably the first time a student had surpassed their teacher in cultivation speed.
Seeing this, Fang Chong decided to teach her the basic long-range punches as well.
“Fang Chong, watch this,” Ai Xi said with a smile.
Her hands moved like blooming flowers in the air, and in less than a second, she flicked her wrist.
A piece of wood in the distance was cleanly cut in two.
Fang Chong stared in shock.
He had thought his *One Yang Finger* was already impressive, but Ai Xi had just casually released a blade of energy.
If that had hit a person, they would have been sliced into pieces.
“That’s amazing,” Fang Chong muttered.
This level of skill was something even his mentor, Ding Huan, might not possess.
“Do you want me to teach you?” Ai Xi asked with a smile.
She was grateful that Fang Chong had shared the *Thousand Veins Gene Technique* with her without holding back, so after creating her own wind blade technique using the energy circulation principles of the *Thousand Veins Gene Technique*, she came to teach Fang Chong.
“Of course! I’ll teach you something good in return,” Fang Chong quickly replied, deciding to share his *One Yang Finger* with Ai Xi.
---
**Guardians Training Ground**
Lü Zi walked out of the training ground, drenched in sweat.
Every day, he practiced basic long-range punches and the *Whirlwind Saber Technique* taught to him personally by Dean Li Chuan.
He had reached the peak of the third-level gene cultivator stage, just one step away from breaking through to the fourth level.
However, without the subsequent stages of the *Thousand Veins Gene Technique*, he was stuck at the third level.
Still, his basic long-range punches and *Whirlwind Saber Technique* were coming along nicely.
“Sigh, it looks like I’ll have to find Teacher Ding Huan. Otherwise, I won’t be able to progress any further,” Lü Zi sighed, preparing to take a shower.
“Junior Lü, the top ten academies on Blue Star are sending people to the Human Corridor Defense Line. Are you signing up?” a rough voice called out.
Lü Zi turned to see Zhang Qiang, a senior who had joined the Guardians two years before him.
Zhang Qiang wasn’t a gene cultivator but a martial artist, and he was one of the top fighters in the Guardians.
Rumor had it that he had reached the Mystic Level in martial arts a year ago.
“Senior Zhang, are all the top ten academies sending people?” Lü Zi asked.
Zhang Qiang grinned. “Normally, first-year students don’t have to go. But I know you’re strong, so I’m inviting you to come along. There are a lot of good things on the Human Corridor Defense Line. Not only are the rewards incredible, but you can also find all kinds of spirit herbs. If you can earn the International Star Guardian rank, you’ll be laughing all the way.”
Spirit herbs were a recent term, referring to an upgraded version of mutated herbs.
These herbs surpassed ordinary mutated herbs, and a high-quality spirit herb could even help someone undergo a marrow-cleansing transformation.
“I’ll go,” Lü Zi agreed after only a moment’s hesitation.
Ding Huan had once told him that true strength was forged in battle.
If he wanted to earn the International Star Guardian rank, he would have to go to the Human Corridor Defense Line.
Once obtained, the rank would bring not only tangible benefits but also immense prestige wherever he went.
Even if he didn’t earn the rank, the rewards included spirit herbs and energy stones.
He had received five energy stones when he first joined, but he had already used them up.
Once he found Ding Huan and obtained the next stage of his cultivation technique, his first priority would be to collect more energy stones.
Since that was the case, he might as well head to the defense line early to start gathering resources.
(That’s all for today’s update, fellow Daoists.
Good night, and please support with monthly votes!)
(End of Chapter)