Chapter 196: Skill Advancement

196. Chapter 196 Skill Advancement

"So it's really Brother Xiao?"

"So it's really Dao Companion Xiao?"

Watching Xiao Zhangqing catch up, he showed no intention to strike them. Moreover, the two, using divine perception to carefully sense, detected not the slightest evil aura on Xiao Zhangqing, no sign of ill omen.

Indeed, he didn't look like he was possessed by an evil spirit.

"Just as genuine as the real thing." Xiao Zhangqing voluntarily released his Soul Transformation aura, showing that nothing was amiss with him.

At this moment, Xiao Zhangqing might be even cleaner than Gu Zongyuan and Su Wushuang, because his Soul Transformation is the strongest, so the ill aura he picked up in the ruins is minimal.

Seeing the two still a bit doubtful and unwilling to approach him, Xiao Zhangqing couldn't help but say, "Although I had a mishap while eliminating the evil spirit, and my magical power weakened, my Soul Transformation is unharmed. Shall I use a divine perception secret technique so you can verify?"

"Better not," Gu Zongyuan quickly shook his head.

Xiao Zhangqing's divine perception secret technique—I'm afraid I can't handle it.

More than a decade ago, a single divine perception secret technique by Xiao Zhangqing could grievously wound the Blood Crow Realist, who had already advanced to the mid Golden Core stage, nearly rendering him combat ineffective.

Nowadays, Gu Zongyuan doesn't know how far Xiao Zhangqing's divine perception has progressed, but he can be certain he couldn't bear it! "Brother Xiao, you really aren't possessed by an evil spirit?"

Gu Zongyuan mustered courage, walked up to Xiao Zhangqing, circled him like a curious baby, then patted Xiao Zhangqing's shoulder, finally feeling at ease.

"Gu brother, you seem a bit disappointed?" Xiao Zhangqing said with a smile.

Gu Zongyuan shook his head, sighing, "Brother Xiao, you're fine; to emerge safely makes me overjoyed, I just find it unbelievable. What exactly happened? Why did that evil spirit suddenly go berserk, disregarding everything to keep you, Brother Xiao? Then why did it recover so quickly, reaching its peak in a short time, its evil aura terrifyingly strong—Valley Master Su and I felt it was almost comparable to a Nascent Soul True Lord! And, Brother Xiao, how did you slay it?"

Su Wushuang, upon hearing this, showed deep curiosity in his eyes, and… respect! It was astonishing to think that such a fully revived evil spirit, terrifying as it was, was cut down by Xiao Zhangqing with thunderous means!

Doesn't that imply Xiao Zhangqing possesses power comparable to a Nascent Soul True Lord? If so, the Da Yu Cultivation World would be turned upside down! Once this news spreads, the entire Da Yu Cultivation World would quake, countless sects would come to Character: Liyang Immortal City for a 'pilgrimage', even the Seven Star Sword Sect and Xingyue Palace would send polite greetings! Xiao Zhangqing glanced at their expressions, organized his words, and said, "Don't overthink it. Eliminating that white‑clothed female evil spirit wasn't due to my actual strength; it was merely a coincidence, and has little to do with me."

"I have a treasure on me, obtained back when I slayed a half‑human, half‑evil monster in the Southwest Region. This priceless item seems to have a strong attraction for evil spirits, perhaps a 'great supplement' for them, even more nourishing than a cultivator's essence blood and Soul Transformation. When the white‑clothed female evil spirit sensed this item on me, it went mad, leaving me behind at any cost. After devouring this treasure, the spirit quickly revived to its peak… Yet for evil spirits, this treasure might also be a double‑edged sword: consumption does greatly supplement, but if they cannot 'digest' it, they may explode and die… Do you understand? In our Cultivation World, don't we also have similar pills?"

Xiao Zhangqing naturally would not tell the truth.

Whether it's the Longevity Stone or his own system, both must be kept absolutely secret, not told to anyone.

So he mixed the actual events with fabricated lies, presenting a half‑true, half‑false account, which gave it some credibility.

Indeed.

After hearing Xiao Zhangqing finish, Su Wushuang and Gu Zongyuan were a bit stunned, finding it unbelievable, but after a moment of silence they both seemed to accept Xiao Zhangqing's explanation, without probing further.

At least, in their view, this explanation is far more reliable than Xiao Zhangqing slaying a Nascent Soul‑level evil spirit by his own power! Moreover, even if Xiao Zhangqing's words are false and he hides his own secret, it still means he doesn't wish to tell outsiders.

Gu Zongyuan and Su Wushuang are both clever; secrets others refuse to reveal, they will not inquire about.

In the Cultivation World, cultivators who have formed a Golden Core mostly have their own secrets that cannot be spoken to others.

Just as Su Wushuang himself harbors a great secret, a secret that made Zhu Qingyun, a heavenly prodigy from Xingyue Palace, spend centuries scheming, being ridiculed by the world, and finally taking a reckless gamble. Xiao Zhangqing at the time sensed this was unusual and that hidden motives lay behind it, yet he didn't pry.

Now likewise, the secret on Xiao Zhangqing seems even larger, but the two chose not to ask further.

All in all, removing a hidden threat that could at any moment endanger Character: Liyang Immortal City and cause countless cultivators to face annihilation is a tremendous good.

No longer need to fret over choices, no longer have to devise ways to beg Xingyue Palace or the Seven Star Sword Sect—what else is there to covet?

The three happily returned to Character: Liyang Immortal City.

Character: Liyang Immortal City remains as bustling as ever.

Beneath the towering city walls, at several major gates, cultivators line up in long queues for the city guards' inspection; new arrivals must register for identification.

Even fake‑Pill cultivators don't receive this treatment; they must obediently lower their forms and enter through the gates.

First, Character: Liyang Immortal City's regulations are like that; second, there are array barriers above the walls.

Although the city‑protecting grand array doesn't run fully at all times, it maintains a second‑tier array level, capable of intercepting those in the Foundation Establishment Realm.

But fake‑Pill cultivators dare not force through the array, lest they be deemed to be challenging the Immortal City.

At that point, it wouldn't be city‑guard cultivators who step forward, but the Character: Liyang Guard would be deployed.

Of course, when fake‑Pill cultivators lower their forms and walk through the gate, as soon as they reveal their aura, someone immediately steps forward to courteously receive them, no queue needed, the treatment is entirely different.

When Xiao Zhangqing and his two companions arrived at the gate, they needed no inspection; they didn't even lower their forms, simply soaring through into the city.

Cultivators on the wall sensed the three from afar and immediately activated the city‑protecting array.

After entering the city, the three split up, each attending to their own tasks.

The myriad beings of Character: Liyang Immortal City knew nothing of what happened today, nor what trouble Xiao Zhangqing solved for them.

Had it not been for Xiao Zhangqing, perhaps in a few years or a decade, this flourishing immortal city, ranked among the top three in the Da Yu Cultivation World, would become a dead city.

Xiao Zhangqing returned to his own cave dwelling, greeted the Lin sisters, and then went straight into the cultivation chamber.

He simply lacked the mood to cultivate or refine the myriad arts of cultivation.

At this moment his thoughts were entirely on the inventory interface, occasionally pulling it up for a glance.

Finally.

After returning to his cave and waiting another half‑hour, the equipment slot for the Longevity Stone finally lit up, changing from gray to color! Upgrade succeeded! Xiao Zhangqing's eyes gleamed as he immediately clicked to inspect it.

【Longevity Stone Fragment (Nether Sacred Stone)】

【Exotic artifact from beyond realms, possibly linked to the origin and birth of evil spirits; rumors say it contains Longevity secrets. Once a holy stone in the eyes of evil cultivators—if fully merged, unlocking its secrets could directly point to the Longevity Dao! In the Middle Ages, countless powerful evil cultivators perished because of it; those who tried to refine the stone as an external body ended up turned into walking corpses. Nowadays among Demon Sect Evil Cultivators, this item is deemed ominous, sealed away; only a few extreme evil cultivators still fantasize about it…】 (Note: This item originally could only nurture a Golden Core‑level evil spirit, but after accidentally absorbing a Nascent Soul‑level evil spirit, its grade improved.) 【Equipment Requirement: Foundation Establishment Realm】

【Equipment Effects: Body‑Outside‑Body Technique, Nightmare Reincarnation Technique】

The name hasn't changed at all.

It remains a Longevity Stone Fragment; even after absorbing more of the white‑clothed female evil spirit, it hasn't become a complete Longevity Stone or anything.

However, the notes and skills have undergone major changes!

First, the annotation changed, indicating this Longevity Stone Fragment 'subdues the superior', yet at the Golden Core level it absorbed a Nascent Soul‑level evil spirit, raising its grade.

Second, the two previously equipped skills were 'Body‑Outside‑Body Technique – Incomplete Version' and 'Nightmare Technique'.

Now, the first skill Body‑Outside‑Body Technique no longer bears the words 'Incomplete Version'; it appears to have become the full version!

The Nightmare Technique has evolved into 'Nightmare Reincarnation Technique'! (End of Chapter)