Chapter 289: Designated Instructor: Divine Might Heavenly King

After trading away the Qunfang Flower Token, the Dewflower Ring, and the Twenty-Four-Line Puppet Jade, Chu Danqing obtained the Basic Skill: Heavenly Mechanism Basics.

The market price for basic skills is this high—they never go out of style; no matter your rank, if you want to buy one, you’ll need at least three or four pieces of top-tier equipment from your current tier.

The higher your rank, the more expensive they become.

And even if you want one, it depends on the quality of the equipment you offer—you can’t just buy it whenever you like.

Chu Danqing managed to acquire it only because the Qunfang Flower Token and the Dewflower Ring complemented each other perfectly.

As for the Twenty-Four-Line Puppet Jade, it was only the strength of its active skill that gave it any value at all; otherwise, it wouldn’t have qualified even as a bonus item.

After acquiring it, Chu Danqing hurried back to his personal room, where Xiong Zhigang had already arrived, and the three were engaged in conversation.

“You’re here—wait a moment while Qianyuan learns the basic skill, then we’ll head to the training chamber,” Chu Danqing said, handing the Heavenly Mechanism Basics to Yang Qianyuan.

Yang Qianyuan had already learned from Guo Ming just how valuable and powerful this basic skill was.

Without hesitation, he began learning immediately.

【Detected: Alliance Partner #3 attempting to learn Basic Skill: Heavenly Mechanism Basics. You may choose to pay a fee to complete learning.】

【1. Fee: Paradise Points ×10000】

【2. Refuse payment—learning fails】

Chu Danqing promptly chose to pay, confirming that the Paradise Points required for alliance members to learn basic skills remained fixed, unaffected by rank increases.

The learning process was not slow; soon, Yang Qianyuan’s interface displayed the new skill: Heavenly Mechanism Basics.

【Shanhe Alliance Contract #3 (Rank 1)】

【Attributes】

【HP: 100%】

【Spirit Energy: 150】

【Strength: 15】

【Agility: 15】

【Constitution: 15】

【Spirit: 15】

【Perception: 15】

【Spirituality: 29】

【Talents】

【Zi Fu: Mind Art】

【Zongheng Baiche】

【Skills】

【Heavenly Mechanism Basics LV.1】

【Permanent Summon】

【Chenming Spider】

Compared to Guo Ming and Xiong Zhigang, Yang Qianyuan’s attribute panel looked extremely meager.

The only standout features were his dual talents and the innate permanent summon, Chenming Spider.

Of course, in terms of initial stats, Yang Qianyuan was already quite impressive.

After all, when Guo Ming started, his stats were low, and he had no talents or skills at all.

Moreover, Yang Qianyuan possessed dual talents, so his starting point was still slightly inferior to Xiong Zhigang’s.

In Xiong Zhigang’s trial world, everyone had high comprehension, and basic skills could be learned by all.

Some even obtained their own professions—Yang Qianyuan couldn’t even come close.

As for the talent Zongheng Baiche, it belonged to the political strategy type, granting extreme sensitivity to circumstances and information.

It also enabled efficient understanding of situational data and rapid identification and analysis of key points.

For Yang Qianyuan, this greatly enhanced his application and post-event analysis of Heavenly Mechanism divination.

It might seem slightly mismatched, since it was designed for politics, but it still complemented his abilities well.

“I heard from Grand Coordinator Xiong that Brother Chu needs me to build a power base?” Yang Qianyuan asked.

“Yes, but your situation differs from Xiong’s. He and the others must work hard to achieve it,” Chu Danqing continued. “You don’t—you just inherit.”

Yang Qianyuan had already been preselected; all he needed to do now was strengthen his own power and expand his influence.

Leaving the capital had one advantage: away from the political center, he could act more boldly and without restraint.

Fortunately, under Chu Danqing’s guidance, Xiong Zhigang could teach him how to grow his influence, while his personal power could be directly enhanced in the training chamber.

“Enough talk—let’s go to the training chamber,” Chu Danqing said. His time was truly worth its weight in gold.

Especially Guo Ming—he was truly expensive.

【S-Rank Training Chamber: Summoning Mastery LV.5, Summoning Art Mastery LV.5, Domination Mastery LV.5, Cultivation Mastery LV.5, Harmonization Mastery LV.5, Spirit Control Mastery LV.5】

【Permanent Summon: Savage Beast · Son of the Cave (Wu Dabao), Xiangliu White Snake · Household Spirit (Liu Changying), Dragon Bone Heavenly Book · Tianwen Poem (Ji), Heartfelt Lotus Seed】

【Temporary Personnel: Shanhe Alliance Contract #1, #2, #3】

【Knowledge Items: Imperial Secret Scripture on Spirit Cultivation, Detailed Bestiary of Spirit Beasts, Whisper of the Deep Marrow, Yecha Blood Record】

【Current Training Duration: 15 days, Actual Consumption: 1 day, Rank 1 Adept’s remaining rest time not exceeded. Generating S-Rank Dingxiang Summoning Instructor】

【Adept’s Selected S-Rank Dingxiang Summoning Instructor: Divine Might Heavenly King (Avatar)】

Chu Danqing immediately equipped all four knowledge items—he had already memorized their contents; now he needed only to understand them.

That’s where the Divine Might Heavenly King came in.

This time, his goal was to raise at least six mastery skills to level 10.

He estimated this wouldn’t be too difficult.

As for Dabao, Daibai, and Daguo, their progress would depend on circumstances—their inherited skills were cultivation methods, and fifteen days wouldn’t yield much improvement.

Especially without corresponding knowledge items.

“Here you are again—oh, you’ve found another talent from the Heavenly Mechanism line,” the Divine Might Heavenly King said upon entering, immediately noticing Yang Qianyuan.

As for his weak power? If he were truly strong, why would he sign a contract with Chu Danqing?

“Not bad, not bad,” Chu Danqing replied. “Master, we’re short on time—let’s begin the lesson.”

Chu Danqing had no time for small talk—he’d spent 10,000 Paradise Points and an S-Rank entry to get here.

The Divine Might Heavenly King merely nodded, then split into multiple avatars, each taking one person to begin instruction.

Yang Qianyuan was still unaccustomed to this, but the Divine Might Heavenly King, being a seasoned veteran, handled such situations with ease.

The Divine Might Heavenly King quickly realized Yang Qianyuan was not a traditional Heavenly Mechanism disciple and, as a novice without systematic training, required foundational instruction.

“You’ve filled your weaknesses, but I see you still lack a personal bodyguard,” the Divine Might Heavenly King said, glancing at Chu Danqing and recognizing the function of the Heartfelt Lotus Seed.

Chu Danqing frowned: “Isn’t the Heartfelt Lotus Seed enough?”

“Are you certain its role is a bodyguard and not a decoy doll?” the Divine Might Heavenly King chuckled.

“Then Dabao should count,” Chu Danqing hesitated—he really didn’t want to add another permanent summon.

But the Divine Might Heavenly King said: “Dabao is a warrior—he should be leading charges, not guarding you.”

“His bloodline is the strongest among all your permanent summons—a future powerhouse.”

“I advise against keeping him close as a bodyguard.”

Chu Danqing shrugged helplessly: “I’m broke.”

If he had enough Paradise Points, he wouldn’t just keep one or two extra permanent summons—he’d keep ten or twenty.

Chu Danqing didn’t drive a luxury car or live in a mansion not because he didn’t want to, but because he couldn’t afford it.

“It’s just advice,” the Divine Might Heavenly King said, shifting to the lesson. “Only when you acquire a guardian-type permanent summon—or another summon—will you have adequate protection.”

Instruction began. With four knowledge items, and the Imperial Secret Scripture on Spirit Cultivation doubling the effectiveness of knowledge items in the training chamber, Chu Danqing’s six knowledge-based skills improved with exceptional efficiency.

The fifteen days passed swiftly; training completed successfully, and all mastery skills reached level 10.

Chu Danqing then used six Mastery Skill Crystals to raise them all to level 11.

【Summoning Mastery / Summoning Art Mastery / Cultivation Mastery / Harmonization Mastery / Spirit Control Mastery / Domination Mastery: LV.11】

【Skill Effect: Enhances all attributes, talents, skills, bloodline effects, affinity tendencies, spirituality, and summoning costs of summons by 22% ×4/22/-22, .】

Five Mastery Skill Crystals remained; Chu Danqing kept them for future skill upgrades.

Mastery skills are knowledge—they must be digested and understood to be truly mastered, not merely observed through their effects.

Moreover, while Chu Danqing’s growth was substantial, Dabao, Daibai, and Daguo’s progress slowed considerably.

Dabao, having reached the Rank 1 limit in bloodline, talent, attributes, and skills, now grows only through combat.

Daibai could only improve his inherited skill, rising from level 20 to level 23.

【Spirit Art · Spirit Healing (Active) LV.23: Consumes 23 Spirit Energy, instantly restores 230 HP to target and purifies two negative statuses】

【Spirit Art · Spirit Recovery (Active) LV.23: Consumes 33 Spirit Energy, continuously restores 330 HP to all within range over 30 seconds, grants 130 shield points】

【Spirit Art · Evil Curse (Active) LV.23: Consumes 23 Spirit Energy, reduces all attributes of targets by 2.3 points and healing effects by 2.3% for 33 seconds, stackable up to 3 times】

【Spirit Art · Evil Words (Active) LV.23: Consumes 33 Spirit Energy, inflicts Weakness and Poison on target for 33 seconds, stackable up to 3 times】

Daguo grew the most—his bloodline concentration and inherited skill both increased, though this was partly because he joined later.

Dagu's growth was the greatest, with both its bloodline concentration and inherited skills increasing, though this was because it joined later than the others.

【Flame-Seeking Script (Bloodline Concentration: 4%)】

【Effect 1: Each Script Value point counts as 40 Attack Power】

【Effect 2: Script Recovery Efficiency +4%】

[Effect 2: Efficiency of Qihen Recovery +4%]

[Skill]

[Sorrowful Whirlwind (Active) LV.17: Consume 1 Qie Wen to deal 1 targeted tracking spell damage of (Spirit × 270) points within a range of (Perception × 1) meters; upon hitting an enemy, deal (Spirit × 27) points of area damage; cooldown 55 seconds]

The good news is that the cooldown of Sorrowful Whirlwind finally decreased by 5 seconds after reaching level 10.

There should still be room for further reduction at level 20.

Currently, for Da Bai, only the inheritance skill remains to be upgraded before reaching the first-rank limit; for Da Gu, both bloodline and inheritance skills remain. Chu Danqing is confident he can max them all out before ascending the rank.

As for attributes, thanks to the previous trial, all have been fully raised.

As for the Heart-to-Heart Lotus Seed, Chu Danqing has ignored it entirely—treat it as a passive ornament now, no need to bother with it.

(End of Chapter)