Chapter 39: The Fourth Earthly Fiend Art!

Just as East City was in an uproar and Yu Xianting, who was investigating, was filled with apprehension.

The true culprit, Lu Yuan, had already returned to Boxiyuan.

From the moment he arrived at the East City yamen, used the Invisibility Technique to enter the hall and execute Zhao Hailong and Tian Ming, to leaving behind the blood-written words and departing, the entire process was smooth and satisfying, and not a single person had noticed.

At this moment, he wiped his Short Blade and sheathed it, sitting alone in his own room.

Feeling wisps of invisible Luck Power gathering toward him in the dark, he could not help but show a thoughtful expression:

"The degree of Luck gathering this time seems to be quite a bit higher than that time in Kundu."

The increase in Luck brought about by punishing the treacherous and eliminating the evil this time was clearly much higher than the last time he killed Kundu.

The most important factor should be that he used the method of manifesting sanctity before others, plus the fact that Tian Ming was a target with a Seven-Rank Official status and higher standing.

Especially the former; as the news spread, it cast a more mysterious color over the persona of Qingyike, bringing more intense prestige, and also confirmed that the condensation of Luck is not immutable—different methods, targets, and means will produce different results.

The thought flashed and vanished.

He then communicated with the Heavenly Book:

【Master of the Heavenly Book】: Lu Yuan

【Mastered Arts】:

Earthly Fiend-Ingestion (Human: 21%): Can swallow all things, melt and refine the essence of all things to strengthen oneself.

Earthly Fiend-Guidance (Human: 10%): A method of breathing and Qi cultivation of the Inner Elixir Dao; practicing it can prolong life, lead to longevity, and achieve the path of an Earth Immortal.

Earthly Fiend-Invisibility (Human: 2%): Performing this technique allows oneself or others, or even all objects, to vanish from sight and conceal their aura.

【Luck Power】: 102 units

Having been back for only about an hour, his Luck Power had surged by ten units, and he could light up the next Earthly Fiend Art!

However, Lu Yuan was still troubled about which one to light up, having only roughly listed a few choices.

They were 【Sword Technique】, 【Obstacle Clothing】, 【Earth Travel】, 【Generating Light】, 【Sending Staff】, and 【Wind Control】.

He had been practicing Martial Arts for too short a time, and his biggest shortcoming at present was his martial skill; if he could light up 【Sword Technique】, he could make up for this shortcoming all at once.

Moreover, this technique is not only the general outline of the world's sword techniques, but when cultivated to a profound level, one can also control the sword with the Primordial Spirit, and with a flash of white light, kill invisibly—it sounded extremely cool and stylish.

And in terms of protection and self-preservation.

The 【Invisibility】 he had already mastered was actually not quite enough; if combined with 【Obstacle Clothing】, 【Generating Light】, or 【Sending Staff】, it could take his protective and life-saving abilities to the next level.

Furthermore, in terms of functionality, 【Wind Control】 allows one to fly through the air with the physical body, and 【Earth Travel】 allows one to tunnel and sneak—both are top-tier methods for running away.

But after thinking it over.

Since Luck Power was becoming easier to obtain anyway, Lu Yuan finally made his choice, communicating with the Heavenly Book and thinking in his heart:

"Light up, Sending Staff!"

Hum.

Luck was consumed, the Heavenly Book vibrated, and a large number of golden characters leaped out from it, falling into his sea of consciousness.

Subsequently, a miraculous and profound technique appeared in his mind:

【Earthly Fiend-Sending Staff】: Transfer the damage caused by attacks received to another object as a substitute.

The effect of this technique is similar to an amulet; the practitioner needs to collect the heartwood of a peach tree over ten years old to make a staff shape, then chant spells to consecrate it with their own essence blood, and nourish it with Dharma Power; it can be made into a Protective Staff after seven consecutive days.

Once the Protective Staff is refined, as long as it is carried on one's person, any fatal damage that falls upon the body will be blocked and borne by the Dharma Artifact, making its life-saving effect top-tier.

And according to the Heavenly Book's feedback, this was only the primary stage of this technique; if one practiced this technique to a profound level, there would be no need for ten-year-old peach wood, and one could use Dharma Power to entrust it to other objects anytime and anywhere to transfer damage.

If one were to cultivate it to the highest level of Supernatural Power, this technique could even transfer damage already received by the body, which could be called unimaginable!

As the saying goes, it is easy to dodge an open spear but hard to guard against a hidden arrow; even as a cultivator, one must live long enough to have a future.

With this technique, the margin for error would be greatly increased; even if Lu Yuan encountered any more ambushes or hidden shots, he could preserve himself at the first opportunity.

"The heartwood of a peach tree over ten years old shouldn't be too hard to get."

This technique was as clear in his mind as the previous Earthly Fiend Arts, and Lu Yuan, unable to wait, immediately prepared to go out and inquire about where he could get ten-year-old peach wood material.

However, just as he walked out of the small courtyard, he happened to see Xu Dahu and Xu Erhu walking in from outside in a rush, saying to Li Junxian, who was tidying up flowers and plants in the garden:

"Master, something happened, something happened!"

"That Qingyike has appeared again!"

Li Junxian turned his head in surprise, looking at his two disciples:

"Could it be that this person has attacked someone again?"

"Exactly!"

Xu Dahu's face was full of amazement, and he spilled the beans like a bamboo tube pouring out peas:

"The person killed this time was the East City Assistant Magistrate Tian Ming, and also Zhao Hailong, a Protector of our Qinglong Gang's West Hall! We just heard that the East City yamen was holding a trial this morning for a case involving Zhao Hailong, and at that time..."

Immediately, Xu Dahu detailed the news he had gathered.

Lu Yuan, who had just bumped into them, naturally found it hard to ignore and also leaned in to listen carefully.

A moment later, after finishing the cause and effect, Li Junxian's expression suddenly became exceptionally grave:

"Severing throats in the void, words appearing out of thin air? Is this really true?"

Xu Erhu also could not hide his look of astonishment:

"It is true. It is said that nearly a hundred yamen runners and bystanders outside were all eyewitnesses to this, so it should not be false."

Xu Dahu said excitedly:

"Master, could it be that Heaven really manifested its spirit? Now the people of East City are all saying that Qingyike is a deputy of Heaven's punishment, specifically punishing injustice in the human world, only that those with mortal eyes cannot see it."

Good grief, it's only been an hour or two, and they've already given me such an identity?

Lu Yuan found it funny in his heart, but Li Junxian frowned, pondered for a long time, and then shook his head:

"How could there be any Heaven manifesting its spirit? This is likely the Illusion Technique displayed by some great expert who has practiced Daoist Arts."

Daoist Arts?

Hearing these words, Lu Yuan, who had never heard the two words "Daoist Arts" before, was instantly startled and asked immediately:

"Master, what are these Daoist Arts?"

Xu Dahu and Xu Erhu also wore curious expressions, and Li Junxian explained:

"The so-called Daoist Arts are also a path of cultivation, but while Martial Arts train the sinews, bones, Qi, and blood, Daoist Arts train the soul and spirit. Because this path is obscure and profound, along with other reasons, it had already begun to decline during the previous Great Jing dynasty. Nowadays, very few people know of it, and even fewer go to practice it."

Lu Yuan hurriedly asked: "Then, by practicing these Daoist Arts, can one attain the Dao and become an Immortal?"

Li Junxian was momentarily rendered speechless and laughed:

"How could that be? How could there be any attaining the Dao and becoming an Immortal in this world? Immortals and gods are merely false fabrications in novels and romances. The so-called cultivation of Daoist Arts is actually nothing more than a method to strengthen the spirit and soul; compared to Martial Arts, it is just a different direction of cultivation and is not much more profound."

"Even if one cultivates this path to an extremely high realm, one can at most cast some bewitching spells to confuse people's minds, or manipulate objects from a distance to harm others. It is a far cry from the Immortals in legends who control the wind, rain, thunder, and lightning."

So that was it.

Upon hearing this, Lu Yuan's mood instantly relaxed.

Possessing the Heavenly Book, he could be said to be the only one practicing such a method in this world, a dimensional strike.

But when he first heard the words "Daoist Arts," he had thought that cultivators existed in this world and that his own understanding was mistaken.

However, it seems now that it was just a false alarm.

(End of this chapter)