Chapter 537: Return to One True Art

Full of hope, Zhang Nuo watched Luo Lie's expression gradually turn troubled, and in his heart, he felt an increasing sense that something was wrong! After a long while, Luo Lie finally let out a long sigh and said:

"Every divine ability you possess belongs to an extremely profound type! From the Underworld to the Demon Realm, as long as they learn just one of them, they could stand proudly above the masses. But the flaw is that you cannot cultivate them all to completion; thus, this has become a stumbling block for your advancement!"

Zhang Nuo understood these words in his heart without Luo Lie needing to say them. He nodded slightly and continued to listen without a word!

"Of the three powerful arts, besides the Shangqing Sword Art which is incomplete, the other two are limited by the differences in your body! How about this: give this old man a few days to consider, and perhaps I can think of a foolproof method. But, little Zhang, don't hold too much hope; after all, this old man's cultivation is also quite limited!"

Fearing that he might be blamed later, Luo Lie gave a warning in advance!

"Senior, rest assured! This junior would absolutely never have such intentions!"

Hearing Zhang Nuo's words, Luo Lie turned his body, intending to walk into the thatched hut!

"Senior, please stay!"

Taking a few quick steps, Zhang Nuo arrived before Luo Lie, flipped his hand, and a Storage Bag appeared, then he said with a smile:

"This junior has some medicinal herbs here; I ask that Senior take action to help refine a type of Pill!"

Looking at Zhang Nuo with suspicion, Luo Lie took the Storage Bag, swept his Divine Sense inside, and his face revealed a hint of surprise!

"These are the medicinal herbs needed for the 'Heavenly Gang God-Refining Pill'?"

Zhang Nuo nodded repeatedly; it seemed the reputation of Luo Lie as a diligent cultivator was not for nothing, as he recognized the use of the herbs at a single glance!

"This junior also cultivates an art that can strengthen Divine Sense, but due to the limitations of my primordial spirit, I have been unable to improve it, so I wish to take one step forward with the help of the Pill!"

"Fine! This old man will help refine it when I have time!"

After speaking, Luo Lie walked into the thatched hut. Zhang Nuo watched his distracted expression, fearing he might forget this matter, but not daring to nag any further, he had no choice but to turn around and return to his own Cave Abode!

After sitting cross-legged, Zhang Nuo flicked his robe sleeve, and a Golden Light rolled out, landing and transforming into the appearance of Xuan Jin.

"Xuan Jin, I will be staying here for a period of time; you go out and find some ore to eat! Remember, this place is not like the Human Realm; high-level cultivators can be seen everywhere! You must be extra careful!"

After giving a few instructions, Xuan Jin's figure flashed and disappeared into the ground! After Xuan Jin left, Zhang Nuo took out a Spirit Beast Bag from his robe sleeve and swept his Divine Sense inside. He saw that the Qiongqi beast was still fast asleep, and green light spots were constantly swirling around it!

Ever since it drank the green liquid from the Demon-Refining Pool, this beast had not woken up. Zhang Nuo had been worried for a long time, but recently he discovered that the Qiongqi beast had not suffered any major accidents; instead, he felt the Spirit Power fluctuations on its body becoming increasingly intense, likely nearing advancement!

Putting the Spirit Beast Bag away again, Zhang Nuo reached out and patted the top of his head! A black light flashed from between his brows, and it was none other than the 'Hell Butterfly!'

Although this butterfly also belonged to a type of Spirit Beast, due to its special constitution, there was almost no talk of advancement; it simply maintained this state!

"How is the progress on the Underworld Ancient Book?"

Gently vibrating its wings, the black butterfly stood upright before Zhang Nuo. Hearing its master's question, it opened its small mouth slightly and said:

"The Immovable Underworld Art of the Sixth Layer still hasn't been deciphered, but Master, I have a new method. Since it cannot be deciphered from front to back, let's try from back to front!"

Zhang Nuo's eyes lit up upon hearing this method of going against the grain! His expression tightened; even he had never thought of using this method!

"Is there any effect?"

"Yes, but it is not very significant!"

The Hell Butterfly's voice sounded somewhat like an immature female, though it was not unpleasant to hear. After it said this in a low voice, Zhang Nuo still asked with great curiosity.

"Oh! What is it? An art or..."

"It is an Underworld technique that relies on Yin Qi to activate!"

Upon hearing that it was something from the Underworld again, Zhang Nuo perked up.

"Tell me about it!"

"Master, this is a technique that circulated in the Underworld in the past, called Small Underworld Arts. There are as many as five hundred types in total, and the function of each one is different, so it is not very easy to decipher!"

Over five hundred types! Zhang Nuo's eyes were visibly stunned after hearing this. There weren't even that many characters on the Underworld Ancient Book, so how could it record so many techniques! But seeing the Hell Butterfly's serious demeanor, he listened patiently!

It turned out that these Underworld techniques relied only on Yin Qi and did not require other auxiliary tools. As long as one practiced according to the internal circulation paths, once successful, they could be cast at will, just like a cultivator who had planted a Xia Xia Xia Linggen in their body, freely driving the power of the Five Elements!

The Hell Butterfly had only deciphered the first thirty techniques of the 'Small Underworld Arts'! Listening to its narration, Zhang Nuo recorded these techniques one by one onto a Jade Slip! In this way, he could study them carefully in his spare time!

Putting away the Hell Butterfly, Zhang Nuo studied the newly acquired Underworld techniques while waiting for news from Luo Lie!

Two months later, a figure suddenly flashed into his Cave Abode. Because he was in Mowen Valley, Zhang Nuo had not placed any Restrictions on the Cave Abode! He opened his eyes abruptly and saw that the person who entered was indeed Luo Lie.

The old man's eyes were shining with brilliance, and upon seeing Zhang Nuo, he laughed loudly without stopping:

"Little Zhang, this old man has finally thought of a method that might be very helpful to you. Once this method works, not only will your cultivation improve, but your divine abilities will also greatly increase!"

Hearing this, Zhang Nuo jumped to the ground in one motion.

"Senior, what is the method?"

"Don't be in such a hurry; sit down and listen to this old man speak slowly!"

Seeing that Zhang Nuo was even more impatient than himself, Luo Lie became calm instead! After the two sat down, Luo Lie then said:

"This art is actually something this old man learned from elsewhere! I have made some improvements based on your physical conditions!"

The more anxious Zhang Nuo was, the more Luo Lie dragged it out. Not daring to urge him, he had to listen attentively.

"In the past, this old man originated from 'Jile Temple', and later, due to some reasons, I came to reside here! And this art also belongs to Jile Temple! It is called the 'Return to One True Art'!"

Hearing that the art came from Jile Temple, Zhang Nuo's heart skipped a beat. As one of the Three Great Powers of the Immortal Domain, the arts of Jile Temple must be very profound!

When Luo Lie finished explaining the wonders of this 'Return to One True Art', a glimmer of hope suddenly rose in Zhang Nuo's heart!

It turned out that this Return to One True Art itself did not have much power, but its only profound aspect was that this art could fuse several completely different arts together. That is to say, when a cultivator practiced two or more arts in their body, they could use the method within the Return to One True Art to make the two arts merge and flow together, ultimately reaching the state of becoming one!

This is easy to say, but quite difficult to do. Luo Lie had specifically studied this art back then, and after several decades, he discovered that although the Return to One True Art was theoretically feasible, there were various drawbacks in the actual operation process. Even if successful, it would change some characteristics of the original arts, or even reduce their power!

As such, this kind of fusion also carried certain risks! And the probability of successful fusion was not very high! Therefore, for a long time, Luo Lie had given up on the study of the 'Return to One True Art'!

This time, when Zhang Nuo came to him, after thinking hard for several days without a solution, he remembered the 'Return to One True Art' again! Zhang Nuo had three main arts in his body, but all three were stagnant. Rather than risking cultivating another main art, it would be better to try using the Return to One True Art to combine these three into one! Once successful, it would be a new art! Even if it didn't succeed, it could still improve Zhang Nuo's cultivation a little, and with the cooperation of some Pills, breaking through to the late stage of Spirit Severing should be no problem!

"Senior, this 'Return to One True Art' is so profound, this junior must try it! However, before that, this junior has one more thing to ask Senior!"

"Speak! Speak! Don't keep calling me Senior; from now on, save all that talk!"

Seeming to dislike such etiquette, Luo Lie urged impatiently.

"Hehe! This junior just wanted to ask, does Senior have the method for the Nine Divine Seas to become one?"

Smiling lightly, Zhang Nuo actually liked this straightforward person, Luo Lie! He said whatever was on his mind!

"The Nine Divine Seas becoming one!"

The smile on Luo Lie's old face froze instantly; he had not expected Zhang Nuo to ask this question, as it seemed quite inconsistent with Zhang Nuo's current cultivation level!

However, Zhang Nuo had his own plans; if the "Return to One Secret Art" could integrate the cultivation methods within his body, he would be able to cultivate to the late Spirit Severing Stage, and by that time, the very last Divine Sea within his body would also be opened!

If by that time the new, integrated cultivation method still could not allow Zhang Nuo to continue cultivating, he would have to rely on the method of merging the Nine Divine Seas to break through to the Integration Stage!

Although this line of thinking was very bold, Zhang Nuo had no other choice! Who told him that the primary cultivation methods he had chosen in the beginning were all so peculiar!

"How many Divine Seas do you have in your body?"

The expression that had been frozen on Luo Lie's face finally thawed; with a flicker of thought, he guessed that Zhang Nuo must have a plan! That was why he asked this.

"Eight!"

With these two simple words spoken, Luo Lie's jaw nearly dropped to the ground! To possess eight Divine Seas while at the Spirit Transformation Early-Stage! Such a constitution was one in ten thousand!

Sitting blankly on the chair for a long time, Luo Lie did not make a sound, and Zhang Nuo did not know what he was thinking, only watching him calmly! He could only see the old man's aged skin twitching from time to time!