The Sword Spirit sat on the ground, transforming from Zhang Ze’s appearance back into a genderless Spiritual Body.
The Sword Spirit could not understand it no matter how hard they tried. Why had they lost? Why had they lost to those few moves?
The Blood Fiend Technique, Five Ghosts Transport, and another Spell whose origins were impossible to identify.
These three Spells were the kind of things that would make you shout, “Fuck this, give me my money back!” even if your Master had taught them to you.
How could their Power be so great in this brat’s hands?
They could not understand it. They simply could not understand it.
Zhang Ze squatted beside the Sword Spirit, his Clothes in tatters.
Like an old Big Brother, he patted the Sword Spirit’s Shoulder.
“Learn, then. There is no end to learning.”
Three minutes earlier, the Sword Spirit’s guaranteed-winning strike had been interrupted by one of Zhang Ze’s bizarre moves.
Under Zhang Ze’s Command, five sneaky little ghosts crawled out from somewhere, hugged the Sword Spirit’s Thigh, and began Self-detonation in sequence.
Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth—the Power of the Five Elements took turns blasting the Sword Spirit until their color became somewhat Transparent.
By the time the Sword Spirit recovered, Zhang Ze had thrust out his most stable sword strike of the day, striking the Sword Spirit directly in the chest.
“I won’t ask how you learned the Blood Fiend Technique and Five Ghosts Transport yet, but you…”
“Senior wants to ask how this Disciple used the Blood Fiend Technique to detonate the Five Ghosts, right?”
Zhang Ze took a new set of Clothes from the Hundred Treasures Bag and changed into them.
The Sword Spirit nodded.
“That move is called the Spirit Recognition Technique.”
“Whose Spell is that? Why have I never heard of it?”
“Senior spent hundreds of years confined in this Cave. How could you possibly know what happened outside?”
“Then tell me about it.”
Zhang Ze smacked his lips and somewhat did not want to explain, because the Small Sect that had developed the Spirit Recognition Technique was truly filled with Idiots.
The Method of taming beasts had existed since ancient times: when Master and servant are of one heart, their Strength can cut through metal.
Among the six Sects of the Righteous Path, the Cangshan Beast Taming Sect specialized in this Dao.
But there were always some Idiots who were extremely insecure.
These people believed that once a Demonic Beast gained Spiritual Intelligence, it would betray its Master. To unleash its full Strength, they had to control the Demonic Beast completely.
After taking in several Traitors from the Beast Taming Sect and shamans from The West, these people established the Puppet Beast Sect.
They developed the Spirit Recognition Technique.
The “recognition” in its name meant knowledge.
First, they killed the Demonic Beast and Refined it into a Puppet. Then they infused the Puppet’s Empty shell with the Spells and commands they intended to Perform.
Thus, they achieved their goal of controlling Demonic Beasts without puppet strings or Mechanisms.
They dreamed of attaining the Realm of having two bodies as one, with complete control over every movement.
In reality, however, the process was cumbersome and troublesome, while the dead Demonic Beasts’ Realms fell drastically.
It became a case of the Beast Tamer dying, the beast dying when the Beast Tamer died, and both controllers and controlled beasts dying together.
Because the Sect’s ideology was too idiotic, and because the people who Joined it were also more or less mentally ill,
their path of development leaned increasingly toward the Demonic Path.
Within a few years, the Beast Taming Sect wiped out the entire Sect.
The Beast Taming Sect could not bear such Embarrassing disgrace.
After listening, the Sword Spirit remained Silent for a moment, then nodded.
“Indeed, idiotic.
The Five Ghosts’ consciousness was chaotic, making them no different from Puppets. Thus, you injected the Cultivation Method knowledge of the Blood Fiend Technique into them, then had the Five Ghosts Perform it.
The essence of the Blood Fiend Technique was still the use of Spiritual Energy; blood was merely a medium.
They used blood because the Demonic Path that developed this Cultivation Method was also run by Idiots.
The Five Ghosts were formed from the Power of the Five Elements to begin with, making them the purest Spiritual Energy. Having them use the Blood Fiend Technique was only natural.
The Five Ghosts did not need any special Commands, either. They only needed to Self-detonate.”
Once they understood the principles of the Spirit Recognition Technique, the Sword Spirit naturally understood Zhang Ze’s approach.
An artificial intelligence’s brain really was fast. Zhang Ze genuinely admired it.
“By the way, let me give you one more piece of advice.”
The Sword Spirit said solemnly, “Do not use this move after leaving the Mountain Gate.”
“Why?”
“You could easily be mistaken for a remnant of a Demonic Cult and beaten to death.
If you must use it, do not say you are a Sword Sect Disciple. We cannot afford to suffer such Embarrassment, either.”
Zhang Ze thought about it and decided that Senior was right. His own open-source spirit was useless here; no one else in this world possessed it.
Ultimately, the problem was that the Blood Fiend Technique and Five Ghosts Transport were too conspicuous.
As for a Method of solving it, his Eyes drifted toward the Sword Spirit’s Shining Golden Body.
An idea struck him.
“Senior~ Senior Sword Spirit~ I have a few questions to ask you.”
Zhang Ze’s tone was utterly disgusting.
Fortunately, the Sword Spirit did not notice.
After an intense and exciting discussion, the problems with Five Ghosts Transport and the Blood Fiend Technique were successfully resolved with the Sword Spirit’s help.
The solution was to change their appearance.
Five Ghosts Transport was still acceptable, but using the Blood Fiend Technique was basically like writing the words “I am of the Demonic Path” across one’s face.
Aside from the Sword Core of their Main Body, the Spiritual Body that floated out and wandered about was actually no different from the Five Ghosts. It was also the purest heaven and earth spiritual energy.
It was merely more advanced and more complex.
The Sword Spirit could transform into other people’s appearances, so naturally the Five Ghosts could do the same. Using the Spirit Recognition Technique to imprint this Method into the Five Ghosts’ Spiritual Bodies would alter their appearances.
After receiving the Sword Spirit’s instruction, the little ghosts Zhang Ze summoned now shone with Golden Light.
Each little ghost held a useless treasure sword and wore a suit of Golden Armor that covered its face.
When they Self-detonated, Golden Light shot wildly in every direction.
They were not only handsome but also concealed their Five Elements attributes, making them impossible to guard against.
The System Prompt also sounded at that moment.
【A new Spell has been successfully developed. Awaiting a name. Hidden Condition achieved. The Hidden final Achievement, Grandmaster of the Myriad Laws, has been unlocked.】
Zhang Ze really wanted to criticize the System’s lack of copyright awareness. Why did an Achievement only trigger after changing the appearance?
But criticism was one thing. Zhang Ze still entered Golden Armor Soldiers in the naming field, then claimed the reward.
However, the second Prompt left Zhang Ze somewhat baffled.
【Outer Sect Sole Hidden Quest: Spirit of Bewilderment in progress. Completion: 80 percent.】
“Why is it only 80 percent? Shouldn’t it be 100 percent?”
Seeing that Zhang Ze had stood up but still had not left, the Sword Spirit said indifferently, “Is there anything else?”
Of course Zhang Ze had something else to do. Not only was the Sword Spirit task incomplete, but another task’s Progress had not moved at all.
【Side Hidden Quest: Recalling Past Events.】
Zhang Ze felt that the remaining 20 percent of the Sword Spirit task should be progressing in parallel with this task.
But the Sword Spirit wore an expression that clearly said, “I have already finished telling you everything about these three hundred years. Hurry up and leave.”
Zhang Ze wisely did not ask further. His intuition told him that perhaps he could find a Clue from Old Li.
“Come back.” The Sword Spirit called out to Zhang Ze.
“It really was my fault earlier. Tell your Master that he has a good Disciple.
Then, on my behalf, tell your Master… Forget it. It is nothing. You may leave.”
The Sword Spirit recovered the Strength of the Golden Core Realm and gently waved a hand, sending Zhang Ze out without giving him a chance to speak.
The Sword Spirit’s advancement and their fit of anger definitely had something to do with Old Li.
Zhang Ze was now one hundred percent Confirmed.
After leaving the Cave, he saw Elder Li and Elder Wang Chatting on the Hillside.
He hurried over, performed a Disciple’s salute to Elder Li, then turned and said cheerfully to Grandpa Wang, “Good morning, Grandpa Wang. Have you eaten?”
“I have, I have.”
“Come here. Your Master has something to tell you.” Old Li beckoned.
“Please speak.”
“When venturing through the martial world, never say that you are a Sword Sect Disciple. If you absolutely must say it, do not say you are my Disciple, either. I do not ask that you become an immortal and ascend to Heaven one day. I only ask that you do not bring Embarrassment upon the Sect and me.
Especially that move of yours. Use it sparingly.”
“Senior Sword Spirit already advised me about that.
They even helped me improve it.”
Elder Li looked at the five Golden little ghosts Zhang Ze summoned and breathed a sigh of relief.
“Good. There is no problem now. If that old ox-nosed Daoist from Dragon Tiger Mountain comes looking for you, your Master will back you up.”
Old Li was merely satisfied, but Elder Wang narrowed his Eyes and began plotting.
“What do you say, Zhang Ze? Copy this Spell someday and send it to the Library Pavilion, all right?
Developing a new Spell for the Sect counts as a contribution. I am the Elder of the Library Pavilion, so I can calculate a little extra for you…
Of course, this is entirely voluntary.”
Elder Wang held out his Little Chubby Hand and gestured a number.
Zhang Ze understood immediately. “Without the guidance of Elder Wang and my Master, how could this Disciple have become accomplished? As for this Spell…”
Elder Wang rubbed his three-layered Chin and pointed at Elder Li.
“You are still the one who developed this Spell. Just put the two of our names afterward. Old Li goes before me.”
Elder Li stood to the side, Silent and speechless. He knew why this old Fatty had gotten along so well with his Disciple.
Birds of a feather flock together.
Just as he was lamenting the declining moral standards of the current Cultivating Immortality world, Old Li noticed that his beloved Disciple was tugging at the hem of his Clothes.
“Master, I want to ask you about some old matters.”