Lizarius thought, So I just gather my energy into my core and spread it around my body? Then I can fly?
It tried exactly that—gathering all its energy and compressing it into its core.
Suddenly, its body shrank, becoming smaller in an instant.
When it released the energy, its body returned to its original size.
Lizarius looked down at itself.
Hmm.
I am not flying.
It raised its head and said to the system, "It didn't work."
> System: Incorrect.
You were not able to fly because you did not execute it properly.
Lizarius paused, staring with wide golden eyes, then muttered,
Hmm...
I didn't do it right.
You merely compressed your energy into your core—this concealed your cultivation stage and shrank your body, but that's not flight.
Flying requires you to warm your body—imagine there's fire flowing through your blood.
Spread that warmth through your arms, legs, tail—everywhere.
Once your whole body is buzzing with heat, push that power outward, like you're trying to leap without using your legs.
What you did was the opposite: you pulled everything inward, like curling up and holding your breath.
That hides you, yes—but it doesn't let you fly.
Flying means: Warm up.
Spread out.
Push up.
Not: Squeeze.
Hide.
Wait.
Lizarius eyes widened.
The AI is speaking differently than before.
> System: Recommendation: Try again. This time, don't hold it.
Let it move.
Let it flow.
Then push.
Lizarius blinked and thought,
Gather all the heat into my core, spread it through everywhere in my body, and push.
Suddenly, its body shot up—it was floating in the air.
Hmmm.
It works.
I can fly.
Now I can quickly go back and eat the other humans, it thought as it slowly began to turn invisible and flew off.
---
The Well of Deception
The scene shifted to the Li estates inner courtyard.
Where Li Zhen walked with the fox following closely behind.
They soon reached a quiet garden with a small pond.
The air was still.
Flower petals floated on the water's surface, disturbed only by the occasional ripple.
The fox's turquoise eyes glowed. "Hmm. An illusion."
Li Zhen narrowed his eyes in shock.
Huh? Can it really see through the illusion? No… that's impossible!
The fox continued, "An Illusory Formation. Earth Grade, Low-Tier."
Li Zhen's eyes widened.
It can tell the formation's grade from one glance?
But it's only in the early stage of Foundation Establishment! How is that possible?
The fox glanced toward the center of the garden, tail flicking with interest.
Looks like I hit the jackpot, it thought.
For them to be using such a high-grade formation, there must be hiding some really good stuff inside.
The fox looked at him.
"You must be in possession of the token.
Why aren't you opening the path?"
Li Zhen clenched his teeth.
Damn it.
I had planned to trap it inside the illusion.
Even a mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator would find it hard to escape—but it's already seen through everything.
With a stiff motion, he reached into his robe and pulled out a green, glass-like slip:
The Formation Jade Token.