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*****
At that moment, an impossible thought suddenly popped into Xiao Wu's mind: could it be that during the day and a half that Xiao Tian was missing, he had gone to obtain his first spirit ring?
Xiao Tian said with a playful tone, "Take a guess!"
After speaking, he shot a glance at Xiao Chenyu in the distance, his eyes filled with a clear warning. If he ever dared to bring another crowd of spectators, he would beat him so badly that not even his own father would recognize him!
Xiao Wu stomped her foot in frustration, but her curiosity about him only grew stronger. Just what kind of person was this Xiao Tian?
Xiao Tian first returned to the dormitory to take a shower, then found another secluded and open spot within the academy to resume his practice. However, he didn't immediately start learning the Three Absolute Sword Qi that the system had given him. Instead, he replayed the images of Tang San using the Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track and other Tang Sect secret arts in his mind.
He started with the Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track. Thanks to his enhanced comprehension, he was able to replicate the movements with ease, but he felt that something was missing. He had the form, but not the essence. He soon gave up, realizing the reason: Tang San's Tang Sect techniques were all derived from the foundation of the Mysterious Heaven Skill, a cultivation method he did not possess.
After another moment of thought, he decided to drop it. He had only been trying it out of curiosity anyway; he never had much interest in Tang San's cultivation methods and secret arts to begin with. It wasn't as if only Tang San had a cheat system; he had one too! And were any of the footwork or sword techniques the system provided him not superior to Tang San's?
With that, he immediately began to practice the Three Absolute Sword Qi.
Since Xiao Tian already understood how to release sword qi, he quickly learned the usage of the Three Absolute Sword Qi. In fact, he comprehended it so well that he was able to grasp the Seven Absolute Sword Qi! However, after executing the Seven Absolute Sword Qi, more than half of his spirit power was depleted.
Xiao Tian couldn't help but marvel inwardly. As expected of the ultimate skill of the Lin Family Fort, its power was truly impressive. As his own strength increased, the power of this Seven Absolute Sword Qi would surely become even greater!
This was the advantage of self-created spirit abilities. Although the power of a skill granted by a spirit ring would differ depending on the user's strength, it was ultimately limited by the age of the ring itself. No matter how strong the user, it could never compare to a skill from a higher-aged ring. That was why powerful experts in the later stages of cultivation rarely used their hundred-year or even thousand-year spirit rings, unless those rings provided amplification-type abilities!
Xiao Tian mused to himself that since the Seven Absolute Sword Qi was the ancestral secret art of the Lin Family Fort in a world of immortal cultivation, it must be of a higher grade than Tang San's martial arts from his original wuxia world. That meant that Tang San's Tang Sect secret arts were simply not on the same level as techniques like his "Seven Absolute Sword Qi" or "Immortal Wind Cloud Body Art"! The fact that he had been curious enough to even try replicating them just now... thinking back, he felt a bit foolish, like someone who had picked up a sesame seed while dropping a watermelon.
Just then, Xiao Wu finally found him. She walked over, looking rather peeved. "Xiao Tian, if I win against you, you have to tell me what your spirit power rank is. How about it?"
Xiao Tian found this a bit difficult to handle. Why was this Xiao Wu so persistent?
And so...
A glint appeared in Xiao Tian's eyes. "Then if you lose, how about you come with me to the Spirit Hall branch in Nuoding City? You need to collect your Spirit Master subsidy. You can't just keep eating my food forever. The few copper coins you earn from the work-study program are probably only enough to feed yourself."
The expression on Xiao Wu's face instantly froze.
Xiao Wu fell silent.
Xiao Wu spoke.
"Fine. As long as you beat me, I will go to Spirit Hall to collect my subsidy every month from now on." Xiao Wu said with firm resolution.
Xiao Tian: "..."
'Uh, seriously, dude? Why aren't you following the script? You're that desperate to know my rank?'
"Don't you hate Spirit Hall? If that's the case, I'd actually advise you to forget it. If you accept their subsidy and then, for whatever unknown reason you have, you decide to retaliate against Spirit Hall in the future, I would think... you're an ungrateful wretch. Although we've only known each other for a few days, in my impression, you, Xiao Wu, are supposed to be a lively, cheerful, and competitive girl..."
Xiao Tian's words struck a deep chord within Xiao Wu's heart.
She took a deep breath and said, "I can promise that if I accept Spirit Hall's subsidy, then if the time comes when I have the chance to kill that person, I am willing to spare her life just once!"
Xiao Wu had truly made a momentous decision. If in the future she truly grew strong enough to kill Bibi Dong and had the opportunity to do so, she would be willing to let her go once, in fulfillment of today's promise. It would be her repayment!
'Holy crap! Awesome!'
Xiao Tian felt that Xiao Wu's decision was quite unexpected. Of course, no matter how hard she tried, it was impossible for her to defeat Bibi Dong on her own. But this was a good thing. Xiao Wu now had the motivation to cultivate, and there was now room for maneuver in the future. When she eventually met Bibi Dong, if she could just release Ah Rou's soul, everything could be explained!
(Using the setting from the God Realm's supplementary story: Xiao Wu's mother went to the Great Vicious Land and died, she was not killed by Bibi Dong. Just stating this in advance.)
"Ah... Mm... Xiao Tian, I was wrong! Stop spanking my butt!"
Tears were about to well up in Xiao Wu's eyes from the pain.
Obviously, she had lost her match against Xiao Tian. And not only was he making her go to the Spirit Hall branch to collect her subsidy, but he was also spanking her! And he really wasn't showing any mercy at all; his palm came down with a series of sharp smacks!
Only now did she remember what Xiao Tian had said a couple of days ago: if she lost a fight, she shouldn't blame him for spanking her! She had completely forgotten about it, and now the boomerang had come back to hit her right where it hurts.
Finally, clutching her sore bottom, Xiao Wu said with tears welling in her eyes, "Xiao Tian! Couldn't you have been a little gentler! It's definitely red!"
Xiao Tian was now in an excellent mood. He said with a roguish grin, "You're the one who said it before. What's the matter? Want me to take a look and put some medicine on it for you?"
Xiao Wu bit her lip and said hatefully, "You're not a sword cultivator, you're a scoundrel cultivator!"
Xiao Tian: "..."
Ahem. Xiao Tian pretended he didn't understand. The two words sounded the same anyway. Scoundrel, so be it. It added a bit of spice to his usual training routine. Wouldn't life be too monotonous otherwise?
[Ding! Host, you f***ing shocked this little system again! To treat the God King's wife like that, and it even seems to have made her develop a slight fondness for you! But, hehe, this little system loves it!]
[Triggering a critical hit reward! You have obtained a Cornucopia and a method to use spirit abilities without revealing their spirit rings.]
[Cornucopia: Will randomly produce copper, silver, or gold spirit coins every day.]
'Holy crap!'
This time, what shocked Xiao Tian wasn't the two rewards the system gave him, but the fact that defeating Xiao Wu could also yield a reward! Oh wait, that required further investigation. Was the reward for defeating Xiao Wu, or for making her develop a fondness for him?
Xiao Wu noticed Xiao Tian's eyes suddenly light up as he looked at her with a strange smile. Her bottom immediately started to ache again.
"Xiao Wu, how about we have another round?"
"No! Don't you come near me!"
Tears of regret welled up in Xiao Wu's eyes. She was really asking for it...
(End of this chapter)