Chapter 144 - 139: Gradually Growing Stronger

Chapter 144: Chapter 139: Gradually Growing Stronger

Jiang Zuo felt that time was truly a butcher’s knife.

If it were him from over a hundred years ago, he probably would have tried to convince Xu Xiuyun to stay, telling her not to leave and that they could plot her revenge slowly.

But now, he felt that if Xu Xiuyun wanted to talk about their future together, he would likely find it troublesome, not joyful.

’Is it because I’ve gotten used to being alone?’

Jiang Zuo thought about it carefully and felt it was more than just that.

The real reason was that his pursuit of power had long since surpassed any desire for a female companion.

No matter how wonderful a woman might be, it could never compare to the sense of security that immense power gave him.

Perhaps if he attained near-invincible strength in the future, he might change his current way of thinking.

But as for how long that would take, Jiang Zuo couldn’t say.

In just over a hundred years, he had already begun to change significantly without even realizing it.

After countless more years, who could possibly know what he would become?

Jiang Zuo shook his head, not dwelling on it for too long.

The rapid improvement brought by Dual Cultivation, especially the enhancement of his physical body, was intoxicating to him.

No wonder Dual Cultivation Sects existed in the Cultivation Realm. If all Dual Cultivation Techniques were this potent, ordinary sects would likely struggle to survive.

However, Jiang Zuo also understood that the main reason he could improve so quickly and dramatically through Dual Cultivation was that Xu Xiuyun’s Cultivation was far higher than his own.

Once his physical body reached a certain level, the rate of improvement from the Dual Cultivation Technique would inevitably slow down.

Xu Xiuyun benefited no less than Jiang Zuo from their Dual Cultivation, so they continued their sessions with a tacit understanding.

But one day, Xu Xiuyun bit her lip, her face slightly flushed, and said to Jiang Zuo, "Um... when we’re performing Dual Cultivation, can we try to keep the positions a little more... normal?"

Xu Xiuyun felt that during the actual Dual Cultivation, Jiang Zuo was quite proper. The problem was that recently, after the Dual Cultivation Technique had finished running, he wouldn’t let her leave right away.

If that were all, it would have been fine. After all, they were already performing Dual Cultivation, and Xu Xiuyun wasn’t entirely naive; she was somewhat mentally prepared for such things. Compared to what she knew of Dual Cultivation, Jiang Zuo extending the session slightly wasn’t an outrageous request.

The crucial point was that Xu Xiuyun found the positions Jiang Zuo put them in *afterward* to be a bit... improper.

"This way, the Dual Cultivation is more effective!"

Jiang Zuo said shamelessly.

"Really?"

Xu Xiuyun was skeptical. They clearly weren’t circulating the Dual Cultivation Technique at that point.

"It’s effective for me!"

Jiang Zuo insisted.

Of course, he wasn’t about to admit that always maintaining the proper Dual Cultivation positions was boring.

Besides, Jiang Zuo sensed that Xu Xiuyun would soon make a full recovery, and when that time came, she would attempt another breakthrough.

This time, she was very likely to succeed.

After she advanced to the Divine Body Realm, Jiang Zuo knew she would leave soon for the Western Divine Continent.

At that point, he would go back to living alone.

Although Xu Xiuyun was still a little doubtful about Jiang Zuo’s words, she didn’t say anything more.

She didn’t know how Jiang Zuo did it, but she could clearly sense that he was also growing continuously stronger through their Dual Cultivation.

After accepting Jiang Zuo’s reason, whenever he made any small requests during their subsequent sessions, Xu Xiuyun was no longer as resistant and would quietly accept.

And so, the two of them practiced Dual Cultivation in the valley for nearly three years.

Shortly after another Dual Cultivation session, Xu Xiuyun once again went into seclusion to attempt a breakthrough.

Half a year later, Xu Xiuyun emerged from her seclusion. By then, she was already a Divine Body Realm Cultivator.

However, she didn’t leave right away, instead staying in the valley for another half a year.

Whether to consolidate her Cultivation or to repay Jiang Zuo, the two of them continued their Dual Cultivation during those six months.

After three years of Dual Cultivation, the benefits Jiang Zuo received had already diminished significantly.

But after Xu Xiuyun’s advancement, the improvements from their Dual Cultivation once again became enormous.

However, half a year after her promotion, when Jiang Zuo went out again, he returned to find a short farewell letter from Xu Xiuyun in his wooden cabin.

Floating slowly into the air above the valley, Xu Xiuyun looked down at the place where she had lived for over seven years with a complicated expression.

For more than seven years, she had lived in the same place as Jiang Zuo.

Although they had separate rooms, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say they had been living together.

Her perception of Jiang Zuo had changed from seeing him as a father figure at the beginning to him becoming her Dual Cultivation partner.

Recalling this journey, Xu Xiuyun’s expression grew even more complex.

After spending more than seven years with him, Xu Xiuyun knew that Jiang Zuo was no ordinary mortal but someone who held a great secret.

Otherwise, there was no explaining how a mere mortal could be so powerful.

Xu Xiuyun still clearly remembered that on the night the Xu Family was annihilated, Jiang Zuo had been on top of Black Mountain, digging up the precious Spirit Wood that her family had relied on for survival.

But even if Jiang Zuo hadn’t done so, the Spirit Wood would no longer have belonged to the Xu Family anyway.

Xu Xiuyun also had a faint feeling that it was best for her not to ask.

So, for all these years, Xu Xiuyun had simply pretended that it never happened.

Shaking her head, Xu Xiuyun’s gaze gradually became resolute.

With a flicker of her figure, she left without a single look back.

The benefits she had gained from their Dual Cultivation during this time were immense.

Before, Xu Xiuyun would worry if she could truly join the Celestial Sound Sect, but now, she was filled with unparalleled confidence.

More than half a day later, Jiang Zuo returned.

He glanced at the letter left on the wooden table, shook his head, and said nothing.

The letter was brief, just a few words from Xu Xiuyun thanking him for his care over the years. Beyond that, there was nothing else.

He figured Xu Xiuyun also believed that after this departure, there was likely no chance they would ever meet again.

After all, one was a Cultivator, and the other was a mortal.

And Xu Xiuyun was heading to the Western Divine Continent.

A mortal could never reach the Western Divine Continent in their entire lifetime.

By the time Xu Xiuyun returned from the Western Divine Continent, she would need to have at least the strength to challenge the Yin Yang Sect.

Who knew how many years that would be? Even if Jiang Zuo was incredibly capable and powerful, as long as he didn’t practice Cultivation, he wouldn’t live that long.

With Xu Xiuyun gone, he could no longer practice Dual Cultivation. The cultivation of his Body Freedom Technique had come to a halt.

However, the improvement to Jiang Zuo’s physical body from this period of Dual Cultivation was immense.

Jiang Zuo’s physical body was now absurdly powerful.

Before, no matter how high his stats were, a moment of carelessness when facing an Innate Martial Artist’s attack could lead to serious injury.

But now, Jiang Zuo could stand perfectly still without circulating any Cultivation Technique and withstand an Innate Martial Artist’s attack without being harmed.

As for Qi Cultivation stage cultivators, they were no longer a threat to Jiang Zuo at all.

Only the Magic of a Dao Foundation Cultivator could cause him some harm.

But it was only *some* harm. He no longer had to worry that a moment of carelessness would result in a fatal wound like before.

Combined with his Power of Life, Jiang Zuo no longer needed to fear the vast majority of Dao Foundation Cultivators.

He felt that if he faced a Dao Foundation Cultivator and circulated his Cultivation Technique, he could crush them in a head-on confrontation without much effort.

Originally, he had planned to rely on Xiaoqing to enter the Cyan Wood Secret Realm.

But now, before Xiaoqing had even advanced, he had already gained the power to protect himself against Dao Foundation Cultivators.

Of course, it would be for the best if Xiaoqing and the others could advance.

That would make him even more confident.

Xu Xiuyun’s departure left Jiang Zuo feeling a little unsettled for a while.

However, it didn’t take long for him to readjust.

In fact, with Xu Xiuyun gone, Jiang Zuo could do many things without worrying about being discovered.

Previously, he had to be sneaky when infusing the Pet Beast Spirit Garden with Spiritual Qi every day. Now, he could simply leave the connection channel open all day long.

As long as the Spiritual Qi in the valley didn’t deplete too quickly, he didn’t have to worry about it at all.

「Six years after Xu Xiuyun’s departure.」

『The Celestial Dao rewards diligence! Through continuously raising Gray Rock Rats, you have obtained the rat Racial Ability "Bone Shrinking Technique"!』

—Bone Shrinking Technique: A rat Racial Ability. You have mastered the rats’ ability to shrink and shift their bones, but the effect is significantly reduced on larger bones.

’It’s actually the Bone Shrinking Technique. I thought it would be an ability like digging holes.’

After a total of seventeen years, Jiang Zuo had finally cultivated the Racial Ability of the Gray Rock Rats.

Jiang Zuo was a little surprised as he looked at the Racial Ability he had acquired.

But on second thought, it seemed quite normal.

These Gray Rock Rats could squeeze through any crack, as long as there was a sliver of a gap under a door.

This was clearly the Bone Shrinking Technique in action.

Moreover, the Bone Shrinking Technique seemed even more useful for Jiang Zuo.

After practicing martial arts, Jiang Zuo’s physique had become quite large. One look and anyone could tell he was a practitioner.

With the Bone Shrinking Technique, he could finally change that.

Jiang Zuo immediately tried out the effect of the Bone Shrinking Technique.

’My height can shrink from 1.8 meters to a little over 1.6 meters, and my whole frame can shrink by a size.’

’Just like the skill description said, it can’t make drastic changes, and the duration isn’t too long either—two hours at most.’

’Still, it’s enough for an emergency. I can consider strengthening it in the future.’

The effect of the Bone Shrinking Technique wasn’t as outrageous as some he knew of, but Jiang Zuo wasn’t about to complain.

Jiang Zuo had already decided on his next Pet Beast to raise: a pangolin, for its digging ability.

As for Spirit Beasts, Jiang Zuo wasn’t considering them for now.

He was now capable of capturing a first-rank Spirit Beast.

But he had not yet started Cultivation. For a mortal to capture a first-rank Spirit Beast would be a very troublesome process.

If he were to be discovered by other Cultivators, he would be in big trouble.

There were only twenty-four years left until the Cyan Wood Secret Realm opened.

Jiang Zuo didn’t want to stir up any trouble at a time like this.

Once he returned from the Cyan Wood Secret Realm and awakened his Spirit Root, everything would be much simpler.

He began raising the pangolin, and three years later, Xiaoqing brought him good news.

It had advanced to a second-rank Spirit Beast.

Actually, Jiang Zuo had already sensed it even before Xiaoqing told him.

The attribute bonuses he received from Xiaoqing had suddenly skyrocketed.

Especially in terms of his Physique and defense, Jiang Zuo felt as if an invisible protective layer now enveloped his entire body.

No one could harm him without first breaking through this layer of protection.

Jiang Zuo’s physical body was already exceptionally powerful after cultivating the Body Freedom Technique.

With this added layer of protection, Jiang Zuo felt that among Dao Foundation Cultivators, ordinary methods could no longer harm him in the slightest.

Xiaoqing had previously only been able to attack by spitting a beam of Cyan Light. After advancing to the second rank, it gained a Defense Technique.

It could summon a small cyan shield around its body.

The defensive power of this small cyan shield was astounding.

Even with his own explosive increase in strength, Jiang Zuo had to unleash a barrage of ten full-power punches just to break Xiaoqing’s shield.

It hadn’t gained any new offensive abilities, but the power of its Cyan Light beam had clearly increased a great deal.