Chapter 197 - 165: Mystic Rhinoceros Skill

Chapter 197: Chapter 165: Mystic Rhinoceros Skill

The Bodhi Aura from a tree not yet five thousand years old was still limited. It couldn’t boost Zhang Ji’s computational abilities enough to rival Taiyi-Zero.

He had failed once again.

However, he had put up a slightly better fight than before.

Zhang Ji figured that ’it was hard to say if even the ultimate form of a hundred-thousand-year-old Bodhi Tree could allow his computational ability to surpass Taiyi-Zero’.

Every master has their specialty, and this was admittedly one of his weaker areas.

He would just have to see if he could rival it after he finished learning the *Buddha’s Inner Scenery Sutra*.

Playing cards with Taiyi-Zero was just a recreational way to gather some information; Zhang Ji hadn’t forgotten his main objectives.

Once Ling Xuzi had the Spirit Stones and Star Sand ready, he set off again, returning to Origin Star.

In less than a day, he was back on Origin Star.

He also brought back a large quantity of Spirit Stones.

The Star Sand was expected to be forged into artifact blanks within half a month, while Zhang Ji delivered the Spirit Stones in batches to several research organizations.

The lion’s share went to the World Alchemy Science Academy and the Physics Department.

Then, smaller portions were given to organizations like Xia Yu Country for their own research.

Although Robby and his team were groundbreaking scientists, one person’s abilities were ultimately limited. Letting a hundred flowers bloom was the best way for a society to progress.

What if someone else came up with a unique inspiration?

Besides, there was no need for Robby and his team to waste their energy on more low-end technologies, so it was necessary to delegate some tasks to other organizations.

Zhang Ji added two more drops of ambrosia to the Bodhi Tree, pushing its age to around five thousand years.

As a result, the range of the Bodhi Aura expanded.

The Bodhi Tree itself didn’t grow much larger, remaining at about five meters tall.

The aura’s intensity, however, had noticeably increased.

Zhang Ji sat cross-legged beneath it, cultivating the various [Concentration Sect] martial arts that he had originally deduced with the help of an AI.

He could feel the corrective effect of the Bodhi Aura.

It allowed him to focus on his tasks with almost no missteps, greatly increasing the efficiency of his technique circulation. At the same time, it boosted countless related inspirations and his body’s operational functions.

That’s right, the Bodhi Aura also enhanced the body’s physiological functions.

The basic principle was similar to reducing wear and tear, enhancing the efficiency of the body’s various systems, improving energy utilization, and so on.

It could be understood as an aura version of a "Super Gluttony Skill."

Of the one thousand [Concentration Sect] skills Zhang Ji now possessed, he had already mastered six hundred twenty-four. Under this Bodhi Tree, and with a massive supply of resources, he was confident he could learn the remaining three hundred seventy-six skills in just twenty days.

By then, he would have completed his sixth (Epic) grade, Cultivation Technique-type combat crystal.

According to Zhang Ji’s estimates, by that time, if it were purely a matter of raw stats, his overall attributes would be no lower than S-rank.

He might still be lacking in terms of quality, but supplemented by his many technique-type combat crystals, he would be strong enough to go head-to-head with most S-rank fighters.

If he were to encounter Nangong Zhiqing again, judging by the combat power she had displayed, Zhang Ji believed he wouldn’t have to flee. Fighting her head-on for several hundred rounds shouldn’t be a problem.

As for whether he could win?

That would depend on their respective performances and hidden trump cards.

But he was absolutely confident he wouldn’t lose.

With his speed, even the Celestial Dao Alliance’s top Sword Cultivator, Dugu Yunfeng, probably couldn’t catch him.

Once he obtained another Epic combat crystal of the [Concentration Sect], his speed would increase even further.

Let’s see them try to catch him then.

.....

Time flowed on, and Zhang Ji’s strength improved rapidly.

In mid-October, he finally mastered all one thousand of the deduced combat crystals.

Just like when he had synthesized the Instant Thunder Without Delay Skill, his consciousness sank into the Limited Space.

The numerous combat crystals each shone with their own light within this space.

"Synthesize!"

"Synthesize!"

"Synthesize!"

....

With each of Zhang Ji’s syntheses, the number of combat crystals decreased, and their colors began to change.

Zhang Ji absorbed them into his body one by one, feeling them, reading their information, and grasping their underlying connections.

Then he proceeded with further synthesis.

He transformed them into ten deep-blue combat crystals.

He felt them, then synthesized again.

A single combat crystal, shining with purple light, appeared.

Its name was the *Mystic Rhinoceros Skill*.

True to its name, this skill’s core function was to enhance one’s Spirit and improve observational and perceptive abilities.

Zhang Ji was aiming for well-rounded development, and with this combat crystal, he would further shore up his weaknesses.

With a single thought, Zhang Ji integrated it into his body.

Immediately, his Spirit began to undergo a transformation.

His Spirit particles grew more condensed and their numbers increased; both quality and quantity were being enhanced.

Memories surged forth.

This result was the culmination of long years of deduction and cultivation.

This time, the process was shorter than before, taking less than four hundred years.

This was because he himself was also growing stronger.

With a better foundation, the results came more easily.

Without opening his eyes, Zhang Ji’s Spirit particles spread out like a thread in the next instant, extending over a hundred kilometers away. Then, with him as the center, they swept around in a circle, bringing all surrounding information under his control.

Then, Zhang Ji drew them back in, expanding them into a sphere that uniformly transformed the surrounding thirty-plus kilometers into an observation Domain.

His perceptive abilities, range, and methods had all increased dramatically. At full power, his detection range could even cover hundreds of kilometers.

Moreover, he could also launch attacks within that range.

He could manipulate Primordial Qi with his Spirit particles to strike targets over a hundred kilometers away.

He could also directly conjure wind, Control Fire, command lightning, or manipulate water...

To be more direct, he could wrap a random stone with his Spirit particles and hurl it over a hundred kilometers.

The feat of a Celestial Essence Realm Sword Cultivator killing an enemy from a hundred li away with a flying sword was now something Zhang Ji could also accomplish.

Of course, these were just additions to his arsenal of techniques.

The most important thing was that the increase in his stats also led to a further increase in the strength of his moves.

Zhang Ji raised his hand and lightly brushed past a nearby stone.

As his palm fell, the stone instantly disintegrated and reformed into the sculpture of a tree.

His Control Power had reached a new level, opening up more possibilities for the use of [Only I Am Honored].

And...

Zhang Ji tapped the bark of the sculpture.

It came off and he held it in his palm.

Its texture and properties were not much different from that of a real pine tree.

Sweeping it with his Spirit particles, he felt there was no major difference either.

This Palm Skill had undergone a qualitative transformation.

If Zhang Ji were to use it with his current stats at full power, even a true S-rank master would have to treat it with the utmost seriousness.

......

World Alchemy Science Academy.

"Those elemental crystals you brought are fascinating," Robby said. "Even the elemental energy I refine with the latest equipment can’t match their purity. It’s as if they have no impurities at all."

"Any results?" Zhang Ji asked.

"A few Alchemy Potions, but they’re undiluted. You can give them a try," Robby said.

As he spoke, he opened a safe, revealing several vials of liquid that glowed with a crimson light.

Zhang Ji took one out. After opening it, he could clearly feel the surrounding temperature rise.

"This feels a bit like Dela’s Blood," Zhang Ji commented.

"The energy in Dela’s Blood isn’t this pure," Robby said.

Taking a small sip, Zhang Ji felt his True Solar Flame stir with joy.

At the same time, his bloodline began to circulate, absorbing and converting the vast amount of pure energy.

"Good stuff," Zhang Ji said, his eyes lighting up. "One sip is worth two days of my usual supplements."

"As long as you’re satisfied," Robby replied.

"What about the research on Spirit Roots?" Zhang Ji asked.

"With the Spirit Stones you provided, we were able to purify a batch of Spiritual Qi and create our own Spirit Roots."

Robby led Zhang Ji forward, where various different Spirit Roots were visible inside a series of cultivation tanks.

Just like the previous five-element ’waste’ Spirit Roots, countless root filaments extended down, soaking in a special Alchemy Liquid.

However, these had many different attributes—not just the five elements, but also yin and yang. One even had arcs of electricity spreading across it, while another gave off a strange metallic luster.

"This is a Thunder Spirit Root and a Steel Spirit Root," Robby said excitedly. "By combining their artificial Spirit Root technology with our Alchemy Technology, we’ve created a new type of Spirit Root. By using these Spirit Roots to absorb Spiritual Qi, we can strengthen their inherent characteristics. People will then be able to master a variety of corresponding special abilities. The development potential is enormous... I still have many other special designs. The potential of Spirit Roots is far from exhausted! If we had abundant Spiritual Qi and everyone was transplanted with a corresponding Spirit Root, they could perform their jobs more effectively. Our Alchemy Technology would experience an explosive leap forward..."

"Excellent," Zhang Ji nodded, then asked, "What’s the status of that egg?"

"It should hatch in another ten days or so," Robby said. "I’ve already collected enough genetic data. We can start trying to create the bloodline potion once it hatches. However, after transplanting the bloodline with its growth restrictions removed, it will grow rapidly inside you. To avoid affecting your normal nutrient supply, you’ll need to prepare extra supplements."

"You don’t have to tell me. I already experienced that with Dela’s Blood," Zhang Ji said.

"No, no, no, this is different from Dela’s Blood," Robby warned. "Dela’s Blood was tempered, making it much milder. You could even supplement some of its nutritional needs by sunbathing. This bloodline potion has a much higher potential than Dela’s Blood, and you’re planning to use it directly without tempering. The strain on your body will be immense."

"Alright, I’ll keep that in mind and treat it with due seriousness," Zhang Ji said.

Every bloodline has a growth process.

It’s basically impossible to be born with the abilities of a full adult.

But an Alchemy Potion can unlock this limitation, removing the corresponding mechanism and allowing an individual who has acquired a bloodline to rapidly grow to its limit in a short time, gaining its full power.

This is both a good thing and a bad thing.

Because such rapid growth requires the host to have an abundant supply of nutrients.

Otherwise, malnutrition would cause many problems in the bloodline’s development.

It was not uncommon for the host’s Spirit to become warped, or for nutrients to be siphoned from other organs to fuel the bloodline. In some cases, rejection phenomena could even occur.

That was why Robby had made a point to mention it.

After discussing things with Robby and briefly mentioning future research directions, Zhang Ji headed to Xia Yu Country. He took the Spirit-Suppressing Needle artifact blanks and set off once more for the Celestial Essence Realm.

Once the Spirit-Suppressing Needle artifact blanks were in place, it wouldn’t be long before the Ascetic Order would likely execute the next phase of their plan.

When their floating fortress fell, they wouldn’t just be unable to invade Origin Star—they wouldn’t even be able to protect their own home base.