Rising from Small Cloud Rain Technique

Ji An performed the Object Control Technique, grabbed the Jade Slip in his hand, and carefully checked it without finding any problems.

However, the Jade Slip was only half intact, with a smooth cut, and faint golden light lingering on it, entwined with sharp and annihilating Magic Intent, clearly caused by the cut of the Geng Metal Spirit-Slaying Sword.

He couldn’t help but grin, displaying a rather awkward smile:

"So this is the loot? It’s too shabby and impractical."

He squinted slightly. He wasn’t interested in Demonic Cultivation Techniques, but he could refer to it and figure out how to guard against Demon Cultivators. He just didn’t know if it contained any useful information.

Once the Jade Slip is broken, the stored information will quickly dissipate, so he had to hurry to read it.

Ji An’s fingertip sparked flames, controlling the output of Magical Power, and roasted the Jade Slip for a short while.

Although he didn’t find any hidden tricks on it, being cautious never hurts.

Wisps of black smoke were burnt out without any other anomalies, and finally, the black smoke dissipated, turning the Jade Slip into a lead-gray color.

He pressed the Jade Slip against his forehead, probing with his Divine Sense to discover the contents inside.

Soon, an expression of surprise appeared on his face.

There was a record of a Demonic Cultivation Technique inside, but only the latter half. Without the beginning part, the technique was meaningless, but at the end, there was a Secret Technique—Spirit Roar.

This was a Spirit Soul Attack Secret Technique. He skimmed through it quickly, immediately realizing that this was precisely the secret technique he’d been subjected to during the battle!

He immediately took out a Blank Jade Slip and copied the Spell of the Spirit Roar.

After comparing it word for word, he held it tightly, and the black jade slip instantly turned to powder.

Ji An opened his hand, letting the powder drift away with the wind.

Unwilling to linger any longer, he rode the Earth-Departing Flame Banner flying towards the direction of the Sect.

The light of the Spiritual Artifact painted a gorgeous, dreamlike color in the sky.

After about half an hour, feeling close enough to the Sect, he simultaneously flew and took out the Mother-Child Unity Jade to ask his ancestor for aid.

"Ancestor, this disciple was attacked by a Chao Origin Stage Demon Cultivator."

He shook his ancestor, pondering if he could catch up with the enemy, still mindful of the Demon Cultivator’s ruthless words. Although everyone wants them eliminated, their cultivation progresses exceptionally fast.

He quickly received a response and then stopped in mid-air, awaiting his ancestor’s arrival.

...

Moments later, Ji An saw an auspicious yellow cloud flying towards the disciple, soon reaching him.

Daoist Master Zhengyang exhaled slightly upon seeing the disciple unharmed:

"Where were you attacked? Did you use the Talisman Treasure?"

Through questioning, much useful information can be obtained.

Ji An pointed behind him, answering:

"Fly in this direction for about five hundred miles. It’s near an unknown low mountain, an area desolated for hundreds of miles."

"The disciple was evenly matched with the Demon Cultivator, and after a fierce battle, the opponent fled. However, the flying speed was too fast for the disciple to pursue, so I had to return to report."

Even if it were possible to catch up, he probably wouldn’t, as the enemy might be ’fishing.’"

"You did the right thing. Let’s go have a look. Come aboard and guide me."

Daoist Master Zhengyang nodded, aware of this disciple owning two Top Grade Spiritual Artifacts, one for attack and one for defense, complementing each other well.

In his view, this disciple’s magical combat abilities were heavily reliant on the power of the Spiritual Artifacts.

However, financial resources are also part of one’s strength, so with the disciple traveling outside the Sect, he felt more at ease.

Ji An jumped onto the ancestor’s auspicious cloud, retrieving the Earth-Departing Flame Banner, and began pointing the way.

After two quarters of an hour, the two found the battle site and searched for some blood stains scattered on the ground.

Daoist Master Zhengyang collected the blood along with the earth and stones to perform a Magic Technique. He closed his eyes and carefully sensed before gently shaking his head:

"These bloodstains have undergone special refinement and cannot point to the position of the Demon Cultivator. It looks like she got away."

They searched and found a hidden cave within the mountain’s belly but still found nothing pointing to the enemy.

With no choice, the two destroyed the cave and left.

On the way back, Ji An asked:

"Ancestor, what Secret Technique did you use? You could even track someone’s position."

"It’s not a Secret Technique but rather the Spirit Soul Sensing Technique of a Golden Core Stage Cultivator. Once you break through to the Golden Core Stage, you can naturally use it."

Daoist Master Zhengyang explained. Compared to a Chao Origin Stage disciple, a Golden Core Cultivator’s Spiritual Strength makes a significant leap.

"I see," Ji An scratched his head. Regardless of the kind of Magic Technique, as long as it seemed useful, he wanted to learn it.

"Why did you go to such a distant area?" Daoist Master Zhengyang was puzzled, as this disciple never liked going out.

"A friend I knew since joining the Sect left the Sect and returned to their family."

"It’s a farewell for who knows how long, so I went to see them off."

Daoist Master Zhengyang nodded slightly, a kind smile appearing at the corners of his lips:

"Mm, the time during Qi Refining Stage is relatively pure, but be careful not to put yourself in danger.

There are still quite a few remnants of Demon Cultivators and their ilk hiding in the corners of the Western Continent, like rats in sewers, whose unexpected tactics are unknown."

The disciple cherishes old friendships, which is a good thing. While the Sect does need powerful cultivators to lead, it doesn’t favor those who become emotionless for the sake of cultivation.

Such disciples, even if cultivated, won’t have much sense of belonging to the sect.

Ji An softly replied:

"Disciple understands."

Daoist Master Zhengyang pondered for a moment and said:

"The situation in the Western Continent is still somewhat unstable. If you wish to explore in the future, heading east to the Central Continent or south to the Southern Continent are both good options, but do not go to the Arctic Wind Continent."

The Arctic is a realm of ice and snow, where the effect of Earth Eating Qi is poor. Additionally, the forces there are unfriendly to cultivators from other continents, often leading to disputes.

Li Haoran is a sword cultivator, and thrives in such an environment, but it’s unsuitable for other disciples.

"My thought is also to go to the Southern Continent."

Ji An replied with a smile. In the Southern Continent, the mountains and waters are interdependent, and trees abound. His Earth Escape, Water Escape, and Wood Escape would all come in handy there.

"At that time, if the sect needs Earth Eating Qi cultivators, there are several of you. You can go together and look after each other."

Daoist Master Zhengyang had never cared so much for a single disciple. Ji An was indeed a treasure, with a role crucial to the sect’s future development, comparable to a Golden Core cultivator.

...

Ji An rode the cloud back to Red Flame Peak, entered the grotto mansion directly, and began carefully studying the Spirit Soul Attack Secret Technique.

Two double hours later, he finally understood the basic principle of the magic technique.

To practice this technique, there’s a prerequisite that the spiritual strength must reach a certain threshold.

If an ordinary cultivator with average spiritual strength wants to practice this, their cultivation level would need to reach the Fifth Transformation of Chao Origin.

Strictly speaking, this secret technique is not a demonic cultivation technique.

Ji An brewed a cup of Jade Dew Golden Bud Tea, took out the Black Soul-Calming Grass pudun, and adjusted his Divine Sense to the optimal state before activating the Power of Spirit Soul to attempt releasing the magic technique.

After another half an hour, he finally successfully released his first spirit soul attack.

However, with no target, he didn’t know the attack’s effect.

[Magic Technique: Spirit Roar (Entry 1%)]

"Refine Spirit Mechanism, enhance Spirit Roar."

’This magic technique cannot be improved through refining Spirit Mechanism.’

Ji An sighed softly, confirming that spirit soul secret techniques are not part of the Five Elements, as expected.

This technique bullies the weak; against enemies whose spiritual strength is far below his own, it can knock them out instantly.

Against enemies with slightly higher spiritual strength, it can still have some effect, but it’s not significant.

Using it against enemies with much higher spiritual strength would cause very slight harm, maybe only a momentary pain in the opponent’s Sea of Consciousness.

There are several drawbacks; the technique exhausts Divine Sense significantly, and after successful release, it causes a strong fatigue making consecutive use impossible.

There’s a distance limitation for attacks, with entry-level techniques only having an effective range of ten zhang.

Ji An finally understood why the enemy had to get close to him to attack.

Overall, though, it is a very good technique, capable of striking a decisive blow at crucial moments, especially against weaker opponents.

The question arises, should it be submitted to the sect?

He pondered for a moment before deciding to submit it later, not now, but after he breaks through to the Golden Core Stage.

...

Yun Nianrong dared not stay, and fled towards a secluded place, adjusting direction several times, flying rapidly in an irregular arc towards Luofeng Valley’s territory.

Along the way, she encountered several Foundation Establishment cultivators, and engulfed them in a Blood River.

In the Blood River, the cultivators’ bodies rapidly dissolved, with blood and spirit souls becoming her nourishment.

After two nonstop days and nights of flying, she arrived at the territory governed by Luofeng Valley.

Yun Nianrong submerged into a river, entered a large lake, then came ashore to find a desolate mountain with sparse Spiritual Qi, and carved out an underground grotto mansion in a secluded valley.

It was only at this point that she had time to assess her losses.

A quarter of the Blood River was incinerated, requiring the deaths of dozens of late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators to restore.

The Blood Beast’s origin was damaged, and her cultivation level dropped from the Second Transformation of the Chao Origin Stage to the late-stage Foundation Establishment.

Yun Nianrong gasped, thinking that such damage would be fatal for a cultivator of the Human Race.

In other words, the cultivator she encountered could kill Chao Origin Stage cultivators as easily as chickens!

’How unlucky! Randomly encountering a Golden Spirit Sect cultivator with such strong power?’

She began to examine her injuries, seeing her two snow-white thighs cleanly severed at the root.

For a cultivator practicing Blood Demon Skill, such injuries are minor, and by operating the cultivation technique, one can reconnect severed limbs.

The wound emitted golden radiance, as if burning with golden flames, preventing the wound from healing.

Yun Nianrong manipulated the blood origin to continuously pour out, spending several double hours to extinguish the golden flames.

Her originally white skin turned deathly pale, her eyes flashed with anger, and she said:

"Wasting so much blood origin; when I break through to the Blood Core Stage, I must go to Golden Spirit Sect to wait."

The day she breaks through to the Blood Core Stage is again delayed for years, during which she cannot suffer similar damage.