Chapter 520: Chapter 54: Obtaining the Divine Skill
The docks.
Zhu Ju spoke in a clear voice:
“I wish you all a safe journey, all the way to the Divine Capital!”
“Thank you.” Lu Dingkui, carrying a pack on his back and with his wife and child in tow, cupped his hands toward Zhu Ju, his voice filled with emotion.
“Young Master Zhu, we will meet again someday!”
“Haha…” Zhu Ju laughed heartily.
“Rest assured!”
“The Divine Capital is the holy land of the Human Race, the dwelling place of sages. I will certainly visit it one day.”
“Excellent.” Lu Dingkui’s spirits lifted.
“My family and I will await your esteemed arrival in the Divine Capital, Young Master Zhu.”
He then looked to the side.
“And Miss Zhou, I must thank you for your help in arranging temporary use of the Zhou Mansion’s waterway.”
“It was a small matter.” Zhou Ruxuan smiled faintly and nodded.
“The ship is about to depart. I wish you all a smooth journey.”
“Thank you!”
A strong wind flattened the weeds as the merchant ship raised its sails and departed, gradually vanishing into the morning mist.
Zhu Ju stood on the docks, watching the merchant ship recede, a thoughtful expression on his face.
Although Lu Dingkui and his family had escaped from Zhang Luo’s grasp, it didn’t mean they were safe.
Whether they could truly escape their predicament remained to be seen.
The Giant Spirit Divine Skill…
He gently adjusted his breathing. The Skin and Flesh all over his body began to tremble rhythmically, and his Qi Blood changed along with it.
A Third-Grade inheritance was profound and mysterious. Without guidance from a master, even a Sixth-Grade Expert would be unable to find the way in.
The Lu Family’s ancestors must have had some related inheritance, allowing them to reach the Entry Level, but their Cultivation progress was slow.
But Zhu Ju was different.
He was a Third-Grade Expert to begin with. A Method that others couldn’t comprehend was not complicated for him.
With just a little experimentation, he had already successfully replaced the Dragon Elephant Force he was cultivating with the Giant Spirit Divine Skill.
It turned out that…
not all Third-Grade Cultivation Techniques were the same.
The Fire Separation Mysterious Skill could also allow a Cultivator to reach the Third-Grade Realm, but it wasn’t of much use to Zhu Ju.
But the Giant Spirit Divine Skill…
Although it was a Third-Grade technique, it was different from the Fire Separation Mysterious Skill, a Third-Grade Cultivation Technique conceived by a Fourth-Grade Expert. The creator of this skill was by no means a Third-Grade cultivator; it was highly probable they were a First-Grade, or even a legendary Super-Grade, master.
The Method was profound and mystical, its Mental Realm Extraordinary and Unworldly, possessing a unique, masterfully crafted quality.
Cultivating this skill…
…allowed for the accumulation of several times more Qi Blood than others at the same Realm, and one’s Strength could erupt with more than ten times the force.
In short.
Among those of the Eighth Grade.
If Lu Dingkui could truly master its Essence, his strength would be dozens of times that of an ordinary Eighth-Grade cultivator.
He could even crush many Seventh-Grade Experts!
‘No wonder stories of disciples from top Sects fighting above their grade are so common. The disparity is truly terrifying.’
Zhu Ju could kill enemies above his grade by relying on the refined, Micro-level control over his Physical Body granted by his Third-Grade Divine Thought, and on combat experience far exceeding his peers. His actual Cultivation and strength were not that different.
But a top-tier Method…
…could create a world of difference in strength between people of the same Talent.
Not only that.
The Giant Spirit Divine Skill’s descriptions of each Realm, especially the Upper Three Grades, also far surpassed those of the Fire Separation Mysterious Skill.
Of course.
It had its drawbacks!
With the Giant Spirit Divine Skill, one possessed several times more Qi Blood than others at the same Realm, which meant accumulation ran deeper.
This also meant more time was needed to solidify one’s foundation.
Or…
It was more resource-intensive!
To advance one’s Cultivation rapidly, one had to consume all sorts of Spiritual Elixirs and Medicines and Demon Blood Flesh.
“Brother Zhu.”
“Hm.”
“The ship is long gone.”
Zhou Ruxuan said,
“Shouldn’t we be heading back?”
“Yes.”
Zhu Ju snapped back to reality. In just a few moments, a world-shaking change had occurred within him, yet no one else had the slightest idea.
“Hyah!”
Zhou Ruxuan swung herself onto her horse and said,
“In two days, a brother from the third branch is getting married. It won’t be a big celebration, so you should come.”
“Oh!” A smile appeared on Zhu Ju’s face.
“Is it Zhou Bing?”
“Yes.”
Zhou Ruxuan’s expression darkened.
“Many in the family disagree with this marriage, but he’s insistent, so this is how it has to be.”
Speaking of Zhou Bing, Zhu Ju actually knew him.
A few years ago.
The man had wanted to buy Second Sister Song from the Drunken Fragrance Residence brothel, who was being sold for some reason, but he failed because his own wife disagreed.
His wife and Second Sister Song had even been close childhood friends, yet she stood by and watched Second Sister Song be humiliated.
Not long ago.
This Madam Zhou passed away from illness, and before she was even buried, Second Sister Song was sent to Zhou Bing’s chambers.
And so this marriage came to be.
“Also…”
Zhou Ruxuan clearly didn’t want to dwell on the matter. She took a deep breath, her face gloomy, and said,
“My second brother’s third child is having its one-month celebration. You should go with me.”
“Are you unhappy?”
Zhu Ju smiled faintly.
“The Zhou Family is thriving with new members. This is a good thing.”
“It is.”
Zhou Ruxuan nodded, her expression complicated.
“It is indeed a good thing for the Zhou Family, but for me… not so much!”
Originally, her father was the Patriarch Zhou, and being his favored daughter, a large share of the family’s resources were tilted in her favor.
Now, Zhou Jingren had become the Patriarch.
Although this second brother of hers also favored her, there were other younger brothers and sisters in the family. Moreover, Zhou Jingren had been continuously taking wives and concubines over the past few years, having a new child every year. There wasn’t a single person in the Zhou Family who wasn’t worried.
If this continued…
…the resources allocated to her would surely dwindle.
“My second brother once promised me that he would allocate a portion of the family’s resources to help me reach the Sixth Grade.”
Zhou Ruxuan looked up and said,
“A few days ago…”
“…he suddenly gave me a few things and told me to choose one of the family businesses. It’s clear he doesn’t intend to keep his original promise, but rather wants me to fend for myself.”
“What are you afraid of?” Zhu Ju gently spurred his horse and said,
“You’ve already broken through from the Eighth Grade and reached the Seventh Grade.”
“…” Zhou Ruxuan pursed her lips, a smile spreading across her face.
“Don’t tell anyone else about this. I need my second brother to feel guilty so I can squeeze more benefits out of him.”
The path of Martial Arts becomes more difficult the further one progresses.
Even with the help of a purchased Qi Blood Divine Weapon, reaching Seventh-Grade Perfection might take ten years, or even longer.
She was already eighteen.
Whether she could break through the Seventh Grade before she turned thirty was still unknown.
“Speaking of which.”
Zhu Ju said,
“What is your Qi Blood Divine Weapon?”
“That’s a secret.” Zhou Ruxuan raised an eyebrow, then flipped her hand over, revealing a miniature mountain peak in her palm.
“But there’s no harm in telling you.”
“I bought this mountain at an auction organized by the Pai Sect. It’s a Curious Object with a long history. Although it’s only lower Seventh Grade, the good thing is that it has no elemental attribute, so it can help accelerate my Cultivation.”
“I wanted to buy an ice-attribute Qi Blood Divine Weapon at the time, but alas… I couldn’t afford it.”
Looking at the miniature mountain peak, Zhu Ju’s eyes narrowed slightly, an inconspicuous glint flashing within them.
This Qi Blood Divine Weapon…
…is a bit strange!
“Let’s not talk about this anymore.”
Putting away the mountain, Zhou Ruxuan said,
“I don’t know the first thing about business. You should help me look at the options my second brother gave me and choose one.”
“Alright.”
Zhu Ju nodded.
*
*
*
The morning mist had not yet dispersed.
An inconspicuous fishing boat appeared on the river.
“Young Master.”
A man spoke in a low voice.
“The Lu Family party that Ada and Aer mentioned has already boarded the Zhou Family cargo ship. When do we make our move?”
“No rush.” At the stern of the boat, a young man reeled in his fishing line and glanced at the figures on the shore.
“Is that the young lady of the Zhou Family?”
“Yes.”
“This woman isn’t bad,” the young man grinned.
“If I went to the Zhou Family to propose a marriage, do you think Zhou Jingren would agree?”
“This…” The subordinate’s expression changed slightly, and he spoke cautiously,
“Young Master.”
“This woman has long been betrothed to the Patriarch of the Zhu Family. They’ve been together often these past few years, and everyone in Taiyuan Prefecture knows she is to be part of the Zhu Family in the future.”
“They aren’t married yet, are they?” The young man frowned.
“That means I still have a chance.”
“Forget it!”
“Business first. I originally planned to get it from Zhang Luo, but I didn’t expect the old fox to be so cunning. The Lu Family actually escaped, while Ada and Aer met with disaster.”
He looked up at the goshawk in the sky and said slowly,
“Tell the men up ahead to get ready. We move at midnight!”