Chapter Fifty-Nine: The Teleportation Divine Ability Advances

Wu Yaohan said, “Don’t worry about me. I won’t be leaving for now. When Duoduo’s father arrives, I can also ask him about the cultivation of spiritual herbs.”

Shen Duoduo chimed in, “Brother Junhuai, now that the sect has been established, can I take on disciples?”

Everyone burst out laughing. With this little source of joy around, even weighty topics became light-hearted.

Wu Yaohan went off to consolidate his cultivation, while Liu Junhuai stayed behind with the others to rebuild their home.

The explosion of golden light had damaged both the spirit-gathering array and the small courtyard to varying degrees.

Once the repairs were done, Liu Junhuai gathered everyone and said, “I need to go to Pingdu City to fetch Uncle Huan. Does anyone want to continue cultivating in the Mountain River Gourd? I’ll be carrying it with me, and it’ll be five or six days before I return.”

Wu Shaoyuan replied, “I’ll go home to cultivate. Besides, Duoduo’s elder sister and your eldest brother could arrive at any time. Someone should stay to guard the house.”

Liu Junhuai said, “Then Brother Shaoyuan, you’ll look after things at home. Anyone else?”

Shen Duoduo declared, “I want to stay in the gourd. Wherever you go, Brother Junhuai, I’ll go too.”

Mo Sitong added, “Nini will definitely stay as well. But let’s agree not to pester Junhuai—he still needs to go out and train. You two should just focus on cultivating. Once Duoduo’s father has been fetched, Junhuai will return at once.”

Taking the three girls back into the chaos space, Liu Junhuai arranged cultivation plans for Duoduo and the others, then set off on his journey home.

The sky was a flawless blue, like a sapphire washed in clear water. Liu Junhuai spent a day flying on his sword through the sky.

He had already entered the Crane-Crested Range. Below, mountains rose and fell in endless waves, peaks layered upon peaks. Not far off, Pingdu City nestled amid lush greenery, and the occasional glint of tall buildings sparked endless memories for Liu Junhuai.

He had been away from home for over a year; the downy innocence of his youth had been replaced by the sparse beginnings of a beard.

He swept past Pingdu City without stopping, heading straight for the cave in the Crane-Crested Range.

Reciting an incantation, he passed through the Maze Illusion Diagram and returned smoothly to his hidden nook.

The cave remained just as it had been, as if every moment Liu Junhuai had spent there had only happened yesterday.

After calming himself, Liu Junhuai slipped into the Myriad Phenomena Pavilion.

Seeing the old steward, Liu Junhuai suddenly recalled his questions about the Sevenfold Killing Finger.

“Steward,” Liu Junhuai asked, “this Sevenfold Killing Finger has long since integrated into my sea of consciousness, but yesterday I could only unleash the power of the first strike. Why is it that the second strike had no effect?”

The old steward replied, “Master, that’s because the second strike, the Self-Transformation, is derived from the first, the Entry of Fate. If you think of the power of the first strike as a blade of energy, that energy is a straight line. The second strike expands that line outward, fanning it into a web of blade light, but this web is built upon the strength of the first strike. Right now, your first strike is like a thin thread. When it becomes a sturdy rope, the second strike will reveal its power.”

“I see,” Liu Junhuai said, enlightened. “So my strength isn’t enough yet to manifest the power of the second strike. But once I do, will it be many times stronger than the first?”

The old steward nodded. “The Sevenfold Killing Finger shares similarities with your Ninefold Transformation method, but is far more intuitive. With the Ninefold, the practitioner must comprehend each new move; the Sevenfold Killing Finger naturally unfolds the next move from the previous.”

“Can you explain the specific manifestation of the Ninefold Transformation?” Liu Junhuai asked. “I’ve grasped the first form, but its effects are still a bit muddled in my mind. I only know that its power multiplies with each transformation.”

The old steward smiled. “Each transformation is like the palm thunder or inch-force in the martial world. When you unleash a move, a hidden force is embedded within. Just when the move lands, that force explodes, far greater than a normal strike. The ‘transformation’ isn’t just about change, but fundamentally about qualitative leaps in power.”

“Which of these two arts is more powerful?” Liu Junhuai pressed.

“They can’t be simply compared,” the old steward replied. “Their forms are different. The Sevenfold Killing Finger is sudden and sharp, good for ambushes yet still upright; its power is precise and fierce. The Ninefold Transformation is grand and majestic, suited for large-scale combat. Both are immensely powerful, to be used according to the circumstances.”

Liu Junhuai mused, “I’ve already fused my celestial perception with the golden threads of the Divine Eye, creating golden celestial perception. Then, merging that with my true essence, I formed golden essence power. Each is many times stronger than the unfused version. Is it possible, then, for me to merge the Sevenfold Killing Finger and Ninefold Transformation into an even more powerful new art?”

The old steward praised, “That is one of the things I admire most about you. I used to doubt the origins of your innovations, but never had the chance to ask. To forge your own Dao, you must differ from others. All arts and moves were created by practitioners; to improve upon them and create something even better is true innovation, the founding of a new school. In this, I wholeheartedly support you. Do you know, Master, your greatest difference is your willingness to try, your freedom from convention. Even your approach is unrestrained. Serving you has been the greatest luck of my thousands of years.”

Liu Junhuai laughed, “Alright, that’s enough praise, Steward. Not long ago, you criticized my arrogance and recklessness. Now they’re suddenly virtues? And I’m not your master, nor you my servant. In my heart, you are my elder. Let’s not speak of servants anymore.”

The old steward nodded in silence, his heart warmed by Liu Junhuai’s sincere respect.

“Oh, Steward, one more thing. Is the Red Spider Lily best used as medicine or taken directly?”

The old steward replied, “To harness its full medicinal value, it should be refined into elixirs, but that requires you to reach seventh rank as an alchemist. Since you’ve brought back over a hundred Red Spider Lilies this time, taking a few directly won’t hurt.”

“I’ll try a few then to test the effects. Very well, Steward, I’m off to the training space!” With that, Liu Junhuai took his leave and entered the training realm.

Inside a cave in the Blazing Flame Valley, Liu Junhuai left a wisp of consciousness in his Mud Pill Palace, took out a blood-red Red Spider Lily, plucked a petal, and placed it in his mouth, circulating his cultivation method to refine it.

A warm current surged upward as the petal dissolved, shooting straight into his sea of consciousness. His mental awareness immediately seized upon it, hungrily absorbing it with what felt like joy.

The golden glow in the belly of the Mixed Gold Goblet also sensed the arrival of the warm current, drawing half of it back into the vessel. The ancient Dao patterns inside instantly stirred, enveloping the current in invisible Dao resonance and beginning to fuse with it.

Once fused, the Dao resonance linked back to his consciousness, which then merged into Liu Junhuai’s mental power, transforming into a new thread of teleportation ability.

After swallowing several more Red Spider Lilies in succession, the intent in his sea of consciousness and the ancient Dao patterns in the vessel seemed to revel in a sea of joy, eagerly devouring and fusing with each other.

When Liu Junhuai’s mental power felt overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of Dao resonance, and a twinge of pain shot through his mind, he finally stopped.

He could feel the vast Dao resonance within his mental power, like a sun blazing atop a courtyard, its heat radiating through his mind, while he himself seemed to swim naked through fiery waters beneath the flames.

The warm sea soothed his body, and gradually his mind became clearer, his thoughts sharper. With a gentle “pop,” a new insight broke through a barrier and merged into his teleportation ability.

Liu Junhuai let out a long, exultant cry and stood up. With a turn of thought, he found himself three hundred meters away from the cave in Blazing Flame Valley, the resistance of the valley’s steps unable to hinder him in the least.

Curious to test how many times he could now teleport consecutively, he did so over a dozen times, exhausting his essence power. It was nearly ten times stronger than before the upgrade.

Returning to the cave, Liu Junhuai used his cultivation method to restore his essence.

Sensing that night had fallen outside, he ceased his practice and slipped out of the Myriad Phenomena Pavilion.

By the time he reached the Shen family’s villa, it was midnight. Using his celestial perception to ensure no danger was present, he vaulted over the Shen household’s wall and entered the main hall.

He woke Shen Yihuan. Seeing the elder’s increasingly aged face, Liu Junhuai’s eyes glistened with tears.

Thanks to an earlier letter from Shen Qianqian, Shen Yihuan already knew Liu Junhuai would come to Pingdu City to take him to meet his daughters in Cloud Valley. Upon seeing Junhuai, he wasn’t surprised, only so moved he was at a loss for words.

After briefly catching up about Duoduo, the two decided to leave that very night.

Shen Yihuan had long since arranged his affairs, making his departure easy.

He was never concerned about the journey, knowing Junhuai could now fly on his sword, but was nonetheless astonished to learn he would see his daughter so soon.

Liu Junhuai did not let Shen Yihuan meet Duoduo at home. Instead, he flew with him back to the cave in the Crane-Crested Range.

Pulling Shen Yihuan into the Mountain River Gourd, they met Shen Duoduo, who was momentarily stunned before flying into her father’s embrace.

As her sobs grew louder, Shen Yihuan too was overcome with emotion, his tears blurring his vision, while Mo Sitong and Wu Bini also found their own eyes brimming with tears.