All-class Gu Immortal

Chapter 227 The Exaggerated Effect of the Shadow Clone! (Bonus Chapter by the Sleepy Foodie Alliance Leader)

A moment later, Zhou Qing found a painting of a calm sea on Shen Hai's body.

"Is this a copy of the divine intent of the Azure Sea Tide Technique?"

Zhou Qing examined the scroll, comparing it with the incantations and mental techniques he had obtained from the sect, but he could not immerse himself in it.

According to Shen Hai in the dream, there are three divine images of the Azure Sea Tide Technique. One is the original left by the person who created the technique, and the other two are copies made by the first leader of the Giant Kun Gang.

The original copy had been lost, and the two copies were in the hands of Liang You, the current leader of the Giant Kun Gang, and Shen Hai, the deputy leader.

"It seems this trouble is quite significant." Zhou Qing put away his divine intent.

The Azure Sea Tide Technique was far more profound than he had anticipated. Shen Hai had mastered eight levels of the mental cultivation method and incantation, enough to cultivate to the peak of twelve blood exchanges.

The first four levels are much more complicated than the Azure Water Technique, but with Zhou Qing's current level, if he can understand the mysteries in the divine intention, he can directly start cultivating from the fifth level.

The Azure Sea Tide Technique involves the ebb and flow of tides, a continuous cycle of life. After practicing it, one's true essence will be significantly greater than that of others of the same level, and the recovery speed will be greatly improved.

The fact that Shen Hai, with his seven-fold Qi and Blood strength, could withstand the Wooden Man Gu and the Divine Power Golden Body for so long is enough to prove the extraordinary nature of the Azure Sea Tide Technique.

With Zhou Qing's current foundation, if he can cultivate the Azure Sea Tide Technique to the eighth level and break through the Three Flowers Gathering at the Top with the help of this technique, it shouldn't be difficult.

When the time comes, with the Three Flowers Gathering at the Top realm, I will be able to exchange for the subsequent cultivation techniques with the Giant Kun Gang. I think the higher-ups of the Giant Kun Gang will readily agree.

"Regardless of its power, the fact that its true essence is much greater than that of others of the same level is more important than anything else."

Zhou Qing nodded secretly.

Fortunately, the Azure Water Technique was one of the auxiliary cultivation techniques before, so there's no need to start over after connecting it with the Azure Sea Tide Technique; you can directly convert the true essence.

After the Heavenly Fire Centipede evolves into the Heavenly Fire Lava Centipede, its strength increases dramatically, and its demand for true essence also increases significantly.

If Zhou Qing's Gu Master aptitude hadn't improved to the second tier, and if the Four Flavor Wine Worms hadn't been able to refine his true essence, giving him an extra dantian of true essence, he really wouldn't have been able to support the enormous consumption of the three second-tier Gu worms: the Heavenly Fire Lava Centipede, the Ice Fiend Gu, and the Wooden Man Gu.

After all, his Gu Dao cultivation level was only at the mid-stage of the second rank.

Even among Gu Masters of the same realm, only those with first-class aptitude have enough true essence to activate second-tier top-grade Gu worms.

Otherwise, being able to sustain the consumption of a second-tier high-grade Gu worm would already make one a strong contender among those of the same tier.

Gu masters are superior to martial artists in many ways, but the more powerful the Gu worm, the more difficult it is to refine together, and the more true essence is required to activate it.

Unless a martial artist suffers a qi deviation when breaking through a higher realm, they will not experience significant fluctuations in strength in most cases.

When a Gu Master combines Gu worms for refining, a single mistake can lead to failure. At best, the Gu worms will degenerate; at worst, they will die, and years of accumulated power will be destroyed in an instant.

While there are cases like Zhou Qing's where a mid-grade second-tier Gu worm is directly cultivated into a top-grade second-tier Gu worm, most of the time it's a complete failure.

"Next, I need to carefully study this Azure Sea Tide Technique," Zhou Qing pondered to himself.

Given his current superior physical attributes, there shouldn't be any problem with him not being able to learn this technique. Moreover, he can further improve his physical attributes with the help of the Spirit-Subduing Gu.

After Zhou Qing disposed of Shen Hai's body, he retrieved the Wooden Man Gu and the Divine Power Golden Body, and quickly left Huanglong Mountain with Ru Yan.

The massive commotion from the volcanic eruption has already attracted the attention of martial artists in the vicinity, and some are now heading towards Huanglong Mountain.

Before dawn, Zhou Qing quietly returned to Ping'an County.

He climbed into the room through the window.

Miaoyin, who was lying on the bed, opened her sleepy eyes and sat up.

"My lord, you... ugh!"

Zhou Qing silenced Miao Yin with a kiss.

He's just been through a major battle and he's in a very bad mood right now.

Wait until the sun rises three poles.

Zhou Qing got up full of energy.

Indeed, taking a break is more beneficial for spiritual practice.

"Miaoyin, get ready. We're setting off tonight and early tomorrow morning."

Zhou Qing was planning to set off for Nanli County City tonight, but seeing Miaoyin's weak and helpless appearance, he changed his mind.

"Yes, my lord."

Her voice was sweet and melodious.

Zhou Qing left the room and went to the lobby on the first floor of the restaurant. He asked the waiter to send some food and wine to his room, while he found a corner table, ordered a roast chicken and two jugs of good wine, and began to enjoy a small drink.

"Have you heard? The earth dragon over Huanglong Mountain has turned over."

"It is clear that someone has angered the Mountain God."

A group of mountain people were gathered at the food stalls opposite the restaurant, talking quietly about what had happened on Huanglong Mountain.

Zhou Qing drank his wine while listening intently.

After finishing his drink, he licked the grease off his fingertips, wiped his hands clean, and then left the restaurant to begin scouting the city.

Clearly, no one knew what had happened at Huanglong Mountain.

The volcanic eruption has covered up many traces, and with the disappearance of the Fire Spirit Corpse, Zhou Qing's head should not be found for a while.

Of course, it's only a matter of time. With his current strength, he has no fear whatsoever of ordinary Qi and Blood Furnace Realm cultivators.

The only ones who can pose a threat to him are a very small number of top-tier martial arts masters.

It would be difficult to rely on the Heavenly Fire Lava Centipede to fight against a top-tier martial artist who has undergone twelve blood transfusions.

Unless you're prepared to die together with them.

Zhou Qing has not yet unleashed the full power of the Heavenly Fire Lava Centipede.

[Refine: Heavenly Fire Lava Centipede]

[Rank: Tier 2 Top Grade (Cannot be evolved, can be combined for refinement)]

[Heavenly Fire Lava Centipede: A mutated Golden-backed Centipede, evolving into a Corpse Poison Centipede, absorbing fire-attribute true essence and spiritual seeds, completing the transformation from yin to yang, evolving into the Heavenly Fire Centipede, and finally, with the help of the power of the supreme fire spirit corpse fire and the fire poison contained in natural magma, completing its final metamorphosis, the ultimate form of the Golden-backed Centipede.]

[Effect: Heavenly Essence Flame, Rebirth from the Ashes]

[Qian Tian Jing Yan: The supremely Yang and powerful Qian Tian True Fire undergoes another transformation, retaining its indestructible nature, refining true essence, and cleansing the marrow and blood. Utilizing the fire elemental power and magma poison within the corpse of a Great Perfection Fire Spirit, a trace of spirituality is activated in a degenerated fire-attribute divine seed. Consuming primordial power, it can communicate with the fire-attribute power of heaven and earth, instantly detonating the power of heaven and earth within a one-mile radius—a force that cannot be resisted by anything other than the power of heaven and earth.]

"The Heavenly Essence Flame is the final method of mutual destruction."

Zhou Qing's eyes flickered slightly as he watched the Heavenly Fire Lava Centipede awaken its 'Heavenly Essence Flame' after its evolution.

Using this move would also affect him personally, so it can only be used as a trump card to deter powerful enemies and should not be used lightly.

As a mid-stage second-tier Gu Master, Zhou Qing was already struggling to activate a top-grade second-tier Gu worm. It was simply unrealistic to expect the Heavenly Fire Lava Centipede to release the Heavenly Essence Flame from a distance of one mile.

Moreover, when it really comes time to use the Qian Tian Jing Yan, the enemy won't give him the opportunity to create such a long distance; he can only use it at close range.

Fortunately, for strong individuals at this level, the most important thing is to break through the Three Flowers Gathering at the Top. Unless it involves core interests, they will not act rashly.

Moreover, Zhou Qing was heading to the Five Poisons Sect, whose former sect leader, Wan Shentong, was a renowned martial arts master in the Southern Frontier.

Even if they were both top-tier martial arts masters, they might not have the guts to go to the Five Poisons Sect to cause trouble.

After leaving Ping'an County, Zhou Qing plunged into the Jiulian Mountains.

They began to carefully tally up the spoils of the battle.

"Two hundred thousand taels of silver notes are more important than spirit stones in the martial arts world."

"The Secret of the Azure Sea Tide, including its mental techniques and incantations, as well as divine intentions."

"It's a third-tier divine weapon, the Demon Shadow Pearl. You need to cultivate the accompanying Illusionary Divine Skill to use it."

Zhou Qing used his true essence to refine the Demon Shadow Pearl, from which he obtained the Phantom Divine Skill manual.

This technique is divided into six levels. Once you master each level, you can create a clone using the Demon Shadow Pearl.

Upon mastering the first level, one gains a main body and a clone, with the clone possessing 50% of the main body's strength.

Upon mastering the second level, one gains one main body and two clones, with each clone possessing 60% of the main body's strength.

With each level mastered, the clone gains 10% more strength.

Once you reach the sixth level, you'll have one main body and six clones, each clone possessing 100% of the main body's strength.

At this moment, as Zhou Qing refined the Demon Shadow Pearl, more detailed information about the Demon Shadow Pearl appeared in Zhou Qing's sight.

[Shadow Clone (Tier 3): Utilizes the Illusionary Divine Art to condense clones. The Shadow Bead grants the clones an indestructible effect; as long as one clone exists, the original body can switch between clones. Before all clones are destroyed, all damage taken by the original body will be transferred to the clones. Unless all clones are instantly destroyed, making it difficult for them to recover in a short time, the original body will not be damaged. Using the Shadow Clone effect continuously consumes True Essence and Blood Qi; the higher the intensity and frequency of attacks, the greater the consumption. When the user's cultivation level reaches Three Flowers Gathering at the Top, the clones can only possess a maximum of 30% of the original body's strength.]

"The Phantom Divine Skill combined with the Demon Shadow Pearl is just too over the top!"

After reading the introduction to the Illusionary Divine Skill, Zhou Qing couldn't help but show a look of surprise.

In other words, unless one's strength is overwhelming, once one masters the Illusionary Divine Skill and uses the Demon Shadow Pearl, one becomes invincible among those of the same level and can directly kill the enemy.

Although it consumes a lot of true essence and blood, there is no martial art that does not consume true essence and blood in any fight. The clone demonic shadow is just more energy-consuming.

As for the limitations after reaching the Three Flowers Gathering at the Top realm, they are not much of a problem.

"As expected of a third-tier divine weapon!"

Zhou Qing felt a chill run down his spine.

As far as he knew, Lan Canghai, the leader of the Witch God Cult, possessed a third-tier divine weapon, the Divine Wood King Cauldron. The Divine Wood King Cauldron in his possession was a replica of the Divine Wood King Cauldron.

[Conditions for Mastery: Peak agility, perfected first level of Phantom Divine Skill, six blood transfusions]

"I have the professional bonus of Divine Weapon Master, which greatly relaxes the requirements for wielding divine weapons. In other words, I don't need to master the Phantom Divine Skill to the first level of perfection, nor do I need to reach the level of six blood exchange to wield this third-tier divine weapon."

Zhou Qing's eyes lit up.

For Zhou Qing, mastering the first level of the Illusionary Divine Skill and successfully controlling the Demon Shadow Pearl was enough.

Having an extra clone is like having an extra life in a critical moment.

"It seems we can go to Nanli County City later."

Having witnessed the power of the Demon Shadow Pearl, Zhou Qing decided to first master the first level before heading to the Five Poisons Sect.

With his unparalleled agility and superior physical constitution, it shouldn't be long before he succeeds.

(End of this chapter)