Welcome to the Ability Shop!

Chapter 313 The Secret of Immortal Techniques
This misunderstanding isn't that hard to clear up.

In fact, Xu Xuanling felt more resentment than anger, so when Liu Shuyue explained the matter herself, her dissatisfaction and resentment quickly disappeared without a trace.

"It was my fault. I didn't consider that the flow of time is different in the Immortal Realm..." Xu Xuanling admitted her mistake frankly. "Thirty years there is just a blink of an eye for you two."

“I was also surprised. I didn’t expect that after thirty years, you would still be the same as before.” Liu Shuyue showed no blame at all. Instead, she smiled and said, “This is good... Otherwise, I would feel bad if I saw my disciple grow old first.”

"But does that mean the cultivation method Ah Jiu researched really surpasses immortal techniques?"

Faced with her disciple's curiosity, Liu Shuyue glanced at Chen Xuan with some hesitation.

Chen Xuan shook his head slightly.

It's best to keep matters concerning the future and the past a secret from Xu Xuanling and the others for now. After all, they lack concrete evidence, and making such alarming speculations would only increase the disciples' confusion.

Liu Shuyue understood, "The 'immortal' aspect of immortal techniques doesn't lie in their power, but in their inclusion of the principles of all techniques and their extreme adaptability. Not to mention Ji Yun, anyone can go further on the basis of these techniques and find their own 'Dao'. Of course, Ji Yun is the most talented cultivator I've ever seen."

“I see.” Xu Xuanling immediately accepted this explanation. “No wonder Old Ajiu told me that there are many secrets hidden in the Heavenly Cloud Skill. He has already benefited greatly from just unraveling them little by little.”

"Untie it?" Chen Xuan raised an eyebrow.

“Yes.” Xu Xuanling nodded. “For example, its energy circulation blocked several branches, which greatly reduced the body’s tolerance to spiritual energy. Overall, it was almost equivalent to limiting a person’s lifespan to within a hundred years. It was almost like it was deliberately arranged.”

……

After handing the room key to Xu Xuanling, Chen Xuan and Liu Shuyue tacitly went to room 201. Only after closing the door did Chen Xuan speak, "What do you think? Does the Heavenly Cloud Technique really have such limitations? I remember you said... that disciples of the Lotus Cloud Sect can basically live to be over 120 years old..."

Liu Shuyue stared at the floor, remaining silent.

"Liu Shuyue?" Chen Xuan called out again.

She then realized what was happening, and a rare look of unease crossed her face. "My master told me about this. He himself is over 160 years old, and there are many elderly people in the sect, but..."

"but what?"

“Among these seniors… none of them have ever been selected as disciples to leave the mountain.” Liu Shuyue murmured. “I once asked my master if he had also participated in the selection process for leaving the mountain, but was not selected and thus remained in the sect. However, my master’s answer was… he had never participated in the selection.”

Chen Xuan was shocked.

“I didn’t take it to heart at the time, but now that I think about it, not all young disciples of the Lotus Cloud Sect participate in the selection process to leave the mountain… or rather, only a minority do.” Liu Shuyue stared at her palm, lost in thought, as if reading through her childhood memories. “We participants would receive corresponding training and learn the knowledge required to leave the mountain, while the other disciples didn’t… We even secretly laughed at them back then, calling them fools…”

"So this 120 years old refers to the disciples who remain in the sect?" Chen Xuan frowned. "Could it be that the spells you cultivate are different from those of others?"

“I don’t know…” she smiled bitterly. “I’ve never even seen those people cultivate. After all, those qualified to participate in the selection process are the most outstanding disciples of the Lotus Cloud Sect. Who would care what the eliminated ones cultivate? All I know now is that Ji Yun’s approach is correct. After I improved the spells according to his cultivation insights, both the effects and the speed of progress have improved. And this is only the beginning.”

“If the Heavenly Cloud Technique really has such limitations… then the Lotus Cloud Sect is simply deliberately targeting its disciples who have left the mountain.” Chen Xuan pondered, “They change a batch of disciples every hundred years, so even if someone really does a great job as a Celestial Master, there is no guarantee that the next Celestial Master will continue their policies.”

"I'm wondering... if other fellow disciples have already grasped this secret?"

"Why do you say that?"

“Because the only solution is to annex all the kingdoms,” Liu Shuyue replied. “That way, each sect will only send one disciple out of seclusion for the next hundred years, thus avoiding conflicts among immortal masters…”

Chen Xuan laughed, "Why are you still thinking about the position of Immortal Master? Given enough time, this kingdom will eventually split into seven or eight pieces. In the end, this cyclical system is a huge pitfall. Playing by the original rules will definitely lead to defeat!"

Liu Shuyue blinked. "You have an idea?"

"In my opinion, the only solution is to overturn the table! Because from any angle, the Lotus Cloud Sect doesn't seem to be here to save the world and its people," Chen Xuan replied confidently.

Unexpectedly, Liu Shuyue readily agreed, "Actually, that's what I think too. The Lianyun Sect should be held responsible for all the tragedies that are happening now."

Chen Xuan was slightly surprised, as he thought the other party wouldn't accept this viewpoint so quickly.

It seems that Liu Shuyue has been thinking a lot lately.

"Whether this token is useful or not, I'm afraid I'll have to make a trip to the summit of Kunlun." She took out the jade token and looked at it. "But before that, I have to deal with the threat from my fellow disciples." Returning to the sect was a long journey.

Furthermore, she had no idea what she would encounter at the entrance of the Lotus Cloud Sect. To prevent Senior Sister Lan Qin from raiding her base, she needed to change her usual low-key approach and take the initiative.

That evening, Lin Qing also returned to the store.

The ability shop suddenly had three shop assistants and a swordsman security guard, making the dinner table quite lively.

Xu Xuanling adapted quite well; after a few drinks, she and Liuli were already calling each other sisters... Of course, Liuli was the older sister and she was the younger sister.

Chen Xuan couldn't help but ask curiously, "Liuli, do you know how old you are?"

“Of course… I have a good memory.” Liuli snorted lightly. “According to the human calendar, it is exactly 25921.”

"Twenty thousand years?" Xu Xuanling was greatly shocked. "Really? What kind of immortal technique do you cultivate?"

“I don’t need that kind of thing,” she said proudly. “To me, time is eternal, and as long as I’m not killed, I won’t die.”

"Then you've done a good job as a younger sister, considering you're only in your fifties—"

Chen Xuan was speaking when the other person covered his mouth.

“Don’t say that, Master! Xuanling is already eternally youthful at twenty-two, so your disciple will always be twenty years old!” Xu Xuanling emphasized.

It's one thing to not count backwards, but how can you go back two years?
Liu Shuyue asked curiously, "Miss Liuli, do you remember the history that has happened in the past 20,000 years?"

“Well… I do remember, but history means nothing to me.” Liuli took the opportunity to drink another cup. “I’m not always in an activated state. Even when I’m aware of the outside world, I’m buried underground most of the time. After I’m activated, I can wander around, but that was within the last two centuries. Most of what I see are warehouse walls or treasures piled up with me.”

"Underground?" This was the first time Chen Xuan had heard her talk about her past. "Were you dug out of the ground?"

“Yeah, what’s so strange about that? There are also strange things growing on trees.” Liuli shrugged. “Besides, I should have been discovered quite early, because I even saw primitive people back then.”

"Primitive people?" Lin Qing became interested. "Really?"

“They’re wearing animal skins and carrying wooden sticks, what else could they be but primitive people?” Liuli suddenly paused. “But there’s something quite strange about it, they can understand a small part of what I say… like ‘come’ or ‘go’.”

"English?"

"Not only that, but it's in all kinds of languages."

Primitive people speaking a mixed language? Chen Xuan couldn't help but find it unbelievable.

"and then?"

Liuli thought for a moment, "They probably all died later."

Why "approximately"?

“Because I lost control once, by the time the stability level improved, the entire village was deserted and there was no one to be seen,” she replied.

Liu Shuyue and Xu Xuanling were completely bewildered, while Chen Xuan and Lin Qing got goosebumps.

This cannot be blamed on the artifacts... Loss of control is an inherent characteristic of artifacts, something they cannot control. Therefore, the Angel Alliance's initial choice was to collect and seal away all the artifacts in one go, in case any artifact suddenly lost its stability and caused a huge disaster.

"Let's eat, let's eat..." Chen Xuan called to the other two.

If we keep talking about this, it'll sound like a ghost story.

Just then, Lin Qing received a phone call.

After her eyes flashed with blue light for a moment, she turned her head to look at Chen Xuan, "It's Honglian calling. The mechanism is moving."

(End of this chapter)