"So it really is the Immortal Jujube."
Chen Jichuan's eyes glimmered slightly.
Everything in the world.
Once imbued with Spiritual Energy, everything changes. These Prince Yongg's Jujubes, grown from the Spiritual Jujube Tree, absorbed some Spiritual Energy. Ordinary people consuming them can strengthen their bodies. Over time, they may even become immune to all illnesses, and some, like Sheng Dayang and his son, can awaken abnormal skills and become Abnormal People.
Incredibly precious.
"I wonder if I can extract the Spiritual Energy from it."
Chen Jichuan picked up a jujube in his hand.
With a thought.
Sure enough, he felt a wisp of cool energy flow into him. Checking his 'Immortal Record,' he found an additional 7 points of Source Power.
The quantity was far less compared to the Spirit Stones in the Black Prison.
But here, he had four or five pounds, about sixty Spiritual Dates in total, adding up to around 400 Source Power.
"These Spiritual Dates can help awaken abnormal skills. Using them like this is a waste."
Chen Jichuan placed the now Spiritual Energy-depleted jujube back and tied the cloth bag tightly.
He wasn't in a hurry to look at the other spoils.
In any case, he bundled everything up and then walked to the body of Zheng Biao, who had fallen first.
Crack!
He stomped down on the man's chest, caving it in completely. There was no chance of survival left.
Then he turned to Sheng Dayang and said, "Take me to find the Immortal Jujube Tree."
The Prince Yongg's Jujube was ordinary by nature.
Only with Spiritual Energy did it become a Spirit Tree with miraculous Spirit Fruit. Finding this Spiritual Jujube Tree might also yield unexpected gains.
"Great Hero,"
"The Immortal Dates on the tree have all been harvested and are here. It won't bear new dates until next September."
Sheng Dayang hurriedly explained.
He worried that if Chen Jichuan saw the Spiritual Jujube Tree barren, he might take it out on them.
"Just take me there."
Chen Jichuan suppressed his voice, his tone unwavering.
Steel blade in hand.
From Xu Lang's body, he picked out a set of keys and tossed them to Sheng Dayang. "Unlock it yourself."
"Thank you, Great Hero!"
Sheng Dayang was overjoyed and quickly grabbed the keys, first removing the shackles and chains from his son Sheng Xiaotian, then doing the same for himself. The father and son both had bloodied ankles and wounds around their necks and shoulders, a truly wretched state.
Freed from their bonds.
They immediately felt much lighter.
"The bodies—"
Chen Jichuan looked at the six corpses on the ground and ordered Sheng Dayang and his son to clear away the dried branches and fallen leaves, revealing a bare patch of ground.
Then he gathered the six bodies into a pile, and with a thought—
Whoosh!
Flames appeared!
Chen Jichuan's palms suddenly emanated two fireballs, which fell onto the corpses. The fireballs burned at an intense temperature, igniting the bodies instantly into roaring flames.
"Fire!"
"Immortal Technique!"
Sheng Xiaotian, seeing the masked man unleash fire from his hands, jumped backward in fright.
Sheng Dayang was equally startled. "This man actually knows 'Immortal Technique!' And much stronger than mine!"
"Not bad."
Chen Jichuan looked at his handiwork and nodded silently to himself.
But unlike what Sheng Dayang and Sheng Xiaotian thought, what he used was not some Immortal Technique, nor even an abnormal skill.
It was a spell derived from Chen Shaohu's 'Fire Control' abnormal skill.
In the Black Prison, when Chen Shaohu had just awakened the Fire Control Technique, Chen Jichuan used the Insight Skill to replicate this innate ability.
A month in the cave.
A month on the road.
Another month in Yangshuo County.
In over a hundred days, during his free time, Chen Jichuan worked on replicating it, and only in the past few days had he fully succeeded.
Unfortunately.
The 'Fire Control Technique' was, after all, an abnormal skill, an innate talent.
Chen Jichuan's postnatal replication couldn't sustain it for long. Aside from requiring immense mental effort to replicate, even after successfully constructing it, it could only last for three days.
After three days.
It would vanish.
At that point, another minute would be needed to reconstruct it.
Three days.
One minute.
It seemed trivial, and in fact, it was indeed trivial.
He just needed to remember to reconstruct it every three days, lest he forget and find himself unable to use it in a critical moment.
Apart from that.
Chen Jichuan's bootleg 'Fire Control Technique' was not much different from Chen Shaohu's original, with little disparity in power either.
The only difference.
Chen Shaohu could use his Fire Control Technique as long as the innate symbols in his body glimmered, effortlessly summoning fire. Even if he were exhausted and couldn't generate a single flame, a good sleep would restore him completely.
Chen Jichuan couldn't do that.
He had to consume Source Power to activate the Fire Control Technique.
It looked impressive.
But in reality, Chen Jichuan often couldn't bring himself to use it.
Unless absolutely necessary, it ended up as nothing more than a showpiece. This time, however, he used it not to flaunt but to establish a rapport with Sheng Dayang and his son—
All Abnormal People.
All with abnormal skills.
There was naturally a sense of kinship.
"Fire Control Technique doesn't serve me much."
"But if I come across any better abnormal skills, using Insight Skill to replicate them could be truly useful."
For instance—
Abnormal Skill: Blood Burning!
Chen Jichuan's gaze shifted to Sheng Dayang and his son. He thought to himself: "Burning blood, raising its temperature to the point of combustion and death. A skill designed for killing. But if its intensity can be controlled, merely using the temperature variance to promote blood flow would help heal injuries and strengthen the body."
If this abnormal skill could combine with Chen Jichuan's martial techniques.
It would surely yield results greater than the sum of its parts.
"I should give it a try."
"If it works, even without medicinal ingredients, Shaohu could try cultivating certain martial arts too."
A thought took root in his mind.
Masked and hooded.
Sheng Dayang and his son couldn't see his expression, nervously waiting in place.
"He can also use Immortal Techniques."
"He must—"
Sheng Dayang pondered. After seeing Chen Jichuan use the Fire Control Technique, the tension in his heart eased slightly.
Flames consumed.
The fire danced.
The corpses couldn't completely turn to ash under the high heat, leaving behind some bones. However, Chen Jichuan only intended to eradicate certain odors and traces.
Leaving bones and skeletons wasn't much of a concern.
"Let's go."
Without waiting for the flames to extinguish.
Chen Jichuan beckoned Sheng Dayang and Sheng Xiaotian to lead the way to the Spiritual Jujube Tree Sheng Dayang had mentioned.
...
Two quarters of an hour later.
"Great Hero,"
"This is the jujube tree."
In the woods, on a gentle slope, many trees grew, among them two jujube trees.
Sheng Dayang pointed to one of them for Chen Jichuan.
"Spiritual Jujube Tree."
Chen Jichuan looked at the lush jujube tree in front of him, Spiritual Light flashing in his eyes—
[Prince Yongg's Spirit Jujube Tree: An ordinary jujube tree blessed by heaven and earth, capable of gathering Spiritual Energy and bearing Spiritual Dates. Ordinary people staying near the tree can extend their lives. Cultivators residing nearby benefit in their cultivation.]
"As expected, it's infused with Spiritual Energy."
With a glance, Chen Jichuan gleaned the truth, and his joy deepened.
This Spiritual Jujube Tree was even more valuable than he had imagined. Not only could it bear Spiritual Dates, but it could also gather Spiritual Energy, aiding cultivation.
He examined the tree.
And indeed, all the dates were gone, plucked clean by Zheng Biao and his group.
He assessed the tree's trunk—it was just the right thickness for his arms to encircle. "Destiny."
Plans took shape in his mind.
Chen Jichuan turned to Sheng Dayang and asked, "Those six from the Feiying Hall of Lishui Gang weren't killed by you, but you know how tyrannical the Lishui Gang is. They won't spare you and your son. What are your plans?"
"Do you have any orders for us, Great Hero?"
Sheng Dayang dared not speak openly and wore an expression of utter respect.
"What kind of great hero am I?"
Chen Jichuan shook his head, his voice raspy and low as he suppressed it. "I go by the name Yu Jin. I have an irreconcilable vendetta against the Lishui Gang. If you wish to take revenge on the Lishui Gang and avenge your mother, meet me in ten days, eighteen miles south of here, in a chaotic stone forest."