The time was slightly earlier.
Su Ming sat in his room, his entire body emitting a faint golden radiance.
If an outsider were to look closely, they would notice the unique nature of this light. Though it appeared as fluid and ever-changing as flowing water, it also seemed to possess a tangible, solid form.
The golden light surrounding Su Ming was quickly retracted. He clenched his fists, a smile spreading across his face.
"What an unexpected harvest. It turns out these skills really can complement and enhance one another."
Su Ming was actually a bit surprised. He had originally intended to go into seclusion because he feared he wouldn't be able to perfectly master several of his newly acquired skills. However, when he truly began practicing the Edge of Taixuan, the Golden Light Spell, and the Heart Purifying Spell, he discovered a pleasant surprise.
The essence of the Edge of Taixuan was the manipulation and extension of energy, allowing one to change its shape and properties at will. Beyond that, it involved sensing the energy present in space and borrowing it through the mental pathways of the Edge of Taixuan.
The protective radiance of the Golden Light Spell, on the other hand, was a byproduct of cultivationtheoretically, it was also a means of shaping and extending energy.
As luck would have it, Su Ming already possessed a similar means.
After strengthening the Dragon Factor within his body, his magic power had surged, becoming more than three times what it was before the enhancement. This explosive increase in magic power had granted him a passive skillMana Burst.
For Su Ming, using Mana Burst was as natural as breathing or walking; it required no complex maneuvers. Furthermore, Mana Burst itself was a method of shaping energy. It wasn't just a simple offensive skill; it could shape magic power into almost anything one desiredprovided, of course, that one had a sufficient reserve of magic power.
It was just like the Heroic Spirits in the TYPE-MOON world. On ordinary days, their armor or the civilian clothes they wore to blend in with humans were mostly constructed from magic power.
With the help of Mana Burst, Su Ming mastered the use of Eminence in a remarkably short time. Not only that, but with the swordplay inherited from Jingliu, his understanding of the Edge of Taixuan had reached a state of near perfection.
Naturally, thanks to the assistance of Mana Burst, Su Ming also mastered the application of the Golden Light Spell's protective radiance. After all, the prerequisite for any technique was having enough energy.
While the protective light was a byproduct, Su Ming's Cultivation of Nature and Life was top-notch. Both his physical strength and his mental fortitude as a transmigrator were formidable. As long as he entered the state of the Golden Light Spell, he could smoothly utilize the protective radiance.
The only thing he found tricky was the Heart Purifying Spell.
This surprised Su Ming; he had expected it to be the easiest skill to master, but it turned out to have the highest difficulty. In truth, the method for performing and cultivating the Heart Purifying Spell was simple: peace of mind.
However, this "peace" wasn't just ordinary calm. It required truly entering a state of deep meditation, a total stillness of the soul. Fortunately, Su Ming had trained under Cloud Retainer.
Although the worldviews were different, both paths of cultivation emphasized a quiet heart. Thus, he had learned plenty of techniques for entering meditation. After calming his mind, he slowly mastered the skill.
As for Bajiquan, there was no need to "master" it. His master-level technique had already been forged into muscle memory; it was a state where formless moves surpassed specific forms. Moreover, given his combat style,
he rarely found an opening to use unarmed strikes. Compared to the "real man" style of fist-to-fist combat, he still preferred armed combatthere was nothing quite like the feeling of cold steel.
Shortly after he had mastered and familiarized himself with his skills, he sensed an unsettling disturbance coming from the distance beyond Liyue Harbor.
"What's happening?"
"This sensation... while I don't feel a threat, there is a sense of... revulsion?"
"What exactly is that?"
"Judging by the direction, it seems to be coming from Guyun Stone Forest?"
"Is it possible that Osial has already been released by Tartaglia?"
"No, that's not right. That guy might be reckless, but he isn't completely brainless."
"Currently, Liyue Harbor is calm and stable with no signs of chaos. He wouldn't find an opportunity to sneak into the Golden House."
"And even if he did get in, the Liyue Qixing surely have their own means. If they simply transferred the Exuvia without leaving some kind of bait or ambush for those with ill intentions, then the Qixing would be quite incompetent. They wouldn't be that lacking in schemes and planning."
Just as Su Ming was thinking this, he heard a notification from the System. It was a sound he didn't particularly want to hear right now.
[Congratulations to the host for significantly changing the plot for the first time. Luck has increased by 100. You have obtained a Sublimation Card.]
"???"
What happened? How did the plot change?
Could it be...
Su Ming's expression gradually grew serious. The development of events had exceeded his initial plans.
Originally, his plan was to set an ambush in the Golden House, give the troublemaker Dada Duck a good beating, and throw him into a cell. He wanted the guy to get used to prison life early and experience a dungeon with Liyue flair, so that when he eventually went to the Fortress of Meropide, he could compare the accommodations between the two nations.
Moreover, if he were on the scene, there would be no need to worry about Tartaglia breaking Osial's seal. He would definitely have enough time to interrupt Tartaglia's casting before the seal broke. That way, they could avoid one boss fight.
But looking at the current situation, something had clearly changed.
Just as Su Ming was about to head out to investigate and prepare to fly to the scene, he saw someone in his courtyard. It was a guest he truly hadn't expected.
Aether stood in the center of the yard, a longsword in hand, staring coldly at Su Ming without saying a word.
Su Ming gave Aether a smile. "Yo, brother-in-law, nice to meet you."
"Who are you calling brother-in-law! I'm warning you, stay away from my sister!"
"Otherwise, don't blame me if I hack you to death!"
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