Micro Control

Looking at the utterly ordinary brush before him, Lu Xun had never imagined that it actually had a level—and it was already level 20.

Its basic information stated that Master had used this brush to draw talismans many times. Over time, it had nurtured a "spirit."

Brush spirits were relatively rare, but sword spirits were something everyone could understand more easily.

Once it developed a spirit, it was equivalent to gaining sentience, like a low-level lifeform. Its having a level was therefore easy enough to understand.

Usually, only Purple Tier Equipment had a chance of developing a spirit. This was merely the most ordinary brush imaginable; it probably had not cost much when it was bought.

More precisely, this brush had been a free gift from a little shop when Master bought an inkstone...

For a moment, Lu Xun became even more curious about his Master.

He extended his right hand and tried to pick up the brush.

The brush was light, nowhere near as difficult to lift as he had imagined. It seemed like an ordinary cheap brush.

But the instant it touched the ink, Lu Xun's raised right hand began trembling uncontrollably!

The moment it touched ink, it became heavy!

"Are you kidding me? My Qilin Arm can't even handle a brush?" Lu Xun began trying to mobilize the meager Spiritual Energy within his body.

He was no longer worried about Ji Li's trial results. That silly girl had been born with immense strength, so she should perform quite well in this trial.

Once his Spiritual Energy began circulating, Lu Xun felt a little better.

It still felt rather strenuous, but... he had to put on a calm and composed front!

He had an idol image to maintain. He aimed to become the sole male idol of the Demon Sect—and even the entire Tian Chen Continent—promote fandom culture in the cultivation world, perform well before all these Tool People, turn them into his fans, and harvest Reputation Points from them!

Harvesting leeks was the best.

The disciples watching from behind saw Lu Xun's trembling right hand but calm expression. His face had not changed in the slightest, and they could not help but admire him.

They felt that Little Martial Grand-Aunt's resoluteness was on full display!

Even Shen Yan and the various Peak Lords, who were sitting atop Evergreen Peak drinking tea and watching the show, wore smiles as they felt that Little Martial Uncle's temperament was indeed quite good.

After all, he was a ruthless man who had even dared to jump off Reception Peak.

It was fine to be a little weak, but one had to know how to tough it out.

Of course, one had to keep it up. If he lost composure after only holding on for a moment, he would embarrass himself twice over.

Fortunately, dipping the brush in ink was only the first step. The important part was using it to write and draw on Talisman Paper!

The instant the brush tip was about to touch the Talisman Paper, time seemed to freeze.

From an outsider's perspective, Little Martial Grand-Aunt seemed to have stiffened. He stood there without moving, and even the hand holding the brush remained still. He looked as if he were thinking, yet also somewhat like he was spacing out.

But that was not the case. He wanted to splash ink like water and let brush and ink sweep freely, but this brush... refused to move!

The true trial only began at the moment the brush tip was about to touch the Talisman Paper!

Standing to one side, Elder Qiu Shui explained to the other Outer Sect Disciples, "This is only the beginning of the trial. This brush already possesses sentience. Your cultivation is still shallow, so controlling it will be rather difficult. You will understand soon enough."

Lu Xun put all his strength into it and desperately poured in Spiritual Energy, only to find it completely useless.

The harder he exerted himself, the more fiercely the brush resisted.

And the more it resisted, the more excited Lu Xun became!

"I refuse to believe I can't handle you!"

Since this was a trial and also a mission, there was no reason he should be unable to move this brush.

Since it would not move, then his method of unlocking it had to be wrong.

As a former mission maniac, Lu Xun had some experience in this regard. If one path did not work, there was no point stubbornly forcing it and getting stuck in a dead end. It was better to try another route.

If the dry route did not work, then he would try the water route.

Use softness to overcome hardness! Flexibility was the key!

Lu Xun began reducing his strength, attempting to treat the brush gently. Put professionally, he was using the legendary Skillful Strength.

Then... the brush moved!

Though only slightly, the brush truly twitched, leaving a faint mark on the Talisman Paper!

It seemed it did not like roughness. It liked gentleness.

Lu Xun understood at once. This trial tested the Demon Sect Disciples' control over the Spiritual Energy within their bodies!

It was meant to teach the disciples how to use Spiritual Energy skillfully and understand where it was best applied.

There was a fitting term for it—

Micro Control!

Lu Xun began carefully sensing it. The brush moved laboriously across the Talisman Paper. It could not even draw a straight line, leaving crooked, wavering strokes, yet Elder Qiu Shui and those old geezers on Evergreen Peak were already astonished.

Our Little Martial Uncle... had grasped it rather quickly!

They did not know that Lu Xun had completed so many missions that he had accumulated experience.

He was an old hand at this. He understood that when the approach was wrong, one had to switch immediately instead of stubbornly digging in his heels like an idiot.

For some reason, despite never receiving any professional training, his Micro Control over the Spiritual Energy in his body was surprisingly smooth and natural!

"Strange. I clearly haven't put much effort into this. Could it be..."

Lu Xun thought of Second Senior Sister's loving lashes at night while he slept!

Perhaps the sword intent Second Senior Sister had left within him worked in a similar way!

This was not the time to think about such things. Holding the brush, Lu Xun continued drawing laboriously on the Talisman Paper. He felt miserable—not merely physically, but mentally above all else.

This kind of Micro Control consumed far too much mental energy!

Second by second, five minutes finally passed.

"Ding! The first part of the trial mission has been completed. Current progress: 20%. Obtained 1,000 Experience Points!"

The exhausted Lu Xun closed his eyes. After three seconds, he opened them again, stopped hesitating, and continued moving the brush!

He was rather greedy. If he was taking something, he wanted all of it—he would not leave even a little behind!

As for the torment on both the mental and physical levels... how about thirty-six times in one night?

What made him feel most powerless now was that his pitiful amount of Spiritual Energy was nearly exhausted.

So-called Micro Control was like holding a sum of money and spending it with meticulous care, putting every coin where it mattered most. But if the sum was too small, then no amount of careful budgeting would help.

On Evergreen Peak, Luo Wanqiu, the Demon Sect's only female Peak Lord and a beautiful mature woman, said, "Little Martial Uncle has already done very well. Unfortunately, his cultivation is still shallow, and his Spiritual Energy should be nearly exhausted. He should have reached his limit. If he—"

Before she could finish, she immediately sensed that something was wrong!

Gongshu Pan, whose face was always dark, was instead an impatient man. He burst into laughter and said, "Breaking through during the trial—Little Martial Uncle truly is a godlike man!"

None of them had expected that someone could actually break through while practicing Micro Control!

Using Micro Control while breaking through a bottleneck... could he really multitask like this!?

Seeing that the Spiritual Energy in his body had been exhausted, Lu Xun decisively tapped Upgrade!

He did not rush to use up all ten thousand-plus Experience Points. He only raised his level once.

His control over Micro Control was still far from sufficient. If his Spiritual Energy suddenly surged too much, he feared he would lose control.

One step at a time!

After consuming one thousand Experience Points, Lu Xun reached the third level of the Qi Devouring Art. The surrounding Spiritual Energy poured into his body and transformed into Spiritual Energy he could command.

The impoverished man from moments ago suddenly seemed to have become extravagantly wealthy!

He calmed his mind and focused, doing his utmost to control the brush.

The next moment, amid everyone's stunned gazes, he used the brush in his hand to draw a...

A perfectly straight line!