Traces

"Just a little more!"

"Once the Water Origin Art breaks through to the Fourth Layer, giving the Spirit Essence cultivated by the method distinctive properties, my strength will rise considerably!"

"But it's too difficult!"

"Among all the Outer Sect Disciples in the Cloud Water Sect's Separate Courtyards, those who have cultivated the Water Origin Art to the Fourth Layer are as rare as Phoenix Feathers and Unicorn Horns!"

Zhang Qingyuan let out a long sigh,

Looking At the Water Origin Art's proficiency of 999,

he could not help feeling somewhat disappointed.

Zhang Qingyuan

knew his own aptitude very well.

Though he had not started out with the standard worthless-trash physique found in some fantasy novels, he was nowhere close to being a genius either.

He was simply an utterly ordinary person.

For a commonplace Cultivation Method like the Water Origin Art,

to cultivate it to a level no one in the Seventeenth Branch could surpass,

first, it was because the geniuses cultivated other methods,

second, Zhang Qingyuan understood his own financial circumstances and knew he basically had no chance of coveting other powerful cultivation methods, so he had cultivated diligently all along.

Third was the help of the Proficiency Panel.

While cultivating,

based on the rate at which the Water Origin Art's proficiency increased on the Proficiency Panel,

Zhang Qingyuan persisted in his cultivation while gradually fine-tuning the state in which he operated the cultivation method.

Because

if the cultivation method was operated correctly, its proficiency would naturally increase.

And the speed at which it increased

could reveal whether Zhang Qingyuan was getting twice the result with half the effort, or half the result with twice the effort.

Over the past year,

through constant cultivation

and constant adjustments,

it could be said

that the Water Origin Art Zhang Qingyuan cultivated

had gradually undergone subtle changes, becoming the cultivation method best suited to him!

It was precisely for all these reasons

that Zhang Qingyuan's comprehension of the Water Origin Art

was undoubtedly first among the Seventeenth Branch.

But all of this,

although largely due to Zhang Qingyuan's own efforts,

also could not have done without the assistance of his Golden Finger.

He was no genius.

He merely had twice the persistence of others, along with the Proficiency Panel's aid.

But

before the bottleneck of the Water Origin Art's Fourth Layer,

these two things

were of little use!

Only talent in cultivation insight

could grasp the true meaning of the Water Origin Art's Fourth Layer.

"What exactly am I lacking? How can I break through to the Fourth Layer?"

Zhang Qingyuan fell into deep thought.

But after all,

he gained little.

Helplessly,

a breakthrough in a cultivation method

could only rely on a flash of Spiritual Mechanism that might come at any time,

and that single flash

was often something one could encounter but never seek!

With a sigh,

he was about to put the matter aside.

But just then,

a faint rustling sound seemed to drift into his ears on the wind.

Zhang Qingyuan did not pay it much attention at first,

but the next moment,

he suddenly realized!

His gaze sharpened like a sword and shot straight into the Spirit Field!

Within the Spirit Field,

the Spirit Grain seedlings trembled slightly.

Zhang Qingyuan suddenly saw

that amid the dense green, a gray figure had faintly appeared!

"Spirit Devouring Rat!"

Zhang Qingyuan was startled.

Then he kicked off the tree trunk. Spirit Essence burst forth from Inside the Body as he simultaneously activated the Light Body Technique and Cloud Smoke Steps. Like a bird, he shot into Mid-air, turning into an afterimage as he rushed toward the Spirit Field!

A fierce gale swept up from the flat ground!

Within the Spirit Field,

the Spirit Devouring Rat that was gnawing on the Spirit Grain seedlings

possessed astonishing Spiritual Sense as well!

The instant Zhang Qingyuan sprang into action, it split into three afterimages and darted in different directions like bolts of black lightning!

In the span of a breath,

the three afterimages fled the Spirit Field,

rushed into the forest,

and Disappeared!

It had escaped!

Yet Zhang Qingyuan showed no regret.

The Spirit Devouring Rat had fled too quickly,

and with the confusion caused by the three afterimages,

it had been difficult to kill it on the spot to begin with.

He had Expected this.

In two or three flashes, he arrived at the edge of the Spirit Field.

His sharp gaze swept over the area,

then,

on an inconspicuous field ridge, several disorderly footprints had appeared on the lines of flour scattered there!

Manifestation Tracing Technique,

appear!

Without hesitation,

Zhang Qingyuan used the Manifestation Tracing Technique.

Then,

a faint trail

appeared before his eyes,

stretching into the woods,

strikingly clear!

"Success!"

Delight appeared on Zhang Qingyuan's face!

This time,

what he used the Manifestation Tracing Technique to trace was not the Spirit Devouring Rat's aura, but the traces of white flour!

The Spirit Devouring Rat could erase its own aura.

The second-layer Manifestation Tracing Technique was not very useful against it; Zhang Qingyuan had known that from the beginning.

Therefore,

after seeing the bits of rotten leaves stained with the Spirit Devouring Rat's aura last night, an idea had suddenly come to him.

That was,

since he could not trace the Spirit Devouring Rat's aura,

could he trace the marks left by things that had stuck to the Spirit Devouring Rat instead?

So,

he had Hu Yong'an arrange for people

to scatter white flour all around the Spirit Field!

When it entered and left the Spirit Field,

flour would stick to the Spirit Devouring Rat!

And that flour,

magnified and guided by the Manifestation Tracing Technique, became the best map marker for Zhang Qingyuan to find the Spirit Devouring Rat!

Without the slightest hesitation,

Zhang Qingyuan raised his longsword and leaped four or five zhang in a single step, charging into the forest. Ignoring the illusion array shrouding the surroundings, he flashed several times as he pursued along the trail!

From beginning to end,

the few Hu Family members stationed nearby

had not even reacted

before they saw the Spirit Devouring Rat and Zhang Qingyuan vanish into the woods one after the other.

"Quick, go find the Clan Leader!"

After staring blankly for a moment,

a Hu Family member holding a hoe

hurriedly shouted.