Cosmic Shift's Major Upgrade

"That's impossible! This shouldn't be happening!"

"I don't think I've ever offended him before, and this is our first meeting."

"Although there was a hint of him trying to chat me up, he ignored me and then left. I didn't cause any trouble!"

"But why does Lord Xu look so unpleasant? His face has even turned black."

He could tell that Xu Bai's expression turned very ugly after he said those words.

This is something that can be clearly seen with the naked eye. Even an ordinary person could tell from here that Xu Bai is definitely not in a good mood.

But why was that? Jiang Tong was very certain that this was the first time he had met Xu Bai, and he had not offended him or done anything unreasonable, but the other party seemed to dislike him and seemed to hate him.

"Let's go." Xu Bai ignored Jiang Tong and took Ye Zi's hand, intending to leave.

Jiang Tong couldn't figure out what he had done wrong. He gritted his teeth, and finally took a few steps to stand between Xu Bai and said, "Blood Slaughtering Saber Wielder, this is the first time we've met. I don't think I've offended you in any way, so why are you giving me attitude?"

Some things, if not asked or spoken about, are likely to become misunderstandings. The children of these large families receive a good education from a young age, so they naturally understand this basic principle.

Even if Xu Bai dislikes him, he should at least know why.

Can't he just change?

Despite the immense pressure, Jiang Tong did not back down.

Upon hearing that title again, Xu Bai felt a faint killing intent rise within him. He looked at Jiang Tong and said in an unfriendly tone, "I'm letting your ignorance go unpunished, but things shouldn't happen more than three times. If you mention it again, you'd better watch your head."

He is neither a bad person nor a good person, but he will not act recklessly or kill innocent people indiscriminately.

He knew that the other party's use of that title was unintentional, so he naturally wouldn't draw his sword immediately. However, he explained the reason, and if the other party continued to use that title, then it would be deliberately provoking trouble.

However, even though he didn't draw his sword, his impression of the young man in front of him had already plummeted.

There's a saying, "first impressions matter," and another, "First impressions are crucial." The young man in front of him addressed him by his title upon their first meeting, which directly influenced Xu Bai's opinion of him.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Tong froze on the spot, unable to react for a long time.

"So... that's how it is?"

He finally understood that the powerful man in front of him did not like his title, which was extremely rare in the martial arts world.

In the martial arts world, apart from those with extremely evil titles, most people don't care about their titles.

The title is not something one gives oneself; rather, it is a form of recognition within the martial arts world. In other words, whoever has a title gains a certain level of recognition. Therefore, those who roam the martial arts world understand that it is a form of recognition and honor.

But the person standing before him now, a favorite of the emperor, does the opposite, showing extreme aversion to titles.

After Jiang Tong understood the reason, he originally intended to make amends, but seeing that Xu Bai was not interested at the moment, and thinking about when Xu Bai and Ye Zi met earlier, he thought it best not to disturb them for the time being.

The other party is in a bad mood right now, so disturbing them rashly will only bring misfortune upon yourself.

It would be better to wait a few days until the other party calms down before he goes to apologize in person. He can also use this time to return to his family and have a chat with them.

What I have seen and heard today suggests that my family may have something better than him as a compensation and apology.

"I apologize for my intrusion. I won't disturb you any longer. I'll take my leave." Jiang Tong clasped his hands in a fist salute, making sure to say the polite words.

Xu Bai nodded slightly, which was considered an agreement. Without saying a word, he took Ye Zi's hand and walked into the city.

Jiang Tong remained where he was until Xu Bai's figure disappeared at the end of the street. Only then did he finally breathe a sigh of relief and collapse weakly to the ground.

The pressure he felt just now was immense, especially the terrifying killing intent from the other party, which was forged in blood and fire, not something feigned. Therefore, he was under a lot of pressure.

"No, I have to leave quickly and go back to my family to tell them about this. This is such a big matter, it must be dealt with as soon as possible." Jiang Tong thought to himself as he quickly left the street.

On the other side, Xu Bai was walking down the street with Ye Zi in his hand.

Throughout the journey, Ye Zi kept chattering away, as if she had endless things to say.

Having just experienced their encounter, Ye Zi was extremely excited, skipping and hopping as she walked. Knowing that Xu Bai was not dead, she was overjoyed.

The two walked for a while and finally arrived at an inn. Ye Zi pointed at the inn and chattered, "Young master, the room has been booked and is inside. I haven't had time to check out yet."

Xu Bai smiled and patted Ye Zi's head.

Ye Zi led the way, and the two entered the inn. They found a superior room, and Ye Zi opened the door to let Xu Bai in.

As soon as they entered the house, Ye Zi closed the door. Then, Xu Bai Ye Zi wrapped her arms around Xu Bai's waist from behind and hugged him.

Xu Bai could sense that Ye Zi was trembling slightly and there were sobs coming out.

"Young master, I thought I would never see you again."

"Alright, it's nothing, I'm perfectly fine." Xu Bai held Ye Zi's hand and smiled.

Ye Zi didn't let go and hugged him for a long time until she calmed down. Then she let go, pulled Xu Bai Xu Bai to sit down, and stood behind him, massaging Xu Bai's shoulders.

This scene was already commonplace. Xu Bai squinted, resting his head on Ye Zi's chest, quietly enjoying the moment.

"Young master, something happened to me last night." Ye Zi recalled what had happened the night before and recounted his experience.

Xu Bai laughed and said, "These chickens and dogs have really learned to be smart. They knew that ambushing me on the road would only be a waste of their time. Now they've all learned to gather together and come to the finish line to deal with me."

"Young master, do you have a plan?" Ye Zi tilted his head and asked curiously.

Xu Bai shook his head and said, "Currently, the enemy is in the dark while we are in the light, and there is no solution for the time being. However, we should wait a few more days. Perhaps a solution will emerge after a few days."

The other party hasn't made a move, and he can't find a solution, but it's not impossible. He's currently working on the wood carving project.

Once the wood carving progress bar is full, then go grind for that divination book. With the second-grade divination book and the Paper Art for Seeking Traces, you might be able to anticipate the enemy's moves.

Upon hearing this, Ye Zi knew that her young master must have a solution, so she didn't ask any further questions and continued massaging Xu Bai's shoulders.

The Fourth-Rank Puppet standing to the side held the wooden carving, allowing Xu Bai to look at the progress bar of the wooden carving at eye level. The progress bar was slowly increasing in his eyes.

The time to perfection is not far off, and Xu Bai has no shortage of time. He just needs to wait patiently.

Time passed slowly.

This morning, Xu Bai got up very early and went out for breakfast with Ye Zi before returning to his room.

After returning to his room, Xu Bai rubbed his lower back.

Last night, Ye Zi was fierce.

Inside the room, the Fourth-Rank Puppet was still holding the wooden carving. The golden progress bar in front of Xu Bai was just a hair's breadth away from being perfected.

After a few breaths, the final progress bar was finally complete.

A pale blue mist appeared before Xu Bai's eyes, continuously condensing until it finally formed a new line of text.

[You observe the wood carving and comprehend the Cosmic Shift (revised).]

Xu Bai: "?"

He thought it meant he had mastered the Female Daoist Abbot's set of techniques, but it turned out to be a "Cosmic Shift, with the word "modified" added after it.

Change what? Xu Bai's expression turned somewhat strange; he seemed to have thought of something.

Sure enough, on that day in the cave, the Female Daoist Abbot really did steal the skill of "Cosmic Shift." Not only did she steal it, but she also completely simulated it, and even made changes based on the simulation.

"The geniuses of this world are truly terrifying."

As a former genius, she was able to create Seas Hold All Rivers that encompasses all walks of life and includes various professions. Now, she can even improve the Cosmic Shift. The Female Daoist Abbot is indeed a prodigy of her time.

Xu Bai couldn't help but admire him.

However, as much as he admired it, he was now very curious to know what new effects this skill fusion would produce.

Soon, the pale blue smoke disappeared, and in its place, new pale blue smoke gradually gathered in mid-air, turning into new characters.

[Mergeable options found, currently in progress.]

[The Cosmic Shift and the changing of the seasons + the modified Cosmic Shift changing of the seasons = Grafting Flowers onto Trees.]

[Merger successful!]

Xu Bai: "..."

He looked at the wood carving. Well, it was indeed made of wood, and the name was at least somewhat relevant.

The latest panel has appeared.

[Name: Xu Bai]

[Realm Level: Third Rank Loose Cultivator]

[Chess Saber Five Styles (Tier 7): Max Level.]

[The Inverted Purple Firmament Gang Wind Yin Yang Melody (Tier 7.5): Max Level.]

[Returning Wind Flowing Snow (Tier 5): Max Level.]

[Movement Break Fourth Cycle (Tier 6): Max Level.]

[Grafting Flowers onto Trees (Tier 8): Max Level.]

[Vajra Heart Demon Body (Tier 4); Max Level.]

[Strengthening Kidney Gathering Art (Tier 5): Max Level.]

[Hundred Poisons True Explanation (Tier 3): Max Level.]

[Ingenious Craft Puppet Technique (Tier 6): Max Level.]

[Undying Body (Remnant) (Tier 6): Max Level.]

[Water Adaptation Method (Tier 5): Max Level]

[Comprehension: Max level.]

Holy crap!

Even with Xu Bai's current temperament, he couldn't help but utter a curse.

He wasn't very cultured and couldn't think of many adjectives; he could only use "damn" to describe any emotion, whether it was joy, anger, sorrow, or happiness.

After all, the phrase "damn it" can represent most emotions; it's simple, straightforward, and easy to understand.

Eighth Rank!

A true tier 8 skill, equivalent to a tier 2 skill! Wow!

As expected of the Female Daoist Abbot!

Looking at this skill, Xu Bai even had an idea in his mind.

The Female Daoist Abbot is still carving his likeness, isn't she? If he could stay there, wouldn't she be able to keep fleecing him?

The idea wasn't without merit, but Xu Bai couldn't find a way to do it right now. He couldn't very well run out into the street and shout, could he? Besides, the current Female Daoist Abbot could only maintain a brief period of lucidity, but what if she went mad? Wouldn't he be unable to handle it? "Sigh, what a pity."

If a wood carving can reach this level, and the Female Daoist Abbot were to learn his Grafting Flowers onto Trees and recarve a few more, she would truly become rich.

At this moment, the pale blue smoke transformed into streams of information and entered his mind.

In the blink of an eye, Xu Bai had absorbed all the information and completely mastered the skill of "Grafting Flowers onto Trees".

After absorbing the information, Xu Bai opened his eyes and nodded silently.

The skill "Grafting Flowers onto Trees and Grafting Trees" is the same as "Shifting Stars and Cosmic Shift"—both can transfer the opponent's attacks, whether they are weapons or other types of attacks.

The principle of "an eye for an eye" applies here.

It can be used by anyone below the second rank! But compared to the previous "Cosmic Shift", "Grafting Flowers onto Trees" has a new effect, which Xu Bai thinks is like a bug.

This effect can be described in a single, simple sentence.

Transfer the injury!

That's right, it's about transferring injuries. Whether it's transferring injuries from your own body or from someone else's, this skill works. As long as the injury isn't too severe, or doesn't exceed the second rank, it's fine.

"I can heal now. jpg" "Perhaps this is the qualitative change of the second grade, just like my Saber Intent."

Xu Bai guessed that perhaps the Female Daoist Abbot wanted to divert her madness, so she specifically researched in this direction, but after all, there were still flaws, so she did not succeed completely and could only be lucid for a short time.

Or in other words, only a portion was transferred out, while a large portion remained untransferred.

Xu Bai stroked his chin, thinking to himself, "Could I use a special method to turn this skill into an attack method?"

As a time traveler, a quick mind is an essential quality, and Xu Bai's thinking is also very unconventional. Soon, he found a flexible way to use this skill.

The same principle applies to Grafting Flowers onto Trees; it can only be done after getting close to the target.

However, under certain circumstances, it can be used as a form of attack. For example, if Xu Bai stabs himself and then transfers the wound elsewhere, then...

He possesses extremely strong regenerative abilities; stabbing himself is no big deal for him.

"Isn't this the real anti-armor?" Xu Bai thought to himself.

To be honest, the current situation is quite similar.

With his new skills, Xu Bai felt much more at ease, and his mindset became extremely comfortable.

"Hurry up."

Time waits for no one. Although he had plenty of time, he wouldn't waste it. Xu Bai took out the second-grade divination book from his pocket, looked at the empty progress bar, flipped to a page, and continued working on it.

This second-grade divination book might come in handy later.

Xu Bai temporarily abandoned the Nameless Saber Scripture and planned to work on the Divination Book first, since he still needed it to find the person behind the scenes, which was the most important thing at the moment.

I just had this idea, but I'm not ready to start yet.

The next moment, someone stood outside the door and gently knocked. The knocking was very soft, and it stopped after three knocks, as if waiting for Xu Bai's reply.

"Who?" Xu Bai asked, frowning.

This place was unfamiliar to him; he had never even been here before. Yet now someone had come knocking on his door, and Xu Bai was very curious about who it was.

As Xu Bai asked the question, a voice came from outside the door, slightly loud and full of heroic spirit.

"Lord Xu, I am the head of the Jiang Family. I apologize for disturbing you, and I hope Lord Xu will be magnanimous."

The Jiang Family?

Xu Bai stroked his chin. He didn't seem to know this person, nor had he had any specific contact with him. But since the other party had come to him, he gave Ye Zi a wink.

Ye Zi put her hand down, obediently walked to the door, and opened it.

After opening the door, a burly middle-aged man stood outside.

The man was dressed in thick clothes from head to toe, but what was exposed was unusually muscular.

He had an ordinary appearance, but his body was almost entirely muscular. Xu Bai could sense that the other person's physical strength was indeed quite impressive, but he still didn't recognize him.

Xu Bai stroked his chin, placed his hand on the table, and asked with interest, "Who are you, and what business do you have with me?"

The Jiang Family Head clasped his hands and said, "A few days ago, my son offended Lord Xu. He was blind and ignorant. I came here specifically to apologize to Lord Xu."

When Xu Bai heard what the other person said, he remembered what had happened. It turned out to be the young man from that morning.

To be honest, he had almost forgotten about that person over the past few days. After all, he was very busy every day, and forgetting one or two insignificant people was no big deal for him.

"So it's Jiang Family Head. I didn't expect you to be so polite and come to apologize. This is quite unexpected," Xu Bai said with a smile.

As the saying goes, one doesn't hit a smiling face. Since the other party was so polite, Xu Bai, who is the type to respond to kindness but not force, naturally wouldn't give them a hard time.

The Jiang Family Head hadn't expected Xu Bai to be so easy to talk to.

After all, most of the legends about Xu Bai in this martial arts world are negative, such as being ruthless and unpredictable.

But the young man in front of them was very amiable, which was completely contrary to the legends in the martial arts world.

Moreover, in his view, this young man in front of him was an excellent choice in terms of both temperament and demeanor, and he gave people a certain feeling.

—As warm and smooth as jade, yet as sharp as a knife.

Looking at the young man in front of him, who was about the same age as his own son, the Jiang Family Head couldn't help but think of his son. Comparing them, he felt that his son... tsk tsk.

"Bring those two people here!" The Jiang Family Head turned around and shouted towards the door.

Outside the door, several servants came in, leading two men who were bound hand and foot.

The two men were dressed in tattered clothes and covered in various wounds, clearly having been tortured before they arrived.

"What do these two people mean?" Xu Bai narrowed his eyes slightly.

The Jiang Family Head pointed at the two men and explained, "Lord Xu must have faced many difficulties on his journey, and I am the head of the Jiang Family in Wind Flower Prefecture. I know Wind Flower Prefecture like the back of my hand. These two men are the ones who are planning to assassinate Lord Xu."

"Unfortunately, their strength is weak and their status seems low, so they probably don't know much about it."

"I tortured them severely before I brought them here, but these two guys are still pretty tough."

"That's why I brought them here specifically, to see if Lord Xu has any way to find out any clues about them."

When the two wounded men appeared, they immediately saw Xu Bai and began to tremble.

But they remained silent, clearly not wanting to say anything.

Xu Bai took the tea that Ye Zi handed him, took a sip, then put down the teacup and looked at the two men with interest before standing up from his seat.

The fact that two people wanted to assassinate him was quite unexpected.

I didn't expect to receive such a generous gift so soon after arriving. Although the authenticity of this gift remains to be verified, all I need to do to find out is try it.

"In that case, I will give it a try." Xu Bai extended his left hand. "Jiang Family Head, if you leave now, you won't have to get involved in this matter."

This is a hint.

If he leaves now and Xu Bai accepts the gift, then the conflict between them will be wiped clean.

If they don't leave, it means they're getting involved in this matter, which would be dangerous.

Of course, there are benefits too. Once Xu Bai enters the Capital City, the emperor will definitely reward these people, without a doubt.

"Although I am just a martial artist, I have always been a righteous person, so of course I am willing to stay here," said the Jiang Family Head with an upright demeanor.

Righteousness my ass!

These family heads, who were able to make a name for themselves in a state larger than a prefecture, were all incredibly shrewd and capable.

Clearly, this Jiang Family Head wanted to make a big profit, which meant he was siding with Xu Bai.

But often, there are things that can be seen through, but cannot be said out loud, because if they are said out loud, everyone will feel awkward.

"Oh my, I never expected to meet such an upright person. I truly admire your integrity. It's such a pity you didn't become a scholar." Xu Bai put his arm around the Jiang Family Head's shoulder, looking very grateful.

Jiang Family Head: "..."

Although everyone was just saying polite things, he still felt that Xu Bai was exaggerating. Oh well, staying here was a must anyway.

Xu Bai released his grip, then looked at the two wounded men and laughed, "Not going to talk?"

The two exchanged a glance and remained silent, clearly intending not to say anything.

"Then..." Xu Bai was about to speak.

Before I could even speak, they interrupted me.

"Blood Slaughtering Saber Wielder, don't waste your time. We know your methods of torture and forced confessions. We've long since used special means to cut off our sense of pain," one of them said with a disdainful look.

Xu Bai's brows furrowed and veins throbbed. "Blood my ass!"

He drew the Black Saber Hundred Rends from his waist, flicked his finger, and the blade of the Black Saber Hundred Rends vibrated slightly. Then, a peculiar melody echoed in the room.

The two men, who had been looking down on each other, suddenly froze, their eyes becoming vacant, as if they had entered a peculiar state.

"Now, tell me everything you know," Xu Bai said calmly.

The Jiang Family Head, who was standing nearby, was completely stunned by what he saw.

He was very knowledgeable; although he was just a martial artist, he could tell that this was a technique related to the soul and spirit.

hiss...

The Jiang Family Head gasped. Just as the rumors in the martial arts world said, this Lord Xu had cultivated extensively, mastering all three major categories: essence, Essence, Qi, and Spirit, and spirit.

That's fucking terrifying!

If someone could reach such a level through multiple cultivations, they would probably have left these people far behind long ago if they had only cultivated one.

Of course, now is not the time for him to be surprised. He also wants to know who is behind this sabotage against Xu Bai.

The two men, covered in wounds, stared blankly at Xu Bai. When Xu Bai asked the question, they both looked up and stared at him with blank eyes.

"Tell me, why won't you tell me?" Xu Bai continued to ask.

The two wounded men continued to stare at Xu Bai without saying a word.

Xu Bai frowned.

He had a feeling that something was wrong. He was certain that he had taken control of the other person's soul, but the other person hadn't said a word.

"Young Master, is it possible that they know nothing at all?" Ye Zi asked quietly.

Xu Bai shook his head and said, "Even if you don't know anything, you can still say a few words, so it won't be like this now."

Silence fell over the scene. In fact, when it comes to spiritual abilities, Xu Bai is stronger.

Even he couldn't figure out what was going on, and everyone else present was even more at a loss.

Xu Bai thought about it carefully and tried to withdraw the control over his soul.

In the blink of an eye, the two men covered in wounds returned to normal. They looked at each other, their faces filled with fear.

Although they didn't know what had just happened, they still felt a sense of unease.

"There's nothing wrong with your souls," Xu Bai said. "Don't you two know anything at all?"

Neither of the two men spoke.

"It's a bit prickly," Xu Bai said.

It's definitely a tough one. These two guys had their pain receptors removed using a special method, so torture definitely won't work.

The spirit didn't know why, and couldn't get a clear answer from them.

It's as if all the roads have suddenly been blocked.

However... it's not entirely hopeless.

Xu Bai walked around the two people once and said, "Give it a try."

A paper crane flew from their hands and landed on the two people, but immediately turned to ashes upon landing.

Seeking Traces is useless.

Upon seeing this, Xu Bai frowned even more deeply, thinking to himself, "It seems we'll have to wait for a fortune telling."

In this situation, since no other methods are working, we can only try fortune telling.

Doesn't he still have the trick of divination? If he can max out the progress bar of divination books, maybe he can divinate something useful.

With this in mind, Xu Bai decided to have the Jiang Family Head keep a close watch on the two people.

Unexpectedly, before he could even utter those words, a voice suddenly came from the surrounding area.

"Click!"

The sound was very clear and crisp, coming from the two men on the ground.

The next moment, the two men suddenly began to writhe.

From Xu Bai's perspective, he noticed something unusual: there seemed to be translucent threads appearing at the joints of the two men.

The translucent silk thread hangs high, but it has no end; it is only about half a meter long.

As these threads appeared, the two men actually stood up under their control, their expressions becoming extremely strange.

A sentence came from the mouths of the two men.

"Their souls are all here with me. What you control is only a wisp of their souls. How could you possibly get any information out of them?"

Xu Bai was taken aback, then a cold glint appeared in his eyes. "You are the most daring person I have ever met."

Judging from the current situation, the two men are being controlled, and the sound they just made did not come from their own consciousness, but from the person behind them.

This was the most arrogant person he had ever met. They dared to confront him face-to-face when he first arrived in Wind Flower Prefecture, though it wasn't exactly face-to-face.

"Ha, courage is a skill, but it depends on who you're facing."

The controlled man spoke in a gloomy voice.

"I never imagined that your intimidating power could make an entire family willingly become your lackeys, tsk tsk tsk..."

"Xu Bai, I'll give you a chance, how about it?"

"Tomorrow night, come to the innermost room on the third floor of the Spring Rain Pavilion in Wind Flower Prefecture. I have something to tell you."

At this point, blood began to flow from the corners of the eyes of the two men right before Xu Bai's eyes.

The two men stood there on the ground, lifeless, the threads connecting their joints completely gone.

The field fell silent, and no one uttered a word.

The Jiang Family Head's face turned extremely ugly; this was tantamount to slapping him in the face.

He went to great lengths to find these two people, intending to use them to get closer to Xu Bai, but unexpectedly, he was used by them instead.

The other party was practically using him as a front to contact Xu Bai.

That's really awkward.

The task was not accomplished, and instead, he lost face.

"Lord Xu, I..." Jiang Family Head tried to speak.

Before he could finish speaking, Xu Bai raised his hand to stop him.

"Don't worry about it. I understand your good intentions. Since things have gone beyond what I expected, I won't blame you entirely," Xu Bai said.

The Jiang Family Head breathed a sigh of relief, "Thank you for your magnanimity, Lord Xu."

Xu Bai said calmly, "Jiang Family Head, things are a bit complicated right now. I need to calm down by myself. I will visit you another day to thank you for this generous gift."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Family Head understood that Xu Bai was issuing an order to leave. Indeed, given the magnitude of the event, it was not appropriate for him to linger any longer.

"Lord Xu, I shall take my leave now. If there is anything I may do that requires my assistance, I will do my utmost, even if it means going through fire and water," said the Jiang Family Head, bowing respectfully.

After saying that, he hurriedly left with his servants, taking the two corpses on the ground with him before he left.

After they left, Ye Zi closed the door behind her, turned around, looked at Xu Bai who had a furrowed brow, and walked up to Xu Bai Ye Zi.

"It's alright, let me think about it," Xu Bai said.

Ye Zi shook her head, gently squatted down, placed her hands on Xu Bai's knees, raised her head, and looked into Xu Bai's eyes.

"Young master, although I don't know who is behind this, judging from today's situation, I might be able to guess what he's up to."

Ye Zi's voice was very soft.

Xu Bai was slightly taken aback, only then realizing that Ye Zi was far more knowledgeable than him, and had even been specially trained by the Ye Family in various fields of knowledge.

Back at Wind Chime Prefecture, Ye Zi had also seen through many things, which helped Xu Bai a great deal.

If we could know what the other person does, we might be able to uncover some clues.

Ye Zi stood up, placed her hands on Xu Bai's shoulders, and slowly leaned close to Xu Bai's ear...

Cosmic Shift, Grafting Flowers onto Trees, and now... Ugh! What name should we come up with next?!