Purple Cloud Profound Force

Xiantian Realm...

Four hundred and forty years of Demon lifespan...

Shen Lin froze in place, staring blankly at his status panel.

[Shen Lin]

[Mastered Martial Arts: Blood Battle Saber Technique (Perfection), Wild Wind Sword Technique (Perfection), Qingqiu Body Tempering Technique (Perfection), Shadow Severing Step (Perfection)]
[Mastered Cultivation Techniques: None]
[Remaining Lifespan: One Year]
[Demon Lifespan: Seven Hundred and Thirty-Seven Years]

In just one night, he had gained a total of seven hundred and thirty-seven years of Demon lifespan.

"Phew, that was close. If he had truly broken through to the Xiantian Realm, our lives would have been forfeit."

Zijing let out a long sigh, interrupting Shen Lin's daze.

Gathering his thoughts, Shen Lin looked at Zijing and said, "You found the item, right?"

Zijing nodded, understanding Shen Lin's meaning.

Time to settle the bill!

However, she was no longer as bold as before, instead fidgeting and hesitating to speak.

Seeing this, Shen Lin frowned and said sternly, "Are you playing me?"

Zijing quickly shook her head, her face etched with distress. "Some accidents happened, and I'll need a large amount of Meridian Unblocking Pills..."

Back when her family had trouble, she was too young to have learned the inherited cultivation technique.

She had only heard from her father that their family's secret cultivation technique was incredibly profound, not much inferior to the inherited techniques of the great families in the Imperial Capital.

That's why she had desperately searched for this cultivation technique all these years.

After obtaining the hidden technique in the Thousand Pine Scroll just now, although she hadn't had time to thoroughly study its intricacies, she had seen the initial requirements.

To cultivate this technique, one must first open the twelve meridians.

Originally, Zijing hadn't planned to open all the meridians, intending to break through to Xiantian after opening about ten.

But now, to cultivate this technique, she had to change her plan.

This drastically increased the number of Meridian Unblocking Pills required.

Although she could exchange her current resources for some Meridian Unblocking Pills, it would take too much time, and she couldn't wait.

Therefore, even the three pills she had promised Shen Lin earlier seemed incredibly precious.

"How about this, I'll give you the corresponding resources, and then tell you a channel, and you can exchange for the Meridian Unblocking Pills yourself, okay?"

Zijing asked cautiously.

She could feel a hint of killing intent appearing in Shen Lin's gaze as he stared at her.

Shen Lin's expression remained unchanged, and he said sternly, "The method you mentioned will take a lot of time, won't it?"

"Probably about one or two months..."

Hearing this, Shen Lin decisively shook his head and sighed, "No!"

Zijing fell silent, truly unable to think of another solution.

The atmosphere grew tense, and Zijing felt a heavy pressure.

If it really came down to it...

She'd have to give it to him.

After all, she had witnessed Shen Lin's combat power just now. With her current strength, even if she used all her tricks, she probably couldn't escape from Shen Lin's grasp.

Just as she was about to agree, Shen Lin suddenly spoke, "Or... you could let me take a look at that Thousand Pine Scroll, and we'll call it even. How about that?"

Looking at Shen Lin's half-smile, Zijing's heart leaped into her throat.

This guy...

Her first instinct was to refuse. After all, it was her family's inherited technique. Even when many influential figures from the Imperial Capital wanted it back then, her father hadn't agreed. How could she just give it to Shen Lin like this?

But just as she was about to refuse, she suddenly froze.

The Yuan Family... was no more.

Zijing took a deep breath, her tense expression suddenly relaxing. She smiled and said, "Okay!"

"Okay?"

Shen Lin was taken aback, seemingly not expecting her to agree so readily.

"Yes, here you go!"

Zijing very decisively handed over the Thousand Pine Scroll.

Shen Lin accepted it with a strange expression and instinctively glanced at it.

With just a glance, his expression shifted, his entire focus consumed by it.

Zijing glanced at Sun Zhi, who was still writhing and groaning, without any intention of acknowledging him. She walked aside and sat on the steps, waiting for Shen Lin to finish.

A long while later, as dawn broke, a loud rooster crow brought Shen Lin back to his senses.

[Congratulations on learning the cultivation technique Purple Cloud Profound Force, do you wish to expend lifespan for deduction?]

Purple Cloud Profound Force was a cultivation technique.

Unlike the martial arts Shen Lin had learned before, this technique had no moves; it was a method of internal cultivation.

As this was the first cultivation technique he had learned, Shen Lin felt a surge of excitement, but ultimately, he did not choose to begin deduction immediately.

This was because the prerequisite for cultivating this technique was to open twelve meridians, and Shen Lin was currently two short.

Not only that, but internal cultivation techniques used the spiritual energy of heaven and earth as a guide to transform one's true essence. One could not cultivate it until reaching the Xiantian realm.

He let out a breath and looked up at Zijing. "You're willing to give me such a profound technique?"

This was no common skill like Blood Battle Saber Technique or Wild Wind Sword Technique. Shen Lin even doubted if the Demon Suppression Bureau in the provincial capital would have techniques of this caliber.

Zijing smiled brightly and shook her head. "We have no direct conflict of interest. In the future, we will only deepen our cooperation rather than become enemies. Since that's the case, making you stronger won't do me any harm."

Shen Lin gave a wry smile. "Why do I feel like learning this technique will bring me a lot of trouble in the future?"

Such a mystical technique, given so readily.

Furthermore, she hadn't asked him not to spread it, seemingly unafraid of him teaching it to everyone.

"That's right!" Zijing narrowed her eyes and nodded. "Let's make it clear first. You can cultivate this technique yourself, or you can pass it on to others. I have no objections."

"And what if I actually do that?"

"It's no big deal," Zijing said with a sly smile. "It's just that my family's enemies will be searching for you all over the world, wanting to eliminate the roots and cut off the branches."

Shen Lin sighed helplessly.

With his current strength, he likely couldn't resist her family's enemies at all.

It seemed this technique not only couldn't be passed on, but he also had to try his best to avoid using it in public.

"Shen... Brother..."

A hoarse cry interrupted Shen Lin's thoughts. He turned his head and saw that Sun Zhi's face was now ashen, his cracked lips trembling slightly. His eyes held a look of pleading as he looked at Shen Lin.

"I almost forgot about you."

Shen Lin slapped his forehead and walked to Sun Zhi's side. He examined Sun Zhi's injuries and chuckled, "Head Constable Sun fought a desperate battle this time, killing three meridian-opening demonic beasts. His achievements are remarkable. You must hold on, otherwise, I'll have to rephrase the story to say you perished together with those dog demons, which would be very troublesome."

Zijing smiled. "The Wu Family patriarch died at the hands of a demon, and Head Constable Sun discovered the clues and acted decisively. It will be a widely acclaimed good story."