[Spirit Descent Technique]

At that moment, Qing Li cautiously glanced around. Once she realized she was no longer in the Underworld, she immediately straightened her back, her expression turning arrogant.

The lord in the Underworld had just bestowed another fortuitous opportunity upon her!

She truly was a Ghost of Destiny!

Just as she was thinking this, Zheng Que's voice suddenly came from beside her. "Qing Li, did your cultivation break through again?"

Hearing this, Qing Li said smugly, "Your aunt here is a heaven-gifted genius, peerless and extraordinary. How could a lowly Human Race brat like you ever imagine it?"

"I broke through just by taking a nap. It's an utterly ordinary matter like this that would only shock a dull, useless blockhead like you!"

Zheng Que's face immediately darkened. When Qing Li had been in the Underworld just now, she'd been terrified, trembling, and fawning, kowtowing at the slightest provocation... Yet the moment she left the Underworld, she was already putting on airs!

But he had something important to ask her, and no time to argue. He immediately asked, "Then, have you mastered any new abilities?"

Rather than answer directly, Qing Li's arms suddenly stretched out, like two pale whips. They swept quickly around the entire room, then retracted.

After demonstrating her new ability, she said at once, "This is the new move your aunt here just comprehended."

Zheng Que's heart settled. This was the same move Old Lady Zhao had used to extend her limbs.

Last time, Qing Li had absorbed the yin energy of the Call-Sound Ghost and inherited one of its moves. This time, she'd absorbed Old Lady Zhao's yin energy and mastered one of her abilities...

That was quite good!

But Old Lady Zhao had more than just this one move...

So Zheng Que immediately asked, "Just this one?"

Qing Li replied curtly, "Yes!"

At that, Zheng Que considered the matter. The Call-Sound Ghost had two abilities: Voice Calling and Invisibility.

Qing Li had absorbed the Call-Sound Ghost's yin energy, but she'd only gained its Voice Calling.

This time was the same. Besides extending her limbs, Old Lady Zhao could also seal off an area. She could even separate some of her yin energy and attach it to a corpse, making the corpse look just like a living person... But Qing Li clearly hadn't inherited either of those abilities.

Was there some kind of rule governing how ghosts inherited each other's abilities?

Thinking this, Zheng Que said nothing more. He lowered his eyelids and continued cultivating.

Time passed slowly. In the blink of an eye, it was the next morning.

The eastern sky paled. Dawn crept over the window lattice, its first light just reaching the packed-earth floor. Zheng Que had finished cultivating and risen. After quickly washing up and straightening his clothes, he took Qing Li along as usual and headed for the ruined temple.

The town was deserted in the early morning, as if it had yet to wake. Thin mist hung in the air, and the road was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

His solitary footsteps echoed through the alleys, monotonous and grating.

After walking for a while, Zheng Que spotted several young men ahead, carrying hoes, rakes, and the like. They looked as if they were going to work in the fields.

He glanced at them and was about to continue on when his brow suddenly furrowed. He looked back at the men.

The sky was growing brighter. The men trudged along some distance ahead of him, but beneath their feet there was nothing—no shadows at all!

Zheng Que immediately activated the Spirit Eye Technique. In his vision, the townspeople looked perfectly normal, and there was no yin energy on them.

He watched them carefully for a while and confirmed that, apart from having no shadows, they were no different from ordinary people.

Seeing this, Zheng Que felt that something was off. He'd seen several shadowless townspeople once before, too.

At the time, he hadn't yet cultivated the Spirit Eye Technique and had thought he'd encountered ghosts. But now, it seemed that might not have been the case...

As he pondered this, the men entered an alley nearby and vanished from Zheng Que's sight.

Zheng Que hesitated where he stood for a moment, but in the end, he shook his head and didn't follow. He simply quickened his pace toward the ruined temple.

Before long, he arrived outside the ruined temple. He checked once more that his clothes were neat, then stepped inside.

Creak.

The ruined temple's door groaned open. Daylight and swirling dust drifted into the dark interior, making the gloom inside seem even deeper, like the still water of an abyss.

Beneath the shrine, its curtains hanging low, the gray-robed elder sat cross-legged on a prayer mat with his eyes closed. He didn't move at all, like a statue.

Zheng Que hurried forward, bowed, and said respectfully, "Master!"

Daoist Qu nodded slightly and opened his eyes to look at Zheng Que. In an even voice, he said, "Today, you have only one hour."

"Tell me. What do you want to learn?"

One hour...

Zheng Que immediately understood. The forty-nine hours his master had mentioned before were nearly up.

This was his final lesson. Once it was over, his master would leave the town...

Thinking this, Zheng Que didn't hesitate. He replied at once, "Master, this disciple wants to learn a technique that can save my life!"

Hearing this, Daoist Qu said calmly, "I have three techniques for self-preservation. You may choose one."

"The first is called the Pure Yang Technique. It is upright and harmonious. Once mastered, it can strengthen your body with spiritual energy and bolster the Yang Energy in your blood, keeping all ghosts and evil influences at bay."

"It doesn't consume much spiritual energy, but it does place certain demands on your blood and vitality. Ordinary cultivators will find it difficult to reach the peak with this technique. But you are different. Your blood and vitality are strong, so you'll get twice the results with half the effort."

"However, though this technique has great potential, you must reach the Second Layer of Qi Refining before you can cultivate it."

"The longer you cultivate it, the more powerful the technique becomes."

"Conversely, if you haven't cultivated it for long enough, it will be difficult to bring out its full power."

"The second is called the Blood Qi Technique. It transforms blood and vitality into protective energy to ward off enemy attacks. The more severe your injuries, the stronger your defenses. The closer you are to death, the more tenaciously you cling to life."

"This is a technique that takes a dangerous, unconventional path."

"Those who cultivate it will either die fighting in a desperate situation or break through in one!"

"This technique is very well suited to your current circumstances. It, too, is meant for the Second Layer of Qi Refining, but even a cultivator at the First Layer has a chance of mastering it when gravely wounded and on the brink of death."

"The third is the Spirit Descent Technique. It calls a Ghost Servant to possess you. In addition to granting you greater defenses, it increases your strength and speed according to the Ghost Servant's cultivation."

"Of the three techniques, this one is the easiest. You can cultivate it at the First Layer of Qi Refining. But it is also the most dangerous. While the Spirit Descent is active, the slightest lapse of caution in your soul will give the Ghost Servant an opening to seize control, turning host into guest."

"Then the Ghost Servant will use your body, and your soul will become its nourishment. You'll be doomed for all eternity!"

"Which one will you choose?"

Zheng Que listened carefully. It seemed his master already knew that his tribulation was near!

Of the three techniques, his master's meaning was clear: the Pure Yang Technique was the most orthodox, but also the one he least recommended, since it took the longest to cultivate.

By comparison, his master seemed to recommend the Blood Qi Technique. The only tricky part was figuring out just how badly wounded he needed to be—how close to death did he have to get?

As for the last one, the Spirit Descent Technique, his master's attitude had been more ambiguous. He'd only mentioned its risks...

He wanted to learn all three.

The Life and Death Book could help him absorb yin energy, and both the Pure Yang Technique and the Blood Qi Technique suited him perfectly.

As for the Spirit Descent Technique... His Ghost Servant, Qing Li, had already reached the fourth level of Tongue-Pulling Hell. This technique would give him the greatest increase in strength!

Besides, he was different from ordinary cultivators. He didn't have to worry about his Ghost Servant turning on him at all!

After hesitating for a moment, Zheng Que asked tentatively, "Master, can I learn all of them?"

Daoist Qu shook his head slightly and replied calmly, "One hour is only enough for you to learn one."

Hearing this, Zheng Que furrowed his brow. Knowing he couldn't waste time, he quickly said, "This disciple wants to learn the Spirit Descent Technique!"