Spirit Descent Technique

At this moment, Qing Li carefully glanced around. Upon realizing she was no longer in the Underworld, she immediately straightened her back, her expression turning arrogant.

That great figure in the Underworld had just bestowed another stroke of fortune upon her!

She truly was a ghost destined for greatness!

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

Hearing this, Qing Li said with great smugness: "Your Great-Aunt is a natural-born genius, peerless and extraordinary. How could a mediocre human brat like you possibly imagine it?"

"It was just a breakthrough from taking a nap. Such a trivial, everyday matter—only a blockhead as dull as you would be so shocked!"

Zheng Que's face darkened. When Qing Li was in the Underworld just moments ago, she had been terrified, trembling, fawning, and kowtowing at every turn... Now that she was out of the Underworld, she was putting on such an act!

However, he had important questions to ask and was in no mood to bicker with her. He immediately asked again: "Then, have you mastered any new techniques?"

Qing Li did not answer directly. Instead, her arms instantly elongated like two pale, long whips, whipping rapidly around the entire room before retracting.

After demonstrating her new trick, she immediately said: "This is a technique your Great-Aunt just realized."

Zheng Que felt a sense of certainty; this was the limb-extension technique used by Old Lady Zhao.

Last time, Qing Li had absorbed the Yin Energy of the Call-Sound Ghost and inherited one of its techniques. This time, having absorbed the Yin Energy of Old Lady Zhao, she had mastered one of her methods as well...

This was quite good!

However, Old Lady Zhao had more than just this one technique...

Thus, Zheng Que immediately asked again: "Just this one?"

Qing Li replied curtly: "Yes!"

Hearing this, Zheng Que pondered slightly. The Call-Sound Ghost had two techniques: one was the "call-sound," and the other was Invisibility.

Qing Li had absorbed the Call-Sound Ghost's Yin Energy but had only obtained the "call-sound."

It was the same this time. Besides extending her limbs, Old Lady Zhao also had a technique to seal off an area, as well as the ability to detach her own Yin Energy to attach to corpses, making them appear like living people... But clearly, Qing Li had not inherited these two techniques.

He wondered if there was some pattern to how these ghost techniques were inherited.

Thinking of this, Zheng Que said no more. He closed his eyes slightly and continued his cultivation.

Time flowed slowly, and in the blink of an eye, it was the next morning.

The east turned pale, and the morning light crept over the window lattice, just touching the packed dirt floor. Zheng Que had already finished his practice and stood up. After a quick wash and tidying his clothes, he took Qing Li and headed out toward the dilapidated temple as usual.

The town in the early morning was cold and desolate, as if it had yet to wake up. Amidst the lingering mist, one could hear a pin drop along the way.

The solitary sound of footsteps echoed through the alleyways, monotonous and grating.

Zheng Que walked for a moment before several young men carrying hoes and rakes appeared ahead, looking as if they were heading to the fields to work.

He glanced at them and was about to continue on his way when he suddenly frowned, looking back at the group.

The daylight was gradually brightening, and those people were shuffling along a short distance ahead of him. Beneath their feet, there was nothing—not a single shadow!

Zheng Que immediately activated Spirit Eye Technique. In his field of vision, those townsfolk appeared completely normal, with no Yin Energy on their bodies.

He observed them carefully for a moment, confirming that other than lacking shadows, they were no different from ordinary people.

Watching this, Zheng Que felt something was wrong. He had seen a few townsfolk without shadows last time as well.

At the time, he hadn't yet cultivated Spirit Eye Technique and assumed he had encountered ghosts, but now, it didn't quite seem like that...

As he was thinking, those people turned into a nearby alley and vanished from Zheng Que's sight.

Zheng Que stood in place, hesitating for a moment. Finally, he shook his head and decided not to pursue them, instead quickening his pace toward the dilapidated temple.

Before long, he arrived in front of the temple. After confirming his clothes were neat and tidy, he stepped inside.

Creak.

The temple door groaned open. Daylight, accompanied by swirling dust motes, fell into the dim interior, making the gloom within seem even deeper, like the silent waters of an abyss.

Beneath the shrine with its lowered curtains, the gray-robed old man sat cross-legged on a cushion, eyes closed and motionless, like a statue.

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

Daoist Qu nodded slightly, opened his eyes, and looked at Zheng Que, saying calmly, "You only have one hour today."

"Speak. What do you want to learn?"

One hour...

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

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

Thinking of this, Zheng Que did not hesitate and replied immediately, "Master, this disciple wishes to learn a technique for self-preservation!"

Hearing this, Daoist Qu said in a flat tone, "I have three self-preservation techniques here. You may choose one."

"The first is called Pure Yang Technique. This technique is balanced and upright. Once mastered, it can use spiritual energy to strengthen the physical body and bolster the Yang Energy within your blood and qi, making you untouchable by ghosts and immune to evil spirits."

"It does not consume much spiritual energy, but it has certain requirements for blood and qi. Ordinary cultivators find it difficult to reach the pinnacle of this technique. But you are different; your blood and qi are robust. Practicing this technique will yield twice the result with half the effort."

"However, although this technique has great potential, it requires a cultivation level of the second layer of Qi Refining before it can be practiced."

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

"Conversely, if the time spent cultivating is insufficient, the power of the technique will be difficult to unleash."

"The second is called the Blood Qi Technique. This technique can transform blood and qi into a protective aura to withstand enemy attacks. Furthermore, the more severe the injury, the stronger the defense; the closer one is to death, the more tenacious one's vitality becomes."

"This is a technique that walks a dangerous path."

"Those who cultivate this technique will either die in battle while in a desperate situation, or they will break through while in that same desperate situation!"

"This technique is very suitable for your current situation. Although it is also a technique for the second level of Qi Refining, a cultivator at the first level of Qi Refining still has a chance to master it when they are severely injured and near death."

"The third is called the Spirit Descent Technique. This technique involves summoning a Ghost Servant to possess your body. Aside from defense, your strength and speed will both increase based on the cultivation level of the Ghost Servant."

"Of the three techniques, this one is the easiest; it can be cultivated at the first level of Qi Refining. However, it is also the most dangerous. During the duration of the Spirit Descent, if your soul is even slightly careless, it will be taken advantage of by the Ghost Servant, allowing it to usurp the host."

"At that point, your physical body will be used by the Ghost Servant, and your soul will be reduced to nourishment for it, doomed forever!"

"Which one do you choose now?"

Zheng Que listened earnestly. It seemed his master already knew that his tribulation was approaching!

Among these three techniques, his master's meaning was very clear: the Pure Yang Technique was the most orthodox, but it was the one he least recommended because it required the most time.

In comparison, his master seemed to lean more toward him choosing the Blood Qi Technique. The only difficulty was the question of what degree of "severely injured and near death" was required...

As for the final Spirit Descent Technique, his master's attitude was rather vague, only mentioning the risks involved...

He wanted to learn all three of these techniques.

With the Life and Death Book helping him absorb Yin Energy, both the Pure Yang Technique and the Blood Qi Technique were very suitable for him.

As for the Spirit Descent Technique... his Ghost Servant Qing Li had already reached the fourth level of Tongue-Pulling Hell. Cultivating this technique would provide the greatest boost to his strength!

Moreover, he was different from ordinary cultivators; he did not need to worry about the Ghost Servant turning on him at all!

After a moment of hesitation, Zheng Que tentatively asked, "Master, may 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 frowned. Knowing he could not waste time, he quickly said, "Disciple wishes to learn the Spirit Descent Technique!"