Couldn't beat them, so he joined them?
Lu Li stared at the final system notification, his expression a little strange.
Looking closer, he saw that the name of the White Bone Heart-Destroying Palm had changed. It was now called Mercy Palm.
Mercy Palm: Fifth Layer (Progress: 1%).
Interesting!
It could even change its own name?
Lu Li grinned.
Wait.
Since the White Bone Heart-Destroying Palm had joined the Buddhist Sect's ranks, could it also mutate and evolve after listening to the Prajna Heart Sutra?
Lu Li's heart stirred.
Time to test it!
So Lu Li reined in his qi and blood, sat cross-legged in the stone hut once more, and began silently reciting the Prajna Heart Sutra. "Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, when practicing the profound Prajna Paramita, perceived that the five skandhas were empty... Bodhi svaha!"
The instant he finished reciting the sutra, a crisp chime rang out:
"Your Mercy Palm has received the supreme Buddhist scripture and been enlightened as if by a sudden infusion of wisdom. It has entered a state of sudden insight."
"Progress increased by 4%."
Immediately afterward, another system notification appeared.
"Congratulations, Host. After listening to the supreme Buddhist scripture and gaining great insight, your Mercy Palm has evolved into the Great Mercy and Great Compassion Palm."
It really worked!
A glint flashed in Lu Li's eyes.
Interesting! Very interesting!
The fierce, ruthless White Bone Heart-Destroying Palm had transformed straight into the Great Mercy and Great Compassion Palm!
Didn't that mean he could cultivate demonic arts as he pleased from now on? Then he could have the Great Luo Dharma Incantation beat them senseless, turning them into Buddhist techniques, and let the Prajna Heart Sutra refine and evolve them.
At that thought, Lu Li could finally set his mind at ease.
Whenever he cultivated demonic arts, he had always felt a trace of worry, afraid that they would influence him and make him bloodthirsty, murderous, and utterly wicked.
But now, that hidden danger had been completely eliminated.
He had no more worries!
"Let's test the White Bone Heart-Destroying Palm's power first! See how much stronger it got after becoming the Great Mercy and Great Compassion Palm!" Lu Li stood up, and with a boom, his qi and blood erupted.
His powerful blood qi was like a pot of delicious fish soup, its sweet aroma spreading far and wide.
"What sweet-smelling blood qi... Eat!"
Soon, a one-eyed evil ghost charged out of the forest, ferocious and savage, with strings of demonic ghostly snakes swirling around its body.
Its aura was powerful. It was at the peak of Qi Refining!
Screech!
It was as fast as lightning, hurtling toward him. With a sharp cry, the hundred or so ghostly snakes around its body shot forth like ten thousand arrows, streaking toward Lu Li.
Lu Li wasn't afraid in the slightest. He blurred forward, leaving five afterimages as he dodged the demonic snakes.
Boom.
Then he took a single step and rushed up beside the One-Eyed Ghost. His great palm, broad as a palm-leaf fan, slammed down toward its face.
Great Mercy and Great Compassion Palm!
This palm was called "Compassion for Heaven and Humanity," yet it was even more vicious and ferocious than the Bone Claw Heart-Grasp, as though it could flatten even the Great Ocean.
Bang!
The giant palm struck, carrying blazing, yang-filled blood qi like a hurtling Hao Sun, and hit the One-Eyed Ghost.
With a deafening boom, the ghost exploded on the spot, scattering into wisps of ghost qi that shot in every direction.
It didn't even have time to scream.
"Not bad, not bad! Its power has at least doubled!"
Lu Li withdrew his palm, quite satisfied.
Ding.
Another notification rang out:
"After delivering a fierce ghost, your Great Mercy and Great Compassion Palm feels that it has accumulated immeasurable merit and is overjoyed. Its cultivation efficiency has increased by 500%."
Not bad, not bad!
Lu Li was even more satisfied.
In that case, he'd keep leveling up the Great Mercy and Great Compassion Palm to prepare for the crisis that might arise in five days!
So he recited the sutra while drawing in fierce ghosts, liberating them one by one.
The Great Mercy and Great Compassion Palm and Spirit Ghost Phantom Step began filling his notifications:
"Your Great Mercy and Great Compassion Palm has received the supreme Buddhist scripture and been enlightened as if by a sudden infusion of wisdom. It has entered a state of sudden insight."
"Progress increased by 2%."
"Progress increased by 3%."
"Progress increased by 2%."
"Your Spirit Ghost Phantom Step absorbed pure ghost qi and is greatly invigorated. Its cultivation efficiency has increased by 50%."
"After delivering a fierce ghost, your Great Mercy and Great Compassion Palm feels that it has accumulated immeasurable merit and is overjoyed. Its cultivation efficiency has increased by another 200%."
And so, he cultivated for an entire day.
Lu Li reined in his cultivation, returned to the stone hut, sat down cross-legged, and brought up his panel to check his results.
Realm: Fourth Layer of Qi Refining.
Great Might Heavenly Dragon Dharma Incantation: First Layer (94%).
Great Strength Vajra Dharma Incantation: First Layer (92%).
Indestructible Vajra Divine Art: Third Layer (99%).
Blood-Devouring Heaven-Swallowing Art: Fourth Layer (3%).
Great Mercy and Great Compassion Palm: Sixth Layer (97%).
Spirit Ghost Phantom Step: Fifth Layer (95%).
Excellent results!
The Great Mercy and Great Compassion Palm had broken through to the sixth layer. It would soon break through again and reach the seventh.
The Spirit Ghost Phantom Step was also on the verge of a breakthrough.
And after a whole day of reciting the sutra, the Great Strength Vajra Dharma Incantation and Great Might Heavenly Dragon Dharma Incantation were close to breaking through too.
Only the Blood-Devouring Heaven-Swallowing Art had slowed to a crawl, since it hadn't devoured a large amount of spiritual energy or any Five Elements Sun True Qi.
It would probably take a long time to reach the fifth layer.
"Forget it. I can't rush it. I'll rest for a while and see what the Blood-Devouring Heaven-Swallowing Art finds when it goes out tonight."
Lu Li let out a breath of stale air, picked up his fishing rod, and began to rest.
At the same time, he continued silently reciting the Prajna Heart Sutra.
The Great Mercy and Great Compassion Palm kept filling his notifications.
"Progress +2%."
"Progress +3%."
"Progress +2%."
The next day.
Lu Li opened his eyes.
A system notification rang in his mind.
"Your Great Mercy and Great Compassion Palm has broken through to the seventh layer."
"Your Blood-Devouring Heaven-Swallowing Art has grown ravenous after your realm breakthrough and had to go out alone to devour food."
"Your Blood-Devouring Heaven-Swallowing Art devoured extreme yin qi in the Ten Thousand Ghost Cave. After eating its fill, its cultivation improved greatly. Progress increased by 5%."
"Your Blood-Devouring Heaven-Swallowing Art discovered a poisonous Spirit Snake Grass in the Ten Thousand Ghost Cave."
Spirit Snake Grass?
Lu Li raised an eyebrow.
It was an extremely poisonous herb. Refined into a poison pill, a single dose could kill a Foundation Establishment cultivator instantly. It was worth eight thousand Low-grade Spirit Stones.
But a poisonous spirit snake was certain to be guarding it.
After a brief moment's thought, Lu Li decided not to go looking for it.
He'd keep cultivating!
And so, he began another day of training.
As before, he silently recited the sutra, released his blood qi, lured in fierce ghosts, and liberated them on the spot.
Nothing unusual happened in between.
The Ghost Sect disciples in the other stone huts didn't come out either. They focused on absorbing pure yin qi within their protective formations.
Everyone left each other alone, and all was peaceful.
The only disappointment was that Lu Li didn't catch a single fish.
The fish in Black Water Lake were as sly as ghosts. They simply wouldn't bite.
Before long, evening arrived.
Lu Li returned to the stone hut to rest.
He took a look. The Great Mercy and Great Compassion Palm had reached the seventh layer, and the Spirit Ghost Phantom Step had reached the sixth.
His combat strength had increased quite a bit.
The two incantations were also on the verge of a breakthrough.
They should break through tomorrow!
Lu Li looked forward to it.
At the second layer, the Great Strength Vajra Dharma Incantation could unleash four times his strength.
His physical strength was around twenty-four thousand jin. A fourfold boost would bring it close to a hundred thousand jin!
One punch could probably send even a Foundation Establishment cultivator's high-grade spirit weapon flying!
Unfortunately, his realm was still far too weak.
Lu Li shook his head, settled his mind, and began to relax.
Another day passed.
The next morning.
Lu Li's half-lidded eyes opened, and the familiar system notification rang in his mind.
"Your Blood-Devouring Heaven-Swallowing Art... went out alone to devour food."
"Your Blood-Devouring Heaven-Swallowing Art... Progress increased by 5%."
"Your Blood-Devouring Heaven-Swallowing Art discovered a Low-grade Spirit Ghost in the Ten Thousand Ghost Cave."
Whoosh!
Lu Li stood up, his eyes flashing with sharp light.
He hadn't misheard, had he?
It had found another Low-grade Spirit Ghost?
Without hesitation, Lu Li brought up the System Log and checked again.
It really had found another Low-grade Spirit Ghost!
Excellent! Excellent!
Lu Li's heart surged with excitement. His gaze swept to the final entry, confirming the ghost's location.
Spirit Ghost's location: Twenty li northwest of the current location, inside a piece of Black Steel Stone in the Stone Forest. The stone was three chi tall and square in shape.
Let's go!
Lu Li didn't hesitate for a moment. He tossed aside his fishing rod, turned, and shot away.
But suddenly, he turned back, returned to the water, and picked up several heart-shaped stones before drifting away.
A fisherman never went home empty-handed!
Besides, these stones were pretty nice.
He could give them to his future wife... or wives?
Before you continue