The Shameless Daoist

Jiang Ming was engulfed by thick silver bolts of lightning, each as wide as a bowl. If he had not recently cultivated the Shrouding Method and greatly improved his strength—especially his physical body—then, as his Sea of Bitterness was developed and endless vital essence was released from his Life Wheel, merging with the essence he had obtained from heavenly treasures outside, his Sea of Bitterness would never have expanded from the size of a walnut to the size of a baseball.

This was all thanks to the foundation he had built during his original two years of drawing in qi and comprehending the Sea of Bitterness and Life Wheel, along with six years of arduous cultivation.

A constitution like the Heavenly Tyrant Body contained endless life essence within its Life Wheel, giving it a powerful origin, while the Sea of Bitterness contained boundless mysteries waiting to be developed.

Jiang Ming secretly formed a hand seal and activated the Starlight Technique. Wisps of invisible starlight fell around him and onto his body, rapidly healing his injuries.

If this Starlight Technique were cultivated to a profound level, and his cultivation were high enough, he could directly draw upon the endless power of the stars to heal himself.

This was a secret art created by the female Quasi-Emperor who had founded the Yaoguang Scripture only after she entered the Quasi-Emperor realm.

Unfortunately, before the Dark Cataclysm, even a Quasi-Emperor was insignificant. In the end, she still perished.

While activating the Starlight Technique, Jiang Ming glanced at a certain dead fatso and immediately used Earth Escape to get far away from this area. He did not want that dead fatso to see him running around naked, much less witness his God-defying transformation technique.

He had not expected the dead fatso from the original plot to appear in this region. Now that he had encountered him here as well, it was definitely no coincidence!

Duan De had arrived two years early and painstakingly searched for the Azure Emperor's Emperor Tomb. He had really worked hard.

As for how Jiang Ming had recognized him from a single glance, according to the original plot's description, there were not many flamboyant, burly fat men like him.

After all, even when Ye Fan arrived at the Desolate Ancient Sacred Land a year later, he would need time to develop before the Demon Emperor's Emperor Tomb storyline began.

Ye Fan had merely come to take a look and obtained the Dao Scripture. What kind of heaven-defying luck was that?

"Daoist Master misjudged you. This pangolin is extraordinary, no ordinary demonic beast. It is a Primordial Species proficient in earth-element escape arts."

Duan De came to his senses and regretted it bitterly.

Even that was not quite right. Every beast Jiang Ming transformed into was of the First Generation level. This pangolin was the First Generation Pangolin, a prodigy from the Immortal Ancient Era that had awakened the Supreme Treasure Art, Ban-Breaking Golden Light.

Recently, while training in the Primordial Ruins, Jiang Ming had often encountered ruined restrictions and formation patterns scattered across the ground. After suffering a few minor losses and searching through his memories, he had thought of this First Generation Pangolin.

Although his First Generation Pangolin was a weakened version and could only wield sixty percent of the original body's innate treasure art, that was more than enough for him.

The advantage of the Seventy-Two Transformations was that it allowed him to adapt to any situation. Using it for combat was clearly not very reliable; its true value lay in support.

Of course, bullying Elder Han's lackeys was no problem.

After leaving Duan De's sensing range and traveling thirty li away, Jiang Ming hurriedly changed back into his original form.

Thirty-six bolts of lightning had struck him.

The final bolt in particular was as thick as a household trash can. One strike left Jiang Ming smelling delicious all over; he was definitely medium-rare.

Starlight Technique!

Jiang Ming did not even have time to catch his breath before hurriedly activating the Starlight Technique to heal himself. He could not count on his Great Freedom Sword Art for this. It was fierce in attack, but asking it to heal injuries was pushing it too far.

There was starlight during the day as well; it simply could not be seen.

Yet when Jiang Ming activated the Starlight Technique, streams of starlight descended one after another from above and were absorbed into his body. Amid a cool, soothing cleansing sensation, his injuries had completely recovered after three breaths.

Jiang Ming quickly took out a spare set of azure robes and put them on. Truly spiritual robes could dress their wearer automatically. Clearly, the low-grade artifact-level clothes Jiang Ming had refined in batches did not possess such an ability; the Dao Patterns and restrictions upon them were far too simplistic.

Besides, in his previous life, he belonged to the sword immortal lineage. He could also be called a sword cultivator.

He was capable of slaughter and battle, but in other areas, he admitted he was only mediocre.

Jiang Ming had already planned out the road ahead. With a three-foot azure sword, he would sweep away injustice around the Yan Kingdom, slay demons and exorcise evil, and roam free and unrestrained. Only that would accord with the true meaning of his Great Freedom Sword Art.

"Hey, brother, have you seen a sneaky pangolin around here?

"To be honest, it has committed every wicked deed imaginable and suffered heavenly punishment. It was struck by lightning and howled miserably. If you saw it, you definitely would have noticed."

At that moment, a purple rainbow beam approached from afar and swiftly arrived beside Jiang Ming. A plump yet nimble Daoist who looked like a burly fat man hurried over. Upon seeing Jiang Ming, he lightly landed on the ground and spoke with a face full of righteous dignity.

Yet the anxiety in his eyes was impossible to conceal. Was he really so eager to eliminate evil and uphold justice?

As if anyone would believe that!

Jiang Ming only needed one ten-thousandth of his intelligence to know what the dead fatso was plotting. He had probably set his sights on the pangolin Jiang Ming had transformed into.

"If you do not want to die, stay away from me."

Jiang Ming kindly warned him. He was a man with the Fate Pattern of a Jinx Star, and he also had the Heavenly Calamity Lone Star System. His negative buffs were completely maxed out. What was Duan De trying to do?

He had no interest in transforming into Bai Ze to bless him.

Unless there was some special reason, Jiang Ming did not want to harm others either.

"Brother, that is not right. Meeting in these ruins means we are fated. Did you steal my pangolin?"

The dead fatso, Duan De, abruptly changed his tone. His gaze sharpened, and the benevolent smile vanished from his face. "Looks like you refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit. These are ruins. If I kill you, take your treasures, and leave your corpse in the wilderness, no one will ever know."

Jiang Ming could understand Duan De's attitude. This shameless Daoist would fleece even the young Ye Fan from the time of his introduction before leaving.

No, he would wait nearby and fleece him.

This guy definitely was not a particularly good person. Only when it came to major matters of right and wrong could he still be considered decent, which was why he joined the protagonist's side.

As for personal virtue, Jiang Ming had never thought Duan De was merciful or caring.

"Dead fatso, looks like you want a fight. But I have no time to deal with you. Go somewhere cool and stay there."

Jiang Ming did not know Duan De's current cultivation—whether he was an Other Shore cultivator or a Dao Palace Realm cultivator.

When he encountered Ye Fan in the original plot, this guy had already been very powerful.

"Infinite Heavenly Venerable, it seems this poor Daoist misjudged you. Fellow Daoist, you are quite extraordinary."

What kind of person was Duan De? He specialized in studying the tombs of ancient experts, and he possessed all manner of treasures, secret arts, and God-given abilities. After threatening and tempting Jiang Ming without getting any reaction, he carefully sensed his surroundings and finally noticed something unusual. He immediately spoke again with a false smile.

"You are quite extraordinary too. From ten li away, I could smell the baleful and ominous aura on you. Have you done so many shameless things that you dig up other people's ancestral graves every day?"

Jiang Ming found it perfectly normal that the dead fatso could sense the extraordinariness of his constitution. So, he casually mocked the shameless fatty as well, displaying a bit of his own ability and adding a layer of God-like mystery around himself to better fool Duan De.

If he cursed the dead fatso to death, the system's reward would definitely be generous, right?