Chapter 82: (2): The Water Bear Gu
During these two years, the water bear Gu had formed. It was adorable, chubby, and inside Long Xuan’s body. He named it Baby Water Bear. Thus, Long Xuan’s fourth extraordinary Gu was complete.
With two internal Gu and two external Gu, it was balanced. With four peak-grade Gu, he feared no one and dared anyone to provoke him.
With this number of peak-grade Gu, he could confidently say that even the geniuses of the great clans in the far west couldn’t compare to him. They might have one or two peak-grade Gu, but having four was extremely unlikely.
This meant that even if he encountered those geniuses, he wouldn’t be afraid.
At the same time, the earth-grade fire dragon fruit tree he transplanted also mutated.
It could be due to the superior spirit soil or the divine ice flame’s influence, or a combination of both. Regardless, it mutated.
Half of it remained a fire tree, bearing fire fruits, while the other half turned into an ice tree, bearing ice fruits.
A perfectly normal tree was turned into an ice-fire dual heaven by Long Xuan.
This was a huge surprise for him. Although he had prepared for the transplant to fail and didn’t care if the fire dragon fruit tree survived, he was thrilled when it unexpectedly lived. This earth-grade spiritual herb was enough to become the treasure of his herb garden.
Saying he didn’t care was just an act. Who could stay indifferent in front of an earth-grade spiritual herb?Moreover, the fire dragon fruit from the mutated tree was useful to him and played a significant role.
If the previous fire dragon fruit enhanced fire resistance when eaten, the ice fruit now would likely enhance cold resistance.
This was a perfect coincidence. His newly created technique required refining the body with magma and cold. Even with the water bear Gu, the risk of death was high.
But now, with the fire dragon fruit enhancing fire resistance and the ice dragon fruit enhancing cold resistance, his fire clone's survival rate during the first two levels of the technique significantly increased.
Although he couldn’t guarantee success in the latter two levels, the first two levels had a high chance of being successfully cultivated with the help of these miraculous fruits. Their arrival was truly timely.
Long Xuan couldn’t help but marvel at his good luck, as if everything was scripted, and whatever he needed came to him.
His confidence in cultivating this unique technique soared.
He officially named this technique "Purgatory True Demon Technique," a very imposing name.
If spiritual energy is the power run through cultivation techniques, then refining techniques involves circulating qi and blood and using physical strength flexibly.
In this world, qi and blood are not just blood but a form of physical energy gained through cultivation.
Each technique produces different qi and blood, varying in strength.
The "Inverse Dragon technique" produced True Dragon Qi and Blood.
Thus, Long Xuan changed a word, naming the qi and blood produced by the "Purgatory True Demon Technique" as True Demonic Qi and Blood.
The three elements of a technique include how to circulate qi and blood, which is the first element of refining techniques. The other two elements are the same as those in cultivation techniques.
Currently, Long Xuan had completed the first and second elements of the refining technique, and the external dharma image had also been successfully researched.
With the "inverse Dragon technique" available, he could directly borrow from it, saving him much effort. Therefore, the progress of researching divine powers was rapid, and he accomplished great success within two years.
The progress of the "Purgatory True Demon Technique" had reached 12.5%.
He had completed the first level, "Magma Swimming Chapter," and immediately handed it to his Fire clone to practice. The magma was in that cave, so it could go there directly.
He had already eaten most of the fire dragon fruits with dragon patterns on their skins due to his greed. The taste was decent but a bit hot, making him slightly uncomfortable.
However, as he consumed more fire dragon fruits, this discomfort gradually disappeared.
Because the more fire dragon fruits he ate, the stronger his fire resistance became. He had lost count of how many fire dragon fruits he had eaten. Now, fire dragon fruits were of no use to him due to his resistance.
The clones didn’t need to eat the fire dragon fruits either. Just watching was enough, as all the attributes and abilities of the main body would be copied to the clones. Eating would be a waste.
With the fire dragon fruit’s flame buff and the water bear Gu’s immortal ability, Long Xuan believed there was no issue with practicing the first level of the "Purgatory True Demon Technique," at most, just a bit painful.
So, after imparting the newly created "Purgatory True Demon Technique" to the fire clone, he let it swim in the magma near the cave.
The other clones didn’t go along. The fire clone practiced flame spiritual energy and had the highest survival chance in magma. It was best not to waste the other clones.
To be safe, he gave it a bunch of healing pills before departure to ensure there were no mishaps.
As for his main body, he stayed comfortably at home. He wasn’t going to endure such pain.
Swimming in magma would undoubtedly be excruciatingly painful, so it was better to let the clone handle it.
Meanwhile, his main body had important tasks to do and no time for such errands.
The first two elements of the body refining method were completed. What about the third element?
The third essential element of the body refinement technique is to design a complementary physical ability for it. Otherwise, no matter how powerful the body refinement technique is, the practitioner will only be a brute with raw strength, without any skills to harm the enemy, and won't know how to utilize that brute strength.
Having strength but not knowing how to use it is no different from a street brawler. Even if one has great strength, they will become a live target in a fight.
Therefore, a body refinement technique must have a complementary physical skill. Long Xuan decided to create the complementary physical technique in one go.
After sending away the Fire Clone, Long Xuan sat back in the pavilion, started to think deeply, and began to create the complementary physical technique.
His mind exploded with inspiration, and many marvelous ideas flooded his mind, making him indecisive and unsure which to choose.
He couldn't help but lament that having too many ideas isn't good either. His excessive creativity led to a choice paralysis, which was a painful condition.
In the end, he used the process of elimination.
Since it's a complementary physical technique, it must perfectly align with the body refinement technique and fully exploit its strengths.
What are the strengths of the "Purgatory True Demonic Technique"?
It's not the life-threatening cultivation process or the terrifying divine abilities.
The true feature of the "Purgatory True Demonic Technique" is its undying quality.
The "Purgatory True Demonic Technique" is entirely integrated with the Water Bear Gu. To practice this technique, one must first refine the Water Bear Gu.
Without the Water Bear Gu, the "Purgatory True Demonic Technique" cannot be practiced; whoever tries will die.
Moreover, when Long Xuan created the "Purgatory True Demonic Technique," he borrowed heavily from the "Nine Deaths Divine Arts," so the characteristic of this technique is undying, coupled with continuous life-threatening risks.
After enduring lava, cold, heavenly fire, and thunder tribulations, he could survive in these environments, making him practically an immortal.
Therefore, practicing the "Purgatory True Demonic Technique" is equivalent to cultivating an immortal body. Undying is the greatest characteristic of this technique.
To design a complementary physical technique for this technique, it should fully utilize this undying characteristic.
This narrowed down the range of options significantly, eliminating many ideas, and Long Xuan had fewer choices, avoiding choice paralysis.
What abilities can best exploit the undying characteristic and complement the undying ability?
These are various forbidden techniques that, once used, would result in death. These forbidden techniques are powerful but come at the cost of one's life.
These forbidden techniques gain immense attack power by sacrificing life, serving as desperate moves to take down formidable foes.
But if an immortal uses these forbidden techniques, they can bear the side effects without dying, enjoying the immense power of the forbidden techniques without the cost of life.
Such a person would be terrifying beyond words.
If someone could continually use forbidden techniques, that would be horrifying. Who could withstand it? Such a person would be excessively powerful, significantly surpassing the norm.
So, Long Xuan began to push his limits again. Inspired, he started writing and drawing, and before long, he had written a terrifying outline for forbidden techniques, even naming them in a short time.
On the outline, he wrote the big characters "Gate of Life and Death."
Gate of Life and Death: closing the gate means life, opening the gate means death. Life and death are just a thought apart. The Gate of Life and Death has eight forms, eight gates.
His outline read:
Gate of Life and Death, First Gate: Profound Gate
At the cost of burning blood, gain immense power for a short time.
Gate of Life and Death, Second Gate: Martial Gate
At the cost of burning qi and blood, gain immense power for a short time.
Gate of Life and Death, Third Gate: Spirit Gate
At the cost of burning spiritual power, gain immense power for a short time.
Gate of Life and Death, Fourth Gate: Divine Gate
At the cost of burning mental power, gain immense power for a short time.
Gate of Life and Death, Fifth Gate: Star Gate
At the cost of burning life force, gain immense power for a short time.
Gate of Life and Death, Sixth Gate: Heavenly Gate
At the cost of burning lifespan, gain immense power for a short time.
Gate of Life and Death, Seventh Gate: Dragon Gate
At the cost of burning potential and talent, gain immense power for a short time.
Gate of Life and Death, Eighth Gate: Ghost Gate
At the cost of burning soul power, gain immense power for a short time.
Opening all eight gates would bring about earth-shattering destruction.
This was the terrifying forbidden technique he had researched, a technique dangerous to the extreme, one that could scare people to death.
Opening one gate would already allow for massive slaughter. Opening all eight gates would grant unimaginable power.
One must gasp in shock at how terrifying this is.
Since the body has to bear forces far beyond its realm, each gate opened inflicts severe damage on the body. The more gates opened, the more severe the damage. Opening all eight gates would inevitably lead to death; only those who practice the "Purgatory True Demonic Technique" and have a blood contract with the Water Bear Gu could have a slim chance of survival.
Of course, wanting to survive means not opening all gates. For example, the Heavenly Gate, which burns lifespan to gain power, can only be opened halfway or even less, otherwise, not even the Water Bear Gu could keep one alive without lifespan.
Therefore, even Long Xuan could only use half the power of the "Gate of Life and Death," lest he dies, and the cost would be immense. Burning soul power, life force, and potential is not something that can be easily restored.
Even with the undying power of the Water Bear Gu, restoring the soul and potential would be extremely difficult.
This was no longer just a physical technique but a living forbidden technique, a terrifying forbidden technique.
Long Xuan suddenly realized that he had gone off track; this thing was no longer related to a physical technique, with only the first two gates considered physical techniques.
But it didn't matter, as he was already committed. There was no turning back.
Anyway, there was no limit on the number of complementary physical techniques. He could create another pure physical technique next time.
Long Xuan was in a state of extreme excitement, his eyes red with enthusiasm, and the sound of his pen scratching on the paper soon filled the air.
Time flew by, and another year passed. During this year, with the hard work of the Fire Clone, Long Xuan's physical strength increased rapidly.
He sat still and improved his physical strength, becoming so strong he could punch a bull to death.
A person who was always lazy and never practiced progressed rapidly, making him arguably the first of his kind in history.
Meanwhile, under the efforts of other clones, Long Xuan unknowingly approached the marrow-cleansing stage, needing to prepare for its breakthrough.
He realized after a long time that he was about to break through to the marrow-cleansing stage. He had to admit that his clones were incredibly effective; he improved his cultivation by simply eating and drinking, making cultivation almost too easy for him.
During this year, Long Xuan worked tirelessly and finally completed the "Gate of Life and Death."
The "Gate of Life and Death" and the "Spirit Bomb" had different paths but reached the same goal, based on the same principle. The "Gate of Life and Death" could also gather energy from the eight gates into an energy ball to attack enemies with significant power.
The combination of the eight energies would produce a qualitative change, a leap, far exceeding the sum of eight individual powers.
He named this qualitative transformed energy Ghost God Power.
If the energy level of spiritual power is one, the energy level of lifespan power is two, then the energy level of Ghost God Power is three.
The power of lifespan is ten times that of spiritual power, and the power of Ghost God Power is a hundred times that of spiritual power, even far exceeding a hundred times.
Furthermore, based on the paper's concept, Ghost God Power could integrate with a external dharma. In battle, he could infuse Ghost God Power into the Dragon God dharma image, making it charge at opponents, dealing devastating attacks. Even those a major realm higher would fall.
Opening all eight gates was akin to killing gods and Buddhas, annihilating ghosts, and anyone who stood in his way would die.
Long Xuan's eyes gleamed with excitement to the extreme.
Being able to research such a level of forbidden technique, he felt his life was not in vain.
Since the "Spirit Bomb" and the "Gate of Life and Death" had similarities, they could validate each other.
Therefore, Long Xuan's research on the "Gate of Life and Death" progressed quickly, without any bottlenecks, and he completed it within a year.
However, Long Xuan always wondered who in the future could force him to use the "Gate of Life and Death," or even unleash the final form. Given his extremely cautious nature, it would take a very long time, perhaps never in his life, to use this move.
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