Chapter 159 – Top-Tier Taunt, Small is Cute Too~ (5k)

“Hm?”

Just seeing the name of this talent, Su Xing already felt something was off.

“Hey, hey, hey, this talent sounds wrong just from the name alone. It’s not what I think it is, right?”

His gaze shifted to the talent description, and Su Xing’s anxious heart finally settled.

【”Small is Cute Too”】: Purple talent. When you say this phrase to a target, regardless of your relationship with them, they will instantly be taunted and develop extreme hatred toward you, unable to resist attacking you. Taunt effect +100%. (Hehe, small is cute too~)

“Thank goodness, this thing doesn’t take effect on me…”

Su Xing breathed a sigh of relief, then began pondering the talent’s uses.

“This seems to be… a taunt-type talent that draws aggro!”

“So the applicable scenario for this thing… would be when a target wants to flee? As long as I say this phrase, they won’t be able to resist attacking me?”

Thinking of this, Su Xing’s eyes lit up.

It seemed… perfectly suited for dealing with Zong Laogou!

That old fox was far too good at running. Despite clearly being weaker than Su Xing, he had managed to flee for over a month straight. If he used this talent to taunt him, wouldn’t that mean Zong Laogou could no longer escape?

“Besides that… when dealing with those Demon Emperors, if they try to flee, I can use it too!”

Su Xing quickly figured out the talent’s purpose and nodded slightly:

“This talent isn’t exactly powerful, but in special situations, it’ll have special uses!”

His gaze turned to the simulation panel.

【In the spirit field blessed land, you realized you were in a simulation.】

【The spiritual energy in the blessed land grew increasingly dense. To produce spirit liquid as quickly as possible, you prepared to transplant a portion of Spirit-Gathering Flowers and set up several small spirit-gathering formations dedicated to spirit liquid production.】

【You spent half a month, setting aside time each day to transplant Spirit-Gathering Flowers and arrange spirit-gathering formations.】

【Your Shennong Spirit Cultivation Technique and spirit-gathering formation proficiency improved slightly.】

【Half a month later, the spirit-gathering formations began producing spirit liquid steadily, yielding roughly one thousand drops per week.】

【Though not a large amount, it was barely enough for your own cultivation needs, and your cultivation speed increased further.】

【After cultivating for a while, you decided to make a trip to the Luotian Assembly instance to learn another fire-attribute technique.】

【You saved up a full day’s worth of “Wisdom State” in advance, preparing to enter the Luotian Assembly instance!】

Su Xing nodded slightly at this.

Su Xing had always possessed a Wood-Fire Dual Spiritual Root, which meant he could theoretically cultivate both wood and fire techniques simultaneously.

But previously, Su Xing had focused primarily on wood-attribute techniques, because they could accelerate the speed of growing spirit herbs.

Now that his simulation energy was sufficient, he could naturally learn an additional fire-attribute technique.

Compared to wood-attribute techniques, fire-attribute techniques were far more aggressive in combat and offered considerable benefits for artifact refinement and pill refinement.

They could even enhance the power of his Separation Fire Technique.

“Use immersive simulation function, duration twenty-four hours!”

Su Xing silently recited the command.

【Ding. You have successfully used the immersive simulation function. Duration: 24 hours. Energy cost: 2,400,000 points. Remaining energy: 223,880,000.】

As the simulator’s notification faded, the scene before Su Xing’s eyes shifted and transformed.

The next second, he appeared inside the great hall of the Luotian Assembly instance.

“Good disciple, go invite Shennong Martial Uncle to attend the Luotian Assembly!”

Niu Rilie’s voice came from before him.

“Yes, Master!”

Su Xing navigated the familiar path to the rear mountain with practiced ease, went through the quest sequence, and brought Shennong Youtian to the Luotian Assembly plaza.

His conversations with Shennong Youtian along the way yielded him abundant insights.

Then Su Xing made his way to the familiar Scripture Pavilion and went straight to the third floor, where earth-grade techniques and secret arts were stored!

Su Xing carefully searched through row after row of shelves holding technique jade slips.

But the sheer number of techniques here was overwhelming. After searching for a long time, his head was spinning, and he had no idea where to begin.

Just then, a voice came from behind him.

“Little brat, are you looking for fire-attribute techniques?”

“Sixth shelf to your left, third row, eleventh jade slip. Take a look!”

Su Xing looked up abruptly at the sound, only to see the old granny who had previously taught him the Myriad-Mile Tracking Art standing there, watching him quietly.

“Thank you, Senior!”

For some reason, Su Xing always felt a bit uneasy that this old granny might ask him to repay the favor.

After bowing respectfully, he hurried toward the bookshelf.

Sure enough, at the location the old granny indicated, Su Xing found an earth-grade mid-tier technique — the Thousand Blazing Flame Art!

“This technique seems to be only earth-grade mid-tier…”

Su Xing frowned slightly. This floor held quite a few earth-grade upper-tier techniques.

Was he really supposed to follow the old senior’s suggestion and pass up earth-grade upper-tier techniques for a mere earth-grade mid-tier one?

Just as Su Xing hesitated, the old granny suddenly spoke again:

“You’re Niu Rilie’s disciple, Luo Xiaochuan, aren’t you?”

“Mm, you’re quite good — far stronger than that fool of a master of yours was back in the day…”

“Not yet a hundred years old, Divine Power Realm Great Perfection… and even your Qi Refinement cultivation has reached Spirit Transformation fourth layer…”

After a pause, the old granny continued her explanation:

“Your Qi Refinement cultivation is impressive, but the main technique you practice is a wood-attribute one, and its grade doesn’t seem very high?”

“If that’s the case, you’ll likely need to switch techniques when you break through to Void Return or Body Integration stage, wasting a great deal of time for nothing…”

“However, you possess a mutated Wood-Fire Dual Spiritual Root, so you still have the opportunity to cultivate fire-attribute techniques!”

“This Thousand Blazing Flame Art, though only an earth-grade mid-tier technique… is actually the prerequisite for the heaven-grade technique Three Thousand Blazing Flame Art. When the time is right, you can directly transition to the Three Thousand Blazing Flame Art, saving yourself considerable effort!”

After hearing the old granny’s explanation, Su Xing no longer hesitated.

If it could serve as a prerequisite for a heaven-grade technique, then the Thousand Blazing Flame Art surely had something exceptional about it.

“Thank you, Granny. May I ask how I should address you?”

The old granny fell silent for a moment before answering:

“A name… it seems like it’s been far too long ago. Just call me Ghost Granny!”

“However, I didn’t help you choose a technique without purpose… One year from now, come back here. I’ll have a favor to ask of you then…”

Su Xing raised an eyebrow. Ghost Granny had said the exact same thing during their last meeting.

So Su Xing couldn’t help feeling curious.

“Senior, what would you have me help you with?”

Ghost Granny merely smiled faintly: “Don’t worry, it won’t be beyond your ability! You’ll know when the time comes!”

With that, Ghost Granny’s figure flickered and vanished from the third floor of the Scripture Pavilion.

Su Xing was left thoroughly puzzled.

But he decided to focus on cultivation first.

Activating the Wisdom State, Su Xing’s memory and comprehension both surged dramatically. He then began rote memorization of this earth-grade technique.

A full day passed quickly, and the immersive simulation ended.

In the real world, Su Xing slowly opened his eyes, the corners of his mouth curving upward.

“Not bad. The Wisdom in Foolishness effect really is excellent. At this rate, just two more sessions at most, and I’ll be able to fully memorize this earth-grade technique!”

Su Xing was quite satisfied with this. After all, three immersive simulations costing just a few million energy to obtain an earth-grade technique capable of carrying him through to Body Integration or even Mahayana stage — that was absolutely worth it.

His gaze turned to the simulation panel.

【After leaving the Luotian Assembly instance, you prepared to infiltrate the Advent Cult.】

【You traveled to Shuangqing City in Southwest Province. Your luck was good — in less than three days, you managed to lure Zong Laogou out.】

【After a series of maneuvers, you successfully joined the Advent Cult and obtained a batch of spirit herbs.】

【Afterward, you publicly acted as sworn brothers with Zong Laogou while secretly establishing contact with Luo Shuying.】

【With Luo Shuying’s help, you obtained a large batch of spirit herbs.】

【In the second year, you had already stockpiled a considerable amount of pills. As the Advent Cult’s most powerful Elder, you enjoyed relatively free movement.】

【So you traveled alone to the Capital City and entered the Luotian Assembly instance once more!】

Su Xing’s heart stirred at this, and he used the immersive simulation function again.

Moments later, Su Xing exited the immersive simulation, his mastery of the earth-grade Thousand Blazing Flame Art deepened further.

Afterward, Su Xing continued the simulation.

【In the third year, believing the time was right, you took Luo Shuying and fled from the Advent Cult.】

【After leaving the Advent Cult, you and Luo Shuying were hunted down, but the one who suffered even worse was Zong Laogou.】

【You took out the pills you had refined over the years, adding quite a few powerful cultivators to Great Xia’s ranks.】【Afterward, you prepared to enter the Luotian Assembly instance for the third time!】

“Use the immersive simulation function, duration twenty-four hours!”

Su Xing silently recited.

【Ding, you have successfully used the immersive simulation function, duration twenty-four hours, costing 2.4 million energy points, remaining energy 219.08 million.】

After completing the familiar quest sequence, Su Xing began memorizing the earth-grade technique Thousand Blazing Flame Art.

A full day passed quickly, the immersive simulation ended, and Su Xing’s consciousness returned to the real world.

Back in reality, Su Xing’s lips curled slightly upward as he murmured:

“As expected of an earth-grade technique — its power surpasses even the Eternal Spring Art!”

“After cultivating this technique, spiritual energy can carry a searing effect. On offense it can repel enemies, on defense it can aid in pill refinement… even the consumption of fire-type divine abilities will be greatly reduced!”

Su Xing was very satisfied with the earth-grade Thousand Blazing Flame Art.

Unfortunately, this technique required Su Xing to cultivate from the first layer, but for someone already at the Spirit Transformation stage, his cultivation base was more than sufficient, and his cultivation speed would likely be over a hundred times faster than before.

At most it would take just over twenty years — essentially one simulation’s worth of time — for Su Xing to cultivate this technique to the fifth layer, which corresponded to the Spirit Transformation level!

“With the Thousand Blazing Flame Art, I have an additional safeguard… This way, even if I can’t obtain the Myriad Wood Art from the ruins, my path after reaching Void Return will still be clear!”

Su Xing murmured a sentence, then turned his gaze toward the simulation panel.

【After leaving the Luotian Assembly instance, you did not rush to cultivate the Thousand Blazing Flame Art, but instead continued raising your cultivation base.】

【One day, while cultivating, you suddenly sensed a familiar aura — it was Zong Laogou!】

【After sensing Zong Laogou, you naturally would not let such a golden opportunity slip by!】

【So after disguising yourself, you prepared to take out Zong Laogou as practice.】

【Sure enough, your ambush was detected by him, and the two of you launched into a fierce battle.】

【The battle lasted two full hours before Zong Laogou was finally outmatched and prepared to flee.】

【Seeing Zong Laogou about to run, your lips curled slightly upward, and with a hint of mockery in your voice, you said to him: “Don’t be discouraged — small is cute too~!”】

【Upon hearing these words, Zong Laogou, who had been ready to flee for his life, stopped in his tracks.】

【He looked at you with a complicated expression — three parts humiliation, seven parts fury!】

【Zong Laogou decided he would no longer run, and so he fought you once more!】

【But how could the current Zong Laogou possibly be your match? You fought him for an entire day before finally cutting him down.】

【Before dying, Zong Laogou destroyed his own storage artifact, then attempted to escape with his primordial spirit.】

【But how could you let him escape? You directly seized his primordial spirit. Zong Laogou tried to beg for his life.】

【Yet you did not hesitate in the slightest, burning his primordial spirit to ashes. Zong Laogou was completely and utterly dead!】

【Afterward, you inspected Zong Laogou’s storage artifact, but unfortunately everything inside had been thoroughly destroyed, leaving nothing behind.】

Seeing this, Su Xing raised an eyebrow.

“As expected, that talent is devastatingly effective against Zong Laogou! What originally would have taken a month of pursuit was settled in a single day!”

“But that complicated look in Zong Laogou’s eyes… could there be some unspeakable secret? No wonder his junior martial sister put a green hat on him…”

Su Xing seemed to grasp something, then shook his head.

“What a pity though — this Zong Laogou was no good fellow! He wouldn’t even leave me his storage bag before dying…”

“It seems if I want to get his treasures, I’ll absolutely need to achieve an instant kill!”

Su Xing let out a light sigh.

But he had plenty of time — it was simply a matter of waiting a bit longer.

He turned his gaze toward the simulation panel.

【In the fourth year, you spent the vast majority of your time in the spirit field blessed land, diligently cultivating to raise your cultivation base.】

【Besides taking spirit liquid and Tranquility Pills daily for cultivation, you also spent two to three hours practicing Elemental Force, hoping to break through to the third stage — External Projection — as soon as possible.】

【With the aid of spirit liquid, your cultivation base improved steadily day by day, but your mastery of Elemental Force remained agonizingly slow, like a turtle’s crawl.】

【In the fifth year, in addition to practicing Elemental Force, you also began studying the Thousand Blazing Flame Art.】

【Because you were already a Spirit Transformation cultivator, cultivating through the first five layers of the technique was extremely fast for you.】

【In merely half a year, your Thousand Blazing Flame Art had entered the second layer.】

【In the sixth year, your Thousand Blazing Flame Art smoothly advanced to the third layer.】

【In the seventh year, your cultivation base finally took another step forward — you became a fifth-level Spirit Transformation cultivator!】

【Unfortunately, your mastery of Elemental Force remained stagnant, with painfully slow progress.】

Seeing this, Su Xing furrowed his brow slightly and murmured:

“Is mastering Elemental Force truly this difficult?”

“Seven years, and I still haven’t touched the threshold of Entwinement-level Great Perfection?”

“At this rate… perhaps only an epiphany could bring a breakthrough!”

Su Xing sighed, but then gently shook his head and said:

“Well, if Elemental Force can’t reach Entwinement-level Great Perfection, then I’ll just bring out the Thousand Blazing Flame Art cultivation progress instead…”

Su Xing was already considering backup plans as his gaze returned to the simulation panel.

【In the eighth year, your Thousand Blazing Flame Art continued to advance at remarkable speed — you successfully completed comprehension of the fourth layer!】

【That same year, as your Qi Refinement cultivation rose higher, you felt cultivation becoming increasingly difficult.】

【Unfortunately, with only just over a hundred drops of spirit liquid per day, if you cultivated without restraint, you could only sustain one to two hours of high-speed cultivation.】

【But what troubled you most was still the slow progress of Elemental Force cultivation. Without breaking through to the third layer, reaching Void Return would remain hopeless…】

【In the monotony of cultivation, two more years slipped by in the blink of an eye.】

【In the tenth year, your Thousand Blazing Flame Art fourth layer had reached its final stages. Once you broke through, the cultivation progress of both techniques would be neck and neck.】

【As your comprehension of the Thousand Blazing Flame Art deepened, you gradually came to appreciate the true power of this technique.】

【The Eternal Spring Art emphasized an inexhaustible, enduring vitality — it was greatly beneficial for enhancing one’s recovery.】

【The Thousand Blazing Flame Art, on the other hand, focused on extreme destructive power. Moreover, it could utilize different flames to aid cultivation. Combined with the Separation Fire Technique, your cultivation speed increased further.】

【That same year, you made a small breakthrough in your mastery of Elemental Force — your entwinement range could now cover your entire back.】

【In the eleventh year, you began trying to modify the spirit-gathering formation, hoping to produce more spirit liquid.】

【But unfortunately, your research into spirit-gathering formations was insufficient. After dozens of attempts, you still failed.】

【You understood that if you wanted to increase spirit liquid production, the only way was to plant more Spirit-Gathering Flowers and make the spiritual energy within the spirit field grotto-heaven increasingly abundant.】

【But this was clearly unrealistic in the short term, so you could only continue cultivating diligently.】

【In the twelfth year, your Thousand Blazing Flame Art finally broke through once more, successfully entering the fifth layer!】

【At this point, the wood and fire spiritual energies within your body faintly gave off a sensation of endless, cyclical vitality. To your surprise, you discovered that wood-attribute spiritual energy could slightly amplify the power of fire-attribute spiritual energy.】

【You also began using Separation Fire to aid your cultivation, and your cultivation speed increased modestly.】

【That same year, you made a small breakthrough in your comprehension of Elemental Force mastery, with a noticeable increase in your total Elemental Force reserves.】

Seeing this, Su Xing nodded slightly and murmured:

“As expected — even without an epiphany, through sheer grinding, it’s still possible to raise Elemental Force mastery to Entwinement-level Great Perfection…”

“But at the current pace, it’ll probably take at least two simulations to reach Entwinement-level Great Perfection, won’t it?”

Su Xing’s brow furrowed slightly — this speed was obviously too slow for his liking.

“Let’s keep simulating and see… If I can’t achieve an epiphany, the fifth-layer Thousand Blazing Flame Art doesn’t seem like a bad alternative?”

He turned his gaze toward the simulation panel.

【In the thirteenth year, after entering the fifth layer, progress on the Thousand Blazing Flame Art slowed considerably. But you were already quite satisfied — the cultivation progress of your two techniques was now extremely close.】

【That same year, your Elemental Force progress remained slow, with no breakthrough.】

【In the fourteenth year, with the aid of spirit liquid and the Thousand Blazing Flame Art, your cultivation base grew steadily. You felt that you were not far from the sixth level of the Spirit Transformation stage.】

【In the fifteenth year, on a sunny and pleasant morning, you felt a stirring in your heart. Your aura steadily climbed, and a natural, effortless breakthrough occurred.】

【Congratulations on becoming a sixth-level Spirit Transformation cultivator!】

【In the sixteenth year, after breaking through to the sixth level of Spirit Transformation, you felt cultivation becoming increasingly arduous.】

【You understood that this was because your spiritual root advantage was no longer as pronounced. A True Spirit Root could only ensure that your cultivation speed was a few tenths faster than cultivators at the same level in the middle stages of Spirit Transformation.】

【But even so, with the aid of spirit liquid, your Qi Refinement cultivation base continued its slow but steady ascent.】

【In the seventeenth year, one day during your routine Elemental Force practice, you controlled Elemental Force to entwine around every inch of your skin.】

【However, your total Elemental Force reserves were insufficient, always leaving you stretched thin.】

【You practiced painstakingly for several hours before finally feeling the slightest bit of progress.】

【You wiped the sweat from your brow, and just as you were about to rest, you suddenly slipped into a mysterious and wondrous state.】

【You have triggered the talent Spontaneous Epiphany!】