Chapter 197: Chapter 179: Joining Hands for a Grand Enterprise

According to the description in the manual.

The minimum requirement to learn Ghost’s Bane was to have magnetized legs.

Gao Neng happened to meet this condition. During his second stage, he had magnetized his legs, not his torso, which meant he could cultivate Ghost’s Bane.

He continued flipping through the pages...

The First Realm was called the Ghost Step Realm.

Legend has it that when ghosts walk, their heels never touch the ground.

The Ghost Step Realm was just like that.

You channel energy to the soles of your feet, lifting your heels off the ground so that only your toes are in contact with it. Once you start sprinting, you’ll be as fast as a pandemonium of ghosts!

The Second Realm was called the Ghost Foot Realm.

This realm was far more impressive, but it had a prerequisite: you had to be able to project your energy externally. In other words, the minimum requirement was reaching Tier Four.

You project your energy to form two "ghost feet."

This allows your toes to lift off the ground completely.

Instead of walking on your own feet, you would move entirely on these ghost feet, gliding along without a sound. And since you’re detached from the ground, your speed is even greater than in the First Realm.

As for the third realm, the Ghost Shadow Realm...

...it wasn’t just impressive; it was terrifying.

Your body becomes like a ghostly shadow, ignoring all ground-level obstacles. You could float directly over mountains, rivers, and even the surface of water. It was the ultimate escape art.

Of course, the requirements were even higher...

The Fourth Realm: Ghostly Nether Realm.

The Fifth Realm: Ghost Void Realm.

The further Gao Neng read, the more shocked he became.

’Ghost’s Bane is really powerful!’

’This eight million was completely worth it.’

’No wonder Gu Yi said he outran a Tier Seven expert when he was only Tier Five. And that was with the pre-evolution version of Ghost’s Bane. Now that it’s fully evolved, it must be even stronger.’

Gao Neng read through the entire Ghost’s Bane manual in one sitting and made up his mind.

He would start cultivating immediately.

"MEOW..." Gao Xiaomeng let out a cry, then backed to one side. Her two deep blue eyes stared out the window, lost in thought.

Gao Neng paid her no mind.

’First, I’ll practice the ghost steps.’

’As for the Second Realm, the Ghost Foot Realm, I’m not sure if I can cultivate it yet. Can Infinite Energy Infusion be applied to my own feet?’

’It’s worth a try.’

’If I can cultivate the Second Realm directly, that would be incredible.’

No sooner said than done.

Gao Neng put the manual away and began to experiment with his Infinite Energy Infusion ability.

Energy gathered bit by bit around his feet. Then, following the cultivation method described for the Ghost Foot Realm, he started to condense the ghost feet beneath them.

Half an hour later...

Gao Neng felt two phantoms forming under his feet.

’It seems to be working!’

But they seemed a little different from the ghost feet described in the manual. According to the manual, once the ghost feet formed, the energy drain wasn’t supposed to be that high.

Yet the phantoms under his feet were draining his energy at a terrifying rate.

’Looks like it’s because Infinite Energy Infusion is an energy-draining ability in itself. There’s still a difference between it and true external energy projection,’ Gao Neng realized.

Infinite Energy Infusion was one drain, and maintaining the ghost feet was another. If this energy couldn’t form a self-sustaining cycle, the total drain would be horrifying.

Gao Neng did a rough calculation.

If he forced himself to condense the ghost feet, he could only maintain them for two or three minutes at most. Even if he used his second magnetic core, it would only extend the time to five minutes.

’I can only use it at the most critical moments.’

’As I thought, only reaching Tier Four will bring a true qualitative leap! I’ll be able to project energy externally, revealing the true value of my hidden talent. I’ll be able to form ghost feet at will and move with phantom-like speed. Who could possibly stop me then?’ With his mind made up, Gao Neng began to review the First Realm again.

’I’ll cultivate the First Realm for now. That’s the practical escape skill I’ll use regularly.’

’As for the Second Realm...’

’...I’ll save it as a little surprise.’

...

「The next day.」

Gao Neng received a "gift."

Chen Bai delivered it personally. Inside was a pile of crafting materials, as well as two blueprints: one for a long spear, and one for a Horse-Cutting Saber.

He didn’t need to guess to know it was from Shen Ning’Er.

’Two blueprints? Does she think sending two blueprints means I won’t charge her? Hmm... I guess it does.’ Gao Neng gave them a quick look. His judgment was pretty sharp now, so he could tell the quality of this Horse-Cutting Saber at a glance.

Besides the blueprint for the Horse-Cutting Saber...

...the pile of materials also included everything needed to craft it.

To put it bluntly, Shen Ning’Er hadn’t just sent him a blueprint, but a whole blade—one that he had to craft with his own hands.

’I have the blade, but I’m missing a scabbard! A good blade deserves a good scabbard... I’ll head to the Logistics Department and exchange for some Healing Elixirs and other life-saving pills while I’m at it.’ Gao Neng sent Chen Bai away and headed to the Logistics Department with Gao Xiaomeng.

He had a good amount of Merit Points now.

He had earned a huge amount when he was challenging the D-List, accumulating nearly 2,000 Merit Points. Adding the 70% share he received from the battle at the small building...

...Gao Neng now had a total of 4,560 points to his name.

He was a bona fide big spender.

"Well, look at you, little Gao Neng. It’s only been a few days, but you’ve already changed so much," the old woman in charge of exchanges said, her eyes, hidden behind her glasses, lighting up as she saw the Merit Points on his account.

Gao Neng had gotten somewhat familiar with the old woman over this period.

He knew her surname was Zuo and her name was Zuo Jialan.

The head of the Logistics Department.

As for her strength, he had no idea.

However, if this were a typical story, since Zuo Jialan was in charge of the Logistics Department—the academy’s entire "household"—she had to be a hidden powerhouse.

’She’s either a decorated veteran retired from the battlefield...’

’...or she has some special connection with Principal Song Tianyun or someone even higher up.’

’Otherwise, why would the Eastern Capital Military Academy entrust its assets, worth hundreds of billions, to her?’

"Grandma Zuo, do you sell scabbards at the Logistics Department?" Gao Neng never called Zuo Jialan Teacher Zuo, always addressing her as grandma.

"You want to buy a scabbard? We have them, but where’s your blade?" Zuo Jialan smiled, not minding the familiar address.

"I don’t have the blade, just the blueprint." Gao Neng pulled out the last page of the blueprint.

Zuo Jialan glanced at it, her gaze sharpening for a moment before her eyes lit up again, a smile spreading across her lips.

"How’s the blade?" Gao Neng asked immediately, seeing her expression.

"Well, our Eastern Capital Military Academy’s Logistics Department certainly doesn’t have a blade like this for sale," Zuo Jialan said, handing the blueprint back. She thought for a moment, then added, "A good blade deserves a good scabbard. I happen to have a fine one here, but the price is a bit steep..."

"That’s fine. I have plenty of Merit Points." Gao Neng puffed out his chest.

"Alright. The scabbard is 500 Merit Points."

"Five hundred points? That’s equivalent to two million Alliance Coins! For a scabbard?! So expensive?!" Even though he was mentally prepared, Gao Neng was still shocked.

"A good blade can only be paired with a good scabbard, naturally," Zuo Jialan said noncommittally.

"Do you have any less-good scabbards? Something around 100 Merit Points?" Gao Neng didn’t want to spend the equivalent of two million on a scabbard. Even four hundred thousand would be an extravagant expense.

"Nope. There’s only one. Are you buying it or not?"

"..." Gao Neng was speechless.

’This is a hard sell!’

’A hard sell with no other options, at that!’

’No wonder Zuo Jialan is the head of the Logistics Department.’

"I’ll buy it! And while you’re at it, I’ll take 100 mid-grade Energy Pills, some Healing Medicine, a pair of Goggles, and a Night Travel Garment..." Gao Neng rattled off a long list.

"That comes to 4,500 points in total. Are you sure you want to exchange for everything at once? If your Merit Points aren’t high enough, you won’t be able to get promoted," Zuo Jialan reminded him after tallying up the cost.

"It’s fine. I have a Third-Class Merit award!" Gao Neng waved his hand dismissively. ’Relying on Merit Points for promotion is what normal people do. I, Gao Neng, am not normal.’

’I rely on actual combat merits!’

"..." Zuo Jialan didn’t say anything more. She quickly gathered the items. After handing them to Gao Neng, she gave him another look. "Are you planning to leave the academy?"

"Nope," Gao Neng denied immediately.

"I heard your name was... never mind, it’s nothing. I just wanted to remind you that with your current strength, if you go on a long trip without protection, your chance of dying is at least ninety percent!" Zuo Jialan added, "And that’s a conservative estimate."

"Yes, thank you, Grandma Zuo. I’ll be careful." Gao Neng nodded. He knew exactly what she meant by "going on a long trip."

Still, he would be going with the main forces this time.

The only danger...

...lay in the period of time after he arrived at the battlefield but before the main forces did.

’At that point, as long as I find a place to hide and don’t move a muscle, and just wait for the main forces to arrive, there shouldn’t be any major problems, right?’

’Fortune favors the bold, after all.’

’Besides, I’ve already accepted Fang Tangtang’s deposit.’

’If things get really bad, it’ll just come down to who can run faster, me or Fang Tangtang.’

Gao Neng didn’t feel this was a betrayal.

Fang Tangtang herself had said that if they ran into someone they couldn’t beat, like a Tier Five expert... it would be every man for himself.

’Besides, as the heir to the Celestial King Group, Fang Tangtang must have plenty of treasures on her. If she dares to go to the battlefield, she must have ways to protect herself.’

’Time is short. First, I need to craft the blade and the spear. Cultivation can’t be delayed either. I’ll craft and cultivate at the same time. I need to reach Tier Two Late Stage before heading to the battlefield, and breaking through to Tier Three would be even better. I also need to practice the Sword Drawing Technique and the ghost steps...’

After leaving the Logistics Department, Gao Neng began to lay out a ten-day plan for himself.

Meanwhile, Gao Xiaomeng grabbed some of the Healing Elixirs from Gao Neng’s bag, examining them from all angles but showing no sign of wanting to swallow them.

"MEOW, MEOW..." Gao Xiaomeng called out, holding up a red pill.

"This is a Blood Creation Pill. If you lose too much blood, it accelerates your body’s blood production. This one is Healing Medicine; you apply it to a wound for rapid recovery... And this one is an antidote. You eat it if you’re poisoned..." Gao Neng explained them to Gao Xiaomeng one by one.

"Can you make these?" Gao Xiaomeng asked suddenly.

"Of course I can, but I need materials," Gao Neng replied casually.

"Materials?" Gao Xiaomeng seemed pensive.

"I hear the core region of the Dark Night Elf Clan is a forest full of materials for making elixirs. What do you say? Want to team up and build an empire?" Gao Neng’s eyes narrowed slightly.