As long as one had the desire to become stronger, even techniques from comics could be brought into reality.

Thinking this, Xiao Shou moved his divine sense and collected all the Windwheel Dandelion into his storage belt.

Just as he was about to unleash another strike, he noticed through his divine sense that Xiao Ran and the others were all staring at him with varying expressions.

A thought flashed through his mind.

Before his brain could fully process it, his body reacted.

He slightly stirred his spiritual energy, causing his face to turn pale, then descended toward them.

In a weak voice, he said, "I need to recover first. That last move drained all my spiritual energy."

"Such a powerful sword technique cannot be used repeatedly at the Golden Core stage. The fact that you could even unleash it is already remarkable," Chi Jia nodded and continued, "Fellow Daoist Xiao, when you have time, let us spar. Your sword techniques are impressive."

"Ah? Sword techniques?" Xiao Shou was not good at hiding his thoughts.

At Chi Jia’s words, he instinctively asked in confusion.

Only after speaking did he regret it.

He knew about sword techniques from the original story, but what he had just used were merely imitations of game skills and anime moves.

How could they possibly qualify as true sword techniques?

Seeing his reaction, Chi Jia frowned.

"I mean those two moves just now. They clearly resemble sword techniques, not abilities inherent to a magical artifact."

"Oh, those," Xiao Shou hurriedly explained, "That was just me messing around during battle. It does not qualify as a real sword technique. It was just instinctive combat reactions."

He quickly tried to clarify.

In the Longevity Love setting, techniques like sword arts were inheritances exclusive to major sects.

Small sects and independent cultivators simply had no access to them.

If he were misunderstood as having secretly learned a major sect’s sword technique, it would bring serious trouble.

After saying this, Xiao Shou turned and walked back into the formation to meditate and recover his spiritual energy.

He did not notice that after hearing his words, both Xiao Ran and Yu Lin wore equally unpleasant expressions.

After a while, Chi Jia who had grasped the meaning behind Xiao Shou’s words spoke with great excitement, "To go from fumbling at the start of battle to creating his own sword technique in such a short time... he is practically born to be a sword cultivator. If Master knew of such talent, he would definitely accept him as a direct disciple. Junior Sister Yu, you called him Brother Xiao. Are you close with him? If possible, could you..."

"Impossible."

She finally free from having to see him within the Heavenly Void Sect, there was no way she would allow him to return and only to watch him ascend again right before her eyes.

If he rejoined the sect and became even stronger than in her previous life, even taking a Spirit Transformation expert and main peak master as his teacher, she felt she might vomit from frustration.

Xiao Ran pressed her lips together.

Her frost-like expression perfectly concealed her disgust toward Chi Jia as she replied coldly, "When he left, he sent a message to me and my brother. He said he disliked the constraints of sect life and preferred the freedom of being an independent cultivator."

"Is that so? Ridiculous. What a waste of his talent," Chi Jia said with a frown. "Junior Sister Yu, if you have the chance, you should try to persuade him. Such talent going to waste is truly regrettable."

"Mm, I will speak with him when I have the chance," Yu Lin replied with a nod.

However, after glancing at Xiao Ran, her gaze turned complicated.

Xiao Ran indeed seemed to be as she had suspected, she’s been reborn.

Every time she looked at Chi Jia, her gaze carried hidden barbs.

Yu Lin realized she needed to be more cautious.

That ancient contract talisman could not be wasted on him.

She would need to choose a different target.

But who?

The Water Qilin had already been obtained by Xiao Ran.

She believed it was safely within the Heavenly Orb space and could not be approached.

Zhong Kui was cruel by nature.

Jian Li was cold and distant.

Neither of them was easy to get close to.

And among Xiao Ran’s future companions, only those few would ascend with her to the God Realm and reach the final ending.

So how should she use that one and only talisman?

...

From the day Xiao Shou comprehended the two moves inspired by Ichigo’s initial release slash and the sword net, his routine became consistent.

Each day, he would first engage in close combat using the sword net to hone his skills. Then he would unleash a powerful slash to destroy hundreds of meters worth of stone beasts in one go.

After that, he would pretend to be exhausted, sit down to recover his spiritual energy, and once rested, he would head back out to fight again.

Chi Jia and the others did not slack off either.

Perhaps inspired by Xiao Shou, their progress became noticeably faster than before his arrival.

Of course, Xiao Shou was unaware of this and assumed their speed had always been like this.

After more than ten days, the canyon grew deeper and deeper.

The sliver of sky above became thinner and thinner.

Finally, on the thirteenth day, the line of sky completely disappeared and the abyssal canyon was plunged into true darkness.

Even the light of luminous stones could only illuminate the area immediately around them, nothing beyond that.

Xiao Shou was not alarmed by this situation.

Although his Eye of Ishvara was not the same type as Chen Zhiyi’s, it still enhanced his eyesight, allowing him to see clearly.

At the very front of the canyon, the end was not an exit but...

Not realizing that the others could not see and that their divine sense could not extend outward either, he frowned and said, "Why isn’t it an exit? What does a pitch black cave entrance mean?"