Chapter 158 - 133: Noun and Adjective Divine Techniques

"If you mean the name that popped into my subconscious the very first moment, then that’s it." Chu Bamboo pointed to his own head and narrowed his eyes. "What’s wrong? Is the name that special?"

"Not really!" The scales on the right head of the Two-headed Scale People bunched up as its brows furrowed tighter and tighter, making Chu Bamboo feel like his trypophobia was acting up...

’So ugly.’

After thinking for a good while, the right head said sincerely, "I’ve never heard of this Divine Technique!"

"Oh!" Chu Bamboo nodded, his face impassive. ’So he’s just a useless loudmouth! Then what the hell was all that mysterious act for?!’

"Hey, you, what’s with that look!" The right head laughed in exasperation. He was clearly easy to provoke and started chattering, "Normal names for Divine Techniques aren’t nouns like that! They’re descriptive. Yours is so unusual, so isn’t it perfectly normal that I’ve never heard of it?"

"Hm? Explain!" Chu Bamboo’s interest was piqued.

"Let me give you an example. Take the Cultivators from the Natural Taoism lineage. Their Divine Techniques involve controlling the various elements of heaven and earth! For example: the Fire Control Skill, the Water Control Skill, the Thunder Manipulation Skill... These are the Divine Techniques of ordinary people! They’re descriptive!"

"If we’re talking about a noun-based Divine Technique like yours, the equivalent would be a Cultivator from the Natural Taoism lineage awakening a Divine Technique that is simply ’Fire,’ ’Thunder,’ or ’Water’! Do you see the difference now?"

"...Wait, but wouldn’t the enemy know the moment you use it? Is there even a need to hide a Divine Technique like that?" Chu Bamboo’s eye twitched uncontrollably. ’Isn’t it just controlling elements? The moment you make a move, you’re showing all your cards! What’s the point of hiding it!’

’Besides...’

"Is there a difference between ’Fire Control’ and ’Fire’? Doesn’t the ’Fire’ Divine Technique manifest as controlling flames? If not, what is it?" Chu Bamboo was a little baffled.

"Don’t interrupt, I was just making an analogy! As for what the specific difference is..." The left head shot Chu Bamboo a fierce glare. "Well, there’s definitely a difference... it’s just, you know!"

Seeing the Two-headed Scale People seemingly trying to be mysterious, Chu Bamboo fell silent for a moment before asking with a doubtful tone, "You don’t actually have a clue, do you?"

The Two-headed Scale People choked. The right head immediately changed the subject. "Anyway, for these famous and powerful sects that practice unique Dharma Gates, there’s only a certain number of Divine Techniques they can awaken... Once you’ve dealt with them enough, you’re bound to know what they are!"

"Only those rogue Cultivators, or the pillars and successors groomed by the major orthodox sects, would use special, unconventional training methods! The Divine Techniques they awaken are naturally rarer."

"..."

"I see." Chu Bamboo narrowed his eyes.

’In that case, is the Divine Technique Ning Linglong controls the Water Control Skill? No, I can’t be sure.’

Chu Bamboo suddenly recalled something else Zhang Hai had said—Cultivators often used words, and even imitated other moves, to mislead people!

Their real Divine Technique was actually something else with a similar appearance...

"So, is there nothing to be said about my type?" Chu Bamboo frowned, forcing the conversation back on track.

The Two-headed Scale People remained silent for a long time. Its two heads looked at each other and sighed in unison.

"Not entirely!" The right head took over the conversation. As if having made a decision, it no longer avoided the topic and said in a low voice, "For example, the world-renowned Pope of the God Worship Sect’s Western Faction controls a noun-based Divine Technique similar to yours—’Light’!"

"He is also the one who compiled and integrated the scattered Cultivation Techniques created by the predecessors of the God Worship Sect’s Western Faction into the Great Brightness Technique."

"Hm?" Chu Bamboo’s eyes lit up. "Following that logic, doesn’t that mean noun-based Divine Techniques have limitless potential?"

’The Pope of the God Worship Sect! That’s definitely a monumental figure...’

Chu Bamboo naturally knew of the Pope. After all, while his knowledge of affairs in the Celestial Capital was less than that of Jinghai City... he still knew twenty or thirty percent!

However, the Pope he knew was the one from the Mortal World!

’But considering the God Worship Sect’s tremendous status in the Extraordinary World, no one would believe the Pope is some small fry, right? No matter how you look at it, he must be a titan!’

"...Hard to say." Both of the Two-headed Scale People’s heads shook.

"The greatest advantage of a descriptive Divine Technique is that its initial name tells you the path to developing it... But a noun-based Divine Technique has no fixed path! This means it could be developed to be extremely powerful, with the Bright Pope as the prime example! But it’s also possible..."

The Two-headed Scale People didn’t continue, but its meaning was obvious.

Noticing Chu Bamboo’s silence, the left head swayed and said with feigned modesty, "But kid, you’re lucky! You’ve run into me... I’m quite well-researched on Divine Techniques! If we’re talking..."

"If we’re talking about who can develop your Divine Technique to a level comparable to the Bright Pope, then it would have to be me," Chu Bamboo said impassively. He even changed his voice to perfectly mimic the Two-headed Scale People.

The Two-headed Scale People: "???"

"Friend, your sales pitch is terrible! I stopped playing these games when I was Eleven." Chu Bamboo shook his head, a look of disappointment on his face. However, his mind was racing, and his gaze toward the Two-headed Scale People turned peculiar.

He had already faintly sensed that this being was by no means ordinary!

After all, it could casually mention numerous secrets of Natural Taoism and even state directly that the Bright Pope’s Divine Technique was "Light"—

Chu Bamboo wasn’t sure if this was common knowledge in the secret world. If it was, that was still understandable! But if it wasn’t...

...then the situation would be very interesting indeed!

"Are you part of the God Worship Sect?" Chu Bamboo asked abruptly.

"!" The expressions on the Two-headed Scale People’s two heads were completely different. The left head was impassive, as if trying desperately to suppress its emotions from prying eyes. The right head glanced left, then right, then up; anyone who wasn’t an idiot could tell it was definitely hiding something.

The left head, after a delayed reaction, said, "...You jackass!"

"Who are you calling a jackass?" the right head roared in anger. "With your own crappy acting, you have the nerve to call me out?"

"So that’s how it is. It’s related to the God Worship Sect! But are you an Honored Guest Elder? Oh, no, the connection is more distant? Not that either? Then I think I understand." Chu Bamboo observed the expressions on the Two-headed Scale People’s two heads, probing with words from time to time, until a look of realization dawned on his face.

’It seems this Two-headed Scale People has a very close relationship with the God Worship Sect. I just don’t know how close it is!’

’Most likely... it’s actually a member of the God Worship Sect? If not, a believer at the very least?’

The Two-headed Scale People: "???"

’Wait, what does he know? We didn’t say anything!’

The Two-headed Scale People broke out in a cold sweat... Most importantly, what Chu Bamboo said wasn’t actually wrong...

"I’m a little curious, how did you end up in a place like this?" Chu Bamboo’s voice was tinged with curiosity. "And why didn’t the God Worship Sect do anything about you?"

Then, Chu Bamboo noticed that the Two-headed Scale People had clammed up.

Of its two heads, one was grim, its eyes filled with killing intent. The other was filled with sorrow, pain, and conflict.

Chu Bamboo was silent for a moment, then decided not to provoke the Two-headed Scale People any further. He asked, "Do you have any suggestions for developing my Divine Technique?"

"Ahem!" The left head instantly perked up, striking a pose. "About that, let’s make a deal..."

"Forget it then!" Chu Bamboo turned his gaze away. Suddenly, he froze, looking up with a peculiar expression.

On the high platform.

At that moment, figure after figure in Flying Fish Suits filed out. They stared down at Chu Bamboo with cold eyes.

’They’re finally here!’ Chu Bamboo wasn’t nervous. On the contrary, he felt a sense of relief, as if a weight had finally been lifted.

"...Ah Zhu! Why? Why would you do this!"

With that sorrowful cry, Li Kang stepped out from the crowd. He leaned against the railing of the high platform with both hands, his eyes filled with grief...

His body trembled slightly, and his hands gripped the railing so tightly that it creaked under the pressure.

At the same time, Li Kang was not wearing his usual Police Chief Bureau captain’s uniform for missions—instead, he wore a Flying Fish Suit!

’Huh?’ Chu Bamboo fell into thought. ’If I recall correctly, the first time I came to this nuclear facility and saw Li Kang, wasn’t he also wearing a Flying Fish Suit?’

’Wearing this both times...’ Chu Bamboo didn’t think it was a coincidence.

"Captain Li!" Lin Youcai, also in a Flying Fish Suit, interjected with a solemn expression. Of course, the Lin Youcai in this current timeline had never been tortured by Chu Bamboo, so his attitude was strictly professional!

"The Chief still has great faith in you! However, the impact of this incident is too severe... Please, prove your loyalty!"

"...I know." Li Kang clenched his jaw, closed his eyes, and took several deep breaths.

Meanwhile, the Two-headed Scale People finally came to its senses. After figuring out the situation, one of its heads laughed in exasperation, while the other turned beet red—even the scales on its face took on a reddish hue!

"What the hell? How did they get in so fast? What did you do..."

"Wait, don’t you have any backup plan at all? Then why were you so nonchalant before...? I thought! You, I, this!"

The two heads spoke at almost the same time, completely incoherent, looking as if they were stupefied with anger.

The thought that it had actually pinned its hopes of escape on someone who seemed to have no escape plan whatsoever made the Two-headed Scale People want to give itself four slaps...

’Two for each head!’

’Are you insane?!’

In response, Chu Bamboo unhesitatingly lifted the bucket he was carrying and poured the milky-white Fushui into his mouth.

"...?!" Li Kang froze. When he realized what was happening, a frantic look appeared on his face. "Stop! Are you crazy... If you surrender now, there’s still room for negotiation..."

Hiding in the back of the crowd, his head bowed, afraid of being called upon to deal with Chu Bamboo, Guan Fei heard this. Sensing something was wrong, he suddenly looked up, his pupils contracting sharply.

Li Kang leaped directly from the high platform and charged toward Chu Bamboo like a madman. Disregarding the bucket and the remaining Fushui inside, he slapped it out of Chu Bamboo’s hands, sending the Fushui splashing onto the ground.

Ning Linglong was a moment behind, but she also descended from above, following close after.

Lin Youcai’s face twisted for a moment upon seeing this, clearly pained by the loss of the Fushui. But his lips moved twice, and in the end, he wisely chose to say nothing... After all, from the looks of it, Captain Li was truly furious. If he were to badmouth him behind his back, Captain Li might just put a sack over his head and beat him up in the middle of the night!

Chu Bamboo’s body twitched. He felt a stabbing pain in his head and a wave of drowsiness, and he dropped to one knee. But before he could fall completely, Ning Linglong caught him.

"...Spit it out! It’s not too late, it’s not too late..." Li Kang roared. "Hold on! Hold on..."

This was the last thing Chu Bamboo heard. He could see Ning Linglong’s face, cold and serious, as she reached out, apparently trying to stick her fingers into his mouth and down his throat to force him to vomit...

But soon, all emotion on her face, just like on Li Kang’s beside her... finally turned to despair.

Chu Bamboo felt his body expanding.

"...What a familiar feeling!"

Ever since successfully breaking through to the First Realm, even falling into the radioactive water pool again didn’t produce this kind of abnormal sensation!

Chu Bamboo slowly closed his eyes.

And then...

Everything began to reverse!