Chapter 247 - 201: Divine Techniques: Flowing Body

Chu Bamboo closed his eyes and sorted through the contents of the diary he had just read. After a moment of contemplation, he walked straight out of Nuwa Base to find Ning Linglong.

"...Y-y-you’re looking for me!" Ning Linglong said softly. The memory of what had happened earlier still made her feel embarrassed, frustrated, and just a little indignant.

"Give me your hand." Chu Bamboo held out his palm, his expression serious.

"...Huh?" Ning Linglong’s mind raced, a chaotic jumble of thoughts flashing through her head. ’Did Ah Zhu have a change of heart? But his attitude before... he was clearly ignoring me.’

’Or maybe he didn’t realize it then, but it dawned on him later, and that’s why he’s come to find me now? That doesn’t seem right, though. And Ah Zhu isn’t that dense of a person...’

Confused as she was, Ning Linglong still subconsciously held out her hand, which Chu Bamboo immediately gripped tightly. "This might feel a little strange. Just try to bear with it."

"?" Ning Linglong froze. ’This "strange" feeling... is he being serious?’ Her lips parted, as if to ask something, but then she sensed an abnormality, and her gaze sharpened.

"My Divine Technique is called Memory!" Chu Bamboo explained softly, already prepared to reset if he had to.

’For now, it’s best to find someone I trust to test this Divine Technique on...’

’Of course, since my Cultivation hasn’t reached the Second Realm yet, I can’t use the Engraving Skill. But even if the Engraving fails, I’ll still get some feedback!’

Chu Bamboo patiently explained the Second Realm Divine Technique he had derived. "To be specific, Engraving is..."

「A moment later.」

"? I get it. In other words, you want to reproduce my Divine Technique? Just as a test, of course," Ning Linglong said pensively. "Alright... In that case—wait!"

Ning Linglong’s expression changed in alarm. "No, that’s not right! Normally, for a Second Realm Divine Technique to take shape, don’t you have to reach the Second Realm before you can start Forging it? You’re still in the First Realm... What in the world are you?!"

"And another thing," Ning Linglong continued, growing more agitated the more she thought about it, "you said you can’t successfully Engrave it, but even if the Engraving fails, doesn’t that mean you can at least..."

The next moment, a piece of information surfaced in Chu Bamboo’s mind.

Divine Technique: Flowing Body

First Divine Power: Water Flowing Body

Second Divine Power: ???

Chu Bamboo’s eyelid twitched. Even though he had his suspicions, he was still shocked to see that Ning Linglong’s Divine Technique was indeed one named after a concept. And of all things... Flowing Body?!

The implications of those two words were terrifying!

No wonder Ning Linglong could manipulate water. She was merely pretending it was the Water Control Divine Technique from Natural Taoism. In reality, she was just using the power of her Flowing Body to create effects that resembled water control.

"You... you really found out?" Ning Linglong’s face went pale, her eyes darting back and forth, trying to read the change in Chu Bamboo’s expression.

’It’s over. Master, the secret is out! And it seems... I’m the one who leaked it voluntarily.’

"I’m begging you." Ning Linglong gripped Chu Bamboo’s hand in return, pleading, "Please don’t tell anyone about my Divine Technique. I’ll do anything..."

"Alright, I get it, you’ve got your sights set on me! No need to keep emphasizing it." Chu Bamboo patted her hand reassuringly. "What are you getting at? If I really did anything, the next step would be taking responsibility, wouldn’t it?"

Ning Linglong: "???"

’Wait, that’s an option?!’

"Anyway, did you feel anything unusual just now?" Chu Bamboo tried to activate Engraving, and as expected, it failed. "Don’t worry, I know your Divine Technique is ’Flowing Body’..."

Chu Bamboo didn’t say the two words aloud, only mouthing them for Ning Linglong to see. He looked directly into her eyes and promised earnestly, "I won’t leak your secret and cause you any trouble."

Hearing, or rather, seeing the words "Flowing Body," the last bit of hope in Ning Linglong’s heart died.

"...Strictly speaking, not really! It was just that my Divine Thought could sense something was a little off." Ning Linglong hung her head in dejection for a moment before a realization struck her, her eyes widening in shock. "Wait, you figured out my Divine Technique just like that? Are you absolutely sure you’re still in the First Realm? This is... You’re not just messing with me, are you?"

"Is your power actually a Detection Divine Technique, not the Memory Divine Technique?"

’How is that possible? It’s because I’ve been through the First Realm myself that I know just how enormous the gap is! And this isn’t even your main specialty... How are you able to do this...?’

"No, no, no!" Chu Bamboo shook his head, correcting her earnestly. "I only know that your First Divine Power is Water Flowing Body. I’m not clear on your Second Divine Power..."

"...Is there a difference?!" Ning Linglong broke out in a cold sweat. The vast majority of a Cultivator’s power is vested in their Divine Technique. Once that’s exposed, an opponent can come up with countless ways to counter it.

And once your Divine Technique is countered, even facing a Cultivator a realm below you...

Forget about him discovering the First Divine Power... even just knowing the name of a Divine Technique could lead to a disastrous failure in the future.

"The difference is huge. But I’m busy right now. You can think it over on your own." Chu Bamboo released her hand and turned to leave.

Ning Linglong: "?!"

’Why do I get the feeling I was just used?’

He arrived at the Special Operations Captain’s office.

Chu Bamboo saw Wall Announcements sighing with a miserable look on his face. He walked right up and clapped him on the shoulder. "Ah Xuan! Why aren’t you out on a job?"

Wall Announcements jumped, startled. He turned, saw it was Chu Bamboo, and let out a sigh of relief before grinding his teeth. "There aren’t any alarms right now... Or rather, Senior Guan Fei already went to handle the last one! He’s not back yet."

"I see," Chu Bamboo mused, then asked, "You haven’t noticed anything unusual, have you?"

"? Unusual?" Wall Announcements stared blankly for a moment, then frowned in thought. He looked Chu Bamboo up and down with a strange, uncertain expression before nodding solemnly. "Yes, there is!"

"?"

"I feel like you’re in a bad mood!"

"!" Chu Bamboo fell silent, resisting the urge to curse. ’So he didn’t notice anything unusual? Does that mean Ning Linglong only sensed something was off with her Divine Thought because she’s a realm stronger than me? She could feel it, but had no real proof?’

’And someone at the same level... is completely oblivious?’

He sucked in a sharp breath. ’Damn, that’s terrifying... Is the Memory Divine Technique really this powerful?!’

Divine Technique: Universal Door Opening

First Divine Power: Universal Key

Chu Bamboo processed the information he’d just gotten about Wall Announcements’ Divine Technique, and the way he looked at him became a little strange. "..."

’So that’s what he meant! When he said it was key-related... he meant his First Divine Power is literally related to keys, huh?’

’I can’t believe it. A guy with such an honest face... using a trick like that to mislead people!’

Chu Bamboo’s mind was racing. At the same time, he was curious... ’Just how "universal" is this Universal Key? Can it open any door?’

’What if you had to open the door to a nuclear facility? Could you do it? If not, how can you call it "Universal"...’

’Wait!’

A look of dawning horror spread across Chu Bamboo’s face. ’Could it be that what B2 Lin Youcai said before—that if the key to a nuclear facility was lost, the Imperial Capital would need enough time to make a new one—meant they would transfer a key-related Forbidden Artifact or Spiritual Artifact from the Imperial Capital to open the door?!’

Chu Bamboo had been puzzled before. If the lock on a nuclear facility door required more than just a specific physical shape—if it also involved things like data decryption—then based on this era’s understanding of Ancient Relics, how could the Imperial Capital possibly create a brand-new key?

It was completely illogical! If they could truly manufacture a key, then the Imperial Capital would have to know that the true nature of the Ancient Ruins was technology.

Now it seemed... it was just a case of brute force.