Chapter 295 - 246: Ideal Flowing Body! Shadow Windbreaker

’The Reproduction is complete. Once it’s used up, I’ll have to create a new one. Then, I can choose to Reproduce a different kind of Divine Technique... Hmm.’ Chu Bamboo sheathed the Chixiao Sword. ’So, maybe I should Reproduce one more... and this time, I won’t fight them to the bitter end... I’ll just go straight back to the Real World! I need to see if I can take the Cloned Divine Techniques with me...’

According to the speculations of his good brother in the diary, it was highly likely he could.

At its core, the essence of Reproduction was memory!

Since he could take his memories with him when returning to the Real World, he could naturally take the memory-based Cloned Divine Techniques along as well!

’A second Divine Technique besides the Crimson Sky Fire... Hmm, first, I’ll see if I can Reproduce Ning Linglong’s Flowing Body! But, my good brother never tried Reproducing the Divine Technique of a living Cultivator. If that doesn’t work, I’ll find Zhang Hai, get a ride to the Fourth District... and Reproduce the Divine Technique of the Shadow Assassin that was Forged into an Artifact.’

Chu Bamboo made up his mind and started to get up, only to collapse to his knees with a THUMP.

’...I’m completely spent.’ Chu Bamboo gave a bitter smile. After struggling for a moment, he gave up and lay flat on the floor, staring at the ceiling.

The mental strain from so many resets was still manageable. After all, having just broken through again, the number of resets available to him had increased even further.

However, the mental exhaustion from resetting so many times, from so much trial and error—that was something a reset couldn’t erase. Simply put, he was tired. He had been able to reset limitlessly before only because he could play when he wanted and clear the stage when he wanted. But now... especially with all the Blessing Power in his body completely depleted...

"So be it." Chu Bamboo bit down on the poison capsule hidden in his gums and reset once more. ’Just have to endure a little longer! I’ll rest when I’m back in the Real World.’

Chu Bamboo slowly opened his eyes. The Energy inside him was full once more. He lowered his gaze, sensing the Crimson Sky Fire in his mind. ’It worked... I brought it back!’

Chu Bamboo let out a sigh of relief, a look of joy spreading across his face. He stretched his limbs, then strode out of the base while dialing Ning Linglong’s number.

...

「A moment later.」

"Um, you... us... like this... isn’t it a bit much?" Ning Linglong said, her gaze wandering as she looked at Chu Bamboo, who was tightly gripping her hand.

’Chu Bamboo said it was urgent and rushed me over here, and the first thing he does is this... Even though I keep telling myself to be calm, not to overthink it, not to get ahead of myself, I can’t help but feel like... is he about to confess?’

’But... isn’t this moving a little too fast?!’

Chu Bamboo was lost in thought. Having reached the Second Realm, he could also detect Second Divine Powers. Ning Linglong’s Second Divine Power was—the Qi Flowing Body! Or, one could say, the Wind Flowing Body.

This development left Chu Bamboo speechless. ’First water, now gas... what’s she planning for the third? Molten metal? Or some other kind of fluid?!’

To be honest, Chu Bamboo actually held the Flowing Body-type Divine Techniques in very high regard. In the past, just by hearing its name, he had casually thought of countless ways to develop it... He had even deduced the theoretical upper limit for this kind of Divine Technique.

That theoretical limit was a concept Chu Bamboo had encountered in the Real World: the ideal fluid.

An "ideal fluid" doesn’t just refer to fluids like wind and water; it’s a model for a fluid that is non-viscous and incompressible—

This conceptual-only model possesses extreme flow and destructive power.

The non-viscous and incompressible properties of an ideal fluid would theoretically allow it to be accelerated infinitely, forming blades of wind approaching the speed of light that could slice through any physical object. It would be the ultimate spear!

Liu Cixin once described a "Storm Weapon" based on a similar principle in *Spherical Lightning* that could easily destroy an aircraft carrier... and destroying an aircraft carrier was nowhere near its upper limit!

At the same time, an ideal fluid could also form a perfect, 360-degree defense. It could even be used to heal injuries by directing the flow of the fluid...

Although its defensive capabilities paled in comparison to its offensive power, they were still not to be underestimated.

Therefore, with continuous development, the Liquid Divine Techniques absolutely had the potential to become a strategic-level power—

Its power would be on par with the Crimson Sky Fire, and in terms of strategic value, it might even be superior.

More importantly, the Crimson Sky Fire had already been Forged into an Artifact, whereas Ning Linglong was still alive and could continue its development. Her potential was limitless...

But... Ning Linglong’s current path of development was... a criminal waste of its potential!

"...Are you thinking something bad about me?" Ning Linglong’s gaze sharpened. Then, she shivered involuntarily, feeling as if she were completely exposed before him, with no secrets to hide. She barely resisted the urge to slap him across the face...

"What did you do?" Ning Linglong managed to say.

"It failed." Chu Bamboo’s presence seemed to weaken for a moment. He lowered his eyes, his expression unreadable. Most importantly, he didn’t even know *how* it had failed. That meant he had no idea what to change to make it succeed.

As thoughts swirled in his mind, Chu Bamboo made a decision. ’I’ll just have to leave this problem for my good brother.’

’After all, it’s obvious now... this is a problem that can only be solved through constant experimentation, verification, and deduction. While I’m not exactly short on time, I don’t have enough to spare for this.’

With that thought, Chu Bamboo patted Ning Linglong on the shoulder. "We’ll talk later!"

"???" Ning Linglong stared, dumbfounded, as Chu Bamboo walked away. Her mind went completely blank.

’Wait, what about the next step? The confession? I was just thinking about whether I should say yes or no, and if we should get coffee or tea on our first date... How could you...’

Trembling, Ning Linglong reached out a desperate hand, as if to call him back. She stood there blankly long after he had disappeared from view, before finally scanning her surroundings...

’So, why on earth was I dragged out here so early in the morning...’

After a brief silence, Ning Linglong squatted down and quietly hugged her knees.

The agony. It was too much!

...

「Fourth District.」

After arriving in Zhang Hai’s car, Chu Bamboo glanced at the time. It was almost Eleven. His feelings became extremely complicated... He subconsciously glanced back in the direction of the Third District, pursed his lips, and then silently turned to enter the Mo Family headquarters.

After meeting with Mo Wen, Chu Bamboo received a translucent... uh, plastic raincoat?!

"...This is called the Shadow Windbreaker!" Mo Wen’s voice was filled with pride.

"?" Chu Bamboo silently looked at the garment again. ’Are you sure this thing is a windbreaker?!’

Mo Wen seemed completely oblivious to the litany of complaints Chu Bamboo was dying to voice, and confidently introduced his masterpiece, "Its function is to allow you to separate your shadow, leaving it behind as a decoy! You, meanwhile, can hide off to the side..."

"Even if you’re attacked, as long as you’ve already split off your shadow and hidden it, you can swap places with it. The shadow takes the hit for you, and you escape to its location... The range is limited to ten meters... Pretty awesome, right? It perfectly fits your whole ’stay hidden, stay alive’ philosophy!"

"Hmm." Chu Bamboo rubbed the material, sensing the information he was acquiring through his Memory Divine Techniques. His brow furrowed for a moment, then his eyes lit up with understanding. ’I see... so that’s how it is! It’s just as I thought.’