Chapter 701 - 148: Black Fog

Zhang Deming floated in the air. After a long while, once the absorption from the Spiritual Power Sea stopped and everything settled, his aura had grown considerably stronger.

Then, when Zhang Deming sensed the changes to his Rune Core, he was utterly stunned.

Even though he had anticipated that the Rune Core would manifest a new ability, he was still dumbfounded when he learned what it was.

His previous Spirit Nurturing Space was a Magic Space—or, in other words, a Virtual Space. While it was real to a certain degree, it ultimately couldn’t hold physical objects.

But now... At the Magic Level, Sleeve Qiankun was supposed to create a true pocket dimension. This was precisely why advancing Sleeve Qiankun to the Magic Level was so incredibly difficult.

To advance it to the Magic Level, one needed to acquire a portable dimension and integrate it into the Technique as a material.

And this portable dimension was not like a mere storage pouch. To put it simply, though not entirely accurately, one needed a Personal Cave Mansion to use as the material, because Sleeve Qiankun could store any item—even living creatures.

Now that Sleeve Qiankun was a Second Transition Rune and had developed a Branch Rune, the Spirit Nurturing Space gained a True Space.

Furthermore, working in conjunction with Sleeve Qiankun, it could now collect and store items, and even contain living creatures—though it was currently only about one cubic decimeter in size.

But for a space measured in real volume, it could already be used for many things. A prime example was that Alliance members would no longer have to worry about logistics when exchanging goods.

Using this space as a foundation and his agents as anchors, he could transfer goods. Then... they would no longer have to go through so much trouble to receive things like Spirit Nurturing Beads.

This seemingly minor function would have a profound impact on the Alliance.

In addition to the changes from the Second Transition, the Rune Core and the First Transition’s Enhancement Skill Branch Rune had also grown considerably, earning him a total of eighty Qi Fortune. Once again, Zhang Deming felt fortunate that he had chosen Enhancement Skill for his First Transition advancement.

It took a long time for his excitement to fade before Zhang Deming finally calmed down. He checked his Qi Fortune; he still had 90, enough to upgrade one Technique to the Magic Level. This time, he didn’t hesitate and immediately selected his target.

"Consume 50 Qi Fortune to upgrade Heart Dream Control to Tier Four Magic Level?"

’Yes!’

When the upgrade was complete, Zhang Deming looked at his panel.

Cultivation Technique: Five Elements Secret Scripture: Fragment (Pseudo-Seven Tier)

Cultivation: Duality Lv2 (0/800/10,000)

Rune Core: Spirit Nurturing Vine Demon Summoning Skill Lv4 (20/200)

Branch Rune: Enhancement Skill Lv4 (60/600), Oratory Word Spirit Lv4 (0/100), Sleeve Qiankun Lv4 (0/200),

Skills: Flying Technique Lv4 (0/100), Yin Yang Chess Dao: Position Lv4 (0/200), Heart Dream Control Lv4 (0/100), Splitting Skill Lv4 (0/100), Reconnaissance·Spiritual Eye Lv3 (0/50), Sword Control Skill Lv3 (0/50), Hidden Breath Technique Lv3 (0/50), Spiritual Shield Lv3 (0/50)

Spiritual Power Recovery: 350 Spiritual Power/1 minute

Experience Growth: 35 Experience/1 minute

Spirit Root: Lv22 (0/20) [Merit]

The doubled Experience Point costs weren’t that bad. Of his equipped Techniques, only four were left to reach the Magic Level. In terms of cultivating Techniques alone, he was already much stronger than many Three Talents Cultivators.

The Heart Dream Technique reaching the Magic Level brought about a new stage of development in his Heart Spirit Skills. Zhang Deming’s ability to handle reality, dreams, and the spirit was greatly enhanced. It could be considered half a stage of growth in the Heart Spirit Dao.

Why only half? Because the key to the high-tier evolution of the Heart Spirit Dao—the starting point at the Magic Level—was the Gathering of the Three Souls. But Zhang Deming was currently only at the Duality stage. He only had the external change from the Magic Level, without the internal gathering of the soul.

Just as he was about to get up and go to the warehouse to experiment with his Techniques using items he had obtained earlier, his Identity Jade Pendant lit up.

"After you’re done, come to the Council Pavilion at the Mountain Peak Cloud Pool. We have important matters to discuss!

—Gan Zili!"

Zhang Deming read the message and paused. The matter of his Heart Dream Technique would have to wait.

He walked to the edge of the cliffside balcony and leaped straight off. Countless motes of light converged behind him, materializing into a pair of magnificent wings, and he flew toward the Mountain Peak Cloud Pool.

...

With the grand assembly imminent, people could be seen hurrying to and fro all over the Cloud Pool. Disciples rushed past with hurried expressions, each preoccupied with their own tasks.

Zhang Deming passed through numerous clusters of buildings and arrived before a small courtyard behind the main hall. The Jade Pendant at his waist flashed, and he stepped into the Array Light Curtain.

Yuee Mengsheng and the other two were already waiting in the pavilion at the meridian opening, just as they always were.

"Senior Brothers, I trust you’ve been well," Zhang Deming said as he walked up and bowed to the three of them.

The three nodded, all sizing up Zhang Deming in unison. Even Guk Liancai didn’t immediately speak, but instead scrutinized him seriously.

Their gazes made Zhang Deming quite uncomfortable. He rubbed his nose and said, "What’s wrong? I go on one trip to the mortal world and you don’t recognize me anymore?"

Yuee Mengsheng and Gan Zili faltered for a moment, but Guk Liancai nodded earnestly. "I really almost don’t recognize you!" he said.

Zhang Deming: "..."

He hadn’t interacted with Guk Liancai for a while and had almost forgotten how to handle this sort of conversation. Zhang Deming paused for a moment before saying bluntly, "The grand assembly is coming up, and I’m swamped over on my end. Did you three Senior Brothers call me here for something important?"

"Swamped? Didn’t you just have your Second Transition? Good thing, too. The commotion just now was so great, it scared us into thinking you had already recovered to the Three Talents Stage," Guk Liancai chimed in.

Zhang Deming shot him a look and ignored him. ’This guy probably feels physically ill if he can’t find a reason to argue,’ he thought.

Seeing the way Zhang Deming was about to roll his eyes, Gan Zili smiled and said, "Junior Brother, your strength has recovered far more quickly this time. It seems your trip into the Red Dust left you with deep insights."