Actually, now that you ask, I can do even more, Ling's voice murmured in his mind, smooth yet confident. How about I modify the description so it's even easier to understand? I might not remember most Spirit Arts my previous hosts used, but it would be easy to modify one if I see it. This is only a Rank 4 Spirit Art. The Lightning Spirit Art I told you about earlier should be around Rank 6 if I remember correctly.
Yeah, that would be perfect, Xuefeng accepted with a sigh of relief, the tension in his shoulders easing ever so slightly.
Okay, allow me to use your Qi, and I'll start copying, Ling suggested, and Xuefeng felt a subtle movement within his dantian, as if invisible hands were operating his Spirit Qi. He didn't resist, allowing her to work her magic—or perhaps her manipulation.
It's not that bad to be a Fate Fragment Holder... Xuefeng mused inwardly, his initial apprehension wavering. Even if it was laced with danger, the benefits were undeniable, like the alluring glow of a moth to a flame.
Okay, I'm done with this one. If you find anything else you want, just tell me, Ling informed him after five minutes of silent concentration. But I can modify only one Spirit Art at a time. It will take some time if we gather a lot.
Xuefeng reached for the next manual, positioned neatly beside the Shadow Clone manual. It was titled Rank 4 Elemental Clone. The similar naming piqued his interest, drawing him back into the abyss of knowledge he was voraciously consuming. He repeated the same action, and this manual absorbed a tenth of his Spirit Qi, the process smooth yet draining.
Thank god we are absorbing Spirit Essence this whole time, or we would be out of Spirit Qi after just a few manuals, he thought, his respect for Ling growing as she worked tirelessly beside him.
The vision that Ling projected showed the same shadowy figure, a master of elemental manipulation. He used his Spirit Qi to turn Earth into his clone, and in subsequent visions, water, air, and fire followed suit, each element yielding a perfect duplicate of the original.
"Wow, this clone art is also very cool," Xuefeng complimented, excitement bubbling in his voice. Unfortunately, he had already copied the Shadow Clone Art, so he decided to place this manual back on the shelf.
Wait, don't put it back, Ling called out suddenly, her tone urgent.
Why? We already have one of these, he replied, confusion knitting his brow.
I might be able to compile these manuals and create one that is close to perfection, Ling voiced her idea, her mind racing with possibilities.
Is that even possible? Let's try it, Xuefeng agreed eagerly, the spark of ambition lighting his eyes.
Ling began copying the Elemental Clone manual as she suggested, Check if there are any more Spirit Arts about cloning.
Xuefeng kept the open manual before him, his gaze darting across the rows of meticulously organized books. Within moments, he had found three more manuals with the word "clone" in their titles. The genre-based organization made it easy to collect them all without missing a beat.
They spent less than thirty minutes copying the clone manuals before moving to the next section. The Movement Spirit Arts genre boasted as many as eight manuals, but they were much shorter than the clone arts. They deftly copied each one in just twenty minutes, their efficiency leaving the others in the room stunned.
They watched him pick up manuals one by one, glancing at them briefly before returning them to their places within minutes. It was unusual—Xuefeng was reading through thirteen manuals in a single session, tackling the most challenging sections like cloning and movement arts with an almost desperate fervor.
As he delved deeper, Xuefeng had likely lost around seventy percent of his Qi, the toll evident in his pale complexion. Even Wuying, usually the epitome of composure, began to worry about him.
"Aren't any of these suited for you?" she asked as she approached him, her concern barely masking her irritation.
"They are all good for me. I just don't want to waste time, so I'm memorizing all the manuals so I can study them later on. I will be moving to the next section now," he replied joyfully, his enthusiasm unshaken.
"What?" Wuying blinked a few times, uncertainty flickering in her dark eyes. "Since when are you this smart?"
"If you don't believe me, then just pick up any manual and test me," Xuefeng challenged, his confidence unwavering as he glanced around the room.
"Really?" Wuying picked up a Movement Manual titled Rank 4 Phoenix Rush.
She opened it, her eyes narrowing as she read. "Can you tell me what is written on the 6th page?" she asked suspiciously.
Xuefeng smiled cheekily, drawing upon Ling's assistance. With effortless ease, he began reciting the content from memory. The Spirit Kings in the room paused their studying, turning to him in stunned silence.
"You have surprised me so many times that I'm not even shocked anymore," Wuying commented, her facade of calm returning. She watched as he stepped away, feeling the sting of being outmaneuvered once more.
I need to work harder... she thought secretly, her gaze lingering on him with a mixture of frustration and admiration.
The next sections Xuefeng explored included Saber Arts, Spear Arts, and various other weapon-based Spirit Arts. He bypassed most of them, focusing only on Fist and Sword Spirit Arts, having five and nine manuals respecively. Swords were the most popular weapon, which would explain the highest amount of Spirit Arts.
By the time he finished copying, another half hour had passed. His Spirit Qi was completely drained, his regeneration unable to keep pace with the relentless consumption.
"Wuying, shall we check out the 5th floor?" Xuefeng called out as she also finished reading her manual. Despite his lack of Qi, curiosity about the secret floor propelled him forward.
"Sure, let's go," Wuying nodded, her expression betraying a hint of envy as others sighed in admiration of their progress.
They approached a special barrier at the entrance, which scanned their tokens before allowing them to step into a small, secluded room. Inside stood a lone figure—a man with a gray beard, engrossed in reading a manual while rocking back and forth in a chair. His presence was commanding, yet he seemed genuinely surprised by their arrival.
"Hello, Elder, we are just here to take a look. Don't mind us," Xuefeng said politely, noting the old man's stern frown. He didn't recognize him, but intuition told him this man held significant authority.
Wuying's unease spiked as she quickly bowed her head. "Senior, we are sorry to disturb you. If you want us to leave, we will comply," she said, her voice laced with anxiety.
The old man studied her for a moment before a smile softened his features. "Oh, it's you, Wuying. No need to leave, you can take your time."
"Thank you, Senior. The man with me is the Clan Leader's son, Liu Xuefeng. I'm sorry for his casual tone. He doesn't know your identity," she apologized on his behalf, her voice barely concealing her apprehension.
"Oh, so it's Little Bei's son. It's okay. I heard that he awakened Black Talent with the help of a Six Petals Lotus Flower. Do you mind if I check your dantian? I wanted to visit you earlier, but I was too engrossed with this manual," the old man asked kindly, his eyes probing.
"Uhm..." Xuefeng was taken aback, his mind racing. Who is he if not an elder? Ling, can we trust him?
Unfortunately, the answer never came. Ling was as quiet as a mouse for the first time.