Chapter 20: The Saintess of the Ninth Heaven Feigns Unconsciousness

Lu Wu did not wait for long.

The more he cultivated now, the less he dared to approach the core area of the Palace of Grand Illusion. Without the protection of the Saintess of Nine Heavens, he feared that his soul’s aura would be discovered.

Although the "Myriad Beasts Compendium" recorded a secret technique called the Golden Tower, which could conceal the intensity of soul aura, it required mastery of the Skywalking Realm to practice.

When Zi Yu was summoned to the main hall, Lu Wu waited far away in a pavilion halfway up the main palace mountain.

Three large dragonflies flew over. "Boss, boss!"

Lu Wu turned around, seeing the three silly dragonflies. "Speak."

"Boss, I feel fierce—I’m about to condense my demon core!"

"Boss, I feel fiercer—I’m about to form my demon pill!"

"Boss, I feel..."

Lu Wu interrupted, "Are you feeling like you’re about to transform?"

"You’re getting a bit cocky!"

The three silly dragonflies exchanged glances. "..."

"Go away, you’re annoying. I might have to leave for a while. Before I go, I’ll come find you."

"Roar~~!" The three dragonflies fluttered their wings and turned to fly into the thicket.

Lu Wu did not wait much longer. Zi Yu soon appeared on the mountain path, descending the steps on her sword.

"Senior, the Palace Master has ordered the younger disciples to spread out across the entire Palace of Grand Illusion in squads to search for the Moon-chasing Demon Clan. If encountered, we are to kill without mercy."

As she spoke, Zi Yu landed lightly, her movements fluid, nothing like the timid girl she once was.

Lu Wu pondered, "How many in each squad?"

Zi Yu replied, "Four in mine. Besides me, the other three are formidable second-generation disciples."

Clearly, this was an elite team.

"How soon do you leave the mountain?" Lu Wu pressed for the crucial detail.

Zi Yu said, "The disciples with the main mission have already gone ahead. Our squad departs in three days."

Lu Wu thought for a moment. "In these three days, you should train some life-saving arts and martial skills!"

Zi Yu considered, "Three days isn’t really enough..."

"This seat has mastered techniques across the ages; mere martial arts and secret methods are nothing—I can certainly teach you," Lu Wu declared confidently.

Though he was putting on airs as a senior, with the Book of Knowledge in hand, Lu Wu truly was formidable!

Moreover, Lu Wu himself seemed exceptionally talented in cultivation, able to grasp anything at a glance.

So far, this gift only applied to soul secret arts; he hadn’t tried it with physical techniques yet.

"Zi Yu, now that you have teammates, how should I accompany you?"

Zi Yu thought, "Senior, with your strength, you could protect me from afar... But your incarnation isn’t as powerful as your true self..."

Lu Wu cut her off, "If my true self could dominate the ages, this incarnation could still handle three or five like you."

Zi Yu said, "Then it’s useless if you stay far away... Maybe you could pretend to be my beast companion, and I’ll explain to my martial brothers and sisters?"

Lu Wu rolled his eyes—or would have, if a mosquito could.

"Agreed."

For the sake of his grand plan, he endured.

"You can tell your martial brothers and sisters this beast companion is a bit mischievous, likes to bite people."

Zi Yu nodded seriously. "Understood, Senior. You want to carefully assess their talents, and are willing to sacrifice your own reputation to support the disciples of the Palace of Grand Illusion. Truly, you are one of the greatest figures here!"

Lu Wu: ?

He certainly never claimed to be one of the palace’s greatest.

But if she thought so, so be it.

This self-deprecating logic could be dangerous.

With the token from the Wooden Garden Tower, Zi Yu entered the library and began to peruse various life-saving secret arts.

Lu Wu flew past the invisible gate, entering the main hall.

Inside, the spirit form of the Saintess of Nine Heavens was absent.

Through the mosquito’s vision, her body had turned purple.

Clearly, the Saintess had merged her soul and flesh.

She was now in deep sleep.

Lu Wu approached the bed, pondered, and sent a message with his primordial soul, "Master, your disciple is about to venture out."

For this unfamiliar world, Lu Wu felt eighty percent excitement, twenty percent fear.

"I don’t know if I’ll return."

"If I do someday, it will mark your awakening."

The Saintess never mentioned how long her soul would need to recover after expending so much energy.

Lu Wu, with decisive judgment, believed it would be a long time before she revived.

Turning, Lu Wu flew out of the hall.

After he left, the Saintess’s soul rose from her body.

She watched Lu Wu depart. "Disciple, I wonder what secrets you carry."

"But you know I used my primordial soul to monitor you; it truly hinders your growth."

"From now on, go forth on your own."

She formed a seal, and a seed drifted toward Lu Wu, landing on his back and transforming into a tuft of down.

The moment Lu Wu exited the gate of light, he felt refreshed, as if something new had been added to him.

"Could it be that respecting my master and honoring the Dao has triggered a law reward in this mysterious world?"

"Such good fortune?"

Lu Wu was now self-deluding.

Arriving at the library, he saw Zi Yu cultivating a secret art.

The Book of Knowledge updated rapidly.

"Heavenly Serenity Movement Technique—crude."

Then, a little figure appeared in the Book of Knowledge.

The figure performed a series of dazzling maneuvers.

Lu Wu was amazed!

"The Book of Knowledge has this function?!"

Clearly, Zi Yu was training the Heavenly Serenity Movement.

While her execution was at a crude level, the figure in the book demonstrated it at a perfect level.

Why, then, when he observed those cat demons using martial arts, had the Book not recorded it?

Lu Wu thought and deduced a possibility.

When cultivating, the Book of Knowledge can replicate.

When using martial arts or secret arts, it cannot.

As for his days lingering around the palace’s outskirts, no one else triggered this ability.

Perhaps, their techniques were too poor for the Book of Knowledge to bother recording.

Or perhaps... it was because she was his disciple.

"Is the Book of Knowledge actually the strongest master cultivation system?"

Whatever the truth, he could clarify things in similar situations in the future.

Zi Yu finished a round of the Heavenly Serenity Movement and began to ponder.

She knew her technique was poor.

But exactly where, and how to improve—she was at a loss.

It was like a struggling student knowing they got a math problem wrong, but not understanding why.

With a multiple choice question, confidently calculating an answer, only to find it doesn’t match any of the options—a maddening feeling.

Lu Wu sent a soul message, "Your movement technique has many flaws!"

"Unfortunately, my soul strength in this body is limited. Excessive use would deplete my soul energy. Otherwise, I could impart my understanding to you directly."

Zi Yu pondered, "Senior, could soul-type medicines help replenish it?"

Lu Wu knew well about soul medicines; after all, in the Medicine Field Hall, apprentice herbalists often discussed various concoctions, and he listened closely. Now he deliberately said so, waiting for Zi Yu to take the initiative.

After all, the beginner fields had no quality medicines, while the advanced fields were guarded by experts—he dared not approach.

"The more soul medicines you obtain, the faster you’ll grow."

Zi Yu hurried, "Senior, my master treats me well. If I ask, he’ll give me some. Please wait!"

She left quickly and returned even faster, this time gliding in on Phoenix Feathers rather than sword-flight.

"Senior, will these suffice for a few uses?"

Lu Wu was delighted.

The soul elixirs recorded in the "Myriad Beasts Compendium"—finally, there was hope!

"Oh... the quality is decent, not much quantity, perhaps enough for three or four times. Keep them for me."

Zi Yu quickly said, "Then I’ll select three or four of the most vital secret arts and martial skills for you to instruct me!"