What a headache
Liu Xun thought to himself as he awoke from his slumber.
Every night, Liu Xun watches a new memory.
Every time he sees a memory, he cannot help but think that The Million Suns was someone similar to his little sister.
Willful and bubbly at times, but always jumping out at interesting things that pique their interests.
--
It was still the middle of the night.
Liu Xun was excluded from part of the guard duty due to his mediocre cultivation level. He was basically only slightly stronger than unawakened mortals to them. Not like he minded it since he truly only became a cultivator less than a week ago. Four days to Qi Gathering stage 2, his progress in cultivation was very good compared to other cultivators. Well, he had a system to hug thighs on unlike some of the others.
Liu Xun slowly got up and walked away from the campsite as he wanted to have some time to himself. He felt that he would need to pull another premium pull. The previous premium gacha gave him an item that was a last resort trump card. However, it was too strong to be used in most contexts.
He walked past the overgrown courtyard in the temple. Over there, there was a large man sitting on top of the roof of the temple facing the courtyard. It was senior Xuan.
Senior Xuan's eyes were closed as he was silently meditating. Still, he was still alert to his surroundings and not undergoing deep meditation as he opened his eyes when he heard Liu Xun approach from the distance. He just gave a slight nod before closing his eyes.
Normal cultivators often do not resort to undergoing deep meditation as it would dull their senses. Deep meditation can deliver great rewards like increasing the likelihood of enlightenment, but the dangers it brings were too great often at times. Thus, most cultivators would only attempt it in an absolutely safe and secretive area. It is more popularly known as 'closed cultivation' in other terms.
Liu Xun has rarely entered into deep meditation as he could not afford to put himself at risk considering how high profile his system was. Perhaps, there would be a time in the future where he could entrust his back to someone while he goes into secluded cultivation.
Liu Xun slowly walked past Senior Xuan as he exited the temple compound and walked towards the nearby river. Most villages are set up near rivers, basins, or wells. Humans cannot live without water and food. And other food and livestock cannot live without water as well.
The river was more like a tiny stream as a small amount of water traveled down the gentle incline. Liu Xun took the chance to refill the water gourd that he has drank a part of. The water gourd he is using as drinking water is obviously different from the one he uses to store beast blood, obviously. He had specially bought one gourd for consumption and a few others for blood collection.
Liu Xun was always worried about this point. He is able to obtain system points from sign-ins and uses them for premium gacha pulls. However, system information also costs points. And if there is one thing Liu Xun has learned, the more points the system charges, the more important it is to spend points to find out. The information is very likely to affect his tactics and strategies. Things like the fireball talisman for example.
Liu Xun calmly looked at his reflection in the water. He slowly gave a ponder as he chose to get onto the ground in a lotus position and meditate.
He needed to charge his inner qi and pull out something good.
After a short fifteen minutes of silence, he opened his eyes.
Liu Xun took a deep breath.
[Activating premium gacha wheel of fate...host be patient.]
Only one ticket left after this, I have to make this count.
The color wheel of fate appeared before him once again.
Each segment on the wheel were very similar to previous potential rewards. The main iridescent jackpot prize was still the Dragon Emperor Immortal Yang Root. It looks like all the rewards were being recycled on the wheel, the only difference was that the golden segment which contained the SSR Fireball Talisman was now replaced with an ax—the Abyssal Bloodseeking Executioner Battleaxe. This prize greatly roused Liu Xun's inner desires. A good weapon would be like a saving grace for him now.
Liu Xun clenched his fist, his heart raced. He knows that moment has come yet again.
The wheel began to spin rapidly like before.
*Clack.Clack.Clack.Clack.Clack.Clack.Clack.Clack.Clack.Clack.Clack.Clack.Clack.Clack.*
Each segment appears to be like a blur in his eye as the options passed one by one.
*Clack.Clack.Clack.Clack.*
The wheel began to slow after a short while.
Liu Xun continued to stare at the wheel so it does not pull any tricks. He personally had not much expectation with regards to his wheel pulls, since even a rarer item may not be that useful like that fireball talisman.
*Clack.Clack.*
The wheel was now inching across each segment. The areas of prizes that were reflected on the wheel were not that impressive as it lays far away from the jackpot prize and other ultra-rare prizes.
*Clack.*
The wheel was now barely moving.
It had landed on a yellow segment which written 'Grain Core Rejuvenation Pill'.
This pill was not that bad of an item as it was a decent pill for core formation cultivators, yet it was nothing special and once again unsuitable and unusable for Liu Xun!
Liu Xun sighed as he guessed his luck was just not good this time around.
-
*Clack.*
The wheel strikes again.
When the wheel seemed to have stopped, it somehow manages to move another segment yet again!
It had now landed upon a small orange segment.
On top of the segment was written.
Shadow Grasping Illusory Steps (Shard).
[Congratulations Host Li Xun! You have drawn SR Grade- Shadow Grasping Illusory Steps Memory Fragment!]
[10 points.]
"Alright, you win. Explain to me what this art is and how to use it."
[13 points.]
"What...stop scamming away my hard-earned points, system!"
[The system is fair.]
"Fine fine, just give me the information already!"
[Points received, the system is grateful! The Shadow Grasping Illusory Steps is a movement art that comes from one of the upper realms. It is a commonly practiced sect movement art in major sects in that particular realm. The art itself can be practiced by mortals and beginner cultivators to a lesser degree but is only able to reach its peak usage at around the C0re Inversion (6th) stage. This is applying it to this world's standards. The movement art is commonly practiced due to its practicality and additional functions. It is a fairly popular art over there and with good reason.]
[The art itself consists of twelve different movement arts. The movement arts are said to be smooth and efficient with minimal wasted movements to the user, while easily confusing to the viewer. This aids in the ability to misdirect enemy attacks in a fight as well as escaping. It also contains a presence lowering aura art inside it. This aura art is very well sought out by both assassins and normal cultivators alike. Assasins like it as it aids significantly in lowering their presence and blending in the environment. Normal cultivators, on the other hand, may use this function lesser, but it can also to a certain extent divert qi cultivation, making one seem weaker than their actual cultivation level. It is said unless another cultivator inspects the user closely, they would not be able to see the true cultivation level. Needless to say, this is not the main function of the art and is, therefore, less effective compared to other arts that specialize in aura concealment.]
[A memory shard fragment is basically a senior's imprint on the usages of the skill. It would directly impart the knowledge as well as the cultivator's experience with the usage of the skill to its user. Memory shards and their fragments can only be played limited times and imprinted to a single user's mind before the memory qi essence inside fades. This essentially makes it different from a jade tag, which is the most common premium method of imparting skills in this realm. This shard fragment can only be played once by placing the stone on the user's forehead, but you are guaranteed to absorb the full extent of the creator's knowledge since it will be directly imprinted rather than just seen like in jade tags.]
Wow, that sounds pretty awesome! I guess my luck has really turned around this time, it may not be the rarest, but it sure sounds useful!
[Indeed host, this prize was initially set to be a gold SSR prize. However, since it was only single-use and the creator was merely a peak core inversion stage cultivator with slightly above average insights in this skill. Its rarity was lowered. Nevertheless, the system agrees that this prize is very suitable for the host. ]
[The host needs to take note that having the knowledge imprint does not mean the host will be adept at using the skill as the host will lack the personal experience of training. The host will also inherit whatever cultivation flaws that the creator has with regards to their insights in the skill, so if the creator is shitty the host may not benefit much or even be harmed. Lastly, the memory implanting process will be similar to the GuanXin Knowledge Pill. It will be nowhere as gentle as the Archaic Sun Aura.]
Oh crap, this process again huh.
Liu Xun gulped.
His experience with the GuanXin Knowledge Pill was not the most pleasant one so to speak. He was slightly hesitant about how long the pain will last and if it would alert the others in the party or any strangers who are lurking around. However, this was a risk that Liu Xun has to take! The benefits easily outweigh the costs currently, especially when he was moving into foreign territory soon.
Liu Xun had a resolute expression and got into a lotus position.
He took out a blue-colored stone from the system inventory and placed it on his forehead.
[Does the host want to start implanting the Shadow Grasping Illusory Steps (Shard)? Yes/No.]
"Yes."
He said without hesitation.
The bluestone slowly melted away like ice as the liquid got absorbed into the young man's forehead.
A faint chill could be felt as it came rushing into his mind wave after wave.
The pain was initially mild, but it got stronger and stronger by the minute.
Liu Xun clenched his teeth as he endured the pain with his eyes closed.
He could see memories flood into him.
--
A young man who practiced a certain movement art. Initially, he was clumsy and messed up his steps, constantly falling down.
All his peers used to laugh at him and call him useless.
One step.
Two steps.
Left turn.
Right sidestep.
The man kept on persevering, practicing day and night.
Years have passed since he first started learning the skill.
While others have moved on to learn an array of skills, he only chose to learn this single skill.
He chose to master it.
He was no genius.
His skills with the sword were at most average in the sect.
However, by the end, he was the one who stood at the peak.
No one in the same cultivation level could catch his shadow, nor sense him from the shadows.
He became known as the Hundred Steps Vanishing Venerable.
His title spread wide as he went on a journey to cultivate immortality.
He had slowly founded a sect.
Found a dao companion.
--
The last scene of the fragment was a scene of desolation.
The surrounding buildings were in ruin.
Countless bodies lay still on the ground.
There was no one left alive besides a giant beast and a single man.
The man's dao companion laid several feet from him, lifeless.
It was a taotie.
The enormous taotie looked ferocious yet majestic at the same time, easily overshadowing the small man as it observed curiously yet with respect.
--
The man was laying by a ruined pillar.
His sword in his right arm was snapped from the hilt.
His left arm was bitten off from the elbow.
A large gaping wound could be seen on the side of his abdomen.
There was only his right leg remaining, his left was already missing.
A trickle of blood traced down from his lips as he gave a slight smile.
He took out a bluestone.
The taotie became vigilant as it prepared to attack.
The man looked at the taotie and shook his head as he gave a smile of resignment.
He then placed the bluestone on his forehead.
The last scene was an image of the bluestone dropping to the ground.
--
[You have been imprinted upon the memory of The Hundred Steps Vanishing Venerable.]
[You have gained 93% proficiency in the Shadow Grasping Illusory Steps.]
[You have gained 87% proficiency in the Shadow Concealment Aura.]