---Chapter 10: Spiritual Technique – Yin Dun Lei Sect!!After some time had passed...Leo began his own cultivation.He continued to absorb all the spiritual energy within a hundred kilometers of this place, as if the very world itself were bending to his will.At the same time, he pondered deeply:> "The system says this world is a mixture of cultivation and fantasy... but it's just [Pseudo-Honghuang]. The strongest beings here only reach the level of [Golden Immortal of the Primordial Chaos], or what they call [Quasi-Sage]. There are no Saints or cosmic beings like in the traditional prehistoric myths."> "Still... even if they're only at the Quasi-Sage level, they're far beyond me for now. People I must still look up to."> "But—"> "This makes it all the more interesting."As these thoughts ran through his mind, a proud and confident smile slowly formed on Leo's face.> "No matter which world I'm in, I will always strive to be the strongest!"He repeated this belief to himself with firm conviction.Meanwhile…Seeing that Leo hadn't driven her away, Fu Yuechi remained seated beside him. With her eyes closed, she joined him in meditation atop the roof of Zhengqi Villa. The gentle breeze moved through their robes, a tranquil silence enveloping them—perfect for training.During this quiet time, Fu Yuechi followed the method Leo had taught her, combining it with her own intuition:She began absorbing the spiritual energy of this world all on her own.Whoosh—In no time, a golden shimmer returned between her brows. The spiritual mark of her awakening reappeared.Her brown pupils slowly shifted color, transforming into a brilliant gold.This was a clear sign—Fu Yuechi had successfully entered a rare cultivation state, akin to a fairy-tale version of Sage Mode.Looking at herself in awe, she felt power flowing through every part of her body, invigorating her with energy she had never felt before.> "Brother Leo, I did it!"Overcome with joy, Fu Yuechi turned to him with excitement. Without thinking, she reached out and grabbed Leo's arm, holding it with both hands as if to prove her achievement."Quiet." Leo, who was deeply focused, was suddenly interrupted. His eyes snapped open, revealing his crimson Sharingan, which glared coldly in her direction.Startled, Fu Yuechi quickly let go. "I'm sorry, Brother Leo…"She looked down, embarrassed and remorseful for disturbing him—but her joy was difficult to contain. In moments, she raised her head again and smiled brightly.> "But… Brother Leo, I really did it! I mastered what you taught me!"She looked at him eagerly, her newly golden eyes sparkling with pride.Leo glanced at her expressionlessly. After a few seconds, he gave a small nod of approval.> "Yeah."He then closed his Sharingan and returned to his deep meditation, continuing to draw in spiritual energy from nature, immersing himself in cultivation.Seeing this, Fu Yuechi stuck her tongue out playfully before turning serious again. She settled back into her seated position and prepared to resume her training beside him.But just as peace returned..."GHOST!!!""Aaaaah! Ghost!!"Suddenly, a wave of terrified screams erupted from within one of the dilapidated rooms in Zhengqi Villa.Startled, Fu Yuechi's eyes opened wide. She leaned over the edge of the roof and looked down.A figure stumbled out from one of the rundown houses—Ning Caichen, his face pale with terror. He ran like a madman, shouting hysterically as though he had just seen death itself.He had only just woken from Leo's illusion technique, which had kept him under for hours. But to encounter a ghost the moment he woke up?What kind of luck was that?Down below, more commotion followed. Zhiqiu Yiye, Fu Qingfeng, and the other martial heroes of the Zhengqi Alliance all came out of their rooms, looking around in confusion and alarm.> "Hey, you horse thief from earlier! What's all the yelling about?" Zhiqiu Yiye shouted angrily.He was not in the mood for nonsense. Not only had Ning Caichen stolen his horse earlier, but now he had interrupted his training and sleep. On top of that, he'd just witnessed Leo and Fu Yuechi practically radiating divine power on the rooftop—a reminder of his own limitations.The irritation was mounting.> "There's a ghost!" Ning Caichen cried, pointing wildly toward the house.> "Where?" Zhiqiu Yiye asked, his tone impatient and disbelieving.The surrounding disciples and chivalrous warriors looked at each other with uncertainty.Before Ning Caichen could respond—Boom!!A thunderous explosion echoed through the villa.The door to the room Ning Caichen had just fled was blasted apart.What followed was a horrifying sight.A monstrous creature, grotesque and towering several meters high, stepped into view. It resembled a twisted corpse, like a human-shaped dead tree that had rotted for centuries. Its bark-like skin oozed a thick, black liquid, and a gaping bloody mouth opened as it groaned like something from a nightmare.> "So terrifying… so disgusting…" Fu Yuechi murmured from the rooftop, her face contorting in revulsion.> "It's a corpse demon!" Zhiqiu Yiye exclaimed, suddenly alarmed.The others backed away instinctively, fear gripping them at the sight of the ghastly beast.But Zhiqiu Yiye quickly collected himself.> "Don't panic! I'll handle it."Without hesitation, he bit his finger and used his blood to draw an ancient sigil on his palm. Chanting swiftly, he leapt into the air.> "Immobilization Spell—Certainly!!"Zheng!!With a powerful palm strike, the immobilization charm surged forward like a flash of light, slamming into the demon.To everyone's astonishment, it worked. The terrifying monster froze in place, as if caught in time.Gasps came from every direction. The warriors, who had all prepared for the worst, now looked at Zhiqiu Yiye in admiration.> "Amazing…"> "Such skill…"> "He's not just any cultivator…"Even Fu Yuechi, watching from the rooftop, was impressed by the spell.But Leo simply opened his eyes slightly, his gaze calm as he observed the scene below.> "Not bad," he muttered.Indeed, Zhiqiu Yiye's Immobilization Spell was commendable—effective and impressive.Still, it wasn't enough to capture Leo's full attention. He had greater goals.Leo's thoughts drifted elsewhere.He remembered the system's advice: "Save the lottery tickets until after your ascension to Heaven or the Immortal Realm."By doing so, the rewards obtained would scale up dramatically in value. That's why, even after gaining lottery chances from dealing with Ning Caichen and Zhiqiu Yiye, Leo had not yet used them.Because he was waiting—for the perfect time.Although Leo was currently only at the Earthly Immortal Realm, that level was already sufficient to qualify for ascension.What he lacked wasn't strength.It was merit.In this world, to ascend, a cultivator must reach at least the Human Immortal Realm and possess at least one hundred thousand units of merit.Leo had the power. What he needed was merit.And so…> "Spiritual Technique: Yin Dun Lei Sect!!"Boom—!!A dazzling bolt of golden thunder erupted from Leo's hands, catching everyone off guard.Before anyone could react—before Zhiqiu Yiye could enjoy his moment of glory—the immobilized corpse demon was struck.CRACKLE!!Zzzzzt—!!The demon howled in its final moment, and then its entire form exploded into golden ash, obliterated under the force of Leo's attack.The sky trembled.Even the thick fluid that had been dripping from the demon evaporated under the heat of the golden lightning.Leo's Spiritual Technique was a modified version of the Yin Release – Thunder Style. But with his absorption of this world's spiritual energy, it had evolved.His attacks were no longer ordinary.They were spirit-infused, enhanced to divine quality.Even the formerly black thunder technique had turned golden—a symbol of spiritual purity and overwhelming power.Then—> [Ding! Congratulations. You have slain the 'Corpse Demon' and achieved a high-level accomplishment.]> [Reward: One High-Level Lottery Ticket obtained.]Leo showed no visible reaction.But in his heart, he knew—this was just the beginning.
