Chapter 85 – Cultivation Speed Surges Again

In addition to cultivation, the Substitute Paper Figure, having acquired meridians, gained another characteristic—storage.

Since it can cultivate, the paper figure naturally can also store mana. However, similar to its cultivation efficiency, the amount of mana a Substitute Paper Figure can store is only half of Mu Lin’s main body.

“But that’s enough. Six paper figures mean three times my mana capacity. Combined with my own, that’s four times. With this much mana, even if my cultivation level is low, I can summon the Burial Yaksha across realms.”

“In the future, summoning the Blackwater Profound Serpent won’t require me to cough up blood either.”

It must be said that the Substitute Paper Figure truly lives up to being the core mystical art of the Taiyin Life-Nurturing Scripture. Its advancement has driven comprehensive improvements in both Mu Lin’s cultivation efficiency and combat power.

Beyond these enhancements, this advancement also granted Mu Lin two new abilities.

One is Divine Soul Transfer. Mu Lin can now transfer his divine soul and consciousness into a Substitute Paper Figure. This allows him to remotely control the paper figure’s actions from a distance, enhancing his survival capabilities and making the paper figure indistinguishable from a living person.

Moreover, even if his physical body is destroyed, Mu Lin won’t die. Instead, he can possess a paper figure to continue living and even cultivating.

Of course, unless he’s out of his mind, Mu Lin would never choose to do this.

Among the five immortals—Heaven, Earth, Human, Spirit, and Ghost—ghosts are considered the lowest. There’s no way Mu Lin would abandon being a proper Qi Refiner to become an unorthodox ghost cultivator.

Although he wouldn’t actively pursue it, the ability to transfer his divine soul does provide him with an extra lifeline.

The final ability is that Mu Lin can now create Substitute Paper Figures for others.

By obtaining someone’s birth date, essence blood, true name, and aura, Mu Lin can use the art of Paper Folding to create a Substitute Paper Figure for them, capable of taking on injuries or even death in their place.

This allows Mu Lin to earn Spirit Stones.

Of course, others are not himself. Even with comprehensive information, the Paper Substitute he creates for others can only transfer up to fifty percent of the injuries.

Additionally, creating substitutes for others presents another challenge… For him, a protective Substitute Paper Figure can be turned into a lethal Cursed Paper Figure at any time. Coupled with the sinister reputation of the Yin Eight Gates, attracting clients becomes a significant problem for Mu Lin.

“Forget it, I’m not short on money right now, so I don’t need to worry about this… Wait, actually, I might be quite short.”

Although Mu Lin has Moonlight Dew for cultivating the Taiyin Life-Nurturing Scripture and Lingluo’s Spiritual Meals for physical cultivation, temporarily covering his needs.

But Mu Lin is considering transforming his four paper figures for cultivation purposes.

And it goes without saying that materials to increase spiritual energy affinity are bound to be extremely expensive. At that point, Mu Lin can’t just keep relying on Chu Lingluo.

While living off others might be comfortable, he can’t keep doing it forever.

“Do I really need to find a way to attract clients… Wait, maybe not. My painting skills are about to improve as well. Then, I can earn money by painting True Intent Diagrams.”

Finding a solution relieved Mu Lin. Constantly relying on others was quite embarrassing for him.

With the review of his abilities complete, Mu Lin’s advancement was finally finished.

Finally, he glanced at his Proficiency Panel to check his updated information.

【Host: Mu Lin】

【Essence · Physical Body: Spirit Awakening Initial Stage】

【Qi · Mana Cultivation: Qi Drawing Peak】

【Spirit · Mental: Spirit Pool Completion】

【Cultivation Methods】

【Taiyin Life-Nurturing Scripture, 2nd Realm Proficient (451/3300), Traits: Spirit Awakening, Spirit Foundation (Sky Burial White Paper Sacrifice), Substitute Paper Figure】

【Mindscape – Sky Burial City (Earth Grade High Rank), 3rd Realm Expert (6700/13600), Traits: Solidification, Soul Spirit Manifestation, Sky Burial Power】

【Blackwater Profound Serpent Mortal Shedding Art (Earth Grade Low Rank), 3rd Realm Expert (512/8100), Traits: Blackwater Scales, Hibernation, Snake Swallowing Elephant, Water Control, Rain Summoning, Swallowing Clouds Spitting Mist, Riding Clouds and Mist (Black Mist)】

【Vow-Power Heart Lamp (Heaven Grade Low Rank), 3rd Realm Expert (1/88000), Traits: Domination, Transcendence】

【Mystical Arts】

【Substitute Paper Figure, 4th Realm Master (1/42000), Traits: Clone Illusion (six substitutes, can cultivate, store Mana, engage in combat, and confuse enemies), Injury Transfer (eighty percent), Divine Soul Possession, Paper Substitute – Others】

  【Paper Figure Curse, 3rd Realm Expert (137/6100), Traits: Requirement Reduction, Connection Deepening】

【Paper Figure Soul Seal, 1st Realm Novice (33/101), Traits: Soul Seal】

【Skills:】

【Paper Folding, 5th Realm Grandmaster (1089/108000), Traits: Grandmaster’s Work, Vivid and Lifelike, Heart Resonance】

【Calligraphy, 4th Realm Master (4800/8100), Traits: Master’s Work, Meaning Penetrating Paper】

【Painting, 4th Realm Master (5919/7200), Traits: Master’s Work, Vivid and Lifelike】

Skipping over the other details, Mu Lin mainly checked the status of his Substitute Paper Figure.

He felt both relieved and conflicted: even though Substitute Paper Figure had reached the 4th Realm Master level, the proficiency required for its next advancement was still not as high as that of Vow-Power Heart Lamp.

This indicated the difficulty of attaining an invincible mindset, the highest of concepts, and also made Mu Lin realize how challenging—and powerful—Heaven-Rank Techniques were to learn.

“In most cases, the difficulty of a technique is proportional to its power. Since Vow-Power Heart Lamp requires such high proficiency, its power must be correspondingly immense.”

Domination over all, transcending worldly attachments—the traits of Vow-Power Heart Lamp barely matched the characteristics of a Heaven-Rank Technique.

And Mu Lin hadn’t forgotten that the proficiency for Vow-Power Heart Lamp skyrocketed only after he advanced to the 3rd Realm Expert level.

Thus, strictly speaking, the first Heavenly Grade trait of Vow-Power Heart Lamp hadn’t even been fully nurtured yet.

“And I have a Heaven-Rank Technique, and Lingluo has one too. Someone cultivating a Heaven-Rank Technique shouldn’t be so weak… Could she be hiding her strength?”

“…”

Whether Lingluo was hiding her strength, Mu Lin couldn’t say for sure. However, from this matter, Mu Lin realized that Chu Lingluo, Ji Xue, and Yan Yunyu were far from simple.

What Mu Lin didn’t expect was that not long after, he would learn some secrets about Heaven-Rank Techniques—though if possible, he would rather not have known them at all.

…

Setting aside troubling and perplexing matters, Mu Lin regained his composure and began his cultivation.

“Forget it, no more overthinking. I’ll cultivate first. No matter what comes, as long as I grow stronger, I can handle it.”

With this mindset, Mu Lin embarked on his first cultivation session after successfully advancing Substitute Paper Figure.

And soon, he discovered the power and wonder of Substitute Paper Figure.

Under the moonlight, Mu Lin, along with six Substitute Paper Figures—seven in total—began their cultivation.

Their synchronized breathing drew the moonlight’s radiance toward Mu Lin and the others. Due to the intensity of their absorption, the moonlight around Mu Lin shone brighter than that of the others.

“With my main body and the Paper Figure, under normal circumstances, I can cultivate at four times the speed.”

This alone was exhilarating.

And soon, Mu Lin discovered something that thrilled him even more.

Apart from absorbing moonlight directly, thanks to Chu Lingluo’s support, Mu Lin could also cultivate by consuming resources—specifically, by drinking Moonlight Jade Dew.

He then realized that not only could he consume the Moonlight Jade Dew, but his Substitute Paper Figure could also partake.

Thus, with the aid of Moonlight Jade Dew, Mu Lin’s cultivation speed skyrocketed from fourfold to twelvefold!

“Hiss…”

Cultivating at twelve times the speed was so extraordinary that Mu Lin couldn’t help but gasp in awe.

Such an astonishingly rapid cultivation pace even fueled the ambitions growing in his heart.

“Perhaps my path to invincibility doesn’t have to be so distant in the ‘future.’ It seems I can walk it even now.”

(End of Chapter)