Chapter 151 – Innate Divine Ability Upgrade, Heavenly Dao Fragment (Insight)

As the saying goes, ill-gotten gains come easily.

If Lu Chen had to accumulate a million experience points bit by bit himself, who knows how long it would take.

But this single trip to the Great Yan Dynasty had yielded him so much.

If he could have a few more such trips…

However, Lu Chen quickly dismissed the thought.

After all, this time he had been fully prepared, which was why everything had gone so smoothly.

He hadn’t even needed to use some of his trump cards, such as the Deity Transformation Talisman given to him by his Master, Jing Gong.

But it was actually a good thing that he hadn’t needed to use the talisman this time.

After all, talismans were similar to magic treasures—they were items that could be stored within Lu Chen’s Divine Soul.

In other words, they were things Lu Chen could directly bring into the real world.

They were Divine-Grade items capable of turning the tables at critical moments.

So, Lu Chen was quite pleased to have preserved it.

Although matters in the Great Yan Dynasty had concluded, Lu Chen was in no hurry to leave.

Instead, he began organizing the rewards from this journey.

Aside from the million experience points, he had also acquired quite a few valuable items.

【Name: Lu Chen】

【Soul Crystal Shard (Green): 125】

【Soul Crystal Shard (Blue): 45】

【Soul Crystal Shard (Purple): 18】

【Current Experience: 1.35 million】

125 green-quality Soul Crystal Shards, 45 blue-quality Soul Crystal Shards, and 18 purple-quality Soul Crystal Shards.

These were all the gains Lu Chen had accumulated since the last special instance.

Among them, blue-quality Soul Crystal Shards could be used to upgrade second-realm Innate Divine Abilities, while purple-quality ones could upgrade third-realm Innate Divine Abilities.

Currently, Lu Chen possessed only two Innate Divine Abilities.

One was Heretical Avatar, and the other was Three-Inch Time.

He had used Heretical Avatar the most.

Three-Inch Time, on the other hand, hadn’t seen much use yet.

But that didn’t mean Three-Inch Time was weak.

In fact, Lu Chen believed that if not for the existence of Heretical Sword, the future potential of Three-Inch Time would far surpass that of Heretical Avatar.

After all, Three-Inch Time allowed him to foresee the next three seconds.

Once the realm of this Innate Divine Ability was elevated, extending the foresight duration, almost no enemy would hold any secrets from Lu Chen.

However, considering the current practicality of both Innate Divine Abilities, Lu Chen felt it was better to prioritize upgrading Heretical Avatar.

Each additional Heretical Avatar meant one more opportunity to unleash Heretical Sword.

And the guaranteed hit attribute of Heretical Sword ensured that, even when Lu Chen reached the Golden Core Stage, this swordsmanship would remain one of his trump cards.

Moreover, Lu Chen hadn’t forgotten that once he reached the Golden Core Stage, he could begin cultivating Heretical Sword on his own.

That way, he wouldn’t have to rely solely on Heretical Avatars to execute it, as he did now.

Still, that goal was still some distance away and not something to dwell on for the time being.

It was better to focus on the present.

“First, I’ll upgrade Heretical Avatar to the third realm and see what benefits a third-realm Innate Divine Ability brings…”[You have consumed 30 Soul Crystal Shards (Blue). Your Innate Divine Ability·Heretical Avatar has advanced to Third Rank…]

As the Heretical Avatar reached Third Rank, Lu Chen immediately sensed the changes in his body.

This transformation was far more significant than when he had previously advanced the Heretical Avatar to Second Rank.

It was also a development Lu Chen had not anticipated.

After roughly the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Lu Chen finally awoke from that wondrous breakthrough.

His first action upon waking was to check his Innate Divine Ability panel.

[Innate Divine Ability: Heretical Avatar]

[Rank: Third]

[Effect: Upon activation, summon three Heretical Avatars. The avatars possess 80% of the user’s cultivation base and Physique, 100% of skill levels, and receive 200% damage]

[Special Effect·Possession: Your Heretical Avatars can possess other objects or living beings, thereby controlling them. Depending on the possessed target’s actual condition, they can utilize either the Heretical Avatar’s own skills or the possessed target’s skills to some extent]

[Next upgrade requires 30 Soul Crystal Shards (Purple)]

Compared to Second Rank, the Third Rank Innate Divine Ability not only greatly enhanced the original divine ability effects, but also awakened an entirely new innate effect – Possession.

As for the potency of this new innate effect, Lu Chen personally considered it exceptionally powerful.

This ability meant that in certain special environments, Lu Chen could first have a Heretical Avatar locate an enemy, forcibly possess them, and then use the possessed target to gather intelligence.

Moreover, this innate effect could retain the original possessed target’s skills while also allowing use of the Heretical Avatar’s own skills depending on the situation.

This effectively enhanced the Heretical Avatar’s combat capability after possession.

In special circumstances, a Heretical Avatar might demonstrate combat power even more terrifying than Lu Chen’s main body.

Because Lu Chen contemplated the scenario of having Heretical Avatars possess the corpses of powerful experts.

If his Heretical Avatars could even possess corpses, then the potential applications of this divine ability would be virtually limitless.

The improvement from Second to Third Rank was indeed not insignificant.

After reviewing the Third Rank effects of his Heretical Avatar divine ability, Lu Chen immediately turned his attention to his other innate divine ability, Three-Inch Time.

After all, he still possessed a considerable number of green-quality Soul Crystal Shards.

He could completely advance the ‘Three-Inch Time’ innate divine ability to Second Rank.

In fact, if Lu Chen wished, he could even exchange for some purple-quality Soul Crystal Shards to elevate Three-Inch Time to Third Rank.

But considering that purple-quality Soul Crystal Shards could only be obtained by defeating enemies at Golden Core Stage, Lu Chen felt reluctant to expend such precious resources.

[You have consumed 30 Soul Crystal Shards (Green). Your Innate Divine Ability·Three-Inch Time has advanced to Second Rank…]

[Innate Divine Ability: Three-Inch Time]

[Rank: Second]

[Effect: Upon activation, can foresee the target’s situation 5 seconds into the future. The greater the cultivation gap, the more targets, and the longer the duration, the more Spiritual Power required for activation]

[Next upgrade requires 30 Soul Crystal Shards (Blue)]

With Three-Inch Time reaching Second Rank, Lu Chen’s ability to foresee targets’ futures extended to ‘5 seconds’.After completing these tasks, Lu Chen no longer looked at his innate divine ability.

Instead, he turned his attention to the two other items dropped by Ji Yuan.

These were the ‘Outer Path Spirit Treasure: Secret Fang (Replica)’ and the ‘Skill: Great Wilderness Saber Technique’.

【Name: Secret Fang (Replica)】

【Type: Gu Xian Spirit Treasure】

【Rank: Third Realm】

【Trait 1. Savage Fury: The more frenzied the user becomes, the more powerful their attacks】

【Trait 2. Barren: Each attack carries the power of desolation, leaving no vegetation in its wake】

【Special Effect: Minor Bliss Heavenly God Dharma Body: Under specific conditions, can summon the Minor Bliss Heaven to descend upon oneself, temporarily gaining partial power of the Bliss Heavenly God】

【Side Effect: Requires monthly sacrifice of ten women’s primordial yin for maintenance, otherwise suffers backlash】

【Note: Can be purified by consuming 1,000,000 experience points or 10 Soul Crystal Shards (Purple)】

“Purifying an Outer Path Spirit Treasure already costs a million experience points?!”

Lu Chen felt deeply shocked as he examined the panel information of the Outer Path Spirit Treasure: Secret Fang (Replica).

A million experience points was enough for him to raise a skill to the Harmony Realm.

But recalling the trouble Ji Yuan had caused him when using this spirit treasure to manifest the Outer Path Dharma Body,

Lu Chen found the cost somewhat reasonable.

After all, considering the terrifying boost from that Bliss Heaven Dharma Body, it truly rivaled a Harmony Realm skill.

After brief consideration, Lu Chen decisively chose to purify the spirit treasure.

However, he didn’t opt to use experience points for purification, instead selecting Soul Crystal Shards (Purple) for the process.

【You have consumed 10 Soul Crystal Shards (Purple). Outer Path Spirit Treasure: Secret Fang (Replica) is being purified…】

【You have obtained a new spirit treasure… Secret Fang】

【Name: Secret Fang】

【Type: Spirit Treasure】

【Rank: Third Realm】

【Trait 1. Wrath: The more enraged the user becomes, the more powerful their attacks】

【Trait 2. Barren: Each attack carries the power of desolation, leaving no vegetation in its wake】

【Special Effect: Barren War Soul: Can summon a Barren War Soul to temporarily empower oneself, increasing physique tenfold (effective below Nascent Soul Stage)】

【Note: Spirit Treasures of Third Realm or higher can be upgraded using Soul Crystal Shards of purple quality or above】

Examining the purified ‘Secret Fang’, Lu Chen couldn’t help but marvel at how formidable this spirit treasure would be in the hands of a Body Cultivator.

The enhancement it could provide would be unimaginable.

After all, the effect of its ‘Barren War Soul’ skill would be particularly significant for Body Cultivators.

Unfortunately, although Lu Chen had some knowledge of body cultivation,

it was only because he needed to cultivate the Five Elements Breaking Mirror Divine Ability at the time, so he had studied some body techniques superficially rather than specializing in them.

Thus, while Secret Fang provided some enhancement for him, the effect wasn’t particularly substantial.

However, through this Third Realm spirit treasure’s panel, Lu Chen obtained crucial information:

Soul Crystal Shards could not only be used to enhance innate divine abilities but also to upgrade spirit treasure ranks.

Besides Secret Fang, he currently possessed another Third Realm spirit treasure.

That was his Ink Dragon Sword, currently undergoing ‘Spirit Awakening’.

However, since the sword’s artifact spirit was still in its nurturing phase,

Lu Chen couldn’t use it temporarily and couldn’t view its panel information.

But Lu Chen had a premonition that once the Ink Dragon Sword reached the Third Realm…The enhancement it brings might not be any less than elevating his Sword Intent to the Harmony Realm.

It now seems that the Third Realm is likely a watershed.

Whether it’s an Innate Divine Ability or a Magic Treasure, reaching the Third Realm brings about a qualitative transformation.

This has made Lu Chen start paying more attention to his second Innate Divine Ability, Three-Inch Time, as well as the crafting of Magic Treasures.

The former is because his Three-Inch Time has already reached the Second Realm, and obtaining the Soul Crystal Shards (Blue) needed to advance to the Third Realm isn’t particularly difficult.

Lu Chen feels he still has a chance to accomplish this in a short time.

As for the latter, Lu Chen wants to elevate both of his Spirit Swords, Shangqing Cloud Sword and Bloodthirsty Spirit Sword, to the level of Third Realm Spiritual Treasures.

After all, his Shangqing Cloud Sword and Bloodthirsty Spirit Sword are both Second Realm Magic Treasures to begin with, so advancing them to the Third Realm shouldn’t be too challenging.

However, aside from nurturing them slowly within his Divine Soul, Lu Chen currently has no better method.

Relying solely on nurturing to elevate them to the Third Realm would likely take an unknown amount of time.

Therefore, Lu Chen plans to learn some techniques for crafting Magic Treasures.

With the game interface as his cheat, learning Magic Treasure crafting would be just like Alchemy—twice the result with half the effort.

Moreover, if he wants to create the complete Immortal Slaughtering Sword Formation, Spirit Swords of the Third Realm or higher are an indispensable component.

And he needs at least four of them.

Furthermore, the power of the Sword Formation depends not only on the Rank of his Swordsmanship skills but also on the Rank of the Spirit Swords used to set up the formation.

If his Shangqing Cloud Sword reaches the Third Realm, Lu Chen believes he might not even need to destroy the Buddha Mother Statue to defeat Ji Yuan, who can summon the Dharma Body of Joyful Heaven.

Thinking this, Lu Chen immediately decided on his recent priorities.

First, find a way to elevate his Innate Divine Ability, Three-Inch Time, to the Third Realm.

Second, learn a skill for crafting Magic Treasures and find a way to elevate his other two Spirit Swords to the level of Third Realm Spiritual Treasures.

Third, as soon as possible, use Blood Killing Sword Intent as the core, complete two Sword Intents of Initial Dao, and create his own Fiend-Slaughter Sword Formation.

These three tasks are what Lu Chen feels he must accomplish first in the game in the short term.

After settling on these, Lu Chen turned his attention to the last two rewards from his journey to Great Yan.

One was a skill, Great Wilderness Saber Technique, and the other was the mysterious Shard of Heavenly Dao obtained after completing the main quest.

[Great Wilderness Saber Technique]

[Training Requirements: Possess at least High Grade Metal and Earth Spirit Roots, Mastery Level or above in (Saber/Sword Techniques)]

[Effect: Wilderness Saber Technique, focused on killing, Major Achievement can sever all directions]

[Shard of Heavenly Dao (Insight)]

[Effect: After use, ignore all Restrictions and see through illusions for three days]

Both items are quite useful for Lu Chen.

Although Great Wilderness Saber Technique is a saber technique, just as fist techniques and sword techniques can cross-reference each other, the same applies to saber and sword techniques.

Judging by the skill’s effect, this is undoubtedly a perfect fit for the Fiend-Slaughter Sword Formation.

As for the Shard of Heavenly Dao (Insight), while its effect isn’t as straightforward as the previous Shard of Heavenly Dao (Return), Lu Chen understood at a glance where he should use it.

Undoubtedly, it would be during the True Immortal Trial five years later in the game.It is important to know that many secret treasures within the True Immortal Trial are protected by powerful Formations and Restrictions.

With this Shard of Heavenly Dao, Lu Chen felt that most Restrictions in the True Immortal Trial would undoubtedly be rendered useless against him.

By then, even if he couldn’t obtain the True Immortal Inheritance from the trial, acquiring some precious immortal techniques and Celestial Artifacts inside might not be too difficult.

More importantly, Lu Chen could utilize the Shard of Heavenly Dao (Insight)’s ability to “see through all falsehoods,” allowing him to complete his next main quest more easily during the True Immortal Trial.

【Main Quest: Slay the Immortal Fiends (2/10)】

【Quest Requirement: Slay the unknown Immortal Fiends hidden within the ‘True Immortal Trial’ five years from now】

【Quest Reward: 200,000 EXP, Random Shard of Heavenly Dao*2】

Unlike the previous main quest, this one not only offers more EXP but also rewards two Shards of Heavenly Dao, indicating its higher difficulty from the side.

One must understand that completing the trial while searching for hidden Immortal Fiends within the True Immortal Trial… the difficulty is undoubtedly immense.

(End of Chapter)