Chapter 238 - 145: Secrets of the Cultivation Realm

Li Chang’an stroked his chin, lost in thought for a good while.

This Cultivation Technique was obviously not of high quality. After all, even the Heaven and Earth Profound Yellow Skill, modified by his Heaven-defying Comprehension, could extend his lifespan by a thousand years!

Yet this Cultivator’s technique only extended one’s lifespan by three thousand years.

And it came with such significant side effects.

However, this Cultivation Technique did spark an idea for Li Chang’an. If there was a technique that extended life by mimicking a withered tree, then there must also be techniques that mimicked other animals or plants.

Combined with the information he now possessed, he might be able to derive information about even more Cultivation Techniques!

...

Putting down the Evergreen Technique, Li Chang’an felt like he had found many new avenues of thought. His Heaven-defying Comprehension began to activate unconsciously.

But he didn’t rush to pour his energy into comprehending the Cultivation Technique.

Instead, he once again opened the next Cultivation Technique—the Cultivation Method: Foundation Establishment Chapter!

Compared to the somewhat useless Evergreen Technique, this Cultivation Method: Foundation Establishment Chapter was likely the most valuable Cultivation Technique the Cultivator had in his Storage Bag.

It seemed the Cultivation Realm also had very strict controls over Cultivation Techniques.

A Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivator’s highest-level Cultivation Technique was only for the Foundation Establishment Stage.

Li Chang’an opened the book and read for a long time.

The contents of the book matched its title; it recorded all sorts of techniques and methods that could be used by Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivators.

Fireball Skill, Water Sword Technique, Breath Concealment Skill...

The level of these Techniques wasn’t considered high among Cultivators, but for Martial Artists who lacked long-range killing methods, they were excellent means of ranged attack.

Li Chang’an was fascinated by these little tricks and couldn’t get enough of them.

The only troublesome part was that all these Techniques required a Cultivator’s exclusive Spiritual Power to activate. Moreover, their consumption was considerable; even among Cultivators, one needed Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivation to practice them.

’But none of that is a problem for me!’

’Now that I’ve dealt with the Cultivator, I’ve already made a huge profit from this reincarnation. I can spend the rest of my time focusing on researching these Techniques!’

A Martial Artist’s lack of ranged attacks was a significant weakness.

If Li Chang’an could adapt the Techniques used by Cultivators for Martial Artists, it would clearly raise the upper limits of combat power within the Martial Dao.

Having thought of this, Li Chang’an made his decision.

But before that, there was still one thing he had yet to finish.

Li Chang’an took out the Soul-Calling Banner again. He carefully felt the bone-chilling and sinister cold emanating from the Magical Treasure, then, without hesitation, activated the banner and forced it to spit out the Cultivator’s remnant soul.

The Soul-Calling Banner had an extremely suppressive effect on spirits.

After a spirit was taken into it, even if Li Chang’an intended to spare its life, the Soul-Calling Banner would unconsciously devour the soul, consuming all of its stored "provisions" completely.

Therefore, despite being imprisoned by Li Chang’an for only a few days, the Cultivator’s soul was already quite tattered. Upon seeing Li Chang’an, his entire being couldn’t help but tremble.

Thirty percent of it was from fear.

Thirty percent was from anger.

And the remaining forty percent was endless Despair and terror.

Li Chang’an, being the kind soul that he was, couldn’t bear to see people suffer, so he opened his mouth and asked, "I have a few things to ask you. If you answer truthfully, I can give you a quick end!"

The Cultivator’s soul gazed at Li Chang’an, unable to stop a hint of hatred from showing in his eyes.

He said through gritted teeth, "It really was you, it really was you... If I had known, I would have found you and killed you before, no matter the cost!"

Clearly, he was still fixated on the previous battle.

It was no wonder he couldn’t get over it. Anyone who had been plotted against by a group of ants, only to capsize in a gutter, wouldn’t be in a good mood.

Seeing he was still being so stubborn, Li Chang’an couldn’t help but give him a thumbs-up and praise him, "Got guts. I like the tough ones!"

Hearing this, the look of resentment on the Cultivator’s face intensified, and he cursed, "You despicable, shameless villain! Unless you promise to let me go, I won’t tell you anything you want to ask! Just give up!"

If he still had teeth, he probably would have shattered them by now.

Of course, though he said that, the Cultivator was actually racking his brains, trying to figure out how to negotiate terms with Li Chang’an.

He didn’t want to die. Even without a body, left with only a soul, as long as he could return to the Cultivation Realm, he could still reforge a physical form through possession or other methods.

Seeing his refusal to speak, Li Chang’an had no intention of wasting words. He directly raised the Soul-Calling Banner, and with a flick of the flag, sucked the Cultivator back inside.

Originally, the Cultivator had thought that Li Chang’an wouldn’t act against him before getting enough information.

After all, he was someone of status, and his soul and memories held many secrets.

As long as Li Chang’an was interested in that, it was impossible that he would let the Ten Thousand Souls Banner harm his soul before getting his answers.

But he never expected Li Chang’an to completely disregard the script. Without a second thought, he sucked his soul right back into the Soul-Calling Banner.

The Cultivator once again felt the tearing pain in his soul and couldn’t help but scream, "I know a lot of secrets you want to learn! You can’t do this to me!"

Li Chang’an turned a deaf ear.

Over the next few days, Li Chang’an interrogated the Cultivator several more times. At first, the Cultivator could still grit his teeth and hold on, but after his soul had been tormented five times in a row, he finally broke. He said weakly, "I’ll tell you everything! I only beg that you spare my life!"