Chapter 159: Slash Power, Quadrupled Surge! Five Major Goals, Massive Changes At The Eternal World Factory
In the shower room.
Scalding hot water trickled down Shangshan Che’s full and sharp muscles, falling together with the black-red blood and sweat into the gaps of the cross-patterned tiles, gurgling into the drain after emitting the last wisps of steam.
Water temperatures reaching sixty or seventy degrees were nothing to Shangshan Che at this moment.
After completing the Tough Skin stage of cultivation, his resistance to extreme cold or heat had greatly improved.
At the very least, water temperatures within a hundred degrees above or below body temperature could no longer cause him significant harm.
Shangshan Che looked down, meeting the gaze of his own blurred reflection in the tiles.
He silently thought to himself:
—Unlike Lili Zi’s constant inward-seeking “seeking within oneself.”
If he wanted to transform the Clear Mirror in his heart into a qualified Heart Embryo, he would probably need to achieve it through repeated “stimuli” from the outside world.
In other words, “seeking from the heaven, earth, and people beyond oneself.”
He had realized this point after sensing the joyful and pleasant blazing gaze from Lili Zi just moments ago.
After locking eyes with such a Lili Zi, Shangshan Che inexplicably found that one corner of the Clear Mirror had become slightly clearer.
This was no illusion.
But what exactly this “stimulus” specifically referred to, Shangshan Che still hadn’t quite figured out.
The path ahead had appeared, yet he remained lost.
—However, state of mind cultivation was precisely this difficult and demanding, with no clear path that could be copied.
If he wanted to touch upon the Sword Heart clear enough to illuminate himself, he had to carve his own road from this very moment, from this unrefined Heart Embryo.
“This is one of the pleasures of monotonous cultivation, I suppose.”
Click.
Turning off the hot water, Shangshan Che slowly wiped the water droplets from his body and hair with the large bath towel set aside.
Next, he conveniently used the Corona Breathing Technique to rapidly evaporate all remaining moisture from his body surface.
This saved him the trouble of using a hairdryer, vividly demonstrating that achieving mastery in a breathing technique also had significant benefits in daily life.
After tying another bath towel around his waist, Shangshan Che opened the semi-transparent door of the shower room.
As expected, he found Two-Foot Adult standing at the doorway, wide-eyed and eager to peek inside.
No, perhaps now it should be called “Five-Foot Adult.”
“Che Adult, Che Adult! Let me blow-dry your hair for you!”
The girl at this moment was holding a small-powered hairdryer, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.
As soon as she finished speaking, Two-Foot Adult noticed Shangshan Che’s hair was already dried by the breathing technique.
She blinked, said nothing more, but dejectedly lowered the small hairdryer, pointing behind her: “The Great Demon King has prepared the medicinal bath. She told me to call you over after you finish washing.”
Shangshan Che gazed at the girl who had reverted to her Two-Foot form, pondering slightly.
Maybe in the future, after bathing, he could skip using the breathing technique to dry his hair directly?
Since he wouldn’t be the one blow-drying it anyway.
He nodded in response: “Alright, I’ll head over now.”
Two-Foot Adult asked softly from behind: “Che Adult, can I come too?”
“No.”
Lili Zi, who had at some point wrapped her body in a bath towel, leaned against the wall, looking at Two-Foot Adult: “The medicinal herbs for this medicinal bath aren’t cheap. You don’t practice breathing techniques, so you can’t absorb them.”
Not cheap.
Two-Foot Adult pouted, recalling what Shangshan Che had told her before about “being thrifty and frugal.”
Che Adult had just gone through such grueling cultivation; his body and mind must be exhausted.
She decided not to trouble him further.
Uncharacteristically, the girl didn’t protest but nodded: “Alright then, I’ll wait outside the door. Call me if you need anything.”
Thus, under the two’s astonished gazes, Two-Foot Adult walked away hugging the small hairdryer, her figure soon disappearing.
Shangshan Che and Lili Zi remained in place, exchanging glances.
Lili Zi: “When did you ever seriously educate her?”
Shangshan Che was baffled: “I didn’t.”
He rubbed his chin: “As the saying goes, people’s growth happens in an instant. Though Two-Foot Adult is a supernatural phenomenon shikigami who’s lived over a hundred years, maybe she’s suddenly become sensible.”
“—I think she’s more like trying to take a detour to win over you, her master.”
But Lili Zi didn’t voice this thought.
How Two-Foot Adult’s personality changed and why was family business, not for an outsider like her to meddle in.
“No time to waste, Shangshan Jun. Get into the bathtub first.”
Lili Zi led him into another slightly more spacious small bathhouse, where two wide and deep smooth wooden tubs sat right in the center.
“We can talk while soaking.”
—Shangshan Che looked at the bubbling black unidentified viscous liquid in the tub, his eye twitching slightly.
This thing could be called a medicinal bath?
Throwing an ordinary person in there would cook them alive.
This scene was practically on par with the torture of boiling in an iron cauldron.
“Shangshan Jun, stop staring. The longer you look, the more the medicinal effects will evaporate.”
In the blink of an eye, Lili Zi tossed her bath towel aside and swiftly slipped into the wooden tub, leaving only her neck and above out of the black liquid.
Crackle-pop!
A creepy sound like plunging into a frying pan emanated.
She frowned slightly, exhaled twice, and said: “Unlike the restorative medicinal bath in the sauna before, this formula is specifically for physical body tempering cultivation and has a certain stimulating effect.”
A certain stimulating effect…
Trusting Lili Zi, Shangshan Che took a deep breath and stepped into the bathtub.
The next moment, a fiery scorching sensation as if truly stepping into a boiling oil pot spread across every inch of his skin.
Shangshan Che clenched his fists, instinctively taking a deep breath and reflexively wanting to stand up.
But the prompt that popped up before his eyes made him forcibly press his restless body back into the medicinal bath.
【Under the stimulation of the special medicinal bath, your skill Corona Breathing Technique’s proficiency is slowly increasing…】
He gritted his teeth, slowly inhaling the scalding steam: “Hiss…”
Lili Zi across from him couldn’t help laughing at his rare disheveled state, then curved her eyes and said: “Actually, performing body tempering in this medicinal bath yields even better results.”
“Like this!”
The next instant, continuous muffled bone-cracking sounds emanated from the tub, echoing repeatedly in the not-so-small bathhouse.
Now, Lili Zi could no longer maintain her calm expression, instead wearing the same pained mask as Shangshan Che currently.
Bone Forging—Lili Zi was performing Bone Forging in this medicinal bath!
Seeing this, Shangshan Che tried using Qi Barrier to temper his skin.
But the pain surging the instant they made contact nearly overwhelmed his consciousness.
Shangshan Che immediately withdrew his Qi Barrier, gazing in admiration at the girl opposite who had bitten her canine tooth into her lip.
Salute to the legendary pain endurance king!
Amid the terrifying sounds of continuous Bone Forging, Lili Zi spoke intermittently: “Shangshan Jun… wait until the water surface clears… that’s when you’ve fully absorbed the medicinal power.”
“Then… remember to help me out.”
Shangshan Che nodded silently.
Looking at Lili Zi’s face contorted in pain with repeated twitches, he decided to say something to distract her: “By the way, Lili Zi, how did you learn this medicinal bath formula?”
“When I was little.”
The girl said tremblingly, her voice nearly drowned by the loud bone cracks inside her: “Third Sister pulled me aside to ‘chat’ while she was soaking in it to relieve boredom.”
“She kept muttering these medicinal herbs… and after I accidentally touched it with my hand and it hurt like hell, I couldn’t forget it even if I wanted to.”
Lili Zi forced a smile, but the momentary expression was quickly overwhelmed by overflowing pain and trembling.
This was the cultivation of the Palace of Flesh.
Every cultivator was the most equal climber in terms of “speed.”
To surpass others by even a fraction, one had to pay a cost far greater than ordinary people.
She mimicked little Tokugawa Hoshi from back then, slowly reciting the names of medicinal herbs one after another.
And Shangshan Che, like Lili Zi at that time, memorized the names of these dozens or hundreds of medicinal herbs in one go upon first experiencing this pain.
—Thus, after entering the Sengoku Period, he could have the Imagawa Clan prepare the same medicinal bath for him.
Two hours later.
Shangshan Che arduously stood up from the now clear and oily bathtub, feeling his body return to his control.
He looked toward Lili Zi nearby and found the girl leaning against the tub edge with rolled-back eyes, having lost basic consciousness.
Even so, she instinctively maintained minimal Bone Forging.
Shangshan Che silently walked over and looked down, finding Lili Zi’s tub impeccably clean, clearer than plain water.
He lifted the girl, wrapping her layer by layer in a bath towel into a mummy with only her head exposed, then casually draped one over himself.
“Two-Foot Adult.”
Shangshan Che opened the half-closed door of the small bathhouse, calling out to the girl squatting at the doorway playing a game with her shikigami friends.
He hadn’t even said what help he needed when her response came promptly.
“—Oh, got it!”
Two-Foot Adult hurriedly unmuted and said a couple words, then turned off her mobile phone amid the nure-onna’s elegant and amiable concerned farewell, stuffing it into her skirt hem.
She ran over thump-thump-thump, saluting the fatigued Shangshan Che.
“Po! Two-Foot will definitely take good care of the Great Demon King. Che Adult, just go straight to sleep without worrying!”
Shangshan Che smiled at her, patting the girl’s little head: “Then Lili Zi is in your hands.”
“Po!”
…
The night passed uneventfully.
The next day, Shangshan Che surprisingly felt no fatigue or pain anywhere; he opened his eyes on the bed full of energy.
Slightly surprised, he stretched lazily and looked at the panel lingering before his eyes.
【Under medicinal bath stimulation, your skill Corona Breathing Technique proficiency +25!】
【Under medicinal bath stimulation, your body tempering speed will slightly increase for the next day.】
One medicinal bath soak actually granted 25 proficiency points?
Though it was only one-twentieth of the proficiency needed for the Copper Skin stage, soaking was done in “leisure time” after proper cultivation, making it pure bonus proficiency.
Not to mention the buff slightly boosting cultivation speed.
And what Shangshan Che paid was merely enduring two hours of pain.
“This is a huge profit.”
Shangshan Che lifted the blanket, looking at Two-Foot Adult sleeping soundly while hugging his thigh like an octopus, and unusually didn’t wake her.
Instead, he sat on the bed, transforming into a four-tailed fox to inhale and exhale spiritual energy, continuing his Spirit Control Technique cultivation.
Like the Natural Reason School, breathing techniques could be practiced anytime, anywhere.
Spirit Control Technique, which required massive spiritual energy to gain proficiency, would be nearly impossible to cultivate after entering the Sengoku Period, so he needed to grind it while still in the Mortal Realm.
As for whether Lili Zi would notice the four-tailed fox transformation… such a trivial matter probably wouldn’t faze her.
Sure enough, Lili Zi said nothing extra when preparing breakfast and calling them.
After breakfast, the two humans and one shikigami began the day’s cultivation.
Even Two-Foot Adult had practiced a bitter gourd face full of woe, far from matching the two grind kings beside her who were immersed, even enjoying their cultivation.
Calm yet incredibly fulfilling days flowed by like water, day by day.
Four days later.
“The ninja manual illustrated version arrived today. It’s time to pick up Little Jia from the Special Affairs Office.”
After fully completing today’s physical body and spiritual power cultivation in the evening, Shangshan Che contentedly looked at the proficiency panel before him—
【Corona Breathing Technique（Copper Skin 311/500）】.
【Spirit Control Technique（Mastery 792/1000）】.
After Shangshan Che spent 300 Soul Ash to draw enough Soul Incense Ash（Small） for cultivation, the breathing technique’s progress advanced steadily at about 70 points per day.
Though Spirit Control Technique was just over 200 points from promoting to the next stage “Expert,” there was no need to delay two more days for it.
Because the Sengoku Period map was only Three-Star, most people and demons encountered there wouldn’t be much stronger than his current demon incarnation.
Spirit Control Technique wasn’t his main combat skill anyway.
And against ultimate powerful hidden bosses, leveling these skills once more wouldn’t change the essence.
—Taking the subway alone to the Special Affairs Office, Shangshan Che without an ID card knocked on the forging room door.
After a while, the door slid open to both sides, revealing Aoyama Yoshimitsu’s face beaming with a hearty smile.
“Shangshan Jun, you’re finally here. Your little one has been getting a bit impatient these past couple days.”
He beckoned Shangshan Che inside, then carefully lifted Kaga Kiyomitsu, specially placed behind the anvil and propped up on a rack.
In Aoyama Yoshimitsu’s hands, even the scabbard gleamed; Kaga Kiyomitsu, kilakila-style, “ding” shot out two inches of blade, vibrating buzzingly in great dissatisfaction.
As if saying: What was Big Bro doing? I’ve been waiting forever, why come now!
Why did it feel like… Kaga Kiyomitsu had become more cheerful after just a few days apart?
Shangshan Che oddly glanced at Aoyama Yoshimitsu, who was smiling friendly with a mouthful of white teeth.
—Could it be that after spending days together, it got infected by this craftsman’s cheerful spirit from a full-service tune-up?
Shangshan Che took Kaga Kiyomitsu, gripping the warm hilt, rubbing his fingertip along the blade clear to the finest detail, clearly sensing its relaxed and pleasant mood.
A shiny prompt jumped above Kaga Kiyomitsu’s blade.
【Wholehearted Care: Kaga Kiyomitsu·Blade of Parting has been fully maintained with utmost care by craftsman Aoyama Yoshimitsu. For a period, all attributes will remain in peak condition.】
Shangshan Che satisfiedly sheathed Kaga Kiyomitsu: “Aoyama Jun, thank you. If you ever need anything from me in the future, just say the word.”
The craftsman shrugged, his massive chest muscles jiggling cheerfully: “I should be the one thanking you. Opportunities to forge such a beautifully spiritual weapon are rare.”
“That ashigaru essence, I used it to further enhance its sharpness.” Aoyama Yoshimitsu laughed. “After all, no one ever thinks their weapon’s sharpness is enough.”
Since Aoyama Yoshimitsu said so, Shangshan Che didn’t thank again, adding his Line contact before taking Kaga Kiyomitsu straight home.
Just as he pushed open the door, he saw Lili Zi leading Two-Foot Adult, who was “hee-ha-hey”-ing, in fat beating Samurai Zantetsumaru—of course, such force was probably just tickling for the latter.
Holding the excited and eager Kaga Kiyomitsu, Shangshan Che, who hadn’t tested slash power in a while, felt his hands itching too.
After all, compared to when he entered the Slasher Master trial, he was vastly different now.
“Slash power, two thousand two hundred eighty-two kan—of say!”
“Slash power, one thousand one kan—of say!”
As Shangshan Che approached, he heard Samurai Zantetsumaru lean back slightly, reporting two numbers flatly.
The latter was naturally Two-Foot Adult’s full-force little fist.
Though still a gap from Lili Zi’s normal attack, Two-Foot Adult had almost stopped close combat after gaining the “illusory weapon” talent.
Her previous full punch was only four or five hundred kan; now at one thousand kan, it was a massive improvement, proof of sweat and effort.
Coming behind Two-Foot Adult, Shangshan Che gently pressed her shoulder.
“Very good, take a break first.”
Fully focused Two-Foot Adult shuddered all over, then turned to see Shangshan Che and broke into a silly grin.
“Heehee~”
Lili Zi, seeing this, also put away her worn bamboo sword and silently stepped back three paces, leaving ample space for Shangshan Che.
Samurai Zantetsumaru turned its gaze.
Upon seeing Shangshan Che, utterly different from last time, and the Kaga Kiyomitsu trembling in his hand as if challenging it, it spoke respectfully with considerable anticipation.
“Master.”
Shangshan Che acknowledged, saying no more.
He knew the best response for Samurai Zantetsumaru…
Was a slash!
This time, Shangshan Che decided to test his basic normal attack strength.
Without equipping any items or activating Corona Breathing Technique’s Fifth Form, just maintaining Qi Circulation and swinging Kaga Kiyomitsu.
Shangshan Che exhaled lightly, casually drawing Kaga Kiyomitsu.
The blade left the scabbard, then fell eerily silent.
A chilling sensation spread to Lili Zi’s skin nearby, making her swallow involuntarily.
Assuming a centered stance, slightly raising the blade tip.
Then slashing.
No buildup, no extra preparation.
Just plainly, indifferently, unleashing this strike.
Unleashing a strike that could be effortlessly executed anytime, anywhere.
Faint Qi Barrier and Lightning wrapped at Kaga Kiyomitsu’s blade, flashing and vanishing.
Samurai Zantetsumaru’s backward lean wasn’t much different from before, but its voice couldn’t hide admiration.
“Slash power, three thousand six hundred sixty-six kan—of say!”
Two-Foot Adult immediately clapped, saying Che Adult was amazing.
But as a total layman, she didn’t grasp the value of this strike, just thinking it stronger than hers and Great Demon King’s combined.
But Lili Zi was different; she could see Shangshan Che’s intent in this slash and understood the terror it represented.
—Shangshan Jun, a full-force slash would probably far exceed ten thousand kan.
“Ten thousand kan…”
The girl murmured softly, closing her eyes to recall her own full-force slash from that morning.
—Six thousand two hundred forty-three kan.
She prided her progress as lightning-fast, tripling in days and able to beat ten of her past selves.
But compared to “ten thousand kan,” it amounted to nothing.
Lili Zi felt slight bone cracks in her body, lowering her gaze.
She needed to work harder.
—Shangshan Che sheathed his blade, also showing a satisfied smile.
Back in the Slasher Master trial, his normal attack slash was only about nine hundred kan, and that with buildup.
Now, this three thousand six hundred kan held over five times the value.
Indeed, diligent cultivation never lied.
Shangshan Che turned to the girl.
“Lili Zi, I’ll be going out for a few days after today. Since I’m taking Zan Maru too, sorry in advance.”
—Actually, Shangshan Che wanted to bring Samurai Zantetsumaru back to the Sengoku Period to serve as a cultivation benchmark and durable target, while also boosting Imagawa Clan samurai strength.
Lili Zi snapped out of thought, sighing lightly and shaking her head.
“These are your things to begin with. Why ask my opinion? This is your flaw—you always consider others…”
Before she finished, the doorbell rang.
Shangshan Che glanced at the electronic screen by the door; seeing the Special Affairs Office uniform, his eyes lit up.
The ninja manual（Illustrated Version） he’d awaited had finally arrived.
Now, preparations before re-entering the Sengoku Period were truly complete!
Shangshan Che stepped out, signed for the package, and thanked the Special Affairs Office courier.
He quickly tore open the packaging, revealing the thick manual wrapped inside.
Shangshan Che skimmed a couple pages, seeing he could read it normally, and didn’t examine closely.
—He already had plenty to practice; this not-so-rare ninja manual wasn’t necessary.
At most, a rough browse to guard against it in the future.
Shangshan Che first returned to the dojo to retrieve Samurai Zantetsumaru, then called Two-Foot Adult to the door.
“—So Lili Zi, please house-sit these few days.”
The girl in dōgi with a high ponytail glanced at him: “Such trivialities don’t matter. The key is don’t slack off while you’re out, Shangshan Jun.”
She said seriously: “Otherwise, before you know it, I’ll catch up to you.”
“That would be perfect.”
Shangshan Che smiled, tone expectant.
“I’m looking forward to one day hugging your thick thigh, Lili Zi.”
The girl said nothing, just watching them leave.
…
After taking Two-Foot Adult out, Shangshan Che first grabbed lunch at a family restaurant, while clarifying his immediate goals.
Retracting his gaze from the girl savoring her children’s set meal, Shangshan Che stared at his coffee surface, seriously planning in his mind.
First and foremost, find a more advanced complete breathing technique than Corona Breathing Technique.
Entrusting Imagawa Yoshimoto should make this easy.
If possible, try snagging Four Extremes Breathing Technique from Tokugawa Ieyasu.
Thus, continue boosting Imagawa Yoshimoto’s favor… and the impending Mikawa Uprising caused by the mysterious great demon.
Right.
Shangshan Che lightly tapped the table with his finger.
Also maximize Imagawa Yoshimoto’s fame—so she might appear in the Eternal World.
On a foundation of high favor, such an Imagawa Yoshimoto standing with the Mortal Realm side, even for his use, wasn’t impossible.
With a daimyo’s help, it would surely greatly alleviate pressure on Arakawa Ward or even the entire Special Affairs Office, with countless benefits for him.
Hand the ninja manual to Shiraishi for training observation feedback, and seek a Master Craftsman in the Sengoku Period to reforge Kaga Kiyomitsu with suitable spirit gold.
—These two ranked after the above matters.
Meaning, best if achievable, but no big deal if not.
After mentally finalizing a simple plan, Shangshan Che clapped his hands.
“But before that, let’s check the factory in Arakawa Village first.”
After all, this factory in the starter village likely had deep ties to the Super Epic map in his hands.
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