I Cheated While Cultivating

“Congratulations! You have obtained a special skill card: Xia Shu Immortal Clothes Method*1.”

“Congratulations! You have hit the jackpot and acquired the martial arts technique ‘Thirteen Layers of Qingyuan Sword Manual’ [Sect Fifth Rank].”

“Congratulations! You have hit the jackpot and acquired the Taoist formula ‘Six Ding Mountain Opening Charm’ [Sect Fifth Rank].”

…

“Congratulations! You have acquired the martial arts technique ‘The Eternal Life Chant’ [Secret Six Rank].”

“Congratulations! You have acquired the Taoist formula ‘Virgin Stealing Energy Art’ [Secret Six Rank].”

“Congratulations! You have hit the jackpot and acquired a special spiritual material: Sunfire Fierce Sun Iron [Fifth Rank].”

…

“Congratulations! You have acquired a basic attribute: Spiritual Root+1.”

“Congratulations! You have obtained a special item: Shining Flowing Immortal Skirt*1.”

“Congratulations! You have obtained a special skill card: Misfortune Card*1.”

…

“Congratulations! You have hit the jackpot and obtained a special item: Supreme Riding Bull Picture.”

“Congratulations! You have acquired the martial arts technique ‘Vajra Unbreakable Divine Technique’ [Absolute Fourth Rank].”

“Congratulations! You have hit the jackpot and obtained the Taoist formula ‘Yellow Mystery Pagoda Manual’ [Absolute Fourth Rank].”

…

“Congratulations! Upon opening the platinum treasure box, you have hit the jackpot and received a magic weapon projection card: Heaven Rotating Seal [Silver].”

…

…

This time, the rewards were indeed quite abundant.

Especially that Heaven Rotating Seal projection card, it added another ultimate finishing move to Zhou Heng’s arsenal.

The majority of the rest were sword manuals and sword techniques, which perfectly fitted the combat path he was planning to take.

Having a treasure like the Purple Lightning Flying Sword and not practicing the flying sword technique would be a wasted opportunity.

The Sunfire Fierce Sun Iron could be used as the main material for forging a replica of the Nine Dragons Divine Fire Cover, a rarely seen Fifth Rank spiritual material.

There were also a few rewards that made Zhou Heng feel somewhat puzzled.

“Xia Shu Immortal Clothes Method: Upon use, you can bewitch your foe with your charm, causing them to become infatuated and abandon the thought of attacking. The higher your charm, the stronger the effect.”

“Virgin Stealing Energy Art: A Secret Six Rank martial arts technique, a method of stealing yin to replenish yang through sexual intercourse, stealing the opponent’s essence and refining it into one’s own True Qi. Only women can perform it.”

“Shining Flowing Immortal Skirt: A legendary garment worn by female immortals, capable of emitting the aura of a holy fairy, greatly enhancing the wearer’s charm. For women only.”

These three rewards inexplicably reminded Zhou Heng of the “Peerless Beauty Card” he had acquired before.

Could they be used in combination?

Pah!

Combine my foot!

Zhou Heng quickly shook his head, discarding the thought that had somehow popped into his mind.

He also shifted his attention to other areas.

The rewards from the three Gold Fortune Bags.

These were also the highlights of opening the fortune bags, besides the platinum treasure box.

— Zhou Heng had two Gold Fortune Bags previously, and was awarded another after his breakthrough to Secret Six Rank, which gave him three Gold Fortune Bags he opened all at once.

“Vajra Unbreakable Divine Technique: An Absolute Fourth Rank martial arts technique, with eight levels in total. The first four levels are at the Sect Fifth Rank, and the next four are at the Absolute Fourth Rank. One must attain Perfection at the tenth level of the ‘Golden Bell Cover’ [Secret Six Rank] before practicing it.

“It allows one to refine the Golden Bell protective aura into a full-body golden armor, achieving a Vajra Unbreakable Dharma Body with powers that are unstoppable and immune to all poisons, supremely firm and yang, able to slay evils and exorcise demons.

“If one perfects it to the eighth level, the counterattack effect towards enemies greatly increases, reflecting back seventy percent of the enemies’ attacks.”

…

“Yellow Mystery Pagoda Manual: An Absolute Fourth Rank Taoist formula, this is the basic Taoist formula for the ‘Yellow Mystery Method’ from the Book of Taoist Morality’s Supreme Eight Methods. Once the formula is perfected, the treasure pagoda appears instantly, with endless mana and an indestructible pagoda, repelling all evil, impervious to all methods. One needs to gather the qi of virtue to master it.”

…

Both of these were undoubtedly excellent techniques for body protection and life preservation, but both had their restrictions.

The former required the ‘Golden Bell Cover’ to reach the tenth level, and he was currently only at the sixth level, still far off, while the latter required the qi of virtue.

However, the origin of the “Yellow Mystery Pagoda Manual” still excited him.

Book of Taoist Morality!

Supreme Eight Methods!

Although it belongs to the Absolute Fourth Rank just like the Vajra Unbreakable Divine Technique, its significance is decidedly different.

Just by hearing its name, one could think of that legendary treasure.

The Yellow Heaven and Earth Exquisite Tower!

Coming from the Supreme teachings, such a defensive Taoist Formula would definitely be unimaginably powerful.

Especially the quote “As long as the mana is inexhaustible, the pagoda stands indestructible,” which was a perfect match for Zhou Heng, who had just acquired the boost of Cave Sky’s essential energy.

At least before reaching Absolute Fourth Rank, there was no need to worry about running out of True Qi or mana.

If he could master this Taoist Formula, his defensive capabilities would increase a hundredfold!

However, cultivating the Yellow Mystery Pagoda Manual required collecting merit energy, which puzzled Zhou Heng.

What is merit?

Healing the sick and rescuing the needy, punishing the wicked and eradicating evil, slaying demons and banishing devils, is that considered merit?

Or is it meritorious to contribute to the heavens, earth, and all beings?

Hmm, it looks like I’ll need to return to the mountain to consult.

At this moment, Zhou Heng realized the importance of organization; if he were to ponder on his own, who knows what kind of problems could arise.

—For Martial Arts and Taoist Formulas like this, which require special cultivation conditions, even if he were to forcefully comprehend it, the proficiency would never reach 1, and he simply couldn’t learn it.

Besides those two, there was that special item “Supreme Riding an Ox Picture.”

It looked like a very ordinary scroll, and apart from the distant mountains and mist as the background, the main subject was an old man riding a blue ox, with white hair and a benign countenance, but without any signs of divinity. It seemed just like a very ordinary, common old man.

But Zhou Heng knew that this painting should be depicting “Laozi,” who is respected as the Taqing Heavenly Sovereign.

There were too many legends about him to count, and Zhou Heng didn’t know which version to believe.

One thing was certain: this old man was definitely one of the most supreme and eminent figures of all.

But what is the mystery of this painting?

Zhou Heng looked at it from the left and right but couldn’t see anything special, so he could only put it away in his Gold Fortune Bag for safekeeping.

Overall, the gains were still quite good.

Aside from that one peculiar skill card, he also obtained practical cards like the Misfortune Card, Memory Drop Card, and Appraisal Card.

It was just a bit regretful in terms of Inner Strength.

There was only one Secret Sixth Rank “The Eternal Life Chant.” He wondered if he would have the chance to obtain the “Broad Achievement Heavenly Book” in the future.

…

The Tai Hua Mount in the early morning of March was still rather cold.

It was still snowing in front of the gates of the Pure Yang Palace at the foot of the mountain. The mountain-guarding disciple Wu Shanshan wrapped herself in a sheepskin overcoat, her somewhat baby-faced and pretty little face reddened by the cold.

She was a Seventh Generation Inner Sect Disciple who had just joined last month. With good innate talent, at only thirteen years old, she had already perfected a Ninth Grade move. As long as she could perfect a Ninth Grade stance as well, she would be able to step into the Ninth Grade.

“Woowoo, I really want to go back to the mountain to eat rabbit.” Wu Shanshan buried her little face in the wool of her overcoat, missing the stove on the mountain and the roasted rabbit, “But, the senior brothers and sisters said only important Inner Sect Disciples have the chance to guard the mountain gate. Does this mean I’m regarded as important?”

Clang!

Just at that moment, a sword’s cry echoed from the distant sky, and simultaneously a sword light like purple lightning tore through the sky, carrying a swirl of snowflakes from the clouds, and landed before the mountain gate.

“Who goes there!” Wu Shanshan immediately uncovered her wool, trying to look serious, but ended up looking even more endearing.

“Are you a new Inner Sect Disciple?” A warm and gentle voice came through the wind and snow, and a young man wearing a Pure Yang Palace Taoist robe walked out from the midst of it, smiling.

“Ah?” Wu Shanshan recognized the pattern on the robe and immediately knew that this person must be a Sixth Generation true disciple. Upon seeing his face, she was struck by his handsome and dashing appearance.

Could there really be such a dashing elder in the mountain?

She suddenly became nervous, buried her face back into the wool, and nodded repeatedly, saying, “Yes, yes, Senior Uncle, my name is Wu Shanshan. I just joined the Inner Sect last month.”

“My name is Zhou Heng, you can call me Junior Uncle Zhou.” Zhou Heng said with a smile, gently patted Wu Shanshan’s head, and then proceeded up the mountain.

“Zhou Heng? Wow! That’s the Junior Uncle Zhou, famed as the Purple Lightning Sword Immortal! No wonder he’s so good-looking!” Wu Shanshan immediately became excited. But then she became puzzled:

“But I heard that this Junior Uncle Zhou has only been in the sect for less than a year. How can he already fly? That’s something only a Secret Sixth Rank expert can do… Could it be that Junior Uncle Zhou is already at Secret Sixth Rank?!”

“That’s too fast!”