54: Chapter 54 Dark Imprisonment: The Ultimate Use of Attributes

"Qingci, stop obsessing over those blueprints of yours. Being a Level 5 Soul Engineer isn't as easy as you think. Let's go out and clear our heads."

Meng Hongchen grabbed Mu Qingci's hand and tried to pull him outside.

Mu Qingci shook his head helplessly. "You're right. After all, haste makes waste. A break sounds good."

The three of them headed to the streets of Mingdu together.

"Qingci, that beef noodle shop from last time was delicious. How about we go again?" Whenever food was mentioned, Meng Hongchen would put on the expression of a total foodie.

"Whatever you want. If you want to eat there, we'll go." Mu Qingci dotingly patted Meng Hongchen's head, and they set off together with the two girls.

The three arrived at the same beef noodle shop and found their original table. Just as they sat down, a familiar figure took the last empty seat.

"Elder Long, what a coincidence! Are you here to eat too?"

Meng Hongchen recognized the old man in front of her at a glance. Wasn't that Elder Long who had shared a table with them last time?

Long Xiaoyao smiled and greeted the three of them. "It is quite a coincidence. Let me treat you all today."

"Yay! Elder Long is so generous!"

Upon seeing Long Xiaoyao, Mu Qingci bowed respectfully. The latter waved his hand, and the four of them sat down.

After the meal, Mu Qingci intended to ask Long Xiaoyao more questions regarding the application of attributes, so he sent Meng Hongchen and Ye Guyi away first.

Before Mu Qingci could even speak, Long Xiaoyao had already guessed his intentions.

After paying the bill, Long Xiaoyao grabbed Mu Qingci by the shoulder and vanished from the city of Mingdu with him.

They arrived in a forest on the outskirts.

"Speak. Have you encountered any problems with your cultivation? Tell your master, and I will clear up your doubts."

In Long Xiaoyao's view, Mu Qingci's problem was likely just some minor issue with the Element Control he had taught him last time.

This was only natural; after all, that was something Long Xiaoyao had painstakingly developed. How could it be learned and mastered so quickly?

However, Mu Qingci's next words redefined Long Xiaoyao's understanding of the word "genius."

Mu Qingci nodded, and a large amount of Darkness Element began to gather toward him from the heavens and earth.

Under Long Xiaoyao's shocked gaze, those Darkness Elements gradually surrounded Mu Qingci, forming a spherical shape similar to a Domain.

"While practicing Element Control with the Darkness Element, I accidentally discovered that I could condense the Darkness Element into a state similar to a prototype Domain. Currently, other than blocking light from entering, I haven't developed any other functions."

Listening to the slight disappointment in Mu Qingci's tone, Long Xiaoyao's eyelids twitched wildly.

"Listen to yourself! Is that even human? It's only been a few days! To figure out a prototype Domain on your own—is this even human? What was all my hard work back then for?!"

Although there was a stampede of ten thousand horses in his heart, Long Xiaoyao still had to maintain the sternness of a master on his face.

He coughed twice to ease the shock in his heart.

Adjusting his state of mind, he said, "To be able to achieve this on your own, I am very satisfied. It is time to teach you the next step, which happens to require this prototype Domain."

Long Xiaoyao had also come to terms with it. After all, Mu Qingci was his disciple. If his disciple was excellent, even astonishingly so, he as the master should be happy.

"This is what it means to be better than your master!" Once Long Xiaoyao realized this, he immediately felt relieved.

With a wave of his hand, a Darkness Domain, infinitely larger than the prototype Domain Mu Qingci had condensed, enveloped the two of them.

"This is what your prototype Domain will look like once it matures. Tell me how you feel."

Mu Qingci closed his eyes and carefully sensed what it felt like to be inside this Domain.

He was surprised to discover that within this Darkness Domain, his Mental Energy could not break through to probe the outside world, as if his Mental Energy had been imprisoned within the Domain.

Furthermore, Mu Qingci also discovered that his Soul Power could not circulate either. Inside this Domain, he seemed to have lost all ability to resist.

"Reporting to Master, I can feel that both my Soul Power and Mental Energy are being restrained, and my combat effectiveness has dropped significantly."

Long Xiaoyao nodded in satisfaction. "Your feeling is correct. This is a Domain derived from the ultimate application of the Darkness Element, and its effect is imprisonment."

He retracted the Domain, and Mu Qingci immediately felt much lighter.

"To control this Domain, first of all, your Mental Energy must be sufficient."

Long Xiaoyao extended two fingers and tapped them on Mu Qingci's forehead.

As a wisp of Mental Energy probed in, Long Xiaoyao was suddenly shocked to discover that Mu Qingci's current Mental Energy far exceeded what a Spirit King should have; conservatively estimated, it could even rival a high-level Spirit Saint.

"It seems I was overthinking it. Your Mental Energy is far beyond your cultivation level; it is enough to support the initial requirements for learning the Domain at this stage."

Next, Long Xiaoyao began to teach Mu Qingci the key techniques regarding the Darkness Element Domain.

Mu Qingci had already figured out the prototype of the Domain on his own, so he grasped the learning in this step extremely quickly.

After a day of training, Mu Qingci had finally mastered the initial techniques of the Domain.

Although the released Domain was still a prototype, it already had a slight imprisonment effect.

Mu Qingci was quite satisfied with this. One had to know that what he learned from Long Xiaoyao always had double the effect.

He had learned the concept of "things turn around when they reach the extreme" from Electrolux. He should be able to use the same Domain with the light element as well, though it was unclear whether the effect would still be imprisonment.

"Alright, that's it for today's training. Haste makes waste. Practice diligently when you return, and strive to comprehend the complete form of the Domain as soon as possible."

The look in Long Xiaoyao's eyes as he gazed at Mu Qingci carried the same satisfaction as Kong Deming's. With such an excellent disciple, even the strictest master couldn't find a single fault.

"Disciple takes his leave."

Mu Qingci couldn't wait to return and try releasing this Domain using the light element.

Returning to Mingde Hall, it was already late at night.

Meng Hongchen and the others had already fallen asleep, so Mu Qingci didn't disturb them and returned to his room alone.

Closing the door, Mu Qingci released his Spirit.

The Hades Sword was held in his hand, and the two diametrically opposed attributes of light and darkness surged around him.

As his mind stirred, the darkness began to transform into pure light.

The Ultimate Light illuminated the unlit room as if it were daytime.

Mu Qingci began to circulate his Ultimate Light Soul Power according to the method of releasing the Darkness Domain.

Gradually, a spherical golden ball of light enveloped him and began to expand outward.

An extremely gentle sensation washed over his entire body, as warm and comfortable as if bathing in the spring sunshine.

Mu Qingci could clearly feel that within this Domain, his Soul Power recovery speed had increased slightly, and his various attributes had also received a small boost.

In that case, it seemed the Darkness Domain was suitable for dealing with enemies, while this Domain condensed from the light element was suitable for buffing his own side.