143: This is my fate!

No matter what world it is, time is always the most mysterious and elusive power in the world.

It does not shift according to the will of any person or any creature.

Even countless Prodigies who lived for thousands of years and were invincible in the world could not withstand the erosion of time, turning into a pile of yellow earth.

No matter how tender and beautiful a woman, after death, she is nothing more than a skeleton, losing all her charm.

Days passed one by one, but Black Ridge City fell into a strange and chilling atmosphere!

Three months passed in a flash.

During these three months, bad news kept coming.

At first, there was a martial artist who couldn't hold back and wanted to leave Black Ridge City; he got his wish, he left.

Of course, he never returned. The moment his foot stepped three meters out of the Four Seasons Cycle Formation, he was sucked dry, his skin hanging on his bones, standing upright in place, chilling to the bone!

During this time, Yang Dingtian and the True Inheritor of Beast Control, Qin Wumo, also tried to find a Breakthrough.

But as soon as they stepped out of the Four Seasons Cycle Formation, they were stared at by cold, sinister eyes.

Even the Divine Ability, Shifting Sand and Changing Form, awakened by the Sand Fox, would transport them several miles away.

However, in just a brief instant... the Half-Step Dao Foundation's furious assault arrived head-on!

If not for the Sand Fox's Divine Ability being cast quickly enough, they wouldn't even have been able to return to Black Ridge City!

It was as if this Half-Step Dao Foundation had nothing else to do but stare fixedly at Shen Li!

Which gave Shen Li an extreme headache!

But on second thought, it was quite normal!

Putting himself in their shoes, if he were the Half-Step Dao Foundation, and he had gone out, then returned to find all his subordinates dead, his trusted confidants also dead, his territory smashed to bits, and the thief had stolen all his good things, what would he do?

He would definitely fight to the death!

As for empathy... Shen Li wouldn't empathize, after all, he was the instigator.

Besides... someone had asked Shen Li if he regretted it?

What a joke.

Mid-month.

Inside the City Lord's Manor.

In the hall... layers of massive waves, conjured from the azure sea tide generating screen, surged forward.

Through the window view specifically built for this screen, Shen Li sat cross-legged on a prayer mat.

His right hand rested on his thigh, palm facing up, supporting his chin. The surging waves moistened his temples, filled with water vapor.

At the same time, it made his state of mind more stable and more resolute.

A chaotic mind is useless; only a calm mind can break the situation.

His gaze looked into the surging tide... After a long time, he felt a change in the Moon Essence Talisman Seed.

His unfocused, absent-minded eyes suddenly solidified.

His clear, deep-pool-like eyes seemed to possess a soul-snatching magic.

He made no move, yet he saw someone rushing in.

Three elegant Young Master calls awakened him.

“Young Master ~”

The three women stood before the hall, looking at the figure in white facing away from them. The white robe stood firm amidst the illusion of wind, waves, and reefs, like a towering jade pillar.

His hair danced wildly, yet he retained the graceful demeanor unique to a Family Young Master.

However, the figure did not turn around... and asked in an extremely indifferent yet magnetic voice.

“Have you reached Qi Refining?”

Inviting Moon, Reaching for the Stars, and Sun Xiuqing nodded together.

Shen Li pondered for a moment. Since they had broken through from Qi Induction to the Qi Refining Realm, it meant they could Cultivate minor techniques.

Currently, they were trapped in the city and couldn't purchase them from the market...

Why not...

He waved his hand...

“Sun Xiuqing.”

“This servant is here.”

“Your Spiritual Root has the highest affinity for water. You shall Cultivate this Small Cloud Rain Technique first... Cultivate diligently. In the future, the matter of rainfall according to the solar terms in Black Ridge City will be entrusted to you.”

If it were according to her normal life trajectory, Sun Xiuqing's entire life would be like her father, Sun Dashan, becoming an ordinary Loose Cultivator, or marrying into a Cultivation Family to serve as a tool for procreation... She would live a life free from worry about food and clothing, but it would be difficult to reach the Grand Dao.

However, a few years ago, she met Shen Li... Her fate shifted. With the Qi Gathering Method, her excellent Cultivation Aptitude was realized. Now, she has even had a Talisman Seed planted, allowing her to Cultivate by absorbing moon essence and learn techniques, enabling her to Cultivate minor spells.

She was also granted authority and status.

Such great kindness and virtue were like that of living parents.

How could she take it lightly?

Sun Xiuqing suddenly knelt on the ground, not daring to be negligent, and with both hands holding up the Jade Slip of the Small Cloud Rain Technique, she said in a deep voice.

“I am willing to be Young Master's vanguard! I will repay you with my life.”

Shen Li still did not turn around, continuing to watch the surging waves, and chuckled softly.

“So young, why speak of life and death? Go and Cultivate.”

“Yes.”

Shen Li continued to ask.

“Inviting Moon, Reaching for the Stars, I don't have many techniques. Have you two decided what you want to Cultivate?”

One or two years of nurturing had long restored their appearances. Normally, they only Cultivated, and water-wood Qi was most suitable for nourishing a woman's beauty.

Therefore, the two women had already begun to show their peerless charm.

Reaching for the Stars was still young... yet she possessed a cunning liveliness and was very thoughtful.

She was also quite relaxed and lively in her daily life.

And Inviting Moon was in the prime of her youth, with excellent looks, but her temper was very cold and rigid. Except when she saw Shen Li, she never smiled at anyone else.

One active, one quiet, one cold, one warm—they were truly two extremes.

At this moment, Reaching for the Stars, who should have been the most vivacious, did not speak. Instead, Inviting Moon slowly stepped forward, her expression revealing a rare gentleness and closeness, bowing deeply in a grand kowtow.

“Please forgive Young Master, my sister and I do not wish to learn minor techniques at this time...”

“Hmm?”

The phenomenon of the azure sea tide suddenly dissipated. When Inviting Moon stood up, she saw that the white-robed figure had already turned around, his eyes like deep pools gazing at them.

His meaning was hard to discern.

“This is interesting... If you don't wish to Cultivate minor techniques, why bother to Cultivate so hard, Cultivating to the Qi Refining Realm?”

Inviting Moon replied while taking out a worn Jade Slip from her embrace. There was no light on the Jade Slip.

Only tiny characters... obviously carved onto it by an artisan.

The craftsmanship was meticulous... clearly extraordinary.

However, through the erosion of time, its spiritual light had faded.

Inviting Moon respectfully requested in a deep voice.

“Please, Young Master, allow my sister and me to Cultivate this technique....”

Shen Li's gaze shifted slightly... The two women usually never interacted with outsiders, so they naturally wouldn't obtain any minor techniques. And if nothing unexpected happened, what was recorded on the Jade Slip in her hand was the minor technique mentioned in the immortal destiny intelligence that saved them back then.

At the time, Shen Li hadn't forced the two women to hand it over... He hadn't expected them to wait until now to hand it over themselves.

Shen Li reached out and retrieved it. Without even looking, he knew the name of the technique.

[Phoenix and Phoenix Harmony Dao Cultivation Method]

Using his Divine Sense to examine it, Shen Li's gaze shifted slightly, and he frowned.

“Are you sure you want to Cultivate this technique?”

Shen Li took a deep breath, then said calmly.

“Although this method sounds pleasant... it is truly.”

“A Cauldron technique.”

Shen Li frowned. Although this method was not a heretical technique, the Cultivator who provided sustenance would definitely reduce their Cultivation speed to nourish the recipient after Cultivating this method.

Wouldn't that be a waste of the two girls' Aptitude?

Moreover, that Immortal Master had already made a judgment... Even if there was no judgment, exchanging two promising subordinates for Cauldron Cultivation was putting the cart before the horse.

Shen Li shook his head. If he needed such a Cultivation Technique, the Moon Essence Talisman Seed could also achieve it, so why resort to this?

With a flick of his finger, the Jade Slip crumbled into powder and flowed from his fingers.

Inviting Moon smiled brightly.

“We knew Young Master would be like this, so we memorized this method long ago.”

“This method requires an item from Young Master's person as a guide to connect with the recipient... We have already begun, which is why we dared to come here.”

“Young Master saved my sister and me previously; this is merely sharing a small portion of Cultivation.”

“To dedicate ourselves to Young Master's Grand Dao, shouldn't it be so?”