"It seems effective. To prevent that husky Taibai from disturbing us, I'll set up some protective measures first."
Ling Feng formed a hand seal and pointed to the sky. A beam of golden light shot upwards, rippling outwards like a transparent veil that enveloped the entire Hyperion. Mysterious seal scripts flowed across the energy shield, appearing and disappearing.
The entire Hyperion instantly vanished.
Having completed the protective measures, Ling Feng looked towards the Future. The blue light emanating from the Herrscher Core grew brighter, as if resonating with something. He wondered how long it would take.
With nothing else to do, Ling Feng sat down cross-legged, absorbing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. Ten halos of color flickered around him, five of which intertwined and rotated slowly.
The five elements are interdependent and mutually restrictive, as is spiritual energy.
Through several attempts, Ling Feng combined the five auxiliary cultivation methods of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth, and successfully discovered the secret to the mutually reinforcing and endless cycle of the five elements.
He also discovered that the Yang Art of the Outer Five Elements Array was also a method for cultivating the mutual generation of the five elements.
This significantly increased his cultivation speed.
Initially, Ling Feng believed the Yuan Ling Jue was merely a cultivation technique, and its seven-star rating was because it could directly reach the Human Immortal realm, which is the stage after tribulation.
However, he later realized that this technique was far more than that.
Unlike other techniques, it did not reveal everything upfront. Only when one cultivated to a certain level would the hidden parts be discovered, and one had to cultivate the entire text; otherwise, they would only possess incomplete knowledge.
Having cultivated to the Nascent Soul stage, he had deciphered three techniques from it.
"Yuan Ling Talisman Script True Explanation," "Kai Shan Jue," and "Fen Hun Hua Shen Shu."
These corresponded to the Golden Core, Nascent Soul, and Tribulation stages respectively.
"Yuan Ling Talisman Script True Explanation" documented numerous elemental talismans below the seven-star level, covering offense, escape, and defense.
"Kai Shan Jue" was a Daoist art for creating secret realms, caves, and a personal pocket dimension.
"Fen Hun Hua Shen Shu" was a soul-splitting and body-manifesting technique, essentially a "body outside the body."
Ling Feng had mastered "Kai Shan Jue" and was preparing to create a personal pocket dimension within his dantian, which would significantly boost his combat power.
Most importantly, it would greatly increase his true essence reserves, acting like a spare power bank.
After about ten minutes of cultivation, Ling Feng opened his eyes and looked at the Future, a smile appearing on his face.
The Herrscher Core of Reason was now emitting a dazzling blue radiance, like flowing rivers connecting to the Future.
Star Eyes!
Ling Feng's eyes snapped shut and then opened, a surge of starlight flashing within them before fading.
However, if one observed Ling Feng's pupils at that moment, they would see a nebula-like purplish-blue glow, interspersed with many shimmering white lights, as if countless stars were flowing within.
Star Eyes was a divine ability he comprehended upon reaching the third level of his "Xing Ling Jue." It could pierce through illusions, track traces, and perceive all things.
After using Star Eyes, he could see the power of the Herrscher Core of Reason rapidly diminishing in his vision, pouring into the Future's body and transforming into her strength.
Ling Feng retracted his divine ability and continued to absorb spiritual energy while observing the Future.
After more than an hour, the blue Herrscher Core turned grayish-white and fell to the ground with a clang. All its power had been absorbed by the Future.
Immediately, a blue ball of light enveloped the Future, lifting her from the ground into mid-air.
Ling Feng raised his hand and clasped it, drawing the Herrscher Core into his palm. He looked at the now grayish-white Herrscher Core, devoid of its power.
[Ding! Battle pet "Infinite Future" has been upgraded to five stars! Gained new ability: Construction!]
(Note: Without Genesis and Apocalypse levels, otherwise if "Ao Qi Legends" kept updating and getting stronger, what would be the point of writing? (◦`~´◦))
"Could this be!" Upon seeing the name of the new ability, Ling Feng's eyes showed unconcealed surprise. He put away the Herrscher Core and looked up.
If his suspicion was correct, then the Future had likely obtained an ability similar to that of the Herrscher of Reason.
The blue sphere of light slowly descended, its radiance gradually dissipating as the Future's form became visible.
Ling Feng was slightly stunned. The Future's appearance seemed different from before.
Previously, the Future's face was filled with girlish innocence, but now she seemed a bit more mature, as if transitioning from junior high to high school. Her colorful hair was also much more vibrant than before.
Furthermore, her clothes had undergone significant changes. Her white knee-high socks now had some purple patterns, and her skirt had become more like flowing crystal ribbons.
Simultaneously, two wing-like, blue-to-green gradient crystalline structures appeared on either side of her shoulders.
The Future slowly opened her eyes, looked at Ling Feng, and suddenly lunged forward, hugging him tightly. "Master, I succeeded!" she exclaimed excitedly.
Seeing the joyful smile on her face, Ling Feng smiled gently.
"It's good that you succeeded. What new ability have you gained?"
"I'm sorry, Master, I got too excited..." Looking at Ling Feng's gentle smile up close, the Future's face flushed, and she shyly released him, stepping back a few paces. She then said seriously,
"Master, after absorbing the crystal's power, I gained two new abilities."
Two abilities? But the system only showed one new one... Ling Feng's brow furrowed, his eyes filled with confusion.
"What are the two abilities?"
"The first ability is somewhat like the Herrscher of Reason's ability mentioned in books. It involves understanding principles and then constructing. I can use energy to construct mechanical devices out of thin air based on my understanding."
As if to make Ling Feng understand better, the Future demonstrated.
She extended her palm, and the power within her gathered. A colorful energy ball floated about an inch above her palm, and then a miraculous scene unfolded: the energy ball slowly transformed into a colorful Desert Eagle.
As expected!
It's the same as the Herrscher of Reason's ability! Constructing things based on one's understanding!
"However..." the Future suddenly changed the subject, "The color of the constructed items can only be multicolored, and they have a very short duration, with effects only at about eighty percent of the original."
The Herrscher of Reason's creations can exist for a long time and their effects are almost identical to the original.
"Can you create living beings?" Ling Feng suddenly asked.
"Living beings?" The Future was startled, then her eyes lit up, and she immediately understood Ling Feng's meaning. She began to try constructing one.
After a few seconds, the Future opened her eyes and shook her head disappointedly. "No."
Ling Feng, stroking his chin, nodded. He had a general understanding of the Future's ability.
It was equivalent to a weakened Herrscher of Reason, similar to the mimicry of the First Divine Key, Void Archives.
"What about the second ability?" Ling Feng asked, looking up.
"I seem to be able to change into a different form."
As she spoke, the Future emitted a dazzling light that enveloped her.
When the light faded, the Future's appearance had drastically changed. First, her hair, which was originally seven-colored, had turned blue-to-purple.
Her attire had transformed into a combat suit. Furthermore, the massive female warrior spirit that had been manifesting behind her had become a cool-looking robot, similar to Bronya's Project Bunny.
There were also two one-eyed drones flying around her.
"This..." Ling Feng was somewhat dumbfounded. If he hadn't seen the Future transform with his own eyes, he would have assumed Bronya had changed outfits and was playing a prank on him.
Of course, Bronya currently couldn't possess the same soft and ample assets as the Future in this form.
"This new form is primarily combat-oriented," the Future said, blinking her blue spirit eyes, looking very cute.
"Good, very good," Ling Feng nodded in satisfaction.
"Oh, right, Master, there's one more thing, which is..."
...
Two days before the Valkyrie exam, Kiana had skipped class again.
At this moment, she was attempting to climb over the academy wall.
"Damn it, why is it getting harder and harder to climb this wall?"
After reaching the top of the wall, Kiana sat down to rest for a moment, scratching her head in confusion.
She didn't linger long. Kiana jumped off the wall and after a few steps, she suddenly saw a familiar person walking towards her, and they bumped into each other.
"Kiana, class is about to start, where are you going?"
The person walking towards her was the white-haired loli headmaster.
"D-Durandal! I'm on my way back to class right now. I dropped something here earlier."
Kiana laughed nervously, feigning ignorance, and quickly turned back to St. Freya Academy.
Upon returning to St. Freya Academy, Kiana breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Durandal wasn't following her. She had been a bit guilty just now; being caught skipping class, especially by the headmaster, was quite embarrassing.
"Ah! This darn Valkyrie exam!" Kiana wailed, crying out in frustration.
"No need to worry. Headmaster Durandal has asked Himeko to give you an intensive cram session before the exam."
A voice floated over, startling Kiana. She looked towards the source and found Ling Feng.
"Cram session... tutoring?! Does a genius like me need tutoring?" Kiana said indignantly, hands on her hips.
"Stop pretending to be tough. The Kaslana family's tradition of being dumb has been truly carried on by you. If no one tutors you before this exam, you'll likely fail again."
Suddenly, Durandal's voice came from behind Kiana, making her jump.
"Auntie! When did you get behind me? Can you all teleport?"
Durandal frowned slightly and said sternly, "Do not call me by name in the academy, nor call me Auntie. You must respectfully address me as 'Headmaster,' do you understand?"
"Understood, Dure... oh no, Headmaster."
Under the Headmaster's "authority," Kiana gave a perfunctory reply.
Durandal was somewhat helpless at Kiana's attitude. She paused and said,
"Do you remember our agreement?"
"Become an A-rank Valkyrie, and you'll tell me my old man's whereabouts... Got it, Headmaster."
Kiana recited their agreement word for word like an emotionless robot.
Kiana didn't want to linger and chat with Durandal any longer, so she hurried towards the classroom... Going out was impossible. With Durandal here, she couldn't possibly slip away under her watchful eye.
If only Ling Feng were here alone, she might have found a way to escape.
Back in the classroom, after reporting to Himeko, Kiana returned to her seat.
Her earlier high spirits vanished as she listened to Himeko's lecture. It was like listening to a lullaby, her eyelids began to droop, and then... well, there was no then. Kiana had already fallen asleep on her desk.
"Kiana!"
"Mmm! I wasn't sleeping... I wasn't sleeping."
"Kiana, I have some good news for you," Himeko said, looking at Kiana, who was rubbing her sleepy eyes, slumped at her desk.
"Oh, it's about the cram session, isn't it?" Kiana said weakly.
"Heh, could it be that you got first place? That's more believable than you becoming an S-rank Valkyrie."
Himeko looked at her useless student, filled with helplessness.
"I've invited Fu Hua, the student with the best grades in the class, to tutor you."
Upon hearing this, Kiana's mind instantly cleared, and she sat up straight, exclaiming in disbelief, "Wait, the class representative? Didn't Durandal ask you to tutor me yourself?"
"Ahem, well, I'm very busy," Himeko said, her gaze flickering. "And Fu Hua, as a student, has become an A-rank Valkyrie, making her a role model for you brats."
"Look, the Ke Qing she tutored has now passed the A-rank Valkyrie test and become an A-rank Valkyrie. Having her teach you would be perfect."
"Do you... have any objections?"
Kiana scratched her head and mumbled with a pout, "That person is serious and rigid, like an old robot. Who wants to be tutored by her... I heard Ling Feng became an S-rank male Valkyrie. I want him to tutor me."
Himeko glanced at her and said slowly.
"Do you think I don't know your little thoughts? If you had him tutor you, wouldn't you end up going to an internet cafe during the tutoring sessions?"
"And you're trying to bargain? Do you think this is a market in Shenzhou? Let's start class."
With that, Himeko left the classroom without giving Kiana a chance to retort.
"Classmate Kiana, please guide me later," Fu Hua said, walking up to Kiana and adjusting her glasses.
"Uh, Class Representative, it's really... troublesome," Kiana said, her face devoid of life.