The True Spirit Root, after years of adapting inside Bai Zhenzhen, had extended tendrils like a secondary nervous system. These tendrils spread throughout her entire body, providing various forms of assistance and enhancement.

At this moment, Bai Zhenzhen felt that all the tendrils extending from the True Spirit Root had either disappeared or retracted back into the root itself. The True Spirit Root seemed to have reverted to a seed-like form but remained connected to her body. On the contrary, Bai Zhenzhen felt that despite lacking tendrils, the True Spirit Root’s connection to her was now even stronger.

It was not only connected to her muscles, nerves, organs, and bones throughout her body but had also extended to her brain, creating an inexplicable resonance within her mind. Control over her body, the flow of power, the circulation of mana—all these surged through her mind, making Bai Zhenzhen feel her comprehension of various cultivation techniques rapidly improve.

Meanwhile, Zhang Yu, watching Bai Zhenzhen, noticed that her lower abdomen had become flat and toned again. However, the faint greenish mark that had just appeared on her lower abdomen was now becoming increasingly distinct, resembling a budding green lotus, exuding a unique charm. Bai Zhenzhen, who normally appeared aloof based on her appearance, now possessed a sacred aura, much to Zhang Yu’s quiet surprise.

After a moment, Bai Zhenzhen opened her eyes, and two beams of sharp light flashed through them.

Zhang Yu quickly asked, “How do you feel?”

Bai Zhenzhen exclaimed, “My True Spirit Root truly evolved! Now, the True Spirit Root can enhance my understanding of martial arts techniques, allowing me to enter a state of complete absorption. In that state, I feel my grasp of martial arts deepens even further, and I even have a sense that…” Bai Zhenzhen pondered for a moment, then said with some uncertainty, “…my original cultivation techniques have some flaws that aren’t suited to me. I seem to be able to improve these techniques?”

Zhang Yu was startled. “Can you actually improve techniques? Deduce new ones?”

Seeing Bai Zhenzhen nod slightly, Zhang Yu asked again, “Doesn’t that mean you’ll learn techniques even faster now?” He cautioned, “You must remember to remind yourself every day not to expose any techniques for which you haven’t bought the usage rights!”

Even before Zhang Yu arrived in Kunxu, Bai Zhenzhen already possessed formidable martial arts talent, enhanced by her Spirit Root. She could often master various basic techniques taught in high school within a very short time, and she displayed astonishing performance when comprehending the Heaven-Human Martial Arts Diagram and Fa Sai’s Wuji Cloud Hand mana circulation diagram. Over the past six months, as the Spirit Root continued to adapt, her martial arts talent grew day by day.

For example, just by repeatedly observing Zhang Yu practice techniques like the Back Dragon Overturning Mountain Hand and Dragon-Elephant Collapsing Mountain Palm in front of her, Bai Zhenzhen learned both external martial arts to Level 1 proficiency. However, since these two techniques didn’t suit Bai Zhenzhen’s style and required purchasing usage rights, she didn’t delve deeper into their practice.

Zhang Yu secretly thought, “A’Zhen’s martial arts aptitude is still too dangerous. She keeps learning new martial arts without enough money to buy usage rights. The key is that this kind of martial arts aptitude acts like a passive skill that can’t be turned off. She can only hide it, practicing and using it sparingly. Still, she’s much luckier than those who are born martial arts prodigies…”

Ever since he spontaneously learned the Back Dragon Overturning Mountain Hand during the martial arts competition, Zhang Yu had searched online for news about similar situations. After reading, he had only one thought: it was truly miserable. People who were martial arts prodigies from childhood often possessed the talent to grasp and master techniques instantly, even at a young age. To avoid violating the rules against minors cultivating immortals and cultivating before high school, their parents often restricted them heavily from a young age. They dared not access the internet, television, or news, and even when going out, they only ventured into areas populated solely by mortals. In some extreme cases, they would even be under house arrest 24 hours a day.

“Even after entering high school, it’s still troublesome. They’re practically ‘innate fine-attracting bodies,’ easily set up to owe huge debts.” Zhang Yu shook his head, sighing that his own Feather Scroll wasn’t so uncontrollable; if he didn’t want to learn something, he simply wouldn’t, avoiding the hassle of accidentally learning others’ martial arts.

Upon hearing Zhang Yu’s reminder, Bai Zhenzhen seemed to be lost in thought, muttering, “I know, Yuzi. It used to be so hard for me. Especially every time I saw classmates demonstrating martial arts I hadn’t learned in school, I just couldn’t help but learn their external moves. These martial arts were like ready-made dishes, left undefended before me, waiting for me to pick them up… It was so hard to resist every time. But now…” Bai Zhenzhen’s mind was constantly deducing a sword technique. “I’ve found something even more delicious.”

The next evening.
Under the bridge.
By the small river.

Two streaks of sword light clashed, like two meteors repeatedly streaking across the night sky, leaving brilliant trails. It was Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen, practicing the High School Basic Sword Technique. Each held an arm-length branch; infused with sword qi, the straight branches cut through the air like sharp swords, striking at each other with lethal trajectories.

Since school was starting in September for second-year high school students, Zhang Yu took the time today to learn the High School Basic Sword Technique, a requirement for the first-year final exam, and pushed it all the way to Level 10. The Level 10 effect of this High School Basic Sword Technique was simple: it allowed the infusion of sword qi. With sword qi infusion, even if Zhang Yu held a mere branch, he could temporarily transform it into a sword-like weapon.

But at that moment, Bai Zhenzhen was also sparring with Zhang Yu using the High School Basic Sword Technique. As she wielded her branch, sword qi suddenly sparked with traces of electricity, somehow increasing her speed by a third. As Bai Zhenzhen’s sword shadows danced, she forced Zhang Yu to retreat repeatedly. Eventually, the branches in their hands could no longer withstand the clash of sword qi, simultaneously shattering into a shower of wood splinters.

Zhang Yu asked curiously, “You successfully deduced it?”

Bai Zhenzhen nodded, slowly recounting the past day’s process. “Yes, after my deduction, the Level 10 effect of the High School Basic Sword Technique changed. Besides simple sword qi infusion, it can now also accelerate…” Bai Zhenzhen casually picked up a blade of grass. As sword qi infused it, the previously soft grass instantly became rigid, then streaked through the air, leaving afterimages amidst flashes of electricity.

After a day of experimentation, Bai Zhenzhen gained a deeper understanding of the True Spirit Root’s new evolved functions. “My technique deduction ability can only deduce martial arts that I’ve already mastered to Level 10. The result of the deduction is to alter the Level 10 effect of that martial art, making it more suitable for me. Simpler techniques like the High School Basic Sword Technique can be deduced in a day. Expert-level body tempering techniques, like the Thunder Tribulation True Body, would probably take three or four days to deduce completely.” Bai Zhenzhen calculated that if she shared the True Spirit Root with Zhang Yu, taking turns using it, it would likely take about a week. “But it’s fine; I can practice while deducing, so I don’t waste too much extra time.”

At this point, Bai Zhenzhen looked at Zhang Yu and said, “Yuzi, I have you to thank for the True Spirit Root evolving so quickly. I can feel that as the True Spirit Root adapted to you, it absorbed the Level 10 martial arts you’ve mastered as nutrients, accelerating its growth.”

Fu Ji exclaimed at this moment, “See? I told you. Bai Zhenzhen’s evolving Spirit Root was indeed stimulated by all the techniques you possess. It seems this Spirit Root’s evolution path is martial arts. In the future, as you both master more and more martial arts, and they continue to be absorbed as nutrients by this Spirit Root, it should be able to continue evolving.”

Zhang Yu, however, noticed that Bai Zhenzhen’s eyes sparkled as she spoke, seemingly filled with anticipation for the future and a keen interest in technique deduction. The next moment, Bai Zhenzhen appeared behind Zhang Yu like a gust of wind, hugging him tightly. “Yuzi, you should try it too! This technique deduction is really interesting!” she said, eager to share.

Zhang Yu, however, checked the time and said, “Maybe next time. It’s almost time for tutoring, so I need to hurry to class first.” As he spoke, Zhang Yu changed his form, transforming into Ma Yunteng, the Dark World tutor he used as a disguise.

“Just try it on the way! It’s really super interesting, super useful…” As Bai Zhenzhen spoke, she put on a golden wig, applied tattoo stickers, and added mature makeup, transforming into the appearance of a gang member—the Dark World tutor Le Mulan. After finishing, Bai Zhenzhen directly squatted in front of Zhang Yu and said, “Worst case, I’ll carry you to class today. Can you try deducing a martial art on the way?”

Zhang Yu felt that Bai Zhenzhen at this moment was like a child trying to show off a beloved new toy, insisting that he play with it. Since it was a rare chance to ride on his good friend’s back, Zhang Yu naturally didn’t refuse, lightly leaping to embrace Bai Zhenzhen from behind. Moments later, Bai Zhenzhen, trailing a series of electric sparks, sped towards the campus with Zhang Yu on her back.

Zhang Yu sensed the True Spirit Root, attempting to use it to deduce a Level 10 technique he had mastered, but found the progress extremely slow. He mumbled, “At this rate, for any expert-level technique, even if I share the Spirit Root with A’Zhen and take turns, it would probably take me two to three months to successfully deduce it. If it takes this long to deduce one, then I really need to choose carefully.” Thinking this, Zhang Yu mentally reviewed all the techniques he had mastered, finally settling on the Dragon-Elephant Collapsing Mountain Palm.

“My body tempering efficiency is already quite fast. As my physical strength increases, the key will be how effectively I can gather and unleash the power within my body. Moreover, the Dragon-Elephant Collapsing Mountain Palm, costing 200,000, is still the most expensive technique I’ve learned so far…” With that thought, Zhang Yu decided to dedicate his deduction efforts to the Dragon-Elephant Collapsing Mountain Palm.