Chapter 448: Awakening, One Step to Heaven

"Perception has actually turned out like this?"

Xu Xiaoshou clicked his tongue in amazement.

Now, it wasn't just about all-around, three-dimensional detection; if he needed, he could compress the range of perception and extend it for a one-way scan.

"This is like having eyes that can see a thousand li."

He had to admit, the qualitative change from a Grandmaster-level passive skill was incredibly appealing.

Xu Xiaoshou couldn't help but want to upgrade it further.

But he restrained his impulse.

"Passive points: 237,959."

After subtracting 100,000 set aside for awakening, he only had about 100,000 left.

One ten-pull draw.

If he got something good, he could use another 50,000 to upgrade, and the remaining passive points would probably be used up.

"It's not enough."

Even with 300,000, Xu Xiaoshou still felt it wasn't sufficient.

But necessary expenses had to be made.

He got out of bed, washed up with a solemn and respectful demeanor, then took out three columnar spiritual herb sticks, lit them, and prayed devoutly.

Afterward, with a wave of his hand, he sealed the doors and windows and activated the barrier.

In an instant, the room was filled with shimmering light patterns and wandering silver serpents, forming an advanced Spirit Gathering Array.

"What a shame, only one Spirit Gathering Array."

"This Li Qi is no good; he wrote the array diagrams, but didn't even include a 'Gathering Qi Array'."

After sighing helplessly, Xu Xiaoshou stepped into the center of the array.

In the past, draws relied on metaphysics, but now with some feng shui and array setup, even just one Spirit Gathering Array should improve the effects.

"Maybe I can even get a double yellow... or triple yellow egg?"

"Heh heh."

Spiritual energy roared in the room, surging frantically into Xu Xiaoshou's body.

In no time, he started to feel it.

His body trembled, and Xu Xiaoshou didn't dare delay, quickly exchanging for ten passive keys to start the draw.

"Europium Emperor, possess me!"

With a shout, he thrust the passive key into the turntable and waited expectantly.

"Damn it..."

Xu Xiaoshou despaired.

He slumped to the ground.

"It's useless?"

This damn Spirit Gathering Array was ineffective?

Fifty thousand passive points, just wasted like that?

Indeed, upgrading is more enjoyable.

Why did I go looking for pain?

"That despicable Li Qi..."

After careful calculation, four keys—whether a loss or not, it's hard to say.

Xu Xiaoshou stayed calm.

He knew full well, based on this system's nature.

The next one must hit!

"Another 30,000!"

Thirty thousand passive points turned into six keys, forming another ten-pull draw.

Xu Xiaoshou flipped over and casually set up an Illusion Array.

In the illusion, he found himself in the ethereal heavenly court, lounging high on a throne, with a group of dancing, scantily clad fairies below.

With a wave of his sleeve,

"Come, bring on the passive skills!"

"Pfft!"

The illusion shattered.

Xu Xiaoshou spat out like a fountain and collapsed with a thud.

"This..."

"Another 40,000!"

"Damn it, if it doesn't come, I'll hang you and your ancestors!"

"Again!"

He was seeing red.

Xu Xiaoshou subconsciously wanted to use the remaining funds, but glancing at the passive points amount made him calm down in time.

"Passive points: 117,959."

Damn, out of money?

This awkward 110,000 was exactly what he had set aside for awakening.

If he touched that, what would he do later?

And if this 110,000 also failed to awaken, then...

"Could it be that I, Xu Xiaoshou, earned 300,000 passive points through life and death, only to waste it all and upgrade just two skills?"

Xu Xiaoshou was terrified.

He didn't dare mess around anymore.

He quickly dispelled the Illusion Array and Spirit Gathering Array, opened the window to ventilate and let the bad luck dissipate.

Gazing at the bustling traffic below, Xu Xiaoshou suddenly fell silent.

In that moment, he felt so alone.

He somewhat understood why some people, while alive, choose to end it themselves.

"It's not that bad."

"It's just 120,000; if the money's gone, I can earn more."

Calming his mood, Xu Xiaoshou refocused.

"The extra two keys."

"The legendary single draw for a miracle."

"Maybe even two Mastery passive skills in a row."

Nodding firmly, Xu Xiaoshou looked hopeful and solemnly inserted the passive key into the turntable.

Glancing back at the info panel.

"Obtained extended passive skill: Yinni!"

Xu Xiaoshou: ???

It really came?

In the end, did I need a single draw for the miracle?

Grasping the tail of luck, Xu Xiaoshou didn't dare look more and abruptly inserted the last key into the slot.

His eyes were glowing.

"There's still a chance!"

One last key.

Insert!

Whoa!

Another one?

Xu Xiaoshou felt his luck had finally turned.

Without thinking more, afraid the Goddess of Luck would slip away, he inserted the very last key.

"I knew it..."

Xu Xiaoshou's body went limp, nearly falling from the windowsill.

"120,000 passive points, for one skill..."

Mumbling feebly.

Xu Xiaoshou regrouped.

Honestly, this wave wasn't a loss.

As long as it's not a complete miss, it's a profit.

He knew that at his current level, every additional passive skill would boost his combat power by more than just one grade.

"Yinni?"

Hanging from the windowsill, Xu Xiaoshou began to ponder.

"What ability is it?"

"Like Teemo?"

"Probably not..."

"Or rather, it has that effect, but more than that?"

Xu Xiaoshou knew that none of his passive skills were simple.

If it's "Yinni," it might include invisibility, plus... hiding his cultivation?

Thinking of that, his eyes lit up instantly.

What did he fear most?

His cultivation progressing too fast, leading others to capture him for research.

At worst, with his upgrade speed, in less than half a year, he might be famous worldwide.

Being in the spotlight feels great, and Xu Xiaoshou enjoyed the attention—that brought passive points.

But it's fine for a while; to be forever at the peak with arrows from behind...

Who could handle that?

"If it can really hide my cultivation, or just partially hide it, then 'Breathing Method' can be upgraded without worries."

"As for playing the pig to eat the tiger, that's effortless."

Xu Xiaoshou got excited.

This "Yinni" is absolutely a divine skill.

If he were to take the assassin path, just from the name, it's a god-tier among god-tiers.

Even if not, with just part of its functions, Xu Xiaoshou was sure this thing would be insanely powerful when leveled up!

Why?

Because it's a big boss drawn with 120,000 passive points—how could it not be amazing?

Xu Xiaoshou didn't hesitate and directly exchanged for ten first-tier skill points.

"Yinni (Acquired Lv.1)."

"Yinni (Innate Lv.1)."

Instantly, enlightenment surged, and Xu Xiaoshou's face showed realization.

The next second, when he looked at his own aura, he couldn't even see his cultivation realm.

"The aura completely gone?"

"Fully hidden?"

This effect was simply overpowered.

Xu Xiaoshou had thought it might only hide part or be adjustable.

But he quickly realized this was a passive skill.

How could he control it?

Yet, oddly enough, when "Yinni" was only at the Acquired level, he could still sense the spiritual energy fluctuations, but once it reached Innate, it could fully hide them.

"Or is it that the process from Acquired to Innate is exactly when it hides all spiritual energy fluctuations?"

"Does that mean, if I level it up further, the skill's evolution direction is something else?"

Xu Xiaoshou figured it out in a flash.

"Invisibility?"

His brows furrowed instantly.

Honestly, Xu Xiaoshou was a bit skeptical.

Invisibility sounds easy, but manipulating it is too hard.

Up to now, he hadn't seen anyone achieve true invisibility.

Innate attribute powers limit everyone's development.

And "invisibility" as an Innate attribute power—he hadn't even heard of it.

The only partial invisibility seemed to be from ghost beasts themselves.

At Tianxuan Men, the gray fog figure that Mu Zixi couldn't see or sense.

At the entrance of Duojin Merchant Guild, besides specific people, no one else could see the God of Greed.

"And that's just partial invisibility."

"Since the red-clothed ones can exist, that means there are ways to counter ghost beasts' special invisibility."

"True invisibility..."

Xu Xiaoshou fell into thought.

Based on his current knowledge, perhaps in the world, only one person could do it.

"Ye Xiaotian?"

Using spatial attributes to refract light, then shifting himself or his aura to another space, achieving complete invisibility that no one could sense.

But Ye Xiaotian probably wouldn't do physical invisibility...

"If 'Yinni' continues to upgrade and becomes invisibility, or that kind of complete invisibility, then it's truly unbeatable."

Xu Xiaoshou was tempted to test it.

After all, he knew that if the direction was right, this passive skill wouldn't have some awkward effect like only half invisibility.

The system should have some sense.

It wouldn't end up with just the upper body invisible and only legs left, right?

Unless it wanted Xu Xiaoshou to disappear from the world.

But what if it's not?

"Passive points: 107,959."

Ten thousand!

Xu Xiaoshou grimaced in pain.

Just this wave, and he was almost touching the awakening capital.

If he piled on another 50,000 and the upgrade direction wasn't this, how would he cope?

Charge ahead stubbornly?

"I can't afford that."

Even if it developed invisibility, foreseeably, "Yinni" wouldn't help as much as another awakened skill right now.

"So, that's settled."

Xu Xiaoshou relaxed his mindset.

The Innate-level "Yinni" was enough for him to play with for a while.

Once he went out, if even Shouye and the others couldn't see his cultivation, that would prove this passive skill is truly unbeatable.

At that time, he should have more passive points to continue upgrading it.

"Excellent."

"I'm very satisfied."

Xu Xiaoshou was more than satisfied with "Yinni"'s effects.

An auxiliary divine skill not inferior to "Perception"!

He could imagine, with this, just its existence could bring him considerable passive points.

One look, and it's inscrutable.

Get suspected?

Another look.

Get suspected again!

If there were ten thousand people, he'd just stand in the crowd, and instantly have enough money to upgrade "Yinni" to Grandmaster level!

"Huff."

Xu Xiaoshou let out a light breath and completely relaxed.

This wave of combat power improvement was already substantial in essence.

But the remaining 100,000 passive points...

"The main event is here."

Xu Xiaoshou rubbed his hands.

"How strong are 'Violent Giant' and 'Explosive Stance'?"

Strong enough that with a Grandmaster body, he could withstand a Throne-level Zhang Taiying!

Though that guy was unconscious, Xu Xiaoshou was also out of his mind at the time.

If both were awake, Xu Xiaoshou was confident that with all his means, his combat power wouldn't lose to an ordinary Throne.

At the very least, a Grandmaster powerhouse definitely couldn't withstand his "Violent Giant," "Explosive Stance," and "Sword Mastery."

Not to mention, he had many other tricks unused!

"So, which one to awaken this time?"

Xu Xiaoshou looked at the Yuanfu's red interface.

Counting Yinni, he already had seven extended passive skills.

Excluding the two successfully awakened ones.

"Agility, Sharpness, Perception, Toughness, Yinni..."

Xu Xiaoshou hesitated.

They all seemed good.

If talking absolute attack, among his current passive skills, besides "Strength," it's "Sharpness."

So, to improve attack.

Sharpness is the prime candidate!

Though it's only at Innate level, that's because Xu Xiaoshou hadn't found a move to pair with it.

But just looking at the awakened form.

It might even surpass "Countershock"!

"Sharpness—even the name of an ordinary passive skill is so arrogant; once awakened, it might harvest Thrones at will?"

Xu Xiaoshou was torn.

The idea is good, but currently, does he lack attack?

On the contrary, auxiliary passive skills are more useful.

"But Perception and Yinni are pretty much enough."

"For Toughness, the awakening effect—could it be something like invincibility or unmatched?"

Honestly, invincibility and unmatched made Xu Xiaoshou's heart stir.

But no!

They say when the coin is tossed, you've already decided.

Xu Xiaoshou was the same.

When he decided to awaken, deep down, he had an idea.

The process of elimination was just to firm up his belief.

"Agility!"

If the Grandmaster body gives Xu Xiaoshou the possibility of being indestructible.

Then Agility turns him from an unmoving king into the strongest offensive, defensive, agile mobile fortress!

This thing's role is no less than "Strength."

In fact, the two could be ranked first together!

"At Grandmaster level, 'Agility' already makes my speed surpass most Grandmaster powerhouses."

"But compared to Thrones, it's far from enough."

"Or rather, the strongest aspect of Agility isn't pushing movement speed to the limit, but..."

"Reaction speed."

Xu Xiaoshou thought of that evening banquet, when Xi Yusheng's poisonous feathers attacked.

Under such dense assaults, relying solely on reaction speed, he could dodge them all without missing a beat.

So, if it evolves in that direction.

In the future, as long as it's not a locking attack, basically nothing could hit him.

"But speed has its limits."

"It can infinitely approach zero but never reach it."

"And awakening might just present that zero directly!"

Xu Xiaoshou's heart burned with excitement.

What is speed beyond the limit?

Undoubtedly, teleportation!

The "teleportation" he could do now was merely similar in form, not substance.

The movement trajectory was essential, and even Thrones couldn't avoid that.

From what Xu Xiaoshou knew, in the world, the one who could teleport at the Throne level was...

"Ye Xiaotian!"

Why is it the dean again?

Xu Xiaoshou rolled his eyes inwardly.

After leaving Ling Gong, with comparisons, Xu Xiaoshou increasingly realized how terrifying the Ling Gong bigwigs were.

This spatial-type Innate attribute power was simply unbeatable.

Such a person, even if he went to Shengshen Hall as a red-clothed or white-clothed, would be a top-tier bigwig!

Xu Xiaoshou thought of "Sky-Breaking Hand."

Just one style of Sky-Breaking Hand, and probably few in the world could dodge or catch it.

The masked man was an exception.

Xu Xiaoshou also believed Ye Xiaotian had more than just...

That one "Sky-Breaking Hand."

This guy was completely a combat-type player; placing him in Ling Gong to train talents was a waste of talent.

"So, why?"

Xu Xiaoshou couldn't figure it out.

Ever since he had some insight last time, he felt the Ling Gong bigwigs were very suspicious.

And without even looking, Xu Xiaoshou was sure that other county's Ling Gong absolutely didn't have this level of strength.

"So, why?"

"Why hole up in a small place like Tiansang County?"

"Probably this Ling Gong F4 could debut and form an organization as dangerous as 'Sacred Slaves'."

"Tsk tsk..."

Unable to think it through, Xu Xiaoshou chose not to.

He shifted his focus back to the awakening pool.

This was a still pool of dead water.

Very expensive.

Splashing once cost 10,000.

Xu Xiaoshou didn't dare go all in.

No one could afford to go all in this time.

Carefully, he exchanged for an awakening stone and bound it to the "Agility" passive skill.

After confirming, Xu Xiaoshou rubbed his eyes and double-checked.

"No binding error."

He nodded.

"Go for it!"

A straight shot flew out.

With a plop, it didn't even make a proper splash before the awakening stone was absorbed.

Xu Xiaoshou slowly closed his eyes.

Useless thing!

He knew it would be like this.

Damn system, who designed it? If I, Xu Xiaoshou, found out, I'd slap you right into the awakening pool.

Expensive is one thing, but zero conscience...

"Ah, spit!"

"Good system, good system, failure is normal, failure is the mother of success."

He was halfway through cursing internally when Xu Xiaoshou suddenly realized he still needed this thing.

Cursing now was absolutely unwise!

"Again."

"Again."

Xu Xiaoshou: "..."

"Oh my kidney, that's four ten thousands gone?"

"Wouldn't it be better to use for upgrading skills?"

"It would!"

Xu Xiaoshou gritted his teeth, his butt cheeks clenched.

But if it awakened another skill, it would be even better!

"Do it!"

He exchanged another one and threw it again.

Pouring all his inner anger, dissatisfaction, and curses into it, it must...

"Awakening successful!"

"Agility (Awakened: One Step to Heaven)!"

Xu Xiaoshou: ???

His inner words stopped abruptly.

"Awakening successful?"

Mumbling unconsciously, Xu Xiaoshou finally realized the info panel wouldn't lie to him!

"Ha ha ha ha!"

Xu Xiaoshou went crazy.

He leaped out the window and jumped straight down.

"Mom, awakening successful?"

"I, Xu Xiaoshou, used five awakening stones and succeeded?"

"This is peak today!"

"After those three ten-pull draws, did it suck away all my bad luck, making me this lucky?"

"Ha ha ha ha—"

Just before hitting the ground, a thick spider silk spiritual thread shot from his wrist, and Xu Xiaoshou soared up again.

He was like a mad spider, darting through the streets and alleys, shifting positions constantly.

"Mommy, flying sheep!"

At the alley entrance, a baby held upside down pointed to the void and babbled.

"Flying sheep?"

The woman turned back and looked up, but saw nothing.

"How can sheep fly, little one? Don't say that; sheep can't fly."

"It can fly, sheep, two-legged sheep." The baby pointed to the sky, "Sheep flew, and it's back."

The woman looked up again, still seeing nothing.

"He left." The baby blinked innocently.

"...Alright, if sheep can fly, what else did you see? Did it have two horns?"

"No."

"Then it must have wings, since it flies."

"No wings."

The baby's big gem-like eyes lit up curiously, and he pointed again, "But it looks like Daddy!"

The woman: "..."

"Wa—"

Xu Xiaoshou stopped on the rooftop of Duoling Inn.

His excited heart and trembling hands couldn't be suppressed.

"Five stones, fifty thousand, awakened the third passive skill—better than upgrading!"

His neck was flushed with excitement.

Hard to imagine how lucky Xu Xiaoshou was this wave.

Glancing back at the info panel.

"Passive points: 57,959."

Fifty thousand!

One Grandmaster-level passive skill!

Xu Xiaoshou clenched his fist.

"Nice!"

This timing was perfect.

Never thought the 100,000 passive points would squeeze out a Grandmaster-level passive skill in the end.

Pure unexpected joy!

"Retract!"

With a gesture, he reined in his emotions.

Xu Xiaoshou narrowed his eyes.

"One Step to Heaven."

"What effect is it?"

As soon as he sensed it, Xu Xiaoshou detected spatial fluctuations in the void.

"This is..."

His pupils shrank suddenly.

Within his perception range, clear light points appeared.

The light points were very dense and kept shifting, as if they had always stood in this world, just invisible to humans.

Relying on the information from "One Step to Heaven," Xu Xiaoshou intuitively understood what these were.

"Space nodes?"

His breathing quickened suddenly.

"One Step to Heaven... could it be stepping directly to any node within 'Perception' range?"

Xu Xiaoshou thought, and moved his mind.

"Whoosh!"

A faint sound rang out.

His figure turned into a shadow and dissipated.

At the same time, on the other side, Xu Xiaoshou emerged like passing through a wormhole, without any warning!

"Teleportation!"

"Real teleportation!"

Xu Xiaoshou was overjoyed.

Before he could study it further, his vision darkened, and a wave of dizziness hit his brain.

"What's happening?"

Xu Xiaoshou sharply sensed something wrong.

His qi sea.

Empty?!!

"Damn!"

Looking down.

This was high up!

"No spiritual energy?"

"Damn, I can't fall!"

"Help, I'll smash to death!"

"Waa waa, I won't lie anymore..."

The baby cried and wiped tears, suddenly widening his big eyes: "Mommy, flying sheep!"

The woman was almost furious.

She had just scolded him.

And his butt isn't even swollen, yet he won't stop!

She raised her hand.

A few yards behind, a figure crashed down with a boom, shattering stones.

Xu Xiaoshou got up in a daze.

Only then did he realize that with spiritual energy completely depleted, it couldn't recover for a while?

"Hello?"

The woman and baby in front were clearly startled, frozen and speechless.

The woman: ???

Someone fell from the sky...?

"Under suspicion, passive points, 1."

The baby laughed, his chubby hand pointing at Xu Xiaoshou, shouting.

"Sheep!"

"Flying sheep!"