Chapter 68: First Experience of Modified Supernatural Powers

Has the Heavenly Court become so prosperous now?

In the secret chamber within the mountain of Xiaoqiong Peak, Li Changshou wore a look of poverty, gazing at the pile of high-grade spiritual stones radiating with hazy spiritual light inside the compensation ring given by Yue Lao...

"It's different; we're different..."

Li Changshou shook his head, sighing endlessly.

With this pile of spiritual stones, he could go to the market town outside the immortal sect and buy a large amount of precious materials to refine stronger array foundations, thereby reinforcing and enhancing the great array of Xiaoqiong Peak.

The array upgrade plan he had previously devised could be completed by about one-third right away!

But spending them directly like this wasn't really reasonable.

He could treat this pile of high-grade spiritual stones as his first batch of startup funds.

Buy herbs in the market town, bring them back to make into pills, then exchange the pills for precious materials or sell them for spiritual stones—this way, he could generate a steady stream of profit!

And without any middlemen taking a cut!

Li Changshou frowned in thought...

It would be too dangerous for his main body to handle these tasks; countless people had lost their lives over a bit of wealth, and he had to weigh the risks carefully.

But if his paper figures could take care of these dangerous matters, it would be a different story...

Rounding it off, it would be like zero-risk profit-making.

If that were possible, he could pursue both paths at once—

Have his master collect "immortal pill" orders from the Hall of Universal Affairs to accumulate herbs;

And use his paper figures to gather herbs and sell pills through the market towns outside the sect...

In fifty years, earning a modest sum and saving up a dozen or so immortal treasures shouldn't be too difficult!

In just seventy or eighty years, the material gaps in his planned composite defense system for Xiaoqiong Peak could be filled by more than half!

This way, not only could he resolve the most lacking aspect of "wealth" among the essentials of law, wealth, companions, and environment, but he could also provide for his master and junior sister...

The issue was how to get the paper figures to the market town.

For young disciples, going out was quite troublesome;

But his master wasn't bound by sect rules, having already become an immortal, so he could go out with a simple excuse.

A turbid immortal was still an immortal, after all.

He could have his master take his paper figure avatar out of the protective mountain array, and then the paper figure could slip away quietly to handle the transactions in the market town...

That would complete the first step.

Then came the key challenge—the limitations of the paper-cutting into human form divine ability itself.

Although Duxian Sect's mountain gate was relatively close to the famous Lin Hai Town in Dongsheng Shenzhou, just over twenty thousand li away...

The farthest distance Li Changshou could currently control a paper figure was only about a thousand li;

With the current version of paper-cutting into human form—or the original version of the divine ability—it was impossible for the paper figure to reach the nearest market town.

The Honghuang was truly vast...

It was hard to imagine how incredibly expansive the Honghuang lands must have been during the ancient era when the hundred races like dragons, phoenixes, and qilins thrived!

Back to the matter at hand;

Li Changshou sat there pondering for half a day, making detailed calculations, plans, and risk assessments for the "pill business," and finally made up his mind.

Pursue both paths and work hard for wealth!

Modify the divine ability!

To excel at something, one must first sharpen their tools.

Once he finished comprehending and advancing his Wind Escape and Fire Escape, he would focus on improving the paper-cutting into human form divine ability!

To have his main body stay in the mountain while the paper figure handled transactions outside, paper-cutting into human form had to be radically modified;

And it had to be an extraordinary modification!

The principle of the original paper-cutting into human form was to store one's magical power or immortal power within the paper figure;

The paper figure transforming into a human shape was essentially an illusion, but because of the special material of the paper figure, which carried a lifelike aura, it could pass as real.

After Li Changshou became an immortal, the paper-cutting into human form divine ability had become more refined, allowing him to attach a portion of his mind within the paper figure's range of immortal sense;

Now, when Li Changshou wasn't controlling the paper figure, it could still act like a living being and carry out simple commands from the one who used the divine ability.

For example, sweeping the floor, weeding, massaging, dancing, simple combat, or even certain indescribable functions.

But what Li Changshou needed now wasn't these effects.

He wanted to modify paper-cutting into human form into the cheapest, lowest-threshold version of...

An external incarnation!

Essentially, creating some replaceable "paper bodies" for himself, storing a portion of immortal power in them, and switching his mind in and out at will;

As long as the paper figure incarnation could exert even one-tenth or half a percent of his own strength, it would be sufficient.

"To achieve this, I'll inevitably need to use restrictions from refining treasures..."

Li Changshou murmured, and this time, he quickly finalized his cultivation plan for the next ten years—

Learn weapon refining and work on the divine ability!

If he didn't know, he'd learn; if he didn't understand, he'd study.

He had plenty of lifespan now, and it was time to get into weapon refining.

"Prioritize researching restrictions that can anchor the mind."

He turned his gaze back to the ring...

This time, no doubt about it—thanks to fellow Yue Lao for his strong support of Xiaoqiong Peak's development!

Besides the high-quality spiritual stones, Li Changshou also saw a pile of porcelain bottles and gourds, all filled with pills;

And they were all pills with effects similar to Poison Dragon Wine...

One could only say, as expected of Yue Lao; the pills he gave were so unique.

Li Changshou had originally planned to burn these pills with his Samadhi True Flame, but he hesitated.

What a waste that would be.

These were immortal pills refined by Yue Lao, a boon for many male cultivators!

They could save marriages, bring happiness to dao companions;

Suitable for both immortals and mortals, with no deception involved.

He took out some empty porcelain bottles, sorted and stored these pills properly, and then burned Yue Lao's original bottles to eliminate his aura.

"Keep them for gifting later, or for bartering..."

If these were popular, he could try reverse-engineering the recipe, figuring out the refining method, and mass-producing them for high profits!

"Tsk, being obsessed with wealth isn't good;

Accumulating wealth is just for better cultivation; the dao is the true foundation of a cultivator."

After lecturing himself, Li Changshou chuckled self-deprecatingly.

He transferred everything from the treasure ring to his three main storage treasures and sealed the ring away...

After carefully reviewing his conversation with Yue Lao several times, confirming there were no slips in his expressions or words, he set the matter aside for now.

He still had some time before going to the Heavenly Court, and his master hadn't reached the True Immortal realm yet, so there was no need to rush.

Once done, Li Changshou quietly left the underground chamber and rode a cloud out of Xiaoqiong Peak.

...

The Dao Treasury Hall was located midway up the mountainside behind Potian Peak.

Li Changshou made a round trip without drawing anyone's attention;

Even the elders who meditated year-round in the outer hall didn't bother opening their eyes to look at him.

Later, Li Changshou began his research in a new area of cultivation in the pill room.

"I wonder when Junior Uncle will come out of seclusion."

The restrictions on weapon refining in the outer hall of the Dao Treasury were quite basic;

If Junior Uncle could go to the inner hall and help record some advanced restrictions available to the sect's True Immortals, that would be ideal.

The sect didn't prohibit True Immortals from teaching these to disciples who hadn't ascended.

Li Changshou tapped his fingers on the table, pondering carefully, and then thought of a sect elder.

Wan Linjun Elder.

The Thousand Toxins Hundred Golds Furnace he was using now was refined by Wan Linjun Elder himself, so he could naturally ask this elder for advice on weapon refining.

However, he had already received so many favors from this elder that even with a thick face, it felt a bit embarrassing...

"If nothing else works, just ask about restrictions for anchoring the mind in treasures."

Li Changshou sighed lightly.

Owing this elder more and more favors wasn't a good thing; he would have to find ways to repay them in the future.

After staying in the pill room for half a day, he went back to the chamber.

He took out a few paper figures and scattered them on the table; these paper figures immediately came to life, standing upright on the table before starting to...

Jump, hop, fight, and even perform a humping dance.

Li Changshou focused his gaze, carefully sensing, and soon began to comprehend...

Not long after, he took out an engraving knife and bamboo slips, starting his first notes on the "Paper Figure: External Incarnation Advancement" research.

Innovating a divine ability requires constant experimentation;

To complete the modification, he had to be bold in exploration, expand his ideas, verify carefully, build steadily, and combine theory with practice...

Thus, six years later.

...

In the vast blue sky, a few white clouds drifted slowly.

In front of Duxian Sect's mountain gate, Qi Yuan, dressed in a brown robe and holding a dust whisk, spoke with the gate-guarding immortal about his outing.

"Junior Brother Qi Yuan, how many days will you be gone?"

"Probably three days to return; I suddenly had some insights and want to go out for a walk."

"Very well," the gate-guarding immortal didn't ask more and opened a gap in the protective mountain array for Qi Yuan to leave on his own.

Qi Yuan thanked him, rode a cloud out of the protective array, and headed toward the East Sea.

After flying about a thousand li, Qi Yuan heard a voice transmission:

"Master, find a secluded spot to leave the box, then go wait near the spirit mine. Don't venture too far from the sect.

I'll definitely return in three days; just bring the box back then."

"Ah, alright," Qi Yuan replied, whispering softly to his sleeve, "Do you need me to do anything else?"

Li Changshou's voice transmission continued:

"Master, don't worry. I'm just going to the market town to sell some pills and buy some herbs to earn some spiritual stones and materials."

Qi Yuan sighed inwardly, a hint of guilt in his eyes, but he followed his disciple's instructions, flying to a mountain forest;

He found a spot with no signs of human activity and subtly placed a fist-sized, square, dark wooden box in a grassy nest under a tree.

After that, Qi Yuan pretended to stroll and admire the scenery, while using his immortal sense to observe the box.

A moment later, the box opened a crack, and a fingernail-sized, diamond-shaped gem emerged, scanning the surroundings.

The gem flickered gently.

Li Changshou's voice transmission reached Qi Yuan's ear again:

"Master, please retract your immortal sense."

"Alright, alright," Qi Yuan withdrew his immortal sense, feeling quite puzzled.

Immediately, the gem outside the box stopped flickering;

A tube-like "periscope" extended, looking around;

Then, the box lid was gently pushed open, and a small, pale yellow paper figure jumped out.

This paper figure was several times thicker than ordinary ones and a bit larger, with a small cloth bag slung over its shoulder.

It placed its hands on its hips, swaying its body back and forth as layers of light encircled it;

In an instant, the small paper figure transformed into an eight-foot-tall, slender daoist, dressed in a green robe, with long hair casually tied up and a long sword slung across his back.

The paper daoist's aura fluctuated gently, stabilizing at the late Yuanxian realm before quickly dropping to the Guidao realm and then concealing itself.

The paper daoist's eyes turned slightly, radiating a spiritual light that made it indistinguishable from a living person.

He took out a mirror to check himself and murmured, "The appearance still resembles me a bit."

Shaking his head, he picked up the square box from the ground, formed hand seals, and his figure merged into the earth, vanishing in the blink of an eye...

This was the result of Li Changshou's six years of research!

Divine Ability: Improved Test Version: Paper-Cutting into Human Form!

This paper figure could now be considered a true external incarnation;

But because Li Changshou had taken many shortcuts, this incarnation was essentially just an empty shell.

Besides that, Paper Daoist No. 1 had many imperfections.

For instance, Li Changshou had to anchor a portion of his primordial spirit within it; if the incarnation were destroyed, his main body's primordial spirit would suffer minor damage.

This was something that needed continuous improvement.

To guard against the paper figure incarnation being destroyed, Li Changshou had put in a lot of effort;

For example, the sword on the paper daoist's back looked like a real sword, but it was actually a tool mixed with poisons and anesthetics...

Originally, Li Changshou hadn't planned to test this "No. 1 incarnation's" combat abilities on this trip.

But the world was full of dangers, and showing wealth often invited disaster—he encountered it on his first outing.

After leaving the area near Duxian Sect, he used half a day of earth escape to reach the quite famous Lin Hai Town in Dongzhou.

To be cautious, he sold the pills he had refined in small batches, at different locations and shops, using various disguises, and even discovered several shops belonging to Duxian Sect here...

Then, using the spiritual stones he obtained in exchange, along with part of those immortal stones, he bought large quantities of spiritual herbs, poisonous plants, precious materials, and spirit beast cubs in the same manner.

Excluding the initial investment, this pill trade yielded about a 60 percent profit, which was quite good.

To avoid drawing attention, he set up a stall here for half a day, displaying some practice-refined tools and decent-quality pills;

He priced them moderately and sold a few for some spiritual stones.

However, even with all this caution, Li Changshou found that his paper figure incarnation had still been targeted...

With half a day left before the three-day limit, Li Changshou quietly left this market town, which was as large as a mortal empire's capital, and rode a cloud toward a forest where he could use earth escape.

Yet, several figures followed from Lin Hai Town, each hiding their cultivation and trailing stealthily...

'See, that's just how the Honghuang is.'

Li Changshou sighed inwardly and sped up his cloud flight.

In the sleeve of this sword cultivator incarnation, the original paper figures—each holding small swords and porcelain bottles—were rubbing their hands, eager and ready to go.