Shi Lang controlled the Palace to absorb the spirit liquid in the lake and stored the spirit liquid in a storage vault. This place was filled with a lot of treasures. However, these treasures were not simple and could not be obtained normally. Even Shi Lang could not open this room, but he could store a lot of stuff inside the vault if he wished.
The Palace sucked the spirit liquid dry at a visible rate, and the suction was so great that not one drop of the liquid was left behind. Shi Lang stopped after a few hours. He looked at the lake bed and thought of something.
The phantom of the old man behind him asked in confusion, “What are you looking at?”
Shi Lang replied, “The water bed.”
The phantom was confused and asked, “What about it?”
Shi Lang replied, “This silt has been covered with spirit liquid. It is not ordinary anymore.”
Shadow Blade could not help but open his eyes wide. He asked, “You plan to remove this silt too?”
Shi Lang shook his head and said, “I had no such desire, but sooner or later, those people will return to investigate this spot. Earlier, I intended to leave this silt behind for the followers of the righteous path. However, looking at the narrow-minded actions just now. I have changed my mind.”
Shadow Blade asked, “What purpose will this silt serve you?”
Shi Lang replied, “This is a highly fertile patch of sand. You may not be aware of the situation in the Eastern Barrens. Let me introduce you. The growth of the natural treasures is so rare that none of the people have any chance of acquiring them for ages, and even when they can find some, the forces from the Central Plains would monopolize the herbs.
The cultivators from the Eastern Barrens are strapped for everything. Why? Just because the spiritual concentration in our place is low and we do not have many experts? Instead of helping each other, they monopolize the resources and go after honor and glory. Shameless creatures.”
Shadow Blade looked at his agitated expression and asked, “Do you not suffer such things in the lower realm?”
Shi Lang smiled and said, “I was an ant who suffered, and then I rose. Many things contributed to my growth, and I tore down those walls as much as possible. The disparity has lessened, and if in the future they increase again, the people of the world will unite to bring them down again.”
The phantom nodded and asked, “When will you accept my teachings?”
Shi Lang stopped what he was doing and said, “I will do it after I have collected all the silt.”
Shadow Blade was surprised and then chuckled. Shi Lang vanished from the room and came outside of the Palace. He began to collect as much silt as possible in his space rings. He would shuttle in and out of the Palace to dump all the silt in an empty room. That place was the room of the palace master, and he could store anything there.
The process lasted a few hours before Shi Lang found coarse grains of sand. He determined that these grains were not that good quality and decided to leave them. Suddenly, he raised his head and quickly vanished. He appeared inside the Palace and said, “Time to leave.”
He controlled the Palace to move down the tunnel in the lake and came out on the other side of the cave. Shi Lang appeared before the Thunder Tiger, causing the beast to jump in fright.
Shi Lang glanced at the tiger and said, “Weren’t you very cocky just a few hours ago?”
The tiger growled at him, and it was not his fault that Shi Lang appeared out of nowhere. The terran did not waste any time and said, “Come on. I will take you inside the Palace, do not resist.”
The tiger nodded and allowed Shi Lang to do what he wished. They could understand each other’s thoughts because they shared the bond of spirit energy. The tiger entered the Palace, and Shi Lang walked to the cavern’s entrance.
He removed the boulders blocking the passage. He walked out and checked the surroundings before he demolished the cave ceiling. He then left the region quickly. The terran could not put his finger on it, but he sensed that someone would return soon to check the place.
After he reached the natural formation, he located the Human-faced owl and communicated with the bird using his communicator. The reason behind this communication was simple. This beast was always looking for adventure and could work against Shi Lang and his team.
The terran was looking into getting this bird to come along with him. However, if the beast did not agree, then Shi Lang would not hesitate to kill it either. He did not show his intention to kill because this human-faced Owl was very smart and could do some serious damage.
The size of the owl was not bigger than a full-grown eagle. However, this guy managed to blind a Thunder Tiger, and even more, Shi Lang could not sense the realm of its cultivation. So, one thing was confirmed this bird was stronger than the thunder tiger, and that was an entity Shi Lang did not wish to face head-on.
Shi Lang asked the bird his question, and then he looked at the bird. The bird made a few sounds, and then the communicator translated the sounds into human language. The bird was ready to follow him but at the cost of some pills. Shi Lang nodded and accepted the deal.
They both got what they wanted, an arrangement of convenience. The bird perched up on Shi Lang’s shoulder, and the young man made his way through the forest. He found a secluded hill and dug a cave on the side of the cliff.
He set up an isolation formation at the entrance of the cave. Shi Lang sat inside the cave and relaxed. He could have hidden the palace in the bird’s feathers and then let the bird fly. This would have solved his travel issues, but the bird was unpredictable.
Shi Lang had cast an isolation barrier. Without his fault, the bird would not be able to leave the place, so that it couldn’t give out information to the enemy. Shi Lang paid the bird five spirit-gathering pills and two hunger pills. Then he vanished from his spot.
The terran entered the Palace and then willed for the building to move out of the isolation barrier. The owl was busy enjoying the pills that it did not notice a dust particle flying away at high speed.
Shi Lang cast the isolation barrier so that he does not have to kill the bird and can escape simultaneously. The bird did help them earlier, so it was not a problem. As for the isolation barrier, it will go away on its own, and the bird will be free to roam.
…
Shadow Blade asked, “Why did you not kill that bird?”
Shi Lang replied, “Even if that bird is a troublemaker, I cannot kill it as it helped me save my life from that Thunder Tiger outside.”
Shadow Blade nodded and remarked, “The compassion and emotions of a human being. Well, you do have some moral integrity.”
Shi Lang did not comment and just sat on the floor, calming his mind. The Phantom said, “It is time you learn my blade skills.”
Shi Lang nodded and said, “Yes, Teacher.”
The phantom was surprised but then nodded. He knew that Shi Lang did not wish to take him as his master because he wanted to make a name for himself, and that too on his own. Thus he was looking forward to being a student but not a disciple.
Shadow Blade said, “The fastest sword is when the enemy cannot even see a shadow of what cut off his head….”
He began to preach, and Shi Lang absorbed everything. He was changing his destiny. The Shadow Blade raised his hand, and his index finger tapped Shi Lang’s glabella. The next moment, Shi Lang felt his skull bloat with information about the sword art.
It was not just one art, and there were fifty sword styles. Shi Lang did not know how to process this situation because the variety was too much for him to comprehend. When he was confused, he heard Shadow Blade say, “All these skills are to serve as the foundation of your sword skill. A skill that no one could replicate. Only and only when you have discovered a style of your own will your sword be invincible.
Also, no matter what you do, my name shall not be known to the people outside this palace.”
Shi Lang was confused and asked, “Why, teacher?” 𝗈𝒱𝓁xt.𝗇𝓔t
The phantom replied, “I was an Immortal God, and it took a long time before I could climb that level, yet when people from my kin decided to attack me altogether. Shadow Blade was forced to stay in the shadows. You understand?”
Shi Lang nodded and agreed to him.