C8 The Prison of Land Light

"Hu!"

Chen Wu let out a deep breath and stood up, his bones popping like firecrackers going off.

Far from feeling any pain, Chen Wu luxuriously stretched, reveling in the comfort that washed over him. This was a clear sign that his Spiritual Energy had grown stronger, and as a result, his physical body had also experienced some enhancement, albeit minimal in comparison to his Spiritual Energy. To further strengthen his body, he would need to practice a specific Demonic Pet Technique designed for body refinement.

"Indeed, now that I have a system for spiritual cultivation, I can actually harness my Spiritual Energy!"

With that realization, Chen Wu focused his mind, and an invisible Psychokinesis latched onto a cup in the room, causing it to rise slowly, though it was clearly a struggle for him.

Cultivating Spiritual Energy is essentially cultivating one's mental power. A skilled Demonic Pet Master could traverse the void with a mere thought, and sword flight was not beyond their capabilities!

Nevertheless, a Demonic Pet Master's profession is dependent on the power of their Demonic Pet. A Demonic Pet Master is akin to a strategist in an army, where martial prowess is not their primary strength. However, as their Demonic Pet advances, it can enhance both the Demonic Pet Master's physical and Spiritual Energy.

Typically, a Demonic Pet Master focuses on cultivating supportive secret techniques aimed at defense or bolstering their Demonic Pet's Strength.

"Crash!"

Despite having mastered the Indestructible Nirvana Technique, which made his Spiritual Energy twice as potent as that of an average Demonic Pet Master, the cup could only wobble in the air for about thirty seconds before it smashed to pieces.

Chen Wu felt a wave of exhaustion wash over him.

"A Grade 1 Demonic Pet Master can typically only perform two Low-grade Secret Arts at once. With Middle-grade Secret Arts, they can only manage one, and High-grade Secret Arts are out of the question unless they've reached at least Level 3 of the Spiritual Mist stage to even consider cultivating Psychic Techniques."

The higher the level of the Secret Arts, the more Soul Sense they require. Even with Chen Wu's Soul Sense being superior to that of a typical Demonic Pet Master, sustaining three Secret Arts simultaneously was a short-lived feat. High-grade Secret Arts were even more out of reach. In Green-mount Town, Chen Wu had yet to hear of any renowned Demonic Pet Master who possessed such advanced techniques.

The system certainly contains High-grade Secret Arts, but for now, I can only depend on daily sign-ins and the system's random missions to earn rewards...

Chen Wu didn't dwell on it; he proceeded to extract a pill the size of a dragon's eye, the prize for his second-day sign-in. Chen Wu had linked with the system the previous evening, and the reward for the second day was only distributed after seven in the morning.

"Congratulations to the host for receiving the second day's sign-in reward: one Low-level Soul Condensing Pill!"

Low-level Soul Condensing Pill: A pill beneficial for soul breakthroughs. Upon consumption, Spiritual Energy significantly increases, with a high probability of advancing through a Small Stage without any side effects. (Note: This pill is exclusively for Grade 1 Demonic Pet Masters)

A Demonic Pet Master with Spiritual Mist Stage Spiritual Energy and at least one Bronze Level Demonic Pet is considered a Grade 1 Demonic Pet Master.

Though he had achieved the status of Grade 1 Demonic Pet Master and strengthened his connection with Blood Rain's Spiritual Energy, Chen Wu was eager to advance further.

Without hesitation, Chen Wu consumed the pill and sat down cross-legged on the ground. A surge of pure soul power flowed through his limbs and body, nourishing him before converging like myriad streams into the sea within his brain.

Simultaneously, in the dark expanse of his Spiritual Space, the already thick mist thickened further, then was swiftly absorbed by the central Lotus Seed.

As expected, Chen Wu's Spiritual Energy saw another modest increase, doubling in strength and smoothly breaking through to the mid-level of the Spiritual Mist Stage.

The strength of a Demonic Pet Master is categorized by their level of Spiritual Energy: Spiritual Mist, Spirit Accumulation, and Spirit Tree.

The Spiritual Mist Stage aligns with a Demonic Pet's Bronze Major Stage and is further divided into Initial, Intermediate, and Advanced levels.

Thanks to the pill, Chen Wu had achieved an intermediate level of Spiritual Energy within the Spiritual Mist Stage, ensuring that he could maintain control over any Demonic Pet's Strength up to Bronze Grade 6. This breakthrough also solidified the mental bond between Chen Wu and Blood Rain.

In a whirlwind of excitement, Chen Wu couldn't help but be moved by his rapid ascent. In just a single day and night, he had leaped from being an Everyman to a Grade 1 Demonic Pet Master. His Spiritual Energy had reached a middle tier, rivaling that of Hu Wang and others!

Chen Wu's ambitions were now ablaze. Even if Hu Wang were to confront him at this moment, Chen Wu would stand his ground without fear.

Moreover, with his Spiritual Energy breaking through to the intermediate level, Chen Wu sensed an available Demonic Pet Space, signaling his ability to contract another Demonic Pet. A Grade 1 Demonic Pet Master can create three Demonic Pet Spaces, with the Demonic Pet's Strength not surpassing the Bronze Level. Reaching Grade 2 would allow one to handle and suppress the Spiritual Energy of a Silver-level Demonic Beast.

Of course, exceptions exist in this world, with some creatures possessing extraordinarily powerful Spiritual Energy. Their innate strength is so formidable that only a Grade 2 or Grade 3 Demonic Pet Master might have the opportunity to subdue them.

"I should head back to Phoenix Nest Mountain to contract another Demonic Pet to enhance my combat abilities," he mused.

Contracting Blood Rain had been a stroke of luck, but Chen Wu knew his second Demonic Pet required a more deliberate choice.

"Oh, I almost overlooked this!"

Chen Wu then pulled out a small, rectangular jade piece, half the length of a finger, which felt exceptionally smooth and had a pleasantly cool touch.

"What could this be?"

As Chen Wu examined it, his Spiritual Energy made contact, and suddenly, a torrent of information, akin to that from a Soul Sense Stone, flooded his mind, leaving him momentarily dazed.

Bombarded by this deluge of memories, Chen Wu had no choice but to absorb it all. After what seemed like an eternity, he slowly opened his eyes, now shining with clarity and wild joy.

"So, this is the fabled Soul Jade of Inheritance!"

The Soul Jade of Inheritance is a unique item crafted from memory-storing jade, designed to preserve Secret Arts and techniques. It is a widely distributed storage tool, crafted by humans and used by countless small and medium-sized families and organizations to safeguard their knowledge.

Chen Wu had offered the enigmatic masked man a high-level Healing Pill solely to fulfill a mission, never anticipating the man's generosity in return—a gift of a Secret Art!

Indeed, it's a Psychic Technique!

Psychic Techniques encompass offensive, defensive, and amplifying aspects. Some are designed for the Demonic Pet Master's personal use, while others are intended exclusively for Demonic Pets. The Psychic Technique that Chen Wu acquired is specifically meant to enhance the Demonic Pet Master themselves!

The Prison of Land Light: A Middle-grade Secret Art with an Earth attribute for defense. It requires a substantial amount of Spiritual Energy to create a shield of light powered by the Earth's force, enveloping the user and capable of withstanding a blow from a Bronze Grade 6 Demonic Pet!