Chapter 524: Taking Stock

‘It’s a pity. Tier Two Top Level Skills require much finer control over Magical Power. Even in my Overclocking State, I still can’t instantaneously cast a Perfection Tier Two Top Level Skill.’

‘But this is already enough.’

‘Just a Perfection Tier Two Skill, when cast in the Overclocking State with my higher Cultivation, is already powerful enough!’

‘Besides, as my true Cultivation Realm rises and my Divine Sense grows stronger, I’ll eventually be able to instantaneously cast even Tier Two Top Level Skills!’

‘There’s no need to rush it.’

Shen Changchuan briefly assessed his combat strength and was very satisfied.

With his current strength, even in his normal state, he was confident he could fight and defeat a Soul Emergence Ninth Layer Cultivator!

He was even confident he could contend with those at the Soul Emergence Ninth Layer Middle Stage!

This wasn’t Shen Changchuan being arrogant.

Although he had yet to fight a true Soul Emergence Ninth Layer enemy.

But back when he was at the Soul Emergence Seventh Layer Peak, before his breakthrough, he had fought plenty of enemies whose attacks were no weaker than the Ninth Layer.

Making a simple comparison, with his solid cultivation foundation, supplemented by his Perfection Tier Two Skills, he should be no weaker than an ordinary Ninth Layer Early Stage cultivator in his normal state!

And with his various other methods, he had no reason to fear a Ninth Layer Early Stage Cultivator at all!

Moreover…

‘If I activate the Overclocking State of my Golden Wind Jade Dew Gu and use all my abilities, including my Innate Divine Techniques, I could probably hold my own against an ordinary Ninth Layer Late Stage cultivator!’

Recalling the terrifying power of the Golden Wind Jade Dew Gu’s Overclocking State, a sharp glint flashed in Shen Changchuan’s eyes.

The higher the Cultivation Realm, the greater the gap between stages.

As far as he knew, the difference between the Soul Emergence Ninth Layer Late Stage and the Ninth Layer Middle Stage was no smaller than the gap between the Seventh Layer Peak and the Seventh Layer Early Stage!

But in his Overclocking State, the explosive surge in power gave Shen Changchuan the confidence to bridge that gap!

This massive increase in strength naturally left Shen Changchuan feeling exhilarated.

As he was now, he was probably among the top tier of experts in the entire Tian Nan Domain Immortal Cultivation Realm!

Even on the battlefields of the Nanyue Territory, against the Demonic Alliance, he would be considered a top-level fighter!

Furthermore, with the Space Travel ability granted by his Void Escape Gu, as long as no Divine Travel Realm masters appeared, practically no one could pose a threat to him!

This also meant that in this corner of the world, there were few enemies left who could truly threaten his life.

It was only at this moment that Shen Changchuan felt a sense of spiritual freedom in his heart, as if he had broken free from his shackles.

He had gone from a life of constant crisis, where mortal threats lurked at every turn; from hiding in Dawan Village, terrified that some unknown danger would appear one day and claim his life, to now, where he had finally gained a preliminary grasp on his own destiny.

This leap forward naturally filled Shen Changchuan’s heart with an unprecedented sense of elation.

However, after savoring the feeling for a moment, Shen Changchuan couldn’t help but reign in his thoughts and issue a warning to himself.

‘I can’t get arrogant!’

‘Even though my strength has improved significantly, and I’m now considered a prominent figure in remote backwaters like the Tian Nan Domain and the Nanyue Territory…’

‘…this world is vast. The Immortal Cultivation Realm is much more than just the Tian Nan Domain and the Nanyue Territory…’

Shen Changchuan thought to himself.

His once-fervent heart gradually cooled.

He hadn’t forgotten the news he’d heard in the Yuqing Immortal Sect—a follower of a Daoist, a cultivator at the Soul Emergence Ninth Layer Peak, couldn’t even last a few moves against Yu Changge before being utterly defeated!

That was a gap of absolute power!

And as for existences like Yu Changge… never mind the surrounding great domains, there were likely more than just one or two of them in the Southern Great Domain alone!

Even among those in the same Realm, there are clear differences in strength!

As he was now, he might be considered a prominent figure in a small place like the Tian Nan Domain—a peerless prodigy rarely seen in a thousand years, even. But in the context of the greater Immortal Cultivation Realm, he was still far from being able to roam freely as he pleased.

While Shen Changchuan was consolidating his power, the outside world was calm.

According to the investigation by his grandfather, Han Qinhu, and his men, the prodigies from the Outer Realm who had gathered outside Dawan Village had vanished without a trace, their whereabouts unknown.

Perhaps the earlier appearance of his master, Master Wandering Dragon, had made them wary. Or perhaps it was Shen Changchuan’s clean and decisive defeat of the enemy, Xuan Guangdao, that made them realize it was impossible to find any clues from him. Whatever the reason, they had shifted their focus elsewhere.

But regardless of the reason, Dawan Village had now become peaceful.

The tracks of those prodigies from the Outer Realm had vanished completely!

In fact, beyond Dawan Village, the entire Tian Nan Domain Immortal Cultivation Realm had fallen quiet!

The figures of those Outer Realm prodigies seemed to have disappeared.

Such a strange situation naturally caught Shen Changchuan’s attention.

The Tian Nan Domain was currently a little too quiet.

Something wasn’t right!

He knew that before this, those arrogant geniuses from the Outer Realm had caused quite a bit of trouble in the Tian Nan Domain!

After coming to a backward and barren place like the Tian Nan Domain and causing such a commotion, how could they suddenly start behaving themselves?

And why was there so little news about them from the surrounding Immortal Cultivation Realm?

No matter how you looked at it, something was off!

However, his grandfather Han Qinhu had already mobilized his network of informants, cultivated over many years, to gather information. But he still hadn’t been able to find any trace of them.

It seemed as though those people had gathered together to plot something. It was difficult for outsiders to get close to them, so it was naturally impossible to track them down.

Shen Changchuan paid some attention to the matter, but despite his suspicions, if he couldn’t get any news, he couldn’t get any news. He simply asked his grandfather to keep an eye out and put the matter aside for the time being.

Of course, he also secretly sent a Communication Talisman to Nangong City to inquire about the situation.

As for anything else, he would let it be for now.

After all, if there was no news to be found, there was no news to be found. There was no point in forcing it.

Sooner or later, with the passage of time, any conspiracy would eventually surface.

Compared to that, it was better to focus on improving his own strength first.

‘As for the Xiangshan Sect Gate Ruins… there might still be spies outside. I’d better put that off for now.’

‘For now, I’ll focus my energy on the Wood Undying Scripture… At the very least, I’ll practice a few Body Refining Techniques first and then see how things go…’

Although it seemed the prodigies from the Outer Realm had shifted their attention away from him, Shen Changchuan still felt it was best to play it safe for the time being.