Chapter 316 - 287: The Time Limit to Land on the Island Has Passed

Chapter 316: Chapter 287: The Time Limit to Land on the Island Has Passed

Jiang Xu took out an old booklet from his Storage Bag. On its mottled leather cover, two powerful and ancient characters leaped off the page—"Shadow Escape."

The strokes of these two characters were bold and strong, their style completely different from the common script of Great Qi today.

With a single glance, Jiang Xu could tell that this was a script from Ancient Times.

This was because although the ancient script had evolved into the modern, common script, there was still an intrinsic connection and continuity between them.

The reason he could recognize the ancient script lay in the history of the Western Wilderness State.

The Western Wilderness State was a relatively barren and isolated corner of the Ancient Five Continents.

After the great calamity of Ancient Times, the local civilization had managed to preserve some features from that era relatively intact, including the continued use of the ancient script.

Although the script had gradually simplified and evolved over time into the current script of the Great Qi Empire, its origins could still be traced back to the ancient script.

The relationship was like that between a modern, simplified script and its older, more complex traditional form.

While someone accustomed to the simplified version would struggle to write the traditional one,

they could still learn to read and understand the traditional script through education and exposure.

Although writing it might be a hurdle, recognition and comprehension weren’t major issues.

’I didn’t expect this to be one of the Ancient Techniques.’

Jiang Xu focused his mind, becoming more serious.

In his experience, every one of the Ancient Techniques was far more powerful than the Magic of the present day.

Perhaps his thinking was skewed because he hadn’t encountered many Ancient Techniques.

But this was still enough to raise his expectations for this Shadow Escape manual.

Opening the booklet in his hands, Jiang Xu began to quietly study its contents.

One hour passed.

Two hours passed.

Three hours passed.

...

Three days passed.

Jiang Xu put down the booklet, lost in thought.

As expected.

Such a Mysterious Art was indeed profound.

Jiang Xu understood the meaning of every single character inside.

But when strung together, they became incomparably abstruse, leaving him lost in a fog, unable to see clearly.

His poor comprehension of the Magic was one thing, but Jiang Xu’s aptitude was also unsuitable for practicing this technique.

This Shadow Escape Technique was extremely suitable for those with a Yin Spirit Root.

Their Cultivation speed could advance a thousand miles in a day, making it incredibly simple, and casting the technique would be as easy as breathing.

But for those with other Spirit Roots, it was much more difficult, and their Cultivation of it would be exceptionally sluggish.

After barely managing to learn it, casting the technique would consume several times more Magical Power and Spiritual Power than it would for someone with a Yin Spirit Root, and the effect would be noticeably weaker.

But Jiang Xu wasn’t concerned with such trivial matters.

’That middle-aged Cultivator didn’t have a Yin Spirit Root either, and he was still plenty fast when he ran.’

’Even if it’s a bit weaker when used by people with other Spirit Roots, it’s still better than other Escape Techniques. That’s good enough.’

Jiang Xu sighed.

’But if I can’t understand it, I can’t even get started.’

’And if I can’t get started, I won’t be able to use my panel’s abilities.’

Jiang Xu temporarily set aside the Shadow Escape and once again checked the Third Elder’s Qi signature.

In truth, he was also using this method to gauge the level of danger in Peach Blossom Valley.

’If the Third Elder and the others were all dead, there was no way in hell I would enter Peach Blossom Valley; I wouldn’t even set foot in the Peach Grove on its outskirts.’

’But if the Third Elder and the others came out alive... well, I wouldn’t voluntarily enter then either.’

He pinched one of the Third Elder’s Qi Mechanism Threads.

Jiang Xu was stunned.

’It’s been three days, why is she still inside Peach Blossom Valley?’

Jiang Xu quickly checked the Qi signatures of Sun Long and Sun Zixuan as well, discovering that they were also still located inside Peach Blossom Valley.

’Wait, have they gotten hooked on the place?’

’That can’t be it, right?’

Jiang Xu carefully examined the state of their Qi signatures again and found that they were still full and robust. There were no signs of Magical Combat, nor did it seem like they had lost a fight and been imprisoned.

This was quite intriguing.

An itch of curiosity grew in Jiang Xu’s heart.

He really wanted to see what they were doing in there.

But since he hadn’t mastered the Shadow Escape Technique, he didn’t have the capital to take such a risk, even if he wanted to.

He withdrew his senses from their Qi signatures again.

Jiang Xu stood under the night sky.

Bathed in moonlight, he quietly contemplated the Shadow Escape Technique.

Shadow Escape.

As the name implies.

It was a form of Magic that involved moving by slipping into shadows.

It was similar to the ordinary Five Elements Escape Technique.

The Five Elements Escape Technique included Gold Escape, Wood Escape, Water Escape, Fire Escape, and Earth Escape.

When casting a Five Elements Escape Technique within a certain range...

...take Wood Escape, for example.

The caster could manipulate Wood Attribute Spiritual Qi to instantly transport their body next to nearby plants or to a place rich in Wood Attribute Spiritual Qi.

They could also briefly merge their form into the plants, becoming one with them to achieve temporary Invisibility and avoid detection.

Shadow Escape, on the other hand, was an Escape Technique that used shadows as a medium.

The only difference was that the Five Elements Escape Technique had a lower threshold for entry.

This was because the vast majority of Cultivators possessed one of the Five Elements Spirit Roots.

They could sense the Spiritual Qi of the element corresponding to their own Spirit Root’s attribute among the Five Elements, allowing them to quickly get started with the Five Elements Escape Technique.

But Shadow Escape was different.

’Just what kind of insight would allow a Cultivator to understand how to merge with shadows?’

Jiang Xu was deeply conflicted.

Just then, a thick bank of dark clouds drifted over from the distance.

It gently obscured the bright moon overhead.

Jiang Xu stared as the dark cloud slowly blotted out the brilliant moonlight.

The silver-white light that had bathed the land was instantly replaced by profound darkness, and his figure vanished along with it into the boundless shadows.

He noticed that as the moonlight disappeared, the shadows in his surroundings grew indistinct.