Black Myth: Starting from the Destined One
Chapter 252 - 196: Devil Star Seventy-Two Transformations!_2

Chapter 252: Chapter 196: Devil Star Seventy-Two Transformations!_2

The cultivator from Immeasurable Sect, Jia Zhengfeng, recounted truthfully:

"I haven’t slept for several days because of the Grand Ritual of the Heavenly Master, even last night I was continuously practicing cultivation, so naturally, my spirit isn’t as good as before..."

"Don’t you understand..."

The Head of Immeasurable Sect, Taishu Yiqing, was anxious and wanted to make things clear to Jia Zhengfeng, but Li Ping’an took over the conversation and explained to the crowd of cultivators:

"Before, before I exchanged hands with fellow Taoist Jia Zhengfeng from the Immeasurable Sect, the Ghost Taoist told me that to defeat Jia Zhengfeng, who cultivates both martial arts and dao, I must quickly defeat him with full force before he could use his Taoist Magic, and to win, the key was to knock him down before Jia Zhengfeng’s martial arts attack could hit me!"

Li Ping’an cast a friendly smile towards the cultivator Jia Zhengfeng from the Immeasurable Sect:

"Thus, the Ghost Taoist secretly taught me a technique to control the human mind, of course, this is a method of the Taoist sect, not some crooked path. The precondition for the person under the spell to be affected is that they must be weary, with insufficient Essence, Qi, and Spirit, in order for it to be effective. And I was just trying it out with that mindset, and as it turns out, fellow Taoist Jia Zhengfeng indeed wasn’t in optimal spiritual condition, and thus fell for my technique!"

"By seizing the opportunity when he was vulnerable, I controlled his spirit, resorted to a quick trick, concentrating all the mana into my fingers, and that’s how I managed to defeat Jia Zhengfeng. Now, I don’t have a bit of mana left in my body."

Finally, Li Ping’an turned his head towards the Ghost Taoist and tilted his head, asking:

"Ghost Taoist, can you vouch for me with your reputation, is there any falsehood in what I said?"

"Humph! Kid! To win without arrogance, commendable indeed!"

The Ghost Taoist knew very well that he had never taught Li Ping’an any technique to control the human mind, and although he did not understand why Li Ping’an did this, after some thought, he guessed that Li Ping’an probably wanted to use this as a means to mislead his future opponents. Hence, he cooperated and said:

"That’s right! With guidance from me, the Ghost Taoist, how could he not win?"

"So that’s what happened!"

Only then did the cultivators understand why the cultivator Li Ping’an from Mount Longhu could defeat Jia Zhengfeng of the Immeasurable Sect. However, rather than being wary of Li Ping’an, they mocked him proudly:

"I was wondering how a cultivator from Mount Longhu could defeat one from the Immeasurable Sect!"

"I heard that the current Heavenly Master of Mount Longhu’s cultivation is only at the Qi Gathering Realm or maybe the Clay Figure Realm. How could his disciple possibly defeat a cultivator from the Guxuan Realm!"

"Scared me for a moment there, I really thought Mount Longhu, which almost broke its lineage, was having a momentary resurgence!"

"Looking at it this way, this Li Ping’an is nothing special after all. If it weren’t for the Ghost Taoist’s guidance, Li Ping’an would have been the loser!"

"But I still feel there’s something off about it, yet I can’t put my finger on what exactly is off!"

"Alright, alright, stop with the wild guesses. Although Li Ping’an is a cultivator from a small sect, he is straightforward and voluntarily confessed the truth. If it were me, I would certainly boast about myself and take the opportunity to belittle someone else!"

...

"Ghost Taoist!"

Upon learning the true situation, the Observatory Master of Moyun Temple, Immortal Fei He, immediately stood up indignantly to question:

"Didn’t you say you wouldn’t assist with your own hand? How come you broke the rules?"

"Ridiculous!"

The Ghost Taoist looked disdainfully at Moyun Temple’s Observatory Master, Immortal Fei He, who was trying to throw his weight around, and retorted:

"How have I broken the rules? Did I make a move, or did I tamper with things in secret? Hmm? Just providing advice before a match counts as breaking the rules now? Ask these cultivators, which one of them didn’t receive guidance from their Sect Leader or senior brothers and sisters before stepping onto the stage?"

Night Traveler, Muqiang Baoshan, in order to continue clarifying Li Ping’an’s situation, promptly came out and persuaded:

"Immortal Fei He, let it go, what the Ghost Taoist did doesn’t count as breaking the rules. We all were watching. Hurry up and prepare for the next competition; don’t waste time bickering."

"Fine..."

With that, the Observatory Master of Moyun Temple, Immortal Fei He, reluctantly dropped the matter.

At this point, most of the cultivators believed that Li Ping’an won by taking advantage of the Ghost Taoist’s guidance and opportunism. However, Sect Master Zhuge Junchen of the Flame Cloud Sect, Night Traveler Muqiang Baoshan, Senior Brother Taishi Bao of Qingyun Sect, and Head of Heavenly Mist Sect, Mo Liqi, were increasingly unable to comprehend Li Ping’an. For a moment, they could not determine whether he had won by his own abilities or if it was due to the Ghost Taoist’s guidance.

To get to the bottom of this, they all refrained from speaking; they were just waiting for Li Ping’an’s next competition!

...

"Young Master Li, others may not know you, but don’t I know you well?"

Zixia watched Li Ping’an, who had grown stronger to the point where she had to look up to him, and felt emotional inside:

"In just two months, Young Master Li has become so powerful, so terrifying. I wouldn’t be a match for that Jia Zhengfeng from the Immeasurable Sect, yet you resolved him with just two fingers. Now, I just want to know what exactly has happened to you?"

...

Eldest Senior Brother of the Flame Cloud Sect took it seriously, truly thinking that Li Ping’an won by trickery with the help of a Ghost Taoist, and reached out to Sect Master Zhuge Junchen of the Flame Cloud Sect to request:

"Master, although Li Ping’an has won luckily, he is also a sincere person. So, should I confront him if we meet him later? Or should we switch to third junior brother instead?"

"Wait and see how he fares in the following matches..."

After responding to the Eldest Senior Brother, Sect Master Zhuge Junchen of the Flame Cloud Sect then asked the second senior brother:

"Old Two, have you still not found Pei Yuanjing?"

"Not yet..."

The second senior brother of the Flame Cloud Sect replied timidly.

"Forget it, let’s continue waiting!"

For some reason, Sect Master Zhuge Junchen of the Flame Cloud Sect felt increasingly convinced that Pei Yuanjing had indeed been killed, and whether it was by the Qingyun Sect cultivator Li Ping’an or not was something to be ascertained by observing Li Ping’an’s performance going forward!

However, what concerned him the most at the moment was whether the Immortal Slaying Sword, one of the three great treasures of the Flame Cloud Sect bestowed upon Pei Yuanjing, might have already fallen into someone else’s hands!

It should be noted that the Immortal Slaying Sword was the culmination of the effort of ten generations of the Flame Cloud Sect’s leaders, and it absolutely could not be lost!

...

"How did the Qingyun Sect cultivator Li Ping’an manage to create a bewildering formation and feed everyone a confusion potion? This way of doing things, this manner of speaking, somehow reminds me of my life-saving benefactor, the Gang Leader of the Five-Finger Mountain Axe Gang, Supreme Treasure?"

The Night Traveler, Muqiang Baoshan, was becoming more and more confused!

...

"Puppet, I’ve just finished going through the ancient Taoist tomes from five hundred years ago, and I’ve finally figured out the methods used by Li Ping’an!"

A distant voice came from his left shoulder, where Kumarajiva was housed.

"Master, is he really using the Eight Nine Profound Art, or the Seventy-Two Transformations?"

Zhengyi Temple’s Nangong Zhidao asked impatiently:

"Pei Yuanjing was easily subdued by him using the same move!"

"It’s not the Eight Nine Profound Art, but Sage Sun’s Seventy-Two Transformations, the Devil Star Seventy-Two Transformations!"

Kumarajiva cried out excitedly from the left shoulder.

"What? It’s actually true? The legendary Seventy-Two Transformations, an authentic divine skill of the Taoist sect that is indeed real?"

Zhengyi Temple’s Nangong Zhidao became even more excited:

"Does this mean that Li Ping’an truly possesses the Devil Star Seventy-Two Transformations, a Taoist divine skill lost for five hundred years?"

"Exactly!"

Kumarajiva commanded from the left shoulder:

"In a word, force him to use all his skills! He is a hundredfold more precious than Pei Yuanjing’s physical body! I must uncover all his secrets for my own use!"

"Yes, Master"

...

"Brother Jia Zhengfeng of the Immeasurable Sect, although my victory was dishonorable, for the sake of the honor of Mount Longhu, I had no choice but to do so. Even if you lose, your Immeasurable Sect still has reserved slots, so please forgive my unworthy behavior!"

Li Ping’an lowered his posture extremely, with the intention of continuing to deceive the public, meaning:

Before I truly become powerful, I should still keep a low profile, for though I might be strong among these cultivators, compared to the myriad holy Buddhas and various demons, I am still too weak!

"Li Ping’an, Fellow Taoist, you have conceded, thank you!"

The cultivator Jia Zhengfeng of the Immeasurable Sect saw that Li Ping’an was still preserving his and the Immeasurable Sect’s dignity and immediately bowed deeply to Li Ping’an in gratitude.

"All of you, remember this!"

Head of Immeasurable Sect, Taishu Yiqing, turned back and scolded his disciples:

"All disciples, heed my command!"