For instance, if I transform into water Qi but can't change back, wouldn't I be doomed as well?
Or say, during the transformation into water Qi, half of my body turns human, and the other half turns into water Qi. At that point, I'm neither human nor Qi, and I'd end up doomed, as no one can survive with just half a body.
"The Immortal Dao is difficult indeed!" Zhang Chen's voice was full of sentiment.
However, having learned to transform his body into water currents, he had gained some insights into the Water Escape Technique. As for when he could actually perform it? He dared not make any rash attempts and knew he needed to study and comprehend it further.
But he had completed the most crucial step of material transformation — turning from human to water current. Mastering the Water Escape Technique seemed just a matter of time. As for the other Escape Techniques, he currently had no insights and felt cultivation would be as hard as reaching the heavens.
The peacock, upon hearing Zhang Chen's lament, thought he hadn't found the way, and said with a smile, "Young brother, don't rush. You are but an acquired ant and don't understand the Dao of the Five Elements, so of course cultivation is extremely difficult. You must realize that these Five Elements Escape Techniques were originally designed for various Five Elements Spirits, so you needn't be disheartened if you can't succeed in cultivation."
Zhang Chen ignored him and continued pondering the Escape Techniques: 'The Five Elements Escape Techniques, each mastered individually, are somewhat useless. For instance, even if I master the Water Escape, I can only perform it in a river. In a place without water, it is useless. Only if the Water Escape Technique is cultivated to a high level and the Law of Water is mastered can one use the Law of Water present in the air to escape.'
"Among the Five Elements Escape Techniques, the most useful is the Earth Escape Technique, as the earth is ever-present. As long as one's feet touch the ground, one can escape at any time." Zhang Chen mused to himself.
While pondering the Five Elements Escape Techniques, Zhang Chen was also wiping the palace. He already had an idea and plan for cultivating the Five Elements Escape Techniques. As long as he could master the entry-level Water Escape Technique, would it be possible to grind all the Five Elements Escape Techniques onto the Golden Finger Interface?
If he could grind all the Escape Techniques onto the Golden Finger Interface, wouldn't cultivating the Five Elements Escape Techniques become much easier?
"Zhang Chen!" As Zhang Chen was deep in thought, he suddenly heard the voice of the Ancestral Master behind him.
"Disciple greets the Ancestral Master." Zhang Chen hurriedly put down the cloth and respectfully bowed.
The Ancestral Master looked Zhang Chen up and down and then said, "With the arrival of so many mighty beings, we need someone to tend to them. Stop cleaning the backyard for now, and go serve the Ancestral Masters by offering tea and water daily."
Zhang Chen respectfully bowed upon hearing this: "Disciple obeys."
Serving tea and water to the visiting Ancestral Masters daily, Zhang Chen didn't mind at all. Instead, he felt rather excited, as being in close contact with the Ancestral Masters might present him with an opportunity to make his move.
Zhang Chen bowed again to the Ancestral Master and respectfully withdrew to start serving the Ancestral Masters.
Zhang Chen prepared mountain spring water and selected the best charcoal and tea leaves, making his way to the masters' retreated courtyard.
First, Zhang Chen came to the yard of the East Profound Ancestor, where he found the ancestor sitting in meditation in the great hall, his back to Zhang Chen, without even acknowledging his arrival.
Zhang Chen cautiously glanced at the back of the East Profound Ancestor, swiftly poured the spring water, lit the charcoal fire, and left the courtyard.
When Zhang Chen arrived at the dwelling of the Three Immortals from Overseas, they were nowhere to be found. Zhang Chen merely added charcoal and prepared tea inside the house before proceeding to the Xuanji Ancestor.
At that moment, the Xuanji Ancestor was holding a piece of tortoise shell, studying it. Upon hearing Zhang Chen's movements, he glanced at him out of the corner of his eye and then was startled: "How strange!"
The Xuanji Ancestor's gaze was fixed entirely on Zhang Chen, eyes full of surprise. His fingers kept calculating, his brows constantly furrowing, looking puzzled, as if he had encountered something he couldn't solve.
"Little Daoist child, come here a moment," the Xuanji Ancestor beckoned to Zhang Chen.
"Does the Ancestral Master have any instructions?" Zhang Chen, having prepared the tea, was about to leave when he heard the call, immediately turned around, and respectfully bowed.
"Step forward and let me have a good look at you," said the Xuanji Ancestor.
Obliging the request, Zhang Chen approached with a respectful demeanor, as the Xuanji Ancestor scrutinized him closely, murmuring: "Strange! Very strange! I've never seen such an obscure Celestial Secret on a being since I attained the Dao."
Listening, Zhang Chen was inwardly alarmed: "Could this old man have seen something?"
After all, he was not from the second heaven of the Spiritual World. If the other party deduced something, it would be problematic.
"Lad, don't worry. Although this old man possesses the skill to calculate Celestial Secrets, he cannot deduce the peculiarity on you. Do not fear or show weakness!" The voice of the Great Freedom Celestial Demon echoed in Zhang Chen's mind: "Moreover, with me safeguarding your Life Chart, how could he glimpse it?"
"Little Daoist, would you be interested in calculating your future? See how your cultivation will fare this lifetime, and whether you might become an immortal?" Xuanji Ancestor asked with a smile.
Zhang Chen shook his head decisively and straightforwardly refused: "Seeking immortality and divination is less effective than being one's own master."
Catching this response, the Xuanji Ancestor was momentarily stunned. Zhang Chen's phrase "Seeking immortality and divination is less effective than being one's own master" stirred waves in his heart, countless thoughts rolling like tides, unable to calm for a long time.
"Aren't you curious about your future? Many in this world desire for me to calculate their fortunes but cannot get it. Even beings of the twelfth tier are willing to spend fortunes for my divination, yet you, a Daoist child, reject an opportunity offered on a platter, which greatly surprises me," the Xuanji Ancestor commented as he clapped his tortoise shell: "Lad, when others request me to calculate their fate, I usually ignore them. Yet when you refuse to have your fate read, I insist on calculating it. Drop a drop of your blood on this shell, and I'll calculate your fate, guiding you to easily reach the twelfth tier."
Upon hearing this request for his blood, Zhang Chen hesitated; the world was rife with ways to curse or harm using blood. If this old man intended to harm him, wouldn't he be delivering himself on a platter?
At this time, the Great Freedom Celestial Demon chimed in Zhang Chen's mind: "What are you afraid of? Just let him calculate. With the authority of the Innate Five Elements within you, how could he possibly calculate it?"
Knowing this, Zhang Chen saw that unless he bled today, he might not easily deceive the other. Repeated refusals might arouse suspicion and cause the other to detect something unusual about him.
Therefore, Zhang Chen took out a knife, carefully squeezed out some ordinary blood, and dropped it onto the tortoise shell.
Zhang Chen, mastering the Blood Control Technique, let out only ordinary blood, keeping all essence-blood within the Blood Core. Even with his divination skill, he doubted the Xuanji Ancestor could notice the uses of the Blood Control Technique.
Watching the droplet fall, the Xuanji Ancestor stared intently at his tortoise shell, eyes wide, fingers calculating endlessly in the air as if he had come across a confounding problem.
"Strange! Very strange! Truly strange! Strange matters are everywhere every year, but this year particularly so," the Xuanji Ancestor muttered, glancing at his shell and rethinking: "Your life chart shows white entwined with gray; according to fate, you should be dead already and have no chance of seeking the Dao at Qingcheng Mountain. Yet, you not only survived but reached Qingcheng Mountain, truly unbelievable."
After scrutinizing Zhang Chen for a while longer, the Xuanji Ancestor finally asked: "Boy, did you experience anything peculiar in your childhood?"