Shit, Slifer thought.

He desperately needed to find a way to increase Hughie’s loyalty. The most straightforward approach would be to get rid of that pesky ring and ensure Hughie remained close. However, he knew that couldn’t be done. One, he was certain the Greater Immortal would smite him, and two, the ring would undoubtedly find its way back to Hughie – possibly due to some 'Heaven's Will' or other such nonsense.

Suppressing a sigh, Slifer mentally lamented. He didn't possess any technique or hidden treasure to win over Hughie. If only he had an abundance of Karmic Credits, then he could buy his disciple's loyalty. Dammit, I really don’t have anything to give...

Suddenly, an idea sparked. Val! Perhaps, letting Val spend some time with Hughie might stabilize his loyalty. While it might not significantly elevate it, at least it could hover above that risky 30%.

Hughie, who had been waiting for his master to dismiss him, couldn’t help but think, What's with Master these days? Ever since his breakthrough, it's either he's been getting distracted mid-conversation, leering at me oddly or staring into space... He couldn’t help but think of the grandpa in the ring and his strange behaviours, and sighed. Cultivation sure does a number on one's brain. Hmm, I wonder if anyone thinks the same about me…nah I’m sure that only happens once you reach the Nascent Soul realm.

Slifer coughed, breaking the silence. "As the Disciple Selection Ceremony is approaching, I want you to remain within the sect," he instructed.

Hughie opened his mouth to protest, but Slifer continued, "Since I will be choosing a disciple, I expect all current disciples to be present."

Hughie's protest died in his throat, and he lowered his head.

"Also, Val has been... getting into trouble recently. And as her Juni-" Hughie shot him a skeptical look, and Slifer quickly corrected himself. "As her Senior Brother, it's your duty to discipline her."

Hughie couldn't help but roll his eyes. Yeah, right. that's 'my' job. But all he said was, "Of course, Master. I'll look after Val."

Slifer opened his mouth to offer further guidance, but Hughie was already racing off, calling over his shoulder, "Actually, I'll do that right now!" Watching Hughie's retreating figure, Slifer couldn't help but scoff. "Low loyalty indeed," he muttered under his breath.

Now alone in the courtyard, Slifer decided it was the perfect time to experiment with his new technique. He closed his eyes and focused, recalling the information about the Dimensional Slide technique. It required him to channel qi to the ends of his fingers or feet. He would need to manifest the qi, then transmute it into space qi, and finally use it to tear open a rift in space.

Slifer opted for the finger method, because, well, fingers seemed less embarrassing if this goes south. Following the instructions, he successfully focused his Anima Qi—the life force within every cultivator—to his fingertips. But the next step was trickier.

Anima Qi could be converted into elemental qi, like fire, water, or wind. However, transitioning it into something as complex as space or time qi was on a whole other level. It was akin to turning water into wine; you needed a certain divine touch.

It probably sounds harder than it is, he consoled himself, recalling Hughie's dismal comprehension stat of 2.

As he tried to convert it into space qi, he was met with resistance.

Slifer grunted with the effort, sweat beading on his brow. "You’re a stubborn fella,” he muttered. The only reason he had managed to handle light qi was because he had glimpsed its essence during an enlightenment experience. But space qi was proving to be an entirely different beast.

"Come on, space qi... Be a good little qi and transform," Slifer coaxed, waving his finger as if trying to lure a stubborn cat.

But, like a cat, the qi seemed to have a mind of its own, completely ignoring Slifer's attempts at persuasion.

He concentrated harder but no matter how much he tried, it remained stubbornly Anima Qi. "Maybe if I just..." he murmured, flicking his finger in what he hoped was a space-tearing motion. Instead of a rift, all he managed was to flick a pebble across the courtyard.

Slifer gazed at the space in front of him, utterly flabbergasted. "Hughie, with a comprehension of 2, mastered this in a day?" He muttered, raking his fingers through his hair. "If that’s the case, then is my comprehension stat 1?”

He pondered momentarily. A zero would likely mean one's brain was akin to a potato. That unsettling realization made Slifer groan. "Great, I'm nearly a sentient vegetable. Just what the realm needed."

He tried to shake off the disheartening thought. Until the System reveals my stats, there's no point getting worked up. Maybe space qi just... isn’t my thing, Slifer reasoned, though not entirely convinced.

With a resigned sigh, he decided it was time to check the cost of leveling up the technique through the System. He had avoided this path before, as the System had a penchant for exorbitant charges. Last time I checked the prices, I nearly had an aneurysm...

He shook his head, trying to clear it of negative thoughts. "The Dimensional Slide is crucial. It's my get-out-of-jail-free card, and with my luck, I'll need it sooner rather than later. And let's be honest, who else in the human realm can boast about wielding an Obsidian Rank technique? It could be my best shot at escaping a dire situation before I reach the Immortal Realm."

Teleporting... he thought wistfully, recalling the movies and comics that had fueled his childhood fantasies. Just like in Jumper, or Nightcrawler from the X-Men...

A soft chuckle escaped him, "I mean, who wouldn't want the convenience? Get to the fridge without moving an inch. Perfect for a former couch potato... or a nearly sentient vegetable."

Taking a deep breath, he steeled himself. "Okay, let's rip off this band-aid," he whispered, ready to see the cost of upgrading the technique.

Focusing intently on the Dimensional Slide technique, he was presented with three distinct options in bold:

Impart Sell Upgrade

"Let's see the damage," he sighed heavily, hesitating just a moment before selecting Upgrade. The anticipation was killing him; he half-expected to see a price that would make his heart stop.

Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

"Please don't make me regret this, System," he mumbled, fingers crossed for good measure.

Cost: 500 Karmic Credits

He gritted his teeth; it was as he expected. No matter the technique, upgrading from level 0 to level 1 always cost 500 Karmic Credits. This might not seem like much, but each subsequent upgrade only got more ridiculous, doubling each time. Normally, Slifer would rather spend a few days practicing a technique to reach level 1; after all, it wasn’t like he did much else. His disciples were usually the ones farming the credits.

Months could go by, and I still might not get it, Slifer thought with a heavy sigh.

Resigned, he clicked "Buy."

He felt a strange sensation, akin to the enlightenment phase but more like a mini-enlightenment period, as his understanding of space and the technique improved. Ah, that makes more sense! He laughed as he finally understood why he wasn't able to convert his qi into space qi before.

Ding! Dimensional Slide Technique Level Up

Closing his eyes, he focused on the instructions of the Dimensional Slide technique. His qi flowed to his fingertips and transformed into space qi. With a swift tearing motion, a small portal materialized before him.

"Now that is awesome," he exclaimed with a chuckle.

Ding! New Affinity Unlocked Light (20%) Fire (5%) Space (2%)

So, the System wanted me to begin learning three elements before deciding to add it to my stats? Slifer shook his head at the System's strange and seemingly arbitrary requirements.

Just as he was about to step into the portal, he hesitated. Better safe than sorry. Who knows what's waiting for me in the Void Realm? Activating the Nascent Soul Armor, smoky black armor enveloped his body. He took a deep breath and stepped through the portal, which snapped shut behind him.

Moments later, Caelum appeared in the courtyard with a flash of qi, his expression fraught with distress. "Master, this useless disciple needs your h—" He cut off abruptly, realizing that Slifer was nowhere to be seen. Frowning, he muttered to himself, "I swear I sensed Master here a moment ago..."

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"It's over, it's over, I'm finished," Li Fenghao rambled, pacing in the ring like a caged beast. High above him, Hughie, perched on his flying sword while scanning the skies for Val, sighed heavily. "What are you grumbling about now?" he called down.

Li Fenghao pointed a shaky finger to the sky, mumbling, "Life essence, you can't just absorb it! There are heavenly rules!" His eyes widened as he added, "But your master's technique... It doesn’t care about such rules!"

Hughie chuckled. "So what? That just means my master is more awesome than we thought... which is honestly a sentence I never imagined saying."

Li Fenghao shook his head wildly. "No, no, no! Any cultivator who can ignore the laws set by the Heavens is not simple. They go on to do great things…scary things. Ascendant cultivator? Your master is no Ascendant cultivator!"

Hughie's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Wait, are you saying Master's been hiding his cultivation? He hasn’t truly reached the Ascendant realm?"

"No, you fool," Li Fenghao said, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Your master is not a mortal. He's at least an immortal, but most likely a Greater Immortal." He fell silent, his eyes darting around as if expecting Slifer to pop out of thin air.

"Master... an immortal?" Hughie blinked in disbelief. "That can't be possible. Are you sure you haven't had too much spirit wine, old man?"

Li Fenghao glared at him, suddenly looking deadly serious. "He sensed me. I felt him stare right into my soul. Do you think a mere mortal has that kind of power?"

Hughie, taken aback by the outburst, raised his hands in a placating gesture. "Easy there, old man. Take a deep breath."

Li Fenghao heaved a sigh, his shoulders slumping. "It doesn't make sense," he mumbled. "Why would your master let me live? If he used that technique at the Immortal level, he could have drained me dry of life essence."

Chuckling, Hughie teased, "Sounds like the 'mighty' Greater Immortal is a bit rattled."

With a scowl, the erratic elder retorted, "In my prime, I could've slapped your master into the next realm! But..." He paused, glancing around nervously. "For now, let's be a tad wary of him, alright?"

"Be wary of Master?" Hughie questioned, raising an eyebrow. The idea was absurd to him. Sure, there were those recent instances where his master showed a bit too much interest in his disciples, particularly in Hughie. That had led Hughie to speculate, with a shudder, that maybe Master had... different tastes. But despite tales of his master's ruthlessness, he had never harmed his own disciples, at least not intentionally. Neglect, maybe, but not harm.

"Why should I trust a grandpa trapped in a ring over my own master?" Hughie shot back

"Your master is definitely hiding some secrets, brat!" Li Fenghao retorted.

Hughie snorted. "Which cultivator doesn't have a closet full of secrets?"

Li Fenghao shook his head vigorously. "No immortal being would willingly hide in the mortal realm unless they're planning something major. Either that or they've lost their marbles. But your master seems to have all his faculties intact."

Seeing that Hughie wasn't convinced, Li Fenghao whispered. "I sensed great desire from your master when he stared at you."

Hughie's face paled, and he gulped audibly. So, he wasn't just imagining things. "I guess... being careful can't hurt," he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper.

Li Fenghao nodded, he was reluctant to deplete the qi he had painstakingly restored over countless millenniums of confinement. However, he recognized the gravity of facing a Greater Immortal, particularly one that followed the demonic path.

I would rather blow us all up than fall into the hands of one of 'them'.

----------------------------------------

Slifer appeared in the Void Realm with a disoriented blink. "This looks like a black and white movie," he commented, surveying the eerie landscape that made him slightly uncomfortable. It was a deadland—no trees, no living beings, nothing. Just a barren, desolate expanse. "It's depressing," he muttered to himself, feeling a shiver run down his spine.

Shrugging, he decided it was time to leave, the technique was a great way to move around unhindered but this place was too...creepy.

With a casual flick of his wrist, Slifer expected the familiar swirl of the Dimensional Slide technique to materialize instantly. But instead of the usual portal opening, there was nothing—just the empty air where a gateway should have appeared. His confident expression faltered, turning into a mix of surprise and disbelief as he stared at the empty space.

"That was...unexpected."

Shaking his head, he repeated the gesture once more, then again, and yet again.

"Why isn't it working?" Slifer frowned, a twinge of panic creeping into his voice. He paused, his eyes widening in horror. "Don't tell me I'm stuck here..."

The very thought of being trapped in this lifeless realm sent shivers of dread through him. Being alone here would drive him mad, and if he wasn't alone—well, that was an even worse prospect. Only beings that would reside here are beings that could squash me like an ant, killing me without even realizing they stepped on something, he thought, his face paling.

Slifer let out an awkward laugh, which quickly turned into an ugly grimace. "Don't tell me this is karmic retribution for copying a protagonist's technique..."

His musings were abruptly interrupted by a roar. But this wasn't any ordinary roar—it was a ghastly sound that made his skin prickle with fear. Instinctively, he turned towards the sound, his eyes widening at the sight of two behemoth-sized, dementor-like figures in the air having a standoff.

"Holy spirit stones..." Slifer whispered, his breath caught in his throat, he felt very small and out of place.

How can they be so far away yet look so...big?

Slowly, Slifer began to edge backward, every muscle in his body tensed. I need to get out of here and hide, he thought, tiptoeing as quietly as possible in the opposite direction.

Suddenly, the ghastly roar escalated into ear-piercing screeches as the two dementor-like beings clashed. The shockwave from their collision sent Slifer flying forward, tumbling through the air. As he sailed uncontrollably away from the battle, a begrudging sense of gratitude washed over him.

At least it's pushing me away from those two, Slifer thought grumpily. No wonder no one wants to live here...