The atmosphere in the carriage was tense after the brief scuffle earlier. To help ease the tension, Liang Wu pulled out three tiny crystals. They were sparkling with a wondrous multicolored light. “This is the loot we got from defeating the Crystal Guardian. We were incredibly lucky and got the rarest loot, with only a .001% drop rate and three of them on top of that.”

He handed each of them a crystal.

“Wow! It's so pretty!” Daiyu rolled the crystal around in her hands, holding it up to the light filtering in through the window. It lit up the inside of the carriage with a rainbow light. “What does it do?”

A system panel popped up as she asked.

Crystal Core - Unique-Grade

Description: Use of this core will enhance the physique by one grade. (MAX God-Grade)

(Those without a physique have a 33% chance to gain a random physique)

“If I use this, I'll get a physique like Daiyu’s?” Chen Li Li asked. She had been jealous of Daiyu’s physique since she learned of it, now with this crystal she could get one as well.

“You could get a physique if you're lucky enough.” He nodded.

“How do I use it?” She asked, eager to get a special physique for herself.

“Place it in your mouth and suck on it.” Liang Wu said with a teasing smirk.

“Suck it? Won't I choke?”

“You won't choke. It will melt in your mouth. Just be careful, they have random flavors.” He said, a devious gleam in his eyes. What he didn't tell her was that when he created the crystals as dungeon loot, he made the majority of the random flavors very wacky, like super spicy melon, and sickeningly sweet fried chicken. Only a handful of normal flavors existed among thousands of wacky combinations.

Chen Li Li saw the weird look in his eyes and held her crystal out to him. “You, lick mine first.” She commanded.

“What? Why should I lick yours?”

“Just do it!” She said as she pushed the crystal towards his mouth.

“Fine.” He reached his tongue out, tentatively touching the tip against the smooth surface of the crystal. “Yum, it tastes like peaches.”

She observed his reaction, making sure he was telling the truth. When she didn't see anything wrong with his expression, she popped the crystal into her mouth. “Oh! It really does taste like peaches!”

“Um…” Liang Wu wanted to remind her that he'd just licked that crystal before she put it in her mouth, but she ate it too fast.

She blushed slightly and turned her face away from his. Ahh! Why did I do that!? I can't believe I made him lick it so I could get a secondhand kiss! OMG! He didn't notice, did he?

“Uh… c-can you l-lick mine too…?” Daiyu asked shyly.

“Why should I lick yours too?” He asked with a hint of annoyance in his voice.

“Sniff… you won't lick it?” She asked, barely holding back tears.

“Ugh, fine, give it to me.” He said, seeing the tears in her eyes.

He gave the crystal a quick lick, using more of his tongue this time, but immediately regretted it. “Ah! Sour!” His face scrunched up like he had just sucked on the world’s sourest lemon—which, as it turned out, was exactly what Daiyu’s crystal core tasted like.

Both girls burst into hysterical laughter at the ridiculous expression on his face.

A little peeved at their reactions, he tossed the crystal into Daiyu’s open mouth. She tasted it the second it touched her tongue, causing her face to scrunch from the sourness.

She swallowed it down so she would stop tasting the sourness. “Ah! I swallowed on accident! Is that bad?”

“Haha! It's fine, it will still take effect.” As he finished talking, a soft white light glowed around Daiyu’s body.

She read over a screen that appeared in her eyes. “It says that my physique was enhanced to the God-Grade!” She said, forgetting the sour taste in her mouth from the excitement.

Chen Li Li swallowed her crystal as well. She waited a few seconds, but nothing happened. “Why isn't mine working?” She asked Liang Wu in desperation.

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“Theres only a 33% chance.” He said with a shrug.

“So it didn't work? I won't get a special physique?” She grabbed his hands and asked in a pleading voice. “Give me another one, please?”

“Here, this is the last one.” He said, pulling out the last crystal core and placing in her hands. “Make sure to suck it slowly.”

“Why, will that help?” She asked, while gazing at the crystal.

“Yes.” He lied. It would in no way increase her chances of getting a special physique. He was just pranking her, with the hopes that it was going to have a terrible flavor.

She hesitated as she brought the core to her mouth. “Is this really the last crystal?”

He nodded.

“Then what about you? Don't you want a special physique?” She asked, putting the crystal down unwillingly.

“I already have a special physique.” He said while leaning back in his seat, waiting for her to place the crystal into her mouth.

“Really? So you don't need this crystal?” Chen Li Li asked hopefully.

“No, go ahead and eat it, just remember, suck nice and slowly. And I'm not licking it this time!” He really didn't need the crystal since his physique was already above God-Grade.

“Okay, don't regret this later.” She said while popping the crystal into her mouth. “Oh, so yummy! It tastes like honey! That’s my favorite flavor!”

“Damn it!” He muttered under his breath. “How is she so lucky?”

“What physique do you have?” Daiyu chimed in.

“My physique is the Unaging body. I crafted it myself, and as far as I know, it is the only physique above the God-Grade.” He said proudly.

“Wow! So what special ability does it have?” Daiyu asked. She believed it must have a very special ability if it was above the God-Grade.

“It makes me immune to time.” He said, excepting to hear them exclaim in surprise and awe. However, what he got instead were two blank stares.

“That's it?” Chen Li Li asked.

“Do you know what it means to be immune to time?” He asked back, but before they could respond, he answered himself. “It allows me to achieve something similar to that Crystal Guardian we fought. I am completely unaffected by not only the passage of time, but the time element itself. So no attack made with the time element can ever do damage to me.”

“Okay, I have three questions.” Chen Li Li said. “First, what is the time element?”

“The time element is just like other elements like water and fire. It is just an exceedingly rare element that most people are unable to wield.” He explained and waited for her next question.

“Alright, next question. Why not give yourself an actually useful physique? Like, you could have made a physique that allows you to respawn like a video game character.”

“I could have done that, however, that's cheating. I don't want any advantages over others.” He selectively forgot that he is cultivating in the most powerful cultivation technique in this world, which was definitely a tremendous advantage over others.

“Hmm… Okay, last question.” She paused, taking a deep breath and asked with a serious expression. “Are you an idiot?”

“Yes… Wait, what did you say!?” He accidentally answered without thinking.

“Hahaha!” She burst into laughter again. Daiyu started to laugh alongside her.

While they were laughing, a soft white light glowed around Chen Li Li’s body, causing her to abruptly stop her laughter. “Oh! Oh my gosh! I got a special physique!”

“Really? What kind did you get?” Daiyu asked excitedly.

“Here I'll show you. Xiao Bai share the screen.”

A screen appeared before Daiyu and Liang Wu’s eyes.

Physique Unlocked! - Ethereal Wind Physique! (Immortal-Grade)

Description: The Ethereal Wind Physique is the apex of speed type physiques. The wielder of this physique gains unmatched agility, superior reflexes, incredible cultivation speed, and Wind element techniques power are doubled.

However it is not without its negatives. The wielder will have diminished physical strength and stamina consumption is doubled.

“That is a very rare physique. Surprisingly, it’s the opposite of Daiyu’s,” Liang Wu said, reading the words on the screen.

“Who’s physique is stronger?” Chen Li Li asked. She had always felt a strange sense of rivalry with Daiyu, even though she really liked her.

“That’s hard to say. Many people have tried ranking each known physique, but no one could agree on an accurate system. Every physique comes with its own strengths and weaknesses,” he explained. “That being said, technically, Daiyu’s physique is considered a higher grade,” he explained. So, until you find more crystal cores or similar treasures to enhance your physique, you will have the weaker one between the two of you.”

“Oh,” she muttered with a pout.

As the carriage fell into silence once again.