Chapter Ninety-Three: Advancement

Feeling refreshed as he stepped out of the tavern, Zhou Tian stretched lazily, with Mu Xu following closely behind.

“I’ll let you know if I hear anything,” Mu Xu said, his expression as impassive as ever, then turned and left.

Zhou Tian smiled in satisfaction. After that lengthy discussion, Mu Xu had finally agreed to gather information for him.

This encounter made Zhou Tian even more certain that Mu Xu was different from other followers of the Holy God Sect. He understood that, with the God of the Holy God Sect remaining silent for so long, it was inevitable that people like Mu Xu would emerge.

Mu Xu was certainly not the first to doubt his faith, nor would he be the last.

After preaching his unique method of prayer to another believer, Zhou Tian returned to his residence in high spirits. He opened the Undying System for a quick look—just three more resurrections until he leveled up, which meant another skill would be available. He pondered what powerful ability he might gain and decided it was best to wait for news from Mu Xu.

The trial for Zhang Yi and the others would take place before the next sunrise. By Futian Continent’s calendar, that was still about twelve or thirteen days away—no need to rush.

In the days that followed, Zhou Tian would go out and spread his unique prayer method each time his resurrection count refreshed.

In a secluded alley, Zhou Tian’s figure appeared, but unlike the previous times, his face was clouded with concern.

“They’ve already noticed? I really can’t underestimate these people.”

His latest attempt to spread the prayer method had not gone smoothly—he had been ambushed. Even though he changed locations every time, often traveling great distances, the Holy God Sect still managed to catch on.

Everything had unfolded according to the script up until his resurrection, when a cage descended from the sky, trapping him within. The cage shone with light and was bound by rune-engraved chains, exuding immense power.

However, with [Teleport] at his disposal, their so-called [Six-Rod Light Prison]—while impressive—was still insufficient to restrain him.

“That bald bishop accused me of being a Voodoo Cultist. Does that mean the Voodoo Cult can resurrect as well?”

Zhou Tian rubbed the bridge of his nose. After he was trapped by the [Six-Rod Light Prison], the bald bishop leading the group called him a Voodoo Cultist and rattled off a string of words he didn’t understand.

He hadn’t bothered to listen—he simply teleported away.

Zhou Tian knew that resurrection was not a difficult feat in this world. For most cultivators, as long as their soul remained intact, they could return to life. For the truly powerful, even if their soul was destroyed, there were ways to revive them.

It was actually better for them to be mistaken, Zhou Tian mused. Having another sect take the blame for him was no bad thing. This thought brightened his mood considerably.

He opened the Undying System and saw a golden, shimmering light in the skill slot—a ripple of excitement surged within him. Now wasn’t the time to inspect it, though; he suppressed his excitement and headed home.

Back at his residence, Zhou Tian opened the skill panel. Three gleaming new skills met his eyes. He expertly clicked the first skill.

[Stored Attack Rebound: Absorb an enemy’s attack and store it, rendering the attack ineffective. The stored attack can be released at will, but its power is reduced to 80% of the original. (Number of absorptions: 15, linked to number of deaths.)]

This was a rather unique skill, combining both offense and defense. Though the rebound only retained 80% of the original attack’s power, it was still formidable. Yet, Zhou Tian would have preferred an execution skill—something that could defeat an enemy outright.

The second skill:

[Eye of Truth: Reveals information about anything. Uses: 15, linked to number of deaths.]

A support skill, simple in description but its power was self-evident.

[External Incarnation: Creates an entirely new body with all attributes set by the user. The host controls its life and death (consumes one resurrection opportunity).]

A sparkling exclamation mark indicated a special note.

This skill piqued Zhou Tian’s interest, not only because of the note but also because it was the first skill tied to resurrection opportunities rather than death count. The wording was curious—it “occupies” rather than “consumes.”

He opened the special note.

[Note: All parameters refer to every physical trait except cultivation—this includes, but is not limited to, appearance, height, talent, and even memory! Occupying a resurrection opportunity means that, for as long as the incarnation exists, one resurrection is permanently used.]

Fascinating—this skill allowed him to set even the incarnation’s talent and memory, even making the incarnation unaware it was a proxy, while Zhou Tian retained control over its life and death. This opened up many possibilities.

But the phrase “occupying a resurrection opportunity” made him ponder. If one skill could occupy a resurrection, could there be skills that used two? Was there a way to increase resurrection opportunities?

As the level increased, the deaths required for the next upgrade had reached sixteen. At this rate, leveling up would take longer and longer unless there was a way to gain more opportunities.

He set these thoughts aside and surveyed the three skills, finally settling on the first one.

[Stored Attack Rebound]—solidify!

A surge of mysterious information flooded his mind, deepening his understanding of the skill. The way it worked: if someone fired two arrows at him, each arrow counted as a separate attack, but he could only absorb one as it struck him.

He could store up to fifteen attacks at a time, but stored attacks had to be released within a day or they would be wiped the next day.

The other two skills faded into darkness. Though [Eye of Truth] was powerful, it was purely supportive and of little immediate use. [External Incarnation] would be incredibly strong later, but since it occupied one resurrection and he only had one available, it was not practical for now. The first skill was the obvious choice.

Now, the Undying System data read:

Level 4: 0/16
Deaths: 15
[Teleport: Appear anywhere you wish, ignoring all barriers (distance: 1500 meters, linked to death count)]
[Holy Word: Your word is law. Issue a command to any target—success rate varies by complexity. Resurrection opportunities may be used instead. (Uses: 15, linked to death count)]
[Explosion: Summon a fireball to strike a target, dealing 5% of their health as damage. Cannot target the same individual twice in one day. (Daily uses: 15, linked to death count)]
[Stored Attack Rebound: Absorb and nullify an enemy attack, storing it for later release at 80% power. (Absorptions: 15, linked to death count)]

Four skills, fifteen death opportunities—the numbers were looking rather impressive.

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Thanks to Qishi! for the reward.