CHAPTER 193: CHAPTER 163: FLEEING (4K)

"..."

Li Ang stared at the ink-like strand on the ground, which was slowly writhing like mud. He deeply furrowed his brow.

He could still sense the "clump" of Mo Si in the Netherworld. When he concentrated, he seemed to be able to see images of himself and the tower hall through the Mo Si.

It was as if he had gained an extra pair of eyes with a 360° panoramic view.

Uh, is this like a fly’s perspective?

Li Ang shook his head, getting used to the strange feeling. It feels like an upgraded version of projecting Spiritual Sense.

Projecting Spiritual Sense was an ability that cultivators of the Rain Listening Realm possessed. Since nature’s Spiritual Energy was omnipresent, Rain Listening Realm Cultivators could "sense" nearby surroundings by perceiving changes in Spiritual Energy. But this kind of sensing was relatively blurry. It worked best with other Cultivators and Mutated Objects that possessed Spiritual Energy but was less effective at long distances and with targets in areas weak in Spiritual Energy. And it certainly couldn’t be as clear as with the Mo Si.

Li Ang gradually got used to the additional field of vision in his consciousness. He hesitated for a moment and then channeled Spiritual Energy into the Mo Si as he had done before.

This time, as Spiritual Energy flowed out of his Qi Sea, it suddenly vanished.

Correspondingly, the Mo Si spread on the ground trembled abruptly.

Spiritual Energy flowed into the Mo Si that had disconnected from his body?

Li Ang became more astonished. He did not sense any pathway of Spiritual Energy or Spiritual Sense transmission through the air. It was as if the Spiritual Power generated in his Qi Sea was directly teleported inside the Mo Si.

He increased the output of Spiritual Energy, even stepped back a dozen steps to the corner of the tower, and was still able to perfectly control the trembling of the Mo Si without leaving a trace.

Does this make sense?

Li Ang’s confusion was justified, as nearly all the textbooks from the Academic Palace stated that every action leaves a trace. Remote transmission of Spiritual Energy would form a "thin chain" of Spiritual Power between heaven and earth, much like the contrails left behind by an airplane flying through the sky.

This "thin chain" would quickly dissipate after forming, but some Hidden Sects were capable of detecting it—if quick enough. The Garrison had inherited such methods for tracking down Cultivators who violated Yu Law. Therefore, some Cultivators would use Spiritual Power to disrupt the scene after deploying Magic or exhibiting power, shaking off the Garrison’s pursuit.

Minimal loss, high precision, long-distance Spiritual Energy transmission... it’s practically like the Puppetry Technique in Mind Study. No, it might even be superior to the Puppetry Technique. At least the Puppetry Technique requires the use of Mind Threads and Spiritual Sense for remote control of man-made Puppets. Whereas the Mo Si is like having an Externalized Body.

Li Ang pondered for a moment, increased the efficiency of Spiritual Energy output, and controlled the Mo Si to reassemble.

PLOP. PLOP.

The Mo Si, energized by the input of Spiritual Energy, gradually changed shape, rising bit by bit to form a hollow, humanoid armor.

Li Ang focused his Thought, and the Ink Silk Armor performed actions one by one: turning its head, bending its knees, jumping, and waving its hands.

It’s like moving my own limb, or rather, this Ink Silk Armor itself is an extension of my own body, a part of me.

Li Ang narrowed his eyes and mused. This must be the evolution completed after feeding it Special Metal to a specific threshold. The first stage of the Mo Si could transmit Spiritual Energy, substituting for Innate Spiritual Veins. The second stage could enhance the body, strengthening physical capabilities. The third stage was capable of freely changing form, weaving into the desired shape. And now, the Fourth Stage allows for external projection, perfect control like an Avatar.

He pinched the bridge of his nose with two fingers and after a moment of contemplation, he began the experiment.

The Fourth Stage of the Mo Si had the following characteristics:

First, Li Ang’s body retained a certain amount of Mo Si, and more could be transferred onto the Ink Armor Avatar. However, it was impossible to completely remove the Mo Si from within his body.

Second, the more Mo Si the Ink Armor Avatar possessed, the more perfect the control, the clearer the sensing, and the stronger its combat capabilities.

Third, the maximum control distance of the Ink Armor Avatar was currently unknown. The Avatar could not split further, yet it still retained the capability to absorb and devour Special Metals.

Fourth, when not controlled, the Ink Armor Avatar would enter a standby liquid metal state, able to sink into the soil to hide its traces. When Li Ang wished to retrieve it, the Ink Armor Avatar would automatically return. After returning, it would transfer any devoured Special Metals back to Li Ang.

After a series of experiments, Li Ang finally understood the changes of the Fourth Stage of the Mo Si. His mood was mixed with joy and worry.

He was joyful because the Mo Si’s functionalities were more powerful. He could control the Ink Armor Avatar to move about and do some things that "Li Ang, the Academic Palace Disciple" couldn’t achieve himself. For example, he could secretly investigate Ya Jiu and Zhao Ming and, under a different identity, gather Special Metals for his enhancement.

As for the worry...

The connection between the Mo Si and me is getting deeper.

During the recent experiment, Li Ang tried to move all of the Mo Si out of his body but experienced an unprecedented, intense pain—a task he found absolutely impossible.

A part of the Mo Si has already developed a symbiotic relationship with my muscles, bones, blood vessels, and organs, forming an integral organism. If I were to remove all the Mo Si, I reckon I would die quickly from organ failure and excessive blood loss.

Li Ang exhaled slowly. The Mo Si originated from the Sword Immortal Tomb and was probably an "item" that the Sword Immortal himself brought back from the Endless Sea or some other place.

If I continue to nourish the Mo Si, will it still undergo further evolutions into the Fifth Stage, the Sixth Stage, or even higher levels of change?