Chapter 5: Creating the Illusionist! A Dimensional Reduction Strike!

Zhuge Lan didn’t offer much explanation and instead brought up another matter.

“Xiao Yuhao, now that your fortune value has increased, let’s make a deal.”

“Brother Lan, just say what you need. If it involves me, I’ll definitely help!” Huo Yuhao replied earnestly.

This was truly how he felt.

Though he had only recently met Zhuge Lan and Brother Tianmeng, the help they had given him was enough to defy fate and change his destiny!

In his simple life, only his mother had done so much for him.

So whenever they asked, he never refused.

“Don’t make it sound so dramatic. If someone didn’t know better, they’d think I’m trying to usurp your body,” Zhuge Lan laughed.

“Well, it’s nothing major. I just need to use some of your fortune value to manifest a soul-usable cultivation technique or something similar.”

“That way, Tianmeng and I can continue to improve, and if you ever face danger in the future, we can also go out to assist in battle.”

“After all, you can’t put all your eggs in one basket. Putting all the fortune value into you lowers the risk.”

“No problem!” Huo Yuhao replied without hesitation. “We’re one entity. As for your plans with the fortune value, you don’t need to ask me anymore. Brother Lan, if you think it’s appropriate, just use it directly!”

This trust made Zhuge Lan feel a bit guilty.

—He had already taken half the price difference for himself, yet still wanted more from Huo Yuhao...

But he quickly returned to normal.

—He was conscientious, but only to a limited extent.

He activated the [Creation Privilege], selecting a suitable path for enhancement.

The first choice was the Ghost Cultivator.

Unfortunately, even the first level required an exorbitant 1,000,000 fortune value!

No wonder.

Ghost cultivation was no longer mere cultivation—it belonged to the realm of immortals.

This fantasy underworld world simply wasn’t worthy.

As for vengeful spirits or ferocious spirits that grew through negative emotions, they were prone to losing their sanity.

That left only a few methods purely focused on cultivating spiritual power and the soul...

After a thorough screening.

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Condition: Create the basic introductory technique for a Spiritual Thought Master · Illusionist · Apprentice Level One from Swallowed Star, including awakening spiritual thought power!

Cost: 100,000 fortune value!

Create?

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Zhuge Lan gritted his teeth.

So expensive?

But since it was for the system, he was unwilling to give up.

He bought it!

He emptied Huo Yuhao’s fortune value and was left with only 20,000 himself.

Because this was created for himself, he didn’t condense it into a book but applied it directly to his soul for transformation.

There was no heart-wrenching pain, just a soothing sensation like soaking in a warm spring.

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

No one knew how much time had passed.

The first moment Zhuge Lan awoke, he sensed something unusual.

—His spiritual power, or rather his spiritual thought power, could now extend like tentacles, flexible yet able to affect reality.

Object control!

The basic function of spiritual thought power was known even to illusionists, but they lacked the high destructive power of a master.

Then there was the “Illusionist · Apprentice Level One Fragment,” which taught how to use spiritual thought power to influence an enemy’s thinking, perception, and judgment, causing illusions or perceptual deviations.

But higher-level soul attacks were not mentioned.

Even so, Zhuge Lan was very satisfied.

He tried following the method to invade the mind of the Tianmeng Ice Silkworm before him, attempting to disrupt its thinking and create illusions.

The Tianmeng Ice Silkworm was a million-year-old soul beast born of spiritual power.

Naturally, it sensed Zhuge Lan’s moves.

At first, it paid no mind, thinking this guy was just surfing in front of the Sea God.

But its expression soon changed drastically!

Something was wrong!

How was this “spiritual power” so refined?

Its spiritual defenses were full of holes like a sieve, being invaded at will, and illusions had already appeared before its eyes.

In panic, it quickly mobilized its spiritual power to defend, actively colliding with Zhuge Lan’s “spiritual power,” and found that its million-year-quality spiritual power wore down the other’s at a ratio of 100 to 1!

“Damn!” the Tianmeng Ice Silkworm cursed. “What the heck! You better back off!”

Zhuge Lan retracted his spiritual thought power, laughing heartily.

Strong!

Too strong!

He didn’t have much spiritual thought power—probably just the level of a 15th-level soul master.

But the quality was superb!

For the Tianmeng Ice Silkworm’s million-year spiritual power to consume his attacks at a hundredfold cost...

Lower-level opponents would be utterly smashed!

Outside, Huo Yuhao and the others were struggling against a thousand-year-old Spirit Devouring Vine.

This was a plant soul beast growing in the humus layer. It could explode in growth with enough energy; severed vines would heal within a few breaths, and its leaves could harden into blades!

Extremely troublesome.

With Huo Yuhao and Tang Ya’s help, Beibei was having a very hard time fighting it.

But the more difficult, the more intense Tang Ya’s gaze became!

“Only about 1,600 years old and already this strong!”

“Xiao Yuhao was right. My Blue Silver Grass martial soul has a strong urge—this has to be my third soul ring!”

“Teacher Tang Ya, don’t rush. The Spirit Devouring Vine can’t move. Just slowly drain its soul power,” Beibei comforted.

Huo Yuhao was about to agree.

“Let me try,” Zhuge Lan said, “Don’t resist my power.”

Huo Yuhao nodded subtly.

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The next moment.

He sensed several “big hands” shooting out from the spiritual world, rushing wildly toward the writhing Spirit Devouring Vine, entering it but causing no harm.

He was puzzled.

Suddenly, the vine abruptly paused, then launched a fierce attack at the side air. Its vines bent at a right angle and tightly coiled around its own base, slowly contracting and squeezing!

“What... Brother Lan, what did you do?” Huo Yuhao asked in astonishment.

“I just made it think its base is you guys,” Zhuge Lan said calmly.

In truth, it felt exhilarating!

Beibei, a third-ring Soul Sovereign, couldn’t finish off the Spirit Devouring Vine even with Huo Yuhao and Tang Ya’s help.

But this illusionist’s move instantly broke the deadlock.

Which was better was obvious at a glance.

“Good opportunity!”

Beibei shouted fiercely, activating her third and first soul rings.

Third soul skill · Thunderous Wrath!

First soul skill · Thunder Dragon Claw!

Amplified blue-purple lightning condensed into dragon claws several meters high, neatly slicing through the vine’s main tendrils, leaving only the bare stem, which was temporarily paralyzed and unable to regenerate.

“Tang Ya!”

“Coming!”

Tang Ya slid over, drew out the Zhuge Divine Crossbow, and pulled the trigger, black shadows flashing by.

The Spirit Devouring Vine was riddled with holes; a purple soul ring floated up.

“Yeah!” Tang Ya cheered. “I’m starting to absorb the soul ring. Beibei, Xiao Yuhao, protect me!”

She sat cross-legged and began absorbing eagerly.

[Rewrite Tang Ya’s fate, +5,000 fortune value!]

Zhuge Lan raised an eyebrow.

It seemed this Spirit Devouring Vine truly suited Tang Ya.

Beibei sheathed her martial soul, panting slightly.

She casually asked, “Xiao Yuhao, was that abnormal vine thing you did?”

Huo Yuhao blinked, unsure how to answer.

He did have a first soul skill—Spiritual Interference.

But according to Brother Tianmeng, it could at most disrupt the mind and cause attack deviations.

He couldn’t make a vine entangle itself like that.

And he only had one soul ring, which already granted him “spiritual detection” and “spiritual sharing” functions.

One more...

Even ghosts would know something was off.

For a moment,

Huo Yuhao was at a loss for words and could only scratch his head and laugh awkwardly.