After exploring the System, Yu Xuan decided to test his new skills first.
Seated beneath the Five Elemental Tree, he fixed his gaze on a falling leaf in the distance. As a perfected Qi Condensation cultivator, his eyesight was already sharp.
Activating [Heat Vision], he was suddenly interrupted by a system prompt.
[Skill: Heat Vision and Immortal’s Gaze are compatible.]
[Do you want to merge them?]
’What happens if they’re merged?’ Yu Xuan asked in his mind.
The System immediately responded.
[The stronger skill will swallow the weaker one. Any downsides of the weaker skill will be erased. There is also a possibility of creating a new variation.]
’Merge them.’ Yu Xuan commanded without hesitation.
[Immortal’s Gaze swallows the skill Heat Vision.]
[All properties of Heat Vision have been incorporated into Immortal’s Gaze.]
Yu Xuan quickly pulled up the description.
[Skill: Immortal’s Gaze (SS+) (Upgradable)]
You can briefly overwhelm someone one realm above you. Now grants laser vision, as well as the ability to see through obstacles such as closed doors and even bodies. Use wisely.
His lips twitched as he read it. The "laser eyes" were understandable, but... "don’t peek through doors?" what is this System was trying to imply.
He lived alone. Who exactly was the System warning him not to peek at?
Yu Xuan shook his head and ignored it.
’Time to test this skill for real.’ he thought.
Fixing his gaze once more on a falling leaf in the distance, he activated [Immortal’s Gaze] – Annihilation.
That was the name he gave this new method of unleashing lasers through his eyes.
His pupils flared golden with a tint of red. In the next instant, at the speed of light — a golden-red beam shot out. For a few nanoseconds, his vision went blank, before returning to normal.
The leaf he had locked onto now had two clean holes burned through it. Nothing beyond was harmed. Perhaps the attack had stopped precisely where he willed it.
The distance was almost a hundred meters. To think that in an instant the beam had traveled and pierced exactly where he aimed.
The energy he felt drain from his body was negligible, which made him wonder, what would happen if he poured his full strength into it?
Without hesitation, Yu Xuan shifted his focus to a nearby boulder. He unleashed Annihilation at full power.
Again, the temporary blindness struck, but this time he tried to endure it. He concentrated, attempting to align his vision with the description of the skill, if it allowed him to see through obstacles, then perhaps he could see through the beam itself.
But after few seconds pain suddenly spiked in his eyes. Gritting his teeth, he reluctantly halted the skill.
Closing his eyes for several breaths, he let them rest before opening them again. What he saw left him stunned.
The boulder was half-melted, its surface glowing faintly with residual heat. Even the ground beneath it had been gouged and scarred.
His Qi reserves had dipped slightly, but beyond that, there was no serious backlash.
’This... this could be my trump card.’
Excitement surged within him. Shooting lasers from one’s eyes what man didn’t dream of it? And now, in this world of immortal cultivators, he had done it.
For a moment, Yu Xuan couldn’t help but feel superior.
But after testing the beam a few more times, he finally stopped.
Prolonged use of the skill put real strain on his eyes, he could barely keep them open afterward.
Resting for a bit, he decided to check the description of the other high tier skill he had purchased.
[Skill: Ultra Instinct (SS+)]
Your instincts have transcended the limits of the mortal body. Go Ultra. (Note: This skill is both passive and active.)
Reading it, Yu Xuan finally felt relief. At least this one sounded... normal. And with its dual nature, it probably functioned as both enhanced reaction and danger sense.
He then recalled another skill he had seen earlier [Enhanced Senses]. Thinking it might complement Ultra Instinct, he immediately purchased it.
As expected, the System responded.
[Skill: Enhanced Senses and Ultra Instinct are compatible.]
[Do you want to merge them?]
"Yes," Yu Xuan commanded without hesitation. The descriptions updated instantly.
[Skill: Ultra Instinct (SS+)]
Your instincts have transcended the limits of the mortal body. You have developed a minor sixth sense. Go Ultra. (Note: This skill is both passive and active.)
A faint smile curved his lips. Ultra Instinct wasn’t just reflex anymore, it was sixth sense too.
He activated [Ultra Instinct].
Immediately, every hair on his body stood on end. Even the strands of his hair floated slightly, as though responding to an unseen current.
His perception surged, expanding outward like ripples in water, until he could feel every subtle movement around him.
And not just the world — his awareness of his own body deepened to an unprecedented level. Yu Xuan’s eyes widened.
He could control every single part of himself, down to the smallest muscle and vein. More shocking was his Qi.
The moment Ultra Instinct awakened, his ability to manipulate it refined as though he had been training for decades. It was as if the skill had turned him into a Qi manipulation expert in an instant.
Curiously, he sat cross-legged and entered meditation under Ultra Instinct.
The effect was astonishing, but after just fifteen minutes, fatigue spread through his body and his stamina plummeted. Reluctantly, he deactivated the skill. The heightened perception vanished.
"This is a cheat," he muttered.
Still, the experience remained with him. Every time he used Ultra Instinct, he would carry those insights forward, and he was confident his Trait [Adaptive Mind] would eventually allow him to bridge the gap between Ultra Mode and his normal state. Tʜe sourcᴇ of thɪs content ɪs 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙡•𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙚•𝙣𝙚𝙩
Like that, he could continuously improve his ability to manipulate Qi as well as make Ultra mode a daily thing.
The only drawback was its stamina drain. But with his monstrous endurance, even that weakness barely mattered.
"It’s a shame it doesn’t surround me with a yellow glow during Ultra Instinct" he said, seriously disappointed.