Chapter 42 – 41 Integrating the New Mark
This was undoubtedly the worst state, but Tang San had no other choice. During the time when he had just arrived in this world, the most important thing for him was to understand the system of this world. The merging of the wind blade and the Leopard Flash had, in fact, opened the door to this world for him, allowing him to gradually gain the understanding he now possessed. Therefore, Tang San was prepared to tolerate the existence of the wind blade and Leopard Flash indefinitely if the range of his skills was limited to a certain number. Then, he would find a way to develop them further and apply them in a way that suited him better.
At this moment, with the arrival of three new Marks, for some reason, the two skills that had been deeply imprinted in his bloodline suddenly began to feel insubstantial, as if they could detach from his bloodline at any moment.
This discovery filled Tang San with joy, as it meant that his Mysterious Heaven Method, in combination with the various abilities of this world, was capable of even more variation. Although he was unclear what these variations might be, it undoubtedly opened up a wealth of possibilities.
He did not rush to activate these five Marks but silently felt their differences and the relationship with his body.
Among these five Marks, the Marks of the wind blade and Leopard Flash were undoubtedly larger and more prominent. After the recent upgrade of the Leopard Flash, although it still could not compare with the wind blade, it had made significant progress.
As for the other three abilities, none had actually reached the Fourth Stage. In the midst of that battle collision, Tang San had no time to absorb more, nor could he absorb the entire bloodline power of the adversary, otherwise, his Devouring ability would most definitely have been exposed.
Therefore, the Heavy Armor Technique of the Rhino Demon, the Hawk Eye of the White-headed Falcon Demon, and the Spirit Rhinoceros’s Insight of the Spirit Rhinoceros Deer Demon were all around the Third Stage.
Five Marks, two Fourth Stage Marks appeared more vivid due to their integration with Tang San’s bloodline, while the other three were clearly outside the system but still drawn by the Mystic Sky Technique’s power.
Observing silently for a while, Tang San could feel that these five Marks were quite stable. Even those three Marks that had not merged into his bloodline were controlled within a certain range, not leaving his body, nor showing any signs of dissipating—an oddity indeed.
The Mysterious Heaven Method revolved, and within the Dantian, his cultivation turned into a vortex. The two skills already imprinted within rotated with the whirl, as if they were inherently part of it, while the three newly-arrived skill Marks floated above the vortex, attracted by it yet not merged.
It wasn’t that they did not want to merge, but Tang San did not control the Mysterious Heaven Method to draw them in.
Observation was not in vain. Tang San gradually sensed something marvelous: Although these three new skill Marks had not been incorporated into his body, their existence was nurtured by the Mysterious Heaven Method. That is, floating outside his Mysterious Heaven Method’s vortex, they could also silently absorb some of its energy to sustain themselves.
With a thought, Tang San used his Spiritual Power to sever the connection with the Heavy Armor Technique Mark.
Instantly, the Heavy Armor Technique Mark trembled slightly and then began to fade at a visible rate.
Tang San immediately controlled the Mysterious Heaven Method to reinstate itself within, and the Mark once again became clear.
He made an immediate judgment in his heart: these Bloodline Brands of the Demon God Transformation granted him skills, and their existence required the nourishment of the Mystic Sky Technique’s power, as if using them was in fact a kind of conversion of the Mysterious Heaven Method.
If I sever their connection with the Mysterious Heaven Method, then these skill imprints will disappear on their own. As long as I continuously nourish them with the Mystic Sky Technique’s power, they will exist indefinitely. If that’s the case, can I switch between merged skills and unmerged skills at will?
With this thought, Tang San began to experiment. He used his spiritual power to guide the Leopard Flash Mark, trying to detach it from his bloodline power.
The moment he moved the Leopard Flash, Tang San immediately felt the Mystic Sky Technique become restless, and the previously stable vortex began to churn. However, his spiritual power was extremely stable. He didn’t rush to pull out the Leopard Flash but gradually did so, carefully pulling while observing the changes occurring.
Soon, he discovered some clues. The Leopard Flash Mark was being pulled out bit by bit. During this detachment process, the radiance of the Leopard Flash Mark began to diminish, and the strength that had just been promoted seemed to be declining.
Tang San did not stop. For him, understanding the relationship between the Mystic Sky Technique and these skill imprints was far more important than a single Leopard Flash. He could always devour another Leopard Flash, but if he couldn’t comprehend how they combined with his Mystic Sky Technique, he would not be able to further improve himself in the future.
Finally, after Tang San’s continuous and stable peeling, the Leopard Flash slowly separated from the Mystic Sky Technique. The moment it fully detached, its level dropped from the newly advanced Fourth Stage to the Third Stage, but the Leopard Flash Mark had joined the other three new marks, hovering above the Mystic Sky Technique’s vortex, silently rotating.
It really was possible! They could be separated and other skills could be switched. Tang San was overjoyed. This meant he would not be hindered in his growth due to wrongly merging a skill.
However, at the same time, his previous idea of switching skills at any time had burst like a bubble. If every detachment resulted in a drop in the skill imprint’s ability, then separation would clearly need to be very cautious. Right now, his Third or Fourth Stage imprints were inconsequential. But at higher levels, advancing one level was clearly not an easy task, and to then drop a level due to detachment would be a loss too painful to contemplate.
Wind Blade could definitely not be detached, as it was related to his Wind Wolf Transformation identity. That’s why the test subject was the Leopard Flash.
Looking at the four skills suspended above the surface of his Mystic Sky Technique, Tang San continued to experiment, beginning to merge these four marks into his body.
First came the return of the Leopard Flash. Perhaps because it had already been merged, the Leopard Flash reintegrated into the Mystic Sky Technique seamlessly, and it was back within the mystic vortex in a moment. But it remained at the Third Stage; the previously dissipated skill level had not been restored.
Next was the Heavy Armor Technique. The Heavy Armor Technique imprint took a little longer to merge, but Tang San discovered that when he merged it, his body’s bloodline seemed to be affected too, with the bloodline power becoming thicker and his physical strength apparently being bolstered as well.
These imprints brought not only the skills themselves but also some traits of the original owner’s bloodline?
He hadn’t felt this significantly when he previously merged the Wind Blade and Leopard Flash Marks. Perhaps because the Rhino Demon’s bloodline was at a higher level?
Then came the White-headed Falcon Demon’s Hawk Eye imprint. As the Hawk Eye merged, Tang San distinctly felt a cooling sensation in his eyes, which, just like when the Rhino Demon’s Heavy Armor Technique merged, brought benefits that nourished him.
If that was the case, did it mean that the stronger the original bloodline of the skill I merged, the greater the help it would be to me after the merger? That is good news!