Chapter 38: Third Technique
Spring departs from the flowers, the wind clears the bamboo.
In late spring and early summer, the caravan returned.
In the evening, the entire Demon Market opened its gates wide, and the demons crowded the streets for a warm welcome.
The sounds of beast roars, bird calls, and insect chirps intertwined.
Chickens flew and dogs jumped; the scene was lively.
Flapping his wings into the air, Fu Shaoguang's compound eyes shone brightly as he stared intently at the caravan.
It was as if he could hear the clinking of copper coins.
Zhu Yun and Gongyang Yang were equally excited.
They also had a share of this money.
However, they would not collect the money that night; the caravan had to stay at the Demon Administration Office to verify the accounts, settling the rental fees and sorting through the employers' assets to prevent errors.
Several Toad Spirits were working their abacuses furiously.
That night, Fu Shaoguang practiced the zither at the Demon Academy, plucking the strings with his six legs. As the strings vibrated with sound, his mood surged, and his zither playing surged along with it.
The piece he practiced repeatedly changed; the melody went from smooth to lingering, from passable to pleasant, raising its overall level as if entering a new stage.
The Cicada Demon's expression became one of enjoyment.
Fu Shaoguang enjoyed it even more, feeling as though he had cleared his Ren and Du Meridians, achieving complete enlightenment in zither practice.
The zither sound was like wind, blowing away all his past confusions, and the great mountain blocking his path was swept away and eroded clean.
His entire insect being underwent a spiritual sublimation.
His zither skills advanced by leaps and bounds.
The green mountains and bright moon appreciated the sound together.
After one song.
A clear cicada chirp sounded.
The Cicada Demon Dan Gui was extremely excited.
“Congratulations, Demon Friend Fu, on entering the Dao of Zither.”
Fu Shaoguang flapped his wings in return courtesy.
“The joy is shared, Demon Friend. Thank you for several months of instruction; otherwise, how could I have experienced the marvels of the Dao of Zither?”
“Demon Friend Fu, you overstate it. If not for The Lady's favor, I, Dan, would not be able to teach the zither. Ultimately, the credit belongs to The Lady.”
“Demon Friend is absolutely right. Thank you, Lady.”
“Thank you, Lady!”
Afterward, the two Insect Demons exchanged a smile.
Fu Shaoguang bid farewell and departed.
At the entrance of the Demon Academy, watching the Mayfly Demon's figure fly away, the Cicada Demon felt emotional.
He was truly envious of Fu Shaoguang's talent.
When he first touched the threshold of the Dao of Zither and his skills truly entered the inner chambers, it took him a full year.
And him?
He hadn't even reached six full months yet.
At this moment, a gentle and soft voice drifted over.
“Envious?”
“Yes.”
“You should be fortunate that his talent is outstanding.”
“Headmaster Ji Mo is absolutely right. If it weren't for this, I fear I would have to wait at least three to five years to atone for my mistakes before I could hope to rejoin The Lady's command.
I thank the Headmaster for planning on behalf of this Junior.”
“I, the Headmaster, only extended a helping hand out of respect for your grandfather. The path has been pointed out; I hope you can quickly resolve your inner conflict and wholeheartedly serve The Lady, not wasting your own talent.”
“Thank you for your instruction, Headmaster.”
The voice disappeared.
The Cicada Demon flapped its wings in salute.
It flew off in the opposite direction from Fu Shaoguang.
In the study, a graceful figure moved slightly.
Headmaster Ji Mo, with her plain hand lifting her sleeve, wielded her brush and ink, and eight timeless characters leaped onto the paper:
【Acknowledge mistakes and correct them】
【Thirsting for talent】
Ankang Alley, Ancient Pine Courtyard.
Fu Shaoguang tossed and turned, unable to sleep.
Thinking about getting rich today made it truly difficult to fall asleep.
This was probably the trouble of soon-to-be-rich people.
Sunbathing in the moonlight at midnight, his transparent wings reflected the light, creating an interplay of light and shadow in the courtyard, a scene of pure brightness.
Having nothing to do, Fu Shaoguang let his imagination run wild.
He wondered if Zhu Yun and Gongyang Yang were also unable to sleep and just as excited as he was.
He wanted to know exactly how much money he would get this Time. Would it be more than the savings of the Silver-Faced Long-Tailed Sparrow Demon?
If he made a big profit this Time, he would treat the two demons to a large meal; he couldn't leave his friends with the impression that he was stingy.
Money earned must be spent. In the future, cultivation could be a bit more extravagant, and health preservation could also be more extravagant, as he earned money precisely to save and prolong his life.
He could also post a reward to see if he could find news of other secret methods for extending life. Money makes the world go round; perhaps he would have good luck?
...Sitting alone in the empty courtyard with nothing to do,
His heart was like tangled threads that couldn't be spun into silk.
The Time spent waiting was agonizing; for the first Time, Fu Shaoguang felt Time was so long.
To say that a day felt like a year was no exaggeration.
It was the first Time he wished Time would pass faster.
What 'Time Flies Like a Shuttle.'
What 'Time Flies Like an Arrow.'
What 'A White Steed Flashing Past a Crack.'
He wanted to use all of them.
He truly wished Time could hear his current thoughts and empathize. He also wished he possessed Supreme Power right now, so that when he gently flapped his wings in the courtyard, the Time of heaven and earth would accelerate its flow.
Wait!
Fu Shaoguang's insect body suddenly trembled.
He flapped his wings and soared excitedly around the tree.
【Empathy】
【Time Acceleration】
Putting these two phrases together gave him a significant idea.
Since he had already grasped the slowness of Time, could he grasp the quickness of Time in reverse?
For him, one day was like three years.
Therefore, Time was slow.
But what about for other beings?
A Mayfly's life is A Brief Existence; in their eyes, a Mayfly's entire life passes in the blink of an eye.
So, what if he made them become Mayflies?
Could he accelerate the flow of Time for them?
The two techniques he currently comprehended were:
Inch of Time Lengthening, focused on defense.
Flowing Light Technique, focused on concealment.
He was still missing one Time-based offensive spell.
The more Fu Shaoguang thought about it, the more excited he became, his heart pounding. He had a strong intuition: the moment he comprehended this technique would be the day he broke through his current realm.
Where should he start?
Speed and slowness are relative. Fu Shaoguang currently only thought of reverse analyzing and deduction of Inch of Time Lengthening.
He had no other ideas for now.
But he wasn't anxious; the boat always straightens when it reaches the bridge.
Being able to find the right direction was already a good start.
Thinking of Inch of Time Lengthening.
Fu Shaoguang stopped flapping his wings and landed back in the courtyard.
He suddenly thought of a question.
Since Inch of Time Lengthening views Time from the Mayfly's perspective, could the future research direction of this technique be to apply it to himself? By casting the spell on himself, he could remain at a previous Time Node while the opponent's Time remained unchanged.
If so, could this save his own Magical Power? While avoiding the brunt of the attack, could he deliberately set a trap to make his opponents fight among themselves?
After all, he was an Insect Demon, small in size and weak in Magical Power. Casting a spell on opponents larger than himself required expending more Magical Power and mental effort. But if the spell acted upon himself, it could solve the problem of the large gap in Magical Power and size, and perhaps the duration of the technique would be extended, and its power would reach a higher level.
Of course, researching this technique is easier said than done. If he messes up, he might shoot himself in the foot, slowing his own speed and creating an advantage for his opponent. The control of the Time Node should act like a barrier, subtly separating his Time from his opponent's.
The night breeze rustled gently.
In the courtyard, Fu Shaoguang fell asleep unknowingly while contemplating the various possibilities.
The moonlight was like water.
It fell upon the Three-Inch Mayfly.
Faint ripples appeared as the sleeping Mayfly breathed through the spiracles on its body wall, illuminating a soft halo.
The sound of a rooster crowing woke the hundred sleeping birds, which chirped, flapped their wings, and danced. The lush mountain forest became lively, and the chorus of birds also woke the demons of the Demon Market.
A sliver of dawn light fell upon the Ancient Pine Courtyard.
Fu Shaoguang's three Simple Eyes were stimulated open by the light, and his sluggish consciousness was awakened by the flock of birds.
Facing east, with the spiracles on his body wall pulsating, after absorbing the Morning Sun Purple Qi, some demons went to work in the fields, while others continued to sleep.
Fu Shaoguang was naturally the latter.
When dusk settled, he hurriedly left the courtyard, landed on Zhu Yun's head, and the Three Demons together... no, the two demons ran madly.
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