The Programmer Cultivator

Today, just like any other day, Pei Xiaoxiao finished her daily cultivation and ran to the Flower Sea. There, she frolicked with over a hundred Elves, running, chasing, and playing across its many fields.

"Giggle, giggle..."

"Haha..."

"Aah!"

The entire Cyan Wood Flower Sea was filled with the sound of silver-bell-like laughter, a chorus of pure joy.

Whenever this happened, disciples from all around would gaze at the Flower Sea, watching the elf-like figure weave through the crowd of Elves. Some even watched with looks of admiration and affection.

At times like this, no one ever entered the Flower Sea. Everyone shared a surprising, unspoken agreement to silently watch the scene from the outside.

······

Back when Zhang Deming, disguised as Elder Huang, had been in the cave on Broken Sword Mountain, he had unleashed the full power of a Protective Talisman.

The Protective Talisman’s power split into three streams. Two of them transformed into a curse of misfortune, entangling the Broken Sword and the Damaged Painting.

The remaining stream, however, lingered for a moment on the Puppet before sweeping up the sword shards, scroll fragments, and puppet pieces from the ground and vanishing from the cave.

This change did not attract the attention of Zhang Deming and the others; or rather, they were in no position to notice.

The way of Blessed Fortune was inherently strange. Something activated in a life-or-death struggle would be even more bizarre and powerful.

The aura, carrying these fragments, streamed into a hidden compartment beneath the wooden house. Inside the compartment was another strange Protective Talisman.

When all the power surged into this spot, the Protective Talisman in the hidden compartment flickered a few times. The sword shards, scroll fragments, and puppet pieces all dissolved into a brilliant burst of Spiritual Light.

The talisman absorbed it all, then shattered, transforming into a special stream of energy. Guided by some unknown karmic pull, it vanished from the wooden house.

The stream of energy passed through the Cave Mansion, flew over numerous mountain ranges, and followed that faint, unseen pull into the Cyan Wood Secret Realm.

No one noticed it along the way. Even the many protective wards of the Celestial Spirit Sect’s Secret Realms seemed to have no effect at all.

The special aura penetrated the Cyan Wood Secret Realm and arrived at the Cyan Wood Flower Sea, completely undetected.

In the Flower Sea, Pei Xiaoxiao was currently chasing, playing, and frolicking with the Flower Demon Elves. It was a scene of pure joy, silently watched by countless disciples nearby.

When the special aura arrived, it seemed to have found its fated source. Without the slightest hesitation, it plunged directly into the body of the running Pei Xiaoxiao.

The cheerful Pei Xiaoxiao felt nothing and continued chasing the Flower Demon Elves around her.

As the aura entered her, a dense wave of Blessed Fortune instantly rose from Pei Xiaoxiao’s body. Its quality was so high it far surpassed what a Three Talents Fortune Cultivator could ever manifest.

Under the influence of this aura, the rapidly running Pei Xiaoxiao’s eyes suddenly lost focus. It was as if by a stroke of serendipity, or perhaps heaven-defying luck.

Her Agility Technique suddenly resonated with the Flower Demon Elves around her.

Her Agility Technique, which had only been at the Entry Level, rapidly advanced to Control, then Mastery, and a pair of Light Wings materialized at her heels.

But in just an instant, the Light Wings, entangled with the auras of the surrounding Flower Demon Elves, shattered. They reformed into two pairs of dragonfly-like cicada wings, creating a special resonance with their surroundings.

Then, in a moment of inspired enlightenment, she began to form hand seals for a spell, using the most basic Inner Sect Foundation Establishment Technique.

The cicada wings at her heels appeared, vibrated, and shattered. They appeared again, vibrated, and shattered once more.

The third time they appeared, they were on her back. The two pairs of dragonfly-like cicada wings started small and slowly grew, eventually becoming enormous. With a vibration, they lifted her directly into the air.

The surrounding Flower Demon Elves also entered a strange state. They encircled Pei Xiaoxiao, protecting her as if she were a member of their Royal Race. They danced gracefully, singing a special melody.

Pei Xiaoxiao floated above the Flower Sea. As the cicada wings vibrated, a blade resembling a cicada wing slowly materialized and then merged into the wings on her back. A sharp Sword Qi was now present within her previously rushing aura.

"VMMMMM..."

The entire Flower Sea suddenly let out a soft hum. Runes appeared on Pei Xiaoxiao’s brow. As her aura surged, a ball of light emerged, followed by a second, and then a third.

The three balls of runic light circled her Rune Core for a moment. When Pei Xiaoxiao’s aura reached a critical point, one of the balls of light shattered. Its Runes merged into the Rune Core, and the remaining two faded from sight.

Pei Xiaoxiao’s aura surged again, climbing until she had completed the breakthrough to the Duality stage. Only then was the strange aura on her body finally depleted. Her rising momentum halted, and she stopped.

Instantly, Spiritual Qi surged throughout the entire Cyan Wood Secret Realm. A massive Spiritual Power Sea Absorption formed in the Flower Sea, encompassing the whole area and alarming the Sect.

The jaws of the surrounding disciples all dropped as they stared at the scene.

On Spirit Nurturing Peak, the three elders of the Secret Realm also witnessed this scene, as expected. All three wore looks of astonishment as they watched Pei Xiaoxiao float in the sky at the center of the Spiritual Power Sea Absorption.

Spiritual Light flickered in Guk Liancai’s eyes. After a long moment, he frowned and said, "What in the world is this?"

Gan Zili watched for a long time before frowning. "It seems to be a sudden enlightenment, born from a moment of inspiration?"

Guk Liancai paused at his words, then said, "Isn’t that stating the obvious? I’m not blind; I can see what’s happening on the surface. But if I recall correctly, that girl’s Spirit Root is only thirty-seven points, right?

An enlightenment with that low of a Spirit Root is one thing, but to be at the Late Stage of Apprentice, use no external aids, and have a single epiphany that takes her straight to the Duality stage... Do you really think this is just what it appears to be on the surface?