Chapter 538: Bottleneck

Xiao Wang Zi was obedient and well-behaved, firmly remembering Cang Xu's earlier advice and persevering in his prayers.

But his soul had just undergone a violent transformation, and the act of praying itself demanded the expenditure of spiritual energy, like forcing an exhausted runner to keep going.

“My Lord, Charming Blue Goddess, You are a Goddess full of grace and mercy. Please rescue Your faithful believers. Grant me one chance to believe in You, rather than perish in the jaws of beasts...”

Xiao Wang Zi strained every ounce of strength to sustain his prayer, quickly reaching his limit. His voice grew fainter and fainter until he collapsed into unconsciousness right where he stood.

A brief silence fell over the crude shack.

Seconds later, Jian Gui broke the silence: "Xu Jia, you've worked hard this time. I can see you paid a price in terms of your soul to convert Xiao Wang Zi."

Jian Gui immediately pledged that if the chance arose, he would compensate Cang Xu with hundreds of soul crystals for Xiao Wang Zi.

Even though Xiao Wang Zi lay unconscious and couldn't witness this exchange, Jian Gui insisted on making a show of it.

Cang Xu couldn't help but admire Jian Gui's skill at deception.

“We are companions. I truly wish to see Xiao Wang Zi survive!” Cang Xu declared. Simultaneously, through covert means, he conveyed to Jian Gui: he accepted the gesture of goodwill, but declined the soul crystals. What he sought instead was Jian Gui's practical experience in certain aspects of cultivation!

Jian Gui inquired in detail.

Cang Xu stated plainly, "I require practical insights into the Memory Switching Spell and Memory Concealment Spell. During recent applications, I discovered these techniques can target specific segments of memory."

Upon hearing this, Jian Gui's heart stirred.

He realized Cang Xu had likely used these spells to alter his own memories. Cang Xu's devotion to the Charming Blue Goddess contained significant fabrication!

Jian Gui was secretly delighted by this discovery.

“Sure!” He immediately granted Cang Xu's request, directly imparting his relevant expertise.

Though Cang Xu had previously obtained related inheritance from Jian Gui, it wasn't personal experience.

To draw an analogy, inheritance was like a textbook, while personal experience was like a top student's notes.

Both were immensely valuable to Cang Xu!

Once again, Cang Xu reaped benefits from Jian Gui. Satisfied, he took his leave.

Inside the shack, only Jian Gui and the sleeping Xiao Wang Zi remained.

Jian Gui approached Xiao Wang Zi, bent down, and lifted him into his arms.

As he touched the latter's body, he discreetly probed his condition through their soul connection.

“Even though I'm bound by a double seal, this soul connection is deeper and more hidden, so I can still discreetly uncover some secrets and truths.”

“After one round of divine magic, Xiao Wang Zi's soul has indeed been altered significantly.”

"Fortunately, I had already tampered with Xu Jia beforehand. Thus, even if he altered Xiao Wang Zi's soul, he would replicate the hidden gateway. Xiao Wang Zi's life remains within my grasp!"

Jian Gui felt relieved.

Cang Xu's openness, performing divine spells before him, had once again led him astray: Cang Xu hadn't discovered the fatal hidden gateway within the soul.

Cang Xu's inquiries about memory-related spells eased Jian Gui's mind somewhat.

“Xu Jia's issue isn't too serious yet. The situation remains under my control.”

“But we must act swiftly.”

“If Xiao Wang Zi doesn't return this time, our memory-alteration plan will lose a skilled helper!”

Xiao Wang Zi's unconscious state didn't last long before he awoke.

Cang Xu was unsurprised. Over the past few days, he had used this divine spell on others as well, earning considerable divine favor.

However, the Synchronized Conversion among the divine spells drained his soul, so he couldn't wield it recklessly.

Though he now possessed some soul crystals in reserve, allowing him to use it publicly.

Xiao Wang Zi awoke according to plan. Two hours later, he would have to participate in the teleportation blood sacrifice.

The sea beast herd was driven onto the gold level altar as sacrifices. Only their skeletons remained; the rest dissolved into bloody water, providing energy.

Unlike previous times, the sacrifices this time included not only sea beasts but also numerous undead creatures.

The vast majority were the sea turtle skeletons supplied by Xiao Wang Zi.

This change was precisely what Cang Xu had advised Zhou Zhang.

He was bold enough to claim it was divine revelation, information received during the divine blessing, the will of Charming Blue Goddess.

With Charming Blue Goddess in slumber, Zhou Zhang, though an Archbishop, had no means to verify it and could only accept it as truth.

Cang Xu accompanied Xiao Wang Zi.

After the second teleportation back, Cang Xu had already devised a justification and earned Zhou Zhang's approval.

"Once again, a blood sacrifice was performed. May my Lord swiftly regain strength and awaken from slumber." As an Archbishop, Zhou Zhang truly devoted herself entirely to the welfare of Charming Blue Goddess.

Cang Xu's expression remained serene, yet his heart brimmed with anticipation: "I shall see the commander once more! This time, with so many undead souls, my potential should rise again."

Deep Sea Monster Fish.

Water magic - Water Ball.

Water magic - Spring Well.

Water magic - Water Arrow.

…

In the hands of the fishman youngster, water spells flowed one after another. Being low-tier spells, their success rate reached a perfect hundred percent.

Bloodcore - Hybrid Transformation – the fishman saint corpse’s bloodline + Ghostface Fish Bloodline.

Necromancy - Soul Howl.

Necromancy - Ghost Mist.

Necromancy - Karma Removal.

Necromancy - Burden Alleviation.

…

The fishman youngster practiced a series of undead spells.

Compared to water spells, however, undead spells had lower success rates and slower casting speeds.

“Originally, what I needed to practice most was Soul Crystal Creation.”

“But since Zhou Zhang voluntarily lifted the seal for Cang Xu, he can now openly use soul crystals. I no longer need to risk casting such spells.”

“Sigh, if only my magician level was silver...”

The fishman youngster's life level was silver, but his magician level was merely iron.

For him, casting Soul Crystal Creation proved more challenging than Undead Bloodline Detection.

Relying on his current magician level to rapidly advance from iron level to silver level was unrealistic.

Both magic cultivation and battle qi cultivation progressed step by step. Even divine power infusion required gradual nurturing and transformation, only when a clergyman's body could better accommodate divine energy could they ascend to transcendent ranks.

The latter also requires an accumulation process.

Cang Xu's Synchronized Conversion divine spell altered souls too drastically to be used frequently.

The fishman youngster's rapid ascent from bronze level to iron level owed much to his life level advantage. Of course, his fishman bloodline was also a crucial factor.

Now, with his magician level only one level below his life level, the boost effect had significantly diminished.

Consider Zi Di.

Her life level was iron. Advancing from a bronze level magician to an iron level necromancer took her over a month!

“A magician's cultivation demands immense amounts of time.”

"Just practicing these spells alone leaves me perpetually short on time. Not to mention, magicians must also engage in research, alchemy, transcribing spell scrolls, and countless other tasks."

The fishman youngster had been burying himself in spell practice lately, and his greatest realization was this: there was simply too much to learn and practice, while his time and energy were woefully insufficient.

The cultivation of magic was profound and vast indeed.

Cultivating both battle qi and magic simultaneously, the fishman youngster deeply felt the immense difficulty involved!

The time and energy consumed were simply too great.

Trying to juggle both easily led to meager results, failing to excel in either.

“These past few days, I've nearly abandoned battle skills training altogether, focusing solely on spells.”

"But my mastery of these spells remains extremely shallow. Using them rashly in combat would only create vulnerabilities, severely disrupting my fighting rhythm!"

Whenever this thought crossed his mind, the fishman youngster couldn't help but envision Snow Bird Harbor City Lord's formidable fighting prowess.

Snow Bird Harbor City Lord's combat style was dazzlingly elegant. By rapidly switching between and synergizing a vast formation of low-level battle skills and spells, he achieved a blisteringly fast tempo. In single combat, he could overwhelm opponents of the same level, leaving them utterly helpless.

Snow Bird Harbor City Lord's fighting left a profound impression on the fishman youngster.

These past days, as he drilled relentlessly in magic, he subconsciously tried to emulate Snow Bird Harbor City Lord.

After a brief attempt, he realized that reaching Snow Bird Harbor City Lord's level would require over five years of arduous training!

Such a standard was simply unattainable in the short term.

Without meeting a certain benchmark, his skills would be useless in actual combat.

“For now, I'd be better off focusing solely on refining my battle qi.”

In reality, the fishman youngster had a clear understanding of himself.

His bloodline was exceptional, and he was willing to endure the hardships of training, but he was severely lacking in time.

Without time to cultivate, it was difficult to achieve results.

In truth, the fishman youngster didn't want to pursue both paths simultaneously. It was only due to the circumstances this time that he had no choice but to study magic as well, to help Cang Xu break through the impasse.

As the time approached, the fishman youngster stopped his practice.

Amidst a ripple of spatial distortion, the Charming Blue believers reappeared within the Ocean Mother Nest.

The fishman youngster operated the alchemy puppet, striking swiftly.

Soon, he had imprisoned the target and extracted a vast amount of undead life force.

Having done this before, the fishman youngster now handled these operations with ease.

Cang Xu returned once more to the Deep Sea Monster Fish. He respectfully saluted the commander in his heart.

The unconscious Xiao Wang Zi was cast into the longhorn cage, sharing the same fate as Ku Feng and Qing Xin.

Whether to teleport him back remained uncertain, contingent upon how events unfolded.

Using his Bloodcore, the fishman youngster absorbed vast quantities of undead essence, successfully accumulating it to the saint level bloodline concentration of the Hanging Corpse Tree.

Cang Xu reentered the Bloodline Purification Formation. Upon exiting, his bloodline concentration had increased by 2%.

He proceeded to a specialized chamber, concealed his true memories, and performed a blasphemous ritual using fabricated recollections.

Divine blessing arrived once more.

The hatch opened, yet Cang Xu showed little joy.

“I seem to have hit a bottleneck.”

“Though my aptitude has improved, the content of the divine blessing hasn't undergone a qualitative leap.”

“As Lord Zhou Zhang advised, it's likely due to insufficient faith.”

“Through fabricated memories, my level of devotion can only barely be considered pious.”

The fishman youngster comforted him: “That's already quite commendable.”

"Charming Blue Goddess is a true deity. Her church operates with strict regulations, and her doctrines are comprehensive. The regulations governing divine blessings are far stricter than we previously imagined."

“Those with aptitude receive divine favors first, that's an incentive.”

“But if devotion remains shallow, the blessings won't undergo qualitative change. This is a wise screening mechanism.”

Cang Xu sighed. “I underestimated the complexity.”

“To accumulate divine favor for performing resurrection magic... the path ahead is arduous.”

After a moment's deliberation, Cang Xu spoke again: “Commander, perhaps you could perform a blasphemous ritual.”