Chapter 1165: 碎星玄印

Zu An was startled by what he heard. What did a tenfold increase in combat power even mean? His greatest advantages currently were his powerful body and regenerative abilities, forged by the Primordial Chaos Scripture. Additionally, the Gluttonous Sky Devouring Art allowed him to neutralize attacks from those with higher cultivation levels. However, his offensive power was severely lacking.

Many times, he even found it difficult to break through an opponent's defenses, having to rely on a few techniques like a poisoned dagger to compensate. However, these skills all had their limitations and might not be effective against top experts.

If he could increase his combat power tenfold, even temporarily, and use it well, it could turn the tide of a battle.

Of course, he could also increase his combat power many times over using his 'cheat', but the terrifying side effects meant that his life would be in peril after doing so.

Seeing the fervor in his eyes, Yan Xuehen, who was standing nearby, felt a pang of displeasure. The Scripture of Supreme Oblivion she had just taught him was clearly no less profound than Yun Jianyue's Star-Shattering Profound Seal, yet this guy wasn't nearly as excited now. Didn't that prove she was far inferior to Yun?

She looked coldly at Yun Jianyue. "Stop boasting. You tried to assassinate the Emperor in the palace before, but you were severely wounded by him without even seeing his face. How can you still say such things?"

Yun Jianyue's face flushed, and for once, she seemed a little embarrassed. "That's different! If he stood there and let me hit him without dodging, I guarantee I'd knock his brains out!"

"Heh heh..." Yan Xuehen merely folded her arms and sneered coldly, clearly scoffing.

Yun Jianyue was annoyed. "Azu, don't listen to this ice queen. The Emperor is an Earth Immortal; his cultivation level is truly beyond our comprehension right now. He's not going to stand still and let us hit him. We only need to deal with that mimic-scaled death worm for now."

Seeing that Yun Jianyue was losing face, Zu An naturally wouldn't be tactless enough to press the matter. "Of course!" he said.

However, he felt a little regret. Even Grandmasters like Yun Jianyue and Yan Xuehen had so little confidence in fighting the Emperor. What would he do if he had to turn against the Emperor in the future?

Yun Jianyue retaliatorily glared at Yan Xuehen. "What, still here? Are you trying to secretly learn my signature skill?"

"Who cares?" Yan Xuehen sneered, then drifted away.

Yu Yanluo gave Zu An a meaningful glance and reminded him, "Azu, Sect Master Yun has gained a fearsome reputation in the martial world over the years precisely because she possesses a peerless offensive technique that makes her invincible among those of the same cultivation level. Back then, countless masters from various sects and factions, led by the imperial court, besieged her, but she killed them all, creating rivers of blood. Even the Emperor once marveled that her offensive arts were unmatched in the world. You must seize this opportunity."

Zu An replied, "Thank you for the reminder. And the art of painting you taught me earlier is also unparalleled in the world and has benefited me immensely."

If not for her art of painting, his One Thousand Faces skill would not have reached mastery.

Oh, speaking of which, he had used the principles of all of them...

Yu Yanluo's cheeks flushed slightly. Her eyes sparkled as she gave him a charming glance.

She had originally felt a bit down and insecure seeing two unparalleled Grandmasters like Yan Xuehen and Yun Jianyue teaching him ultimate moves, while she couldn't offer any help herself.

Yet, he seemed to have sensed her low spirits and specifically offered words of comfort.

What a gentle and considerate man! Why did the world insist on thinking he was a frivolous and dissolute playboy?

Hmph, they're all blind!

Her mood immediately brightened. She even hummed a little tune as she left.

After she left, Yun Jianyue pinched Zu An's ear. "You brat, at a time like this, you still have the mood to exchange flirtatious glances?"

At the same time, she secretly sighed, marveling that Yu Yanluo truly deserved her reputation as a peerless beauty. The impact of her smile in that moment was something even the most skilled practitioners of charm techniques in the Holy Sect could hardly compare to.

Zu An cried out, protesting his innocence, "I was just reminding her to be careful and not get ambushed by those sudden death worms."

Yun Jianyue said indifferently, "With me and the ice queen here, if such a strange worm approaches, we'll warn you in advance. You should focus all your attention on learning the Star-Shattering Profound Seal."

Zu An couldn't help but mutter, "Weren't you two just severely wounded by an ambush from that mother worm?"

Yun Jianyue's delicate brows shot up. "What did you say?"

"Nothing! I said I'll definitely learn it seriously!" Zu An immediately stood up straight.

"That's more like it," Yun Jianyue said, immediately becoming serious. "The Star-Shattering Profound Seal, as its name suggests, can shatter even stars with a single blow when cultivated to its peak."

Zu An was startled. "Is it that exaggerated?"

Yun Jianyue's expression became a little unnatural. "I certainly can't do that, but that's how it has been passed down by ancient legends... Stop talking nonsense and listen carefully!"

"Alright, alright," Zu An said. Seeing that she was about to get truly angry, he dared not provoke her further.

Yun Jianyue continued, "Although this technique is incredibly powerful, its side effects are not small. You must know this beforehand, lest you be hindered by it in the future."

Zu An nodded. It would be illogical for such a powerful technique to have no side effects at all.

"Even if you cultivate this technique to the grand mastery stage, it won't succeed every time you activate it," Yun Jianyue said.

"What's the success rate?" Zu An asked.

"Only a fifty percent success rate," Yun Jianyue said with a serious expression.

Zu An was startled. "That high?"

He had originally thought the probability would only be around ten percent. A fifty percent chance was definitely not low.

"Is that high?" Yun Jianyue sneered. "You must understand that in a battle between experts, victory or defeat often hangs by a thread. If your intended decisive strike fails to activate, wouldn't the situation immediately turn perilous and put you in mortal danger?"

Zu An realized she had a point. If that really happened, he would most likely be counter-killed by the enemy.

Yun Jianyue continued, "Furthermore, there's another issue. A fifty percent success rate doesn't mean you're guaranteed to succeed once if you try twice. If your luck is bad, it's possible to try a dozen times consecutively and not succeed even once. These are bloody lessons learned by generations of inheritors."

"Understood, true randomness, no guaranteed success mechanism," Zu An said. He recalled how, in his previous life, probability teachers would assign homework to flip a coin a hundred times and record the results. When grading, the teachers could tell that students who genuinely completed the experiment would often have streaks of multiple heads or tails, whereas those who simply alternated between heads and tails were usually faking it.

"True randomness?" Yun Jianyue had never heard this term, yet she found it strangely apt. "Yes, that's roughly what it means. So you need to be mentally prepared and plan an escape route before using it. That way, if it fails, you'll have room to recover."

"How often can it be used?" Zu An asked, concerned.

"This technique places an extremely heavy burden on the body. After using it, your body will be weakened for several hours," Yun Jianyue said. "Additionally, you need to wait for the time it takes an incense stick to burn before activating it again. Furthermore, you cannot use it more than three times a day, or your body won't be able to withstand it and might explode."

"That exaggerated!" Zu An thought, considering his powerful body. He should be able to use it a few more times than ordinary people.

"How could such a heaven-defying technique come without a price?" Yun Jianyue sneered. "Watch carefully. How much you learn depends on your comprehension."

As she spoke, she began to explain and demonstrate. Various Daoist rhymes circulated around them, and Zu An felt himself being drawn into a world filled with murderous intent.

On the ground were mountains of corpses and seas of blood, with broken weapons strewn everywhere. In the sky hung a bright moon... no, a blood moon!

"Is this her domain...?" Zu An was astonished. How many bloody battles must she have gone through to manifest such a world?

"Concentrate your mind and comprehend carefully!" Yun Jianyue's authoritative voice rang out.

Zu An's heart tensed. He hastily immersed himself in the peerless offensive figure before him, as if he were with her, confronting the countless experts who had besieged her in the past.