"Senior, if you only need a few minutes, then this junior is willing to hand over this body to you!"
Zhou Xuan bowed respectfully again.
He didn't want to anger this person, he still valued his life. He said this only to trick him into revealing more, so that Zhou Xuan could find out the person's origin and find a way back to see Ling'er and the others.
Therefore, he was willing to offer it with cupped hands.
The phantom, however, did not respond to his words. Instead, it said coldly, "You little fellow, you seem quite clever."
"Do you know who you are talking to?"
Hearing the tone, Zhou Xuan was slightly stunned.
It was at this moment that Zhou Xuan realized that the person standing before him was not the phantom itself, but merely an invisible energy condensed into form.
But even so, Zhou Xuan's face remained pale.
The disparity in power was no longer a matter of stages.
It was a confrontation between a god and a mortal.
How could he possibly contend with a god?
Merely a maidservant of the master of the Dragon Ridge Ruins possessed divine power.
Let alone this phantom, which was even more powerful.
Zhou Xuan was momentarily confused, almost unable to sort out the relationships.
The phantom continued, "
"Kid..." the phantom suddenly spoke, "Your courage and talent astound me, but with your current cultivation at the Saint Entry stage, it is truly difficult to grow."
"Senior, didn't you say that there are always people better than you, and heavens beyond heavens? This junior will not be discouraged."
"Heh... you are quite confident." The phantom chuckled, "I indeed cannot occupy your body forever. I am merely borrowing it to fulfill an unfulfilled wish. I will leave sooner or later, but I can guide you down several paths that will be greatly beneficial to your future cultivation."
Upon hearing this, Zhou Xuan's eyes lit up.
Why were all the experts he encountered recently people with unfulfilled wishes?
Was it good luck or bad luck for him?
"May I know what are Senior's insights?"
"It's actually very simple."
"Please enlighten me, Senior. This junior will listen respectfully."
"Not everything in this world can be achieved on your own. For example, elixirs, spirit herbs, formations, and cultivation techniques..."
"That is why this junior wants to learn more, not just about elixirs and formations, but also about various cultivation techniques, various spirit herbs, cultivation methods, and martial arts..."
"Hmm..."
The phantom pondered for a moment. "Then you should choose the most supreme cultivation technique in this world."
"What is that?"
"Taigu Shenmo."
"This cultivation technique?" Zhou Xuan was taken aback.
"What is it?"
He was truly ignorant of it.
"Taigu Shenmo is the supreme secret technique of the Divine-Demon clan."
"I know a little about this," Zhou Xuan said. "Legend has it that it was passed down from the Taigu era. It is said to be a peculiar cultivation technique created by the Taigu Divine Demons, which can elevate one's realm through certain special means. It also has certain side effects, but these side effects can greatly enhance the cultivator's combat power and potential, which is undeniable."
The phantom seemed very surprised that Zhou Xuan knew about this cultivation technique. "Oh? You know a bit then."
"Well..." Zhou Xuan said humbly, "This junior only saw it recorded in an ancient text occasionally."
Actually, it was all taught by the ancestral master.
"I see!" The phantom nodded.
Although he knew that Zhou Xuan's words contained some falsehoods, he did not pry further.
Because what he needed to do now was to tell Zhou Xuan the profound meaning of this cultivation technique, as well as its side effects.
"Since that is the case, then I shall tell you. If 'Taigu Shenmo' is cultivated to its extreme, one can transform into gods, and the strength of each of these gods will far surpass ordinary mortal beings. Moreover, one can control their power at will, and even manifest countless forms."
"Countless forms?" Zhou Xuan's eyes sparkled. "Then isn't this cultivation technique quite terrifying?"
"Yes. What do you think? If I borrow your body, I can get out of this place. Aren't the conditions I'm offering you good?"
"It does sound quite good."
"I can also tell you why you came to me."
Upon hearing this, Zhou Xuan's interest was immediately piqued. "Oh? Does Senior know what has happened in this world?"
"I don't know," the phantom shook his head, then continued, "This world, in a certain sense, is an independent space, or rather, this is another world..."
Zhou Xuan frowned. "I know that, Senior, you're talking about..."
"This world is separate from the universe."
"Universe?" Zhou Xuan was stunned again.
What did this mean?
"Indeed!" The phantom nodded. "I am on the other side of the Dragon Ridge Ruins, on the other side of the proton."
"One side is the real world, and the other side is the illusory world."
"And the world I am in is another parallel world, it does not possess the reality of the Dragon Ridge Ruins' side, nor is it in the illusion."
"Parallel world?" Zhou Xuan became more and more confused.
What was this concept?
What was behind the Dragon Ridge Ruins?
Whether such a world existed or not, Zhou Xuan could not judge at all.
His gaze shifted to the phantom. "Since it is an independent world, why did Senior appear here?"
"Because of our mission."
"What mission?"
"If I tell you, you must give me more in exchange."
However, since he was willing to speak, Zhou Xuan was not afraid of saying more.
Zhou Xuan readily agreed.
"Eh, why aren't you afraid of death?"
Zhou Xuan asked, "Do I need to pay a price?"
The phantom seemed surprised that Zhou Xuan would ask this.
After a pause, the phantom chuckled, "It seems you still have some ambition.
Indeed, you must pay a certain price, but only half of it. As long as you cultivate 'Taigu Shenmo' to the great perfection realm as I teach you, you will achieve a myth of being invincible in the world."
"And if I can't?"
"Then you shall die," the phantom said coldly.
"I understand!" Zhou Xuan took a deep breath. "Thank you, Senior."
"Work hard, and I hope to see you as a god the next time we meet."
"I will give you half an hour to learn this. Otherwise, my divine soul cannot completely intervene with your body."
"It's like a plastic bottle that cannot hold much water being filled with boiling water. The result is, you understand."
The phantom said faintly, then disappeared.
The space where he was also became extremely bright.
It seemed that Zhou Xuan was inside a very smooth stone.
Nothing from the outside could be perceived.
At this moment, Zhou Xuan finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Whether his ambition was real or fake, in this world, nothing was absolute, nor was there absolute power.
That was why he dared to try.
As long as he could succeed, it would be enough.
Moreover, this was an opportunity, a chance to change his destiny.