The Programmer Cultivator

”Aaaargh...”

Xin Rongjiang let out a piercing scream. The Broken Sword shattered into pieces, which then dispersed into a sky full of Spiritual Light, leaving only the hilt hanging motionless in the air.

The Blessed Fortune that Elder Huang had previously bestowed upon Li Shifan was not fully consumed due to the sudden cessation of their fight. In that instant, the light of Blessed Fortune flared up around Li Shifan.

Furthermore, under the combined influence of a strange fluctuation and the Blessed Fortune enveloping Li Shifan, the Spiritual Light from the shattered sword didn’t just break apart and disperse. As it came into contact with Li Shifan’s Long Sword, it underwent a bizarre transformation.

Li Shifan stared blankly at the Broken Sword, which had shattered into a cloud of Spiritual Light just from his simple block. He couldn’t believe it. How could an ordinary Defensive Sword Technique of his be so powerful? It was like the sword had staged an accident to frame him.

The swirling Spiritual Light was suffused with a strange aura of misfortune. It began to entangle with the residual Blessed Fortune on Li Shifan, and under this pull, motes of Spiritual Light started to flow into his Long Sword.

After activating and detonating a Protective Talisman with its full power, Elder Huang turned to see this scene. He paused, stunned for a moment, then said to Li Shifan, ”Your Blessed Fortune is truly off the charts, kid. What are you spacing out for? To refuse such a heaven-defying opportunity is to invite Celestial Punishment.”

Rune Technique: Heart’s Desire!

”Experience Points -1000”

As he spoke, Elder Huang applied another small buff to Li Shifan, preventing the aura of Blessed Fortune around him from completely dissipating.

Li Shifan watched the Spiritual Light merging into his Long Sword, surprised at first. But after hearing Elder Huang’s words, his eyes flickered as if in confirmation. A look of delighted surprise crossed his face, and he made a major decision without the slightest hesitation.

With a decisive thrust, he plunged his Long Sword into the swirling cloud of Spiritual Light. The sword vibrated slightly, emitting a powerful suction. Li Shifan released his grip, and the Long Sword remained suspended in the air before him.

His hands moved in a rapid blur, emitting a strange ripple of energy. The Long Sword began to vibrate rhythmically, quickly absorbing the Spiritual Light as his own aura began to skyrocket.

In a mere moment, he reached Tai Chi Peak. He then formed a Spell, opened his mouth, and expelled three balls of light. Just like that, he began to advance his cultivation right on the spot.

...

Meanwhile, the Scroll, which had also transformed into a streak of light, shot toward Zhang Deming. Upon reaching him, its Spiritual Light flickered, and it dove directly toward the spot between his eyebrows.

With Elder Huang nearby, she knew her odds of victory were slim. She also lacked the kind of Qi Soul the Broken Sword possessed; she just wanted to survive.

So she chose a different method from the Broken Sword. Copying Li Cheng, she planned to perform a Soul Binding with Zhang Deming.

Of course, because her Soul Body was still intact, she wasn’t considered a mere Painting Artifact. Adding to that her Cultivation at the Three Talents realm, she chose a different type of binding—a partnership of equals, with no primary or secondary party.

If she hadn’t been so desperate to survive, with her level of Cultivation, she could have easily taken the dominant role and controlled Zhang Deming.

However, Elder Huang would certainly not have allowed that. And she, for her part, was not foolish enough to cede control and take a subordinate role.

Therefore, she chose an equal binding. This way, through Soul Binding, the two of them would share the same fate. If Elder Huang truly cared for this junior of his, he probably wouldn’t press the issue.

After all, his Disciple was the one benefiting, right? No matter how you looked at it, she was still a Great Cultivator at the Three Talents realm.

This seemed to be the most reliable escape plan with the highest chance of success. In that brief moment, it was the only thing Yinn Yindi could think of.

But as the Scroll’s Spiritual Light flickered and she plunged into Zhang Deming’s body, all she found inside was a cluster of illusory Spiritual Light. Her headlong charge had already shattered it upon impact.

”This is... a Vine Technique Incarnation?” Yinn Yindi was completely dumbfounded.

Before she could even exit the Incarnation, a bizarre aura fluctuated across the Scroll. Perhaps because she had rushed in too hastily, her terrible luck caused the action to aggravate her old injuries.

Like a line of dominoes, a chain reaction occurred, and the entire Scroll shattered into a cascade of fragments.

Ordinarily, shattering into fragments would merely count as a grievous injury. If she could just grit her teeth, endure it, and gather the pieces, there was still hope for recovery.

But under the flickering of a bizarre light on the Scroll, the fragments simply wouldn’t fit back together.

Not only that, but the illusory light she had shattered when she tried to bind their souls should have been slowly dissipating by now.

But under the flickering of that bizarre light—perhaps by coincidence, perhaps by chance, perhaps due to sheer luck—the scattered illusory light began to fuse directly with the shattered pieces of the Scroll.

In other words, the fragments and the illusory light had achieved their own so-called ’Soul Binding.’ She had used her own soul and her Lifebound Painting to bind with a fake soul conjured up by a Heart Spirit Skill!!!

To say her luck was bad would be an understatement!!!

Only when all of the illusory light had completely fused into the Scroll did the bizarre light on its surface slowly dim, leaving behind just a final, lingering trace.

When Yinn Yindi finally managed to piece the Scroll back together with all her might, she discovered that she had completed the Soul Binding with this illusory, fake soul. They were now bound to live and die as one.

Upon realizing her situation, she froze completely. Then, she fell into a state of utter shock, so stunned that for a moment, she had no idea what to do or how to react. Her Heart Spirit trembled so violently that the reassembled Scroll nearly fell apart again.