Mutual Probing

Chapter 203: Mutual Probing

"Did you really manage to cultivate something?"

After receiving the communication, Jiong Jiong was quite surprised.

She had not expected the other party to actually figure it out. If the secrets within the Longevity Art could truly be secured, even selling it for S-Rank Plot Points would likely spark a bidding war.

S-Rank Plot Points could still be obtained by raising the difficulty and finding opportunities to farm them, but finding suitable skills after spending them was far more difficult. Using them on skills with poor value for money would be a terrible waste.

The Four Great Books, rumored to allow one to shatter the void at their peak, offered exceptionally good value.

The key was their versatility. As long as one had the ability, they could be freely combined and tailored, unlike certain skills that one might learn yet lack the ability to use.

Regardless of whether the other party had stumbled upon a bargain, Jiong Jiong felt she had to make contact. What belonged to someone else was ultimately someone else’s. Only what could help improve herself was truly hers!

Her own Heavenly Demon Secret was also the primary cultivation method of the Heavenly Demon Strategy, one of the Four Great Books. At higher levels, it definitely would not be weaker than the Longevity Art. What she wanted was merely a reference for her breakthrough…

At the Special Auction House, the rules of the space provided protection. No one could do anything about it.

But if they agreed to meet in person, although disguises could be made, there was still the possibility of being seen through and detected.

Xu Yue naturally had a Wood Clone take on another face and go in his stead.

He arrived at the agreed-upon Space Inn.

The Space Inn had been established specifically for situations like this. It was slightly less private than the Mental Cabin, but it made it more convenient to sign agreements and inspect and exchange physical items.

It was protected by the space’s safety measures and enjoyed absolute security.

However, the limits of that safety protection could be explored and tested. As long as it did not endanger anyone’s safety, simple ability tests could be carried out.

After entering the room the other party had booked, Xu Yue saw someone who had clearly also disguised herself, yet somehow felt familiar. He could immediately confirm that this unfamiliar beauty was Jiong Jiong under another disguise.

So it really was her. Was she here for the Heavenly Demon Secret?

"It’s you?"

Yet after Xu Yue saw through Jiong Jiong’s identity, what surprised his Wood Clone was that she seemed to have seen through his identity as well.

He was currently a Wood Clone and had changed his appearance. He was completely different from when he had met her before.

Even if she possessed an item that could see through disguises, she should not have directly seen his true body, should she?

"Hmph. This strange kind of clone is something I’ve only ever seen on you."

A faint blue glow flickered in Jiong Jiong’s eyes. It seemed she possessed some extremely unique secret technique. After seeing a Wood Clone once before, she could actually recognize its characteristics again directly!

However, Jiong Jiong was nowhere near as calm as she appeared. Her imposing opening was largely intended to conceal the shock in her heart.

Back then, she had already confirmed that he was not a Reincarnator who had entered at a reduced level like herself, but a genuine newcomer Reincarnator!

The strength he had displayed at the time had already astonished her. He was stronger than the vast majority of official Reincarnators and possessed limitless potential.

But back then, it had only been potential!

What was going on now?

Though she did not know his exact abilities, he had casually produced three A-Rank Plot Points—enough to make even her heart ache—to purchase the Longevity Art.

He had even learned something from the Longevity Art afterward. This truly left Jiong Jiong finding it incredibly unbelievable.

How long had it been? Even if his low clearance allowed him to enter more frequently, he should at most be at the veteran level by now. Furthermore, with his abilities, his military rank would surely rise quickly. It was even more likely that he was now an official Reincarnator!

Even with her own talent, excluding ability rewards obtained directly through missions, she had mainly farmed B-Rank Plots during the official Reincarnator stage. She had only obtained one A-Rank Plot during her seventh mission.

What had truly allowed her to rise was completing a series of Heavenly Demon Secret missions after becoming a veteran.

This guy…

"It seems we only came here to complete a transaction. If you want to get to the bottom of things, then we can both go home now."

Although he was equally surprised that she had recognized him, Xu Yue’s Wood Clone did not care much.

There was a vast difference in the number of missions they had completed. The chance of encountering each other again within a plot world was not high.

Moreover, this woman also carried many secrets. Neither of them could bear too much exposure.

It would be better to discuss something practical. At worst, they could add a confidentiality clause to the contract afterward…

Longevity True Qi?

Xu Yue did not have that. Did she want Longevity Chakra instead…

Feeling the Rasengan Xu Yue had directly manifested in his hand, Jiong Jiong was somewhat dumbfounded.

Why was this different from what Senior Sister had described?

Was this the Spiral Force?

The style was completely wrong…

This thing did not seem to be of any help to her. Their fundamental natures were different.

But why had a power from a martial arts system been transformed by him into the energy system of the Ninja War? Were they interconnected…

"I’ll tell you one secret for free. The Longevity Art is not purely an internal cultivation technique, but an auxiliary skill. I won’t go into its functions. As for a breakthrough in the Heavenly Demon Secret, I also have some information. I wonder whether you’re interested in buying it."

The other party had been very sincere. After she had broken through to Longevity True Qi, she had been willing to exchange one A-Rank Plot for one opportunity to investigate the secrets of Longevity True Qi.

But after all that, Xu Yue could not produce the so-called Longevity True Qi. The two sides had both awkwardly stalled there. The space judged the transaction to have failed, but the other party still had to pay one B-Rank Plot.

Neither side was satisfied with this, so Xu Yue planned to obtain that original A-Rank Plot through another channel. One B-Rank Plot was not worth him putting in so much thought.

"A method to advance the Heavenly Demon Secret? You know one?"

Jiong Jiong’s pretty face was filled with doubt. Even if this was not her real appearance, she was still a stunning beauty. That mixture of doubt and suspicion had an effect on men much like a provocation.

"Stop using that seduction technique. You should know it has no effect on me. If you’ve mastered the Chanu Great Law, perhaps you could try it on me."

Xu Yue paid no mind to her subtle seduction technique. Just as he was also using a simple Illusion Technique to interfere with her, although this place had the safety protection of the space’s rules, there was still a limit that could be manipulated, so long as it did not count as an attack.

"Pervert~"

Upon hearing the words Chanu Great Law, Jiong Jiong’s face flashed with a trace of bashfulness. A rosy, shy flush lent her even more charm.

Xu Yue did not believe even a single hair on her face, much less that expression.

Deep down, Jiong Jiong was also constantly considering the possibility of his words. At first, she naturally would not have believed that he knew the secrets of the Heavenly Demon Secret.

But the Chanu Great Law was a lost secret manual, with portions respectively held by the Yin Gui Sect and Mieting Dao. Since he even knew that name, it was very likely that he was not merely talking.

Having reached a judgment, and discovering that her seduction technique truly had no effect on him whatsoever, Jiong Jiong put away that expression. She reached up and tore off the exquisitely crafted mask on her face, one with extremely high disguise clearance, revealing her true appearance beneath it.

Back in Koutetsujou, the Reincarnators chasing her had shown a portrait of her. She had already been quite stunning in it, but it still fell far short of the visual impact of the real person.

Whether in looks or figure, Jiong Jiong was absolutely the highest-scoring woman Xu Yue had seen thus far. Even those two-dimensional goddesses within plot worlds fell short by several degrees.

But given Xu Yue’s personality, no matter how beautiful a woman was, she was only divided into useful and useless. His attitude would not change because of it. At most, if she wanted to do something with him, he would not charge her.

"Looks like you’ve seen me. Then you should have seen my wanted poster and understand my identity, right?"

Jiong Jiong smiled brightly, placed both hands behind her back, and spun playfully as she came before Xu Yue. She leaned forward slightly, displaying her exquisite figure even more perfectly, then raised her head to look at him with a sweet smile, like an elf fallen into the mortal world.

She was not using a seduction technique, yet she was even more alluring than when she had been using one.

She was really going all out, this girl…

"I’ve seen your wanted poster, but I don’t know who you are. Besides, I don’t think that has anything to do with our transaction."

Xu Yue’s unchanged attitude made Jiong Jiong click her tongue inwardly. I suspect he’s a woman…