Walker Of The Worlds

Meng Bai's eyes widened as he read the name of the technique aloud. "Spectral Phantasm Strike… Master, what kind of technique is this?"

Lin Mu, who had just picked up the booklet, glanced at him with a smirk. "It's an ambush technique."

Meng Bai blinked in confusion. "An ambush technique? There are techniques specifically designed for ambushing?"

"There are," Lin Mu confirmed, flipping the booklet in his hands. "Though most are merely Qi skills incorporated into broader techniques rather than standalone techniques. But this one…" He paused, feeling a growing excitement as he studied the pages. "…This one is a full-fledged technique. I was mistaken when I first assumed it was just a simple Qi skill."

Meng Bai leaned closer, his curiosity piqued. "What does it do?"

Lin Mu opened the book and began reading. The first line of the technique's description was both simple and awe-inspiring:

"Form a thousand specters, and even gods shall not escape your strike!"

Meng Bai's breath caught in his throat. "Gods!? This technique can kill gods!?"

He struggled to process the idea. Even among cultivators, gods were revered, almost mythological beings. Mortals worshiped them, while Immortals sought to reach their realm. To speak of harming a god—let alone killing one—was beyond anything Meng Bai had ever imagined.

Lin Mu, however, remained composed. "That's hard to say… but it's not entirely impossible. It would depend on the person using it."

Meng Bai frowned. "What do you mean?"

"If a commoner used this technique, it would be meaningless," Lin Mu explained. "Even an Immortal using it might not be enough. But if another god were to use it… What do you think?"

Meng Bai felt a chill run down his spine. "You mean to say… one must become a god to kill a god?"

Lin Mu nodded. "Most likely. Gods are simply beings who have attained overwhelming power. And in the end, cultivation is nothing more than the path to reaching that level."

Meng Bai's mouth hung open. "That…" He trailed off, struggling to absorb this revelation.

Meanwhile, Lin Mu continued reading, his expression growing more serious. The more he read, the more impressed he became. By the time he reached the end, he was certain: this technique was invaluable.

'This technique alone is worth millions of Immortal Stones… Something like this is rarely found, even among the great sects.'

The Spectral Phantasm Strike was anything but simple. Unlike conventional techniques, it wasn't meant for just any cultivator to learn. It required immense physical strength, near-instantaneous speed, and refined dexterity just to attempt its first stage. Additionally, practicing it demanded specific rare resources.

The technique allowed the user to achieve an instantaneous burst of speed, so intense that multiple specters—or afterimages—would be left in their wake. These specters disoriented the opponent, preventing them from predicting the true point of attack. The actual strike would land before the enemy could react, making countering or dodging nearly impossible.

However, such an extreme burst of motion placed an incredible strain on the body. A normal cultivator attempting this would likely shatter their joints from the sheer force. Without the proper physique, their body would simply break under the momentum.

This requirement alone meant that only body cultivators—who possessed enhanced durability—could even attempt it. But they faced another issue: while body cultivators had the necessary strength, they typically lacked the speed and dexterity needed to perform the technique flawlessly.

On the other hand, Qi cultivators—who excelled in agility and movement techniques—were also disqualified. The technique generated an overwhelming surge of Qi, which could rupture their meridians if they weren't tempered enough.

It was a paradox:

Those who had the speed couldn't handle the power.Those who had the power lacked the necessary speed and control.

Thus, even if one stumbled upon this technique, very few cultivators in existence could actually practice it. For most, it was an impossible art.

But for Lin Mu, this was perfect.
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His body was already beyond that of normal cultivators. His physique had been refined through countless tribulations, his speed unmatched by most, and his meridians were strengthened to endure immense Qi surges.

For him, this technique had no drawbacks.

But there was still one major hurdle: the resources required to cultivate it.

Lin Mu scanned the list of materials needed. Most of them were rare but attainable—things he could acquire with some effort. However, one particular item caught his attention.

"Spectral Mirror Stones… What are these?" He muttered to himself.

He turned to Xukong. 'Senior, do you know about Spectral Mirror Stones?'

"Oh?" Xukong went silent for a moment as he sifted through his vast knowledge. "Strange… I've never seen Spectral Mirror Stones used as a cultivation resource before."

Lin Mu's eyes flickered. "So you do know about them?"

"Yes. Spectral Mirror Stones are incredibly rare minerals that form in places rich with Yin Qi or baleful energies. They sometimes appear alongside other Yin-oriented minerals," Xukong explained.

Lin Mu's brows furrowed. "Then shouldn't we have found some on the Bridge Plane? That was the most Yin-rich place I've ever encountered."

"They probably did form there," Xukong admitted. "But finding them is like searching for a specific grain of sand in a desert. Even if they do appear, they're usually the size of a rice. Gathering enough would be nearly impossible."

Lin Mu sighed. "Damn… I wonder if Lady Kang could get them."

"She probably could," Xukong mused. "The Great Kang Clan operates large-scale mineral refineries. The only practical way to obtain Spectral Mirror Stones is through industrial refinement, sifting through massive amounts of material to extract them."

Lin Mu nodded. "I'll have to talk to her about it later."

Then, something else struck him. "Senior, earlier you said these stones aren't usually used for techniques?"

"Yes. They are primarily used for illusory arrays," Xukong confirmed. "In fact, they're one of the best materials for high-grade illusion formations."

"Really?" Lin Mu raised an eyebrow.

"In particular, they are the main component for a Doppelganger Trial Array—one of the most advanced illusion formations known," Xukong added.