Chapter 164
Our Discord Server: https://discord.gg/PazjBDkTmW
You can buy coins here to unlock advanced chapters: https://gravitytales.com/coins-purchase-page/
Chapter 164: The Mindset of a Powerful Being (Consider This Two-in-One)
Mu Lin held great fondness for the Time House.
His open admiration was noticed by Yan Yunyu and Chu Lingluo.
When they sensed his intent to enter the Time House, the two girls grew alarmed.
“Mu brother, you shouldn’t enter the Time House!”
“Big Brother Mu, I know you want to grow stronger, but this isn’t urgent. With the Taoist Palace and Teacher Dongfang Ya protecting you, you’re safe. There’s no need to waste your potential there.”
As Yan Yunyu and Chu Lingluo urged him, Lin Qi and Flower Xingyu hesitated before adding their own advice.
“Young Master Mu, trading potential for time isn’t wise.”
Mu Lin nodded at their words.
“You’re right—sending my true body inside would be unwise.”
Then he grinned. “But who said my true body needs to go in?”
With that, he drew out a paper figure and blew on it lightly.
The figure swelled in the wind, becoming a near-perfect copy of Mu Lin. After a shared glance, the Substitute Paper Figure obeyed his command and strode into the Time House.
The others finally understood—he’d sent a substitute to cultivate. Their faces twisted in disbelief.
“Your paper figure can help you train?!”
“Yes.”
Mu Lin replied calmly, “Without this ability, I couldn’t have refined my techniques so thoroughly in just three or four months. Nor would I have earned fame in the Radiance of Thunder Pool without those techniques.”
His explanation satisfied Yan Yunyu and the rest. Lin Qi and Flower Xingyu also found answers to their doubts.
They’d always wondered how Mu Lin, a cold clan’s disciple from an outer Taoist Palace, had risen so swiftly. They’d suspected hidden treasures or secrets—but now knew it was his mastery of techniques.
As they marveled, Mu Lin added, “My Doppelgänger Technique isn’t rare—it’s the Substitute Paper Figure from the Paper Folding Secret Manual. To make it train for me, I poured endless effort into raising it to master-level. Gladly, the hard work paid off.”
“…Master-level.”
Lin Qi and Flower Xingyu’s curiosity vanished. A master-level technique was beyond their reach in such a short span.
…
Feeling their scrutiny fade, Mu Lin relaxed.
Mu Lin had spoken that way on purpose.
He knew full well that as his skills grew and his reputation spread, countless eyes would inevitably turn toward him.
His past would be picked apart and examined by others—this world had no shortage of clever minds determined to uncover how he’d become so powerful, so quickly.
Some would study him. Others might act rashly.
Though Teacher Dongfang Ya would shield him, there’s a saying: "You can’t watch for thieves every single day."
To avoid such a fate, Mu Lin offered a convincing lie.
“I possess a clone capable of cultivation. That’s why I advance so swiftly. Master the Doppelgänger Technique, reach Master Level, and you too could soar like me.”
By revealing this “secret”—a technique neither rare nor unique—he redirected their scrutiny.
As for whether others copying the Substitute Paper Figure would erase his advantage? Mu Lin scoffed.
“Mastering the Substitute Paper Figure isn’t so simple.”
His success relied on ideas from his past life, even quantum mechanics. Others might reach Master Level yet still fail to unlock clone cultivation.
But these details mattered little. His true edge was the proficiency panel.
“Without its power—hard work rewarded, skills perfected forever—even clone users would lag a hundred steps behind me.”
…
Like corporations guarding core patents while selling inferior tech, Mu Lin leaked the clone method to protect his real secret.
Then inspiration struck.
“Wait—this could earn Spirit Stones.” His eyes gleamed.
As a True Meaning Artist, he could etch the essence of Domination from his clone’s cultivation into True Meaning Diagrams. Teachable. Replicable.
In a world where magic ruled, noble scions of powerful clans craved such shortcuts. His diagrams would fetch fortunes.
“Moonlight Essence baths might not be just a dream.”
The plan solidified. He desperately needed Spirit Stones.
Yan Yunyu and Chu Lingluo funded his current ease, but relying on their “soft meal” chafed. Their resources had limits anyway.
Why didn’t Mu Lin replace all his paper figures with the Star Paper of the Year-End Noble? Was it because he didn’t want to?
No, he was broke. That’s why he had to settle for ordinary ones.
As for sandalwood, the jade pendants, and bodhi beads—items that boost comprehension—Mu Lin never used them during cultivation. Did he scorn them?
Again, no. The real issue was money.
On top of that, Mu Lin now faced two new expenses.
First, the academy points at Yuhu Academy. Whether visiting the Radiance of Thunder Pool or the Time Tower, both required points.
Sure, Chu Lingluo and Yan Yunyu had points, but those came from their families’ Spirit Stones, resources, or connections. Could Mu Lin freeload forever?
Second, his serpent transformations.
Each transformation drained his potential completely, forcing him to rebuild it before attempting another breakthrough in the Thunder Pool.
If left to recover naturally, it’d take three to five months per transformation—and that was only possible because Chu Lingluo and Yan Yunyu supplied him with spiritual meals. Normally, others needed two to three years to gather enough energy for a single transformation, which boosted his overall strength by sixty percent!
To avoid wasting time, Mu Lin had to buy Rare Resources to replenish his blood energy—another costly burden.
“Then there’s the Time Tower. Training there speeds up cultivation three to fivefold… but Moonlight Dew and Morning Purple Air get used up faster too…”
Already, his clone cultivation burned through three to five times more resources than others. Adding another three to fivefold increase made his head spin just thinking about it.
Still, every cloud had a silver lining. What originally required three to five years of cultivation now took just three to five months. To Mu Lin, that felt like a steal.
“I need to draw that True Meaning Diagram!”
While scheming, he summoned his restored Substitute Paper Figures—ones he’d exhausted in the Radiance of Thunder Pool—and sent them marching into the Time Tower.
Watching the procession, Lin Qi and Flower Xingyu gaped.
“One… six clones. He trains six times faster. No wonder he improves so quickly.”
Flower Xingyu snorted. “Not six. With the Time Tower, it’s eighteen… no, thirty times!”
The number shattered Flower Xingyu’s polished demeanor. “Damn! With that multiplier, I’d fight for Yuhu’s top three!”
Lin Qi slumped. “Same. Even a Heavenly Technique couldn’t make me swap his Doppelgänger Technique.”
As envy tinted their eyes red, Mu Lin turned to Yan Yunyu.
“Yunyu—how much could the True Meaning Diagram for clone cultivation sell for?”
“Huh?”
“Wait—you’re selling it?!”
Before Yan Yunyu could react, Flower Xingyu and Lin Qi lunged forward, hearts pounding.
It was impossible not to feel thrilled. By combining doppelgängers with the Time Tower, one could instantly boost Training Speed nearly thirtyfold. What Qi Practitioner wouldn’t get dizzy with excitement upon hearing this?
Both Flower Xingyu and Lin Qi immediately decided: if Mu Lin truly created such a True Meaning Diagram, they’d buy it even if it meant going bankrupt.
This reaction drew a faint smile from Mu Lin.
To protect himself and shift attention away, he needed to spread the clone cultivation technique. Otherwise, his current weakness would leave him vulnerable to the powerful clans’ prying eyes.
Of course, Mu Lin could’ve chosen another path—lying low. But pretending to be weak too long risks becoming truly weak. Hiding would cost him Yan Yunyu’s respect, Dongfang Ya’s guidance, and the Taoist Palace’s support. Without these resources, his Training Speed would drop thirtyfold. Becoming a powerful being would take twenty or thirty times longer, riddling his cultivation path with dangers. That’s why he refused to hide.
Still, handing out his methods for free felt too generous. The solution? Announce the technique for safety, then profit from the True Meaning Diagram—securing both protection and Spirit Stones.
Yet when Mu Lin proposed this, Yan Yunyu shook her head fiercely.
"Brother Mu Lin, you can’t reveal this technique’s True Meaning! It’s your core foundation—a legacy for your descendants!"
Flower Xingyu and Lin Qi glared at her, eyes turning red. To them, she was blocking their path to power.
Yan Yunyu ignored their hostility. Convinced she’d marry Mu Lin someday, his techniques belonged to her future family. Selling their heritage? Unthinkable. Clutching Mu Lin’s arm, she pleaded:
"If you need Spirit Stones or resources, just ask me. I’ll get them for you, whether through favors or loans…"
Chu Lingluo piped up: "Me too!"
Mu Lin understood Yan Yunyu’s concern—only fools sell their core methods. But clone cultivation wasn’t his true secret. He needed to discard this decoy technique. Instead of explaining, he adopted a loftier tone:
"Core essence shouldn’t be sold? Yunyu, you’re clever but lack a powerful being’s mindset. True masters welcome rivals, never fear being surpassed. I aim to become the ultimate victor who faces all challenges head-on! Let them learn my techniques. Those who imitate my path perish; those who truly learn thrive. I’ll keep forging ahead, creating greater methods!"
His bold declaration earned Flower Xingyu and Lin Qi’s half-hearted admiration—their expressions tinged with disbelief. Even Mu Lin didn’t buy his own rhetoric. Yan Yunyu saw through it instantly. Only pure-hearted Chu Lingluo gazed at him with shining eyes, utterly convinced.
Still, everyone feigned respect. Flower Xingyu and Lin Qi wanted the True Meaning Diagram. Realizing she couldn’t change Mu Lin’s mind, Yan Yunyu relented—with vicious conditions.
"Brother Mu is truly heroic. This petty girl lacks your noble mindset." Her tone sweetened before striking: "We’ll sell viewings of the True Meaning Diagram at 8,888 Spirit Stones each—for good fortune. No one takes it home. One look per payment."
"?!!"
Flower Xingyu and Lin Qi gaped. 8,888 Spirit Stones—a fortune even for powerful clans’ offspring. Worse, multiple viewings might bankrupt them without guaranteed success.
Lin Qi weakly protested: "Isn’t that too…"
Yan Yunyu’s ice-cold voice cut him off: "Are you saying Brother Mu Lin’s technique isn’t worth it?"
"N-no! Just…"
"Then it’s settled. Don’t want it? Don’t buy it." Her message was clear: take it or leave it.
