After leaving the Second Madam's courtyard, the illusory doppelganger headed towards the attic where Li Xuan was, and Li Xuan also made his way there.
At the corner, the illusory doppelganger suddenly vanished, but the borrowed book fell to the ground, only to be caught by Li Xuan's outstretched hand.
The illusory doppelganger and Li Xuan brushed past each other and then merged into one.
This was a small test of strength, and the results seemed pretty good.
The illusory doppelganger could hide his true form, interact with objects, and serve as his eyes and ears. It was very practical, making last night's fierce battle worthwhile.
Just now, Li Xuan also thought that, in terms of physique and combat skills, the "Mutated Ape" was actually no match for the "Stealthy Leopard." However, the "Mutated Ape's" demon skills were overly deceptive, so their matches were closely contested.
He contemplated this as he casually strolled to his residence.
Within moments, dusk had fallen.
The remnant sunlight echoed a tranquility, reflecting in the rainwater puddles from last night's heavy rain.
The Li Mansion was extremely quiet, apart from a few maids, servants, and the nursing home staff. The womenfolk of the Li family's inner residence stayed indoors, afraid to step outside.
The fearsome reputation of the flower thief was too overwhelming.
Li Xuan returned home, and a maid ran over saying, "Young Master, Master says the dinner will be eaten in our respective rooms tonight, no need to go out. Soon, I will bring your meal to you.
Tonight's meal is white rice, dishes of radish and lamb, clear stew bamboo shoots, three fresh soup, and a little stir-fried vegetables... Young Master, should the rice still be served in a bucket?"
The maid spoke with a peculiar expression.
Master's appetite was sometimes unimaginably large.
"No need, just serve it in a large bowl."
Li Xuan responded casually, only needing to eat voraciously when breaking through innate talent, usually, he was normal.
As for "bringing the meal to the room," he understood it was his father avoiding personnel circulation to deny the flower thief any opportunity.
Yet in fact… having mastered illusion skills, he saw this protective measure as full of flaws, laughably naïve.
If he transformed himself into the maid delivering food, could he not go anywhere? With everyone eating in their rooms, it created a chance for free killing.
Thinking back, perhaps the Magistrate encircled by county soldiers died this way.
And that demon ape, after killing the Magistrate, transformed into his likeness, and defiled the wife.
The wife, blissfully ignorant, thought it was her husband, only to meet a tragic end.
'Feasting on her husband, insulting his wife, utterly inhumane.'
'This is the demon kind.'
Li Xuan felt moved, yet he looked at the maid, nodded, and smiled, "After delivering the food, head back to your rooms early, avoid wandering outside at night."
The maid, hearing this concern, gratefully said, "Thank you, Young Master."
...
...
Once the maid departed, Li Xuan continued studying his status panel.
Demon points totaled 8.
At this moment, the only "+" sign still visible was with "[Spirit: 9+16/10]."
The only way to surpass the "innate talent limit" seemed to be using "demon blood" to achieve high attributes first, then cultivating the corresponding "top-tier cultivation technique."
Li Xuan looked for a while, and silently clicked that "+" sign.
Instantly, the spirit bar transformed to [Spirit: 10+16/10].
His mind felt clearer, though evidently no qualitative change.
With "7 demon points" remaining, Li Xuan felt a bit amused.
His various attributes had reached the innate talent's limit, so… can't he use the remaining demon points?
What is this supposed to mean?
As he was about to close the panel, his gaze swept across, noticing a blood-red "+" appearing after[Demon Points: 7].
This "+" had not been there before.
Curiously, Li Xuan looked over.
Information surfaced naturally after the "+": Use 2 demon points to randomly break through an attribute limit, and increase an attribute point.
Li Xuan's eyes showed a hint of change, and he clicked the blood-red "+".
Suddenly, a surge of warmth flooded through him, muscles burned with fire, flesh subtly swelling, a distinct feeling of increased strength.
This strength was not the covert explosive power of resilience; instead, it felt like an "armor-like muscle" covering his body.
Li Xuan glanced, finding his physique had changed from "10" to "11".
He felt an odd tinge of regret.
The reason was simple, as "cultivation techniques" have a "attribute enhancement limit."
For example, if prior to cultivating "Melted Copper Treasure Manual," his true agility reached 15, even with perfected cultivation, no further attribute enhancement could occur.
Because agility 15 is the attribute upon perfect cultivation of "Melted Copper Treasure Manual."
In other words, to surpass the attribute limit, the higher the limit, the higher grade of cultivation technique required.
Thus, logically, delaying point allocation and increasing points later yields greater gain.
But Li Xuan did not think this way.
For instance, "Melted Copper Treasure Manual" has a limit, after reaching it, one must seek more advanced cultivation techniques for further progress.
But Li Xuan was unaware of which cultivation technique could surpass a Grandmaster's level.
At this moment, if he could use attribute points to enhance agility further… in most likelihood, it would complete "a further step from mastery," directly achieving a major transitional leap.
With this in mind, Li Xuan paused the usage of "5 demon points," turning his thoughts towards the "Melted Copper Treasure Manual."
Previously, he was only a step away from perfection.
Now, having fiercely battled the demon ape, that life-and-death fight, instinctively utilizing the flying spider post, and using all his strength, deepened his understanding of this cultivation technique.
Additionally, at present, his Spirit Attribute reached 26, providing him a heightened sense of "insight."
'Perhaps, it's worth a try.'
Li Xuan contemplated silently.
Think and act.
After the maid delivered his meal, he ate heartily, then showered, changed clothes, shut the doors and windows tightly, and sat cross-legged on the ground.
He replaced the magic blood from "Deformed Monster Monkey" with "Mist Lurking Eerie Leopard" and directly injected it.
Instantly, his figure grew taller again, like a hunchbacked seated demon statue.
At the same time, he felt his "perception" quickly disappearing, his brain suddenly turning dull.
However, Li Xuan had already found the feeling.
He followed that feeling, manipulating the wires with his ten fingers.
The threads moved, vibrated, and gradually began to become more nimble.
Original twists would appear stiff, but now they transitioned smoothly.
Li Xuan recalled the past.
When the monster monkey fell into the net, it struggled desperately, and he too gritted his teeth, desperately wrapping and ripping.
At that time, he instinctively used the Sawing Skill, without deliberately using any moves, yet the moves "Ten Directions Dismemberment" and "Spider Web" were mixed in.
Less formality, more direct, effective, instinctive killing moves.
And this is exactly the perfection mentioned in the Melted Copper Treasure Manual, where no move surpasses having moves, acting at will.
Li Xuan kept practicing with focus.
After a long time, he let out a long breath and looked outside the window.
Now, even the sound of night watch had disappeared; he couldn't tell which watch it was, but considering the sky, he vaguely guessed it might be the fourth watch.
He put away the Sawing Skill and "Mist Lurking Eerie Leopard" magic blood, and replaced them with "Deformed Monster Monkey"...
About an hour later, the sky turned gray, dawn was approaching.
Li Xuan yawned and got up.
Even though he had only slept for a while, he felt as if he had slept for a long time, feeling that every organ in his body was fully rested, and thus he was full of energy.
He sprang up nimble as a carp, full of energy.
Thinking carefully, he understood that this was the effect brought by "26 points of spirit."
Clearly, having high spirit brings many benefits.
Another day spent in the courtyard, and when another day arrived, Li Xuan suddenly felt a sense of complete understanding.
He switched to "Mist Lurking Eerie Leopard" magic blood, his ten fingers danced, Sawing Skill like a cloak swirling, filling the room with cold light.
And he transformed from a spider waiting to hunt in the net into a squid full of tentacles.
Ten threads were like ten tentacles, forming a dangerous area with him as the center with a radius of two yards.
Li Xuan glanced around and saw his agility had changed from "15+14" to "16+14."
Melted Copper Treasure Manual, perfection!
...
...
However, even after reaching perfection, his realm remained "ungraded."
Li Xuan looked at this realm.
He had clearly done everything to the fullest, was it really so difficult to break through this realm?
He looked again at the remaining "5 demon points," suddenly gritting his teeth.
Cunning Mouse, impossible to accomplish.
'Add points.'
Li Xuan clicked the bloody "+" sign.
The constitution changed from "11/11" to "12/12."
His face turned dark, then he got carried away.
'Add more!'
With his further adding points, a mysterious feeling surged in his heart, an extremely comfortable feeling as if his entire body was soaking in a hot spring.
Muscles, flesh, everything seemed to undergo qualitative changes.
Li Xuan quickly glanced around and saw his agility changed from "16+14" to "17+14."
This point... clearly added to the right place, thus breaking through some great boundary.
And this breakthrough was from point to plane, bringing overall change.
Li Xuan carefully sensed the turning upside-down changes inside.
After a long time, everything finally settled.
He scanned his state again.
There was already a major change.
[Li Xuan]
[Realm: First Realm]
[Demon Points: 1]
[Strength: 10/30]
[Agility: 17+14/30]
[Constitution: 12/30]
[Spirit: 10/30]
Firstly, the "caps of the four dimensions" all raised to "30."
Secondly, at the "Nine Segment Blood Bar," originally only one segment was lit, but now...the second segment slowly emerged glowing.
This meant he could simultaneously use two kinds of magic blood!
If two kinds of magic blood combined, what effect would that produce?
Li Xuan's heart suddenly rose in anticipation.