The Programmer Cultivator

His muscles were perfectly sculpted, his fair skin held a hint of a wheat-colored tan, and his face was ruggedly handsome.

Unlike the scholarly elegance of the youth with the book, this man had a bright, sunny disposition, his entire being exuding masculine charm. If not for the vacant look in his eyes, he would have been a total hunk.

In his previous life, he would have been the type of prodigy who could have been an international model.

The book and the staff represented the two extremes: the pretty boy and the rugged hunk.

The moment the young man appeared, he gripped a long staff and charged at Zhang Deming.

’Heh, my first time meeting a fellow Summoning Cultivator. Is she trying to steamroll me with her summons?’

With an inscrutable expression, Zhang Deming watched the staff-wielding young man charge, then activated a Technique of his own.

Rune Summoning: Spirit Nurturing Summoning Technique—Li Shifan!

As Guann Zhenzhen watched in astonishment, Zhang Deming waved his hand. A ball of light appeared before him, slowly condensing and stretching until it took the form of Li Shifan.

The only difference was that this body lacked any true spark of life, as Zhang Deming had not summoned Li Shifan’s actual consciousness to aid him in battle.

Technique: Heart Dream Control!

Zhang Deming waved his hand again. A hazy, dream-like radiance gathered into an illusory psyche. The instant it formed, it shot into Li Shifan’s body.

Li Shifan immediately gained a spark of life. Though his eyes remained vacant, the staff-wielding youth was in the same condition, so it posed no issue. The two once again engaged in combat.

Guann Zhenzhen stared at Zhang Deming in astonishment. ”Is your foundational path really Summoning?”

Zhang Deming shrugged. ”Isn’t it obvious? Weren’t you the one who tried to bait me with the Infant Spirit Hollow Jade?”

’Like hell it’s obvious!’

’First his Wood Dao, then Water Dao, Sword Dao, and Shaping Dao... which one of those Techniques didn’t he show complete mastery in?’

’And now a man like that was suddenly telling her he wasn’t a powerful Technique Cultivator, but a Summoning Cultivator!’

At that moment, Guann Zhenzhen’s mind was completely blown. Even though she’d had her suspicions, to have them confirmed was still utterly baffling.

After a moment of stupor, Guann Zhenzhen once again crossed her hands over her chest, pressing down on her well-developed ”pectorals,” and began her third summoning.

Rune Charm: Charm and Heart Control—Swift!

Countless motes of Spiritual Light converged again, slowly forming another young man.

This man held no special Artifact and had an ordinary face. The instant he appeared, his figure flickered and vanished.

Seeing this, Zhang Deming frowned. The Shield covering his body rippled, showing signs of an attack.

He waved his hand again, and another ball of light appeared.

Rune Summoning: Spirit Nurturing Summoning—Tong Hou!

This time, the ball of light was different. A Yin Yang Fish emerged from within it.

The entire ball of light slowly flattened, becoming a spinning Yin Yang Fish. Then, from within the Yin Yang Fish, the figure of Tong Hou condensed.

After Tong Hou appeared, Zhang Deming once again condensed a dream-like psyche and shot it into the figure.

Tong Hou immediately put a little distance between himself and Zhang Deming. The Yin Yang Fish disc at his feet rapidly expanded, transforming into a chessboard.

The figure of the youth who had vanished instantly appeared on the board. The two were suddenly frozen in place upon it.

The entire chessboard was enveloped in a barrier of light, preventing any outside interference.

On the board, the Yin Yang Fish spun, and the two figures stood motionless like statues.

Zhang Deming: ”...”

Ignoring the Tong Hou Mirror Image, Zhang Deming looked at Guann Zhenzhen, who had not initiated another summoning. He said,

”You’re only at the Tai Chi Second Life Cultivation realm, and your Rune Core is only Tier Three. These three must be all the summons you have. Otherwise,” he mused, ”I doubt Xue Su would still be alive.”

Zhang Deming could also summon three Mirror Image Incarnations simultaneously, but with one integrated into his own body, he too had reached his current limit.

However, unlike her, he wasn’t half-useless without his summons.

Guann Zhenzhen, aside from her summons, did have her pure Charm Techniques, but they were completely useless against Zhang Deming.

Thus, as she assessed the current situation, her expression turned grim.

Zhang Deming, however, gave her no time to think. Vines surged around his body as others in his hand wove together like threads, forming a jade-green Long Sword. He charged forward once more.

Guann Zhenzhen parried a few blows with her flowering branch before dissolving into smoke and drifting backward again.

’Her mastery of that Smoke Escape Technique is truly exquisite.’

Zhang Deming frowned. With a mere thought, he looked to the sky and commanded, ”Let it rain!”

At Zhang Deming’s words, a small cloud condensed in the sky. Instantly, large raindrops began to plummet.

A cloud spanning several acres followed above their heads, unleashing a steady downpour.

A Shield materialized around each of them.

”High-Level Oratory? Are you a Speech Cultivator? What exactly is your path? How can you know Techniques from so many different paths? Is it the Ten Thousand Paths Return to the Vault?” Guann Zhenzhen asked, her face a mask of grim disbelief.

Zhang Deming ignored her and charged forward again. While the rain couldn’t completely restrict Guann Zhenzhen’s Smoke Escape like a Water Dragon’s breath could, her Escape Technique was still severely hampered. It was now strenuous for her to use, and coupled with the drain from her three summons, her face began to pale.

Zhang Deming, on the other hand, wore a Spirit Crystal around his neck and was still maintaining the full might of his Duality techniques. The pressure he exerted left her breathless, and the battle grew increasingly perilous for her.

During another close-quarters exchange, Zhang Deming seized an opportunity and hacked his Sword at her Shield. The Shield shuddered violently before instantly shattering.

The instant her Shield shattered, Guann Zhenzhen dissolved into a hazy mist, retreating a short distance.

A flash of delight crossed Zhang Deming’s face as he saw the shattered Shield. The Long Sword flew from his grasp, shooting toward Guann Zhenzhen, who had just reformed.

Technique: Sword Control Skill!

Just then, the surrounding Space rippled, and the vanished Xue Su abruptly materialized.

He thrust out his hands. Countless Runes danced, forming an ethereal Array Light Curtain that materialized just in time to block Zhang Deming’s flying Long Sword.

After blocking the Long Sword’s attack, Xue Su, who was clearly in a bad state, swayed uncontrollably. The very Space around him seemed to waver in response.

’I’ve been waiting for you!’

...