I Will Grind My Way To Godhood

In a narrow alley, Xue Jing sat on the ground, gazing at the dark flames burning in his palm.

“Shadow Flame…”

He curiously let the dark flames jump from one hand to the other.

The control was incredibly fluid, seamless as if they were an extension of his body, without any awkwardness or hindrance.

With a thought, Xue Jing casually picked up a brick from the ground, guiding the Shadow Flame to attach to it.

“Boom!”

The silicon-based material, ordinarily resistant to fire, ignited as easily as wood.

The brick gradually melted within the Flame, turning to ashes and dispersing into the air within seconds.

“Completely different from ordinary flames,” he mused.

“Or rather—its essence is not flame at all; it merely appears that way, a black fire.”

Xue Jing pondered deeply.

Again, he ignited another brick with the Shadow Flame, letting it burn briefly before dispelling it.

He reached out and touched the stone. Aside from the surface being pitted, there were no signs of charring. It felt as cold as ever.

“The temperature remains unchanged; it's not a high-temperature attack… it's a conceptual harm to materials, devoid of any physical properties?”

Xue Jing continued his experiments in the alley, developing a preliminary understanding of this divine skill, [Shadow Flame].

"The greater the surrounding shadow, the more Shadow Flame I can transform, consuming less energy,” he observed.

“The damage isn’t related to physical properties… it’s totally based on intensity… This person’s skin is so tough, it takes ages to burn through.”

Watching the Shadow Flame burn for an extended period before finally creating a small hole in the man's arm, Xue Jing nodded to himself.

On the panel, the once-golden [Shadow Flame] text had dimmed, rendering it unusable, and leaving him uncertain about the cooldown duration.

Xue Jing stood up and stretched lazily.

“A massive haul~”

He glanced at the panel and marveled.

【You've experienced a battle where the weak overcame the strong, +452 combat experience】

【You've experienced a battle where the weak overcame the strong, +633 combat experience】

【You've experienced a battle where the weak overcame the strong, +422 fitness experience】

【You've experienced a battle where the weak overcame the strong, +558 fitness experience】

……

Amidst a flurry of notifications, his skill experience soared crazily.

【Fitness upgraded to Lv6】

【Wellness upgraded to Lv4】

【Aiming upgraded to Lv4】

【Combat upgraded to Lv4】

【Force Manipulation upgraded to Lv5】

What do you call a gainful surge?

This, my friend, is a gainful surge!

Xue Jing's body crackled and popped as he clenched his fist, feeling nearly twice as powerful as before.

More importantly, he had unlocked a pure offensive divine skill—Shadow Flame!

This gave him a tremendous boost in destructive capabilities.

"Indeed, one must engage in more combat."

Immersed in the satisfaction of his growth for a while, Xue Jing suddenly remembered that he had a lot of unfinished business.

First, he took a photo of the man's corpse and sent it to Wu Youqing, providing a detailed account of what happened.

After all, having killed a person, Xue Jing felt a bit overwhelmed and knew he needed a powerful ally to help resolve things.

Compared to the Hidden Dragon Dojo, Wu Youqing, with her semi-official background as a wealthy businesswoman, seemed more reliable.

After all, this all started because of the collection of a divine relic, so Wu Youqing couldn't possibly ignore it.

He didn't have to wait long as Wu Youqing quickly called him. Xue Jing answered immediately, saying, "Hello, Boss, it's like I explained on WeChat."

Wu Youqing's gentle voice came through the receiver, "I understand. Don't worry, you did nothing wrong, and I will handle it."

Hearing this, Xue Jing breathed a sigh of relief.

"Send me the location. Don’t move the man's body; I’ll send someone over to take care of it. Just head home as if nothing happened."

"Come to the library to see me tomorrow."

After hanging up, Xue Jing sent the detailed address to Wu Youqing. Then he thought for a moment and dragged the man's body into a trash heap, covering it slightly so that passersby wouldn't notice.

Patting the dust off himself, he turned and left the alley.

……

When he arrived home, the cat was already back.

Opening the door to find a cat greeting him was something that filled him with happiness.

The anxiety that had been gnawing at Xue Jing from killing a person eased considerably upon seeing the cat.

"Ha~~ you're back," the cat yawned, rubbing its emerald-like eyes with its paws, lazily speaking.

“Huh?”

The little cat moved closer to Xue Jing, its pink nose twitching slightly.

“The smell of blood... have you been fighting again?”

Xue Jing picked it up and rubbed his face against its, smiling, "Just a minor issue, but I've already taken care of it."

“Let's go, Teacher Wan, it's been a while since you had a bath, hasn't it...”

Hearing this, Ning Fengwan immediately began to struggle in Xue Jing's arms.

“...Cats don't need to bathe every day, hey, let go, you go wash yourself!”

“Ah~”

In the bathtub, Xue Jing cradled the little cat as they sank into the gently steaming water, both letting out a contented sigh.

The cat lay on Xue Jing’s chest, its tail swaying back and forth, brushing against Xue Jing's chin.

It turned its head slightly, inadvertently glimpsing the sight of Xue Jing's imposing "sacred sword", then quickly averted its gaze.

In the silence, the cat's youthful, girlish voice echoed in the bathroom.

“Young man, are you feeling down?”

Xue Jing paused at the question, then chuckled, "A bit, but seeing you makes me feel a lot better."

Ning Fengwan cocked its head loftily, huffing softly, “Flattery won’t work on this sect leader.”

Xue Jing glanced at the interface.

[Someone has developed a fondness for you, +21 Charm Skill Experience]

Xue Jing chuckled softly, choosing not to expose the truth, and instead reached out to pinch Ning Fengwan's cheeks.

"Hmm? Why are you wearing glasses while bathing? They're all fogged up."

Ning Fengwan glanced at the glasses on Xue Jing's nose, now enveloped in a layer of white mist, feeling a bit uncomfortable.

So, he extended a paw and hooked the glasses.

The glasses fell off.

"Hmm?"

Completely off guard, Xue Jing did not anticipate this. By the time he tried to put the glasses back on, it was too late.

[Someone has developed a strong liking for you, +89 charm skill experience points]

Having suppressed his presence all day, the moment he removed his glasses, it explosively intensified. At this moment, Xue Jing was practically the embodiment of an incubus.

Ning Fengwan stared at him, transfixed, feeling dizzy.

Then, something unexpected occurred.

The ring on Ning Fengwan's tail began to emit a platinum glow, gradually brightening, then burst into a blinding flash.

Instinctively, Xue Jing raised a hand to shield his eyes.

Suddenly, he felt a weight on his chest.

The furry touch of Ning Fengwan vanished, replaced by a warm, smooth sensation...

No, upon closer feel... there was still a trace of fluffiness amidst the warmth and smoothness.

He opened his eyes and locked gazes with a pair of slender, enticing eyes.

……

During a serene afternoon, the playful interaction between Xue Jing and Ning Fengwan took a surprising turn.

The talking cat, usually so mischievous and enigmatic, began to shimmer subtly under the sunlight.

Xue Jing, initially perplexed, watched with widened eyes as Ning Fengwan underwent a transformation, revealing another layer of its mysterious nature.

Witnessing this, Xue Jing was filled with a mix of awe and curiosity, feeling their bond with the extraordinary creature grow deeper.

This newfound aspect of Ning Fengwan hinted at secrets yet to be unveiled, ensuring that Xue Jing's journey with the talking cat would lead to further adventures and revelations.