My Synthesizer Has Talent

No one was a fool.

This was a life-and-death duel.

When Su Qing and his opponent set the terms for their duel, they included many conditions.

The most important was the Black Abyss Stone Flower.

It had to contain the Devouring Dao Path.

Otherwise, the agreement was void.

Su Qing would only fight after he consumed the Black Abyss Stone Flower.

The duel placed no restrictions on the methods used.

But Su Qing wasn’t afraid of his opponent possessing some powerful weapon.

This wasn’t just confidence.

Su Qing simply felt that he would not lose, nor would he die.

Besides, on the Taichu Dao Platform...

...as long as the distance wasn’t too great...

...Su Qing was confident.

"The vow is made. We have thirty Taichu Heaven’s worth of time."

"Just wait."

After the man and Su Qing made their vow, the man’s expression grew a little more solemn.

This was because Su Qing’s demeanor hadn’t changed at all.

He remained expressionless, showing no fear.

Perhaps he didn’t fear death, or perhaps he didn’t fear him.

Regardless, facing such an emotionless enemy...

...was what made his own expression so incredibly grave.

After making the vow, Su Qing turned and returned to the Taichu Book Land.

Most of the books here were ones Su Qing wanted to read.

Books had always been tools that prompted Su Qing to think.

Tools for old ideas to collide with new ones.

For example, before coming to the Taichu Daoist Palace, Su Qing had believed there were no wondrous items that could awaken the All-Knowing Dao Path in a living being.

He thought it could only be obtained through one’s own vast learning.

But in the Taichu Daoist Palace,

Su Qing discovered through his reading that there were, in fact, many wondrous items that could grant a person the abilities of a Dao Path.

For a normal Cultivator, the time required to walk two Dao Paths is nearly double that of walking one.

Therefore, more Dao Paths were not necessarily better.

To become the strongest, one had to continuously research a single Dao Path.

As for why Su Qing wanted the Devouring Dao Path...

...it was because the Devouring Dao Path didn’t play by the rules.

While others were researching their Dao Paths, this one was just constantly devouring things.

While others needed to read constantly to research their paths, the Devouring Dao Path was still devouring.

So, it was simple and unreasonable.

It was similar to how the Star Dao Path constantly absorbed the Power of the Stars.

In any case, some Dao Paths just didn’t play by the rules.

Their progress was much simpler than that of other paths.

And once developed, they were in no way inferior to any other Dao Path.

It was mindless, brutish, and especially suited for someone like Su Qing, who could use Standardization to achieve limitless resource absorption.

Su Qing also felt it was the most suitable.

’The Devouring Dao Path plus the Star Dao Path—perfect.’

Su Qing just needed to comprehend the Time Dao Essence, which would free his soul from having to use its authority to manipulate time and space.

Letting his Magical Power wield the Power of Time in place of his soul would make him even stronger.

Su Qing returned and read books for several days.

Soon, quite a few students from the Immortal Palace began to gather near Su Qing.

They stared intently, as if watching someone with a death wish.

In the distance, some students from the Immortal Palace caught sight of Su Qing.

From a human perspective, his appearance and temperament were first-class. The tranquility within his calm demeanor made him look extremely confident and natural.

"So that’s Su Qing?"

"The one who scheduled a life-and-death duel with someone from the Black Abyss Dynasty on the Taichu Dao Platform?"

Another person said, "What a pity. He managed to get into the Taichu Daoist Palace; he should have just endured it. In the end, the Black Abyss Dynasty can’t really do anything to us."

"Yeah, too impulsive."

"The Black Abyss Dynasty has all sorts of powerful wondrous items, right? And there’s no restriction on using them."

"He’s definitely finished."

"Yep, yep."

...

The gossip continued, showing no signs of stopping.

As Su Qing was reading his book, he was surrounded by a few arrogant-looking thugs.

"You’re Su Qing?"

"You don’t look like much."

"Hmph~"

The guy actually spat at Su Qing.

Holding his book, Su Qing calmly watched as the glob of spit was about to land in front of him.

Then, the spit stopped.

It shot right back onto the man’s face.

It splattered directly across the man’s face.

"Su Qing? You’ve got some nerve!"

The man’s face instantly contorted with rage, and the power from his body erupted almost completely.

Three Dao Paths: one of Greed, one of Decay, and one of Great Debt.

All of them were quite rare Dao Paths.

Yet their individual strengths were only around the fifth step of their Dao Paths.

’I can’t believe these three are such morons,’ Su Qing thought.

"Calm down, calm down, boss."

The other two guys looked at their boss, the man with the Dao Path of Decay.

"Yeah, boss, calm down."

The two underlings stopped his next move.

Su Qing observed the changes in the trio’s emotions.

The one who appeared angry actually showed no emotional fluctuation at all; instead, a cunning glint appeared in his eyes.

’He’s trying to provoke me.’

Too bad.

Su Qing was completely unmoved, paying their actions no mind.

Instead, he took out his Taichu Seal. In an instant...

...the Su Qing before their eyes vanished, as if he had turned invisible.

Su Qing was gone, and they were stunned.

"Boss, he’s gone."

"He’s still there!"

"He just seems to think we’re beneath his notice," the boss said, his expression returning to calm.

’These are the sort of layabouts and freeloaders you find in the Taichu Daoist Palace, corrupted almost as soon as they arrive.’

’They’ve lost all motivation to improve.’

’Pathetic and sad.’

Su Qing couldn’t care less about these ants.

He had used the Taichu Seal to block out beings he didn’t wish to see, a unique Rule of the Taichu Book Land.

’Such boring tricks.’

Su Qing wouldn’t be bothered by them; he cared even less for such weaklings.

They were just disturbing his reading.

"The plan failed. Let the Black Abyss Dynasty know. We’ve been paid anyway."

"Yes, boss."

...

The three of them left.

They had no reverence for the Taichu Book Land, nor any attachment to it. As for the vast number of books here, the only time they might have quieted their minds to read was likely when they had first arrived.

...and taken a look.

「Several days passed.」

Su Qing wasn’t reading.

Instead, he sat cross-legged and began to comprehend the Time Dao Essence.

He was comprehending the Power of Time from the authority of his own soul.

But...

...someone soon appeared before Su Qing.

It was a member of the Dragon Race, her draconic aura thick and heavy.

Between her eyebrows was a closed eye.

She was a tall woman.

A little taller than Su Qing.

She came to stand before him.

"You’re Su Qing, right?" she asked, her tone nonchalant.

Su Qing thought it was another provocateur.

So he opened his eyes slightly to glance at her and said calmly, "What is it?"

"A member of the Mechanical Race asked me to deliver something to you."

She said no more and produced a small, metallic sphere.

"He said that if you use this on the Taichu Dao Platform, it will save your life."

"Just crush it."

Su Qing didn’t take it. "I don’t need it. You can give it back to him."

"Thank you for your help."

"So you’re refusing it?" the woman asked.

"Yes," Su Qing nodded.

"You’re a different kind of human. I hope you aren’t like those lazy ones with no desire to improve," the Dragon Race woman said, then turned and left with the sphere.

Su Qing closed his eyes again.

He remained seated cross-legged.

Here, it was nearly impossible for anyone to take hostile action against Su Qing.

Especially while he was in a state of Cultivation; he couldn’t even be touched by a glob of spit.

The Taichu Book Land guaranteed that Cultivators could focus on their Cultivation.

As for that member of the Mechanical Race, it was probably Hong.

Su Qing didn’t owe him anything, so he wouldn’t accept the help.

...