Chapter 501 - 177: Rapid Progress!
Chapter 501: Chapter 177: Rapid Progress!
“First, refine the Martial Soul Essence!”
After annihilating the Sun Family, Luo Cheng devoured the Martial Souls of over two hundred people in one breath, including six or seven Awakening Vein Realm experts!
If not for his cultivation progress, his greatly enhanced physique, and having cultivated the Xuanlong Technique to its First Layer, allowing him to accommodate more Martial Soul Essence, it would have been impossible to devour so many people at once.
As long as he refines these Martial Soul Essences, it would be enough to elevate his strength to a whole new level.
Seated cross-legged, Luo Cheng took out an Awakening God Pill, swallowed it, and began to activate his Essence Energy Mansion, refining the Martial Soul Essence within his body.
Boom!
With a single thought, the surging Essence Qi stored within his body was instantly mobilized, crashing like furious waves, circulating through the thirty-six Xuan Veins in his body in Grand Circulation.
Each cycle weakened the Martial Soul Essence slightly. Correspondingly, Luo Cheng’s Primordial Essence Energy became more concentrated, growing stronger step by step!
Five days later.
Buzz!
Within the man-made stone chamber, a powerful burst of Essence Energy exploded, dispersing the clouds surrounding the mountain peak.
At the base of the mountain, a small stream ran through, and in that instant, the Demon Beasts drinking by the stream were so startled their fur stood on end, fleeing in panic.
Inside the stone chamber.
Luo Cheng slowly opened his eyes, his gaze as sharp as lightning.
“Awakening Vein Realm Fifth Layer!”
After five days of sleepless cultivation, Luo Cheng refined half of the Martial Soul Essence within his body and finally opened his thirty-seventh Xuan Vein within the Essence Energy Spiritual Light!
He successfully advanced to the Fifth Layer of the Awakening Vein Realm!
“Too slow!”
Rather than feeling joy after the breakthrough, Luo Cheng furrowed his brows deeply.
Having absorbed so many Martial Soul Essences and long since reached a bottleneck in his cultivation, it still took five days to achieve a breakthrough!
To an ordinary person, this result would already be extraordinary—something to celebrate.
But Luo Cheng was not satisfied.
Having witnessed the awe-inspiring might of Ji Family experts, Luo Cheng had gained a newfound understanding of the Ji Family’s power, and an immense pressure to defeat Ji Yuanhao began weighing on him.
Ji Yuanhao now appeared to him like a towering mountain, an insurmountable peak!
Until that peak is toppled, any achievements would be nothing but illusory!
As the Divine Son of the Ji Family, Ji Yuanhao was extraordinarily gifted and backed by the terrifying foundation of the Ji Family. To defeat him, gradual progress alone would be insufficient; Luo Cheng needed a pace of improvement that surpassed everyone else.
“Then let’s test my limits!”
With this thought, Luo Cheng immediately took out a Blood Essence Pill.
He planned to simultaneously refine Martial Soul Essence and use the Blood Essence Pill to aggressively stimulate his potential, drastically accelerating his cultivation!
Gulp!
The moment the Blood Essence Pill entered his stomach, it exploded instantly. Vigorous blood energy fused with the Martial Soul Essence, rampaging fiercely throughout Luo Cheng’s body.
Crack!
Luo Cheng could clearly feel his flesh trembling, his bones groaning, and blood-red energy rising from his body, drifting like ribbons in the air.
This was a phenomenon of blood energy escaping the body upon reaching its limits.
Luo Cheng, however, paid no heed, his mind consumed with a single thought—to become stronger!! Pouring all his focus and energy into cultivation!
This time, in just two days, another burst of Essence Energy erupted within the stone chamber.
Luo Cheng’s cultivation leveled up to the middle stage of the Awakening Vein Realm’s Fifth Layer!
Without a moment’s pause, Luo Cheng swallowed another Blood Essence Pill and continued cultivating.
Three days later, he achieved late-stage Awakening Vein Realm Fifth Layer!
Then, the peak of Awakening Vein Realm Fifth Layer!
With the Martial Soul Essence fully refined, Luo Cheng began devouring Soul Crystals. Coupled with the Blood Essence Pills that accelerated cultivation for Awakening Vein Realm experts, his progress could only be described as meteoric!
In just half a month, Luo Cheng’s cultivation advanced rapidly, climbing directly to the peak of Awakening Vein Realm Fifth Layer!
Only at this point did Luo Cheng finally stop.
Four Blood Essence Pills remained, but he felt his body had reached a limit—his spirit was consumed by an inexplicable restlessness.
In this state, even if he took another Blood Essence Pill, breaking through to the Sixth Layer of Awakening Vein Realm would likely be impossible in the short term.
To overcome this limit would require either substantial foundational accumulation or a significant breakthrough in another aspect.
This was what people commonly referred to as a cultivation bottleneck.
“No matter. Advancing to the peak of Awakening Vein Realm Fifth Layer within half a month is already impressive. I’ll rest for now and focus on cultivating Sword Intent next!”
Exhaling a breath of pent-up air, Luo Cheng rose in one fluid motion and leapt towards the small stream at the foot of the mountain.
Comprehending Sword Intent required undivided focus and attention. Luo Cheng planned to first calm his restless spirit and restore his mind to its peak state before proceeding.
Beside the small stream.
The campfire flickered, and the enticing aroma of roasted fish permeated the air.
In the Physical Body Realm, one eats meat; in the Awakening Vein Realm, one subsists on Essence Qi.
The consumption of Awakening Vein Realm experts was so immense that ordinary food could no longer satisfy their needs. Typically, they would rely on swallowing Essence Energy Pills and could go ten days or even half a month without eating or drinking.
However, humans have seven emotions and six desires, and Awakening Vein Realm experts were no exceptions.
After so many days of secluded cultivation, Luo Cheng was famished and bored of bland tastes. He roasted a few fish to satisfy his appetite.
The aroma of the roasted fish spread far and wide, attracting several Low Level Demon Beasts.
These Demon Beasts only dared to observe from a distance, not approaching.
Although Luo Cheng had retracted his aura, the beasts’ instincts could sense the powerful blood energy emanating from him!
He was akin to a humanoid Fierce Beast—how could they dare to approach?
Full and refreshed, Luo Cheng began contemplating his next phase of cultivation.
His current Sword Intent Realm was at the peak of fifty percent, just one step away from advancing to sixty percent Sword Intent!
His ambitions, however, extended far beyond that.
With the Martial Soul Will left behind by a senior and the Sword King’s Will within his Sea of Consciousness, Luo Cheng planned to attempt advancing to seventy percent Sword Intent.
Don’t underestimate this single-level difference.
Sixty percent Sword Intent is the peak limit of the Sword Intent Prototype Realm.
Seventy percent Sword Intent breaks through this ceiling and ascends to the Upper Realm of Sword Intent Prototype, a level many Awakening Vein Realm swordsmen struggle to achieve.
Breaking through to seventy percent Sword Intent would elevate his combat strength to an unprecedented level, making cross-realm battles as effortless as eating or drinking.
“I hope it works!”
Clapping his hands, Luo Cheng darted back toward the stone chamber.
Howl!
Upon Luo Cheng’s departure, the Low Level Demon Beasts that had been eyeing the fish immediately swarmed forward, fighting amongst themselves over the leftovers.
While Luo Cheng was secluded in intense cultivation, a shocking incident occurred in the Great Yue Dynasty.
The Sun Family of Wuyan City—home to Sun Yingyang, an Elder of the Fierce Cloud Sect—was wiped out overnight!
The entire Sun Family of three to four hundred people left no survivors, their bodies drained entirely of Essence Blood, reduced to dried corpses, their deaths terrifying and gruesome!
Witnesses reported that the assailant radiated a sinister blood aura, with eyes as red as torches, exuding unmatched ferocity—a veritable devil!
The evidence led the Three Great Sects to conclude that the culprit was a disciple of the Blood Nether Sect!
The Fierce Cloud Sect high command immediately flew into a rage, discarding all reservations. They resolved to join forces with the Three Great Sects to conduct a large-scale search of the Black Cloud Mountain Range, determined to find the Blood Nether Sect’s hideout and eradicate them completely!
The revelation that the Blood Nether Sect had infiltrated the Great Yue Dynasty became public knowledge, plunging people into panic.
This time, it was the Sun Family. Next time, it might be the Li Family, the Zhang Family, the Ye Family…