Sweating profusely, all four of them felt the strain. This power far surpassed their current cultivation levels. Even the slightest leak would bring unimaginable disaster.
Fortunately, neither the stump below nor the stone stele released any trace of energy.
The faint pressure seemed confined entirely within the stump, never truly radiating outward to envelop them.
Instead, the sheer terror of the force inside created an illusory sensation, as if it pressed upon their minds from sheer proximity.
Had it truly reached them, they would all likely have been reduced to dust.
Terrifying. The power was simply too terrifying, beyond anything Lin Xiao and the others could comprehend.
Steadying himself, Lin Xiao looked again at the stele. The character “Lin” upon it had turned vivid crimson. The entire inscription now glowed with blood-red colour, as though fresh blood flowed through the grooves.
This astonished Lin Xiao. Was his blood truly so potent? Just a tiny amount had quelled that dreadful tremor?
And now the bloodstains within the character appeared full once more?
Huo Ruyan also scanned the bloody script and said in surprise, “This stele is truly miraculous. It seems your blood was scarcely consumed, perhaps only a ten-thousandth of a drop. Yet the stele’s power suppressed the disturbance completely. By this measure, your blood could sustain the seal for tens of thousands of years.”
“Tens of thousands of years?”
Lin Xiao was stunned. Was it really that extraordinary?
A mere speck of blood could hold the seal for so long?
Then whatever lay sealed beneath the stump, or the stump itself, must be furious beyond words.
It would probably curse aloud if it could.
“If we used this stele to suppress enemies, wouldn’t a single drop suffice to subdue peerless experts?”
Lin Xiao thought to himself.
Of course, it was only a fleeting notion. With his current strength, he probably could not budge the stele. Even if he could, he dared not remove it.
To do so would instantly unleash the sealed tree demon or whatever horror lay below, dooming them all.
“This should be safe now, shouldn’t it?”
Qing Yan wiped sweat from his face.
“In principle, there should be no further trouble.”
Huo Ruyan replied, though still somewhat uncertain.
“If that’s the case, we might as well cultivate right here on the stump. I feel the techniques I’ve long pondered are finally falling into place.”
Long Tutian suggested.
The other three nodded eagerly. They felt the same. The stump enhanced comprehension, and with the danger resolved, cultivating here was a rare opportunity.
Still, Lin Xiao remained cautious. He positioned himself beside the stele and let the three begin cultivating first.
Several days passed with no sign of trouble from the stump. Only then did Lin Xiao prepare to cultivate himself.
“Chi!”
Suddenly, he noticed a bloodline igniting behind Long Tutian. The divine dragon bloodline seemed to manifest as a small true dragon, flowing across his back.
An ancient, desolate aura faintly leaked from Long Tutian’s body, supreme yang and unyieldingly domineering, like the breath of a primordial true dragon from the desolate wilderness. It made Lin Xiao’s heart tremble.
The aura bore some resemblance to the blood dragon phenomenon Lin Xiao himself could invoke.
Fortunately, only a trace escaped. A full release would likely have disrupted everyone’s cultivation.
“What technique is he practising?”
Lin Xiao wondered silently.
Long Tutian kept his eyes closed, remaining perfectly still in seated posture.
Nearby, Huo Ruyan and Qing Yan were unaffected, fully immersed in their own cultivation.
Time passed. Seeing no further reaction despite the activity within Long Tutian, Lin Xiao finally sat cross-legged upon the stump.
Originally, he had planned to refine an initial eighth-grade Spirit Rush Pill and force a breakthrough in spiritual force realm.
But here on the stump, his thoughts flowed clearly, his mind enlightened. Introspecting his dantian with divine sense, he sensed he could advance the next primal force realm through pure cultivation alone.
Thus, he began cultivating primal force directly.
Naturally, he stationed the battle skeleton nearby, ready to rouse them or defend at any moment.
On the stump, Lin Xiao’s progress in expanding his dantian space was astonishingly swift. Every step, every impact, every application of force found the perfect path.
In just over ten days, his dantian transformed again. The space grew vastly larger, birthing even more immense power. A mighty aura surged forth from his body.
The strengthened force within his dantian roared and swelled.
Opening his eyes, surprise flashed across Lin Xiao’s face.
His primal force cultivation had broken through another layer, advancing from sixth-layer Martial Emperor to seventh-layer Martial Emperor.
And this was achieved purely through cultivation, without spirit pills, miraculous medicines, or heavenly treasures.
Normally, so soon after a breakthrough, he could never have advanced another layer in ten days.
All credit went to the stump. It cleared the mind and vastly improved comprehension. Its benefits were profound.
Lin Xiao’s released aura roused Long Tutian, Huo Ruyan, and Qing Yan from their meditation.
“You broke through?”
Qing Yan stared at Lin Xiao in astonishment. That was far too fast.
Long Tutian and Huo Ruyan were equally shocked. They knew Lin Xiao had only recently reached sixth-layer Martial Emperor. Another breakthrough already?
“Did I disturb you?”
Seeing their expressions, Lin Xiao asked awkwardly.
“My technique succeeded three days ago. These past three days were merely consolidation. No disturbance at all.”
Long Tutian replied.
“I was cultivating a technique too. The Blood Summoning Scripture from the Qing Sang City cave always eluded me. Now I’ve finally crossed the threshold.”
Huo Ruyan added.
Of the techniques they had obtained together, Nine Heavens Blood Rain Sword had been relatively straightforward.
The Blood Summoning Scripture, however, was exceedingly difficult.
She had only grasped the surface before, never truly entering the gate.
Now, aided by the stump’s heightened comprehension, she had finally begun proper mastery and could fully control and execute it.
Of course, the cave’s storage ring had contained three techniques, including Wind Thunder Palm. But it did not suit her, and its power fell short of Nine Heavens Blood Rain Sword, so she had abandoned it.
“This Dao Comprehension Tree is truly extraordinary. In just over ten days, my own cultivation has advanced noticeably. If I cultivate here long-term, I am confident of breaking through another layer within one or two years.”
Qing Yan said.
Unlike Lin Xiao, still at Martial Emperor where breakthroughs came more easily, Martial Saint advancement was notoriously difficult, often requiring decades.
Many never advanced even one layer in their entire lifetime.
One or two years would be the most monstrous pace imaginable.
Hearing this, a sudden idea flashed through Lin Xiao’s mind. He spoke up.
“I’ve just had a thought.”
The three looked at him with mild curiosity.
