Ling Xiao’s current weakness was his cultivation.
While Ming Tian had already reached the early stage of Martial Vein Ninth Layer, Ling Xiao was only at the peak of Martial Vein Seventh Layer.
Having started behind, he needed to catch up quickly.
With this in mind, Ling Xiao began studying the “Spiritual Medicine Codex” in the Hall of Transmission.
The codex was a booklet listing herbs and pills owned by Master Baiyun, available for exchange using military merit points.
“Qianyuan Bone-Swapping Pill: A spiritual pill for tempering the body, enhancing defensive martial arts, and strengthening the physique to lay a foundation for the Mortal Realm. Requires physical potential of at least four stars and 90%, and cultivation above Eighth Layer.”
“Three Hearts Soul-Gathering Pill: A spiritual pill for tempering the soul, increasing soul strength and soul force, preparing for the Mortal Realm. Requires soul potential of at least four stars and 90%, and cultivation above Seventh Layer.”
“Superior True Essence Pill: A spiritual pill for tempering martial veins, boosting vein strength and true essence, preparing for the Mortal Realm. Requires inner force potential of at least four stars and 90%, and cultivation above Seventh Layer.”
Each pill carried a warning: “If taken without meeting requirements, it may cause qi deviation, bleeding from all orifices, or instant death.”
Each pill cost 150 military merit points!
It felt like robbery.
A single pill was pricier than a quasi-Mortal martial arts manual.
But you get what you pay for.
Such costly items were undoubtedly valuable.
Gritting his teeth, Ling Xiao exchanged for two of each pill, spending 900 merit points.
With his remaining 160 points, he exchanged for gold.
After his last battle, he’d used all his gold to heal his body.
Though the cost was steep, it had saved his life.
Gold, he realized, was crucial.
His 160 points netted 16 million taels of gold. No wonder higher cultivators cared less about gold—the richer you were, the less it mattered.
The Ninja Clan’s auction house held roughly this much gold, yet Master Baiyun could easily provide it to disciples.
Of course, no one but Ling Xiao would trade merit points for gold.
At higher cultivation, gold’s utility dwindled, useful only for daily expenses.
Exchanges done, Ling Xiao returned to his residence to cultivate.
He prioritized his “Nine Dragons Divine Art,” his only and strongest inner skill.
To raise his cultivation, it was essential.
After his recent battle, his body had absorbed strange residual forces, including Master Baiyun’s true essence and a wolf-shaped beast’s.
He sensed that refining these foreign essences could push him to Martial Vein Eighth Layer.
Once at Eighth Layer, he could safely use the Qianyuan Bone-Swapping Pill. He didn’t want to risk his life.
With only one life, steady progress was wiser, despite his urgency.
Swallowing a Superior True Essence Pill, his true essence surged like a tide.
In his Mountain and River World, a wolf shadow clashed with Master Baiyun’s shadow.
Ling Xiao’s shadow stood by, gathering strength, waiting for the moment to seize both essences.
Suddenly, his shadow lunged, transforming into a golden dragon as the wolf and Baiyun’s shadows weakened, swallowing both essences.
Though their essences were higher quality than his Snow Lotus True Essence, they were no match for his Heavenly Dragon True Essence.
Weakened, they were instantly consumed.
Then digested.
Seven days later, Ling Xiao exhaled a turbid breath. His eighth martial vein was fully opened.
Breaking through to Martial Vein Eighth Layer was easier than expected, almost natural.
He didn’t assimilate the wolf beast’s “Crimson Flame True Essence” or Baiyun’s “Thunderbolt True Essence.”
Not because he couldn’t, but because he chose not to.
Assimilating them would downgrade their quality to match his Snow Lotus True Essence—a waste.
Instead, he isolated them, like his Heavenly Dragon True Essence, separate from Snow Lotus True Essence, as trump cards.
His eight martial veins now held: one for Heavenly Dragon True Essence, one for Crimson Flame True Essence, one for Thunderbolt True Essence, and five for Snow Lotus True Essence.
This was possible thanks to his eighth special ability after reaching Eighth Layer: Nine Veins Spirit Body.
This ability allowed his nine martial veins to store nine distinct true essences without conflict.
Most martial artists could handle two true essences at most.
He could manage nine.
The higher his Mountain and River Martial Soul leveled, the more astonishing its benefits.
Alongside his cultivation breakthrough, his “Nine Dragons Divine Art” reached the ninth layer’s perfection.
The recent war, fighting Mortal Realm martial artists, had given him insights, accelerating his quasi-Mortal martial arts training.
Such progress in seven days felt unreal, but he was still far behind, and he’d run out of Superior True Essence Pills.
He took several inferior True Essence Pills to stabilize his cultivation.
This took three days.
Next, he consumed the Three Hearts Soul-Gathering Pill to refine his soul and boost soul force.
Having tested his potential with the Seven Star Flower—all three potentials above seven stars—he knew he needed to strengthen body, soul, and veins concurrently.
A solid foundation was key for the Mortal Realm.
His “Soul Refining Art,” another quasi-Mortal martial art, progressed over seven days, markedly enhancing his soul force and strength.
His thinking became clearer and faster, solving problems and memorizing things effortlessly.
His soul force boost also amplified his “Terrifying Finger” technique, matching or surpassing the “Nine Dragons Divine Art” in power, especially in certain contexts.
With “Soul Refining Art” perfected, he could set it aside except for combat.
Next was the Qianyuan Bone-Swapping Pill to train his “Heavenly Dragon Golden Body.”
His Golden Body had stalled at the second layer.
With the pill, plus breakthroughs in cultivation and soul, it was time to advance.
For this, he avoided using his shadow clone. The stakes were too high—any mistake could lead to qi deviation.
Clones couldn’t consume pills. For precious pills, his real body was safer.
