A Day's Gain of a Year's Cultivation

A Day's Gain of a Year's Cultivation

"The effect is immediate!"

Zhou Shan sighed in amazement.

Although Nine Breaths Assimilation was an auxiliary cultivation method, it was an immortal Dao divine ability cultivated even by immortals and gods. Using it to assist in cultivating mortal martial arts was like riding a rocket.

Martial cultivation in this world involved gathering the "qi" within one's body through breathing exercises. This was Internal Qi, also known as Internal Force, cultivation, and so on.

Zhou Shan's Nine Breaths Assimilation talent was equivalent to a super absorber that assisted cultivation. At every moment, it absorbed the primordial energy of heaven and earth from the depths of the void for cultivation, essentially a different kind of automatic cultivation.

At once, Zhou Shan began circulating the Cultivation Technique of Eagle Claw Iron Shirt.

Under normal circumstances, people cultivated martial arts in order to acquire Internal Force. Yet Zhou Shan now possessed Internal Force before cultivating martial arts, so his progress was naturally extremely fast. Circulating the Eagle Claw Iron Shirt Cultivation Technique encountered no obstruction whatsoever. His progress was swift, and he could clearly feel his physical body continuously strengthening as his power rose.

"Zhou Shan, you're awake."

At that moment, the door was pushed open, and a young man walked in carrying some food.

"Huang Yun!"

The moment Zhou Shan saw the young man, related memories surfaced in his mind.

This young man named Huang Yun had joined the Iron Shirt Sect at the same time as him. He was also his "roommate" in this wooden hut.

"Where are the others?"

Remembering how thieves had attacked West Ridge Iron Mine last night, Zhou Shan could not help asking.

"They've all been buried. There are only the two of us left in this room now," Huang Yun said. "Luckily, you woke up at the critical moment. Otherwise, you would have been buried with the dead."

"Hungry? Come have something to eat."

Huang Yun handed the bowl in his hands to Zhou Shan.

With the Nine Breaths Assimilation talent, Zhou Shan had, in a sense, already achieved fasting. He no longer needed to eat mortal food. With every breath, the primordial energy of heaven and earth from the depths of the void continuously poured into his body.

Yet Huang Yun, standing beside him, did not notice anything unusual.

Zhou Shan did not reject Huang Yun's kindness either. Nodding, he said, "I am a little hungry."

After thanking him, Zhou Shan began wolfing down the food.

Before long, he had finished everything in the bowl.

"Get some proper rest. I'll return the bowl, then go mine ore."

Huang Yun took the empty bowl.

"Mining? What ore are we mining?"

Zhou Shan asked.

"Isn't it because of last night's battle?" Huang Yun sighed. "Although that group of thieves was driven back, we also lost quite a few men. More than half the miners in particular were killed, so the Black Armored Army ordered people from the Iron Shirt Sect, Giant Bear Martial Hall, Black Tiger Gang, and the two major families of Hengshan County to mine ore. You were still unconscious when the order was issued, so the officer gave you special permission to rest for a day. But tomorrow, you'll have to mine with us too."

"Is there any way to avoid mining?"

Zhou Shan frowned slightly.

"Yes," Huang Yun said. "Unless you become a member of the Black Armored Army, then naturally you won't have to mine. But joining the Black Armored Army is too difficult. You need at least ten years of cultivation. We've only been in the Iron Shirt Sect for a month and still haven't cultivated Internal Force. Forget us—even among the Iron Shirt Sect's inner disciples, few have ten years of cultivation.

"Only disciples of super sects like the Guiyuan Sect possess outstanding martial talent. After cultivating for a year, they can gain three to five years of cultivation. I've heard that some martial geniuses can gain ten years of cultivation in a single year. With medicinal pills that boost cultivation to assist them, after three to five years, they can stand shoulder to shoulder with First-class Martial Artists of the martial world."

In the martial world, a martial artist's strength was classified according to cultivation.

Those with less than ten years of cultivation were considered unranked.

Those with more than ten years of cultivation had entered the ranks.

Those with more than twenty years of cultivation were third-rate.

Those with more than thirty years of cultivation were second-rate.

Every First-class Martial Artist in the martial world possessed at least fifty years of cultivation.

The Guiyuan Sect was a super sect of Yun Province. Besides Qingyang Commandery, it occupied three other commanderies, and its strength was unfathomable. Even to join the lowest ranks of the Black Armored Army, one had to be a ranked martial artist with at least ten years of cultivation.

"I'm leaving. If I'm late, I'll be punished."

With that, Huang Yun rose and left.

Name: Zhou Shan

Talent: Nine Breaths Assimilation

Cultivation Technique: Eagle Claw Iron Shirt (four days of cultivation)

After Huang Yun left, Zhou Shan looked at the data on the panel only he could see.

"In just over ten minutes, I've gained four days of cultivation!"

A flash of joy appeared in Zhou Shan's eyes.

Originally, he had not even cultivated Internal Force with Eagle Claw Iron Shirt. He had not even reached the entry level. But now, not only did he possess Internal Force, he had also gained four days of cultivation.

At this rate, he could gain fifteen or sixteen days of cultivation in an hour.

Nine Breaths Assimilation was one of the Thirty-Six Heavenly Gang Methods, a legendary immortal Dao method. This kind of Innate Divine Ability truly defied the heavens. At this rate, he really could gain a year of cultivation in a single day.

As one of the top five forces in Hengshan County, the Iron Shirt Sect had only one First-class Martial Artist with more than fifty years of cultivation—the sect master. The rest were merely second-rate martial artists with thirty or forty years of cultivation.

But so long as Zhou Shan had time, he could gain fifty years of cultivation in fifty days and become a First-class Martial Artist.

A day passed.

Zhou Shan went into the mine shaft to mine ore.

With the Nine Breaths Assimilation talent, Eagle Claw Iron Shirt was improving at every moment, and Zhou Shan's strength was constantly increasing as well. Mining ore was originally exhausting work, but Zhou Shan only grew more energetic the longer he worked.

Aside from his growing strength, Zhou Shan discovered that his body had also become much more robust. The muscles in his hands, arms, shoulders, and back bulged, while his skin and membranes thickened. His entire body looked sturdier than before.

Name: Zhou Shan

Talent: Nine Breaths Assimilation

Cultivation Technique: Eagle Claw Iron Shirt (one year of cultivation)

At noon, Zhou Shan opened the panel and checked the data.

"Eagle Claw Iron Shirt has reached one year of cultivation."

Excitement shone in Zhou Shan's eyes. His spirits soared, and the great road ahead seemed bright and boundless.

"Zhou Shan, time for lunch."

Huang Yun, who was mining alongside him, called out.

"Let's go!"

Zhou Shan closed the panel.

The three men carried baskets filled with ore on their backs and headed out of the mine shaft.

"Stop right there!"

Just as the two of them reached the mine entrance, a group of people blocked their path.

"Zhang Hu, what are you trying to do?"

Seeing the newcomer, Zhou Shan frowned slightly.

This Zhang Hu had joined the Iron Shirt Sect a year ago and had already cultivated Internal Force. Back in the Iron Shirt Sect, he relied on his superior martial strength to bully newcomers who had just joined, often making them do his work for him. His reputation was abysmal.

"Heh. Hand over all the ore you mined." Zhang Hu sneered. "If you know what's good for you, hand over the ore obediently, and you can avoid a vicious beating. If you don't know what's good for you, don't blame us for being rude."

The moment Zhou Shan heard this, he knew Zhang Hu was trying to cut corners again.

Although martial artists from forces such as the Iron Shirt Sect, Giant Bear Martial Hall, and Black Tiger Gang had been assigned to mine ore, each person only needed to hand in a certain amount. Once they completed their quota, they could rest.

Thus, Zhang Hu had begun entertaining crooked thoughts and set his sights on others.

If he snatched the ore Zhou Shan and the others had mined, he and his men could mine less themselves and free up time for cultivation.

Otherwise, if they spent all day mining, they would have no time at all to cultivate.