Saber Intent, The Human Body's Limit

Lin Baichuan burst into laughter, his eyes narrowing into slits.

A Space Ring, this was a treasure of the Spirit Artifact level, and a special type at that, worth ten, even dozens of times more than other Spirit Artifacts of the same tier.

Even the lowest-grade, low-tier Spirit Artifacts started at a hundred gold. Moreover, the Space Ring in his hand had an internal space of 10 cubic meters, definitely a top-tier low-grade Spirit Artifact, likely worth ten thousand gold.

Furthermore, it was something money couldn't necessarily buy, a true heirloom.

This haul was a massive profit.

Lin Baichuan grinned, flipped his right hand, and a white jade bottle appeared in his palm. Inside the bottle was a drop of milky white liquid, about the size of a thumb. The moment Lin Baichuan uncapped the bottle, a refreshing fragrance wafted out.

He instinctively took a deep breath and felt his entire body relax, as if all 108,000 pores had opened, bathing in a hot spring.

The fatigue from his excessive exertion vanished instantly, and he felt completely invigorated, his Blood Essence even surging.

"Holy crap... this stuff is more addictive than drugs!"

Lin Baichuan immediately capped the bottle and stared at it, murmuring, "Is this Earth Spirit Milk? As expected of a Natural Treasure, truly extraordinary."

"But how do I use this Earth Spirit Milk? Do I swallow it?"

Lin Baichuan frowned deeply. In this life, his previous self was just a refugee. He'd only managed to join the Demon Suppression Division by chance and had no access to such information. He'd only heard the name "Earth Spirit Milk" tonight, and as for how to use it, he was completely clueless.

After some thought, Lin Baichuan put the Earth Spirit Milk back into the Space Ring. All medicine has some toxicity, let alone a Natural Treasure like Earth Spirit Milk, which contained terrifying energy. If used improperly, it wouldn't be a treasure, but poison.

"No rush to use the Earth Spirit Milk, I'll figure out how to use it first. However, these 300 Merit can be put to good use."

Lin Baichuan muttered to himself and opened the system panel again.

"First, let's upgrade the Seven Kill Saber Art to beyond perfection," Lin Baichuan's eyes gleamed, and he immediately began allocating Merit to the Seven Kill Saber Art.

He first added one point of Merit to the Seven Kill Saber Art, and instantly, the data behind it increased from 41% to 51%.

"What's going on? One point of Merit only increased it by ten percent. Did the effectiveness of Merit decrease after the Seven Kill Saber Art's realm improved?"

Lin Baichuan frowned slightly, but he didn't stop adding points. Instead, he added five points of Merit to the Seven Kill Saber Art in one go.

Hum...

The next moment, accompanied by a flash of light, Lin Baichuan's consciousness entered another world. This was a world where the Martial Path was just beginning to sprout, and cultivation methods were scarce.

In this martial world, Lin Baichuan became a swordsman who rose from obscurity, diligently practicing the Seven Kill Saber Art for thirty years. With great perseverance and comprehension, he managed to enter the Blade Path through the Seven Kill Saber Art, comprehending Saber Intent and becoming a grandmaster of the Blade Path.

"Hoo..."

After the time it took for an incense stick to burn, Lin Baichuan exhaled a breath of turbid air. His consciousness returned from that profound world, bringing with it the thirty years of diligent practice and the comprehended Saber Intent of that swordsman.

Hum!

Immediately, a torrent of Blade Path experience merged into Lin Baichuan's body. In the next instant, Lin Baichuan underwent a complete transformation. A profound Intent Realm erupted from within him. At this moment, Lin Baichuan's body contained boundless killing intent and a murderous aura.

Like mountains, like the sea.

Like the sharp edge of a blade, with killing intent reaching the heavens.

This was Saber Intent.

Lin Baichuan's pupils contracted into pinpricks in an instant, and he was overjoyed. He subconsciously opened the system panel.

[Name: Lin Baichuan]
[Identity: Demon Suppression Division Junior Demon Slayer]
[Cultivation: Ninth Rank]
[Cultivation Method: Golden Bell Shield (Fourth Layer, 17%+)]
[Martial Skill: Seven Kill Saber Art (Mastered)]
[Intent Realm: Saber Intent (1%+)]
[Merit: 294]

As expected, the attribute panel had changed. The Seven Kill Saber Art had reached the Mastered realm, and a new category, Intent Realm, had been added.

The so-called Intent Realm was actually the Martial Intent Realm.

The Martial Intent Realm was unrelated to cultivation level; it was a form of intent, a state of mind. It was a transformation of the spirit. In this world, there were billions of martial artists, but very few could comprehend the Martial Intent Realm.

Perhaps only one in a hundred thousand, or even a million.

Anyone who could comprehend an Intent Realm was an absolute prodigy. For someone like Lin Baichuan to comprehend a Martial Intent Realm at the Ninth Rank Skin Refinement Realm was even rarer than a phoenix's feather.

"So, reaching beyond perfection in a Martial Skill leads to the Mastered realm and allows one to comprehend the Martial Intent Realm," Lin Baichuan murmured. "I can still add points to Saber Intent, let's see how much one point of Merit can increase it."

No sooner said than done, Lin Baichuan immediately added one point of Merit to Saber Intent.

[Intent Realm: Saber Intent 1% → 1.1%]

"Holy crap, one point of Merit only increased it by 0.1%. This means if I want to reach perfection in Saber Intent, I'll need 1000 Merit."

Lin Baichuan was stunned and couldn't help but want to curse.

He thought he had made a huge profit with 300 Merit, but now it seemed he was still dirt poor. 300 Merit wasn't even enough to fill the gaps in his teeth. It seemed he would have to kill more demons in the future.

"No, I can't waste Merit on Saber Intent, it's too inefficient."

Lin Baichuan inwardly shook his head, murmuring to himself, "I don't know how to use the Earth Spirit Milk yet, but I can use Merit to upgrade the Golden Bell Shield. Perhaps I can break through human limits without even needing the Earth Spirit Milk."

With that thought, Lin Baichuan unhesitatingly added points to the Golden Bell Shield.

BOOM!

Instantly, golden light erupted within Lin Baichuan's body, and his consciousness entered another world once more, transforming into a youth diligently cultivating the Golden Bell Shield.

The youth came from humble beginnings and had no opportunity to practice higher-grade Cultivation Methods. However, his comprehension was heaven-defying, and he managed to deduce the three-layered, low-grade Golden Bell Shield step by step up to the fourth and fifth layers.

Day after day, year after year.

Thus, ten years later.

The youth had grown into a young man, transforming from an unknown, weak martial artist into a generation's Body Refinement Grandmaster, successfully deducing the Golden Bell Shield to the sixth layer.

"Hoo..."

Exhaling a breath of turbid air, a hint of depth appeared in Lin Baichuan's eyes. Faint golden light flickered around his skin, making it resemble metal.

He trembled, and his body immediately emitted crackling sounds.

At this moment, his flesh and skin turned like metal, and a surge of powerful Blood Essence surged. Lin Baichuan seized the opportunity and threw a punch.

Crackling... Boom...

Instantly, the punch's force tore through the air, producing a muffled sound like an explosion.

This was the sonic boom of air being torn apart. Lin Baichuan's eyes widened, and his face showed surprise.

"A punch that breaks through the air, creating a sonic boom. My physical strength has likely reached ten thousand jin, the limit for a Ninth Rank Skin Refinement Realm body..."

Lin Baichuan was secretly excited and, with a thought, immediately opened his system status panel.