Breakthrough: Qi Cultivation Realm Second Layer

Entangled by the Clear Wave Palm and those tough Silk Threads, the Fox Demon found it difficult to break free in a short time. Seizing the chance, Zhuge Xiang activated Blood Thunder Slash under the enhancements of the Blood Refinement Saber and Bloodthirsty Technique. A scarlet blade aura slashed toward the One-Star Mid-Grade Fox Demon's neck with his swift thrust.

A miserable shriek rang out as blood blossomed. Zhuge Xiang's Blood Refinement Saber hacked viciously into the Fox Demon's neck. The feedback through his hand told him that the Fox Demon's cervical vertebrae had been completely severed; only a layer of flesh still connected its head to its body.

It collapsed to the ground, whimpered a few times, and twitched its limbs before the One-Star Mid-Grade Fox Demon went still. Once it died, Lu Yuling hurriedly took out a small jade bottle, cut open the Fox Demon's chest with a dagger, and collected half a bottle of still-warm essence blood from near its heart veins. After preserving it carefully, she finally breathed a sigh of relief and lowered her head to gather the tough Silk Threads wrapped around the Fox Demon.

Zhuge Xiang paid no attention to Lu Yuling's actions. Killing the Fox Demon meant it was time for him to reap his rewards, and the system notification arrived right on cue.

"Ding. Killed a One-Star Mid-Grade Fox Demon above your level. Gained 450 experience. Obtained skill book Explosive Steps. Obtained Super Spirit Qi Secret Medicine."

The system notification startled Lin Xi inwardly. This One-Star Mid-Grade Fox Demon had actually brought him a massive 450 experience points? It also confirmed Zhuge Xiang's guess: killing monsters above one's level apparently came with a substantial experience bonus.

A Fox Demon comparable to the Qi Cultivation Realm Third Layer had only given a little over a hundred experience, while one comparable to the Qi Cultivation Realm Fifth Layer gave more than four hundred. Still, it made sense. Only with Lu Yuling's full assistance, along with his own eruption of the Bloodthirsty Technique, the Blood Refinement Saber, and the Steel Secret Medicine, had he barely managed to kill it. Those 450 experience points were only fitting.

Tearing a strip from his coarse cloth robes, Zhuge Xiang tied the Blood Refinement Saber to his back. Only then did he have time to lower his head and examine the skill book and medicine in his hand. The items dropped by a Fox Demon equivalent to the Qi Cultivation Realm Fifth Layer were clearly better.

Unfortunately, he could not use the Explosive Steps skill book yet. It showed that he needed to reach the Qi Cultivation Realm Third Layer to learn it, so Zhuge Xiang put it into his clothes. But when he saw the Super Spirit Qi Secret Medicine, he did not know whether to laugh or cry.

Super Spirit Qi Secret Medicine: Requires Qi Cultivation Realm First Layer. Upon consumption, grants incomparably immense power. All system skills have no cooldown and no consumption. Duration: 30 seconds.

Judging from the description, this medicine was extremely powerful. No cooldown and no consumption for skills meant they could be used endlessly without worrying about depletion. Yet it was restricted to system skills. Blood Thunder Slash and Bloodthirsty Technique were both Martial Arts from the Martial Arts Pavilion, and he did not have a single system skill so far. Even Explosive Steps could only be learned after reaching the Qi Cultivation Realm Third Layer.

After putting away both Explosive Steps and the Super Spirit Qi Secret Medicine, Zhuge Xiang was struck by an unprecedented wave of weakness. It made him want nothing more than to lie down and rest immediately. The side effects of the Bloodthirsty Technique had arrived, and his body had entered a Weakened State...

"Your strength is formidable. In the Grand Tournament five days from now, you will surely stun everyone with a single brilliant feat." Having put away the Monster Beast's essence blood and her Silk Threads, Lu Yuling came to Zhuge Xiang's side. Her beautiful eyes fixed on him as she spoke in a crisp voice, and she was speaking the truth. He had broken through the Qi Cultivation Realm in battle in less than half a month. Once his fighting power erupted during the Grand Tournament, he would surely astonish the entire audience.

"Don't flatter me. The Bloodthirsty Technique is my trump card. As for my physical defense just now, it was because I happened to obtain a medicinal pill. There was only one of it." Zhuge Xiang shook his head at Lu Yuling's praise, then took out the Century-Old Ganoderma. He tore off around thirty percent for himself and tossed the rest to Lu Yuling.

Catching the ganoderma Zhuge Xiang had thrown her, Lu Yuling casually tore off another portion and handed it back to him. One Century-Old Ganoderma was now split roughly in half between them. Seeing Zhuge Xiang's questioning look, Lu Yuling said naturally, "You contributed no less than I did this time. Half each. No need to refuse."

"Fine." Zhuge Xiang was a straightforward person, and Lu Yuling's words made sense. Without any needless coyness, he took it at once and lowered his head to inspect it. Information about the ganoderma appeared before his eyes.

Hundred-Year Ganoderma (Incomplete): A relatively rare spiritual medicine. Can be used to concoct medicinal pills. Direct consumption grants 500 experience. Effective for those at Qi Cultivation Realm First Layer and above.

Half a Hundred-Year Ganoderma could bring 500 experience if consumed directly? Zhuge Xiang was quite satisfied with that. Unfortunately, it was only useful for those at the Qi Cultivation Realm First Layer and above. Otherwise, giving some to Niu Geng should have allowed him to comprehend Qi Energy.

Though saving it for later and using it to refine medicinal pills might have made it more valuable, Zhuge Xiang needed those 500 experience points now. Without hesitation, he opened his mouth and swallowed the ganoderma in his hand.

Along the way, Zhuge Xiang had already gained 100 experience from killing the ferocious beasts. Killing the One-Star Low-Grade Fox Demon had given him over a hundred experience, the Mid-Grade Fox Demon had given 450, and now there were another 500 experience points. His experience had completely reached 1,200. He only needed 800 experience to level up, so as the ganoderma's medicinal effects spread, Zhuge Xiang felt the Qi Energy within him suddenly circulate. It was as though a layer of window paper had been pierced through, and it became several times denser. There was no doubt about it: the system notification told Zhuge Xiang that he had broken through to the Qi Cultivation Realm Second Layer, with nearly 400 experience points left over.

Zhuge Xiang, male, 14 years old, Qi Cultivation Realm Second Layer, remaining Skill Points: 1, HP: 120/120, current experience: 380/2000.

Looking at his Character Interface, Zhuge Xiang felt helpless. Reaching the Qi Cultivation Realm Third Layer required a full 2,000 experience points. With only five days remaining, he did not know whether he could successfully level up to the Qi Cultivation Realm Third Layer. Yet as his level rose, Zhuge Xiang discovered that the weakness caused by the Bloodthirsty Technique had completely vanished.

"You broke through?" Naturally, Lu Yuling could sense the fluctuations of Qi Energy from Zhuge Xiang's breakthrough. Though he had relied on half a Hundred-Year Ganoderma, it had only been around ten days since he first comprehended Qi Energy, yet he had broken through again. That rate of growth was still astonishing.

It seemed that the true reason for his breakthrough was that intense battle. The legends were indeed correct. Though a battle genius might not possess outstanding cultivation aptitude, they could nurture battle with battle and grow stronger the more they fought. By relying on life-and-death battles in the blink of an eye, they could indeed grow beyond other geniuses. That was what Lu Yuling thought to herself regarding Zhuge Xiang's breakthrough.

"All right, let's head back." His own condition was more or less settled, all the spoils had been collected, and the Weakened State had been instantly cleared with his level-up. Zhuge Xiang and Lu Yuling had no intention of remaining, and turned to leave.

After such a long battle, night had already fallen. Though half a waning moon hung in the night sky, the forest remained dim.

But at that moment, several faint cries sounded out. Looking toward them, Zhuge Xiang and Lu Yuling saw a little fox crawling out from the mouth of the cave where the Low-Grade Fox Demon had previously lain. It staggered even as it walked, and its round-headed, round-brained appearance was unbearably adorable.

"A little fox?" Looking at the little fox cub emerging from the cave, Zhuge Xiang and Lu Yuling finally understood. No wonder the Low-Grade Fox Demon's strength had fallen so greatly—it was because it had given birth. If no one cared for this little fox, it would inevitably become food for other ferocious beasts.

"Senior Sister Lu, would you like to take this little fox back and raise it? Since it was born of a Monster Beast, its aptitude surely won't be poor." Unwilling to see the adorable little fox eaten by other ferocious beasts, yet lacking the time and inclination to raise it himself, Zhuge Xiang turned to ask Lu Yuling.

"Mm, not bad." Lu Yuling clearly liked the little fox's adorable appearance as well. She nodded, walked over, and picked it up. Under the moonlight, the two drifted away. As for the corpses of the two Fox Demons, other ferocious beasts in the forests of the Endless Mountain Range would soon feast upon them.