Breaking Through to Sixth Rank

His words fell.

Wei Qing flashed back onto the bed and took out the Qi Gathering Pill awarded by the Heavenly Realm Division.

He poured out a white pill from the bottle and swallowed it with his head tilted back.

The pill entered his stomach and instantly transformed into a scorching torrent of spiritual energy, surging madly through the meridians within his body.

At the same time, the spiritual energy in the surrounding air continuously gathered toward him.

"System, learn the Returning Origin Art."

Command accepted!

The next moment.

A little golden figure condensed from pale golden motes appeared in his mind, its body marked with a clear map of meridians.

A golden cultivation route continuously traveled along those meridians.

Wei Qing's consciousness followed the cultivation route, transforming into an invisible hand that guided the fierce spiritual energy into his own meridians.

When the first wisp of spiritual energy entered the Purple Palace Acupoint between Wei Qing's brows, a terrifying suction force erupted, endlessly devouring the torrent of spiritual energy that followed.

A moment later.

As the entire torrent of spiritual energy was devoured, a sensation of hunger arose from the Purple Palace Acupoint and the acupoints connected to it.

Without the slightest hesitation, Wei Qing poured out another Qi Gathering Pill and swallowed it. Once it entered his stomach, it turned into a torrent of spiritual energy, providing the urgently needed replenishment.

However.

Even so, that terrifying suction force from within his body only weakened slightly.

"I refuse to believe this evil."

Over the next two hours.

Wei Qing consumed eleven Qi Gathering Pills in succession before that hunger gradually faded away.

Disappearing along with it was the Qi Force Wei Qing had cultivated for years.

At that moment, a drop of golden True Essence quietly condensed within his dantian.

As the True Essence formed, Wei Qing felt his blood and qi churn within him, his strength rising step by step like spring bamboo shoots after the rain.

Seventh-Rank Intermediate... Seventh-Rank Advanced... Seventh-Rank Peak...

At the same time, the ball of Mental Power in his mind burst with a bang, turning into countless motes that rapidly fused with his Mental Power.

Only after breaking through to Sixth-Rank Primary did the upward momentum gradually slow.

The corners of Wei Qing's lips curled upward. With a thought, the data panel appeared:

Host: Wei Qing

Age: 16

Realm: Sixth-Rank Martial Artist (Primary)

Mental: 739

Strength: 703

Constitution: 689

Cultivation Art: Returning Origin Art (Minor Mastery)

Martial Skills: Flowing Cloud Slash (Perfected) - Profound Meaning: Lotus Blossom; Nanke's Dream (Minor Mastery); Ephemeral Art (Minor Mastery)

By the time Wei Qing exited his cultivation state, the sky outside had already gone completely dark.

He got out of bed.

Wei Qing lit the oil lamp in the inner hall, immediately driving back much of the darkness.

Just as he was about to arrange for Zhu Huan and the others to act, a string of light yet somewhat hurried footsteps broke the silence indoors.

Jun Wushang appeared at the doorway.

Zhang Zhidong, Zhang Xue, and a middle-aged woman dressed in plain green also came with him.

Her steps were steady, and her brows carried a gentle yet profound air.

Wei Qing immediately guessed the woman's identity: Shen Yan, the Yellow-Rank Warden of Jizhou Prefecture.

As long as the Guardian Envoys of the Heavenly Realm Division completed their required demon-extermination tasks each year, they could arrange the rest of their time themselves, whether returning home or cultivating at the Heavenly Realm Division.

As Wei Qing sized Shen Yan up, Shen Yan was also assessing him.

Due to the Breath Concealing Pill, the realm Wei Qing displayed outwardly was one major realm lower than his true realm.

Even so, Shen Yan was still stunned.

A sixteen-year-old Seventh-Rank Martial Artist—such talent could absolutely place among the top three on the Great Zhou Prodigy Rankings.

"Qingzi, I want to take part in tonight's operation too."

Jun Wushang had gone to the Zhang Family to apologize. During their conversation, he had inadvertently learned about tonight's operation and immediately rushed to the yamen without stopping for breath.

Zhang Xue followed him out, unwilling to accept it.

Shen Yan came along as well, worried about her daughter.

"And me. I want to participate too."

"Miss Zhang, this operation is an internal operation of the Heavenly Realm Division. Your status makes it inappropriate."

Without even thinking, Wei Qing directly rejected Zhang Xue's request.

Jun Wushang muttered, "I told you Qingzi definitely wouldn't agree, but you insisted on coming."

"None of your business."

Zhang Xue snapped back unhappily, then turned a pleading gaze toward her mother, Shen Yan.

"Wei Qing, let Xue'er go."

As her mother, Shen Yan knew her daughter's temperament better than anyone.

If they stopped her now, she might sneak along behind them.

Rather than that, it would be better to let her come. At least Shen Yan could keep an eye on her.

"Fine. Wushang, take good care of Miss Zhang." A meaningful smile curved Wei Qing's lips.

"Uh..."

Jun Wushang could not help but freeze slightly.

"Who needs him to take care of me? I can handle myself just fine."

Seeing Jun Wushang's stunned expression, Zhang Xue blurted out angrily.

Back at home, after learning that the two had fought, Shen Yan had exposed the fact that Jun Wushang had gone easy on her.

Because of that, her view of Jun Wushang had undergone a subtle change.

A different sort of feeling quietly rose in her heart.

When she saw Jun Wushang standing there dumbfounded, she did not know why, but a nameless fire suddenly shot up within her, and the angry words slipped out.

Wei Qing laughed inwardly. There's hope!

Afterward, he rose and walked to the door, where Zhu Huan had already brought people to wait.

"My lord."

Wei Qing asked, "How is it?"

"Everything has been arranged. When Lord Chen from the Jizhou Heavenly Realm Division arrived with his men and saw that you were cultivating, he led them ahead to the gathering point."

"Set out."

"Yes."

Zhu Huan accepted the order respectfully.

Zhang Xue shot Jun Wushang a glare, then followed after them.

Jun Wushang scratched his head. "What's going on... Hey, wait for me!"

Not long after Wei Qing and the others set out.

The City God Temple in the western part of the city welcomed a group of black-clad men.

"Patriarch, everything is ready. Those 'Blood Food' have all been safely delivered and are currently being securely held in the rear courtyard." The leading black-clad man reported to Yan Qingshan in a low voice.

"Mm, wait a little longer..."

Before he could finish speaking, the mysterious figure appeared like a ghost.

"Master, the Blood Food has been arranged in the rear courtyard."

"Very good. Take me to see them."

The mysterious man answered briefly. Then, beneath the moonlight, the group entered the shadow-shrouded area of the rear courtyard.

At the same time, a hundred meters away, Cai Yang of the Jizhou Heavenly Realm Division said, "Brother Chen, should we rush in now?"

The other two also turned their gazes toward Chen Feng, waiting for his instructions.

Chen Feng replied steadily, "Do not act rashly. We are fighting in coordination this time. We will decide once Wei Qing and the others arrive."

"Yes."

Just as his words fell, a faint rustling sound suddenly rose behind them.

Rustle, rustle, rustle...

The three reacted swiftly, their long sabers almost leaving their sheaths at the same time.

Chen Feng reacted with lightning speed, raising his hand in a light wave to stop them. "They're our own people."