"Head Wang, I'd like to look through them all first."
Wang Debiao pursed his lips but said nothing.
It was not as though Li Xuanxiao could learn them just by casually looking through them.
Li Xuanxiao first picked up the "Soaring Hawk Nine Steps." Movement techniques were what he lacked most right now.
He opened the "Soaring Hawk Nine Steps" and skimmed through it.
The next moment, a system screen immediately appeared.
Martial art recorded—"Soaring Hawk Nine Steps"!
Li Xuanxiao froze. It could work like this? Joy surfaced on his face.
After flipping through it a few times, Li Xuanxiao picked up another book.
Wang Debiao kept shaking his head beside him. He was still a young man after all, his temperament too impetuous.
Cultivating any one of these techniques was no simple matter.
It required enormous amounts of effort and painstaking dedication.
He himself had cultivated bitterly for many years, yet had only barely reached Greater Mastery.
Not to mention that two of them had been prepared for his entry into the Apex Realm.
They were exceptionally obscure and difficult to comprehend. Even after spending several years on them, he had failed to grasp their true meaning.
It did not take long before Li Xuanxiao had finally finished reading all four techniques and martial arts.
Four new names had also appeared on his personal panel.
Host: Li Xuanxiao Realm: Peak Profound Realm Cultivation Art: Evergreen Art (Sublimity Realm), Apex—Myriad Manifestations Violet Zenith Art (Not Initiated) Martial Arts: Focused Spirit Slash (Sublimity Realm), Soaring Hawk Nine Steps (Not Initiated), Thousand Peaks Ruin Blade (Not Initiated), Apex—Silent Heart Sutra (Not Initiated) Demon Points: 20
Seeing the changes on the panel, Li Xuanxiao secretly rejoiced.
In only a short while, he had gained four more cultivation arts and martial arts that could be upgraded.
The two books with the word "Apex" before their names were presumably cultivation arts and martial arts meant for Apex Realm martial artists.
This haul had truly been a bloody profit!
After returning the cultivation arts and martial arts to Wang Debiao, Li Xuanxiao returned to his room.
He eagerly opened his personal panel and examined the uses of the various cultivation arts and martial arts.
First were the two Apex Realm arts—the Myriad Manifestations Violet Zenith Art and the Silent Heart Sutra.
The former was a relatively conventional Apex Realm cultivation art. It could absorb the True Qi of heaven and earth, speeding up the absorption and release of True Qi.
The latter was an Apex Realm martial art geared more toward assistance. It could improve one's control over aura and True Qi.
The other two, for the Profound Realm, were an exceptionally exquisite blade technique and movement technique.
They were at least far more sophisticated than the Focused Spirit Slash he had cultivated.
At the Profound Realm level, they were absolutely rare treasures!
With limited Demon Points, Li Xuanxiao considered briefly before deciding to prioritize raising his realm.
This was the foremost priority, the foundation of everything.
With a thought, Demon Points were instantly deducted.
10 Demon Points consumed. Myriad Manifestations Violet Zenith Art has reached Basic Understanding!
Hiss—
Li Xuanxiao raised his brows. Just getting started had actually cost 10 Demon Points!
One had to know that when he had cultivated the Evergreen Art and Focused Spirit Slash before, raising them from initiation to Lesser Mastery had only required 3 points.
Li Xuanxiao was inwardly astonished. Then he felt the internal force within him that had yet to be converted begin to frantically transform into True Qi!
As True Qi surged, a vortex of True Qi gradually formed around him.
The vortex spun faster and faster, drawing the invisible True Qi of the outside world into it as well.
In the end, all of it was absorbed into Li Xuanxiao's body.
Li Xuanxiao's cultivation at the peak of the Profound Realm began to loosen once more and climb higher.
Pop—
It was as if some shackle had shattered. Li Xuanxiao felt his entire body grow light, while a pleasure from the depths of his soul rose within his heart.
He slowly opened his eyes. In that instant, faint purple qi actually swirled within them.
"I've entered the Apex Realm..."
Li Xuanxiao let out a soft sigh. The internal force in his body had long since been wholly transformed into True Qi.
The power contained within it was unknown how many times stronger than internal force.
The advancement of one's realm brought a complete qualitative transformation.
It was absolutely incomparable to the improvements within the same realm from before!
Even if he used the same martial arts, he was far, far stronger than before.
Now, a casual slash of his blade could barely match what once required his all-out effort.
"Hoo—"
After exhaling deeply and calming the excitement in his heart, Li Xuanxiao turned his gaze toward the remaining martial arts.
He had 10 Demon Points left. It was impossible to spread the rain and dew evenly.
Just initiating the Silent Heart Sutra, which was likewise an Apex Realm art, would probably cost another 10 Demon Points.
So he would not consider it for now. He would first invest his Demon Points into the two Profound Realm martial arts that could effectively raise his combat strength.
3 Demon Points consumed. Soaring Hawk Nine Steps has reached Basic Understanding! 3 Demon Points consumed. Thousand Peaks Ruin Blade has reached Basic Understanding!
Hm?
Li Xuanxiao was slightly surprised. He remembered that upgrading Profound Realm martial arts before had only cost 3 points from initiation to Lesser Mastery.
He had not expected that, despite both being Profound Realm arts, these two required 3 points merely to get started.
It seemed his guess had been correct. Although these two were both Profound Realm arts, they were far more exquisite than those he had cultivated before.
The "Soaring Hawk Nine Steps" and "Thousand Peaks Ruin Blade" were at least a tier above the "Focused Spirit Slash"!
Unfortunately, he did not have enough Demon Points now. Otherwise, he would definitely max them out!
After this round of upgrades, the Demon Points in his possession had shrunk drastically once more.
Only 4 points remained.
"Looks like I'll have to go slay more demons and devils!"
Outside Ning'an City, in the desolate wilderness.
Several late-stage Profound Realm demons were gathered together, raising their cups in celebration.
A Dog Demon raised a rough wooden bucket and tipped its head back to drink.
Bright red liquid flowed down from the corners of its mouth, and a stench of blood immediately spread through the air.
After swallowing a mouthful, it revealed a satisfied expression.
It then picked up a human thigh beside it, covered in blood, and tore off a huge chunk of flesh with one bite.
"Brother Rat, why aren't you eating?"
"Yeah, Brother Rat. On such a fine day, you should be eating meat in great mouthfuls and drinking blood in great gulps!"
"Why do you look so weighed down with worries?"
The Rat Demon forced a smile in response, but the sinister look between its brows was hard to conceal. "A few of my sons and grandsons vanished after entering the city with me last time..."
The Dog Demon gave an unconcerned laugh. "Ah, what's the big deal? Aren't those useless brats of mine running all over the place every day too?"
The others chimed in as well. "Exactly, exactly. What demon doesn't run wild everywhere? They're only a few days late. It's nothing."
The Rat Demon's mood eased slightly. It picked up a piece of bloody flesh and swallowed it.
A few flecks of blood splashed onto its face, and its nose twitched.
Then a bolt of lightning suddenly flashed through its mind!
Blood!
Its thoughts instantly returned to the moment outside the yamen, when it had brushed past that young constable.
At the time, it had caught a faintly familiar scent, but had not given it much thought.
Now that it thought carefully, it had been the scent of its clan's blood!
Only, that young constable's aura had been rather muddled at the time.
Many different scents had mixed together, which was why it had not thought further about it.
Thinking back now, it absolutely had something to do with those sons and grandsons of its!
The Rat Demon shot to its feet, its face incomparably grim.
"Everyone, keep eating. I have something to take care of!"
After tossing out those words, the Rat Demon instantly reverted to its original form.
It raced straight toward Ning'an City!
"Kid, you'd better have merely gotten it on you by accident!"
"Otherwise..."
"I'll make you regret being born into this world!"
Before you continue