Strength Soars

"Who could it be, actually sending a Foundation Establishment assassin." Chen Zhengqing said angrily.

"Foster Father, I think the Tang Family is the most suspicious, but I don't have any evidence either." Yang Lingtian guessed.

"Hmph, this Tang Family is going too far. Back when one of our First-Rank Artifact Refiners was assassinated, I already suspected the Tang Family was behind it." Chen Zhengqing's eyes now held a killing intent.

The Chen Family and the Tang Family had been rubbing against each other in the shadows for years, but neither side had ever made it open.

Now the friction was growing worse and worse, even escalating to assassinations.

But without evidence, the Chen Family couldn't go seek any justice.

They could only continue investigating in secret.

After finishing the topic of the assassination, Yang Lingtian had also come back to request stepping down from the heavy responsibility of Chief Artifact Refiner.

"Foster Father, I won't be going to the Weapon Workshop anymore. I've already chosen someone to take over my work."

"Oh, you're recommending that Wang Tiechui, right? I heard you've been training him, but can he handle this job yet?" Chen Zhengqing asked doubtfully.

"Rest assured, Foster Father. Wang Tiechui is already at the top apprentice level now. He's fully capable."

"What? In less than a month, his forging skill reached the top apprentice level?"

"That fast? Back in my day, it took me several years to become a top apprentice." Chen Zhengqing said in surprise.

"I guided him day and night, and on top of that, he's truly gifted in artifact refining. It's perfectly normal for him to reach top apprentice in under a month."

"Perhaps before long, he'll be able to become a First-Rank Artifact Refiner." Yang Lingtian said calmly.

Chen Zhengqing's face lit up with joy. "Good, in that case, I won't need to recruit another First-Rank Artifact Refiner."

"Alright, tomorrow I'll appoint him as the new Chief Artifact Refiner. Our Weapon Workshop can keep running smoothly for a long time."

[Congratulations, Host, for resolving a crisis for the Chen Family. As a special reward, you receive one drop of Divine Ape Bloodline.]

[Refining the Divine Ape Bloodline can transform your physique and enhance your physical strength.]

"Awesome, I finally got a system reward again."

"And it's a treasure that can improve this trash body's physique. Divine Ape Bloodline—sounds like no joke."

Yang Lingtian felt a surge of joy inside. To become a strong expert, a powerful physique was also very important.

This body's original physique had been quite ordinary.

This Divine Ape Bloodline, which could change his physique and boost his physical strength, was exactly what Yang Lingtian needed.

Thus, he took another step forward on the path to becoming a strong expert.

After returning to his room, Yang Lingtian immediately took out the Divine Ape Bloodline and began to refine it.

This Divine Ape Bloodline contained an extremely powerful life force. He felt himself surrounded by this immense energy.

It was as if a mighty power was gradually seeping into his body, connecting with his bloodline, dancing with his soul.

This power was strong and wild, continuously battering his body.

Under Yang Lingtian's relentless refinement, the power of the Divine Ape Bloodline began to gradually merge into his body.

He felt as if his body was undergoing a complete transformation—his physique growing stronger, his physical strength constantly rising.

It took a full three days of refinement before he completely finished refining the entire drop of Divine Ape Bloodline.

Now, Yang Lingtian's body already possessed a trace of the characteristics of the Divine Ape Physique.

Although he was still at Qi Refining Level 7, his physical strength had already reached Qi Refining Level 9.

Such was the power of the Divine Ape Physique—as his cultivation level increased, his physical strength would also keep growing stronger.

Now, even without channeling any Spiritual Power, the strength he could exert had reached Qi Refining Level 9.

If he channeled the Spiritual Power within his body, his strength would stack on top of that, and his power would skyrocket.

Yang Lingtian was confident that if he faced that assassin from a few days ago again, he wouldn't have to flee so miserably.

But he felt it still wasn't enough—his cultivation had to keep advancing.

So he took out his alchemy furnace, planning to refine a large batch of pills to boost his cultivation.

After all, relying solely on absorbing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth to cultivate was far too slow.

Fortunately, he had obtained a large amount of spirit herbs from the Monster Beast Mountain Range earlier, enough for him to refine pills in bulk.

After five days and five nights of refining, Yang Lingtian produced over a hundred spirit pills.

Each of these pills contained immense energy, and refining them could raise his cultivation.

For an ordinary Qi Refining Stage cultivator, refining these hundred-plus pills meant to boost cultivation would take at least a year or two to finish.

But Yang Lingtian knew that the Chaos Bead inside him could help him refine them quickly.

However, most of the energy would be absorbed by the Chaos Bead.

There was no helping it. Yang Lingtian began refining the spirit pills he had just made.

Sure enough, these pills quickly turned into streams of energy that surged into the Chaos Bead in his Dantian.

Only a tiny wisp of pure energy was left behind to be absorbed by his Dantian.

That's refining over a hundred spirit elixirs all at once!

Even the other three great families wouldn't be so extravagant, burning through a hundred spirit elixirs in one go.

Soon, Yang Lingtian's aura involuntarily radiated outward.

He had broken through to Qi Refining Level 8, just a step away from Qi Refining Level 9.

Unfortunately, he had no more spirit herbs to refine elixirs, so he could only strengthen himself from other angles first.

His sword art, Hundred Shadow Cold Sword, had only reached Grandmastery, while his Movement Technique, Flowing Cloud Wind Movement, was still at the beginner stage.

If he could train both martial skills to Perfection, his strength would soar.

Especially Flowing Cloud Wind Movement—if he mastered it, even against an opponent with higher cultivation.

As long as the gap wasn't too vast, and the enemy lacked a comparable Movement Technique, he could flee and they'd never catch him.

But these two martial skills were incredibly hard to train. With his current comprehension.

It would probably take several years.

Fortunately, he still had a hundred Enlightenment Pills. These were fourth-tier Spirit Elixirs, priceless treasures.

Each Enlightenment Pill in Tianchen City would spark a frantic scramble.

They only ever appeared at auctions.

Yang Lingtian downed an Enlightenment Pill and began cultivating both martial skills.

For a full month, he never left his room, immersed in training, until he finally reached Perfection in both skills.

[Congratulations, Host. The first tier of Hundred Shadow Cold Sword and the first tier of Flowing Cloud Wind Movement have both reached Perfection.]

The system's congratulatory prompt rang out.

A massive power boost. This system truly was the Strongman Assistance System.

Without the Enlightenment Pills it provided, he'd probably need years of secluded training to master both skills.

Yang Lingtian was in high spirits. Since he'd reached Perfection, it was time to emerge from seclusion.

By now, the entire Chen Manor was bustling with activity.

For over a month, he'd ignored everything outside, having meals delivered on a schedule.

He had no clue what was happening beyond his walls.

Back then, Chen Zhengqing had seen Yang Lingtian in seclusion and hadn't disturbed him.

Deciding to come out, Yang Lingtian straightened his robes and stepped out of his courtyard.

Seeing the scene before him, he froze.

The whole Chen Manor was decked with lanterns and banners, brimming with a festive atmosphere.

"What day is this? A holiday?" Yang Lingtian asked, puzzled.

After inquiring, he learned that in a few days, it would be Chen Yiyue's eighteenth birthday—and also the day of her wedding to Yang Lingtian.

Everyone in the Chen Manor knew, except Yang Lingtian, who was the last to find out.

He really didn't care.

But Chen Yiyue still felt some resistance toward the wedding.

At that moment, Chen Zhengqing was in her boudoir, earnestly trying to persuade her.

"Yiyue, in two days, it's your and Lingtian's wedding. Don't always keep a straight face. You need to be happy."

"Lingtian isn't the wastrel he used to be. He's completely changed. Look how hard he's been training lately."

Chen Yiyue said impatiently, "Alright, Father, I know. Don't say any more. It's not like I said I won't marry him."

"Fine. You and Lingtian never got along as kids. I hope after the wedding, you can understand each other and grow closer."

After Chen Zhengqing finished speaking and left, Yang Lingtian arrived at Chen Yiyue's courtyard.

Seeing Yang Lingtian, Chen Yiyue's face remained cold.

Faced with her icy demeanor, Yang Lingtian began plotting his approach.

"Yiyue seems like the aloof type. Her heart won't be easy to win over!"

"This task the system gave me is tough. How am I supposed to capture her heart?"

"Women all admire the strong. If I defeat her, she might look up to me and be impressed."

Having made up his mind, he spoke up: "Yiyue, long time no see."

"I've been training this past month and made some progress. I thought I'd spar with you."

Chen Yiyue was taken aback: "What? You came here just to spar with me?"

"Think carefully. My cultivation is still at Qi Refining Level 9, but I'm only one step away from breaking into the Foundation Establishment Realm."

Yang Lingtian smiled faintly: "No problem. Go all out. I'll hold back."

"Hmph, all talk!" Chen Yiyue shot him a contemptuous look.

Yang Lingtian produced an ordinary longsword and, without a word, stepped forward to attack Chen Yiyue.

Chen Yiyue's expression remained calm as she too drew a longsword.

As Chen Yiyue and Yang Lingtian's sword strokes clashed, a fierce aura instantly radiated outward, the surrounding air seeming to tremble in response.

Yang Lingtian's swordsmanship was sharp and swift, like a raging storm, overwhelming and relentless.

His strokes appeared casual, but the power within them was not to be underestimated. Each swing of the sword carried a sound of void breaking, reverberating through the air.

Chen Yiyue's swordsmanship was the opposite—her strokes flowed like drifting clouds and running water, seemingly soft yet brimming with clever force.

Her sword path was ethereal, at times as agile as a startled dragon, at others resolute and decisive.

The two swords clashed midair, producing crisp metallic sounds as their figures constantly interwove.

Both used the simplest of moves, without any martial skills, appearing evenly matched.

Chen Yiyue was inwardly surprised. She could sense that Yang Lingtian's strength was no weaker than her own.

She had been at Qi Refining Level 9 for a long time, and the purity of her Spiritual Power was already approaching the Foundation Establishment Realm.

Logically, her power should have been greater than Yang Lingtian's, who was only at Qi Refining Level 8.

"Yiyue, be careful—I'm about to use a martial skill," Yang Lingtian warned.