Proficiency Grind Maxed Out, Liver Become Mortal Sword Immortal

From minor mastery of the Cultivation Method to Body Refinement Third Layer, it took less than an hour!

How long had it taken him to break through a single level before?

A year!

Even though he had long possessed the foundation to break through to Body Refinement Third Layer, the gap between the two was practically the difference between heaven and earth.

Yun Shu's heart surged as he continued cultivating.

With the Proficiency System, all he had to do was grind!

Yet he soon stopped.

"Ding. You have cultivated the Body Refining Technique once. Proficiency +1."

"..."

"Ding. You have cultivated the Body Refining Technique once. Proficiency +1. Your Energy Points are insufficient. Please replenish them."

His proficiency had only increased by three points.

Then his energy was depleted.

He had previously gained one Energy Point, and that had taken a full four bottles of Hundred Herbs Liquid. It had already been a stretch for it to help him cultivate to Body Refinement Third Layer and stabilize his realm.

He guessed that one Energy Point was equivalent to the medicinal potency contained in four bottles of Hundred Herbs Liquid—a one-to-one conversion.

After all, four bottles of Hundred Herbs Liquid had only been enough to bring him to this realm.

Energy Points and proficiency complemented one another indirectly.

Energy Points could support him in grinding more proficiency. They were incomparably important!

Thus, he now looked forward to those five bottles of Hundred Herbs Liquid.

If he could grind out some more proficiency, reaching the Mid Body Refining Stage and passing next month's Outer Sect Assessment did not seem impossible.

Yun Shu did not leave immediately.

Instead, he continued tempering his body.

His fists whistled through the air, and the immense force in his legs made the stone pillar before him shake continuously, booming with dull thuds.

Although an entire afternoon passed with barely any growth in his strength,

without Energy Points to support him, he had returned to his original state. Still, he had become far more adept at using the qi and blood that had just broken through within his body.

At that moment, he felt that with the minor-mastered Body Refining Technique, even against a disciple with the strength of the Body Refining Fourth Level, he might not necessarily be inferior.

The Body Refining Technique itself contained moves, so there was no need for him to abandon what was near and seek what was far by practicing more Martial Arts.

What mattered most now was raising his strength first. He still needed to obtain Energy Points, but there was no rushing it.

Wiping the sweat from his forehead, he prepared to return.

"Brother Yun."

"Brother Li." Yun Shu clasped his hands in return. He had not expected Li Jian to be waiting for him here.

"I wonder, Brother Yun, have you considered it?" Li Jian got straight to the point.

Yun Shu nodded slightly, but still asked, "Where are we going to gather herbs, and what is the herb called?"

"It is good that Brother Yun has agreed. I can go back and report now. The location is White Cloud Mountain, ten li away. As for the herb, it is called Snake Orchid Grass. Demonic Snakes guard it, so the task requires more people and has been assigned to Menial Disciples like us." Li Jian patiently explained.

Yun Shu understood.

Snake Orchid Grass was a relatively rare mid-grade medicinal herb. The so-called Demonic Snakes were still a hundred thousand miles away from true Demonic Transformation, but even so, an adult snake Demonic Beast was comparable to the Mid Body Refining Stage—roughly the strength of a Human Race cultivator at the Fourth or Fifth Level of Body Refinement.

They were looking for Menial Disciples for this task because they needed cannon fodder. Hundred Herbs Liquid was not so easy to obtain. Had he not broken through, he absolutely would not have accepted such a task. Now, though, he could make the trip with them.

The danger should not be too great.

"Gather outside the Mountain Gate early tomorrow morning," Li Jian continued when he saw Yun Shu nod.

"Alright."

Early the next morning.

Yun Shu rose early.

When he stepped outside the Mountain Gate, three disciples had already arrived one after another.

They were all Menial Disciples around the Second or Third Level of Body Refinement.

The three did not speak much here, each standing off to one side. They appeared unfamiliar with one another.

Li Jian soon arrived as well. The five of them were, barring surprises, the Fellow Travelers for this expedition.

"Brother Yun." Li Jian warmly clasped his hands.

"Brother Li." Yun Shu returned the gesture slightly.

The last to arrive, fashionably late, was an Outer Sect Disciple.

He wore moon-white robes, with a small sword embroidered in golden thread over his chest. His features were handsome, and every gesture radiated a powerful presence.

This was an Outer Sect Disciple of Myriad Sword Pavilion. Even one at the very bottom was incomparably exalted in the eyes of Menial Disciples.

Everyone hurried forward and clasped their hands. "Senior Brother Lin."

The man addressed as Senior Brother Lin merely nodded indifferently.

Even Li Jian at the side clasped his hands toward him from afar, but Yun Shu frowned slightly.

That Demonic Snake was at the very least as strong as the Fourth Level of Body Refinement, perhaps even the fifth. A human of the same level would certainly be inferior to it.

The man before them was only at the Body Refining Fourth Level. He might have only recently advanced from being a menial, and though his strength was also at the Mid Body Refining Stage, he did not seem quite enough.

Moreover, if there were other dangers, even with five Menial Disciples backing him up, they might not come away with any advantage.

But there was no point thinking about that now.

If they failed to obtain the Snake Orchid Grass, his Hundred Herbs Liquid would go up in smoke.

This was likely one of the benefits of being an Outer Sect Disciple. Senior Brother Lin could take the lion's share of the reward, while letting these menials serve as cannon fodder.

While he was lost in thought, Senior Brother Lin looked over. Seeing that Yun Shu had not paid his respects, his eyes narrowed slightly. He then gave a cold snort and turned away.

Yun Shu glanced in the direction of the sound, then stroked his chin. Had he offended someone without meaning to?

Though nothing had been said outright, a man this arrogant would likely bear a grudge against him. Yun Shu had not expected Senior Brother Lin to be so narrow-minded. He would need to be even more careful.

Li Jian looked at Yun Shu as if he wanted to say something, then stopped himself and gently tugged at Yun Shu's sleeve.

Yun Shu simply pretended not to notice. Since he had already offended the man, there was no need to lower himself and try to smooth things over. Besides, Senior Brother Lin did not look like someone easy to get along with.

Relying on his status, he had never regarded the few Menial Disciples as worthy of his attention.

Before the Mountain Gate, everyone harbored their own schemes.

Driven by profit, the other Menial Disciples all had fire in their eyes.

Yun Shu followed behind, inconspicuous.

Li Jian had already reported Yun Shu's cultivation level.

Body Refinement Second Layer!

He was cannon fodder among cannon fodder.

Two of them were Menial Disciples at Body Refinement Third Layer. Along with Senior Brother Lin, this lineup was barely passable. Under normal circumstances, there should not be any problems.

White Cloud Mountain lay ten li away. Since all of them had tempered their bodies, they traveled quickly and reached the foot of the mountain by noon.

White Cloud Mountain was a famous mountain in the area. Its peaks soared into the clouds, and its resources were abundant. Rare medicinal herbs often appeared here, so Myriad Sword Pavilion had many herb-gathering tasks in White Cloud Mountain.

These tasks were not especially dangerous. As long as one did not venture too deeply inside, casualties were rare.

"Snake Orchid Grass has a cold nature and is commonly found near Cold Ponds. We only need to follow this mountain path south, and we will reach a Cold Pond. We should be able to return by sunset," Senior Brother Lin said from the front.

He did not open any map, as though he had done his homework in advance.

Yun Shu glanced into the mountains and nodded lightly. He said nothing further and simply followed the others. He was only here to collect Hundred Herbs Liquid; he was not the main force.

Along the way, they spotted disciples from other Immortal Sects Far Behind.

They were two Outer Sect Disciples from the Golden Cauldron Sect, a man and a woman. Golden Cauldron Sect was not far from Myriad Sword Pavilion, and the two sects were of similar strength, always locked in competition. But it had nothing to do with them. They only glanced over from afar and paid no further attention.

Two hours later.

Everyone felt the surroundings gradually turn cold.

Yun Shu understood. The Cold Pond should be nearby.

After walking several hundred more steps, they could clearly make out the outline of a Cold Pond.

Wisps of cold air rose from above the pond, coating the surrounding trees in frost.

"Snake Orchid Grass!"

One sharp-eyed disciple spotted a snake-shaped orchid growing along the shore and cried out in delight.

"Do not make noise." Senior Brother Lin frowned and rebuked him, warily sweeping his gaze across their surroundings.