Zhao Ping'an was so immersed in his cultivation that he hadn't even noticed the passage of time. It wasn't until a rush of information suddenly flooded his mind that he realized Soaring Dragon Void Steps had been fully deduced without him noticing.
The new technique was called Flying Dragon Crossing.
[Flying Dragon Crossing (Mysterious Tier Martial Art): 0/1500 (Not Started, Simplified). Run 5 kilometers continuously to increase Training Progress by 1 point]
"Just as I thought. It went from gaining one point of proficiency per thousand meters to one point per five thousand meters."
Looking at the cultivation requirements for Flying Dragon Crossing, Zhao Ping'an murmured calmly.
Although Flying Dragon Crossing was five times harder to cultivate, the effect of completing it was truly absurd, judging by the information he'd received.
Even at the entry level, its speed matched that of Soaring Dragon Void Steps at perfection, let alone the five stages beyond it: practiced, proficient, Minor Accomplishment, major accomplishment, and perfection.
Once fully mastered, its speed could only be described as swift as the wind and a flash of lightning.
Unfortunately, there was one prerequisite for using it: True Essence.
True Essence was a power possessed only by those who cultivated their inner strength in the Martial Venerable Realm. It was formed by condensing Qi from a gaseous state into a liquid one, a qualitative leap in power.
Zhao Ping'an's physical defense and raw strength had reached the Martial Venerable Realm, but the Qi filling his body was still at the Great Grandmaster Realm.
However, it wouldn't be long before his Primordial Chaos Art reached its ultimate perfection, and the Qi in his body condensed into True Essence.
Then he would be able to use Flying Dragon Crossing.
Of course, none of that affected his cultivation of Flying Dragon Crossing. He simply couldn't use it yet.
That night, Zhao Ping'an's Primordial Chaos Art reached the Ninth Level.
Starting the next day, his life returned to its usual calm.
Since most of his [Deduction Points] had been used up again, there weren't enough left to deduce and upgrade Primordial Chaos Art to the Mysterious Tier. So Zhao Ping'an resumed the cultivation plan he'd made before.
He made one small change, though: he devoted the two hours before breakfast to cultivating Primordial Chaos Art, hoping to bring the progress of his body cultivation and realm cultivation into balance.
Zhao Ping'an returned to his peaceful cultivation, day after day.
Half a month later, the steward came to report that the Fourth-grade Spiritual Medicine, the Ice Fire Snow Lotus, which the Sun Family had planted in a mountain spring three years ago, had just sprouted.
In other words, barring any mishaps, a Fourth-grade Spiritual Medicine would mature on Wu'an Mountain in ten or twenty years—or perhaps several decades.
Unfortunately, Zhao Ping'an couldn't afford to wait that long. Who knew what level of cultivation he would have reached in ten years? By then, he would have long since outgrown the need for a Fourth-grade Spiritual Medicine.
Zhao Ping'an merely nodded calmly to show he understood.
Still, he wrote to inform his Master, Zheng Hetong. He might not need the medicine, but perhaps his Master could use it.
What he didn't know was that as soon as the Ice Fire Snow Lotus sprouted, a faint fragrance imperceptible to humans spread rapidly in every direction.
Deep in a ravine more than twenty li from Wu'an Mountain, a deafening roar suddenly rang out, echoing for several li.
Then a gigantic Demonic Beast, more than three meters long and covered in fine black scales, burst out of the ravine the mountain folk called Soul Severing Valley. It looked eight parts like a wild boar and charged wildly toward the distance.
It was heading straight for Wu'an Mountain.
Its purpose was obvious: the Fourth-grade Spiritual Medicine.
And it wasn't alone. In several remote mountain forests where people rarely ventured, all kinds of Demonic Beasts left their territories, roaring as they charged toward the same destination.
The boar-like creature was simply the closest, and the first to catch the medicine's fragrance.
This was the result of Zhao Ping'an having no experience growing Spiritual Medicines. As for the medicinal herb farmers, they only knew the properties of low-grade Spiritual Medicines. They were just as clueless about a mid-grade Spiritual Medicine that had reached the Fourth-grade.
There was no need to mention anyone else. This was their first time encountering one, and they knew even less than Zhao Ping'an.
In the past, as soon as the Sun Family discovered a Fourth-grade Spiritual Medicine on Wu'an Mountain, they would scatter specially prepared medicinal powder around it. The powder neutralized the fragrance the medicine constantly gave off, preventing Third-grade or even Fourth-grade Demonic Beasts from being drawn to it.
They scattered the same special powder around Third-grade Spiritual Medicines to neutralize their scent. First- and Second-grade Spiritual Medicines didn't need it. For one thing, their fragrance was too faint to travel far—it couldn't even leave Wu'an Mountain. For another, the First- and Second-grade Demonic Beasts they attracted posed no threat and could even improve the family's meals.
Unfortunately, it had always been the Sun Family's direct descendants who scattered the powder. The herb farmers didn't know about it, and Zhao Ping'an and the new steward knew even less.
After sending a letter to South Ridge City, Zhao Ping'an continued his daily cultivation. His Primordial Chaos Art was close to Ninth Level Perfection.
A little after nine that night, Zhao Ping'an was sitting cross-legged on his bed, drawing in the world's energy, when he suddenly heard a roar. Shouts and screams from the patrol guards followed.
Low-grade Demonic Beasts were often drawn here, so Zhao Ping'an paid it no mind.
But this time was clearly different. Before long, a guard rushed to his pavilion and pounded hard on the door.
"My lord! A Fourth-grade Demonic Beast has appeared! It looks like an adult Black Armored Boar. Several of our men are already dead or wounded!"
The guard shouted his report before Zhao Ping'an could ask anything.
"A Fourth-grade Demonic Beast? A Black Armored Boar? Could it be...?"
"Understood!"
Zhao Ping'an immediately stopped cultivating when he heard the report. After murmuring to himself, he called loudly through the door.
Then he leaped straight out of his bedroom window and shot toward the source of the roars, his body moving like a phantom.
A section of the fence at the northwest corner of Wu'an Mountain lay scattered across the ground. Twenty guards had formed a wide circle around the Black Armored Boar, keeping their distance. None dared approach and throw their lives away.
Those who had dared were now lying dead around the beast, their bodies mangled. Some parts had already been gnawed beyond recognition, and the scene reeked of blood.
"Did anyone notify the lord? This beast is the equal of a Grandmaster Realm expert. We can't even scratch its scales!"
"We sent Quan Taihe, the one with the best Lightness Skill. He should've reached him by now. All we have to do is keep it surrounded. Once the lord arrives, this beast is dead!"
"Everyone, stay alert! Dodge the Tusked Pig's charge as soon as it moves!"
The Martial Artists leading the group shouted to one another. The others kept yelling to draw the Black Armored Boar's attention and keep it from choosing a target, buying as much time as they could.
"Wretched beast! You don't know when to quit!"
Suddenly, a low shout rang out. A figure appeared beside the Black Armored Boar like a phantom, and a Qi Great Saber flashed across its neck.
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