A Major Leap in Cultivation

After parting ways with Tang Xiaoman outside the southern city, Qin Jue didn't waste any time and headed straight back to Qingcang Academy.

Everything in the secluded little courtyard was just as he'd left it.

Qin Jue closed the courtyard gate and took out the jade box from his robe. The Purple Haze Dragon Vein Grass lay quietly inside, the golden patterns on its leaves giving off a faint glow in the secret chamber.

"Phew..."

Qin Jue let out a long breath and regulated his breathing, bringing the qi and blood in his body to their optimal state.

Nine Revolutions Viscera Refining Secret Record, Fifth Revolution—Marrow Generation · Bone Penetrating.

The key to this revolution wasn't tempering the bones themselves, but changing the nature of his force. His kidney qi would penetrate deep into the marrow, refining his originally fierce power into a sharp force capable of piercing through anything.

"Everything comes down to this."

Without hesitation, Qin Jue picked up the Purple Haze Dragon Vein Grass and put it straight into his mouth.

The herb wasn't as bitter as he'd expected. Instead, it carried a cool sweetness. But that sweetness lasted only for an instant. The next moment, a raging heat exploded in his mouth.

The terrifying medicinal power surged down his throat and into his stomach, then broke into countless streams of heat that rushed through his whole body.

"Ugh!"

Qin Jue groaned, and his skin turned bright red in an instant.

If he hadn't laid a solid foundation through cultivating the Nine Revolutions Viscera Refining Secret Record, and if he hadn't previously remade his body with Earth Vein Stone Marrow, this first wave of medicinal power alone would have been enough to make his body explode.

"What domineering medicinal power... no wonder it's so renowned."

At this critical moment, Qin Jue grew even calmer. He bit down hard on his tongue, and the sharp pain jolted his mind awake. A roar rose in his heart.

"Refine!"

With a thought, the Nine Revolutions Viscera Refining Secret Record began circulating at full force.

The violent medicinal power that had been running amok through his meridians seemed to be drawn by something. It began streaming toward his kidneys.

Hum—

His kidneys trembled, sending out a series of deep rumbles.

As the medicinal power poured in, his kidneys radiated a profound black light, refining streams of pure kidney qi. This kidney qi was utterly different from before: denser, heavier, and infused with a sharp intent that could pierce through anything.

"Break!"

Qin Jue growled, directing the vast torrent of kidney qi toward the great dragon of his spine. It then flowed along his spine, seeping deep into the bones throughout his body.

This time, it wasn't merely tempering the surface of his bones. It was reaching deep into the marrow!

"Sizzle, sizzle..."

A fine, dense sound rose from within him—the sound of kidney qi merging with his bone marrow.

Every bone trembled. Every drop of marrow boiled.

Under this deep tempering, Qin Jue could clearly feel the power within him undergoing a qualitative change.

His power had once been fierce and domineering, like a heavy hammer that smashed a broad swath with every blow. Now it was being compressed and condensed, growing finer and sharper by the moment.

It was like taking a blunt, heavy hammer and, after tempering it a thousand times, hammering it into an unbreakable nail that pierced through bone!

"So this is... Bone Penetrating Force?"

A trace of understanding rose in Qin Jue's heart.

The Hundred Refinements Fifth Layer wasn't just about strengthening the viscera. It also used the viscera to nourish the bone marrow, transforming one's power in the process. This Bone Penetrating Force didn't injure the skin or flesh, yet it could strike through a mountain and directly shatter an enemy's internal organs and bones!

The medicinal power in his body continued turning into kidney qi, and Qin Jue's aura rose steadily.

The bottleneck at the peak of the Hundred Refinements Fourth Layer was like a thin sheet of paper before this terrifying Bone Penetrating Force.

Crack!

It was as if some shackle within him had broken.

A powerful aura erupted from Qin Jue, sending ripples through the air in the secret chamber.

"I did it... Hundred Refinements Fifth Layer!" Qin Jue let out a long breath. Feeling the surging power within him, a smile spread across his face.

But he didn't stop there. To his delight, he discovered that the domineering medicinal power of the Purple Haze Dragon Vein Grass hadn't been fully spent. Even now, streams of pure medicinal energy were flowing out of his limbs and bones, nourishing his body.

"The Purple Haze Dragon Vein Grass is even more potent than I imagined! In that case, I'll press on and see it through!"

Qin Jue immediately calmed his mind and decided to continue his seclusion, refining and absorbing all the remaining medicinal power.

Time slipped quietly by amid this monotonous cultivation.

Outside the secret chamber, the sun rose and the moon set, while bamboo shadows swayed.

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Cultivation knew no years. In the blink of an eye, a month had passed.

On this day, the courtyard gate that had been shut for a month finally opened.

Qin Jue slowly stepped outside. The sunlight fell across his face, glaring against his eyes.

"Peak of the Hundred Refinements Fifth Layer..."

He clenched his fist, feeling the condensed power within it, as if it could pierce through anything. The corner of his mouth lifted.

Several days later, in the academy's back mountain, within the Purple Bamboo Forest.

Qin Jue had been training here for quite some time.

Now his figure flickered unpredictably, shifting and darting within a few feet and leaving behind clear afterimages that lingered in the air. At times, he surged forward, only to make a sudden right-angle turn halfway through, without losing any speed. His movements were bizarre and elusive.

Whoosh!

Qin Jue came to a halt and let out a long breath.

"By pouring the Jade Bone Realm's explosive power into my legs, I can change direction three times in a single breath. The afterimages linger for half a breath... I've finally mastered the second layer of Startling Swan Flash, Fleeting Shadow."

A satisfied look crossed Qin Jue's face. Now, when facing an opponent, this movement technique alone would let him remain undefeated.

Next, he drew the Cold Iron Sword.

The sword flashed, yet made no sound—not even the faintest whisper of its blade cutting through the air. Wherever its force passed, the air warped with a momentary heat.

"Unfortunately, the third move of Cicada Wing, Silent, requires the Blood Melting Realm's wolf-smoke qi and blood to cling to every strand of sword force before it can reach its full power: truly silent and leaving nothing behind at a touch. The qi and blood of the Jade Bone Realm fall far short. I've got the form, but not the essence."

"Still, it'll do for now."

Qin Jue shook his head, but he wasn't too disappointed.

His progress over the past month had been astonishing.

Besides stabilizing his cultivation at the peak of the Hundred Refinements Fifth Layer, he'd mastered Fleeting Shadow from Startling Swan Flash and made great strides in his swordsmanship.

As for the second layer of Myriad Forms Style, Body Follows, he'd tried it a few times and found that it consumed far too much of his focus. At his current level, he couldn't sustain it through a prolonged battle, so he had to set it aside for now.

"Brother Qin! I finally found you!" Just as Qin Jue sheathed his sword and prepared to leave the back mountain, a familiar figure emerged from deep within the bamboo forest.

Mo Xingkong beamed and hurried over.

"Senior Brother Mo." Qin Jue nodded.

Mo Xingkong came closer and looked Qin Jue up and down. His eyes shifted, then the smile on his face suddenly froze.

"Wait..."

He rubbed his eyes, then carefully sensed Qin Jue's aura again. His expression turned strange.

"Brother Qin, your aura... Hundred Refinements Fifth Layer?"

When they'd parted at the inn two months ago, Qin Jue had just broken through to the Hundred Refinements Fourth Layer. Mo Xingkong had been shocked, but could still accept it. After all, some geniuses couldn't be judged by ordinary standards.

But how long had it been?

A little over two months!

He'd gone straight from the Hundred Refinements Fourth Layer to the Fifth?

That wasn't cultivation—it was like drinking water!

"I had a bit of good fortune," Qin Jue replied calmly, without elaborating.

If not for the Purple Haze Dragon Vein Grass's domineering medicinal power, as well as the ceaseless tempering from the Nine Revolutions Viscera Refining Secret Record, breaking through this quickly would have been a pipe dream.

"Good fortune..." Mo Xingkong's mouth twitched. "Brother Qin, I honestly don't know what to say to that."

"This is practically unheard of!" Mo Xingkong clicked his tongue in amazement, his eyes gleaming brighter and brighter. "That settles it, then. Qingqiu is a sure thing!"

Qin Jue raised an eyebrow. "Any news from Qingqiu?"

"Sure is!" Mo Xingkong lowered his voice and leaned closer. "That's exactly why I came to find you. The infighting within that Qingqiu family has reached a fever pitch. The death match is set for ten days from now!"

"Ten days..."

Perfect timing.

He'd just broken through to the Hundred Refinements Fifth Layer and had been wondering where to find a suitable opponent to hone his skills against. Ordinary sparring came with too many restrictions. Only a death match like this could truly test his mettle.

"Are the rules over there still the same?" Qin Jue asked.

"Unchanged! It's still a fight to the death, and the winner gets an eighty-year-old spirit herb!" Mo Xingkong chuckled. "That young lady is practically frantic. She's sent three urgent letters already. Brother Qin, now that you're at the Hundred Refinements Fifth Layer—and a genius on top of that—you can naturally punch above your weight. That eighty-year-old spirit herb is already as good as yours, if you ask me!"

Seeing Mo Xingkong's smug, calculating grin, Qin Jue couldn't help laughing to himself. The fat fellow had probably raked in plenty of benefits over there, too.

Still, it was a mutually beneficial arrangement.

"Ten days..." Qin Jue mused, calculating the journey in his mind. "Qingqiu is a long way from here. Since we're in a hurry, let's leave tomorrow."

"Excellent! That's the spirit!"

Mo Xingkong was delighted. "I like how decisive you are, Brother Qin! I'll head back and get ready. We'll meet outside the southern gate first thing tomorrow morning!"