Greatly Increased Cultivation

After parting ways with Tang Xiaoman outside the south city, Qin Jue didn't delay and returned directly to Qingcang Academy.

In the secluded courtyard, everything was as usual.

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

"Hoo..."

Qin Jue exhaled deeply, adjusting his breathing rhythm to bring his Qi and Blood to optimal condition.

Nine Revolutions Viscera Refining Secret Record, Fifth Revolution – Marrow Generation · Bone Penetration.

The key to this revolution wasn't tempering the bones themselves, but changing the nature of the force. Kidney Qi delved into the deepest part of the bone marrow, condensing the originally fierce power into a sharp force capable of penetrating everything.

"Success or failure hinges on this moment."

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

The herb wasn't as bitter as he imagined; instead, it carried a cool sweetness. But this sweetness only lasted for a moment. The next second, a violent torrent of heat suddenly exploded in his mouth.

The terrifying medicinal power instantly surged down his throat and into his abdomen, then transformed into countless streams of heat, rushing towards his entire body.

"Ngh!"

Qin Jue grunted, his entire skin instantly turning red.

If he hadn't cultivated the Nine Revolutions Viscera Refining Secret Record to build a solid foundation, and hadn't previously reshaped his body with Earth Vein Stone Marrow, he might have exploded on the spot from just this wave of medicinal power.

"Such potent medicinal power... it truly lives up to its reputation."

At this critical juncture, Qin Jue became even calmer. He bit down hard on his tongue. The sharp pain invigorated his spirit, and he roared in his heart.

"Refine it for me!"

With a thought, the Nine Revolutions Viscera Refining Secret Record began to circulate madly.

The rampant medicinal power that had been darting through his meridians seemed to be drawn by some force, beginning to converge ceaselessly towards his kidneys.

Hummm--

His kidneys trembled, emitting low, rumbling sounds.

As the medicinal power was injected, his kidneys radiated a deep black light, and streams of pure kidney Qi were refined. This kidney Qi was completely different from before; it was more condensed, heavier, and imbued with a sharpness that could penetrate everything.

"Break!"

Qin Jue roared, controlling this surging kidney Qi and forcefully channeling it towards the great dragon of his spine. Then, following the spine, it permeated the depths of his bones.

This time, it wasn't just tempering the surface of the bones, but penetrating into the bone marrow!

"Zzzt..."

A fine sound came from within his body, the sound of kidney Qi merging with bone marrow.

Every bone vibrated, every drop of bone marrow boiled.

Under this deep tempering, Qin Jue could clearly feel a qualitative change occurring in his body's power.

Originally, his strength was fierce and overbearing, like a heavy hammer that could smash a large area with one blow. Now, this power was being compressed, condensed, becoming finer and sharper.

It was like taking a blunt, heavy hammer, tempering it a thousand times, and forging it into a bone-penetrating nail that could break through anything!

"This is... Bone Penetrating Force?"

A hint of realization dawned in Qin Jue's mind.

The Hundred Refinements Fifth Layer wasn't just about strengthening the internal organs; it was also about nourishing the bone marrow through the internal organs, thereby causing a qualitative change in strength. This Bone Penetrating Force wouldn't harm the flesh but could strike through an opponent, directly shattering their internal organs and bones!

The medicinal power within his body continued to transform into kidney Qi, and Qin Jue's aura was steadily rising.

The bottleneck of the Hundred Refinements Fourth Layer peak seemed like a thin layer of paper in the face of this terrifying Bone Penetrating Force.

"Crack!"

It was as if some shackles within his body had been broken.

A powerful aura erupted from Qin Jue, causing the air in the secret chamber to ripple.

"I've done it... Hundred Refinements Fifth Layer!" Qin Jue sighed in relief, feeling the surging power within him, a smile appearing on his face.

But he didn't stop there. To his surprise, he discovered that the potent medicinal power of the Purple Haze Dragon Vein Grass hadn't been completely depleted! At this moment, streams of pure medicinal power were still being released from his limbs and bones like trickling streams, nourishing his body.

"The medicinal effect of this Purple Haze Dragon Vein Grass is even more astonishing than I imagined! Since that's the case, I'll go all out!"

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

Time quietly slipped away in this monotonous cultivation.

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

Searching the book title might not work, you can try searching for the author, perhaps the name has changed!

Cultivation knows no time; a month passed in the blink of an eye.

On this day, the courtyard gate, which had been closed for a month, finally opened.

Qin Jue walked out slowly, the sunlight falling on his face, a little dazzling.

"Hundred Refinements Fifth Layer peak..."

He clenched his fist, feeling the condensed power within it that seemed capable of piercing through anything, a slight smile gracing his lips.

Several days later, the purple bamboo forest behind the academy.

Qin Jue had been cultivating here for a long time.

At this moment, his figure was elusive, darting and weaving within a small area, leaving behind clear afterimages that lingered for a long time. He would sometimes charge forward, only to make a sharp right-angle turn mid-flight without any loss of speed, his movements unpredictable and strange.

"Swish!"

Qin Jue's figure stopped, and he let out a long breath of stale air.

"Infusing the extreme burst power of the Jade Bone Realm into my legs, I can change direction three times within a single breath, leaving afterimages that linger for half a breath... The second layer of Startling Swan Flash, [Fleeting Shadow], is finally mastered."

A satisfied expression appeared on Qin Jue's face. Now, when facing an opponent, he could remain undefeated based on this movement technique alone.

Next, he drew his Cold Iron Sword.

The sword light flashed, but it made no sound, not even the slightest sound of the blade cutting through the air. Where the sword's momentum passed, the air itself seemed to distort with a momentary heat.

"Unfortunately, the third form of Cicada Wing, [Soundless], requires the wolf smoke Qi and Blood of the Blood Melting Realm to be attached to every sword thread to unleash its full power, truly achieving a state of silent dissolution upon touch. The Qi and Blood of the Jade Bone Realm is ultimately lacking, resembling the form but not the spirit."

"However, it's barely enough."

Qin Jue shook his head, not too disappointed.

In the past month, his progress had been nothing short of miraculous.

Besides his realm stabilizing at the peak of Hundred Refinements Fifth Layer, and mastering [Fleeting Shadow] of Startling Swan Flash, his swordsmanship had also made significant advancements.

As for the second layer of Myriad Forms Style, [Body Follows], he had tried it a few times and found that the mental strain was too terrifying. At his current realm, he couldn't sustain prolonged combat, so he had to put it aside for now.

"Brother Qin! I finally found you!" Just as Qin Jue was sheathing his sword and preparing to leave the back mountain, a familiar figure emerged from the depths of the bamboo forest.

Mo Xingkong walked over with a joyful expression.

"Senior Brother Mo," Qin Jue nodded.

Mo Xingkong approached, sizing Qin Jue up, his eyes darting around. The smile on his face suddenly froze.

"Wait..."

He rubbed his eyes and carefully sensed Qin Jue's aura again, his expression turning strange.

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

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

But how long had it been since then?

Just over two months!

From Hundred Refinements Fourth Layer directly to Hundred Refinements Fifth Layer?

This wasn't cultivation, it was like drinking water!

"Just a bit of an encounter," Qin Jue replied calmly, offering no further explanation.

If not for the potent medicinal properties of that Purple Haze Dragon Vein Grass and the constant tempering from the Nine Revolutions Viscera Refining Secret Record, breaking through so quickly would have been a pipe dream.

"An encounter..." Mo Xingkong's lips twitched. "Brother Qin, your words leave me speechless."

"This is simply astonishing!" Mo Xingkong exclaimed, his eyes gleaming brighter and brighter. "This is great! With this, Qingqiu is secured!"

Qin Jue raised an eyebrow. "Is there news from Qingqiu?"

"Of course!" Mo Xingkong lowered his voice and leaned closer. "I came to find you precisely for this matter. The internal strife within that Qingqiu family has reached a fever pitch, and the deathmatch arena has been set for ten days from now!"

"Ten days from now..."

Perfect.

He had just broken through to Hundred Refinements Fifth Layer and was looking for a suitable opponent to hone his skills. Ordinary sparring felt restrictive; only a deathmatch like this could truly test the quality of his abilities.

"The rules there haven't changed, have they?" Qin Jue asked.

"No change! It's still life or death, and the winner gets an eighty-year-old Spiritual Medicine!" Mo Xingkong chuckled. "That young lady is going crazy with anxiety and has sent three urgent letters. Brother Qin, with your Hundred Refinements Fifth Layer realm now, plus your talent, and your ability to kill opponents across realms, I believe that eighty-year-old Spiritual Medicine is already yours for the taking on this trip to Qingqiu!"

Seeing Mo Xingkong's shrewd, calculating merchant-like expression, Qin Jue chuckled inwardly. This fatty must have profited quite a bit over there too.

However, it was mutually beneficial.

"Ten days from now..." Qin Jue pondered for a moment, calculating the itinerary in his mind. "The journey from here to Qingqiu is not short. Since we're in a hurry, we'll depart tomorrow."

"Good! Decisive!"

Mo Xingkong was overjoyed. "I love your promptness, Brother Qin! Then I'll head back to prepare. We'll meet outside the South City Gate tomorrow morning!"