Gifts

Luo Heng merely smiled faintly and did not explain in detail.

"The Tower Battle is approaching. Focus on cultivating peacefully this month and strive to break through to the Late Earthen Yuan Stage before it begins. Also, bring your Talisman Master cultivation up to speed." Luo Heng patted Lin Dong on the shoulder, then added, "Keep the Yin Yang Pearl safe for now. A common man is innocent, but possessing a treasure invites trouble. Do not let others know about it."

"I understand." Lin Dong nodded solemnly and put the Yin Yang Pearl into his Spatial Pouch.

After chatting for a few more moments, Luo Heng left Lin Dong's Bamboo House and returned to his own quiet one.

After closing the door and entering the bedroom, he sat cross-legged on a meditation cushion.

"System, bring up the Personal Panel," Luo Heng silently said to himself.

[Ding—!]

[A translucent blue screen slowly unfolded before his eyes. The familiar interface came into view, but the information displayed on it was already vastly different from several months ago.]

[Host: Luo Heng]

[Age: Sixteen years and nine months]

[Cultivation: Late Heaven Yuan Realm]

[Techniques: Great Devouring Art (Beginner Chapter · 89%), Qi Guiding Art (Second Grade · Perfected)]

[Martial Arts: Tai Xu Swordplay (First Form · Void Blade · Mastery), Tiangang Thunderclap Fist (Sixth Form · Tiangang Thunder Prison · Perfected), Flowing Cloud and Soaring Goose Steps (Third Realm · Flowing Cloud and Soaring Goose · Mastery), Dragon Roar Spear Technique (Eighth Grade · Second Form · Beginner), Primal Void Finger (Ninth Grade · First Form · Minor Mastery), Adamantine Glazed Body (Eighth Grade Body Refinement · first floor · Beginner), Soaring Dragon Steps (Self-Created · Fourth Grade · Under Deduction), Mountain-Shaking Palm (First Grade · Perfected), Gale Sword (Second Grade · Perfected)]

[Sword Dao Realm: Minor Mastery Sword Intent (Stable)]

[Spiritual Power: Mid Three-Mark Rune Master (Myriad Law Seal)]

[Spiritual Secret Arts: Myriad Techniques Spirit Needle (Refined Grade · Mastery), Formation of Life (Qi Stage · Second Layer "Life-Generating Azure Waves" Mastery, Third Layer "Myriad Transformation Flame" Minor Mastery)]

[Origin Divine Skills: Great Devouring Art, Tai Xu Swordplay]

[Spirit Treasures: Silver Feather Sword (Mid-Grade Spirit Treasure · Refined), Crimson Dragon Spear (Low-Grade Peak Spirit Treasure · Refined), Qingxuan Sword (Top-Grade Mortal)]

[Special Items: Stone of Enlightenment (Fragment) 1/9, Strange Metal Fragment ×1 (Sword Intent Tempering Material), Yin Yang Pearl ×2]

[Resources: Yang Yuan Stone ×234806, Yang Yuan Pill ×91238, Pure Yuan Pill ×7605, Various Pills and Talismans]

[Daily Check-in: Used]

[Monthly Check-in Countdown: 21 days]

[Yearly Check-in Countdown: 2 months and 21 days]

Luo Heng's gaze slowly swept over the panel, and he felt quite satisfied.

The gains he had accumulated over the past three months were even more abundant than he had expected.

The rewards from the Monthly Check-in and Daily Check-in had risen in quality along with his cultivation.

During the first month's check-in, he had obtained the Eighth Grade spear technique, Dragon Roar Spear Technique.

At the time, he had thought it somewhat useless. After all, he primarily cultivated the sword, and spear techniques were merely the icing on the cake for him.

Yet later, while practicing swordsmanship, he casually swung the spear a few times and discovered that his talent in spear arts was equally astonishing, not the least bit inferior to his talent in swordsmanship. In only half a month, he had cultivated the first form, Thunder Light's First Bloom, to mastery, while the second form, Jail Lock Mad Dragon, had also reached the beginner level.

Perhaps he had been born for this line of work.

During the second month's check-in, he had obtained the Ninth Grade finger technique, Primal Void Finger.

This finger technique followed the path of breaking through a surface with a single point. It compressed and condensed all the Primal Energy in one's body into a single point at the fingertip before erupting with astonishing power. It was also highly suited to mutually corroborating the artistic conception of Tai Xu Swordplay's Void Blade.

During the third month's check-in, he had obtained the Eighth Grade body-refining martial art, Adamantine Glazed Body.

This had been an unexpected delight, and it was also the martial art he valued most at present.

Adamantine Glazed Body was divided into three layers: the first layer, Copper Skin; the second layer, Iron Bone; and the third layer, Glazed Golden Body.

Once cultivated to mastery, the physical body would be comparable in strength to a defensive Demon Beast of the same rank, granting astonishing defensive power.

He had only just begun the first layer, but when combined with a physique tempered by both Mysterious Nether Water and Jie Kong Yan, he could already withstand a full-force strike from a Late Heaven Yuan Realm expert without suffering serious injury.

As for that Crimson Dragon Spear...

With a thought from Luo Heng, a crimson spear covered in coiling dragon patterns appeared in his palm.

The spear was seven feet and three inches long and felt slightly heavy in his hand. Its tip gleamed with chilling light, while a faint crimson radiance flowed around it.

A peak low-grade Spirit Treasure.

This was one of the two important items he had received from the Monthly Check-in during his second month. The other was Primal Void Finger.

He had already refined it, and this spear shared the same origin as Dragon Roar Spear Technique. Its power was not the least bit inferior to the Silver Feather Sword, though it naturally could not compare to the Silver Feather Sword when used with Tai Xu Swordplay.

Cultivating both spear and sword was no difficult matter for him.

The analytical and deductive abilities bestowed upon him by the Myriad Law Seal allowed him to learn any martial art with half the effort, while his already monstrous comprehension only made things even easier.

Martial arts that took others more than half a year to grasp could be learned by him in mere days, and brought to minor mastery within half a month.

What mattered most now was the Yearly Check-in. The last one had granted him the incredibly heaven-defying Great Devouring Art.

This year...

A trace of anticipation flashed through Luo Heng's eyes. He had a faint premonition that this year's check-in would bring him a qualitative leap.

"No rush. What is meant to come will come."

Luo Heng calmed his mind, put away the panel, and closed his eyes.

At his dantian, the dark gold Yuan Core Phantom slowly revolved. It was more than twice as solid as it had been three months ago and was nearly becoming tangible.

Within his Niwan Palace, the Myriad Law Seal hovered quietly. Three Talisman Runes clearly emerged, radiating a profound yet restrained golden glow.

Three-Mark Rune Master!

But he had to become stronger. No matter what, he needed to reach the Form Creation Stage within a year. By then, he would be nearly eighteen.

If he remembered correctly, the Ancient Tomb Mansion would also open a year from now. He could not afford to fall behind.

He did not dwell on it any longer. Matters a year from now could be left to his future self.

What mattered most at present was the Tower Battle in twenty-odd days.

Yue Shan had been killed by him. As for whether Han Yun would still dare to use that Soul-Eroding Powder, he did not know. If Han Yun dared, Luo Heng would not mind teaching that Four-Mark Rune Master a lesson.

In the Original Work, Zhou Tong of Tianhuo City had stopped at the Seventh Floor.

As an early Three-Mark Rune Master, his Spiritual Power was solid, and his combat strength was formidable. Among the younger generation, he truly qualified as a favored son of heaven.

However, the trial of Spiritual Thunder on the Eighth Floor was not something that could be passed through sheer Spiritual Power alone.

It seemed to require the special guidance of a Natal Spirit Rune. At least, that was the case for him.

It also required sufficient comprehension and resilience.

And just a little bit... of talent beyond that of ordinary people.

Luo Heng lacked none of those things.

This was not his first time entering the Eighth Floor. He had even remained there for an extremely long time. Zi Yue had not stayed on the Sixth Floor as long as he had stayed on the Eighth Floor.

He had long touched the stone stele recording the Formation of Life many times. Its profound Talisman Array principles had been analyzed and deduced by him, and he had fully mastered all three transformations of the Formation of Life.

Even...

He raised his head, his gaze seeming to pierce through the Bamboo House roof and land upon the towering Black Ancient Tower.

At the highest point of that tower, there was another floor hidden away—the ninth floor, beyond the reach of ordinary people.

He knew what was inside.

The imprint of the Devouring Ancestral Symbol, as well as clues to the Thunder Ancestral Symbol.

That was one of Lin Dong's most important future opportunities.

"Leave it to Dongzi."

Luo Heng murmured softly and withdrew his gaze.

Some opportunities did not need to be seized all for oneself.

Of course, that was also because he had the system...

Qing Tan