Qi Refining Layer Four, Lightning Tribulation

The next day, Lu Li woke up feeling refreshed and full of energy.

A series of system notifications immediately rang out in his mind:

"Your Great Strength Vajra Dharma Incantation has been diligently practiced; through a night of hard work, your cultivation progress has increased by 3%."

"Your Great Might Heavenly Dragon Dharma Incantation, having nothing better to do, continued to discipline the White Bone Heart-Destroying Palm and gained some insights; cultivation progress increased by 2%."

"Your Blood-Devouring Heaven-Swallowing Art, having devoured a large amount of spiritual energy, is greatly satisfied; cultivation progress increased by 5%."

"Your Spirit Ghost Phantom Step, due to you staying holed up in the cave dwelling all day, has become increasingly lazy; it has coincidentally grasped the 'Way of Slowness' in martial arts, and cultivation progress has increased by 100%."

A quadruple win!

Hearing the system prompts, Lu Li's eyes lit up.

What he hadn't expected was that the Spirit Ghost Phantom Step had actually increased by 100% in progress!

It had broken through directly to the fifth level!

At the fifth level, his speed was as fast as lightning, and he could manifest five ghost shadows, significantly enhancing his ability to escape and confuse enemies.

It seems there are benefits to being lazy after all!

Unfortunately, the Blood-Devouring Heaven-Swallowing Art was full and satisfied, so it would no longer venture out.

This meant he couldn't search for and discover spirit ghosts.

However, spirit ghosts weren't that easy to come by; at the very least, one would only appear every month or two.

Thinking of this, Lu Li didn't mind it too much.

"Right, that poor wretch, the White Bone Heart-Destroying Palm, was beaten by the Great Might Heavenly Dragon Dharma Incantation all night; its cultivation must have regressed quite a bit. System!"

Lu Li suddenly thought of something and silently summoned the system panel.

Host: Lu Li.
Realm: Third Level of Qi Refining.
Great Might Heavenly Dragon Dharma Incantation: First Level (15%).
Great Strength Vajra Dharma Incantation: First Level (14%).
Indestructible Vajra Divine Art: Third Level (99%).
Blood-Devouring Heaven-Swallowing Art: Third Level (11%).
Spirit Ghost Phantom Step: Fifth Level (66%).
White Bone Heart-Destroying Palm: Fourth Level (84%).

How miserable!

It had regressed by a full 15%!

Moreover, the status of the White Bone Heart-Destroying Palm had dropped to the lowest.

Lu Li felt a bit sorry for the poor thing.

However, time was tight; he would have to wait until he reached the fifth level of Qi Refining before he could go to the Ten Thousand Ghost Cave to exorcise fierce ghosts and break through the realm of the White Bone Heart-Destroying Palm.

Now, it was time to practice the Purple Haze Sun-Refining Scripture!

Lu Li picked up the control jade pendant at his side and directly activated the formation mechanism.

Rumble.

The entire Star Gazing Tower trembled.

As the mechanisms inside the tower shifted, a straight skylight passage opened from the roof, leading directly down to the secret cultivation chamber in the basement.

The next moment, the light of the Sun was channeled down, enveloping Lu Li and making him shine like a giant lightbulb.

Swish.

Lu Li pulled off his clothes with a large sweep and tossed them aside.

Then, he channeled the Purple Haze Sun-Refining Scripture with all his might, beginning to absorb the essence of the Sun to condense the Five Elements Sun True Qi.

The surrounding spiritual energy also merged into his body as he inhaled and exhaled.

System notifications immediately rang out:

"Because you are in full contact with the essence of the Sun, your Purple Haze Sun-Refining Scripture is full of motivation; cultivation effect increased by 100%."

"Your Purple Haze Sun-Refining Scripture is immersed in rich heaven and earth spiritual energy and feels very comfortable; cultivation effect increased by 2000%."

As expected!

Whether you are a righteous technique or a demonic one, in the face of my 'money-power,' you all bow down!

Lu Li felt settled and began to silently recite the Prajna Heart Sutra.

The system log continued to scroll.

"Purple Haze Sun-Refining Scripture cultivation progress +1%."

"...progress +1%."

"...Progress +1%."

"Great Strength Vajra Dharma Incantation cultivation progress +1%."

"Great Might Heavenly Dragon Dharma Incantation cultivation progress +1%."

Just like that, Lu Li entered seclusion once again, focusing solely on his cultivation, deaf to the affairs of the outside world.

Day after day passed.

He did not know how much time had gone by.

Crack.

An incredibly faint cracking sound echoed within the cultivation chamber.

The two hundred and thirty-third middle-grade spirit stone split open, turning into a grey rock.

Lu Li slowly opened his eyes.

A low, booming hum resonated from within his body.

Spiritual energy surged like a tidal wave, breaking through an invisible barrier and finally achieving a breakthrough in his realm.

Realm: Fourth Level of Qi Refining!

"Eight days to break through from the third level to the fourth level of Qi Refining; the speed is countless times faster than burying myself in bitter cultivation alone."

Lu Li sensed the powerful mana within his Dantian purple palace, a look of satisfaction appearing on his face.

Immediately, he raised his right hand, formed a hand seal, and traced a spirit talisman in the air.

"Condense!"

Accompanied by a sharp shout, a wisp of blood-colored light instantly condensed at his fingertips.

The blood light was bewitching, emitting wisps of cold air.

It was incomparably chilling and bone-piercing.

It felt just like a sharp, frigid, heart-piercing arrow.

It seemed that upon reaching the fourth level of Qi Refining, the power of this Blood-Devouring Demon Light had increased significantly.

If unleashed, it should be able to instantly drain the blood of a tiger or leopard, leaving behind nothing but a hide.

If a seventh or eighth-level Qi Refining fierce ghost were struck by this demon light, it would likely have half its ghost energy devoured instantly, causing its ghostly form to collapse and dissipate.

At last, he had gained a long-range attack spell!

Of course, his other martial arts had also improved greatly.

Lu Li directly pulled up the system panel:

Realm: Fourth Level of Qi Refining.

Great Might Heavenly Dragon Dharma Incantation: First Layer (92%).

Great Strength Vajra Dharma Incantation: First Layer (90%).

Indestructible Vajra Divine Art: Third Layer (99%).

Blood-Devouring Heaven-Swallowing Art: Fourth Layer (1%).

Spirit Ghost Phantom Step: Fifth Layer (88%).

White Bone Heart-Destroying Palm: Fourth Layer (99%).

The money was well spent!

Looking at the six martial arts and techniques that had seen significant improvement on the system panel, Lu Li was quite satisfied.

Both Dharma Incantations were nearing a breakthrough.

The only pity was that even if he recited the Prajna Heart Sutra for a whole day, the Dharma Incantations could only increase by a maximum of 3% progress.

To break through, he would still need a few more days.

The only one still standing still was the White Bone Heart-Destroying Palm.

This poor kid was being targeted by the Great Might Heavenly Dragon Dharma Incantation, getting beaten every day and retreating into itself; the cultivation it gained through daily hard work was immediately beaten back down.

Lu Li could only offer a three-second moment of silence for it.

In any case, as long as the Great Might Heavenly Dragon didn't hit the Blood-Devouring Heaven-Swallowing Art, it was fine.

Strike while the iron is hot!

Continue cultivating!

Lu Li took a deep breath and prepared to bury himself in hard cultivation again, but seeing the pile of grey stones around him, he felt they were an eyesore.

He took a sniff and realized his body seemed a bit stale.

"Forget it, I'd better go out, eat some grilled fish, soak in the pool, stretch my muscles, and take a rest."

Lu Li stood up and stretched his back.

Pop, crack, pop.

His entire body immediately erupted with crisp cracks, like popping copper beans.

With a single flash, he moved like a ghost, exiting the Star Gazing Tower directly.

He then leaped into the large pool nearby, letting the waterfall wash away the exhaustion from his body.

While he was at it, he dove to the bottom of the pool and caught two fat, white spirit fish.

He also managed to grab three large crabs.

Hoo.

Before long, he had a fire going by the poolside, fashioned a grill, and began roasting the spirit fish.

In between, he wandered off to pick a pile of spirit fruits.

Just like that, Lu Li leaned against a rock, roasting fish, eating spirit fruits, sucking on crab roe, and basking in the sun, feeling incredibly content.

Stealing a moment of leisure from a busy life.

"Days without having to work are truly comfortable; it's a pity I'm missing a bottle of happy water."

Lu Li tore off a piece of tender fish meat and put it into his mouth, sighing with deep nostalgia.

If only this life were anywhere else.

But it just had to be in the Demonic Sect.

Thinking of this, he could never truly relax.

Right, it's about three in the afternoon; time for a cup of tea first.

"Hm? Why has it gone dark?"

Lu Li stood up, preparing to brew some tea, but when he looked up, he suddenly noticed a massive, oppressive bank of dark clouds rolling in, blotting out the sun.

Immediately, an incredibly terrifying aura—majestic, vast, and boundless—descended from the sky.

Destruction! Eradication!

A force to awe all things!

These clouds are not right!

Lu Li's expression shifted slightly, and he sprang to his feet in a flash.

At that very instant, a blinding bolt of lightning tore across the sky.

BOOM!

The thunderous roar was so immense it shook the heavens and the earth.

Lu Li felt as if his very soul had nearly been shattered.

He had never heard such a terrifying peal of thunder in his life!

"Junior Brother, run! Master is about to undergo the Nascent Soul Lightning Tribulation!"

Outside the Star Gazing Tower, Bai Jinfei arrived, piloting a massive Flying Painting Boat, and shouted at the top of his lungs.

"If you don't run now, once the tribulation lightning strikes, if you happen to get hit, there won't even be ashes left!"