Young Tiger Grinds Its Teeth, Adding Wings to a Tiger

The Water Mansion remained as ancient and mysterious as ever, permeated by an aura of eternity.

Ever since Lei Zhan returned to the Water Mansion, he felt a sense of ease and comfort.

During his nearly four years of wandering and tempering himself, Lei Zhan had been constantly battling the Demon Race across the North Dark Sea, or repeatedly raiding the lairs of sin-ridden demons, leaving him with almost no leisure time.

Now that he had returned to the Water Mansion, to Lei Zhan, there was no place in the entire Great Xia World, or even the entire Three Realms, that made him feel more secure.

Lei Zhan practiced his spear techniques daily, meditated on the Inner Contemplation of Sun and Moon Bright Buddha, and cultivated the Qi Refining technique Nine Directions Fragment, just as he had done in the outside world.

However, the taut string in his heart had loosened significantly. This alignment with the way of relaxation meant his cultivation did not slow down at all.

Time flowed by, and in the blink of an eye, half a year had passed.

"Master." Lei Zhan looked toward Immortal Juhua and bowed respectfully.

"Hmm." Immortal Juhua looked over. "Are you planning to head out?"

"Nothing escapes Master's notice." Lei Zhan smiled slightly. "Now that I have broken through to the Wanxiang level, I feel a sense of urgency in my heart."

Although the Nine Directions Fragment was a top-tier Qi Refining technique, the amount of Heaven and Earth Essence it required for accumulation was massive.

Now that Lei Zhan had broken through to the Wanxiang True Person level, his speed in absorbing Heaven and Earth Essence had naturally surged by ten or even a hundred times compared to the Purple Mansion level.

Even so, the amount of spiritual energy required to break through to the Primordial Spirit Daoist level remained a drop in the bucket.

"For an immortal cultivator, the time required to progress from Purple Mansion to Wanxiang, and then to Primordial Spirit Daoist or even Return-to-Void Earth Immortal, naturally grows longer and longer."

Immortal Juhua shook his head. "You are cultivating a powerful Qi Refining technique, so the time required for this process is even greater."

Lei Zhan nodded.

The further one progressed in cultivation, the harder it became, and the deeper the foundation one needed to accumulate.

It was like building a house; only by laying a firmer and deeper foundation could one build higher and possess greater resilience against risks.

Those cultivators who sought only speed were merely building a thatched hut, and by frantically stacking height upon it, how could it ever compare to a palace with deep roots standing tall?

"Lei Zhan."

Immortal Juhua looked at Lei Zhan and spoke. "I had originally planned to provide some help for your cultivation path only after you broke through to the Primordial Spirit Daoist level, so that you could walk it more easily."

Immortal Juhua seemed to recall something, a faint smile appearing on his thin face.

"However... a monstrous genius is always completely different from an ordinary cultivator. You are a monstrous talent, and your comprehension of the Dao is extremely deep. If you had enough Essence Liquid, you could even break through to the Primordial Spirit Daoist level in one go..."

As Immortal Juhua spoke, a storage magic treasure appeared out of thin air before Lei Zhan.

"These things were prepared for you anyway, so I might as well give them to you now!"

"Hm?" Lei Zhan was stunned.

Lei Zhan, possessing the life experience of his past life, naturally understood Immortal Juhua's painstaking efforts, but to give them to him now?

It seems my overly monstrous comprehension has caused Master and the Yellow-Haired Great Bear to change their perception of me... thoughts swirled in Lei Zhan's mind.

"Inside this Earth-rank storage treasure, there is a Heaven-rank peak-grade magic treasure I left for you, along with three million catties of Essence Liquid. Even though the Nine Directions Fragment consumes Essence Liquid heavily, it should be enough for you to break through your Qi Refining path to the Primordial Spirit Daoist level."

"Three million catties of Essence Liquid?" Lei Zhan was shocked.

Three million catties of Essence Liquid was no small number. One had to know that purchasing an Immortal-rank magic treasure cost at most two or three million catties of Essence Liquid!

Even if it were only a low-grade Immortal-rank, it would still be a powerful Immortal-rank magic treasure!

"Yes. I have calculated it; if you wish to break through to the Primordial Spirit level, three million catties of Essence Liquid should be sufficient." Immortal Juhua cautioned, "However... although I can give you the Essence Liquid, you must not be sloppy in polishing your foundation. Settling down for a period of time at each stage is an essential process."

The path of immortal cultivation required constant polishing of one's foundation. Only with a stable foundation could one go further in the future.

Lei Zhan nodded.

Disciples of large tribes and major powers relied on their powerful clans to obtain sufficient resources and lacked no guidance. They had every opportunity to cultivate to the Return-to-Void Earth Immortal level in one go, yet very few actually did so!

Over the years, Lei Zhan had encountered some reincarnated immortals while traveling. With their memories from past lives restored, they were equally capable of raising their cultivation back to the Return-to-Void level in one breath, but unless necessary, few chose to do so.

These reincarnated immortals possessed a comprehension of their souls and the Dao that was far superior to ordinary cultivators. On the path to the Return-to-Void level, they faced almost no bottlenecks.

Yet, most of them still chose to follow the standard procedure, choosing to polish their foundation for at least several years at each stage before deciding to break through to the next.

Immortal Juhua smiled. "Wanxiang level... Primordial Spirit level; at different levels of cultivation, one's comprehension of the Dao is completely different."

"Therefore, although resources are not an issue, I still hope you will remain at the Wanxiang level for a period of time."

"Yes." Lei Zhan bowed respectfully.

"He's gone?" A massive phantom of a Yellow-Haired Great Bear appeared out of thin air in the great hall.

The bear's phantom looked at Immortal Juhua, who was sitting cross-legged. "It seems you are also a bit worried about this little guy."

"He is my disciple. When a disciple goes out to wander, it is only natural to hope he remains safe and sound."

Immortal Juhua shook his head. "The Wanxiang level is the stage where one is most prone to falling. My disciple is so monstrous that he has a great chance of surviving the Heavenly Tribulation in the future. If he were to perish halfway..."

The Wanxiang True Person level was not exactly strong; there were still Primordial Spirit Daoists and Earth Immortal or Loose Immortal level cultivators above them. It was even somewhat of a struggle to wander across the endless land and the North Dark Sea.

But it could not be called weak either. After all, anyone qualified to break through to the Primordial Spirit Daoist level could not be that weak.

However, it was indeed the stage where one was most prone to falling.

When Lei Zhan was at the Purple Mansion level and went out to adventure, even if he encountered danger, his master could usually arrive in time to save him.

However, as Lei Zhan's strength grew, the dangers he faced naturally became more formidable.

If he were to accidentally wander into some perilous land or a ruin of gods and devils, even with Immortal Juhua's strength to slay Celestial Immortals, he might not necessarily be able to reach his disciple's side in time.

"Lei Zhan..." The Yellow-Haired Great Bear's gaze was distant.

"This little fellow, Lei Zhan, was always a young tiger ready to bare its teeth and draw blood. Now that he has been gifted various treasures by you, his master, it is like adding wings to a tiger."

"He was able to inherit the great divine ability left behind by my master, and now, relying on his Qi Refining Path cultivation and that set of Earth-Fiend Primordial Chaos Sword Formation, he has cleared the fifth level of the War God Hall..."

"His fortune is even deeper than yours."

The North Dark Sea.

A massive Dragon-Head Warship soared through the high altitudes, piercing through layers of clouds like a bolt of black lightning.

"Hahaha! Exhilarating!" On the deck of the Dragon-Head Warship, Lei Zhan stood at the bow, his heart filled with joy.

The Qi Refining technique Nine Directions Fragment was inherently powerful, and since Lei Zhan had broken through to the Myriad Phenomena level in the Water Mansion, his foundation had improved, naturally enhancing his strength in every aspect.

Later, he had even used the Essence Liquid gifted by Immortal Juhua to push his Qi Refining cultivation to the perfection of the Myriad Phenomena level in one go.

With the aid of seven hundred and twenty peak Earth-tier flying swords, the Water-Fire Grinding Disc formed by the Earth-Fiend Primordial Chaos Sword Formation was even more powerful, making his passage through the fifth level of the War God Hall effortless.

"Now that I am using Myriad Phenomena-level Primal Energy to control this puppet warship, the speed is nearly ten times faster than before! I estimate I can easily reach North Sea Commandery City in just one hour."

Lei Zhan's divine sense enveloped the entire Dragon-Head Warship, sensing the airflow rushing past its sides, a smile playing on his face.

One had to know that the ten-fold increase in the puppet warship's speed was the limit of the magic treasure itself, not the limit of Lei Zhan!

With Myriad Phenomena Primal Energy driving this puppet warship, the speed was naturally worlds apart from before!

Furthermore, Lei Zhan's Myriad Phenomena perfection Qi Refining cultivation was comparable to the mid-stage of the Primordial Spirit; under the drive of such vigorous Primal Energy, controlling a puppet warship was not an issue at all.

Soon, the North Sea Commandery City, nestled on a massive island, came into view in the distance.

"Baili Changfeng had been inviting me to attend a banquet to introduce some newly met cultivators." Lei Zhan looked ahead; the massive North Sea Commandery City looked like a tiny black dot from afar.

But as the distance closed, that small dot grew larger and larger, appearing like a crouching giant beast, poised and ready to strike.

"It's a pity I was busy slaying that Myriad Phenomena perfection Water-Splitting White Shark Great Demon at the time, and being tied up with trifles, I could only decline. Now, I shall go and meet him! Besides, if I want to cultivate the divine ability Star-Plucking Hand, I need a large amount of Five Elements Essence, so I might as well see if I can gather information on those Five Elements rarities."

After clearing the fifth level of the War God Hall, Lei Zhan had not chosen to exchange for Heaven-tier magic treasures or rarities. He could not use Heaven-tier treasures yet anyway.

Cultivators generally only used the few items they were most proficient with; no matter how many they exchanged for, they would merely sit in their storage treasures.

The set of peak Earth-tier flying swords he had previously exchanged for was already sufficient; he lacked nothing for the moment.

As for life-saving rarities, the top-tier ones—those more powerful than the God-Slaying Ring—were not available during the first exchange for Heaven-tier treasures. Such items usually only appeared in the second or third rounds of exchanges.

Even the rarities containing Five Elements Essence required for cultivating the Star-Plucking Hand were nowhere to be found. In the end, he had chosen to exchange for a cave-dwelling treasure of the highest value.

"Star-Plucking Hand..."

Lei Zhan raised his palm. It was a slender hand with long fingers, as if carved from fine jade, with countless complex Star-Plucking Divine Patterns hidden in the deepest parts of his palm.

The top-tier divine ability passed down by Daoist Sanshou, the Star-Plucking Hand, was known as the Six-Turn Star-Plucking.

At the God-Devil Body Refining Purple Mansion level, one could master the first turn!

At the Myriad Phenomena level, one could master the second turn.

At the Primordial Spirit level, one could master the third turn.

At the Void Refinement level, one could master the fourth turn.

Now that Lei Zhan's God-Devil Body Refining had broken through to the Myriad Phenomena level, he naturally hoped to find the corresponding Five Elements rarities as soon as possible to cultivate the Star-Plucking Hand to the second turn.

By then, his palms alone would be comparable to Immortal-tier magic treasures.

If he were to unleash his spear techniques at full power, clearing the sixth level of the War God Hall would not be entirely impossible.