The Martial Warrior's Strength, Ninth Level of the Foundation Establishment Realm

"Clan leader, save me!"

Yang Xiaoyun and the other four looked down at Yang Xiaosheng at the bottom of the cave and cried out for help.

At the sight, Yang Xiaosheng's pupils contracted. He had not expected the Spirit God to demand five living people so it could drain their blood!

"No wonder the Red Spirit Cave and the Red Spirit Tree are both so bloodred!"

Realization dawned on him, but he remained unmoved by Yang Xiaoyun and the other four's pleas.

"Save... save me..."

A breath later, Yang Xiaoyun and the other four gave one last plea, then fell silent.

Thud!

Their corpses hit the ground, twisted beyond human shape. Every drop of blood in their bodies had been drained by the Red Spirit Cave—or rather, by the Spirit God!

Yang Xiaosheng looked at the corpses of Yang Xiaoyun and the other four, his heart pounding. When had he ever seen anything like this?

"Yang Xiaosheng, you have done well. This is the power you have earned."

The Spirit God's voice rang out, ethereal and hushed.

Before the words had faded, the Contract appeared in the air, giving off a faint red glow.

"Thank you, Spirit God!"

Yang Xiaosheng's fear vanished. He looked up at the Contract, his face alight with joy.

Boom!

A beam of red light shot from the Contract into his body.

In an instant, Yang Xiaosheng's blood surged, his bones cracked, and his meridians stretched open. Power filled every part of him!

Three breaths later, the red light and the Contract disappeared.

"Huh?!"

Yang Xiaosheng raised an eyebrow, puzzled. He still could not sense Source Qi, which meant he had not become a cultivator. Why?

He did not dare voice his confusion to the Spirit God.

"Casting off mortality and becoming immortal cannot be done in one stroke. Do not rush. Though you are not yet a cultivator, you now possess strength beyond that of a Martial Warrior."

"Continue bringing living people here as the Contract requires, and you will surely become a cultivator in time."

The Spirit God seemed to have read Yang Xiaosheng's thoughts.

"Yes, Spirit God!"

"Take these five corpses out of the Red Spirit Cave. Bring more people tomorrow."

The Spirit God's command rang out.

"Yes, Spirit God!"

Yang Xiaosheng hoisted the five corpses onto his shoulders and bowed respectfully.

When he straightened, he had already left the Red Spirit Cave.

I really am stronger than a Martial Warrior. Carrying all five of them feels like carrying nothing!

Beside the Red Spirit Tree, Yang Xiaosheng could barely contain his delight.

"Hmm..." He pondered for a moment. "First, I need to dispose of their bodies properly."

Half an hour later.

Yang Household Cave.

Yang Xiaosheng returned to Yang Household Cave carrying a huge cloth sack.

"Clan leader, how did it go? Did you find anything to eat?"

Yang Shengyu looked at the sack and asked a question he already knew the answer to.

"The food is in here."

Yang Xiaosheng handed him the sack, his face expressionless.

Yang Shengyu opened it and stared in surprise. "Meat on the bone?!"

"Clan leader, why isn't there any blood on it? How strange!" He looked at Yang Xiaosheng, thoroughly puzzled. "Oh, and where are Xiaoyun and the others?"

"Ah..." Yang Xiaosheng sighed. "Xiaoyun and the others were killed by the tiger in that sack."

"I got them killed. I failed them!"

Two lines of tears ran down Yang Xiaosheng's face. He looked consumed by guilt.

"Clan leader, it wasn't your fault."

Yang Shengyu hurried to comfort him.

"Enough. I have no appetite. Divide it among yourselves."

"Yes, clan leader!"

Twenty days later.

Seeking Dao Mountains.

Hidden Dragon Valley.

Li Moqing sat quietly in the valley.

He had not come to mourn Daoist Qi today. He had come to break through to the Foundation Establishment Realm Ninth Layer.

When a cultivator broke through to the Foundation Establishment Realm Ninth Layer, their Source Aspects took tangible form. The spectacle far surpassed the awakening of a Source Aspect!

When his Source Aspects awakened, Li Moqing had already shaken the valley to its foundations. He certainly could not stay in the Sect while his Source Aspects took form.

Whoosh!

Power surged around Li Moqing, fierce and unyielding.

Hum!

Suddenly, ten thousand golden swords appeared above the valley. They rang out in midair, their Sword Qi stirring the wind and clouds!

Rumble!

At the same time, Divine Thunder rolled across the sky, tearing through the space above the valley!

Roar!

The Divine Dragon circled overhead, its cry shaking the nine heavens!

Li Moqing's Source Aspects had finished taking form. He had successfully reached the Foundation Establishment Realm Ninth Layer!

From now on, when he used a Cultivation Art, he would wield not merely an imposing presence, but crushing pressure!

He had also awakened his Divine Sense. Compared with his previous level, this was a gulf as vast as heaven and earth!

"Three years ago, when Daoist Qi fought that purple-robed man, he floated through the air."

"But when Daoist Qi died, the purple-robed man merely searched him. He didn't destroy his Source Core or Nascent Soul. I'd thought Daoist Qi must have been at the Foundation Establishment Realm Ninth Layer."

"Now that I've reached the Foundation Establishment Realm Ninth Layer myself, I should see whether I can look inside Daoist Qi's Spatial Ring."

Li Moqing calmly withdrew his three Source Aspects and murmured to himself.

Spatial Rings offered a measure of privacy. One needed to reach a certain realm to inspect their contents.

The higher their owner's cultivation had been, the higher the realm required to inspect the ring.

The gap between Li Moqing and Daoist Qi had previously been too great for him to look inside.

Now that he had reached the Foundation Establishment Realm Ninth Layer, it was time to try.

He took out the Spatial Ring Daoist Qi had given him before his death. The longer he examined it, the graver his expression became.

"Huh? My Divine Sense has undergone ten-thousandfold Blood Refinement. How powerful must it be? Yet I still can't see inside Daoist Qi's Spatial Ring?"

"Could my guess have been wrong? Was Daoist Qi not at the Foundation Establishment Realm Ninth Layer?"

"That makes no sense. How could this be?"

Li Moqing could not understand it.

“Forget it. I've been out long enough. I should return to the Sect.”

With that thought, Li Moqing put away the Spatial Ring and flew off as a streak of light.

Heavenly Mist Sect.

Within the Sect.

The Sect Discussion Hall.

“Second Senior Sister truly is remarkable. She's already at the Foundation Establishment Realm Sixth Layer. Her cultivation is advancing so fast I can only eat her dust!”

"Third Junior Brother isn't slow either. He's only one minor level below me!"

"Elder Mo is almost at the peak of the sixth level of the Nascent Soul Realm. His speed is even more frightening!"

"Not at all. I can't compare with you youngsters!"

"As the eldest senior brother, I'm only at the fourth level of the Foundation Establishment Realm. I've fallen another step behind my junior sister and brother!"

"Eldest Senior Brother, you've already gone further than most people ever could. Don't lose heart!"

"Hahaha, you worry too much, Third Junior Brother. Why would I lose heart? This only gives me endless motivation!"

Mo Lingyuan, Zhang Xingfeng, Dongfang Muxue, Chen Guyu, and Lü Liu had just emerged from the Time Tower. They chatted happily about what they had gained from this round of cultivation.

Whoosh!

Just then, Li Moqing flew into the hall as a streak of light.

"Sect Master!" "Master!" "Master!"

Mo Lingyuan and the others hurried to greet him respectfully.

"No need for ceremony. It's rare for everyone to have some free time. Let's have tea together."

Li Moqing smiled faintly.

“Lü Liu, go make the tea.”

"Yes, Sect Master!"

Starwave Sect.

Within the Sect.

"Hahahaha..."

Suddenly, wild laughter rang through the Starwave Sect, echoing across the entire Sect.

"What's going on? Where is that laughter coming from?"

"That laugh sounds terribly arrogant. Is an enemy attacking?"

"This is bad! On guard, everyone!"

The people of the Starwave Sect had no idea what was happening. They gathered in the Sect square, scanning their surroundings with wary, anxious eyes.