After choosing his martial arts, Xu Taiping spent another ten Merit Coins on a Refined Steel Wild Goose Feather Saber, an Oxhorn Hardwood Bow, and over a hundred arrows.
"Lord Profound Mirror, I've finished choosing."
Xu Taiping had actually wanted to buy a movement martial art as well, but even the lowest-grade ones cost upwards of three hundred Merit Coins. He simply could not afford one.
"Once selected, goods cannot be returned. At noon tomorrow, a spirit bird will deliver these items to the Green Bamboo Abode. Please have your Merit Coins ready."
The Mirror Spirit's cold voice rang out again.
"Sorry for the trouble, Lord Profound Mirror."
Xu Taiping respectfully cupped his hands toward the bronze mirror.
That day, during the hour of the rooster.
The Green Bamboo Abode.
In the quiet courtyard, gentle afternoon sunlight streamed through the window, falling directly on Xu Taiping's sweat-streaked cheeks.
At that moment, Xu Taiping sat cross-legged on his bed with his eyes tightly shut. Wisps of lead-colored mist seeped from his body, then gathered above his head.
At this moment, Xu Taiping had completely entered a state in which he forgot both himself and the world. Cultivation alone occupied his mind.
According to Purple Sun True Lord's guidance, cultivating during the hours of the rat, horse, and rooster each day often yielded twice the results for half the effort. Whenever those hours arrived, Xu Taiping would lock the courtyard gate and sit down to cultivate, come thunder or lightning.
Rumble...
Just then, a sudden explosive rumble of qi came from within Xu Taiping's body.
The lead-colored haze around him abruptly scattered. Then wisps of snow-white mist rose from Xu Taiping's body and gathered above his head once more.
Had a cultivator who practiced the Setting Sun Glow Art been present, they would surely have recognized this sight. It was precisely the sign of a breakthrough from the Dew Condensation Stage to the Frost Transformation Stage described in the Setting Sun Glow Art-washing away all lead dross.
A moment later, Xu Taiping opened his eyes, his gaze brimming with delighted surprise.
Even he had not expected to break through from the Dew Condensation Stage to the Frost Transformation Stage today. According to Purple Sun True Lord, he should have needed at least another ten days.
Could using crimson dawn true qi while fighting the demon wolf have accelerated my breakthrough?
Xu Taiping pondered inwardly.
"Is Xu Taiping of the Green Bamboo Abode in the courtyard?"
Before he could think the matter through, a very familiar voice suddenly sounded outside-the White-Headed Eagle, White Rainbow.
"Little fellow, your things have arrived."
As soon as Xu Taiping stepped out, he saw the spirit bird White Rainbow crouching by his courtyard gate, with a large, sealed wooden crate sitting before him.
"Sorry for the trouble, Uncle Bai."
Xu Taiping thanked him happily, then hurried forward.
"Little fellow, earning merit isn't easy, and you still have to pay your annual dues to the West Wind Pavilion at year's end. Save wherever you can."
White Rainbow offered Xu Taiping a kindly reminder.
"Don't worry, Uncle White. I know my limits. These are just a few weapons and martial arts for self-defense."
White Rainbow's kindness filled Xu Taiping with warmth.
"As long as you know your limits."
White Rainbow nodded.
After purchasing the demon wolf's bones and meat yesterday, he had grown much fonder of Xu Taiping and no longer treated him as an unfamiliar junior outer sect cultivator.
"The true qi in your body seems much purer than yesterday. Have you made a breakthrough?"
White Rainbow suddenly gave Xu Taiping a careful look.
"That's right, Uncle Bai. My crimson dawn true qi has reached the Frost Transformation Stage. Once I break through to the Ice Formation Stage, I'll be able to attempt the Gate Opening Realm."
Xu Taiping did not hide it from White Rainbow.
"Good."
White Rainbow nodded approvingly.
He had witnessed Xu Taiping's diligence firsthand, so he was not particularly surprised.
"Keep focusing on your cultivation. Even reaching the Ice Formation Stage only qualifies you to attempt the Gate Opening Realm. Never grow complacent."
He followed with another warning to Xu Taiping.
"Taiping will keep your guidance firmly in mind, Uncle Bai."
Xu Taiping cupped his hands toward White Rainbow in earnest.
"Go back inside and cultivate. Now that I've delivered your things, I must accompany an elder of the Fourth Peak out of the mountains. It may be several months before I return."
With that, White Rainbow spread his wings and rose into the air.
Accompanying an elder of the Fourth Peak out of the mountains... Could they be going to the mortal world to vanquish demons and devils?
Watching White Rainbow's receding figure, Xu Taiping suddenly felt a surge of excitement.
According to the Cultivation Transmission Jade Slip, the disciples and elders of the Seven Peaks received many sect missions from beyond the mountains every month. Completing them earned substantial merit rewards from the sect.
Even a casually chosen mission outside the mountains offered over a thousand merit, leaving Xu Taiping deeply envious.
Xu Taiping, don't reach for the clouds before your feet are steady.
Noticing the shift in his state of mind, Xu Taiping hurriedly reminded himself.
Then he carried the wooden crate into the courtyard.
Five days later.
The rear courtyard of the Green Bamboo Abode.
Boom!
Shrouded in a faint aura of frost, Xu Taiping gathered his strength for a long moment before driving a fist into a rock as tall as a person.
The instant his fist shot out, a faint ox's bellow could be heard amid the whistle of displaced air.
Bang!
With a thunderous crash, Xu Taiping's small fist punched a hole straight through the enormous rock.
But Xu Taiping did not stop there. Immediately after that punch, he steadied his stance and adjusted his breathing, then struck with alternating fists.
Bang, bang, bang!...
Xu Taiping's fists hammered the rock one after another like a herd of oxen charging wildly.
Boom!
At last, Xu Taiping smashed the person-height rock into a heap of rubble with his bare fists.
But shattering the rock had also exhausted Xu Taiping's true qi. The cold ice true qi that protected his body like a translucent spherical barrier dissipated completely.
"Huff, huff, huff..."
After drawing back his fists, Xu Taiping braced his hands on his knees and began panting heavily.
What he had just used was the Green Ox Fist purchased from the West Wind Pavilion's Martial Armory-specifically, its two ultimate moves, Ox Horn Crashes the Mountain and Charging Ox Breaks the Formation.
"Looks like my current reserves of true qi will only let me use Ox Horn Crashes the Mountain and Charging Ox Breaks the Formation once each at most."
Xu Taiping spoke between ragged breaths.
Because this fist art was simple and brutal, he had already gained a fair grasp of it after several days of practice. Those two ultimate moves still gave him a headache, though. They consumed far too much true qi.
Even with the rapid recovery of his crimson dawn true qi, Xu Taiping could only practice them two or three times a day. Any more, and his true qi could not recover fast enough.
"That's enough for today. Once the sun weakens a little, I still need to weed the nine-leaf white perilla."
Xu Taiping picked up a towel and wiped the sweat from his body.
With two more martial arts to cultivate, his schedule was now extremely tight. He wished he could split every hour into two.
After breaking through to the Frost Transformation Stage, however, his energy had increased many times over. Sometimes, even going two or three days without sleep did not leave him particularly exhausted, so he now had considerably more time for cultivation.
Awooo!...
Just as Xu Taiping was wondering whether to get something to eat, a wolf's howl suddenly reached his ears.
That sounded like it came from Sheep Deer Mountain. Could another wolf demon have appeared there?
As the thought crossed his mind, he raced out of the rear courtyard, vaulted onto the courtyard wall, and leaped from there onto the roof.
Before you continue