Six Spiritual Apertures

"I actually opened two more Spiritual Apertures—three in total! My strength should be able to reach three thousand jin now!"

Lu Ren clenched his fists, feeling the surging power within him, and nodded in satisfaction.

The feeling of growing stronger was simply wonderful.

Next, Lu Ren began diligently cultivating the Eight Trigram Palm.

The Eight Trigram Palm was a defensive palm technique. With both hands assuming the stance of the Eight Trigrams, one could withstand an enemy's attacks as long as their strength did not greatly surpass one's own.

The Eight Trigram Palm was far more difficult to cultivate than the Fierce Tiger Fist. Lu Ren spent a full thirty-five years before bringing it to perfection.

With the remaining fifteen years, Lu Ren cultivated the Spirit Cat Steps to the major accomplishment stage.

Over those fifty years of arduous cultivation, he opened another three Spiritual Apertures.

Lu Ren was quite satisfied with these results. He had cultivated two martial skills to perfection and one movement martial skill to the major accomplishment stage.

Even someone with exceptional talent would find it difficult to reach such a level without spending a year or half.

Yet in reality, he had only spent a single second!

"I've cultivated three Body Tempering Martial Skills and painstakingly trained for eighty-two years, yet I've only opened five Spiritual Apertures?"

Thinking of this, Lu Ren felt rather depressed.

He had opened one Spiritual Aperture in each of his palms, at his heart, and in the soles of his feet. Each could store a wisp of spiritual energy.

Including the Spiritual Aperture in his lower abdomen, he now had six Spiritual Apertures within his body. He only needed one more before he could attempt to break through to the Spirit Stream Realm.

Lu Ren could feel that his strength had increased by at least fivefold.

When he had opened just one Spiritual Aperture before, a single punch could unleash a thousand jin of force. Now, he could deliver at least six thousand jin of terrifying strength.

That would have been utterly impossible in his previous life.

"Unfortunately, the Spirit Cat Steps haven't reached perfection yet!"

At that thought, Lu Ren remembered that a month seemed to have passed. Xiao Huohuo should be returning his eighty-eight thousand Copper Coins.

Exchanging those eighty-eight thousand Copper Coins for Spirit Rice would be enough for him to cultivate for twenty-five years. It should be enough to cultivate the Spirit Cat Steps to perfection, and perhaps even open his seventh Spiritual Aperture.

Once he opened the seventh Spiritual Aperture, he would be able to attempt a breakthrough into the Spirit Stream Realm.

Lu Ren emerged from Pagoda Space and took a deep breath, immediately feeling refreshed and invigorated.

The outside world was still better. If not for cultivation, he would not want to stay in Pagoda Space for even a moment longer.

Lu Ren arrived outside Xiao Huohuo's dormitory and knocked on his door.

At that moment, Xiao Huohuo sat on his bed, feeling utterly miserable.

Although the Saintess had returned his money, he had borrowed a copy of the Blazing Sword Technique. Yet before he could even begin cultivating it, the Saintess had taken back the Fire Spirit Sword.

Now he could not cultivate the sword technique. If he wanted to exchange it for another martial skill, he would have to wait a month before returning to the Martial Arts Pavilion to switch martial skill manuals. That was equivalent to wasting an entire month of cultivation time.

Thinking of this, Xiao Huohuo's resentment toward Lu Ren rose anew.

He felt that ever since he had encountered Lu Ren, he had suffered nothing but bad luck.

Could it be that Scrap Bloodline Martial Artists carried misfortune with them?

"That Lu Ren made me take a palm strike from the Saintess for nothing. My chest is still burning. When he comes to ask me for the money, let's see how I deal with you!"

As Xiao Huohuo thought this, he actually began looking forward to Lu Ren coming to demand the money.

"Senior Brother Xiao!"

Just then, Lu Ren pushed open the door and walked in, interrupting Xiao Huohuo's thoughts.

He's here. He finally came.

Xiao Huohuo was ecstatic inside!

At last, it's my turn to vent this resentment!

"Junior Brother Lu Ren, what brings you here?"

Xiao Huohuo suppressed the emotions in his heart.

"The one-month deadline is up. Hand over the eighty-eight thousand!"

Lu Ren said with narrowed eyes and a smile.

"I'm not paying it back. What can you do about it?"

Xiao Huohuo sneered.

"What did you say?"

Lu Ren's expression changed. He thought he had misheard him.

Xiao Huohuo wore a punchable grin. "I borrowed the money with my own ability. Why should I return it to you?"

"Senior Brother Xiao, if you truly refuse to repay me, don't blame me for being discourteous!"

Lu Ren's voice turned cold. He had not expected to encounter a brazen debtor who refused to repay his debts even in this world.

However, this world differed from his previous one. Here, the strong were revered.

Now that he had opened six Spiritual Apertures, if Xiao Huohuo truly refused to pay, Lu Ren would beat him until he did.

"Pfft!"

Xiao Huohuo could not help laughing. Folding his arms across his chest, he said, "Junior Brother Lu Ren, you have a Scrap Bloodline and can't even cultivate the Fierce Tiger Fist to the entry level. How exactly are you going to be discourteous to me? I'll stand right here. If you can touch me even once, I, Xiao Huohuo, will acknowledge you as my Father from this day onward!"

It was not that Xiao Huohuo looked down on Lu Ren. Lu Ren's talent was simply too poor. After cultivating for a month, he had not even reached the entry level of the Fierce Tiger Fist.

Meanwhile, Xiao Huohuo had already cultivated the Fierce Tiger Fist to the major accomplishment stage. Furthermore, both of them had only opened one Spiritual Aperture, so Lu Ren could not possibly be his opponent.

"I'm definitely accepting you as my son!"

Lu Ren smiled, stepped forward, and suddenly struck at Xiao Huohuo with a palm.

Mist-like spiritual energy gleamed over his palm. The tremendous force even blasted the air into a shrill roar.

"What?"

Xiao Huohuo's expression abruptly changed. He had never expected Lu Ren's palm strike to possess such might.

By then, it was too late for him to dodge. He threw a punch at Lu Ren instead, his fist wind incomparably fierce, like a tiger pouncing upon its prey.

This was the Fierce Tiger Fist at the major accomplishment stage. With one punch, even a grown tiger would be unable to withstand it.

Bang!

The instant fist and palm collided, Xiao Huohuo seemed to have been struck by lightning. He was sent flying backward and slammed into the wall before sliding down to the floor, where he spat out another mouthful of blood.

"How could you possibly possess such strength?"

Lying on the ground, Xiao Huohuo felt agonizing pain throughout his body. His arm even seemed dislocated, but what shocked him more was Lu Ren's strength.

This was absolutely not power that a Martial Artist with only one Spiritual Aperture could possess.

Even Martial Artists who had opened three or four Spiritual Apertures might not be stronger than Lu Ren.

"Senior Brother Xiao, to be honest, this time I received a blessing from an immortal. I didn't merely open one Spiritual Aperture—I opened six!"

Seeing Xiao Huohuo's shocked expression, Lu Ren secretly felt delighted.

Moreover, he had not truly exerted himself with that palm strike just now. He had only used half his strength. If he had used his full power, Xiao Huohuo would definitely have been severely injured.

"What? Six Spiritual Apertures!"

Xiao Huohuo's face was filled with shock.

Lu Ren receiving an immortal's blessing and opening one Spiritual Aperture had already shocked everyone. Yet Lu Ren had actually opened six Spiritual Apertures.

This was not an immortal's blessing. It was more like an immortal chasing after him to spoon-feed him.

Lu Ren held out his hand and said calmly, "Senior Brother Xiao, return my money. If this matter gets blown out of proportion, you'll be the one losing face."

Xiao Huohuo looked as though he wanted to cry but had no tears. "Junior Brother Lu Ren, it's not that I refuse to give it to you. The Saintess took back the Fire Spirit Sword. She gave me two hundred thousand Copper Coins and told me not to repay you either. If you came looking for the money, she told me to teach you a lesson!"

"She took it back?"

Lu Ren was slightly surprised.

"The Fire Spirit Sword was her gift to you when you first met. Naturally, she wasn't happy that you sold it to me!"

Xiao Huohuo said miserably.

Lu Ren walked over and helped Xiao Huohuo to his feet, saying guiltily, "Senior Brother Xiao, my master took back the Fire Spirit Sword. You should have said so earlier! Why didn't you say so earlier? Why didn't you say so?"

Hearing Lu Ren's words, Xiao Huohuo was so furious that he nearly spat blood. Gritting his teeth, he said, "Junior Brother Lu Ren, it's my fault for not saying so earlier!"

"Then are you all right?"

Lu Ren asked with concern.

Xiao Huohuo shook his head. "I'm fine. A few days of rest will do!"

"As long as you're fine. I won't disturb you any longer!"

After saying that, Lu Ren swiftly left the room and shut the door.

Sitting on the bed, Xiao Huohuo felt more and more aggrieved. In the end, he began to cry. "I must have had the worst luck for eight lifetimes! How did I ever provoke that master and disciple pair?!"