Dark Force

How could Zhang Lingfeng not understand what Guo Wei meant?

But he had the Subsidy System. As long as he cultivated diligently within the allotted time, he was certain to achieve a breakthrough.

The more abundant his blood and Qi, the stronger the Dark Force he formed would be.

Some Ming Jin and Dark Force experts shared the same realm yet differed vastly in strength. Aside from martial techniques, the main reason lay in whose blood and Qi reserves were greater.

Dark Force experts like Wu Yun ate several pounds, or even more than ten pounds, of meat across their three daily meals. The blood- and Qi-replenishing tonics they consumed each day cost as much as an ordinary household spent in a month.

Only by accumulating enough blood and Qi could they improve their chances of successfully breaking through later. They would also be less likely to exhaust themselves in battle, and with ample blood and Qi to expend, their bodies could nourish their bones and constitution as well as their internal organs.

The reason Guo Wei advised Zhang Lingfeng against continuing to spend so much silver on his body was that his bones had already closed. Unlike him, Wu Yun and the others had begun practicing martial arts early. Even if their bone and constitution grades were inferior to his, they were still in a prolonged period of growth.

Powerful blood and Qi could fully nourish the strength of their bones and constitution, making their internal organs vigorous and strong.

But his bones and constitution had closed and stopped growing. No amount of blood and Qi could nourish them or strengthen the vitality of his internal organs.

If he failed to break through in the future,

the blood and Qi he had accumulated for so long would also be exhausted.

He would be better off following Liu Feng's example. Though Liu Feng replenished his blood and Qi regularly, he did so only to cover his daily expenditure. If Zhang Lingfeng stopped pouring silver into it, perhaps he could still become a modestly wealthy man someday.

Unfortunately, Zhang Lingfeng clearly had not taken his words to heart.

Yet how could Zhang Lingfeng not understand Guo Wei's meaning? He had also gleaned a crucial piece of information from it and could not help asking, "Master, even if someone has powerful bones and constitution, do they still need to build up enough blood and Qi before they can successfully break through each realm?"

"Of course. The more abundant your blood and Qi, the greater your chances of breaking through. But if your bones and constitution... just practice diligently!"

Seeing the hope in Zhang Lingfeng's eyes, Guo Wei could not bring himself to discourage him.

"Thank you, Master."

Zhang Lingfeng bowed.

His mind quickly sprang into action.

Ye Fan is arrogant and overbearing, with no regard for anyone else. He thinks he can surpass everyone. If I can lure him into attempting a breakthrough early, once he fails, he won't be able to break through to Dark Force before me.

That was what Zhang Lingfeng thought.

Time flew.

In the blink of an eye, another month passed.

[Twelve-Form Iron Mountain Fist Middle Section: (516/600)]

With less than two months remaining until he attained Dark Force, Zhang Lingfeng grew increasingly calm.

That day, everyone waited outside the room where Guo Wei usually cultivated.

Today was the day Ye Fan made his first attempt to break through to Dark Force.

Less than a year had passed in total since Ye Fan became Guo Wei's disciple. If he succeeded, he would attain Dark Force in the shortest time of any disciple Guo Wei had ever taught.

He would then become Guo Wei's personal disciple.

He would certainly learn the thirteenth form of the Iron Mountain Fist in the future and become a Transforming Jin expert. When that happened, he would reign supreme in the martial hall, and that thirteenth form would place everyone under his control.

Yet Guo Wei could not feel happy at that moment.

He had underestimated Ye Fan's temperament. Who knew where the fellow had gotten such confidence? He actually wanted to surprise him by successfully breaking through ahead of time.

Had Zhang Lingfeng not informed him, he would not even have known about it.

Now he was assisting Ye Fan at his side, hoping that Ye Fan would succeed. Otherwise, if his failed attempt at Dark Force left lingering problems, even the finest-grade bones and constitution would be useless.

Guo Wei's original plan had been to have Ye Fan cultivate diligently and accumulate enough blood and Qi, spending a year consolidating before attempting to break through to Dark Force.

Yet lately, surrounded by flattery, Ye Fan had gradually lost his head. He believed that with his finest-grade bones and constitution, he could break through to both Ming Jin and Dark Force within a single year.

If he accomplished that, he would be Baiyang County's foremost heaven's chosen, and Guo Wei would bask in the reflected glory. Finally, after days and months of praise, Ye Fan became convinced that he could succeed.

He actually attempted a breakthrough early without telling Guo Wei.

"Pfft!"

Suddenly, a wail came from inside the room.

A flash of blood streaked past.

The anxious crowd standing outside heard Guo Wei say from within, "Why were you in such a hurry? Why didn't you tell your master before attempting to break through to Dark Force?"

"I wanted to give you a surprise, Master. I..."

Ye Fan's voice was weak.

"You have the finest-grade bones and constitution. You only needed to accumulate blood and Qi for a few more months, and you would have been absolutely certain to break through to Dark Force. Trying to do it a few months early meant nothing for you. You really are... ah!"

Guo Wei's face was filled with disappointment.

He had placed great hopes in Ye Fan, never expecting him to be so impatient that he would conceal even an attempt to break through to Dark Force. Instead of a pleasant surprise, he had given him a fright.

"Master, I was wrong."

Ye Fan bitterly regretted what he had done.

Over the past month, the flattery from Liu Feng, Hei Hu, and the others had made him completely lose himself. In his heart, he had even begun to look down on his Dark Force senior brothers, including Wu Yun and Zhao Hu.

He considered them trash.

Yesterday, while drinking at a restaurant, he had heard a storyteller speak of a heaven's chosen in the southern city who possessed the finest-grade bones and constitution. In just eight months, that person had broken through to Ming Jin and then Dark Force, causing a sensation throughout the southern city.

He had wanted to follow that example and make his name resound throughout Baiyang County. Instead, he had taken one massive dump.

"Ah, what's done is done. Get some rest. Fortunately, this failed breakthrough left no lingering problems. Once you've replenished your blood and Qi, you can try again.

"From now on, don't make decisions about your cultivation on your own. You must tell your master first."

Guo Wei reminded him.

"Yes. Thank you, Master."

Ye Fan bitterly regretted what he had done.

"Junior Brother Ye failed his breakthrough."

"How could breaking through to Dark Force in just a few months be that easy?"

"Master really is heartbroken this time."

"Ah, Junior Brother Ye is so used to being confident that he really thinks he's invincible under heaven. He thinks he can do anything anyone else can."

Everyone discussed it in hushed voices.

Zhang Lingfeng saw unconcealable smiles on the faces of Wu Yun, Zhao Hu, Yang Tao, Ma Fei, and Liu Rushuang. Like him, they were gloating over Ye Fan's misfortune.

It seemed Ye Fan's recent prominence had also made them uncomfortable. Perhaps Wu Yun and the others had even fanned the flames behind the scenes, helping lure Ye Fan into attempting a breakthrough early.

Such was human nature.

No one wanted others to fare better than themselves.

No lingering problems, and he can still attempt another breakthrough. Then let's see who breaks through to Dark Force first.

Zhang Lingfeng laughed inwardly.

He had heard Guo Wei's words clearly.

He simply had not expected Ye Fan to be so lucky. Despite forcing an attempt at Dark Force and failing, he had suffered no lingering problems.

Fortunately, Guo Wei was already disappointed in Ye Fan.

Even if Ye Fan broke through to Dark Force in the future, Guo Wei might not pass his legacy on to him.