Fourth Tier

"Is there a lack of understanding of the Configuration...?"

Shen Heng lowered his eyes slightly, a thoughtful expression in them.

Although he had thought about similar problems before, he didn't expect to encounter them so soon.

At headquarters, cultivation is divided into nine Ninth Tier.

However, this classification is merely an inference based on research into Origin Power, humans, and Calamity Beast.

The headquarters figured out exactly how to cultivate at First Tier and how to break through to the next level through trial and error.

This process of exploration is actually not easy; in fact, it can be described as very difficult.

Shen Heng estimated that the first person at headquarters to reach the limit of the Tier 3 and break through to the Fourth Tier probably got stuck for a long time before figuring out how to break through.

This may seem frustrating, but that's just how reality is.

Knowing there's a path ahead, but no ready-made road to follow, all you can do is explore little by little to see if you can forge your own way.

This exploration has now reached the Sixth Tier.

This means there is a clear path for someone to cultivate to the Sixth Tier.

However, this does not mean that one fully understands it before reaching the Sixth Tier.

There are still many things that are not very clear ahead.

Take this Configuration, for example.

Headquarters knows that when breaking through to the Fourth Tier, the Origin Power will experience an explosive increase.

They also knew that a Configuration was needed to help manage these Origin Power.

However, our understanding of the Configuration is not so comprehensive.

No one in the Great Xia Supervision Bureau has ever encountered a situation like Shen Heng's current one.

"Feeling Stone across the river, I guess I've become one of those Stone this time?"

Shen Heng let out a soft breath, no longer dwelling on the matter.

What's done is done, and there's nothing we can do about it for now; we can only wait and see.

He immersed himself in the inner landscape, watching the Configuration that seemed to shrink and expand like a nebula.

Currently, this Configuration primarily provides it with two capabilities.

One is the same in other Configuration, but with different efficiency in terms of Origin Power utilization efficiency.

There was no comparison available, and no equipment was available either.

Shen Heng was also unsure of where his Configuration stood in terms of Origin Power utilization efficiency.

After breaking through to the Fourth Tier, I felt that the use of Origin Power became increasingly smooth.

Like...

"Is it constantly approaching the essence of Origin Power...?"

Shen Heng raised one hand.

The Origin Power flowed like water in his palm.

Lowering his hand, Shen Heng began to sense the Origin Power that was continuously and slowly being drawn into him.

Passively absorb Origin Power!

This idea, which I had two years ago, has unexpectedly come true today.

Although it arrived a little late, it did not affect its ability to play its due role.

After all, Shen Heng has only just broken through to the Fourth Tier.

Its existence will make Shen Heng's already faster cultivation speed than ordinary people even faster.

In terms of efficiency...

Shen Heng carefully sensed the speed at which this Configuration automatically absorbed Origin Power over a period of time.

If I had this ability at the Third Tier, could I break through to the Fourth Tier about one-fifth faster?

One-fifth may not seem like much, but over a longer time frame, it can save more than two months a year, and two years in ten years.

Furthermore, the speed at which they absorb Origin Power varies drastically depending on their level.

The higher the level, the faster the speed at which it absorbs Origin Power.

In other words, this ability can help you quickly break through to a higher level, and at a higher level, it can help you absorb Origin Power faster.

Like a snowball, it gets bigger and bigger as it rolls.

It just takes time...

After summarizing the effects of the Configuration, Shen Heng turned to examine the changes that had occurred after he broke through to the Fourth Tier.

He slowly raised his hand, alternating between fist and palm, feeling the very different sensation coming from his forearm muscles.

After breaking through to the Fourth Tier, Shen Heng's physical attributes underwent a qualitative change.

Muscles, bones, and internal organs become stronger.

The power that erupts with every gesture is far beyond what it used to be.

The new longsword, which used to require a bit of care to pick up, can now be picked up with a simple grab.

As the hand swept through the air, several rapidly disappearing afterimages could be seen.

Under the reshaping effect of the Origin Power, Shen Heng's physical abilities experienced an explosive growth.

This growth is not a simple quantitative change, but a leap in the level of life.

It's like being tempered from "ordinary iron" into "refined steel".

As a result, Shen Heng's weight skyrocketed.

To generate sufficient strength using only physical strength, one needs a corresponding body weight.

and...

Shen Heng lowered his eyes slightly, feeling the intense hunger rising in his stomach.

It seems it can continue to grow, but due to insufficient physical energy, this growth has temporarily stopped.

Shen Heng let out a soft breath, temporarily suppressing the hunger in his stomach, and quickly checked the other two changes that had occurred after he broke through to the Fourth Tier.

One is mental strength. The mental strength that Shen Heng had accumulated through daily meditation has grown once again after his breakthrough.

With the support of a large amount of mental energy, the limit of hearing range was expanded to 50km.

Hmm... this seems to work, but it also seems to not work.

Unless he could roughly determine the location, the sounds within 10 kilometers were enough for Shen Heng to hear.

However, the growth of mental strength is not entirely useless.

Under the influence of increased mental strength, the range of sound waves that the brain can image has also expanded to about 15km.

This is much more useful than the improvement in hearing.

Finally, there is the most obvious change: the amount of Origin Power.

Shen Heng sensed the surging Origin Power within his body.

If it weren't for the fact that 30% of his source power was taken up by the Configuration, his current total Origin Power would be about thirteen times that of his original Third Tier.

Under this Origin Power...

Shen Heng raised two fingers together.

The Origin Power surged rapidly towards his fingertips.

A three-inch-long, shimmering white blade of energy, formed entirely from Origin Power, appeared before his eyes.

A faint tremor sounded.

Even without contact, one can understand the power of this air blade.

As he dispersed the energy blade, Shen Heng gazed thoughtfully at his palm.

That was just the most basic application of Origin Power.

With the support of a large amount of Origin Power, the truly transformative abilities are still the destructive ones.

Examples include the Daoist priest's S-Class ability Cloud-Heavens Wind Control, and Jiang Xingwei's Command Thunder.

This ability to cause destruction.

With the support of a large amount of Origin Power, its destructive power will be significantly enhanced.

This is why furnace-type Configuration exist.

The furnace-like Configuration allows for highly efficient mobilization of Origin Power, further enhancing the power of their attacks.

Of course, as a trade-off, their sustained fighting time will be correspondingly shortened.

It's a matter of give and take; it all depends on each person's choices.

However, overall, choosing furnace-type abilities may be more beneficial than harmful for martial artists with destructive abilities.

Without further thought, Shen Heng slowly got up and walked outside.

He needs to eat something to support his still-growing body...