The Battle in the River of Time
Above the Heavenly Revelation Sect, ink-black clouds churned like giant beasts. A bolt of lightning like a silver serpent tore across the sky, and a deafening rumble seemed ready to grind heaven and earth to dust.
The phenomenon struck like a clap of thunder, instantly alarming everyone in the sect. All looked toward the sky in horror.
Lin Nan, the Heavenly Revelation Sect's leader, and the ten great elders arrived in an instant, hovering in midair.
Spiritual power circulated around them as they stared grimly at the eerie, shifting spectacle in the sky, their hands tightening slightly without their realizing it.
After confirming that no heavenly lightning was striking down, Liu Yi relaxed his tense body a little and let out a long breath. His mind filled with questions. A phenomenon like this-could it be an enemy attack?
As he pondered, a Long River of Time appeared in the sky. Countless figures flickered within it, some from the past, and others from the present and future.
Immediately afterward, several figures began a brutal battle upon the Long River of Time, seemingly intent on breaking through its restraints and descending into the present world.
And the direction they sought to attack was none other than the Heavenly Revelation Sect!
Even across the Long River of Time, the world-shattering battle scene still sent chills down everyone's spines.
He sucked in a cold breath in terror, screaming wildly in his heart, Who in the Heavenly Revelation Sect committed a deed that enraged heaven and man, bringing such powerful enemies across the Long River of Time to return to the past and wipe them out?!
Just then, one figure's strength surged within the Long River of Time, and with the force of a thunderbolt, he blasted all his opponents apart.
The man glanced across the Long River of Time toward the Heavenly Revelation Sect, then flashed away and vanished.
Almost at the same moment, the phenomenon enveloping the Heavenly Revelation Sect also dissipated.
At this, Lin Nan, the Heavenly Revelation Sect's leader, raised his voice to reassure everyone:
"Powerful experts were fighting in the Long River of Time just now. There's no need to panic."
"The road of immortal cultivation is long. As long as you cultivate diligently, you too may one day reach such a realm."
"Everyone, disperse!"
His words instantly ignited the sect disciples' passion for cultivation.
Having witnessed powerful experts stir the Long River of Time with their own eyes, everyone's blood boiled. They felt as though their bodies were brimming with strength and eagerly rubbed their hands, wishing they could plunge into cultivation at once and pursue that realm reaching through heaven and earth.
Liu Yi curled his lip in disdain, thinking the sect leader's words were no different from the grand promises his boss had dangled before him in his previous life-all empty talk meant to fool people.
He lowered his gaze to Zhao Jiuxiao, a smug smile tugging at his lips, and spoke with a hint of teasing:
"A bet's a bet. Hand over the 50 Spirit Stone fragments you lost to me."
Zhao Jiuxiao's face instantly turned the color of pig liver. He clenched his fists so tightly that his nails nearly dug into his palms.
Full of resentment, he wanted nothing more than to turn hostile and repudiate the debt on the spot, but when he glanced up and saw the looks directed at him from all around, he swallowed the words on his lips.
He knew perfectly well that once he set a precedent for reneging on a debt, those who borrowed Spirit Stone fragments from him would surely follow his example.
How could the one who started it all have no followers?
After weighing it over and over, Zhao Jiuxiao gritted his teeth and hurled 50 Spirit Stone fragments at Liu Yi. With a cold snort, he said, "Here!"
Then he turned and left without looking back, unwilling to stay a second longer.
Liu Yi paid it no mind. After someone lost, he could hardly expect them to put on a pleasant face for him.
Smiling broadly, he bent down and picked up the Spirit Stone fragments from the ground one by one.
"Brother Yi, you're actually that amazing? You really kept your abilities hidden!"
Qian Duoduo ran over, his face full of excitement, the fat all over his body jiggling with every step.
"I just got lucky. I really didn't expect to win so easily."
Liu Yi shook the Spirit Stone fragments in his hand, his eyes gleaming with excitement:
"I'll use these 100 Spirit Stone fragments to break through first. Once I earn some Spirit Stone fragments later, I'll definitely pay you back."
Qian Duoduo waved a hand generously, grinning from ear to ear.
"Don't stand on ceremony with me! Watching you teach Zhao Jiuxiao a lesson today felt wonderful! That's what he gets for competing with me in the moneylending business."
"Come on! My treat today. Let's go have a proper feast!"
"Old Qian, you're a true friend!" Without another word, Liu Yi followed Qian Duoduo straight to a restaurant in the market.
The two ate to their hearts' content, only strolling back to their lodgings after they had eaten and drunk their fill.
Lying on his bed, Liu Yi replayed the day's match in his mind.
Although he had won by luck, he had no Law Techniques, and his body couldn't take enough punishment. He would surely suffer a great loss if he encountered a powerful enemy in the future.
He wanted to become a hexagonal warrior, after all.
At that thought, he immediately made a decision: as soon as he got off work tomorrow, he would go to the Scripture Pavilion to read martial arts manuals and pick out a few Cultivation Methods to practice while he was there.
Having made up his mind, he sat cross-legged and began circulating the Five Elements Qi Refining Instruction 2.0.
In an instant, Spiritual Qi gathered madly from all around, surging into his body like a tide.
As he continued refining the spiritual power, his cultivation began to climb toward the Qi Refining Eighth Layer.
Ten days passed. He read through all the martial arts manuals in the Scripture Pavilion and ultimately chose the Body Tempering Cultivation Method "Bronze Skin Iron Bones Art."
It was the only Body Tempering method in the Scripture Pavilion that was effective and had no side effects.
He recited the Mnemonic silently several times, then sat cross-legged and began cultivating.
After just one hour, his eyes snapped open. His brows knitted tightly, and his face was full of astonishment.
He tried throwing a few punches and loosening up his body. His muscles felt taut all over, and he was ten times stronger than before.
He had actually mastered it!
But the manual clearly stated that this Cultivation Method required thirty years of arduous practice before there was any hope of mastering it.
How had he mastered it so quickly?
"Could I be a natural at martial arts? Or does an immortal cultivation Cultivation Method enhance martial arts practice?"
He scratched his head, then shook it, rejecting the idea. "That's not right. Don't they say immortal cultivation Cultivation Methods are no help with martial arts?"
As he muttered, he suddenly remembered that all 129,600 of his acupoints had been opened.
"Could that be the reason? Still, my talent for martial arts should be pretty good too."
His gaze grew distant and thoughtful as he murmured the words "martial way."
Time flew, and nine months slipped by in the blink of an eye.
Liu Yi read every book on the first floor of the Scripture Pavilion.
During that time, he also built on the old to create the new, successfully upgrading and improving the "Five Elements Qi Refining Instruction 3.0."
He also combined countless martial arts manuals to create the Body Tempering Cultivation Method "Indestructible Golden Body," and cultivated both Cultivation Methods to perfection.
At the same time, his cultivation rose steadily, reaching the Qi Refining Ninth Layer Peak.
After reaching the Qi Refining Ninth Layer, he followed the sect's rules and obtained a Foundation Establishment Realm Cultivation Method from the Scripture Pavilion to prepare for his subsequent cultivation.
As he understood it, there were two ways to break through to the Foundation Establishment Realm.
The first was to break through to Foundation Establishment from the Qi Refining Ninth Layer Peak. The chance of success was ordinary, and the slightest mistake could undo all one's efforts.
With the aid of a Foundation Establishment Pill, the chance of a successful breakthrough would rise substantially.
This was how most people in the immortal cultivation world broke through to Foundation Establishment.
However, he was penniless and even owed someone Spirit Stone fragments, so he had no Spirit Stones to buy a Foundation Establishment Pill.
The other, more reliable path was to cultivate to the Twelfth Layer of Qi Refining, Great Perfection. At that point, a cultivator's Spiritual Qi would be harmonious and abundant, allowing a natural breakthrough without a Foundation Establishment Pill.
Breaking through to the Foundation Establishment Realm this way would give one a solid foundation and immense potential.
However, reaching the Twelfth Layer of Qi Refining, Great Perfection required exceptional comprehension and talent. Only a true genius could do it.
Although he had some confidence in his own talent and believed he could strive for the Twelfth Layer of Qi Refining, Great Perfection,
the sect's deadline was pressing. If he failed to break through to Foundation Establishment in time, he would be expelled from the sect.
He had no choice at all. He could only break through to Foundation Establishment from the Qi Refining Ninth Layer Peak.
At that thought, he sat cross-legged on his bed and let out a long breath to calm himself, then took out his remaining 80 Spirit Stone fragments.
These Spirit Stones would serve as an emergency supply if he ran short of Spiritual Qi during his breakthrough.