Chapter 81: It Is Time For Me To Increase My Cultivation
"Grrr..."
The dying beast let out a gut-wrenching roar, its anguished cry echoing through the air as it took its final breath.
At the man's feet lay the lifeless corpse of the beast, bloodied and defeated, with the man's sword lodged in its head. The man's face remained expressionless as he gazed down at the fallen beast.
The man's body was covered in blood, though not his own; it was the blood of the vanquished beast staining his clothes. Some parts of his attire were torn and soiled from the intense battle.
'Another one down...'
The man wiped his forehead with his sleeve. Today was the hardest fight he had ever faced since he reincarnated, but he emerged victorious.
The beast on the ground was a beast that had the body of a massive lion, its sleek fur shimmering with hues of midnight blue. Its powerful muscles ripple beneath the surface, granting it agility and strength that make it a formidable predator. Its piercing eyes, as golden as the sun.
This beast had reached the Fifth Stage of the Qi Refinement Realm, the pinnacle of strength among the beasts inhabiting the orange zone of this mystical realm. For Chen Tian, the encounter proved to be a daunting battle, as the beast possessed not only exceptional agility but also wielded the power of darkness.
The beast possessed the innate ability to manipulate shadows and execute sneak attacks from any angle, but Chen Tian wasn't going to let the beast have the upper hand.
The battle with the beast took more than 20 minutes as he waited patiently for the perfect moment to strike, and when it finally arrived, he launched a sneak attack that caught the beast off guard.
With a swift slash of his sword, he ended the beast's life. Chen Tian breathed a sigh of relief and wiped the sweat from his brow, knowing that he had just survived one of the most challenging battles in this life.
He was still in the Second Stage of the Qi Refinement Realm. If Chen Tian were a normal cultivator, he would have been easily defeated.
Yes, the man who had his sword pierce the beast's head was Chen Tian. After lifting Su Bingxin in a princess carry, he headed towards the location of a nearby beast.
The beast, being in the Body Refinement realm, died with just a single strike from Chen Tian. Since that day, Chen Tian has been tirelessly hunting beasts, not pausing for a moment except for short breaks when Su Bingxin grew tired.
She also supported him in hunting beasts, showcasing her remarkable talent and quick reflexes as she swiftly struck them down with her sword. The girl possessed exceptional swordsmanship skills, but with a unique twist. She skillfully integrated her ice element into her sword techniques, amplifying the lethality of her strikes.
At times, she would freeze multiple beasts with her ice attacks, providing Chen Tian with the perfect opening to deliver the final blow. On other occasions, they would coordinate their attacks, seamlessly complementing each other's moves with impeccable precision.
Shhh~
///Sound of Blood///
Chen Tian pulled the sword from the monster's head. His eyes scanning the area for any other beast.
Su Bingxin stood by his side, her own sword still in hand, her eyes alert for any movement. They had been hunting for three days.
She still doesn't understand why Chen Tian suddenly wanted to hunt beasts. It piqued her curiosity, but he assured her that it was important to him, so she trusted his judgment. As they continued their hunt, it didn't mean they found nothing valuable in this section of the mystic realm.
They discovered numerous herbs that could be sold or used to create pills that would aid them in their cultivation. Additionally, they stumbled upon a single fruit core.
Fruit Core was a unique fruit with the power to increase one's cultivation level by a single stage. However, its effects were limited to individuals in the Body Refinement Realm through the Qi Refinement Realm; beyond that stage, it had no effect. The discovery of this fruit was an exceedingly rare occurrence, filling Su Bingxin with overwhelming joy.
Su Bingxin had the intention of offering the Fruit Core to Chen Tian in order to boost his cultivation. Yet, much to her surprise, he declined the offer and insisted that she use it herself, explaining that he had no need for it.
Initially, she thought that Chen Tian might be unaware of the fruit's extraordinary properties. Hence, she proceeded to explain its significance to him. Nevertheless, he remained resolute in his refusal, affirming that he had no requirement for its benefits.
She was shocked. Who wouldn't want to raise their cultivation level?
"Okay, we should stop for now. It has already been five days since we entered the mystic realm," Chen Tian said, as he returned his sword to his storage ring and stored the beast's corpse within it.
"Do you want to stop hunting beasts?" Su Bingxin inquired, her gaze fixed upon Chen Tian.
"Yes, it is enough for the time being. I have what I wanted. Thank you for the help." He thanked her with a small smile.
It was time to focus on cultivating and improving his skills.
He activated his spiritual Sense and inspected the contents of his storage ring.
A smile formed on his lips as he beheld the striking collection of beast corpses within.
The total showed: 70 corpses in the Body Refinement Realm, 30 corpses at the First Stage of Qi Refinement, 19 corpses at the Second Stage of Qi Refinement, 8 corpses at the Third Stage of Qi Refinement, 4 corpses at the Fourth Stage of Qi Refinement, and an impressive solitary corpse at the Fifth Stage of Qi Refinement.
In just a couple of days of hunting beasts, Chen Tian has been diligently practicing the Heaven Devour Technique. Despite using a Body Refinement beast, Chen Tian could still perceive a noticeable yet not overly significant increase in his cultivation.
No, it could be said that his dantian barely expanded. A Body Refinement beast wasn't providing him with sufficient energy to enhance his cultivation, and even First Stage Qi Refinement Realm beast wasn't enough. This clearly demonstrates the uniqueness of his dantian in comparison to other cultivators.
The energy within his dantian was twice as dense and refined compared to that of others. He was well aware that this unique attribute bestowed upon him both blessings and curses.
On the positive side, it granted him the potential to surpass cultivators at his level in terms of strength. However, the drawback lay in the fact that he would require twice the amount of energy as others in order to make progress.
"Let's take a moment to rest; I believe it's time for us to enhance our cultivation base.
Why don't you consider using the Fruit Core?
You've been encountering a barrier at the Second Stage of the Qi Refinement Realm, and with the breakthrough provided by the fruit, progressing to the third stage would become considerably easier for you," suggested Chen Tian.
"Are you sure?" Su Bingxin asked, her voice tinged with hesitation as she contemplated using the precious Fruit Core. Deep down, she knew that she needed to make progress in her cultivation. However, she also wanted Chen Tian to get stronger.
Every girl dreams of having a strong Dao companion. They picture their prince to be both charming and powerful, and Su Bingxin was no exception to this desire.
"Sigh, fine, I will use it." Eventually, she gave up persuading him.
"Very well, in the meantime, I will also cultivate and try to improve my own cultivation base."
"Mm,"
With a deep breath, she sat in a lotus position, took out the Fruit Core, and began to absorb its energy.
As Chen Tian observed Su Bingxin engrossed in cultivation, a smile adorned his face.
He, too, decided to join in, settling himself comfortably and assuming a lotus position.
With his eyes carefully shut, he directed his attention to his breathing, seeking to synchronize it with his body and enter a calm state of mind.
'It is time for me to increase my cultivation.'