Chapter 31 - His Strength Increased Greatly
The baby Leviathan appeared to be growing impatient with Peng Gengkun. Glancing beyond the Qi Sea, it flicked its tail, and a swarm of black substances burst forth, infiltrating Peng Gengkun's meridians, flesh, and bones. These tiny black entities clung to him, seeping deep into his very being.
Peng Gengkun was taken aback as he noticed the Spirit Stone in his grasp rapidly deteriorating, eventually reverting to a dull, ordinary rock.
“Something's not right! My body is undergoing changes, voraciously consuming Spiritual Energy! Damn it! I wish I were in the Cultivation Room.”
Despite his astonishment, Peng Gengkun sensed that this was a positive sign. Without hesitation, he retrieved all the Spirit Stones he had.
The system acted like an ultra-efficient mainframe, greedily consuming the Spirit Stones from Peng Gengkun's hands. The Spiritual Energy was siphoned off like a whale drawing in water, then redirected back into Peng Gengkun's body.
Time lost meaning as Peng Gengkun drifted into a daze. On the verge of sleep, a resonant bell tolled, jolting him awake.
“I've definitely changed; this newfound strength is formidable.”
With a sense of wonder, Peng Gengkun threw a series of punches, each one resonating with explosive force.
Next, he channeled the Astral Energy within him and discovered it was now more than tenfold its previous capacity.
Peng Gengkun couldn't contain his amazement.
“Even without a breakthrough, my strength has greatly increased. I was already formidable at the High Rank of Power Refining, but no match for a Soul Refining Stage warrior with a fully-formed Martial Soul. Now, however, this enigmatic force has transformed my body. Even a casual blow from me is more fearsome than before! As long as my opponent's Martial Soul isn't exceptionally powerful, I can take on a Low Rank Soul Refining Stage Warrior!”
Peng Gengkun's breath quickened involuntarily.
The cultivation mark was beneficial, but its effects were fleeting. Once its power surged, the mark would vanish. Moreover, without sufficient mastery over the cultivation mark, the unleashed power would be less potent.
Yet now, the dark substance expelled by the baby Leviathan had transformed Peng Gengkun's body. This transformation was as potent as the cultivation mark, with the added benefit of permanence!
“Fantastic! This is incredible!”
Peng Gengkun was filled with emotion. He peered into his Qi Sea and chuckled to himself.
“I misjudged you! You're not a foolish Leviathan; you're my treasure! My precious one, can you emerge from the Qi Sea? I want to embrace you, to shower you with kisses. I'll see if I can find something else to nourish you with. What do you say to a live meal?”
As Peng Gengkun indulged in his silly laughter, the baby Leviathan rolled its eyes, its expression laden with sarcasm and contempt. It then tumbled about in the Qi Sea and dozed off.
Unperturbed, Peng Gengkun exited his internal view.
“Though I haven't yet tapped into my Martial Arts, judging by my newfound strength, I'm certain that once I do, my power will surge beyond tenfold! I may not have reached the Soul Refining Stage, but I'm confident I can execute the third technique of the Great Vajra Palm, the Vajra Subduing Dragon!”
Peng Gengkun was aware, however, that the Astral Energy required for Grade Four Martial Arts was beyond the realm of most. The Vajra Subduing Dragon, a move demanding the prowess of the Soul Refining Stage, was something most Warriors could not fathom. Typically, a Warrior at this stage could perform over a dozen moves of Grade One or even Grade Two Martial Arts.
“Still, quantity in Martial Arts does not trump quality. A dozen Grade Two techniques combined don't hold a candle to the depth of a single Grade Four Martial Art.”
Peng Gengkun gazed down at the stone debris scattered around him, tears streaming from his eyes.
He had once bartered mutated beast bones for Spirit Stones, completed tasks for more stones, and even received additional ones from Chang Jipeng. Now, all those Spirit Stones were lost.
“I'm completely out of Spirit Stones now. The path of cultivation is indeed grueling! No, I must find a way to acquire some Spirit Stones! Wei Mingzhi, as a scion of a noble family, you're surely not short on funds. I'm relying on you!”
Peng Gengkun was thinking of Wei Mingzhi, who, of course, was oblivious to this.
Yet, as Peng Gengkun muttered Wei Mingzhi's name, Wei Mingzhi let out a big sneeze. His hand jerked, nearly sending the martial arts technique he was perfecting off course.
Standing next to Wei Mingzhi was another Inner Sect disciple, dressed in a bright red robe. It was none other than Xi Ming.
“Wei Mingzhi, you're letting an elite disciple confront you with such insolence, and you don't have the courage to fight back?” Xi Ming chastised. “Many in the Inner Sect are aware that an elite disciple has thrown down the gauntlet, yet you refuse to respond! You're on the verge of becoming the Inner Sect's joke!”
Wei Mingzhi snorted and withdrew his hand, “Of course I want to take action, but I'm dealing with a complex situation!”
“A complex situation?” Xi Ming scoffed. “You have every reason to strike back. Are you going to let an elite disciple from a humble background overshadow you? The Wei family's influence may not match ours, but it's still a prominent family in the Obeoton Empire. As their scion, how can you cower in such a way?”
Wei Mingzhi's face darkened further. “It's all because of your sister, Xi Yingzhu! She attacked me in the Cultivation Room and even threatened me. I can't lay a hand on Peng Gengkun unless he becomes an Inner Sect disciple. If I do, she'll come after me!”
Xi Ming's brow furrowed deeply as he cursed under his breath.
“Damn it! What is my cousin thinking? Dou Xi'ao is the golden boy of the Dou family, a prestigious clan. Why won't she cozy up to him, instead of threatening others over a disciple from a lesser background?”
Xi Ming ground his teeth audibly, his face seething with rage.
In truth, there was no bad blood between Xi Ming and Peng Gengkun, yet Xi Ming harbored an unbridgeable rift with Peng Gengkun.
Peng Gengkun hailed from a humble background, whereas Xi Ming was born into nobility!
Those from humble origins often prided themselves on their self-reliance, scorning the noble-born who leaned on their family's resources and status. Conversely, the nobles carried themselves with an air of superiority, equally dismissive of their humbler counterparts. Adding fuel to the fire, the original Peng Gengkun had dared to profess his love for Xi Yingzhu, a move Xi Ming saw as a stain on their noble lineage.
“I refuse to let such a thing occur!” Xi Ming declared through clenched teeth. He turned to Wei Mingzhi with a determined gaze, “You have to take on this challenge! With your capabilities, he's no match for you. And don't worry about Yingzhu—I'll handle her. As long as I'm here, she can't touch you. Just focus on the fight with peace of mind.”
Wei Mingzhi's expression eased as he replied, “With that assurance, I'm relieved. I'm confident in my victory, yet I've heard that Peng Gengkun managed to best Dou Yuanke. Despite being a mere servant, Dou Yuanke's cultivation is not to be underestimated. Without a breakthrough, I might struggle to defeat Peng Gengkun.”
Xi Ming, with a fierce resolve, said, “When I was pushing through to the Martial Soul stage, I used half of the Soul Fixing Fragrance. There's still some left—enough for you to solidify your Martial Soul!”
Wei Mingzhi's eyes sparkled with anticipation.
“Soul Fixing Fragrance! Excellent! It's incredibly rare. Even the Wei family, noble as we are, can't procure it. With the Soul Fixing Fragrance, my inner energy will stabilize, making it easier to forge a formidable Martial Soul. Given these terms, you have my word—I'm in!”
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