After consuming a Blood Burst Pill, Shen Changqing had no intention of swallowing a second one. This kind of elixir should not be taken recklessly. A single pill had caused his blood to boil for a moment, and by the time it calmed, there was some depletion. However, such depletion was negligible considering his surging blood energy. If he were to ingest a large number of Blood Burst Pills, then the depletion would become rather significant.
Glancing at the elixir before him, Shen Changqing focused his concentration and turned his attention to his status panel. This was the main event of the day. He had slain several Demonfolk, and the Barbarian Clan Priest had also contributed a wave of Slaughter Value. And so, his Slaughter Value had already increased by quite a bit. What came next was to convert all of the Slaughter Value into his own strength.
Faction: Great Qin’s Demon Suppression Division
Identity: Yellow Rank Demon Hunter
Martial Arts: Invincible Golden Body (10th level, can be enhanced), Heavenly Martial Gang Qi (16th level, can be enhanced), Hundred Battles Blade Technique (3rd level), Iron Sand Palm (5th level, can be integrated), Snare Trampling Gang Step (5th level, can be integrated), Mountain Splitting Palm Technique (not started, can be integrated), Willow Catkin Body Technique (not started, can be integrated)
Ninety-one points— Shen Changqing couldn’t help but feel shocked, even though he had anticipated it, upon actually seeing the specific number on the panel. Ninety-one points of Slaughter Value. It was the highest value he had ever acquired.
The bulk of such a large amount of Slaughter Value came from Hongyi and that Barbarian Clan Priest. A Demonfolk at the Innate Outer Gang Peak and a Barbarian Clan Priest, who was not much weaker, contributed a combined fifty to sixty points. The remaining Pulse Condensation Realm Demonfolk and the Demon Evils controlled by the Barbarian men also contributed some. Adding the original seven remaining Slaughter Value points resulted in the current ninety-one points.
With ninety-one Slaughter Value points, I can completely enhance the Invincible Golden Body to the Perfection Realm first, then turn back to improve the Heavenly Martial Gang Qi. The advantages of the Invincible Golden Body are becoming increasingly apparent. If it can reach the Perfection Realm, the help it provides me will definitely become stronger. Shen Changqing pondered silently.
Previously, his Outer Techniques, aside from bolstering blood energy, hadn’t shown much other use. Although each breakthrough slightly increased his physical defense, compared to his overall realm, this enhancement was minimal. Until now, the advantages of the fleshly body only gradually became apparent after the Invincible Golden Body was upgraded. The reason he had slain the Barbarian Clan Priest so quickly was precisely because his powerful fleshly body had caught the opponent completely off guard.
Outer Techniques, if not cultivated to a high level, cannot compare with Inner Strength. But if Outer Techniques can reach such a high level, then they display astonishing power! Each enhancement furthered Shen Changqing’s understanding of martial arts. It was an understanding that could only arise from personal experience upon reaching such a stage. Just like before, Shen Changqing had always considered Inner Strength primary, with Outer Techniques being secondary or even unnecessary. Looking at it now, however, he realized there was no true primary or secondary distinction; at a certain realm, both were indispensable. Moreover— Outer Techniques temper the fleshly body, and the fleshly body is a person’s foundation. In some respects, it was far more critical than Inner Strength.
Composing himself, Shen Changqing first swallowed a whole bottle of Satiety Pills and then began the enhancement.
Invincible Golden Body eleventh level!
Eight Slaughter Value points consumed!
This enhancement took considerably longer than previous ones. For over an hour, the tumult from the upgrade gradually subsided.
Looking at the panel again, the Invincible Golden Body had successfully broken through to the eleventh level. His blood energy had surged, his physical defense was substantially improved, and even his Dantian, which contained True Qi, had expanded somewhat.
With the eleventh level of the Invincible Golden Body, my defense should be approaching the Innate Realm! Shen Changqing clenched his fist, thinking to himself. The defense he referred to was the limit of attacks he could withstand without relying on Protective Gang Qi. The tenth-level Invincible Golden Body could withstand attacks below the Innate level. The eleventh level of the Invincible Golden Body had already surpassed the limits of the Pulse Condensation Realm, elevating his physical defense into the Innate Realm.
Combined with Innate Gang Qi, even an Innate Outer Gang martial artist wouldn’t find it easy to break through my defense— Shen Changqing smiled faintly. While it was true that the best defense was a good offense, if his attack power couldn’t be improved, then bolstering his physical defense was a sound strategy.
Soon, he calmed his mind and started the next round of enhancements. After consuming points to upgrade one level, he still had eighty-three Slaughter Value points left, more than enough to enhance the Invincible Golden Body to Perfection.
For an entire day, Shen Changqing remained in his room, engrossed in his cultivation breakthroughs. To prevent interruptions, he specifically instructed the inn attendant that he was entering seclusion and was not to be disturbed by anyone.
「In the afternoon, some rain had fallen, making the roads a bit muddy by evening.」
The earth trembled as if an Earth Dragon were turning over.
Immediately after, horse hooves thundered against the ground, splashing up considerable mud. Across the flat ground, a multitude of horses galloped. Following them, a large contingent of soldiers trudged along. Giant Apes, towering twenty to thirty feet high, marched in their wake, carrying a vast amount of siege equipment as they advanced into the distance.
The Barbarian Clan Army!
At the sight of the approaching army, everyone along the route scattered and fled, daring not confront them head-on.
Hidden amongst the tree trunks, a figure whose body seemed to meld with the surrounding colors watched intently as the vast Barbarian Clan army approached, his eyes wide with shock.
The Barbarian Clan Army is coming! This matter cannot be delayed; I must report back immediately— he thought to himself, but his body remained still, continuing to watch the approaching Barbarian Clan Army. Once he had silently committed enough information to memory, he prepared to withdraw.
Suddenly, a shrill cry tore through the air, followed by an obscuring shadow and a sudden, fierce gust of wind. The man instinctively looked up to see a majestic eagle soaring on outstretched wings, its sharp eyes fixed intently on him.
Not good— I’ve been discovered! Alarm shot through his heart. Without a second thought, he scrambled down from the tree trunk, attempting to flee into the distance. The Barbarian Clan could tame all sorts of beasts. The eagle overhead was clearly one controlled by the Barbarian Clan.
Seeing its quarry attempt to escape, the eagle immediately dove, its sharp talons like iron hooks, glinting with a frighteningly cold light. Drawing a dagger from his waist and sensing the rush of air behind him, the man threw himself to the ground. Feeling the talons scrape past his back, he rolled over, gripped the dagger tightly, and thrust it towards the eagle. The dagger clashed against the talons, drawing blood.
Thereafter, wings spanning about ten feet swept across. The powerful gale sent the man tumbling across the ground several times, the dagger flying from his loosened grip.
In an instant, he scrambled up from the ground and fled frantically into the distance as if his life depended on it.
The eagle first soared into the sky, then swiftly dove again, its bloodstained talons clamping onto the man’s skull.
Before the iron talons, his head was like tofu or paper-mâché, easily crushed to pulp.
The lifeless body fell to the ground. The eagle snatched up the corpse and flew off, heading towards the Barbarian Clan Army.
In the central command, a colossal beast strode slowly. Several figures were seated upon it. The leader, a man eight feet tall, resembled a miniature giant. Muscles rippled like dragons on his arms, and a fierce aura silently emanated from him.
Suddenly, the burly man looked up slightly, just in time to see an eagle descending with a corpse in its talons.
"A Qin scout." His deep voice rumbled. He merely glanced at the corpse before looking away.
Seeing this, another figure—a gaunt Barbarian Clan Priest clutching a bone scepter—waved his hand, signaling the eagle to remove the corpse. After the eagle had left, he looked towards the burly man.
"Lord Mairba, if I’m not mistaken, that was a scout from Jincheng. We are not far from Jincheng now; in a few more hours at most, our forces will be at its gates."
"A mere scout is nothing to be concerned about." Mairba, the burly man, shook his head slightly, his expression as indifferent as ever. "Jincheng is not considered a Xiong City in the Great Wilderness Prefecture. According to intelligence, only twelve thousand Black Tiger Army soldiers are stationed there. With our Barbarian Clan’s army of one hundred and twenty thousand, crushing Jincheng will be effortless."
"You speak truly, Lord Mairba. How can the paltry Black Tiger Army possibly stand against our great Barbarian Clan Army? Jincheng’s fall is imminent." The Barbarian Clan Priest nodded.
Upon hearing this, Mairba remained unmoved. "Has there been any word from Cang Yuan?"
"It’s said that Jincheng has been locked down, and the situation has become severe. Cang Yuan hasn’t sent any word for the better part of a day."
"No word for so long... it seems Cang Yuan has fallen into the hands of the Qin people."
"Impossible!" The Barbarian Clan Priest frowned, finding it hard to believe. "Cang Yuan’s strength is not insignificant. Moreover, having resided in Qin Land for many years, if he wished to hide, the Qin people would find it very difficult to locate him. Perhaps the lack of messages is simply due to Jincheng’s lockdown."
"You should know better than I that our clan’s Priests can communicate with all manner of beasts. Even if Jincheng is locked down, Cang Yuan would have numerous ways to send word. The current silence clearly indicates he has perished there in Jincheng," Mairba’s voice was cold.
Cang Yuan was indeed strong; the loss of a Priest in Jincheng was regrettable. However, it was merely regrettable, nothing more. It would not significantly impact his upcoming assault on Jincheng.
The Barbarian Clan Priest’s expression was solemn; hearing Mairba’s words, he offered no rebuttal. For Mairba’s reasoning was sound.
It is a pity that Cang Yuan fell in Jincheng...
"Once our clan conquers Jincheng, we will naturally avenge him!"