"Ling Chen, are your injuries healed yet?"
While Ling Chen was studying the Heavenly Emperor Heavy Sword, a graceful figure approached him. It was Xu Ruoyan.
Ling Chen put away the Heavenly Emperor Heavy Sword, nodded, and looked at Xu Ruoyan with gratitude. "I owe you for this time. Otherwise, I would have already died in the hunting grounds."
"How about that? Weren’t you annoyed that I tagged along? But in the end, I was the one to save you in a crucial moment."
Xu Ruoyan crossed her arms, the corners of her mouth curling up slightly.
"You still have the mood to joke at a time ."
Ling Chen just smiled, his gaze shifting from Xu Ruoyan. He said coolly, "As you’ve seen, danger can descend upon me at any moment. So, it would be best if you kept your distance from me in the future, lest you get caught in the crossfire."
Upon hearing this, Xu Ruoyan’s pretty face changed color slightly; she was clearly angry. "You think I want to follow you? Saving you this time was merely convenient. Remember, you owe me a favor, and you absolutely must repay it."
"I’ll keep it in mind."
Ling Chen nodded. "But I don’t have the ability to repay your favor right now. When I have the chance in the future, I definitely will."
"Repaying my favor is simple. You just need to promise me one thing."
Xu Ruoyan scoffed. She hadn’t originally intended to ask Ling Chen for anything in return, but now, she had changed her mind.
"What is it?" Ling Chen asked.
"I haven’t thought of it yet, but remember this. When I do think of it, I’ll tell you." Xu Ruoyan flicked her sleeves and then turned and left the courtyard.
Ling Chen sighed. It wasn’t that he had no feelings for Xu Ruoyan, but he was burdened with too much. Matters of love and relationships were fated to be foreign to him. He needed to keep his distance from Xu Ruoyan to avoid implicating her. Feelings like these, should even the slightest sprout emerge, he would sever it completely, never allowing it to take root and harm others or himself.
Done pondering, Ling Chen drew the Heavenly Emperor Heavy Sword and continued practicing his swordsmanship in the courtyard.
「Three days passed .」
Ling Chen’s injuries were mostly healed. Now, he finally had the energy to attempt a breakthrough in his realm.
He sat cross-legged on the clean, spacious wooden bed, fully clothed, with a mist faintly rising above his head.
Ling Chen had originally estimated that breaking through to the Martial Master Realm would take at least another month. Unexpectedly, his last desperate battle had pushed him to Nine Heavy Realm Dharma. His True Qi was exceptionally condensed. More importantly, the nine True Qi rings in his Dantian, under the influence of the Ancient Saint King Battle Technique, had already once condensed into a True Qi Virtual Pill. Condensing a False Pill again now shouldn’t be overly difficult. Such an opportunity was rare, and Ling Chen didn’t want to miss it. As soon as he returned to his room, he immediately cleared his mind of distractions and focused all his efforts on breaking through the bottleneck.
As his True Qi continuously circulated and compressed, the True Qi in Ling Chen’s Dantian gradually condensed into a liquid. From initial wisps and strands, it later formed ribbon-like bands, clearly distinct from its previous gaseous state.
Two hours later, the gauze window in Ling Chen’s room trembled and rattled, as if buffeted by a gale it couldn’t withstand.
Suddenly, Ling Chen opened his eyes, an electric glint seeming to flash within them. I can use the Void Spirit Pill now.
With a flip of his hand, a translucent pill appeared, suffused with a rich fragrance and a faint green hue, emitting extremely potent fluctuations.
To condense a False Pill, one must first liquefy the True Qi in the Dantian. This creates the conditions for the nine True Qi rings to merge into one. Only then is the Void Spirit Pill used. The Void Spirit Pill’s role is for the final step: condensing the void into a pill. This is the most critical stage. Now that all preparations were complete, to condense the void into a pill, the nine rings first had to become one.
Clutching the Void Spirit Pill, Ling Chen took a deep breath and, without hesitation, popped it into his mouth.
The moment the Void Spirit Pill entered his system, Ling Chen’s body felt like it was boiling. Overwhelming Medicinal Power surged wildly, causing his skin to swell and break out in what looked like goosebumps.
A series of powerful rumbles emanated from within his body—the clash of Medicinal Power and his own energy. Fortunately, his recent cultivation had considerably strengthened Ling Chen’s physique, allowing him to withstand such a potent medicinal impact.
Ling Chen’s face tensed. His body was currently like a furnace. Upon entering his body, the Void Spirit Pill swiftly coursed into his Dantian. And as this Medicinal Power permeated, his initially tranquil Dantian was instantly thrown into turmoil...
Sensing the volcanic eruption-like impact as his True Qi met the Medicinal Power, Ling Chen’s expression grew increasingly solemn. He cultivated the Ling Tian Sword Scripture, a technique unlike ordinary ones. Advancing his realm was far more difficult than for most people.
The tumult within his Dantian grew. About ten minutes later, a flush finally crept up Ling Chen’s face, and he couldn’t stop himself from spitting out a mouthful of blood.
The eruption of Medicinal Power was undoubtedly far more violent than Ling Chen had imagined.
Ling Chen gritted his teeth. At that moment, the nine True Qi rings within his Dantian were rapidly merging into one. Enveloped by a ball of green light, they emitted a peculiar radiance.
A translucent False Pill quickly formed in Ling Chen’s Dantian, condensing from the size of a fist down to the size of an egg.
At this moment, an invisible current of air formed a vortex around Ling Chen, hanging inverted like a funnel. All lighter objects in the room rose, hovering in mid-air, creating a bizarre scene.
The surging aura in his Dantian subsided, and the False Pill at its center gradually stabilized.
A peculiar ripple spread from Ling Chen’s Dantian. The floating objects immediately fell, and a cacophony of clattering sounds ensued.
"I’ve finally reached the Martial Master Realm."
A smile touched the corners of his lips. Ling Chen pointed forward, and a wisp of True Qi shot from his fingertip, darting erratically through the air.
This is the power of the Martial Master Realm.
The external projection of True Qi—this was the hallmark of stepping into the Martial Teacher Level.
Although Ling Chen could previously project External Sword Qi by relying on the Second Level of the Ling Tian Sword Scripture, he needed to reach the First Layer Martial Master to externally project palm force or finger energy.
Moreover, upon breaking through to the Martial Master Realm, one’s True Qi reserves would increase severalfold, and its purity would also be greatly enhanced.
This breakthrough, ultimately, wasn’t too surprising for Ling Chen. His previous Cultivation was already at Nine Heavy Realm Dharma. He had accumulated for some time while below the Martial Master Realm. With the Void Spirit Pill’s aid this time, breaking through the realm in one go was not particularly remarkable.