Chapter 306: Chapter 104: The Peak (10/4)
Name: Shen Changqing
Force: Great Qin’s Demon Suppression Division
Identity: Martial Pavilion Elder
True Intent: Hundred Battles True Intent (60%)
Martial Arts: Great Sun Golden Body (Level 30, Not able to be upgraded), Great Sun Scripture (Level 27, Not able to be upgraded), Chiyang Divine Palm (Level 2), Seven Stars Stepping on Air Step (Level 1)
Slaughter Value: 58
It took more than a day. Shen Changqing first went to the Demon Slaying Hall to pay for the resources consumed by his breakthrough, then returned to his residence to start using the Slaughter Value for further advancements.
Over two hundred points of Slaughter Value might seem like a lot, but compared to his current consumption rate, the actual number of Martial Arts levels he could upgrade was quite limited. First, he spent 150 points to officially break through to the 30th level of the Great Sun Golden Body. Then, he used another 75 points to upgrade the Great Sun Scripture to the 27th level. In the end, he had 58 points of Slaughter Value left with no available upgrades for the time being.
After the panel reflected these upgrades, Shen Changqing silently adapted to the changes in his body.
With the Great Sun Golden Body at Level 30, I can now barely be considered to have stepped into the absolute peak of the Physical System. In terms of True Yuan, my Great Sun Golden Core has also become more solid. To achieve true solidification, it will take some more time. The only shortcoming should be in the Spiritual System!
A True Intent at 60% would be considered very powerful for other Grandmasters, only a step away from the Grandmaster Peak. However, in Shen Changqing’s view, a 60% True Intent was too weak.
His current comprehensive strength was enough to deal with common Defender Envoys and Demon Evils. However, it was somewhat insufficient to face stronger Defender Envoys or middle-ranking and above Demon Evils.
To be at the absolute peak of a single system... the limit is already set there. At the absolute peak of one system, one might at best equate to the peak of a low-ranking Great Demon. To be considered strong among middle-ranking Great Demons, one must be at the absolute peak of two systems. But to surpass middle-ranking Great Demons and compare with high-ranking Great Demons is still far from enough. One might say that the upper limit for a Grandmaster is a middle-ranking Great Demon— To compare with a high-ranking Great Demon, one must find a way to break through the limits! Shen Changqing pondered.
In the past, being a match for Great Demons was already quite impressive. But things are different now. One’s vision corresponds to the level one stands at. Being comparable to Great Demons grants one the qualification to defend a region in the Demon-Subduing Division. For me, just being comparable to a low-ranking Great Demon is far from enough. Not to mention low-ranking Great Demons, even growing to the absolute peak of two systems is equally insufficient. Only by breaking the limits is there a chance to strive for a higher Realm.
That monk is very strong, at least a Grandmaster at the absolute peak in two systems. But it’s not certain whether he has broken through the limits or not.
Shen Changqing recalled his battle with Shimohe. It appeared as if they were evenly matched, but in fact, he had been at a disadvantage. Moreover, that was only a short time into the battle. If it had continued, his defeat would have been inevitable. The monk’s strength was the greatest he had ever witnessed among all Grandmasters. Shen Changqing even wondered if Shimohe could possibly be an expert who had broken through the limits. If the Demon-Subduing Division hadn’t stated that no one had ever broken through the limits before, he might have been convinced.
Suppressing the stray thoughts in his heart, he looked at Tiankui, who was lying on the table. Since returning to the Demon-Subduing Division, this Tiankui cub seemed to have become much more languid. It was unwilling to move and not keen on making noise, having lain there for two days. If he hadn’t sensed the life energy from it, he might have suspected the Tiankui cub was dead.
Getting up, Shen Changqing picked up the Tiankui cub. He examined it, then couldn’t help but ask, "Are you feeling unwell somewhere? Should I find you a vet?"
"WOO WOO!" Tiankui managed to open its eyes, glanced at him, and then closed them again.
Seeing this, Shen Changqing gave up on trying to converse with it.
Exiting the room, he set Tiankui down on the ground. "Stay here quietly. I’ll take you to see someone after my seclusion ends. Remember not to run around; otherwise, if you die at someone else’s hand, I won’t be able to save you."
After giving this instruction, Shen Changqing closed the room door, not caring whether Tiankui understood him or not.
Next, he was going to ingest the Tiankui Inner Core. To do so in front of the cub would be too cruel. Thus, with the thought of not being overly harsh, Shen Changqing had put Tiankui outside.
He took out a jade box. Upon opening it, he saw the inner core lying quietly inside. It was bloodstained, with powerful fluctuations of Spiritual Energy lingering around it. Picking up the inner core, he could faintly hear the roars of the Fierce Beast.
Ignoring them, he opened his mouth and swallowed the Tiankui Inner Core. The infant-fist-sized inner core was not easy to swallow. Fortunately, Shen Changqing enveloped it with True Yuan and easily sent it into his stomach.
As the inner core reached his stomach, he immediately began to erode it with True Yuan, preparing to break down the energy contained within. While the True Yuan eroded the inner core, the furious roars of the Fierce Beast echoed in Shen Changqing’s mind. Tiankui might be dead, but its primal instincts were still preserved in the inner core. Now, sensing its impending dissolution, it let out roars of unwillingness. But it was in vain. Under the erosion of True Yuan, the inner core transformed into pure energy, which he absorbed and began to refine.
For a time, the Great Sun Golden Core in his Dantian radiated a nebulous glow, and the originally purple-tinted Golden Core seemed to become even more solid. Meanwhile, his Qi and Blood surged. Under the cleansing of the inner core’s energy, his Qi and Blood Force was further transforming.
Ascending! Ascending! Ascending!
Shen Changqing now felt as if he had swallowed the legendary ginseng fruit; his entire body was filled with surging, vast energy. If his Flesh had not been strong enough, he would have been instantly blown apart by this energy and perished. But now, constrained by his formidable Flesh, no matter how the energy raged, there was no way for it to make his body burst. Instead, as time passed, it was refined more quickly.
For an entire day, Shen Changqing stayed in his room, fully focused on the Refinement of the Tiankui Inner Core. In terms of energy purity, even the boost from leveling up his martial arts via the panel earlier didn’t compare to the effect of the Tiankui Inner Core.
His Qi and Blood surged. Vaguely, it felt as though the phantom of a great dragon began to coalesce on his back. As the dragon’s spine took shape, the overwhelming sound of a dragon’s roar echoed incessantly within the room. At the same time, the Great Sun Golden Core became more solid. If previously the Great Sun Golden Core was only two parts solid and eight parts ethereal, then now, it was six parts solid and four parts ethereal.
RUMBLE! The booming sounds continued incessantly within his Flesh. Gradually, the sound dissipated. Shen Changqing opened his tightly shut eyes, and a beam of golden light, nurtured for a long time, suddenly burst forth.
CRACK—
It was as if lightning briefly flashed in the room before vanishing just as quickly.
The unusual phenomenon dissipated, and the dragon’s spine on his back also concealed itself. Rising from the bed, his Qi and Blood surged like a tide.
The absolute pinnacle! Truly, the absolute pinnacle!
Shen Changqing closed his eyes again and then reopened them, a smile finally gracing his lips.
If the thirty levels of the Great Sun Golden Body only allowed me to barely reach the pinnacle of the Flesh, then after the Refinement of the Tiankui Inner Core, I can confidently say I truly stand at that pinnacle. Moreover, not only is my Qi and Blood brimming, but my True Yuan has also become much purer.
The quantity increased, and the quality likewise improved. Although there was no one to spar with and test my skills, based on the perception of my Flesh, I can be almost certain that my overall power after consuming the inner core is at least 30% greater than before.
A 30% increase might not seem like much, but at my current level, every 10% increase in power is comparable to the total strength possessed by an ordinary Grandmaster. A 30% increase is truly astonishing.
With my current state, if I were to face Shimohe again, although I still wouldn’t be able to secure victory, I definitely wouldn’t be defeated as easily as before.
The experts from the Buddha Sect! Great Demons from the Demon Evil Clan!
Shen Changqing’s eyes turned ice cold.
I never intend to let potential threats go unchecked. They threatened me today; they could strike secretly at any moment. One can be a thief for a thousand days, but one cannot spend a thousand days guarding against one. Therefore, if I get the chance, I will absolutely not allow those two potential threats to remain. It has always been I who threatened others, never the other way around!
The fluctuations in his Flesh subsided. Shen Changqing opened the room door and saw Tiankui lying motionless on the ground. It only managed to weakly open its eyelids upon hearing the door open before quickly closing them again.
Grasping its fluffy neck, he picked Tiankui up, his expression strange. "At this rate, you’ll be dead in a few days. Are all young Fierce Beasts this fragile?"
"WOO!" Tiankui opened its mouth, as if trying to say something, but failed to utter a sound.
Shen Changqing placed the creature on his shoulder and headed out of the courtyard. Although the Tiankui cub was currently of no use to him, letting it die like this didn’t seem right. Since it was sick, it needed to be examined. Ordinary veterinarians definitely wouldn’t be able to treat it, but Xun Qu had done considerable research on Fierce Beasts, so he could ask him for advice.
Moreover, the two Red Phosphorus horns he carried also needed a craftsman to forge them into a weapon. After all, the Tiger Fang Blade had been damaged in the previous battle, leaving him temporarily without a suitable weapon. Without a weapon, his strength would also decrease somewhat.
Once these two matters were resolved, Shen Changqing planned to leave Mountain-Breaking City and travel to places infested with Demon Evil to exterminate them completely. His very purpose for coming to South Nether Prefecture was to eliminate Demon Evil.
He didn’t know where Xun Qu lived. However, one thing was certain: to find a Defender Envoy, going directly to the Council Hall would suffice. Therefore, that is precisely what Shen Changqing did.