CHAPTER 86: CHAPTER 79: 36 CYCLES

Zhou Leng felt as if he had been hit by a truck and lost his memory. It took him a while before his mind was clear, and his eyes gradually regained focus.

He tried to recall memories from before he passed out.

Layer one, Land of Blades, 1799/10000.

This time, he held on for 1799 blades before losing consciousness.

Last time, he endured 1791 blades.

Progress: 8 blades.

Zhou Leng looked at the golden gate, feeling disappointed with such little progress.

Feeling the chill in his body again, Zhou Leng immediately took several Great Nourishing Pills, and his body slowly regained its warmth.

He had been unconscious for an entire day and went to class as usual upon waking up.

After lunch, he headed to the Hall Master’s office.

Knock, knock, knock...

Zhou Leng pushed the door open and looked at Wang Boxiong, who was sitting behind the desk, and said, "Hello, Hall Master."

He also glanced at Deng Zhijue, standing by the desk, and said, "Hello, Instructor Deng."

Deng Zhijue said, "This time, the Hall Master called you here to have you sign a document for the internal selection of the ’Hidden Dragon Award’ from the Martial Guard Department. Once signed, you can directly receive the award."

Zhou Leng blinked, trying to recall all related scholarships and awards, but none seemed to match this one.

Deng Zhijue continued, "This is an internally awarded quota by the Martial Guard Department, usually not disclosed publicly. Do not reveal this. The award is only for a select few, and only a few can recommend others, among whom Hall Master Wang is one."

Zhou Leng realized, having heard of similar internal awards before, but was surprised that he could be chosen.

"Thank you for your guidance, Hall Master," Zhou Leng said.

Wang Boxiong nodded once, flicking his hand, causing the document to slide to the edge of the desk.

Zhou Leng picked up the pen and signed the document.

Deng Zhijue picked up a paper bag from the desk and handed it to Zhou Leng, whispering, "Take the pills home and use them privately."

Zhou Leng glanced down; it was wrapped securely, revealing nothing of its contents.

He weighed it in his hand; it was not light, containing at least twenty or thirty pills.

For Deng Zhijue to be so formal, they were at least several Replenishing Essence Pills.

"Anything else?" Zhou Leng asked.

"You may go now."

"Goodbye, Hall Master and Instructor Deng," Zhou Leng said as he left.

Zhou Leng, instead of heading to the Martial Arts Dojo for cultivation, went straight to Xiaoru Village.

As Zhou Leng left, Deng Zhijue turned to Wang Boxiong, saying, "Hall Master, I’m leaving too."

Wang Boxiong nodded.

Deng Zhijue walked toward the door, counting in his mind, "1, 2, 3..." then heard Wang Boxiong’s voice behind him.

"Wait a moment."

Deng Zhijue turned around.

"I’ll send you a training video link. Pass it to Zhou Leng and have him watch it."

"Understood."

Deng Zhijue turned, glancing at the document signed by Zhou Leng on the table, then closed the door and left.

Wang Boxiong got up, walking to the window, looking at the blue sky of the afternoon.

An afternoon many years ago, at Yunhua Martial Arts Academy.

Wang Boxiong returned to the dormitory to find a paper bag on the desk containing many pills, including the much-needed Replenishing Essence Pills.

A few days earlier, he had mentioned to some classmates at Yunhua that he was just a few Replenishing Essence Pills short of making further progress.

Then, he would have the strength to compete for a spot in the Elite Training Camp.

Unexpectedly, someone secretly provided them to him.

Later, Wang Boxiong checked the surveillance footage.

That day, Ma Xingkong had visited, carrying a similar paper bag.

Ma Xingkong never mentioned it.

Nor did Wang Boxiong ever bring it up.

The sunshine that afternoon was as warm as today’s.

On his way, Zhou Leng received a video link from Deng Zhijue, saved it to his Demonized Wrist for offline viewing.

Returning to the Frost Giant Tree, Zhou Leng opened the package and took out the medicine box, standing there stunned.

Five Replenishing Essence Pills and twenty Blood Replenishing Pills.

In addition, there were two larger, more luxuriously packaged boxes.

One was marked "Embracing Essence Pill."

The other was marked "Concentration Pill."

Both are core elixirs for Innate Masters.

The official price is one million each, with the black market price of the Concentration Pill exceeding two million, sometimes reaching three million.

One compresses True Qi, the other strengthens Martial Arts Will.

Typically, only Innate Masters are willing to consume them.

Very rarely do those below the Innate level get to use these two types of pills.

Zhou Leng marveled at the wealth of the Martial Guard Department, funding talent cultivation so generously.

This type of award must be extremely hard to attain, under the watchful eyes of many forces.

When he gets a chance, he truly should express profound gratitude to Hall Master Wang Boxiong.

This favor is akin to being discovered or promoted.

With these two pills, although he can’t compare to someone like Wu Sanyi or Zhang Xinglie, he can barely stand on par with those having consumed million-level elixirs.

Zhou Leng looked up the usage of the two pills in the library; both were straightforward, unlike the Essence Qi Pill, which boosts Inner Qi and is more dangerous.

Zhou Leng adjusted his breathing to manipulate Qi, ingesting an Embracing Essence Pill.

Inner Vision as a Painting; the blue True Qi flowed, and red Qi Blood surged.

The Embracing Essence Pill in the stomach split into two, entering the meridians and blood vessels, circulating slowly.

Soon, the power of the Embracing Essence Pill merged into the meridians and blood vessels.

At the dantian area of the abdomen, originally, red Qi Blood surrounded a cluster of blue light.

Now, an exotic power swirled around the blue light cluster, slowly rotating, exerting gentle pressure towards it.

The blue light cluster gradually shrank, absorbing all True Qi within the body.

Eventually, all True Qi gathered in the dantian.

The blue True Qi shrank to its limit and began to expand slowly.

Soon, the exotic power filled up again, compressing the Qi cluster in the dantian a second time.

Compressed nine times this way, the exotic power dissipated.

Zhou Leng clearly sensed his dantian becoming smaller, but the True Qi became purer, and the power of True Qi grew slightly stronger.

Zhou Leng attempted to manipulate Qi.

Sure enough, the speed of True Qi circulation increased a bit and became more solid.

After the medicinal effect was fully stabilized, Zhou Leng took the Concentration Pill.

After taking the Concentration Pill, there was no feeling.

But after a while, Zhou Leng found his consciousness was more active than before.

In his mind, it seemed there was an additional self-awareness, with a feeling of being able to step out of his body.

Zhou Leng immediately followed the online teaching, emptying his mind or visualizing an object.

Zhou Leng clearly wanted to empty his mind, but for some reason, he always felt in his consciousness that a white light ice tree stood behind him, towering in the starry sky.

The starry river was like leaves, the star clusters like branches, the roots deeply embedded in the void, connecting countless universes.

Zhou Leng simply visualized the Frost Giant Tree,

Boom...

In an instant, Zhou Leng felt as if a great river broke its banks in his mind, an indescribable spiritual power surged out, cleansing his awareness.

Zhou Leng continued to visualize the Frost Giant Tree, calmly accepting this spiritual cleansing.

He didn’t know how long it had been, the medicinal effect slowly faded.

The indescribable Martial Arts Will phantom in the center of his mind became much clearer.

Zhou Leng slowly opened his eyes, a flash of white light fleeting in the depths.

Like lightning passing through the eyes.

Zhou Leng felt his Martial Arts Will strengthening, turning to look at the Gate of Purgatory.

"Gate of Purgatory, first layer."

The Gate of Purgatory absorbed Zhou Leng.

Huang barked once at the Gate of Purgatory, eyes full of doubt.

After a short while, Zhou Leng came out unconscious.

Huang stared at Zhou Leng, sighed softly, leaned beside him, closed his eyes.

After a long time, Zhou Leng woke up, regained himself faster than usual after a brief stupor.

First layer, Land of Blades, 2307/10000.

Last time it was 1799.

Endured 508 strikes.

Zhou Leng nodded slightly, still manageable.

Zhou Leng recalled the last purgatory process, found that when the first few strikes hit him, he could actually endure them without making a sound.

It was only when the wounds accumulated in the later stage that he couldn’t bear it and shouted.

Zhou Leng looked at the time, this time he only slept for 8 hours, previously needing 20 hours.

Seeing he had more time, Zhou Leng began practicing the first form of the "Establishing Image Chapter," circulating True Qi within his body.

cycle, 2 cycles...

cycles, 31 cycles, 32 cycles...

cycles.

Zhou Leng could no longer hold on, his body swayed and he collapsed to the ground.

Skillfully stuffing Replenishing Essence Pills, Blood Replenishing Pills, Great Nourishing Pills, and Marching Pills into his mouth.

Silently reciting, the 11th Replenishing Essence Pill.

Zhou Leng let out a long breath.

Finally broke through 36 cycles in the Establishing Image Chapter.

Zhou Leng, enduring the aching of his whole body, heated up the prepared Meat Herbal Cuisine, finished it like wind sweeping through clouds.

Suddenly, Zhou Leng felt the second Divine Text in his mind spinning.

The image of a humanoid figure from the first form of the "Establishing Image Chapter" first appeared in his mind, then the image changed, the legs and body remained unchanged, but the arms stretched to the sides like two elephant ears.

The second form of the "Establishing Image Chapter."

"It seems 36 cycles are the limit of the first form. I wonder what level my body will reach after cultivating the entire ’Establishing Image Chapter’ or even the whole set of ’Ten Reversed Beast Fist’..."

Zhou Leng’s stomach rumbled, so he took another Great Nourishing Pill and Marching Pill.

After a while, the hunger rolled in.

Continued taking Great Nourishing Pills and Marching Pills.

Zhou Leng secretly rejoiced.

Ate another meal of Meat Herbal Cuisine.

Then continued consuming pills...

Until he was no longer hungry, Zhou Leng finally stopped eating pills.

Looking back, aside from the initial pills, he completely consumed ten Great Nourishing Pills, twenty Marching Pills, and three servings of Meat Herbal Cuisine.

Unexpectedly, after finishing the first form of the "Establishing Image Chapter," his body underwent such significant changes.

Zhou Leng took off his clothes to observe his body.

The body surprisingly thinned down a whole circle, some muscles disappearing.

Fretting, Zhou Leng used his Demonized Watch as a mirror, noticing an obviously gaunt face, and even the cheeks slightly sunken.

Like a drug addict.

However, his eyes were much brighter, far more than before.

Zhou Leng checked the time, still early, and clicked on the video sent by Instructor Deng Zhijue.

This video narrated some techniques for True Qi manipulation.

At the end, the video explained the control method of the "Qi Marvelous Body."

So-called Qi Marvelous Body meant a peculiar power being born in the Dantian, able to enhance True Qi.

Cultivating it to the extreme allowed it to unite with True Qi.

Before this, the Qi Marvelous Body and True Qi existed independently of each other.

The Qi Marvelous Body ordinarily didn’t operate within the meridians, only existing in the Dantian.

It can be released by controlling the Dantian True Qi.

Zhou Leng had an inspiration, trying to circulate True Qi using the method in the video.

Sure enough, clearly sensing that peculiar power within the Dantian curling up inside, no longer dispersing.

"This mysterious power, its aura cold, could it be..."

Zhou Leng glanced at the Frost Giant Tree, continued cultivating.

After cultivation, Zhou Leng went straight to Ruda’s canteen.

Early in the morning, Ruda’s canteen had just opened, with a few students scattered inside.

The aroma of food wafted around.

"Serve the dishes, please." Zhou Leng took out his student card.

Seeing Zhou Leng thin to this extent, the canteen staff were dumbfounded, then chaos ensued.

How could they let a Martial Saint in the canteen starve like this!

The early rising students occasionally glanced at Zhou Leng’s location.