“Total them up altogether. I’ll be able to open 89 Saint Veins when I reach the Paramount Mortal Shedding Stage!” The moment Duan Ling Tian thought of this, his emotions that were originally calm started to stir in turmoil again.
He knew that the opening of the seventeen Saint Veins on the Intermediate Mortal Shedding Stage had given him a fresh, new future.
Originally, he thought that by opening sixteen Saint Veins on the Intermediate Mortal Shedding Stage and so on in the future, he would accumulate a total of 85 Saint Veins which was already remarkable enough.
In fact, even Gautama Buddha, the person who had opened the most Saint Veins among the natives on Yan Huang Planet, had also achieved 85 Saint Veins in total.
However, right now, the mutation that took place when he broke through to the Intermediate Mortal Shedding Stage had provided him an even better — or one could even say a freakier — future.
So far, he could open at least 89 Saint Veins when he reached the Paramount Mortal Shedding Stage!
“If another mutation happens when I make a breakthrough to the Mastery Mortal Shedding Stage and another during the Perfection Stage, and an even greater mutation at the Paramount Stage, I’ll be able to open up to 99 Saint Veins in the end in the Paramount Mortal Shedding Stage!” Duan Ling Tian kept dreaming about this to himself.
However, soon, Duan Ling Tian snapped back to reality again. “It looks like it’s time for me to carry out the final step.”
In a heartbeat, he began to cultivate the tenth form of the Nine Dragons War Sovereign Technique — the Nine Dragons Form. As he rapidly absorbed the Heaven and Earth Spirit Energy and transformed it into True Energy, the True Energy in the Qi Sea began to gush out as well.
At once, all 32 Saint Veins in Duan Ling Tian’s body began to be filled with True Energy. Carried by the nine dragons, they performed great Qi circulatory cycles again and again as though they did not know the meaning of exhaustion.
The speed of the nine dragons carrying the True Energy became faster and faster.
In the end, the 32 Saint Veins almost caught fire due to the constant friction.
“Now!” Gasping, Duan Ling Tian’s heart jolted.
At that instant, the True Energy in the 32 Saint Veins in his body rushed into the Qi Sea that was the size of a pigeon egg with immense power and right away, the Qi Sea swelled.
“Ahhhh!” Intense pain spread throughout Duan Ling Tian’s brain nerves, causing him to growl uncontrollably.
He was already clamping his teeth down in pain.
Otherwise, he would already have cried out shrilly at the top of his lungs.
However, after the intense pain, a wave of pleasure washed over him. Perhaps, it was the epitome of the saying “all sufferings have their rewards”.
With a surge of his Spiritual Energy, Duan Ling Tian quickly noticed that the Qi Sea between his eyebrows had undergone an earth-shattering transformation. Originally as big as a pigeon egg, it had now become the size of a chicken egg.
However, although the Qi Sea had become as large as a chicken egg, the True Energy it contained was transported over from the Qi Sea that was the size of a pigeon egg. Now that it was inside the chicken egg-sized Qi Sea, it appeared to be very minute.
“It’s another long and tedious process to fill the Qi Sea that’s the size of a chicken egg… However, by the time the Qi Sea that size is completely filled, I’d have made a breakthrough to the Mortal Shedding Stage Master Stage then,” Duan Ling Tian thought to himself.
Right at that second, Duan Ling Tian’s body that was sitting cross-legged stopped rotating and as his eyes flew open wide and something flashed across them.
After the Qi Sea that was as large as a chicken egg appeared, Duan Ling Tian had now completely made a breakthrough to the Intermediate Mortal Shedding Stage. Precisely then, Duan Ling Tian felt that it seemed like not only his Qi Sea had undergone a transformation.
Even his body seemed to have undergone an earth-shattering transformation too.
After giving it a try, Duan Ling Tian realized that his strength was perfect on the Intermediate Mortal Shedding Stage.
Even if an Intermediate Mortal Shedding Stage Martial Cultivator had developed his technique of the Human Rank Top Saint Grade Martial Tactic to the highest stage, Duan Ling Tian still had the confidence to defeat him in just the blink of an eye.
Now that all his 36 Saint Veins were operating the True Energy together, he had come to possess a body that was even much stronger than an Intermediate Mortal Shedding Stage Five-Clawed Divine Dragon.
This was Duan Ling Tian’s biggest force!
“Right now, my strength must be near the peak of the Mastery Mortal Shedding Stage. Even an ordinary Mastery Mortal Shedding Stage powerhouse is no match for me!” After another round of attempt, he mastered an even more profound understanding of his own strength.
“When I was at the Mortal Shedding Stage Early Stage, my strength was on par with that Zhang Ji Long who was at the peak of the Intermediate Mortal Shedding Stage. However, with the help of the advantage of my archery set, I was still able to defeat him. Unless it’s a Dao Cultivator or a Martial Cultivator who excels in long-ranged attacks, not many people who are at the peak of the Mastery Mortal Shedding Stage would be able to become my match.” The moment Duan Ling Tian thought of this, a brilliant smile flashed across his face.
“For now, it’s time for me to cultivate the techniques inside the Colossal Aerolite Arrow, particularly that offensive technique, the Aerolite Shower. Only when I manage to hone the Aerolite Shower to the highest stage, then I can start cultivating the defensive technique in the Colossal Aerolite Arrow, the Colossal Arrow Bell.” Duan Ling Tian was looking forward to learning more about the Colossal Arrow Bell.
According to Xue Nai, all of the Human Rank Top Grade Saint Grade Martial Tactics like the Colossal Aerolite Arrow that he cultivated would have a technique which basis depended upon the highest stage of the other technique.
The strength of that kind of technique would be in no way inferior to the strength of an Earth Rank Saint Grade Martial Tactic.
Only a Saint Stage powerhouse could cultivate the Earth Rank Saint Grade Martial Tactic.
Now that Duan Ling Tian had such fierce determination, he immediately acted upon it. He flew out and the Sun Shooting Bow appeared in his hand immediately. With a raise of his right hand, he shot out a True Energy arrow and slid it onto the bowstring before releasing it.
Aerolite Shower!
As True Energy arrow soared up to the sky and then descended downwards, a True Energy arrow shower that blotted out the entire sky fell as though a meteor shower had just occurred.
Other than the Aerolite Shower, Duan Ling Tian did not forget to cultivate the other techniques either.
He was soon lost in time, cultivating his techniques.
Without even noticing, half a year had already gone by since he entered the Seven Treasures Exquisite Pagoda. Of course, this span of half a year was the time spent on the second level of the Seven Treasures Exquisite Pagoda.
Half a year was equal to six months.
Three days on the second level of the Seven Treasures Exquisite Pagoda was equal to one day outside.
In other words, two months had gone by outside.
“Hahahaha… A breakthrough! I’ve finally made a breakthrough!” After two months time, a burst of laughter broke the silence in the Latent Dragon Camp, taking many young men and women in the tattered wooden houses by surprise. They walked out but nobody in the new wooden houses above the high platform was taken by surprise at all.
The soundproofing of the wooden houses the 13 Gangsters stayed in was much better.
“Who’s the one yelling?”
“How noisy! Can’t you just let us cultivate in peace?”
…
Many of the young men and women who walked out of the tattered wooden houses complained loudly.
However, when they saw who walked out of the tattered wooden house laughing so ecstatically, they quickly shut their mouths up and did not make any more sound.
This person who had just walked out of the tattered wooden house laughing was no stranger to them.
It was none other than Hou Lin!
Hou Lin used to be one of the 13 Guardians, but three months ago, he was defeated, so he was eliminated from the 13 Guardians. Now, after three months, did he just say that he just made a breakthrough?
He was originally a Martial Cultivator at the Intermediate Mortal Shedding Stage and now that he had broken through, he was now at the Mastery Mortal Shedding Stage.
“Did Hou Lin make a breakthrough to the Mastery Mortal Shedding Stage?” At once, many people began to realize what was happening and cried in surprise.
“This is shocking news! Now that Hou Lin has made a breakthrough to the Mastery Mortal Shedding Stage, not only has his Qi Sea undergone another transformation, but the number of Saint Veins must have also increased by a fair amount too. No Martial or Dao Cultivator on the Intermediate Mortal Shedding Stage will be able to defeat him now!”
“Given Hou Lin’s strength now, in addition to being able to enter the 13 Guardians again, it would pose no problem for him to become among the six strongest too!”
“That’s right! Duan Ling Tian, who’s currently ranked sixth among the 13 Guardians, is only a Martial Cultivator at the Intermediate Mortal Shedding Stage. Even though he has defeated Zhang Ji Long, his strength is still only at the peak of the Intermediate Mortal Shedding Stage at the most.”
“The peak of the Intermediate Mortal Shedding Stage and the Mastery Mortal Shedding Stage are two completely different levels.”
…
The young men and women from the tattered wooden houses continued to stream out non-stop and discussed among one another. All of them were waiting to watch the fun.
They understood Hou Lin’s personality very well.
He could not do anything the last time for he was no match for anyone among the 13 Guardians, but now that he had made a breakthrough to the Mastery Mortal Shedding Stage, he would never be willing to sit still and would definitely enter the 13 Guardians again.
Soon, Hou Lin’s actions affirmed the suspicions of the group of young people present.
Boom!
With both his feet stomping on the ground to the point that the ground cracked and formed fissures that appeared to be like spider webs, he flew up to the high platform and soon stood in front of the wooden house Number 13.
“I, Hou Li, will challenge Guo Li who is ranked 13th among the 13 Guardians!” Standing in front of the wooden house, Hou Lin announced unhurriedly. His voice was as loud as thunder and with True Energy boosting it, it spread into the wooden house.
In the next second, the door opened.
Guo Li walked out from the inside.
However, her expression appeared to be slightly glum. No matter who it was, anybody would have a sullen face if one was being disturbed in the midst of their cultivation.
“Hou Lin, do you want to challenge me?” Looking at Hou Lin, Guo Li asked in a deep voice.
“That’s right! Today, I’ll regain my reputation and defeat you, you little b*tch!” Hou Lin grinned.
“So, you’ve made a breakthrough…” As a flash glimpsed across Guo Li’s eyes, she muttered with a slightly pale face.
“Since you know that I’ve already broken through, don’t you think you need to admit defeat? You must know that it’s basically impossible for an Intermediate Mortal Shedding Stage to fight a Mastery Mortal Shedding Stage.” Hou Lin grinned proudly.
Although his words seemed to be earnest with sincere intentions, nobody but he knew what his true intentions were.
“Admit defeat?” Guo Li snorted in a low voice. “I, Guo Li, have never admitted defeat!”
“Don’t blame me for being ruthless against a woman then!” The smile on Hou Lin’s face turned even wider. Guo Li’s answer was exactly what he wanted to hear. If she had just admitted her defeat right away, he would have found it boring.
Not admitting defeat was the best outcome he could possibly hope for.
This could allow him to vent his enmity that had been accumulated for three months to his heart’s content.
The moment he recalled how he was eliminated from the 13 Guardians because of this little b*tch, rage and hatred filled his heart right away. He needed to release it out!
“I’ve now made a breakthrough to the Mastery Mortal Shedding Stage. I won’t bully you either, so it’s better for you to make your move first,” Hou Lin announced nonchalantly.
His words rendered the onlookers by the side speechless. All of them felt that he was shameless for having the guts to say such words.
The fact that a Mastery Mortal Shedding Stage Martial Cultivator was going up against an Intermediate Mortal Shedding Stage Martial Cultivator was already an act of bullying.