Chapter Forty-Nine: The Inner School
Skill Level Up: Ghost Bat Technique (2→3)
“The Compression Conversion Method truly lives up to its reputation…”
After rising from the ground, Li Ju looked at his own body, now extremely gaunt from expending a vast amount of blood essence to break through, and shook his head. Even with his cultivation of the Hundred Venoms Vajra Body, possessing a physique comparable to that of a minor Sanyuan realm master, he had consumed nearly three-quarters of his blood essence during the breakthrough using the Compression Conversion Method. If an ordinary external martial artist tried to break through this way, they would likely drain themselves ten times over and still be unable to succeed.
“Still, the rewards have been tremendous…”
Li Ju quietly sensed the faint thread of internal power now circulating through his meridians and could not help but smile. He had spent nearly three-quarters of his blood essence to produce this very first trace of internal power. Now that he possessed it, further cultivation of internal power would no longer require such a steep price.
Moreover, the emergence of this internal power signified that his Ghost Bat Technique had ascended to the third level, marking his true entry into the ranks of the internal martial masters!
At that thought, Li Ju’s heart surged with excitement.
The realm of internal mastery, in the world of Sword and Wind Saga, marked one as a formidable presence in the martial world, and within the great sects, such a person would be counted among the high-ranking elders. Even in the real world, a master of internal arts would be unmatched across counties and prefectures!
And with his panel, as soon as a skill level increased, his physical cultivation in the real world would be directly elevated to match the panel’s skill level!
[Ghost Bat Technique (3) has gained a technique specialty…]
[Ghost Bat Technique: Bat Shadow — Due to the Ghost Bat Technique breakthrough, your control over your body has slightly improved, as has your physical agility. (Origin: Sword and Wind Saga, Ghost Bat Technique)]
[Name: Li Ju]
[Level: 0 (0/10)]
[Skills: Slacking (1), Ghost Bat Technique (3), Flowing Water Blade (1), Hundred Venoms Vajra Body: Fragment, Poison Pool Crafting, Hundred Venoms Vajra Body: Fragment (Instance Temporary Skills)]
[Specialties: Ghost Bat Technique: Bat Shadow, Nimble Body, Inferior Martial Aptitude]
Suddenly, Li Ju felt a remarkable lightness in his body. Already blessed with the Nimble Body specialty, with the added effect of Bat Shadow, he felt as though he could now master the Hundred Venoms Vajra Body to perfection.
“It is said that each of the Demon Sect’s eight secret arts grants a unique and formidable power upon reaching the internal mastery level. It is precisely this strength that makes the inner elders of the Demon Sect, who practice these secret arts, far superior to ordinary internal masters.”
“Perhaps this Bat Shadow specialty is the unique power granted by the Ghost Bat Technique at the internal level.”
Li Ju mused as he considered his newly gained specialty.
“Enough of that for now—those questions can wait. I’d better fill my belly and recover my lost blood essence first.”
Li Ju shook his head, casting off the chaotic thoughts from his mind.
Having lost all his muscle, he was left with a profound sense of vulnerability.
He walked to the window of the library pavilion and threw it open.
“Someone, bring food!” he bellowed.
His voice echoed for miles, startling the entire Pine Forest Sect.
With a swish, dust from the top of the library pavilion rained down, covering Li Ju from head to toe.
Moments later—
Clatter, clatter, clatter…
Li Ju planted one foot on a bench, a pork leg in his left hand, a whole roast chicken in his right. Before him, a two-meter-long wooden table was piled high with dishes of every kind.
Beside him were two stacks of plates, each taller than he was.
Munch… munch…
Gulp… gulp…
As Li Ju devoured the meat, he hoisted a large jug of wine from the table and poured it into his mouth with abandon.
Disciples of the Pine Forest Sect came and went, bringing more and more dishes to his table. It took over a dozen people shuttling between kitchen and dining hall just to keep up with his pace.
Li Ju swept through the food with wild abandon, unbothered whether anyone had tried to poison him—after all, with the Hundred Venoms Vajra Body, he was immune to all toxins.
“Ha, that’s the life!” he exclaimed, wiping his mouth after another deep swig of wine.
“At last, I’ve barely managed to replenish my blood essence.”
Li Ju looked at his now hulking, muscular body and flexed his powerful fists.
“Now I wonder—could I be a match for a minor Sanyuan master?”
His eyes grew contemplative.
“Haoyuan Yi has pushed our Seventy-Three Sect too far!”
An old man slammed his palm on the table.
“Anyone can see that Li Ju has cultivated the Demon Sect’s Hundred Venoms Vajra Body and has fully fallen into the demonic path. Yet Haoyuan Yi claims Li Ju bears a righteous heart and is not of the Demon Sect, and even says he wants to mediate our conflict with Li Ju…”
“Bah!”
“Haoyuan Yi should look at himself! To think he could mediate between our Seventy-Three Sect and others—what arrogance!”
The old man, still unsatisfied, began pacing back and forth before his table.
“Second Elder, Haoyuan Yi is, after all, the Righteous Alliance Leader of our martial world, and a minor Sanyuan master of this era. We should not speak too harshly—if such words spread, it would harm the harmony among the righteous.”
Across from the Second Elder, a one-eyed old man spoke.
“Hmph!”
“Righteous Alliance Leader?”
“Minor Sanyuan master?”
“For centuries, Seventy-Three Sect has seen countless so-called righteous alliance leaders and minor Sanyuan masters come and go. These titles might scare the small fry of the martial world, but to us, they’re not even worth a fart!”
The Second Elder snorted derisively.
“That may be, but our Seventy-Three Sect has yet to produce a minor Sanyuan master in this era. We should at least show Haoyuan Yi some respect as a minor Sanyuan master,” said another elder, missing a leg, as he sipped his tea.
“And if we don’t give him respect, what of it?”
“Does he really dare to challenge our Seventy-Three Sect? I’d wager he’d never return alive!”
“Our Seventy-Three Sect may lack a minor Sanyuan master for now, but we’re no rabble for any upstart from a small sect to challenge!”
The Second Elder’s face twisted with scorn.