C31 His Strength Increased Greatly.

The baby Leviathan seemed to grow impatient with Yu Kun. It glanced beyond the Qi Sea and flicked its tail. Instantly, black substances surged from the Qi Sea, infiltrating Yu Kun's meridians, flesh, and bones, and clinging to them.

Though these black substances appeared minuscule, they managed to permeate Yu Kun's meridians, flesh, and even his bones.

Yu Kun was taken aback when he noticed the Spirit Stone in his grasp rapidly deteriorating, eventually reverting to a dull, ordinary rock.

"Something's not right! My body is undergoing changes and it's consuming Spiritual Energy at an alarming rate! Damn! If only I were in the Cultivation Room."

Despite his astonishment, Yu Kun sensed this was a positive development. He hastily gathered all the Spirit Stones he had.

The system, functioning like an ultra-efficient mainframe, voraciously consumed the Spirit Stones in Yu Kun's hands. The Spiritual Energy was siphoned off by the system and then flooded back into Yu Kun's body.

Time seemed to blur until Yu Kun's mind felt hazy. On the brink of sleep, a resounding bell jolted him awake.

With the bell's powerful toll still echoing, Yu Kun snapped to alertness.

"I've definitely changed! This newfound strength feels incredibly potent."

Amazed, Yu Kun threw punches in rapid succession, each one resonating with explosive force.

Next, he channeled the Astral Energy within him and was astounded to find it vastly more abundant—over ten times what it had been.

Yu Kun exclaimed in wonder.

"Even without a breakthrough, my strength has significantly increased. I was formidable in the High Rank Power Refining Stage, but no match for a Soul Refining Stage opponent with a condensed Martial Soul. Now, however, this enigmatic force has transformed my body. A mere flick of my wrist unleashes a power more fearsome than ever! As long as the opponent's Martial Soul isn't exceptionally strong, I'm more than capable of taking on a Low Rank warrior in the Soul Refining Stage!"

Yu Kun's breath quickened involuntarily.

The cultivation mark was beneficial, yet its effects were fleeting. Once its power burst forth, the mark would vanish. Furthermore, if one lacked sufficient mastery over the cultivation mark, the unleashed power would be underwhelming.

But now, the substance expelled by the baby Leviathan had directly altered Yu Kun's body. This transformation was as potent as the cultivation mark and, more importantly, permanent!

"Fantastic! This is amazing!"

Yu Kun was filled with gratitude as he inspected his Qi Sea and chuckled to himself.

"I misjudged you! You're not a foolish Leviathan; you're my treasure! My dearest, can you emerge from the Qi Sea? I want to embrace you, to shower you with kisses. Let's see if I can find something else to nourish you with. How about I fetch you a living person?"

While Yu Kun was beaming with joy, the baby Leviathan gave an eye roll, its expression laden with sarcasm and contempt. It then somersaulted within the Qi Sea and dozed off.

Yu Kun, unfazed, exited his introspective state.

"Even though I haven't tapped into my Martial Arts yet, judging by my current strength, once I do, my power will surely be more than tenfold stronger! I haven't reached the Soul Refining Stage, but I believe I can execute the third technique of the Great Vajra Palm, the Vajra Subduing Dragon!"

Yu Kun was aware, however, that the Astral Energy required for Grade Four Martial Arts was beyond what most could fathom. The Vajra Subduing Dragon's third technique demanded the prowess of someone in the Soul Refining Stage. A typical warrior at that stage could perform over a dozen moves of Grade One or even Grade Two Martial Arts.

"Yet, a multitude of common Martial Arts doesn't compare to the depth of a few, more profound ones. A dozen Grade Two Martial Arts combined don't hold a candle to the power of a single Grade Four Martial Art."

Yu Kun gazed down at the scattered stone fragments. Tears streamed from his eyes.

He had exchanged Mutated Beast Bones for Spirit Stones, completed his mission, and received additional Spirit Stones from Zhou Xingtian. Now, all those Spirit Stones were gone.

"I'm completely out of Spirit Stones. The path of cultivation is incredibly tough! I've got to find a way to get my hands on some Spirit Stones! Chen Feng, as a scion of a noble house, you're surely not short on funds. I'm relying on you!"

Yu Kun's thoughts turned to Chen Feng, who was, of course, oblivious to this.

Yet, as Yu Kun mulled over Chen Feng, the latter sneezed sharply. His hand jerked aside, nearly causing the martial arts technique he was focusing on to go awry.

Beside Chen Feng stood another disciple from the Inner Sect, clad in a long crimson robe. It was none other than Yaen Changge.

"Chen Feng, you're letting an elite disciple strut around you with such insolence. Have you no spine to fight back?" Yaen Changge rebuked. "Many in the Inner Sect are aware that an elite disciple has thrown down the gauntlet, yet you seem too timid to respond! You're on the verge of becoming the Inner Sect's joke!"

Chen Feng snorted and withdrew his hand, "Of course, I want to take action. But there are complications that I can't discuss openly."

"Complications?" Yaen Changge scoffed. "You have every reason to stand up for yourself. Will you let an elite disciple of humble origins walk all over you? The Chen family might not rival the Yaen family, but it's still a significant force in Chuhan Country. As a member of such a family, how can you cower in this manner?"

Chen Feng's face darkened further. "It's all because of your sister, Yaen Hongling! She confronted me in the Cultivation Room, even threatening me. If Yu Kun weren't an Inner Sect disciple, I would've dealt with him already. But if I did, she'd come after me!"

Yaen Changge's brow furrowed deeply, and he began to curse under his breath.

"Damn it! What is my cousin thinking? Xu Yeran is the Xu family's golden boy, and they're a prominent noble house. Why won't she cozy up to Xu Yeran, instead of threatening others over some low-born disciple?"

Yaen Changge clenched his teeth so fiercely they made a cracking sound, his face a portrait of rage.

Truth be told, there was no bad blood between Yaen Changge and Yu Kun. Yet, Yaen Changge had his own deep-seated issues with Yu Kun that couldn't be easily resolved.

Yu Kun hailed from a humble background, while Yan Changge was born into a family of nobility!

Disciples from less affluent families often prided themselves on self-reliance, scorning the idea of depending on the wealth and status of noble families. Conversely, those from noble families carried themselves with an air of superiority, looking down upon their less fortunate counterparts. This disdain was particularly acute in the case of Yu Kun, who had previously declared his affection for Yaen Hongling. Such actions, seen as sullying the noble bloodline, only served to infuriate Yan Changge further.

"There's no way I'll let this happen!" Yan Changge ground his teeth in anger. He turned sharply to Chen Feng and commanded, "You have to take on this challenge! With your abilities, Yu Kun doesn't stand a chance against you. And don't worry about Hongling—I'll handle her. As long as I'm here, she can't touch you. Just rest easy!"

Chen Feng's expression softened as he replied, "Well, with that assurance, I can relax. But even though I'm confident I won't be defeated, I've heard that Yu Kun managed to best Xu Zizhi. Xu Zizhi may be no more than a servant, yet his cultivation is nothing to scoff at. Without a breakthrough on my part, victory over Yu Kun isn't guaranteed."

Gritting his teeth, Yan Changge offered, "To advance to the Martial Soul realm, I once used half a piece of Soul Fixing Fragrance. There's still some left—enough to help you solidify your Martial Soul!"

Chen Feng's eyes sparkled with anticipation.

"Soul Fixing Fragrance! Excellent! It's incredibly rare. The Chen family, despite its status, can't compare to the Yaen family and has never acquired it. With the Soul Fixing Fragrance, my internal energies will stabilize, making it easier to forge a formidable Martial Soul. Given these circumstances, I accept your proposal!"