C6 Battle Martial Body
"System Prompt: Congratulations on completing the mission to rescue disciples of the Divine Wind Sect (Difficulty: A). You've earned +20 reward points, 1 Battle Martial Body, and 10 Heaven Returning Pills."
Battle Martial Body: Activate this skill to awaken the Martial Qi within you, boosting all attributes by 100%. While the skill is active, your Martial Qi gain is tripled.
Heaven Returning Pill: Use to gain 100 points of Martial Qi. Applicable at the Spirit Martial Stage.
...
Jiang Xiaofan gazed at the Battle Martial Body and Heaven Returning Pills, barely holding back tears—this mission had paid off handsomely!
Armed with the Battle Martial Body skill, Jiang Xiaofan was virtually unbeatable at the Original Martial Stage!
The Heaven Returning Pills, meant for replenishing Martial Qi, were of no use to him now, as he was still at the Original Martial Stage with no Martial Qi to speak of. He'd have to wait until he ascended to the Spirit Martial Stage to use them.
After a brief rest, Jiang Xiaofan set off deeper into the Gloom Forest. With three levels to go before reaching the Spirit Martial Stage, he knew finding the boss was crucial; otherwise, it could take a considerable amount of time to level up.
With that thought, Jiang Xiaofan, sword in hand, plunged into the forest's depths.
...
In Lintian City, within the Jiang Family Courtyard, Jiang Lun stood outside a chamber, a vile smirk on his face as he peered at the young girl weeping at the table.
Jiang Nianrui's eyes were swollen red with tears. It had been two days since Jiang Xiaofan's departure, and the word around was that he had vanished in the Gloom Forest, likely devoured by wolves—news brought by Jiang Luo.
Meanwhile, Jiang Tianyang was in deep meditation in a secret chamber, his body enveloped in a potent aura. If his cultivation proceeded without a hitch, he'd emerge as the first Jiang family disciple under twenty to attain the Spirit Martial Stage in a month's time.
And when that happened, Jiang Xiaofan would be up against an even mightier foe.
...
With a swift "Puchi!" Jiang Xiaofan decapitated a black bear. He was no longer the novice who had first stepped into the Gloom Forest; now, he faced wolves and tigers with ease.
The experience gained from the wild beasts was meager at best. It was only formidable Demon Beasts like the Wolf King and Suppress Mountain Tiger that could grant Jiang Xiaofan a substantial amount of experience.
The so-called perils of the Gloom Forest were a concern only for the weak. To the fierce beasts, which were as terrifying as malevolent spirits, cultivators at the Origin Martial or Spirit Martial Stage were nothing more than a source of sustenance.
Even the least of these fierce beasts required decades of cultivation to evolve into Demon Beasts and acquire a hierarchical system akin to that of cultivators.
From Jiang Xiaofan's recollections, truly mighty Demon Beasts possessed Demon Pills—coveted items that significantly aided in cultivation. They could even enable cultivators to shatter decades-old barriers in their practice, propelling them to great power in a single bound.
Yet, such matters had little bearing on Jiang Xiaofan's current situation.
Exhausted from a day of combat, Jiang Xiaofan made a fire, then settled against a large tree and gradually drifted off to sleep.
The chilling darkness of the Gloom Forest sent shivers down his spine. After a brief rest, Jiang Xiaofan was jolted awake by a rustling sound.
He scanned his surroundings and, seeing nothing amiss, waited for half an hour. Then, a flicker of flames in the distance caught his attention, prompting him to rise to his feet with a furrowed brow.
As the flames drew nearer, the figure of a middle-aged man in his forties came into view. Clad in a dark blue robe, his attire was strikingly similar to that of Huang Yu and his companions.
The man's expression was stern. Upon noticing Jiang Xiaofan, he approached and scrutinized him before asking, "Kid, have you seen any disciples from the Ocean Pavilion?"
Jiang Xiaofan could sense the formidable aura of the man, who was clearly at a higher level in the Spirit Martial Stage than Huang Yu.
With Huang Yu and his group already fallen by Jiang Xiaofan's hand, facing such a formidable figure, he dared not speak the truth. He quickly shook his head and replied, "I've been in the vicinity all afternoon and haven't seen anyone pass through."
The man's frown deepened, and after a few seconds of intense scrutiny, he turned and walked away. But after a few steps, he paused and called back, "Do you know about the set of footprints found beside the Suppress Mountain Tiger's corpse, leading in this direction?"
No sooner had the man finished speaking than an intense aura erupted from him. In the blink of an eye, as the torch hit the ground, he was upon Jiang Xiaofan, his large palm hurtling towards Jiang's chest!
Jiang Xiaofan had braced himself, yet the man's lightning speed took him by surprise. The palm struck home, forcing a mouthful of blood from Jiang as he slammed into a tree trunk, snapping the sturdy tree in two.
Murderous intent blazed in the man's eyes, sending a jolt of alarm through Jiang Xiaofan. Clearly, this man had stumbled upon the bodies of the Suppress Mountain Tiger and Huang Yu and had pegged Jiang as the killer. His earlier question must have been a ploy to catch Jiang off guard.
With a metallic ring, the Blazing Sword sang out. Jiang Xiaofan swung his arm, the sword arcing through the dark jungle, its crimson glow fierce and unyielding.
The man leapt back, his gaze fixed on the Blazing Sword in Jiang's grasp, his eyes seething with even greater intent to kill. "A burn from the Blazing Fire, indeed, you're the one who slew them! To think you'd dare kill my disciple! Today, I'll ensure you rue the day you were born!"
Lin Zhen vanished in a flash, launching another assault on Jiang Xiaofan, who was not about to allow him another opening. The Wolf Totem was already in play, and he nimbly evaded the attack.
Lin Zhen was no amateur like Huang Yu; his combat experience was evident. He seemed to have anticipated Jiang's dodge, his arm sweeping out in a grab for Jiang's neck—a grab that would surely spell Jiang's doom.
Jiang Xiaofan unleashed the Wolf Strike without hesitation, his left fist rocketing towards Lin Zhen.
Lin Zhen, sensing that Jiang Xiaofan's strength was merely at the Original Martial Stage, watched the futile counterattack with a sneer of contempt. His palm morphed into a fist, meeting Jiang Xiaofan's head-on.
"Boom!"
Their fists met with a thunderous impact, sending a gust of wind swirling around them. Jiang Xiaofan's arm went numb, nearly losing all sensation, as he was forced to swiftly retreat.
A flicker of surprise shone in Lin Zhen's eyes. He hadn't expected that a lowly Original Martial Stage servant could withstand his blow, and even more so, that his own arm would throb with pain.
Irritated, Lin Zhen stamped his foot on the ground, unleashing a formidable pressure that bore down on Jiang Xiaofan like a mountain. Struggling against the weight, Jiang Xiaofan gritted his teeth, trying to rise, but the overwhelming force of the Spirit Martial Stage left him powerless to fight back.
Lin Zhen approached the beleaguered Jiang Xiaofan and, with a cold voice, drew a battle axe from his storage ring. "You killed my disciple. Today, your wretched life will serve as their memorial!" he declared.
With those words, Lin Zhen swung his axe toward Jiang Xiaofan's neck. In that critical moment, Jiang Xiaofan could no longer afford to hold back. With a battle cry, he unleashed his Battle Martial Body!
As his skill activated, an aura surged around him, clashing with Lin Zhen's oppressive force. Though not as potent, it gave Jiang Xiaofan the burst of strength needed to dodge Lin Zhen's assault.
Jiang Xiaofan felt a unique power coursing through him, invigorating every fiber of his being and transforming his strength. As he retreated, he swung his Blazing Sword with all his might.
Ten Thousand Water Slash!
The unleashed sword qi roared towards Lin Zhen, who scowled in response. "You dare steal the Ocean Pavilion's secret technique? You shall not leave here alive!" he vowed.
Lin Zhen responded with a swift swing of his battle axe, unleashing his own Ten Thousand Water Slash. The Spirit Martial Stage technique dwarfed Jiang Xiaofan's attempt, as a massive wave of energy, like a tidal surge, bore down on him, crushing his attack.
But just as Lin Zhen was about to revel in his advantage, Jiang Xiaofan reappeared at his side. His arm, wreathed in Martial Qi, launched the Divine Tiger Boxing with ferocious might!
Lin Zhen crossed his arms in defense as a punch tore through the air, breaking skin upon impact. His brow furrowed as the second, bloodthirsty punch descended. Staggering back several steps, Lin Zhen was relentlessly pursued by Jiang Xiaofan, who summoned all his strength for a third devastating blow.
Bones shattered!
"Thud!"
With that dull thud, Lin Zhen slid backward, coming to a halt before coughing up a mouthful of fresh blood.
He stared at Jiang Xiaofan, incredulous. It was inconceivable to him that he, a Level Five Spirit Martial practitioner, was being bested by someone in the Late Period of the Original Martial stage!
His Battle Martial Body had tripled the Martial Qi within him, enabling the continuous unleashing of his skills. But now, with more than half his Martial Qi depleted, he knew he couldn't afford a drawn-out battle. It was either flee or end it swiftly!
Yet there stood a Spirit Martial Stage master. Jiang Xiaofan wasn't about to let this opportunity slip. With a bellow, he mobilized the Martial Qi inside him, invoking the Wolf Totem to give chase, while readying the Wolf Strike once more.
"Clang!"
The Blazing Sword clashed against Lin Zhen's battle axe, which, of high quality, managed to parry the blow. But Jiang Xiaofan's most powerful strike, the Divine Tiger Boxing, was ready to be unleashed again!
The Divine Tiger Boxing nearly sapped all the remaining Martial Qi from his body. Three powerful gusts of wind from the punches pummeled Lin Zhen, each more formidable than the last, sending him crashing down with severe internal injuries.
Jiang Xiaofan wasted no time. He pulled a hammer and a short knife from his backpack, hurling them at Lin Zhen, who deflected them with a swing of his battle axe.
"Splash!"
The Blazing Sword pierced Lin Zhen's neck in an instant, warm blood spraying onto Jiang Xiaofan's face. He smirked, "Trying to kill me? Tough luck!"
"You..."
Lin Zhen's words were cut short as he drew his last breath. Jiang Xiaofan then collapsed to the ground, panting heavily. Wiping the blood from his lips, he was overcome with a sense of relief and survival.
Lin Zhen's initial punch had already left him wounded. Had it not been for the enhanced strength from his Battle Martial Body, he might have perished at Lin Zhen's hands long ago.
Then came the moment for the Devouring System to flex its might. A sinister black aura burst forth from his chest, shaping into a massive hand that plunged into Lin Zhen's body, forcibly seizing a sphere of white light and dragging it into his own!
"System Prompt: You have successfully defeated Lin Zhen and acquired the Forest Axe."
"System Prompt: You have successfully defeated Lin Zhen and earned 80 Copper coins."
...
"System Prompt: Congratulations, player, on successfully leveling up. Your current level is Eight Origin Martial."
"System Prompt: Congratulations, player, on successfully leveling up. Your current level is Nine Origin Martial."
...
This time, however, the system left Jiang Xiaofan feeling let down. Despite being a Level Five Spirit Martial Stage master, the loot was underwhelming!
It was truly infuriating!
Nevertheless, the experience gained from Lin Zhen was substantial. Just two more levels, and Jiang Xiaofan would ascend to the ranks of the Spirit Martial Stage masters!
At this moment, his power was more than enough to overpower Jiang Tianyang, yet he still had a considerable way to go before he could match Jiang Lun!
Moving forward, he knew he had to redouble his efforts in his cultivation journey!
