C41 Breakthrough to Qi Refining Stage Level Four!

"Hurry up and collect the spoils of war!"

After dealing with Wei Tingxuan and the others, Jiaang Que, with a dark scowl, issued a brief command. His attention then shifted to the center of the valley, to the branch of the Red Fruit Tree that Wei Lulin had severed.

Jiaang Que picked up the severed branch and examined it closely. With a menacing look, he barked out an order, "Search thoroughly. There must be experts from the Wei family lurking around the valley. Find them and eliminate them."

As an expert at the Qi Refining Stage Level Seven Perfection, Jiaang Que had survived alone in the Endless Forest. Despite his treacherous nature, his insights were exceptional.

From the remaining tree roots, Jiaang Que deduced the presence of the Red Fruit. Furthermore, from the cut branch, he concluded that there was a skilled swordsman nearby, likely a member of the Wei family.

In Yao Country, while many warriors wielded blades, the Wei family boasted the true masters of the art.

Jiaang Que's speculation was only partially correct. The one who had taken the Red Fruit was indeed from the Wei family, but they had long since departed from the valley.

With the aid of the High Rank Grade Ten Spirit Fruit, Wei Lulin's bottleneck at the Qi Refining Stage Level Four was swiftly overcome.

A unique power then surged through the Spiritual Force within his dantian, rapidly striking the acupoints within the eight extraordinary meridians.

The vital acupoints, including the Baihui and Shen Ting, were blasted open by the formidable energy of the Red Fruit, and a more potent aura emanated from Wei Lulin.

Once the four essential acupoints of the eight extraordinary meridians were opened, Wei Lulin paused his cultivation. It wasn't for lack of desire to continue, but rather because the energy of the Red Fruit had been fully expended.

Wei Lulin took a moment to assess the enhancement of his abilities post-breakthrough. He felt confident enough to challenge a Qi Refining Stage Level Seven expert, although he wasn't entirely sure of the outcome.

As for those at the Qi Refining Stage Level Six, they stood no chance against him, not even those at the pinnacle of Level Six Peak.

However, Wei Lulin was not yet a match for Xie Jutong, who had reached the pinnacle of the Qi Refining Stage Level Seven. Additionally, Xie Jutong's bloodline power gave him an extra boost. Wei Lulin was certain that he still couldn't compete with Xie Jutong.

If he were up against someone like Wei Luchong, who had just entered Qi Refining Stage Level Seven, Wei Lulin was confident he could defeat him.

Although Wei Lulin wasn't Xie Jutong's equal at the moment, he wasn't concerned. He hadn't reached his full potential yet. Four Red Fruits were sufficient to unlock eight extraordinary meridians. With the help of Spirit Stones and Qi Increasing Pills, he could reach his peak in record time. Vein Enhancing Pills and Dantian Cultivating Pills would further enhance his potential and strength.

Within a maximum of three days, he would be ready to challenge top experts like Xie Jutong, Jiaang Que, and Yao Yafeng.

Wei Lulin cleared his mind, closed his eyes, and continued his cultivation.

As time went on, the contestants in the Hunting Competition roamed further, and more Jade Plates were discovered. The bloodshed over these Jade Plates was countless.

Wei Luchong, a leading figure among the Wei family's younger generation and already at Qi Refining Stage Level Seven, had been quite successful recently.

He had not only found six Jade Plates but had also taken five from his rivals. With eleven Jade Plates, his place in the top ten was virtually guaranteed.

Moreover, the competition was just getting started. He still had ample time to find more Jade Plates or to take them from others.

However, Wei Luchong was not in high spirits. He had set three goals for himself in this Hunting Competition.

His first goal was to secure as many Jade Plates as possible, improving his ranking and earning the admiration and recognition of his father and the clan elders. This would solidify his influence within the Wei family.

His second aim was to measure himself against Jiaang Que and Yao Yafeng to determine who was the second strongest among the youth of Yao Country. As for Xie Jutong, he considered him an anomaly and had no immediate plans to vie with him.

The third objective was the most crucial and pressing: to eliminate Wei Lulin during the Hunting Competition, as he could pose a future threat to his position.

The first goal was steadily coming to fruition.

The second goal would have to wait until the final days of the competition. The experts at the Qi Refining Stage Level Seven would certainly avoid conflicts in the early stages to conserve their strength for a decisive battle later on.

He was at a loss regarding the third goal.

Before entering the Hunting Ground, Wei Luchong had intended for Wei Lulin to accompany him under the guise of looking after him, but with the actual intent of finding a way to eliminate him. Unexpectedly, Wei Lulin had left the group early, leaving Wei Luchong no time to react.

Eight days had passed since he entered the Hunting Ground, and with half the competition time gone, he had yet to catch a glimpse of Wei Lulin, which was deeply concerning.

In no more than four days, the Hunting Competition would reach its most intense and brutal phase, with everyone's focus on seizing Jade Plates.

To protect their Jade Plates or improve their rankings, the Qi Refining Stage Level Seven experts would engage in combat, vying for each other's Jade Plates. By then, he would lack the resources and opportunity to confront Wei Lulin.

"Let's keep moving!"

With the pretext of searching for Jade Plates, Wei Luchong thoroughly scoured each area he visited and left the Wei family's distinctive mark, hoping to entice Wei Lulin into a trap.

Three days flew by in an instant.

Wei Lulin, who had been sequestered in a tree hollow, opened his eyes, exhaled a murky breath, stretched, and stood up.

Pushing aside the camouflage at the entrance of the hollow, Wei Lulin stepped out into the open.

Over those three days, he had used four Red Fruits to not only successfully unblock all the acupoints in the eight extraordinary meridians but also leveraged the residual energy and a Qi Increasing Pill to elevate his cultivation to the peak of the Qi Refining Stage Level Four.

He just needed some time to consolidate his gains before he could push forward and elevate his strength once more.

Wei Lulin harbored an even bolder idea, one he intended to pursue after the competition concluded. Beyond his cultivation breakthroughs, his potential had soared, thanks to the Vein Enhancing Pill and the Dantian Cultivating Pill.

Moreover, he had a mid-level martial footwork technique in mind, which he planned to practice while vying for the Jade Plates on his journey ahead.

At this juncture, he felt confident enough to face the most formidable competitor, Xie Jutong. As to the outcome of their confrontation, that would be determined only through battle.

With his significantly enhanced abilities, Wei Lulin no longer needed to avoid anyone. Thus, in the coming period, he was resolved to gather Jade Plates with all his might, ensuring his place among the top three contenders, or better yet, seizing the championship itself.

This was because his grander scheme was inextricably linked to the Hidden Dragon Pavilion.