Heavenly Tyrant Martial Soul

Devour!

Continuously devour!

Ling Xiao fed all the martial arts he had learned except <Soaring Cloud Steps> to the <Bull Demon Technique>.

The experience of <Bull Demon Technique> continuously rose.

Breakthrough the first layer!

Breakthrough the second layer!

Breakthrough the third layer!

Finally, the breakthroughs stopped at the seventh layer!

However, at this moment, <Bull Demon Technique>’s name had undergone a subtle change to <Bull Demon Technique-Condensed Balefulness>.

The introduction text had accordingly changed.

“…<Bull Demon Technique-Condensed Balefulness>: After several fusion breakthroughs, <Bull Demon Technique> now contains the secrets of an internal technique, a heart law, and movement, martial, and secret techniques. Peerless below Rank Six Martial Vein, it can dominate most under Rank Nine Martial Vein!”

“Cultivation requirements: Peak Rank Three Martial Vein, vigorous true qi, firm willpower, iron-like body, and able to withstand baleful aura entering one’s body.”

“Cultivating this technique will produce gang qi. However, Continuous battles are needed to temper oneself, and it still needs to devour other merit laws to improve its realm!”

“This merit law produces a strong baleful aura. By incorporating it into attacks, although it can’t cause substantial injuries, it can terrify opponents, being extra effective against weak-willed opponents.”

Upon seeing this, excitement surged in his heart.

Not to mention everything else, just being able to produce gang qi was enough to drive him crazy.

Furthermore, this thing could not only produce gang qi but would also condense baleful aura, destroying opponent’s both physically and mentally.

This was truly fierce.

In other words, even if he were unable to ever breakthrough to Rank Four Martial Vein, by relying on <Bull Demon Technique-Condensed Balefulness>, he could contend against a Rank Four Martial Vein martial artist.

Originally, Ling Xiao had only expected it to level some after devouring the martial arts, but  it had undergone a fundamental change.

This <Bull Demon Technique> was an amazing technique. Before, it had been classified as an intermediate martial art, but it had clearly been many times more powerful than other intermediate martial arts.

Now, after its fusion and subsequent improvement, it might even suppress advanced martial arts. Perhaps, it had already reached the peak level of martial arts.

Speaking of this, if he used his previously-learned <Pure Yang Technique>, <Hundred Steps Flying Sword Technique>, and his other merit laws while under the effects of <Bull Demon Technique-Condensed Balefulness>, would they too attain the same level? After all, following their devouring he could still use them, he just couldn’t further cultivate them.

“A Transcendent Martial Art?”

As he struggled to curb his excitement at obtaining a peak martial art, he noticed that some text had appeared above the Landscape Painting.

“Peak martial arts are peak existences among your secular martial arts, but above the peak grade is the transcendent grade!”

“After connecting the nine martial veins, one will be promoted to become a Rank Nine Martial Vein martial artist. Nevertheless, after achieving the perfection of Rank Nine Martial Vein, there is still the Transcendent Realm with its nine transcendent ranks. That is the next realm for martial artists!”

Such a marvelous secret, the current Ling Xiao was unqualified to know. So, those words above the Landscape Painting greatly shocked him.

He had always believed that Rank Nine Martial Vein was the apex of martial artists.

He had always believed that peak martial arts were the best martial arts.

However, now he had discovered a Transcendent Realm above Rank Nine Martial Vein.

Above peak martial arts were transcendent martial arts.

Transcendent Realm?

Transcendent martial arts?

What kind of realm was that? What kind of martial arts were they?

As his strength increased, Ling Xiao discovered that his vision widened. In the past, it had been limited to the Ling Clan, or at most Heavenly Peak City.

The most powerful people he knew were people of the four major clans.

Now, he realized that he was just a frog in a well lusting for the circle of sky he could see from the bottom of his well, nothing more.

He had to work harder!

……

In his training room, day and night held no meaning because there were no windows. Instead, luminescent pearls illuminated this room.

Therefore, Ling Xiao was unaware of the outside. He had already prepared rations and warned his grandfather Hong Qi not to disturb him.

He had to enter seclusion.

He wanted to comprehend gang qi, so he would be invincible below Rank Four Martial Vein.

Even if he later ran into Rank Four Martial Vein martial artists, he would have the power to resist. At least, his disadvantage wouldn’t be so noticeable.

Nevertheless, how can comprehending gang qi be an easy matter?

Although the Landscape Martial Soul could help him analyze cultivation techniques, it couldn’t bring enlightenment.

Furthermore, gang qi required understanding many facts of cultivation.

This was why so many martial artists attached great importance to one’s comprehension abilities.

Although he was clueless about many things, he knew that there were countless martial artists in Heavenly Peak City. Just in the Ling Clan alone, there were over a thousand Rank Three Martial Vein martial artists. Moreover, there were still the other three major clans and many smaller clans.

From his rough estimates, there were over ten thousand Rank Three Martial Vein martial artists just within his small corner of the world.

While many were Peak Rank Three Martial Vein martial artists, few would ever breakthrough to Rank Four Martial Vein and convert their true qi into gang qi.

Most people would stop at Peak Rank Three Martial Vein realm in their lives, unable to take the next step. This was the first true bottleneck on the path to cultivation. They wouldn’t comprehend gang qi in their entire lives. This was a common matter.

This was also why geniuses like Ling Tieshou, Ling Feng, Ling Yixue, and Li Xingyun who were all Peak Rank Three Martial Vein martial artists had such high hopes.

Their comprehension abilities were formidable, and they were still young. Naturally, the possibility of them achieving a breakthrough was extremely high.

Still, among them, the shortest time any had remained in this stage was several months, and some had been stuck here for several years without a breakthrough. 

Ling Xiao wanting to make a breakthrough in a few hours was truly underestimating the difficulty of converting true qi into gang qi.

However, he had formed good habits. When he couldn’t make progress in a matter, he wouldn’t fixate on it but rather proceed from another angle.

Since he had already upgraded <Bull Demon Technique> to <Bull Demon Technique-Condensed Balefulness>, couldn’t he also upgrade <Soaring Cloud Steps>?

If <Soaring Cloud Steps> were also upgraded, would it help in condensing gang qi?

Ling Xiao didn’t hesitate.

He selected the remaining intermediate movement techniques from his collection of merit laws and cultivated them.

In any case, he planned to remain in seclusion until the day before the annual competition. If he were unable to condense gang qi, upgrading <Soaring Cloud Steps> would also increase his combat power.

A hot-blooded nature was very important for martial artists.

But calm focus was similarly important.

Two hours later, his <Soaring Cloud Steps> broke through once again, reaching the Third Heavenly Step.

He then tried to condense gang qi but still failed. However, he received a bit of enlightenment and progressed a bit.

Seeing some success with his current plan, he continued to upgrade <Soaring Cloud Steps>.

After four more hours, <Soaring Cloud Steps> broke through to the Fourth Heavenly Step.

He tried and failed to condense gang qi once more. However, during the process, he clearly noticed a trace of true qi reach the level of gang qi.

However, he was unable to condense it further.

This meant that his strength was still lacking.

It also simultaneously proved that upgrading <Soaring Cloud Steps> was indeed helpful in condensing gang qi.

Continue!

He wasn’t prepared to give up. Even when his strength had halted at Rank One Martial Vein, he had never given up.

Now that his strength was improving so fast, he had even more motivation to persist. 

After six hours, <Soaring Cloud Steps> broke through again, reaching the Fifth Heavenly Step.

After eight hours, <Soaring Cloud Steps> reached the Sixth Heavenly Step.

Finally, the actual <Soaring Cloud Steps> in the Landscape Painting had a qualitative change.

Its name changed to <Soaring Cloud Steps-Flood Dragon Transformation>.

Naturally, its summary also changed.