[DING!]
The cold, mechanical sound resonated not in the air, but in the dying core of Liang Jie's consciousness. The sound and messages were similar to what his friend used to describe as the "Golden Finger", back on Earth. But Liang Jie could not care about it now. He could feel his consciousness fading, his vision getting blurry, his body turning cold.
[The Great Cultivation System: Binding Successful]
Host: Liang Jie
Current Status: Critical. Multiple severe bone fractures (Ribs 3, 5, 7, Left Forearm), InternalHemorrhage, Lung Puncture.
Initiating the Emergency bonus and Novice bonus distribution immediately.
Emergency Bonus: Instant healing of all wounds for once.
Novice Bonus: Forcibly raising the host's cultivation by a minor realm.
Note: The stability and strength of this forcibly raised minor realm depend on the host's own insights and progress into the minor realm.
Multiple messages flooded the fading mind of Liang Jie, as a wave of energy, warmer than any spiritual herb and denser than any natural Qi, flooded Liang Jie's ravaged body. The agony that had held him paralyzed moments before dissolved like snow under a summer sun.
He felt the sickening grind of splintered bone cease, replaced by a surge of heat. As the pain subsided, his wounds healed at a speed visible to the naked eye. Liang Jie felt life coming back to his body as his blurred vision returned to normal.
After the wounds healed, another feeling washed over Liang Jie. He felt as if he had himself freed of some invisible shackles. It was a feeling that was similar to breaking through.
It was weaker compared to a major realm breakthrough like Acupuncture Opening to Body Tempering, which he previously experienced, yet at the same time, it was stronger compared to the breakthrough between minor realms he had previously gone through.
He wasn't sure what this mysterious breakthrough was. But one thing was sure: he didn't enter the Qi condensation realm.
Liang Jie had a hunch.
It might very well be related to the mysterious stage 10 he previously searched for desperately.Just then, as if confirming his suspicions, the mechanical sound sounded again.
[Congratulations to the Host for reaching the Tenth Stage of Body Tempering.]
[Cultivation upgraded from Iron Bones Stage 9 to Silver Bones Stage 1.]
[A part of the host's bones has been converted into Mystic Silver Bones from Black Iron.]
[Thanks to the Host's insights into the realm, the breakthrough was smooth and stable.]
Liang Jie was extremely stunned.
He couldn't believe it.
The realm he has been searching so hard for was reached so easily with the help of this system?
Is this the feeling of having a cheat? A Golden Finger?
Liang Jie's emotions were a complex mix. Being a diligent, hard worker and independent person in both his lives, he didn't know whether to feel happy or sad. Because the appearance of this cheat for a moment made him feel, his previous hard work might have been meaning less.
Still surrounded by the smoke of dust and rubble, Liang Jie slowly came back to his senses.
Reading the system messages once again, he felt his hard work hadn't been totally meaningless, after all, his own insights were what facilitated such a smooth breakthrough.
Pushing aside these thoughts, right now, Liang Jie was more excited about one thing.
How strong he truly was now.
Being stuck in the same realm for more than 6 years, no one was more aware of Liang Jie's body and its capabilities than himself. And at this moment, he felt he was at least 10 times stronger than his previous self.
And he also felt a surge of confidence.Right now in this realm, with his limited qi usage, Liang Jie might not still be Xue Yun, a Qi Condensation First stage match. There was still a gap between their realms. But he might be able to cover it up with his speed and explosive power.
He couldn't wait to test, and this was the perfect opportunity.
Outside the smoke, the stunned audience started chattering, insistently realizing what had just transpired.
Some were shocked by Xue Yun's actions.
Some praised him for his strength, kissing his ass shamelessly.
Others talked among themselves, afraid to say anything out too loud, fearing he would retaliate against them. After all, Xue Yun's background wasn't that ordinary.
Xue Yun himself, yet to come down from his high, spat out "That's what you get, you arrogant waste!", trying to appear victorious, even as fear gnawed at his heart.
After all, attacking a fellow sect member was a grave offence, punishable by expulsion from the sect, let alone one who is the Sect Master's personal disciple, even if he was the "Waste Scholar".
Then, suddenly, something shot out like a cannonball from the smoke of dust and rubble. And before Xue Yun could react, Liang Jie was right in front of him, his fist connected with his chest.
Xue Yun was sent back several steps before stopping. Though he instinctively protected himself with Qi, Xue Yun coughed up a mouthful of blood.
He could understand what sorcery Liang Jie used; not only was this fellow totally unscathed, but he was also able to counterattack at a terrifying speed, attacking him before he could react.
This made Xue Yun's face turn ugly.
"What Uncle Xue? Afraid of this 'Waste Scholar' now?" Liang Jie had a cocky smirk plastered on his face as he looked at him. He felt extremely excited to test the limits of his newfound strength. And Xue Yun was the perfect Punching Bag.
On the other hand, Xue Yun's face turned dark as he grew even angrier. "Arrogant!" he shouted loudly, a roar that made all the disciples feel the pressure of a Qi condensation first stage.
"Fight me if you dare," Xue Yun spat out in anger, consequences be damned. If he didn't break at least a few bones of Liang Jie today, he couldn't rest.
And so they started to exchange blows, fist meeting fist. The wind blew from the fast fists meeting, pushing a few weak students back by a couple of steps.
Everyone was shocked. They looked in awe. Especially at Liang Jie. What was the concept of the Qi Condensation realm?
To many present here, it was an invincible existence that they might not reach in this lifetime.
And now here was Liang Jie, fighting him head-on without losing his ground. The key was, he was still in the Body Tempering Stage!
They couldn't believe this was the same guy they mocked as a "Waste Scholar" a while ago. 'Could it be that this guy was hiding his power all along?' this was the thought everyone present had. But sadly, they didn't know the answer. But as time passed, people cheering Liang Jie started to appear.
On the other side, with each blow exchanged, his face turned ugly. To outsiders, it might appear as if they were equally matched. But Xue Yun knew better. The scales of the battle started to tip in Liang Jie's favor.
His speed... It's triple mine! And the strength is monstrous! Xue Yun thought wildly, and the most terrifying thing was that this brat's speed was still increasing.
His attack speed and strength, when they started, were matched evenly with his, but as time passed, he started to outclass him. If it weren't for his Qi compensating for the lack of raw explosive power and speed, he would have long been defeated.
A thought crossed Xue Yun's mind. Could this fellow be using me as a practice dummy to refine his control over his strength? It made him cough up a mouthful of blood. He was unwilling. But there was nothing he could do. He couldn't suppress him. This bastard was simply too monstrous.Xue Yun broke out in a cold sweat.
But Liang Jie grew excited. The more he fought, the more surprised he grew at his new self. It was totally different from when he was just a Body Tempering Stage 9. If the change from Black Iron to Mystic Silver was this magnificent, then how powerful would it be further down the lane?
For one, Liang Jie wasn't sure of the Body Tempering stages after Stage 9, but he was sure from his deductions that Mystic Silver was just another step.
Thinking about this, Liang Jie couldn't help but grin. He was simply ecstatic imagining how monstrous he would grow when he reached the other major realms after Body Tempering, after completing this cycle.
Seeing Xue Yun lost in thought, as they exchanged blows, Liang Jie taunted, "What Uncle Xue? Regretting provoking me now?" Although Liang Jie's yet to deal any substantial damage to Xue Yun, it was clear he completely outclassed him.
Agitated and forced to a corner, because of his own fears, Xue Yun roared, "Die, You Wretch!" and with that, his body erupted with Qi accumulating for a fatal blow. Xue Yun was not in a state to think of consequences now.
But this momentary gap for accumulation gave Liang Jie enough time to land a barrage of attacks, his attack speed skyrocketing. Xue Yun could feel his bones shattering with each blow as he coughed up blood.
Just then, before a particularly fatal blow could land on Xue Yun, that could possibly cripple him, a thunderous voice echoed from the depths of the Pavilion of Ten Thousand Daos,
"Halt!"
Before anyone could react to the voice, in a blinding flash of cyan light, an old man appeared between the two combatants, catching Liang Jie's Punch. It was Elder Wen Xu, the overseer of the Pavilion of Ten Thousand Daos.
"Liang Jie, what is the meaning of this madness?"