86: Double breakthrough

“Master, you don’t know, the last time you hit me, my War God Body ached for several days. I even grimaced when I turned over in my sleep at night!”

“Your memory is certainly faster than your Cultivation.”

Gu Changge raised an eyebrow helplessly, “The last time I hit you, it was to remind you that ‘a proud soldier will lose,’ not to make you cling to my leg whenever you see me.”

Xiao Ruobai buried his head even lower, his earlobes turning completely red, but he refused to let go.

Fang Hanyu finally recovered, lightly clearing his throat to hide his embarrassment, but he didn't notice that Primordial Sword was still unsheathed. The scabbard clanged against his waist, making him wince in pain.

Gu Changge looked at Fang Hanyu’s “wanting to laugh but not daring to” expression, then lowered his head to glare at Xiao Ruobai, who was hugging his leg, and finally couldn't help but laugh aloud.

“Alright, get up! If I really wanted to hit you, would I wait for you to hug my leg?”

He flicked the back of Xiao Ruobai’s head, “Remember, pain is to make you remember, not to make you give up when things happen.

Next time you foolishly ponder ‘Master is not as good as me,’ it won’t be as simple as just hurting for a few days.”

Xiao Ruobai finally let go, rubbing his knees as he got up, not forgetting to pick up Nine Heavens Dragon Soul Halberd, and chuckled, “Understood, Master! Next time I definitely won’t make wild guesses, and I won’t make you angry!”

Fang Hanyu also quickly sheathed his sword, bowing to Gu Changge, but the corners of his mouth still couldn’t help but curl upwards, “This Disciple has also learned a lesson.”

Gu Changge looked at the two, one sheepish and smiling, the other trying to suppress his laughter, the smile in his eyes lingering, but his tone became a few shades warmer with affirmation.

“Alright, don’t just focus on fooling around. Your coordination just now has improved.

Xiao Ruobai, when you used your War God Body to press the halberd, you could actively use the weight of your Qi and blood to lock my deflection angle, which shows you’re more adaptable than before.

Hanyu, your surprise sword move from below could be unleashed in the blind spot of Senior Brother’s battle Qi, and your timing was much more accurate than before.”

These words made their eyes light up. Xiao Ruobai’s scratching motion became a bit livelier, and Fang Hanyu quietly straightened his back. The side of his waist that had been hit by the scabbard seemed to no longer hurt.

Gu Changge’s tone shifted slightly, and his fingertips pointed at their weapons respectively.

“But you must also remember that beyond progress, there are still shortcomings. Xiao Ruobai, your Qi and blood circulated too quickly; three-tenths of your force was spent on ‘impetus’ when you pressed the halberd just now. If you could slow down by half a breath to stabilize your Qi and blood, you could not only hold out for two more moves but also use the momentum for a counter-shock.

Fang Hanyu, your Chaos Sword Qi condensed but didn’t gather; you clearly seized the opportunity, but because the Sword Qi dispersed too quickly, it didn’t even break my Spiritual Qi range.

This isn’t a problem with the sword moves; it’s that your control over Spiritual Qi and your grasp of combat opportunities still lack a bit of ‘steadiness’.”

Upon hearing this, the two immediately reined in their joyful thoughts and nodded seriously.

Seeing that they had taken his advice, Gu Changge waved his finger, and two jade bottles appeared in his hand.

One jade bottle contained a radiant, milky-white Innate Spirit Marrow, emitting a gentle glow. As soon as it was unsealed, the surrounding Spiritual Qi frantically surged towards the bottle’s opening.

The other jade bottle contained two drops of golden Great Emperor essence blood. The Emperor-Rank Origin wrapped within the liquid faintly trembled, and even the air seemed to be tinged with faint golden patterns.

Gu Changge then took out two half-human-tall white jade buckets—the buckets were carved with intricate spiritual patterns, and as soon as they were placed on the stone table, they spontaneously radiated a faint glow of Spiritual Qi.

He lifted the bucket lids and first poured the Innate Spirit Marrow from the jade bottle into the two buckets. The milky-white liquid hit the bucket walls, creating tiny spiritual sparks, and the surrounding Spiritual Qi instantly became so dense that it almost condensed into mist.

Immediately after, he poured one drop of Great Emperor essence blood into each bucket.

The moment the golden liquid drops merged with the Spiritual Marrow, a majestic Emperor-Rank pressure suddenly erupted within the buckets. Golden patterns spread along the bucket walls, and even the bluestone slabs beneath the stone table were tinged with a faint golden luster.

Gu Changge waved his hand to disperse the violent pressure in the buckets, leaving only the essence beneficial to the Physical Body.

“Come here.”

Gu Changge pointed at the white jade buckets, his tone carrying a hint of seriousness.

“Take off your outer clothes and get in. Use Spiritual Qi to guide the Spiritual Marrow and essence blood into your body. Remember, bear with it; the essence blood is overbearing, and it will hurt intensely later, so don’t cry out and disturb the peace of Zizhu Peak.”

Xiao Ruobai had only taken two steps closer when he was forced to stop by the pressure emanating from the buckets.

He could clearly feel that the Origin wrapped within the golden liquid made his War God Body spontaneously glow with dark golden patterns, as if it was instinctively resisting this oppressive force.

He swallowed, unable to resist asking, “Master, what… what Rank is this essence blood exactly?!”

Gu Changge replied indifferently, “Don’t ask. If you ask, it’s Foundation Establishment Realm essence blood.”

“Hmph, if you don’t want to say, then don’t. Foundation Establishment Realm, indeed.”

Xiao Ruobai pouted, muttering to himself.

Does he really think I’m still a novice Disciple who just joined?

He previously said he was in the ‘Core Formation Realm Middle Stage,’ and back then, I didn't understand anything and foolishly believed him.

He completely tricked me.

Alas, in the end, I bore it all alone.

He wants to trick me again this time? No way.

His gaze fell on the golden-patterned liquid in the white jade bucket. The oppressive feeling from his War God Body grew stronger and stronger.

That Origin power was astonishingly profound, and its circulation made the surrounding air tremble.

For Master to deliberately conceal its Rank, and for it to emit such strong pressure, this essence blood must surely be the legendary Saint-Grade!

Otherwise, his War God Body wouldn’t instinctively glow with dark golden patterns, and even his Qi and blood wouldn’t tense up.

Fang Hanyu stood to the side. Although he didn’t openly complain like Xiao Ruobai, his fingertips quietly tightened on his sword hilt.

The Chaos Sword Body was exceptionally sensitive to Origin power. He could clearly perceive the sharp energy hidden within the essence blood in the bucket, which could even be transmitted to his palm through the scabbard. Such pure power was far more overbearing than any Cultivation resource he had ever encountered.

“What are you dawdling for? Do you still want to Breakthrough?”

Gu Changge looked up and swept his gaze over the two of them.

“The Spiritual Marrow and essence blood have a limited Fusion duration. If you delay any longer, it will hurt even more during Body Tempering later, so don’t cry out.”

Xiao Ruobai stuck out his tongue, no longer daring to overthink. He quickly followed Fang Hanyu in taking off his outer clothes and stepping into the white jade bucket.

The moment he touched the liquid where the Spiritual Marrow and essence blood mingled, he gasped sharply.

A burning sensation drilled into his Meridians along his skin, like countless tiny fiery needles pricking him. The dark golden patterns of his War God Body instantly lit up, but they could only barely stabilize the surging Qi and blood within his body.

Fang Hanyu also groaned. Chaos Sword Qi surged wildly within his body. He quickly focused and circulated his Cultivation Technique, tightly enveloping the burning power with his Sword Heart and guiding it towards his Purple Mansion.

Although the gentle warmth of the Spiritual Marrow was slowly harmonizing the overbearing nature of the essence blood, that Origin power was still frantically scouring his Meridians, causing beads of sweat to instantly appear on his forehead. Yet, he gritted his teeth, not making a sound.

He neither wanted to disturb the peace of Zizhu Peak nor show weakness in front of his Senior Brother.

As he absorbed the Innate Spirit Marrow and essence blood, Xiao Ruobai felt an overbearing force pushing the power of the essence blood towards his Purple Mansion.

The Spiritual Qi that had been suppressed instantly erupted, intertwining with the power of the Spiritual Marrow and essence blood, and fiercely slammed against the Cave Heaven Realm barrier!

With a loud boom, the barrier shattered. Dark golden battle Qi surged from his body, condensing into a ten-foot-tall War God phantom above his head. The phantom, wielding a long spear, cleaved the surrounding Spiritual Qi mist in half with a single strike.

The liquid in the white jade bucket churned violently, and a dark golden War Martial Grotto Heaven slowly unfolded. Within the Grotto Heaven, phantom mountains and rivers flowed, tinged with a faint golden glow of Emperor blood, its solidity far surpassing the Grotto Heavens of ordinary Cultivators during their Breakthrough.

Fang Hanyu also Broke through at the same moment.

Chaos Sword Qi surged from within the bucket. Primordial Sword, placed outside the bucket, spontaneously emitted a clear sword cry, and the talismans on its scabbard lit up one after another.

A sword-shaped cocoon of light condensed around his body. The moment the light cocoon shattered, a cyan-golden Grotto Heaven suddenly unfolded, with a miniature Primordial Sword suspended in its center.

The instant his Sword Heart connected with the Grotto Heaven, he clearly felt that his control over Sword Qi had advanced significantly.