45: Chapter 45 Breakthrough to the Early Stage of Marrow Cleansing in One Night, A New Realm of Combat Power

As night deepened, moonlight filtered through the window lattice, falling upon Li Siwen (Li Shiwen), who sat cross-legged.

After achieving Vein Forging Extreme Realm and initially grasping Innate Body Refining Art and Basic Sword Dao, he felt no fatigue. Instead, he was full of energy, with power surging within him, at his Peak condition.

"It's still early; why not make a concerted effort and Breakthrough to Marrow Cleansing!"

With the thought firmly set, he no longer hesitated.

With a flip of his palm, a marrow cleansing pill, the size of a longan, perfectly round, emanating a faint fragrance and immense energy, appeared in his palm.

This was one of the accumulations he had received from his previous lottery draws.

Tilting his head back, he swallowed the Medicinal Pill. Li Siwen closed his eyes again, focused his mind inward, and circulated the chapter on the Marrow Cleansing Stage from the Xuanjian Sect's basic Cultivation Technique, guiding the medicinal power to assault the deeper Marrow Cleansing Realm.

However, this Breakthrough was completely different from the previous rapid and irresistible advancements.

The medicinal power of the marrow cleansing pill was still vast and immense, surging into his limbs and bones, attempting to penetrate the bones, cleanse the bone marrow, and refine his essence.

The process didn't seem difficult; there were no solid barriers or insurmountable obstacles.

But... it was just slow.

The speed at which the medicinal power penetrated the bones and the efficiency of the Internal Energy cleansing the bone marrow seemed to be stuck in some viscous colloid, becoming sluggish and stagnant.

It was no longer a swift torrent but like a trickling stream, requiring patient, gradual infiltration, flushing, and transformation.

"Is it because I've made too many consecutive Breakthroughs recently, and my Realm has advanced too quickly, causing my body to instinctively need a period of adaptation and precipitation?" Li Siwen realized in his heart.

Accustomed to the exhilarating feeling of almost 'instant Breakthroughs' before, this slow, 'grinding' process now made him feel a hint of impatience and anxiety.

He tried to circulate his Cultivation Technique with more effort and guide his Internal Energy more subtly.

However, with the 300% Comprehension Ability bonus in his female disguise, he clearly realized that this was not due to a lack of skill or Comprehension Ability, but a natural 'buffering' need at the physical and energy levels.

Forcing acceleration might instead destabilize his Foundation.

"Tsk, it's truly easy to go from frugality to extravagance, but difficult to go from extravagance to frugality," Li Siwen thought with a bitter smile.

After a moment's thought, he moved his mind and took out a small bottle of Living Spirit Spring from his xuan kong ring, drinking a few drops.

The warm and vital energy instantly dissolved, integrating into his Meridians and merging into the surging Internal Energy, as if injecting a fresh vitality into a slowly flowing stream.

Indeed, the efficiency improved a bit!

The absorption of medicinal power by the bones and the speed at which the bone marrow was cleansed both noticeably accelerated slightly.

But... it still wasn't fast.

Compared to previous Realm Breakthroughs, this speed still seemed 'torturous'.

"It seems that after breaking through to the Marrow Cleansing Stage, I really need to settle down for a period, thoroughly familiarize myself with and master the power of this Realm, and no longer blindly pursue Breakthrough speed."

Li Siwen secretly thought, suppressing the anxiety, and completely calmed his mind. He began patiently guiding the medicinal power and the energy of the Living Spirit Spring, meticulously performing this 'grinding work'.

He didn't know that while he was concentrating on his Breakthrough, inside the palm-sized Dao Yi Puppet, which was stored deep within the System space...

Yue Li's remnant Soul, which was recuperating within, seemed to faintly sense the rich and gentle vital energy from the outside world, as well as a unique aura emanating from Li Siwen during his Breakthrough.

Her Soul Power, which had been slowly recovering on its own, subtly accelerated its recovery under the implicit nourishment and resonance of these two auras, and her remnant Soul became slightly more solid.

However, this change was extremely subtle, so much so that even Li Siwen, as the person involved, did not notice it.

Time flowed little by little in this slow but steady cleansing.

The moon passed its zenith and gradually began to set in the west.

When most of his bone marrow had been cleansed and refined, and the Realm barrier had loosened, on the verge of fully entering the Marrow Cleansing Stage—

Li Siwen suddenly opened his eyes. With a flip of his palm, a jade talisman shimmering with a soft, clear glow and covered in profound patterns appeared in his palm.

It was the last remaining Inner Strength Refinement Talisman he had obtained from his previous ten consecutive draws!

He had used one after breaking through Pulse Forging and Aperture Opening respectively, and they had been remarkably effective, quickly smoothing out surging power and stabilizing the initial Breakthrough Realm.

Now, as he was breaking through Marrow Cleansing, Li Siwen unhesitatingly placed it on his body.

Buzz!

The jade talisman instantly burst into brilliant light, transforming into a cool, moonlight-like radiance that instantly immersed itself into his body!

Wherever the clear light passed, the restless, surging new Internal Energy of the Marrow Cleansing Stage within his body, which was slightly agitated by the Breakthrough, seemed to be gently stroked by an invisible, gentle hand, instantly becoming docile, compliant, and smoothly integrated!

The newly entered Realm, which would have normally taken several days or even longer to gradually stabilize, solidified and stabilized at a visible speed under the refinement of this miraculous power!

His Meridians, Dantian, and even his newly formed bone marrow, all better adapted to and carried this new, more powerful force.

The final Breakthrough barrier, with the assistance of this refining power, was easily and completely breached!

The entire process was as natural as water flowing into a channel, incredibly smooth!

As the eastern sky gradually turned a pale white.

The last trace of agitated Internal Energy within Li Siwen was completely smoothed out, and his Realm was thoroughly stabilized at the Early stage of Marrow Cleansing!

He slowly opened his eyes, his gaze sharp yet contained, his spirit full and complete.

A sense of lightness, as if reborn, and a solid feeling of power flowing through him, simultaneously surged throughout his entire body!

His Qi and blood became even purer and more surging, his bone density greatly increased, faintly emitting a jade-like luster. His body's overall strength, power, and ability to sense and absorb external Origin Qi all ascended to a new and incredibly stable level!

Early stage of Marrow Cleansing, achieved! And the Realm is stable!

"Phew—it's finally done. This Breakthrough to the Marrow Cleansing Stage indeed took much longer than before. Fortunately, I still had this last spirit talisman, saving me a lot of slow, 'grinding' effort to consolidate."

Li Siwen let out a long breath, feeling the smoothly circulating power within him, and nodded with satisfaction.

If the Cultivators outside, who were stuck at Aperture Opening Completion for several years, or even more than ten years, and still needed to seclude themselves for several months to barely stabilize their Realm after a Breakthrough, were to hear his 'took much longer' humblebrag, they might be so angered that their Dao Heart would become unstable.

Breaking through and stabilizing the Realm overnight, this was already a Prodigy-like speed!

After consolidating his cultivation in the new Realm, Li Siwen habitually glanced at the System panel.

Some emotion points had accumulated again, but they didn't even reach four digits. This 'small change' was indeed a bit negligible at the moment.

"I'll save them for now!" He closed the panel.

He stood up and stretched his muscles and bones; a series of fine crackling sounds, like popping beans, immediately emanated from within his body, full of a sense of power.

After a simple wash and tidy-up, changing into clean clothes (still women's attire), Li Siwen pushed open his door.

The morning light was faint, and the air was fresh.

But what was on his mind at this moment was not the upcoming outer sect promotion assessment, nor how to settle scores with Chu Youcai, but the Senior Brother who was severely injured and unconscious because of him, his Dao path almost severed—

Yu Qing.

"It's time to go see Senior Brother Yu Qing." Li Siwen's gaze turned towards the Law Enforcement Hall area in the Utility Area, with a hint of guilt and determination in his eyes.

He didn't know Yu Qing's exact condition, but he held hope in his hands.

The Nine Aperture Spirit Nurturing Flower, which he had already given to Tang Jingjing, and the 'Nine Aperture Origin Restoring Pill' promised by the Holy Maiden of Yaoguang!

No matter what, he would do his best to reverse all of this.

Taking a step, he quickly walked towards Yu Qing's direction.