23: Gathering soil to form an army

Yes, for every minor Realm Breakthrough in the Qi Condensation Realm, one can nurture five more Dao Soldiers.

As the Realm improves, upon reaching the Spirit Transformation Realm, it's ten Dao Soldiers. It's not just that breaking through the major Realm from Qi Condensation to Spirit Transformation allows nurturing ten more, but subsequently, for every layer broken through in the middle and Late Stages of Spirit Transformation, one can nurture ten more Dao Soldiers.

This is Lu Chen's true trump card!

His own cultivation only accounts for a small part of his total strength.

On the contrary, the Dao Soldiers in the Nurturing Soldier Immortal Coffin make up the majority.

Currently, he already has fifteen Copper Armor Dao Soldiers in the Nurturing Soldier Immortal Coffin, and they will soon be able to advance to Silver Armor Dao Soldiers. If there are ten more Dao Soldiers, that will be twenty-five Dao Soldiers.

Even Lu Chen finds it hard to imagine how astonishing twenty-five Dao Soldiers would be!

Previously, when he was only at the Peak of the Qi Condensation Realm, he could rely on fifteen Copper Armor Dao Soldiers to encircle and kill a Grand Demon Rat in the Penetrating Aperture Realm, which was two major Realms higher than him. If the Copper Armor Dao Soldiers were replaced by Silver Armor Dao Soldiers, and the fifteen Dao Soldiers increased to twenty-five Dao Soldiers...

It's hard to imagine how quickly that Grand Demon Rat would have died then!

"What a pity, there aren't enough seeds!" Lu Chen felt a slight regret.

Now that he has entered the Spirit Transformation Realm, the fifteen Dao Soldiers he previously nurtured have also reached the limit of Copper Armor Dao Soldiers and could advance to Silver Armor Dao Soldiers at any time.

With his current conditions, if he wants to nurture Dao Soldiers again, it's naturally impossible to just find any Spirit Transformation Realm demon beast or creature to nurture Copper Armor Dao Soldiers. If he's going to nurture them, he'll nurture Silver Armor Dao Soldiers.

Silver Armor Dao Soldiers command the three great powers of Earth Element, Fire Element, and Water Element. Their physical bodies are stronger, and their power is greater. Whether on the ground, inside volcanoes, or in rivers, lakes, and seas, they will have no weaknesses and their strength will even be enhanced, making them significantly stronger than Copper Armor Dao Soldiers. They correspond to the Penetrating Aperture Realm.

It can be said that as long as he has nurtured Silver Armor Dao Soldiers, Lu Chen can move unhindered within the Penetrating Aperture Realm.

Let alone demon creatures, even cultivators with spirit artifacts and magic can still be crushed. If one Silver Armor Dao Soldier can't defeat them, what about ten? What about twenty? They can bury you!

Of course, currently Lu Chen doesn't have the conditions for this, because there aren't enough demon beasts.

But it's fortunate that he previously used Copper Armor Dao Soldiers to encircle and kill a Grand Demon Rat, which was precisely in the Penetrating Aperture Realm. It's perfect for nurturing Silver Armor Dao Soldiers.

With a thought, the corpse of the Grand Demon Rat in the Nurturing Soldier Immortal Coffin began nurturing a Dao Soldier, but the speed was not fast. It's estimated that it will take at least three hours to completely nurture a Silver Armor Dao Soldier.

Lu Chen wasn't in a hurry and could wait slowly.

He had already made his plans. Once this Silver Armor Dao Soldier is nurtured, he will take on a mission that has resources for Penetrating Aperture Realm demon beasts. After hunting enough demon beasts and nurturing the full complement of Silver Armor Dao Soldiers, he will advance to the Inner Sect.

While thinking about these things, a shout suddenly came from outside the house: "Is Junior Brother Lu Chen there?"

The voice was clear and pleasant, a woman's voice, with a hint of boldness.

Whose voice? It was very unfamiliar.

Lu Chen thought for a moment, walked out of the house, and opened the courtyard gate to see a woman standing beautifully outside the courtyard, wearing a dark-colored dress. She had a pretty appearance, especially her eyes which were extraordinarily bright, sparkling as if with light. Her long hair was tied up with a simple dark hair accessory, like a high ponytail. Her figure was slender, and even though the dress was form-fitting, there was no excess flesh to be seen. Her chest was well-formed and ample, very eye-catching.

What was particularly striking was that this girl was not the gentle type. At a glance, one could see she carried a bit of heroic straightforwardness, like a female knight from storybooks.

Moreover, her strength seemed very high. Even though Lu Chen had entered the Early Stage of Spirit Transformation, he still couldn't see through any of this woman's strength.

Conservatively estimated, she was at least in the Middle Stage of Penetrating Aperture or above.

Seeing Lu Chen walk out, the woman's eyes also lit up slightly. He was young and handsome, with a hint of heroism, dressed in a green robe, quite tall, with eyes like scattered stars, valiant and extraordinary, neither cold nor indifferent, giving off a feeling of warmth yet not lacking in masculinity.

"Are you Lu Chen, Junior Brother Lu?" The woman looked Lu Chen up and down twice and said, "I am from the Law Enforcement Hall of Mingjing Peak. My surname is Xuan and my given name is Qi."

After a pause, she got straight to the point and asked, "Did you investigate the situation in Donghe County and Mangniu Mountain?"

So that's why she came!

Lu Chen nodded in response: "That's right."

Xuan Qi flipped her hand and took out a bamboo slip: "This is the Sect's reward for your mission this time, fifty Merit Points. Take this item to the Internal Affairs Hall to exchange it."

Good heavens, fifty Merit Points! This is even higher than the Merit Points from killing demons in Wuguan County, plus using Zhong Yi and Zhang Bingsong's strength to kill two old rogue cultivators!

Lu Chen quickly cupped his fists: "Thank you, Senior Apprentice-Sister Xuan, for making this trip."

After speaking, he accepted the bamboo slip. Fifty Merit Points were enough to exchange for some more pills for cultivation.

Xuan Qi waved her hand, and her pair of bright large eyes fell on Lu Chen again: "I heard from Junior Brothers Zhong Yi and Zhang Bingsong that your Earth Elemental Spell is extremely formidable, especially Gathering Earth to Form Soldiers, which is particularly outstanding. When you were still at the Peak of Qi Condensation, the Earth Element soldier armor from Gathering Earth to Form Soldiers could cross a major Realm to kill a Demon Wolf in the Middle Stage of Spirit Transformation, is that true?"

Zhong Yi and Zhang Bingsong, those big mouths, are really annoying!

What Gathering Earth to Form Soldiers? That's Copper Armor Dao Soldiers, damn it!

Moreover, Lu Chen didn't want to expose the matter of Dao Soldiers so quickly, after all, this concerned his accompanying treasure, the Nurturing Soldier Immortal Coffin.

Lu Chen thought for a moment, braced himself, and said, "There is such a thing."

Xuan Qi's already bright large eyes became even more radiant: "It seems Junior Brother has a deep understanding of Earth Element True Intent! Come, let's spar a bit, Senior Apprentice-Sister. It just so happens that I also have quite some attainment in Earth Elemental Spell, and I can also use Gathering Earth to Form Soldiers."

"Don't worry, Senior Apprentice-Sister won't suppress you with Realm. We'll only compare the Gathering Earth to Form Soldiers Technique."

The Gathering Earth to Form Soldiers Technique can only be used after comprehending the Earth Element True Intent. Upon reaching the Penetrating Aperture Realm, one must comprehend True Intent for cultivation, otherwise, with insufficient Divine Soul, strength will inevitably stagnate. Xuan Qi is at least in the Late Stage of the Penetrating Aperture Realm, which means her Earth Element True Intent has been comprehended to at least the second layer.

Lu Chen's Earth Element True Intent is only at this level, at most on par with Xuan Qi. He himself doesn't know if this level of True Intent can achieve killing a Demon Wolf in the Middle Stage of the Spirit Transformation Realm while being at the Peak of the Qi Condensation Realm.

Because Lu Chen had never used the magic of Gathering Earth to Form Soldiers against enemies at all, it would be strange if he knew.

He didn't know, but Xuan Qi definitely knew. What if the second layer of Earth Element True Intent was simply not enough to support Lu Chen in crossing Realms at the Peak of Qi Condensation to kill a Demon Wolf in the Middle Stage of Spirit Transformation? Then, the lie about the Gathering Earth to Form Soldiers Technique killing a Demon Wolf would be exposed on the spot and seen through by Xuan Qi!

Damn it, Zhong Yi and Zhang Bingsong, you guys! I brought you credit, and you're causing me trouble, aren't you?!

Fine, fine, fine. Next time there's something good, don't even think about getting a bite!

Lu Chen silently and fiercely slandered Zhong Yi and Zhang Bingsong in his heart, and then looked at Xuan Qi, revealing a sunny smile: "It is my honor to receive guidance from Senior Apprentice-Sister."

After speaking, Lu Chen suddenly burrowed into the ground. Beneath the ground, he silently summoned a Copper Armor Dao Soldier and quickly condensed Earth Element power to form stone armor, covering its entire body.

So, when Lu Chen reappeared before Xuan Qi, there was already a stone little giant nearly three meters tall beside him.

"Senior Apprentice-Sister, please!"