9: Promotion: Bronze Armored Taoist

His identity jade token gained five Merit Points, and only then did Lu Chen walk out of the Internal Affairs Hall.

"Took the mission this morning, finished it this afternoon?"

Hu Tai silently watched Lu Chen's receding figure, his mind full of doubt and confusion!

No, Lu Chen is only at the peak of the Qi Condensation Middle Stage!

There are quite a few Spirit Transformation Realm demonic beasts in Twilight Mountain, how did he do it?

After comprehending Sword Intent, is he really that powerful?

It shouldn't be!

Intents also have levels. Lu Chen should have only just comprehended Sword Intent recently, at most it would be the first level of Sword Intent. How could it be this exaggerated?

He didn't understand, but Hu Tai was greatly shaken!

Good thing the guess in his mind just now wasn't spoken aloud, otherwise his face would be hurting for half the day!

...

Lu Chen quickened his pace and soon returned to his Outer Sect courtyard.

He closed the door, closed the windows, and only then looked inside the 'Nurturing Soldier Immortal Coffin'.

"Six Spirit Transformation Realm demonic beasts, and a full one hundred and seventeen demonic beasts below the Spirit Transformation Realm!"

"If I feed them all to these ten Iron Armor Dao Soldiers, can they be promoted to Copper Armor Dao Soldiers?"

This thought flashed through Lu Chen's mind.

The ten Iron Armor Dao Soldiers in the Immortal Coffin looked at the piled-up demonic beast corpses, their eyes gleaming. The desire to devour the demonic beasts was extremely strong.

"Eat to your hearts' content."

Lu Chen waved his hand, separating the corpses of the six Spirit Transformation Realm demonic beasts, and threw the remaining one hundred and seventeen demonic beasts below the Spirit Transformation Realm to his Iron Armor Dao Soldiers.

As for the remaining six Spirit Transformation Realm demonic beasts, they would be kept to be used as seeds to nurture new Dao Soldiers after he reached Qi Condensation.

Inside the Immortal Coffin, after receiving Lu Chen's affirmation, the ten Iron Armor Dao Soldiers immediately sat down before the piled-up demonic beasts and began to 'devour'. However, this devouring wasn't eating bite by bite, but directly absorbing all the demonic beasts' flesh, blood, and power as nourishment.

Visible to the naked eye, the piled-up demonic beast corpses were continuously decreasing, disappearing one after another, vanishing completely.

"Hmm?"

At the same moment, Lu Chen felt once again that an inexplicable power was feeding back from the Immortal Coffin, rapidly surging into his internal organs, strengthening his Physical Body. His True Qi also increased, but compared to the strengthening of his Physical Body, it was far, far less.

"When Dao Soldiers become stronger, they also provide feedback to me."

Lu Chen had experienced this long ago and wasn't surprised.

His Physical Body's strength was already no weaker than that of an ordinary Body Refinement practitioner at the Nerve-Gathering Later Stage, and was even stronger than his Qi Refining cultivation.

Furthermore, the 'Mixed Origin Undying Scripture' obtained from the Immortal Coffin was a Cultivation Technique that trained the Physical Body, Nascent Soul, and magic power simultaneously. Lu Chen's Physical Body was actually not weak to begin with.

With the 'Mixed Origin Undying Scripture' circulating, Lu Chen entered cultivation.

After an unknown amount of time, Lu Chen suddenly felt the True Qi surging within his body: "I've broken through, to the Nerve-Gathering Later Stage!"

In less than ten days, he had already successively advanced from the Qi Condensation Early Stage to the Later Stage. Such progress was simply astonishing.

"Isn't this a bit too fast?!"

Lu Chen muttered in his heart, wondering if he should conceal it, but quickly dismissed the idea. The Southern Chu Kingdom had a population of tens of millions, and there were many geniuses. There were always some people who were different from ordinary folks.

So, why couldn't that person be him?!

His Aptitude was already extraordinary, and his comprehension was even better. He could withstand scrutiny and stand up to tests!

The demonic beast corpses in the Immortal Coffin were rapidly decreasing and evaporating, being devoured as nourishment by the ten Iron Armor Dao Soldiers.

After an unknown amount of time, one of the Dao Soldiers suddenly underwent a change.

Its greenish-black, iron-like skin was rapidly changing towards a bronze color, and its physical strength and power were also skyrocketing.

At the same time, a strong Fire Intent surged from its body, as if it had mastered it since birth. It was like a spirit of fire, a favored child of Earth Element.

What was even more mystical was that in this instant, Lu Chen suddenly comprehended Earth Element True Intent and Fire Intent from this Dao Soldier.

"When a Dao Soldier is promoting, it can actually allow me, its master, to briefly experience the Intent they command?!"

Lu Chen was pleasantly surprised and immediately seized this opportunity that could dissipate at any moment, beginning to experience the Intent that Dao Soldiers inherently commanded!

He immersed himself in it, clearly sensing the thickness and solidity of Earth Element True Intent, and the heat and ferocity of Fire Intent. His comprehension of Earth Element True Intent also began to rapidly increase accordingly.

Although Lu Chen himself had also comprehended Earth Element True Intent, compared to the Iron Armor Dao Soldiers who inherently commanded Earth Element, he was still far, far behind.

Iron Armor Dao Soldiers were naturally formed from Earth Element, as if they were born from Earth Element itself, knowing it from birth. Their command and application of Earth Element were completely natural.

Lu Chen, however, was different. He relied on his comprehension and borrowed the Earth Elemental Spell created by cultivation Seniors, following its principles to comprehend the Earth Element True Intent.

One was naturally formed, the other forcibly comprehended. Between the two, the difference was immediately apparent.

Intent is divided into nine levels, with the first level being the lowest. Lu Chen's Earth Element True Intent and Sword Intent were both still at the first level, just stepping through the threshold.

The ninth level is the highest, and beyond that is Perfection, where one can already come into contact with the rules of heaven and earth's operation!

Lu Chen guessed that the Earth Element controlled by his Iron Armor Dao Soldiers was likely at least around the fourth level. Especially when this Iron Armor Dao Soldier was promoting to a Copper Armor Dao Soldier, the Earth Element it controlled seemed even higher, possibly having reached the fifth level.

For Lu Chen to be able to briefly comprehend Earth Element True Intent of up to the fifth level, that was also an unspeakable benefit.

Moments later, Lu Chen frowned tightly: "I can't sense it anymore!"

Because this Iron Armor Dao Soldier had completely promoted to a Copper Armor Dao Soldier, that mystical feeling had also disappeared.

Just when his Earth Element True Intent was rapidly climbing, why did it cut off?

Annoying!

If he had a little more time, Lu Chen was even confident he could push the first level of Earth Element True Intent to its peak, or even step into the second level!

"What a pity!" Lu Chen felt deeply regretful.

At this moment, another Iron Armor Dao Soldier also underwent a change, similarly beginning to promote towards being a Copper Armor Dao Soldier.

"There's still a chance!" Lu Chen's eyes lit up, and he suddenly felt enlightened.

There were still chances, and not just once!

Because he had ten Iron Armor Dao Soldiers, all of whom could promote to Copper Armor Dao Soldiers. Moreover, he had already entered the Nerve-Gathering Later Stage, and five of the six Spirit Transformation Realm demonic beast corpses had already been used by Lu Chen as Dao Soldier seeds to nurture Dao Soldiers.

These were all his opportunities!

Time flew by. The Iron Armor Dao Soldiers in the Nurturing Soldier Immortal Coffin promoted one after another, and it quickly came to an end.

But soon, the corpses of five of the Spirit Transformation Realm demonic beasts also disappeared, becoming five new Copper Armor Dao Soldiers.

After a long while!

Only then did Lu Chen slowly awaken from his comprehension. He remained silent, then suddenly raised his hand, and a scorching firelight condensed in his palm. He raised his hand again, and a dense Earth Element from beneath the earth condensed before him, transforming into a small stone giant over three meters tall.

A satisfied arc couldn't help but appear at the corner of his mouth: "Earth Element True Intent has already entered the second level. Fire Intent has also been comprehended to the first level."

An unexpected pleasant surprise!

Next, it was time to look at his new Dao Soldiers, the Copper Armor Dao Soldiers!

Lu Chen was full of anticipation. The lowest level Iron Armor Dao Soldiers could run rampant in Twilight Mountain, killing Early Stage Spirit Transformation demonic beasts like slaughtering dogs. What kind of might would the higher-level Copper Armor Dao Soldiers possess?