36: Chapter 36 True Qi Realm Ninth Level

Bronze Courtyard.

Unlike the crowded and noisy collective dormitories of the Tiezi Courtyard, this was an exclusive area for the true high-ranking officials of the Demon Suppression Division.

Every Bronze Medal Envoy possessed an independent, sprawling, and exquisite courtyard.

Inside the courtyard were rockeries, flowing water, pavilions, and towers; Spiritual Qi was abundant, and it even came equipped with a dedicated quiet room for cultivation.

Holding his newly acquired key, Lin Feng couldn't wait to head to the Armory.

It was the same two deacons; seeing Lin Feng now, they bowed and scraped, no longer showing the slightest hint of neglect.

"This humble servant greets Lord Lin!"

They were truly afraid.

No joke, this was the youngest Bronze Medal Envoy in the history of the Demon Suppression Division, a ruthless man who had obliterated a half-step Danyuan expert with a single strike!

Thinking back to how they dared to make things difficult for him before, it was practically dancing on the grave of the King of Hell; not being ground to dust on the spot was already a miracle of ancestral blessings.

"Enough, don't bother with those empty formalities in the future."

Lin Feng waved his hand and walked straight to the third floor of the Armory.

This place was a true Forbidden Ground.

Only Bronze Medal Envoys were qualified to step foot here.

Unlike the first and second floors, the third floor was excessively empty, with only a single, solitary black bookshelf.

On the shelf, there were only a dozen or so Secret Manuals sealed in golden jade boxes, along with a few divine weapons.

But from every jade box and divine weapon, heart-palpitating fluctuations of spiritual power emanated.

Lin Feng took a deep breath and began his shopping spree.

This four-star mission had earned him twenty thousand merit points, which, combined with what he had accumulated from previous missions, reached a staggering total of 62,700 points!

He could be called the wealthiest person in the Demon Suppression Division!

Without the slightest hesitation, he locked onto his targets.

The first item: a weapon.

His previous Hundred-Refined Steel Saber had broken, and he had his eye on a ferocious warblade, pitch-black all over, with ancient demonic runes engraved upon the blade.

[Life-Slaying Blade]: Forged from meteoric iron mixed with earth-core lava, tempered for eighty-one days; the blade contains Evil Qi and is indestructible. Exchange price: 20,000 merit points.

The second item: a saber technique.

[Three Blades of Avici]: A saber technique of unknown origin; it is said that upon reaching Perfection, one can slay gods and sever the Great Dao with a single strike. Consists of three forms: Mortal Severance, God Slaughter, and Dao Annihilation. Exchange price: 20,000 merit points.

The third item: a movement technique.

[Snow-Treading Ghost Step]: A movement technique; when cultivated to Major Achievement, one walks upon the void. With a single step, the body can shift between reality and illusion, making it impossible for even ghosts and gods to track. Exchange price: 20,000 merit points.

Three items, exactly 60,000 merit points.

The old man with the goatee looked at the three "treasures of the vault" Lin Feng had selected, his hands trembling.

"L-Lord Lin, are you sure you want to exchange for these?"

Weren't every one of these Secret Manuals and divine weapons treated like precious treasures?

It might be several years before anyone could even exchange for one.

Yet this lord was something else; he came and just packed them all up to take away!

...

Bronze Courtyard, Courtyard No. 7.

This place was completely different from the crowded and noisy Tiezi Courtyard, which was comparable to a university dormitory.

A quiet and elegant detached courtyard with rockeries, flowing water, pavilions, and towers.

Lin Feng had no interest in admiring it and immediately closed the door.

He didn't care about his rise in status or the improved treatment.

All he cared about was the string of shining numbers on the System panel.

[critical hit points: 257,550]

"System, stop sleeping, get up and work!"

[Ding! Detected that the host possesses a massive amount of critical hit points. Shall we begin the strength enhancement?]

"Obviously!"

Lin Feng didn't hesitate for a second.

[Ding! Consumed 100,000 critical hit points, "Heaven-Burning Sun Art" critical hit successful!]

Boom!!!

A golden torrent, purer and more blazing than any before, exploded within his body!

If his previous spiritual power was a surging river, then at this moment, this force was solar lava concentrated from the energy of a hundred thousand volcanoes!

The Qi cyclone within him spun frantically, its speed reaching the extreme, as if it were about to transform into a black hole that swallowed everything.

The Bottleneck of his original seventh-level True Qi Realm cultivation was as fragile as window paper before this unreasonable power, shattering with a single poke!

Eighth level of the True Qi Realm!

Ninth level of the True Qi Realm!

His cultivation was like boarding an out-of-control spiritual energy airship, advancing triumphantly all the way until it finally came to a steady halt at the Peak of the ninth level of the True Qi Realm!

He was only one step away from the legendary Danyuan Realm!

"Whew..."

Lin Feng exhaled a breath of scorching air, causing the atmosphere to warp slightly from the heat.

The purity and abundance of his True Qi at this moment were more than ten times stronger than before!

Next, should he skip Phantom Streamer Step and upgrade Snow-Treading Ghost Step directly?

Lin Feng narrowed his eyes, contemplating slightly as he looked at the panel.

No.

Although Snow-Treading Ghost Step was more Advanced than Phantom Streamer Step...

...the focus of Phantom Streamer Step was on shifting, whereas Snow-Treading Ghost Step was about longitudinal speed.

Their characteristics were different.

Furthermore, for every Cultivation Technique, the effect from Major Achievement to Perfection was a qualitative leap.

Thinking of this, Lin Feng no longer hesitated.

[Ding! Consumed 100,000 critical hit points, "Phantom Streamer Step" critical hit successful!]

"Phantom Streamer Step," Perfection!

Another massive torrent of insight flooded into his Sea of Consciousness.

With a thought from Lin Feng, his figure vanished from the spot instantly.

In the next moment, hundreds of identical "Lin Fengs" appeared simultaneously throughout the cultivation quiet room!

Every single one was lifelike, even mimicking to Perfection that arrogant "I'm awesome, come hit me" vibe in their eyes.

These phantoms were no longer mere afterimages; they contained a trace of his True Qi and could even perform simple attack movements individually, enough to pass for the real thing.

"Very good, very powerful. It shows my thinking was correct."

Lin Feng nodded with satisfaction. "Now just the saber technique and movement technique are left."

He locked his gaze onto the two top-tier Secret Manuals he had just exchanged for.

[Ding! Consumed 20,000 critical hit points, "Three Blades of Avici" critical hit successful! Realm raised to Beginner!]

[Ding! Consumed 20,000 critical hit points, "Snow-Treading Ghost Step" critical hit successful! Realm raised to Beginner!]

Two completely different, profound insights rushed into his mind.

One was a terrifying Saber Intent that seemed to come from the Nine Serenities of Hell, filled with endless slaughter and destruction.

Even at the Beginner level, it made Lin Feng feel as if his Soul was about to be torn apart by that Saber Intent.

The other was an ethereal and elegant movement technique, a mysterious footwork that seemed to merge with the void of heaven and earth.

With one step, his body could freely switch between reality and illusion.

"Hiss... these techniques really are on a whole different level."

Lin Feng smacked his lips.

Just for the Beginner level, each required twenty thousand critical hit points.

The threshold for this pay-to-win System has suddenly jumped up.

But looking at his brand-new attribute panel, Lin Feng felt that these critical hit points were well spent!

[Host: Lin Feng]

[Realm: Ninth Level of the True Qi Realm (Peak)]

[Cultivation Technique: "Heaven-Burning Sun Art" (Perfection)]

[Martial Skills: "Nine Tribulations Thunder Slash" (Perfection), "Three Blades of Avici" (Beginner)]

[Movement Techniques: "Phantom Streamer Step" (Perfection), "Snow-Treading Ghost Step" (Beginner)]

[Critical Hit Multiplier: 110x]

[critical hit points: 17,550]

"Peak of the ninth level of the True Qi Realm, Perfection in both cultivation and movement techniques, plus two Advanced Martial Skills at my disposal..."

Lin Feng stood up and stretched his limbs, feeling his entire body brimming with inexhaustible power.

He now had absolute confidence that if that Old Demon Black Wind came back to life, he wouldn't even need to use the "Three Blades of Avici"; just with the Perfect "Nine Tribulations Thunder Slash" and a 110x critical hit, he could send him away—body, ashes, and urn—with a single strike!

"Sigh, being invincible is always so plain, simple, and boring."

Lin Feng looked up at the ceiling at a forty-five-degree angle and let out a Versailles-style sigh.

"critical hit points are still not enough; I need to keep farming them."

Just as he was planning to go to the Mission Hall tomorrow to take on some "Dragon-Slaying, Phoenix-Exterminating" mission, a sudden flurry of urgent footsteps came from outside the courtyard.

It was Zhao Tie and Li Rui.

"Brother Lin! Brother Lin, something's wrong!"

Before the two even entered, their noisy voices drifted in.

"What is it?"

Lin Feng opened the door and looked at the panting pair, his brow furrowing slightly.

"The Division... something big has happened in the Division!"

Zhao Tie said with a grave expression, "News came from the City Lord's Manor that several murders have occurred in the commandery city recently! The victims... the victims were all young and beautiful women, and their deaths were extremely eerie!"

"Oh?"

Lin Feng became a bit interested. "How were they eerie?"

Li Rui swallowed hard. "The victims' skin... was completely peeled off, just like taking off clothes! Yet their bodies were intact, and they even had eerie smiles on their faces!"

Three words instantly popped into Lin Feng's mind.

"Painted Skin Demon?"