Chapter 98

Zhang Ruochen sat cross-legged in the inner space of the spacetime crystal, taking out a pound of spirit meat from a jade vessel and began to consume it.

Spirit meat, which contains the essence of the spiritual and blood qi of beasts, offers countless benefits to martial artists: increasing strength, reinforcing bones and muscles, slowing aging, and extending life.

Generally speaking, a mid-stage Xuanji Realm martial artist can break through to the late-stage Xuanji Realm within half a month by consuming ten pounds of spirit meat and diligently practicing.

Zhang Ruochen's martial body is much stronger than that of other mid-stage Xuanji Realm martial artists, and he needs to consume at least forty pounds of spirit meat to break through to the late-stage Xuanji Realm.

"Forty-eight pounds of spirit meat, enough to cultivate to the late-stage Xuanji Realm in a short time."

The forty-eight pounds of spirit meat were all collected from the bodies of the martial artists from the Four Directions Prefecture who died during the first round of the academy examination.

Such a large amount of spirit meat, if sold, could fetch at least 200,000 silver coins, an enormous fortune.

Spirit meat is very precious, and ordinary martial artists would never dare to consume it. However, Zhang Ruochen didn't care at all and quickly consumed the entire pound of spirit meat.

After consuming the spirit meat, Zhang Ruochen felt his entire body filled with power. Both his blood flow and the circulation of true qi accelerated significantly.

Zhang Ruochen stood up and began to practice the fourth move of the Dragon Elephant Bodhi Palm. While practicing the palm, he also accelerated the absorption of the essence from the spirit meat into his body, converting it into his own strength.

The fourth move of the Dragon Elephant Bodhi Palm is called "Dragon Image Shadow."

Zhang Ruochen took a step forward, his body slightly bent, and his hands formed both a palm and a claw.

"Bang! Bang!"

His palms struck continuously, at an extremely fast speed, creating palm prints in all directions.

Currently, he had only mastered three moves: Beast Running on the Ground, Dragon Flying in the Sky, and Dragon Elephant Returning to the Field. These three moves were equivalent to the power of a high-grade human-level martial technique. Of course, they were among the best in high-grade human-level martial techniques and could even contend with some weaker low-grade spirit-level martial techniques.

However, only by successfully mastering the fourth move would the Dragon Elephant Bodhi Palm undergo a transformation, becoming a true low-grade spirit-level martial technique. At that time, the power of the Dragon Elephant Bodhi Palm would be comparable to some weaker mid-grade spirit-level martial techniques.

Time passed quickly, and Zhang Ruochen practiced continuously for half a month within the spacetime crystal.

Every day, he spent most of his time practicing the Dragon Elephant Bodhi Palm. After half a month of intense practice, he could smoothly execute the fourth move, "Dragon Image Shadow."

With one palm strike, true qi surged.

From the palm print, the sounds of dragon roars and elephant trumpets echoed.

However, there was still a considerable gap before the fourth move, "Dragon Image Shadow," could be fully mastered.

If he could fully master it, once the palm print was struck, Zhang Ruochen's body would transform into two shadows: one shadow would strike with a dragon claw, and the other with an elephant palm, doubling the power.

Although he had not yet fully mastered the fourth move of the Dragon Elephant Bodhi Palm, his cultivation had significantly improved.

Over the half month, Zhang Ruochen consumed one pound of spirit meat each day, totaling fifteen pounds. His martial realm advanced rapidly.

Half a month ago, Zhang Ruochen had just entered the mid-stage Xuanji Realm, with his true qi reserves at only two-tenths of the capacity of his qi lake. Now, the jade-pure true qi in his qi lake had become even thicker, and his true qi reserves had reached seven-tenths of the capacity of his qi lake, not far from the full capacity of the mid-stage Xuanji Realm.

With his current cultivation, he could easily defeat Nie Xuan.

Of course, half a month within the spacetime crystal was only five days in the outside world.

Zhang Ruochen walked out of the inner space of the spacetime crystal and returned to the room numbered "Yellow 1."

"Meow!"

Xiaohei, like a black ball of fur, sat on a bronze chair, holding a yellowed book with both paws, reading it intently.

The cover of the book read "Ancient History of the Kunlun Realm."

Seeing Zhang Ruochen emerge from the spacetime crystal, Xiaohei closed the book, his cat eyes as bright as stars, and asked, "Young man, have you broken through to the late-stage Xuanji Realm?"

"Not that fast, it will probably take some more time!" Zhang Ruochen stared curiously at Xiaohei and asked, "Where did you steal this book from?"

"Steal?"

Xiaohei looked unhappy and said, "Your Majesty just went to the Wu Market Academy's scripture tower, casually took a book, and will return it after finishing. How can that be considered stealing?"

Zhang Ruochen didn't bother to argue with him and said, "How is Fourth Brother's injury?"

"That fatso's cultivation is mediocre, but his recovery speed is fast. His arms can already be lifted, and he will definitely recover in ten days at most," Xiaohei said.

Zhang Ruochen asked, "Where is he now?"

"He's gone!" Xiaohei said.

"Gone? Why did he leave?"

"He heard this is the Dragon Martial Hall and fled in terror," Xiaohei said.

For the male martial artists of the Western Courtyard, the Dragon Martial Hall was absolutely forbidden, filled with terrifying legends. Zhang Shaochu, upon hearing he was in the Dragon Martial Hall, turned green with fear and immediately fled.

Zhang Ruochen dared to stay in the Dragon Martial Hall, but Zhang Shaochu did not.

"Let him go!"

Zhang Ruochen planned to continue his closed-door cultivation, striving to reach the late-stage Xuanji Realm as soon as possible.

Next, Zhang Ruochen practiced for another half month in the inner space of the spacetime crystal, still consuming one pound of spirit meat each day and spending most of his time practicing the Dragon Elephant Bodhi Palm, with a small amount of time spent on the Heavenly Heart Sword Technique.

His cultivation steadily improved, and finally, the true qi in his qi lake reached full capacity, allowing him to begin the breakthrough to the late-stage Xuanji Realm.

However, Zhang Ruochen was not in a hurry to break through his realm. He planned to continue consuming spirit meat to build a more solid foundation, so that he could break through his realm in one go when the time came.

The two periods of closed-door cultivation added up to a month in the inner space of the spacetime crystal, which was only ten days in the outside world.

There were still twenty days until the duel with Feng Zhilin.

"The fourth move of the Dragon Elephant Bodhi Palm has always been unable to break through, seemingly lacking some refinement. Only by sparring with a skilled opponent can I discover what is missing."

Zhang Ruochen stopped his closed-door cultivation and planned to find Xiaohei to spar and find out why he couldn't master the fourth move.

Just as he walked out of the inner space of the spacetime crystal, Zhang Ruochen heard Huang Yanchen's cold voice from outside the door: "Fat cat, if you don't get out of the way, I'll kill you too!"

Xiaohei stood outside the door, his tail high, and said with an old air, "Zhang Ruochen is in closed-door cultivation. Even if you break in, you won't be able to see him. Little girl, Your Majesty advises you to leave quickly. If you anger Your Majesty, no one in heaven or earth can save you."

"Is that so? Then I'll test it out!"

Huang Yanchen, having recovered from her injuries, immediately came to settle accounts with Zhang Ruochen, already full of anger. However, when she arrived at Zhang Ruochen's room, she was stopped by a talking fat cat.

Her anger grew, and the more she looked at the fat cat, the more she felt it and Zhang Ruochen were both no good. She gripped the hilt of her sword, drew a blue ancient sword, and slashed at Xiaohei.

"Whoosh!"

Xiaohei's speed was very fast, turning into a black shadow, dodging Huang Yanchen's sword and pouncing at her.

Huang Yanchen was slightly surprised, not expecting Xiaohei's speed to be so fast. To dodge her sword, his speed was at least comparable to a second-stage mid-level beast.

However, for her, Xiaohei's speed was still too slow.

She sneered, slapped out a palm, and sent Xiaohei flying over ten yards. Xiaohei's body hit the wall, dazed, and fell straight to the ground.

"Stinking woman, you... you're too ruthless!"

Xiaohei got up from the ground, revealing sharp teeth, and was extremely angry. If he weren't outmatched by Huang Yanchen, he would definitely teach her a lesson.

Huang Yanchen was so angry that her teeth ached. This time, the fat cat was too disrespectful. If she caught it, she would cut off its tongue first.

Zhang Ruochen pushed the door open and looked at Huang Yanchen, smiling, "Senior Sister Huang, your injuries have healed?"

Seeing Zhang Ruochen, Huang Yanchen's eyes turned even colder, not wanting to say a word to him, and directly thrust her sword at him.

After all, Huang Yanchen was a Xuan Rank martial artist, capable of contending with top-tier Earth Extreme Realm martial artists.

Her sword thrust was enough to instantly kill a typical Xuanji Realm martial artist at full capacity.

Zhang Ruochen's face changed slightly as he saw the sword thrust, thinking to himself that Duanmu Xingling was right; Huang Yanchen hated him to the bone and wouldn't listen to his explanations.

Zhang Ruochen glanced at Duanmu Xingling, who nodded in understanding.

"Whoosh!"

Duanmu Xingling transformed into a small, beautiful shadow, rushing to Zhang Ruochen's side and blocking Huang Yanchen.

Duanmu Xingling used her two snow-white fingers to pinch the tip of Huang Yanchen's sword, saying, "Sister Chen, you need to calm down. Zhang Ruochen is the top newcomer. If you kill him, you will definitely be severely punished by the academy."

Huang Yanchen said, "Xingling, move aside. Today, I must kill this lecher!"

Huang Yanchen twisted her fingers, the sword tip turned, emitting a spinning sword aura, and shook off Duanmu Xingling's fingers.

Immediately, Huang Yanchen slashed down again, dragging a four-meter-long white sword aura.

Duanmu Xingling and Zhang Ruochen had already reached an agreement in secret and would not let Huang Yanchen really kill Zhang Ruochen.

Thus, Duanmu Xingling also drew her sword and blocked Huang Yanchen's attack again.

"Xingling, are you determined to stop me from killing him?"

Huang Yanchen thrust her sword nine times in succession, nine sword shadows appearing in the air, striking Zhang Ruochen's nine vital points.

Huang Yanchen's true qi had a special quality, carrying a wind attribute. Once she used a sword technique, a seven-meter-wide vortex of wind automatically formed around her, with wind blades flying out from the vortex.

"Whoosh!"

One of the wind blades flew past Zhang Ruochen's armpit, cutting into a pillar and leaving a two-inch-deep sword mark.

"She must have opened the Swift Wind Divine Martial Mark, so her true qi carries a wind attribute."

Zhang Ruochen stood on the stairs, watching Huang Yanchen and Duanmu Xingling duel below, carefully observing their sword techniques and pondering the flaws and weaknesses in their moves.