Chapter 81

"Master, how is it going?"

Feeling Lin Xi's unusual state, Queen Vampire Camilla immediately sent a thread of consciousness. She sensed that Lin Xi's body was filled with a powerful force.

"I don't know what happened."

Lin Xi's voice was strange, neither crying nor laughing.

"I still haven't reached the Qi Cultivation Realm!"

"Ah!"

Camilla was shocked. "How is that possible!"

Great Thunder True Man was at the fourth level of Qi Cultivation. In the Immortal Dao world, this was the realm of a Qi Immortal. Although his strength had decreased significantly when he was severely injured, his true qi was unique. Moreover, the Thunder Public Pill contained not only his true qi but also a large amount of Immortal Dao materials to enhance one's power.

Logically, after Lin Xi swallowed fifteen Qi Enhancement Pills and one Thunder Public Pill, all of which were important pills for the Qi Cultivation Realm, there was no reason he shouldn't have reached the Qi Cultivation Realm.

"Although I haven't reached the Qi Cultivation Realm, look."

With a thought, Lin Xi made the air rumble, and a powerful true qi surged out from his body. This true qi was vast and mighty, carrying the sound of crackling lightning. In an instant, it formed a layer of qi wall one zhang thick around Lin Xi.

This layer of qi wall was incredibly dense, even more spectacular and vast than that of the Qi Cultivation Realm black-robed man who had pursued Lin Xi that day!

"How, how, how... How can you have such powerful true qi without reaching the Qi Cultivation Realm!"

Camilla was deeply shocked.

Lin Xi said he still hadn't reached the Qi Cultivation Realm and remained at the tenth level of Martial Dao. However, the true qi he displayed was even more powerful than the black-robed expert who had injured her that day.

Even a first-level Iron Wall Qi Cultivation disciple would not be his match. This was without Lin Xi using any magical weapons.

"I don't know. That Thunder Public Pill was very special, with the characteristics of lightning. After I swallowed it, only a part entered my meridians. The rest was completely absorbed by my muscles, bones, and all my cells. I feel like my body has been tempered, becoming more than twice as strong and solid as before."

As Lin Xi spoke, he stomped his foot, and the entire room shook, matching the power of the true qi he emitted.

Lin Xi then explained his internal condition to Camilla. Camilla had fought human experts and possessed some of their Immortal Dao knowledge and memories, which was more helpful than Lin Xi trying to figure it out alone.

Lin Xi's current internal condition was very special. His body was filled with fierce and domineering true qi. Logically, such powerful true qi should have broken through all the meridian barriers, smoothly converged into the dantian, and formed a large meridian cycle.

However, in reality, while the Thunder Public Pill strengthened Lin Xi's body, it also strengthened his meridians and acupoints, making it abnormally difficult for Lin Xi to unblock his meridians and converge them into the dantian.

In other words, although Lin Xi possessed powerful true qi, this true qi only converged in the meridians and did not enter the dantian.

Meridians are like countless rivers on land, and the dantian is like the sea. Only when all the rivers converge into the sea can one be considered to have reached the first level of the Qi Cultivation Realm. Lin Xi, however, was still at the tenth level of Martial Dao, albeit with some special conditions.

"How can this be?"

Camilla was stunned. Lin Xi's situation was completely unexpected. Suddenly, the Queen Vampire's mind stirred.

"Master, have you ever swallowed anything special before?"

"Special things?"

Lin Xi frowned. "Not really. I've only swallowed the Crimson Refinement Pill in Martial Dao, snake blood, some healing herbs, and... yes, I also swallowed a Heavenly Fruit!"

Lin Xi then briefly described the process of obtaining the Heavenly Fruit from the Horned Python's lair.

"Oh!"

The Queen Vampire exclaimed.

"No wonder! You swallowed the fruit that transforms a Horned Python into a dragon. It's used by snakes to strengthen their bodies and transform into dragons. Dragons are known for their strength and resilience. By swallowing that fruit, you essentially transformed your body like a dragon. After swallowing the Thunder Public Pill, the medicinal properties of the dragon grass automatically absorbed the pill's power, causing most of the Thunder Public Pill's qi to be absorbed by your body. Now, for you to break through to the Qi Cultivation Realm, it will be at least five times more difficult than for others!"

"What!!"

Lin Xi felt his head was about to explode. "Five times more difficult!"

His body was indeed incredibly strong. At the ninth level of Dragon Strength, he could fight against a veteran at the tenth level of the Crimson Refinement Sect and even kill him. In terms of physical strength, Lin Xi knew Camilla was right.

"Such difficulty, when will I ever reach the Qi Cultivation Realm!"

Lin Xi felt like he had been struck by five thunderbolts.

Five times more difficult than ordinary people! If he had known the result, he might not have swallowed the Thunder Public Pill. Although his current strength was much greater than before, even without his magical weapons and the Ten Thousand Emperors Robe, Lin Xi was confident he could defeat a first-level Qi Cultivation Immortal Dao disciple.

"Hehe, actually, Master, you don't need to worry so much!"

Seeing Lin Xi's stunned expression, Camilla couldn't help but laugh inwardly, finding her master very amusing.

"Although breaking through physically is difficult, once you do, you will be at least five times stronger than ordinary first-level Qi Cultivation experts. The more difficult the breakthrough, the greater your future achievements and potential. Many people would beg to be in your position, and you're still not satisfied!"

As a member of the vampire race, which prides itself on physical strength, Camilla understood the importance of physical power much better than Lin Xi. After all, she was a centuries-old Queen Vampire who had fought against fourth-level Qi Cultivation experts!

"Moreover, Master, doesn't the Immortal Dao world have something called the Meridian-Opening Grass? The Divine Dawn Sect is a major Immortal Dao sect, so they must have plenty of such things."

Camilla said.

"Meridian-Opening Grass?"

Lin Xi frowned. He knew about this. The *Great World of Immortal Dao* had mentioned that a tenth-level Martial Dao peak practitioner could more easily unblock their meridians and significantly shorten the time to reach the Qi Cultivation Realm after swallowing it.

However, that was only effective for ordinary people. After swallowing the Thunder Public Pill, Lin Xi's body had become so abnormal that ordinary Meridian-Opening Grass would be useless for him.

"There should be similar tasks in the Task Hall. I'll go there tomorrow to see if there are any that can help unblock my meridians."

Lin Xi thought.

Among the four most important halls for Immortal Dao disciples, Lin Xi had yet to visit the Task Hall and the Alchemy Hall.

Whoosh!

The wind swirled, and Camilla transformed into a bat, leaving Lin Xi's body and landing on the ground, then transforming back into a cold, elegant, and charming queen. Now that Lin Xi had fully absorbed the pill, she felt it would be inappropriate to stay on him.

Moreover, Camilla had just absorbed enough blood and was now completely satisfied, unable to drink any more.

Thud, thud!

When Camilla landed, she stumbled, unable to stand steadily.

"What's wrong with you?"

Lin Xi asked in surprise.

Vampire women were known for hanging upside down without swaying in the wind. It was very rare for her to be unsteady on her feet.

"I don't know, I just feel a bit dizzy."

Camilla shook her head, looking bewildered.

"I understand. When you absorbed my blood, you also absorbed the pill's qi. — Rest for a while. I'll go out for a bit and come back later."

Through the ancestral contract in his mind, Lin Xi sensed that Camilla's strength had increased significantly and was still growing. He immediately realized that her dizziness was probably due to her body absorbing the pill's qi.

Vampire women were a different species from humans and did not cultivate true qi. No vampire woman had ever swallowed a human pill before. Lin Xi didn't know if this was good or bad for Camilla or if it had any side effects.

"Okay, Master. I'll rest for a while."

Camilla felt the dizziness in her head intensify, and her body felt a slight heat. She didn't insist on going out with Lin Xi, stumbled a few steps, and lay down on Lin Xi's bed.

Lin Xi checked through the ancestral contract and, feeling that Camilla was not in danger, left with peace of mind.

...

...

The Task Hall was bustling with people.

This was the most popular place in the Divine Dawn Sect. Besides Lin Xi, there were other registered disciples and many outer sect disciples. As for inner sect disciples, they had their own places to accept tasks and were not here.

The Divine Dawn Sect had a clear distinction between inner and outer sects. Outer sect disciples and registered disciples belonged to the same system, living and practicing on the outer peaks of Divine Dawn Mountain.

As for inner sect disciples, core disciples, and true disciples, they all lived on the core peaks of Divine Dawn Mountain.

The inner and outer sects were separated by a vast spatial restriction.

Outer sect disciples usually accepted tasks from inner sect disciples. Only inner sect disciples could directly receive tasks from the task elders.

Lin Xi had already gathered this information.

Soon, it was Lin Xi's turn.

Unlike other places, the Task Hall only required inserting a禄德牌 (Lude Card).

The Task Hall was divided into two areas for registered disciples and outer sect disciples, separated but operating independently. Each area could simultaneously accommodate twenty Immortal Dao disciples for inquiries.

There were forty arrays, which could form forty light screens for all disciples to check.

"Obtain twenty tenth-level Flying Centipedes. Reward: Bull Demon Pill or 15 merit points."

"Task Description: Flying Centipedes are found in the Centipede Mountain of the Dragon Slaying Dynasty, the Northern Roaring Mountain of the Heavenly Star Dynasty, and the Four-Part Mountain of the Purple Maple Dynasty. The round trip takes three months. If you're not afraid of the trouble, you can accept this task."

...