Strength
Fireworks were launched into the sky, creating a joyous facade beneath the ongoing chaos.
The lavishly decorated streets are filled with visitors and joys as the business in the inn has never been this well. Lanterns on the roofs of every building as people walk around with lanterns of their own.
Li Ruo squeezed through the crowd and gaze at the food. I bought her some varieties.
In some areas of Nielong are beauties dancing and singing to their heart's content as a crowd watches. Along the river beside the inn, some couples are enjoying a ride on a small boat while sightseeing.
The night sky is dark yet brightened by the intense light of Nielong. This is the brightest of Nielong I've ever seen.
Doors to doors, decorated with different designs of chunlian couplets, sparked conversations between visitors and locals.
"Young girl, do you want to try one mooncake?" A vendor asks when Li Ruo gaze at it. She nods and I pay for the dessert.
Usually, the locals are hostile against Li Ruo but such a joyous event made them accept Li Ruo temporary.
I sigh. I don't fit in well with this atmosphere.
"Master! I want to go see that!" Li Ruo pulls my sleeve.
I follow her and shove through the crowd to see a large paper dragon on several sticks drifting through the sky. The performers holding the sticks are well-synchronised and portray the majestic aura of a dragon.
Li Ruo has a big smile on her face.
...
The day after, news of the Blood Sect terrorising places reached Mount Hua Xi and the spring festival was halted.
I missed a lot of potential points but no point crying over spilt milk.
Besides, the first day of the Spring Festival is enough to get me to 400 thousand infections, an exponential spread because everyone was in very close contact throughout the 4 cities in Mount Hua Xi. The virus even reinfected Xie Mo.
----------------
System-level: 11
Current Cultivation Realm: Tenth Stage of Qi Condensation.
[Breakthrough]
Virus Slot 1: Virus Rank E
-Cough
-Fever
-Water resistance
-Qi immunity 1
-Qi Immunity 2
-Immunity Evasion 1
Statistics:
Lethality(E)
Contagious(E)
Survivability(B)
Qi Resistance(E)
Virus slot 2: Virus rank E
-Puppetry
-Qi Immunity 2
-Immunity Evasion 1
Statistics:
Lethality(FF)
Contagious(FF)
Survivability(B)
Qi Resistance(D)
[View Evolution Tree]
The number of Infected people: 406,497
The number of people killed: 1,094
Recovered: 31
Evolution Points: 656,916
[Martial Techniques]
[Special Infected]
[Sub-Cultivation]
[Contracts]
----------------
----------------
Target has been met.
----------------
There's a "breakthrough" option below my current cultivation status.
It might be the heavenly tribulation.
I leave Nielong and climb back into the mountains early in the morning. Li Ruo is sleeping at the inn.
The air smells fresh.
I click the "breakthrough" option.
Amidst a good morning with an orange spectrum of the skylight, dark clouds fade in and overtake the sky.
...
I stand my ground and brace for whatever is coming.
A strike of lighting rains onto me.
!!!
Pulses of electricity shoot throughout my body. I grit my teeth as the surrounding land fades into ash and dust.
Sharp pain arises and falls. But this is nothing.
After a few minutes, the lighting subsides and the dark clouds disperse.
"Huff huff..."
Blood drips from the chin to the charred ground...
A nose bleed.
I pinch my nose to stop the bleeding while leaning forward.
...
Wiping the sweat off my forehead, it oddly feels refreshing despite the bizarre occurrence.
My body emits a soft glow that dissipates. My robe is tattered, I will need to buy a new one.
Although I haven't done any physical exercise, my body looks like an athlete's.
Haha... I never thought I will be feeling "electricity" again, it sends me recollections of my death sentence.
I look at my status once more.
-----------------------------
Current Cultivation Realm: Third stage of Foundation Establishment.
-----------------------------
Luckily, the number of infections stacked and I was able to break through to the third stage immediately.
"What the? Someone went through a tribulation here this early in the morning?"
!
The sounds of people nearby triggered an escape.
-------------------
I return to the inn and took a bath.
Without my robe, I realise I have grown taller and have attractive facial features.
Cultivation can change even the looks of a person?
After the bath, I went to purchase a few robes and retreat to my room.
Levelling of the system finally provided airborne traits, which I bought for 6000 points and applied to both my virus. In addition, there are three new symptoms: Vomiting, Abscess, and Sneezing.
I sit on the chair beside the bed. Li Ruo is still fast asleep.
The tournament is around 2 weeks away...
*flap flap*
?
A mail pigeon flies into the room and lands on the table.
I pry the paper off and the pigeon flies back. The paper is an announcement to all alchemists that they must temporary not come for practice until further notice.
...More idle time.
I gulp the orange pill YuLing gave me as compensation and begin cultivating my body.
------------------
10 days later...
------------------
A burning Sensation soars through my muscles, a searing heat that penetrates my entire body is burning something.
When I open my eyes, I am drenched in sweat as my body gleams in a subtle blue.
This is the fifth stage of Muscle Refinement...
To my right is Li Ruo nibbling on meat.
I get up and stretch my body, the entire room is scorching hot. Li Ruo opens the window to let some cool air in.
The tournament is 3 days away... Let's move on to martial techniques.
------------------
A patch of meadow with few surrounding trees is found on a mountain near Nielong. Beside the patch is a concave short rocky mountain.
I position myself about 10 metres away from the rocky wall and take a deep breath.
...
With all my might, I throw a punch at the wall.
*BOOOOM!*
The force rips through the air and collides with the wall, shattering the surrounding rocks as it buckles and folds outwards.
A trail is created, destroying nature in the path of my attack.
...
I look up, bits and pieces of rocks tumble down the short mountain. The entire structure is nearly collapsing.
This...is the power of foundation establishment realm? I must be crazy invading the Xi residence full of core formation guards.
I sigh.
My luck has recently been off the charts, I'm afraid someday this will backfire...
...
I will face it when it gets there. Let's focus on the present.
--------------------
Xie Mo
Martial Arts:
{Offensive}
-Mountain Deity(50000 points)
-Heaven Judgement(200000 points)
-Creator of gods(500000 points)
-Seven Stars of Sword(100000 points)
-Sword of Reign(purchased)
{Defensive}
-Supreme Skin(Passive)(50000 points)
-Barrier of Fate(200000 points)
-Immortality Body(500000 points)
--------------------
I have 770,916 points remaining. The virus spread to 60 thousand people in 10 days.
...
I've already seen doctors coming in and out of Nielong. The number of people coughing on the streets has increased as well, my virus is gaining attention...
No no, I need to save my points for emergencies.
---------------------
Xie Mo
Cultivation base: Second Stage of Foundation Establishment
---------------------
His cultivation isn't much lower than mine. Not to mention, he can engage in cross-realm battles and emerge victoriously.
----------------------
Supreme Skin(Passive)
A technique that permanent reforms the skin using Qi.
The skin becomes more resistant to attacks
Further cultivation of this technique might result in damage reflection.
-----------------------
...
I have an upgrade function, don't I? Let's try that out.
-----------------------
-Snake Scales(Defensive)(Zi Mi)
(Upgrade)
-Tiger Claw(Offensive)(Zi Mi)
(Upgrade)
-Sword of Reign(Offensive)(Xie Mo)(Upgrade)
-----------------------
-----------------------
Sword of Reign
Level: 1 -> 2
Perks:
-The cultivation Base restriction is lifted, and the Host can use all stages of the technique.
-An increase in sword comprehension, advancing the host's sword Cultivation.
Changes:
-An increase in the number of swords the host can materialize.
-Bigger and more agile swords.
300,000 points are required.
[Upgrade][Cancel]
-----------------
300,000...
I close my eyes as I force my body to click "upgrade".
!!!
Several words flashed in my spiritual Sea, causing it to expand and grow.
The way of the sword... Is very complicated. One must undergo journeys and receive guidance for enlightenment to truly understand it.
The sword is one with the body like an irreplaceable limp moving in accordance.
With one deep breath and drawing Azrim, a massive shockwave emits from my presence.
"Sword Intent Stage 9," I mumble.
I lift Azrim above my head, and about 20 red Sword Qis materialize in the sky.
A swing down and all the Sword Qis fly into the shattered mountain, plunging itself.
*BOOOOM!*
The swords explode on my command, causing an eruption of rock fragments to skyrocket. The entire structure was demolished leaving behind nothing but a charred hole.
This...is the power of the third stage?
...
If so, the Fourth and Fifth stages...