Chapter 47: Five-Rank Martial Arts

Dustin Li resided in the Outer Sect, where every disciple had their own private quarters. Once Dustin Li's injuries had fully healed, he learned that Pablo Zhang had not been expelled from the sect, nor had his pipa bone been shattered. In fact, Pablo Zhang had been released from the water prison and was still serving as a deacon of the Outer Sect.

This news was less than encouraging for Dustin Li. From Maeve, he learned that Pablo Zhang was under the protection of an inner sect elder. The inner sect stood in a league of its own within the Salmoris Sect, with inner sect elders holding more authority than even the Outer Sect Master.

"Pablo Zhang has attempted to kill me several times, but never succeeded. Now he has the backing of an inner sect elder?" Dustin Li muttered, considering the implications.

After some thought, Dustin Li decided to keep a low profile for a while. He was keenly aware that his conflict with Pablo Zhang was far from over.

The reward for the first place in the entry-level assessment was three Energy Refining Pills. Under normal circumstances, a single Energy Refining Pill could help a Qi Refining martial artist advance a small realm. However, these pills were not without restrictions. They could not be taken in quick succession—each pill required a year's time to fully absorb and refine its medicinal power, otherwise, its potency would decrease.

In his room, Dustin Li took one of the Energy Refining Pills and swallowed it. Soon, the pill's power spread throughout his body, transforming into pure vitality. Most ordinary Qi Refining martial artists would have trouble refining so much medicinal power at once, so much of it would remain dormant in their bodies, to be refined gradually.

But for Dustin Li, there were no such limits.

"Wheel of Death!"

With a thought, the life and death wheels in his Dantian began to spin rapidly, causing the True Energy within his Energy Gathering to swirl into a dense vortex, drawing in the medicinal power. Dustin Li activated the Pure Yang Skills and began to absorb the essence at a fast pace.

He spent a full day meditating on the pill's power. By morning, when he opened his eyes, he had successfully refined the entire pill. The True Energy in his Dantian was now thicker and more potent.

"At the third level of Energy Gathering, the effect of the Energy Refining Pill is substantial," Dustin Li mused with satisfaction. Stretching his body and stepping outside, he performed a set of Dragon and Tiger Fist to loosen his stiff muscles.

"At this stage of Energy Gathering, it's time to practice fifth-rank martial arts."

Fifth-rank martial arts were generally suited for martial artists at the third to sixth level of Energy Gathering. Dustin Li had acquired eighteen such martial arts, covering a wide range of techniques, including internal strength, body techniques, and swordsmanship.

After some careful consideration, he selected the Aurora Sword Art, a technique renowned for its speed. When combined with the power-enhancing techniques of Quick Sword Art, its strength could rival even sixth-rank martial arts. He also chose a movement technique, the Ten Directions Afterimage, which allowed its practitioner to create afterimages of themselves, up to a maximum of ten at the peak of its mastery.

"Dustin Li!" a familiar voice called from outside.

Dustin Li smiled involuntarily, recognizing the voice. He closed the martial arts manual and stood up. When he opened the door, he saw Maeve standing outside in a flowing blue dress. Her fair skin and captivating beauty left him momentarily speechless.

Maeve blushed slightly at his gaze, though she couldn't help but feel a sense of pride. Despite their relationship being unspoken, they both knew where they stood.

"Bad guy, have you seen enough?" Maeve teased, though there was an undercurrent of affection in her tone.

Dustin Li grinned and replied, "Enough? I could never see enough of you."

Maeve rolled her eyes but couldn't suppress the faint smile tugging at her lips. "You're shameless. Anyway, if you place first in the entry test, you'll be able to enter Salmoris Pavilion and select a fifth-rank martial art. Once you reach the third level of Energy Gathering, you can practice directly."

Dustin Li's expression remained neutral, though inwardly, he was pleased. He had already reached the third level of Energy Gathering but had not revealed it to her yet.

"Let's go take a look," Dustin Li nodded.

Salmoris Sect, a powerhouse in Xandoria County, housed a vast collection of martial arts. Maeve and Dustin Li made their way to Salmoris Pavilion, where the most prized techniques were stored. As they walked, many outer sect disciples shot cold glances at Dustin Li, their hostility palpable.

However, Dustin Li paid them no mind. He knew that the path of martial arts was fraught with challenges, and he was prepared for them.

Salmoris Pavilion had two floors. The first floor contained fifth-rank martial arts, while the second housed sixth-rank techniques. Only by joining the inner sect could one gain access to the prestigious seventh-rank martial arts, and even then, only the core disciples had the privilege of learning them. Seventh-rank martial arts were considered the peak of Salmoris Sect's martial arts inheritance and were extremely rare.

Dustin Li perused the fifth-rank martial arts collection. There were techniques for boxing, palm strikes, legwork, and swordsmanship, but nothing that seemed superior to the Aurora Sword Art or Ten Directions Afterimage.

After some deliberation, Dustin Li turned to Maeve and shared the story of Franklin Bu King's treasure trove. He left out the dangerous details, simply telling her about the vast resources he had acquired. Maeve listened intently, her expression growing more serious.

"You're not to worry," she reassured him. "Many disciples practice martial arts they've acquired outside the sect. Both outer and inner sect members are free to study techniques from outside sources."

She continued, "If you have any martial arts manuals that you don't intend to use, you can contribute them to Salmoris Pavilion. Depending on their rank, you could earn rewards in return. A fifth-rank martial art, for example, can be exchanged for three Energy Refining Pills."

Dustin Li raised an eyebrow. Three Energy Refining Pills seemed like a good exchange, considering the power of a fifth-rank martial art.

He didn't exchange his own extra martial arts right away, as he still had two Energy Refining Pills left. After stabilizing his cultivation, he could consider trading them in the future.

Returning to his residence, Dustin Li resumed his training, focusing on mastering both the Aurora Sword Art and Ten Directions Afterimage. He made rapid progress, understanding the Aurora Sword Art in under half an hour thanks to his prior experience with the Quick Sword Art.

In a day, Dustin Li had mastered the basic movements of the Aurora Sword Art, though the final technique, the Aurora Sword, remained a challenge. Meanwhile, the Ten Directions Afterimage had reached a high level of proficiency, where he could create seven afterimages.

While his Pure Yang Skills remained at the third rank, they were comparable to fifth-rank internal techniques. When Dustin Li reached the seventh level of Energy Gathering, he would begin practicing innate powers, combining them with Pure Yang energy for even greater strength.

As days passed, Dustin Li found himself immersed in the intricacies of martial arts, losing track of time. Half a month had passed since he entered the Salmoris Sect. The Ten Directions Afterimage had reached the High-Level Mastery realm, and his swordsmanship had also improved significantly.

One day, Maeve invited him to attend a lecture given by an elder from the Spirit Refining realm. As they entered the lecture hall, Dustin Li observed the elder, a white-haired man whose lifeline emitted a faint blue light. This was a sign of the elder's status and strength. The lifelines of martial artists at the Energy Gathering stage emitted cyan light, while those at the Spirit Refining stage glowed with blue light, marking a transformation of their life force.

Dustin Li's curiosity about the elder's lecture was piqued. He knew he had much to learn and many challenges to face on his journey.