chsdbacks Chapter 40: Obtained defensive inner armor! Advancement to the Inner Court!
Chapter 40: Obtained defensive inner armor! Advancement to the Inner Court!
......
It was in the early hours of the morning.
Zhao Xiaoqi slowly woke up in the abandoned house, looking around blankly as memories flooded back.
He touched the back of his neck and felt a slight pain, but to his surprise and delight, he was still alive.
The image of the masked man flashed through his mind. He struggled to get up, pushed open the broken door, and looked around.
Seeing that he was no longer in that courtyard and that the masked man was nowhere to be seen, he hesitated for a moment, then staggered away after getting his bearings.
In the shadows in the distance, Jiang Qi watched Xiao Qi go, and only after confirming that she had arrived home safely did he return to Sweetwater Lane.
Inside the washroom, the light was dim.
Jiang Qi closed the door and took out all the spoils of war.
Two silver notes with a face value of one hundred taels each, totaling more than twenty taels of silver;
Five white porcelain bottles, each containing three blood-nourishing pills;
There are also two blue porcelain bottles containing six Blood-Nourishing Pills.
Looking at the silver and tonics, Jiang Qi could not hide his joy.
With these, we'll have enough cultivation resources for the next month.
After putting away the silver and tonics, I checked the next loot: a piece of dark inner armor.
Yan Beifeng used this armor to block most of his attacks, and finally managed to seriously injure him by slashing his legs and neck, which were not protected.
Jiang Qi picked up the black armor and examined it closely. It was neither gold nor leather, but seemed to be made of some kind of demon scales. It had a strange feel to it and was very light.
After comparing the measurements, the areas that can be protected are mainly the upper body and arms.
He then took out his sword, channeled his qi and blood, and enhanced it with the [Rending Wind] sword intent, slashing towards the edge of the inner armor.
clang!
A clear, resonant sound rang out, and sparks flew.
The blade sliced through, leaving only a faint white mark on the inner armor, which vanished in an instant.
"The defense is truly astonishing!"
Jiang Qi was overjoyed.
The attack just now was comparable to that of seven martial artists with Qi and Blood, yet it only left a shallow mark, showing that the defensive limit of this inner armor is far more than that.
"Can it block eight streams of qi and blood? Or even nine?"
With this inner armor, the defensive capabilities are greatly enhanced.
He threw the inner armor into the bucket next to him to soak and wash it, and then picked up a booklet to look at it.
But before he could even turn a few pages, his face darkened.
This booklet contains only bizarre methods of cultivation using human hearts and blood essence, complete with illustrations and text, which are nauseating.
After only a few cursory glances, he felt a slight stagnation in his blood and qi, and felt disgusted.
With a surge of qi and blood from the fingertips, it was shattered and then thrown into the stove to be burned.
Keeping this kind of thing around will only harm people.
Then, I checked a few more things.
After the inventory was completed, Jiang Qi felt joy, but also fell into deep thought.
His battle with Yan Beifeng exposed many of his shortcomings.
Yan Beifeng's movements were unpredictable, his claw techniques were fierce, and he combined various martial arts skills, employing a variety of methods.
Looking at myself, I rely solely on the "Wind-Breaking Blade" for offense. Although it is already perfected and enhanced by the intent of the blade, it is difficult to achieve a quick victory against opponents with superior agility or strong defense. I may even be dragged into a war of attrition.
Agility is a major weakness, relying entirely on bursts of qi and blood and the instantaneous acceleration brought by sword intent, lacking both fluidity and endurance.
"The attack methods are limited and lack movement techniques..." Jiang Qi looked at the black armor in the bucket. "It is said that once you enter the inner courtyard of the martial arts school, you can learn a movement technique that matches the 'Breaking Wind Blade'... I'll tell Instructor Zhou tomorrow that I have broken through to the mid-stage of the Blood Burning Realm."
In addition, another powerful martial art needs to be found, preferably one that can complement the power and speed of "Breaking Wind Blade" or enhance its armor-piercing and surprise attack capabilities.
Defensively, this inner armor is sufficient for now; protective martial arts techniques can be postponed.
As he pondered this, he suddenly remembered something and took out the milky-white tortoise bead from his pocket.
The beads gleamed warmly in my palm, and a cool, tranquil aura seeped into my body, soothing my restless mind after a night of battle.
If it weren't for this pearl, I'm afraid we would have had to engage in a fierce battle with the wicked Yan Beifeng.
"Calm your mind and focus your spirit to ward off evil spirits..."
Two images flashed through Jiang Qi's mind.
First, the mad beggar died suddenly by the well some time ago; second, the evil spirit on Yan Beifeng fled in terror.
Both times it was related to this bead.
This pearl was brought to us by the two-headed turtle, the water-suppressing beast.
But that two-headed turtle, apart from having two heads, was just an ordinary turtle and could not be called a demon. How could it have such a strange bead?
"Did the two-headed turtle carry this pearl before entering the well, or is this pearl something from the Sukuryu Well?"
"Suolong Well... Locked Dragon Well..."
Jiang Qi's gaze pierced through the window and landed on the old well, his eyes becoming deep and thoughtful.
"Once I've refined the fifth strand of Qi and Blood, I'll explore this well..."
At the current pace, if resources are sufficient, it should take less than a month to reach the fifth level of Qi and Blood.
At that time, the total amount of Qi and blood will be comparable to that of ten ordinary Qi and blood masters at their peak, giving you more confidence in your actions.
After a moment's thought, he put away the tortoise bead, changed his clothes, and devoted himself to cultivation.
Although he had made a considerable harvest, the escaped evil creature left him feeling vaguely uneasy.
Therefore, we must improve our strength even faster.
......
The next day, Zhenyuan Martial Arts School.
The atmosphere in the training ground was somewhat strange.
The news that Chen Feng, who was full of vigor yesterday, and Feng Heng, who had just cultivated his third Qi and Blood, had both died overnight spread like wildfire throughout the outer courtyard.
The crowd was buzzing with discussion.
"I heard they encountered a powerful evil spirit..."
"Senior Brother Chen is at the mid-stage of the Blood Refining Realm! He actually..."
"Sigh... Senior Brother Chen has excellent talent and strength. He might be able to enter the Martial Arts Department and pass the martial arts exam in the future. What a pity."
"With Senior Brother Chen gone, can today's competition still proceed?"
The atmosphere immediately became somewhat awkward after these words were spoken.
Then, someone said something.
"Why did I have to die now of all times...so unlucky!"
Some expressed regret, others lamented the impermanence of life, and still others complained.
It was as if Chen Feng's death had ruined their future.
Jiang Qi listened silently, his expression calm.
This is the cruel reality: when a person dies, it's like a lamp going out. All the effort, strength, and fame one has in life becomes empty talk in an instant, and they will soon be forgotten, or even become a reason for others to complain.
He was keenly aware that in this world, with its demons, evil spirits, gangs, and the human heart, danger lurked everywhere, and only one's own strength could ensure survival.
After a brief pause, he passed through the moon gate to tell Instructor Zhou that he had already refined his fourth stage of Qi and Blood.
......
In the small courtyard.
Instructor Zhou Yong sensed the four fluctuations of qi and blood emanating from Jiang Qi, and an incredulous expression appeared on his face.
This kid's breakthrough speed is just too fast.
I told Jin'er yesterday that this kid needs time to prepare, at least a month or two of careful and meticulous work before he can have a better chance of success.
Unexpectedly, they succeeded in getting through the barrier in just one night.
That's really surprising.
Zhou Jin, standing to the side, also looked surprised.
"Good! Very good, you have the style I had back in the day." Zhou Yong looked Jiang Qi up and down a few times and smiled. "From this day forward, you are an inner court disciple!"
Who had that kind of style back then?
Senior Sister Zhou Jin pouted.
I remember you saying, Dad, that you prepared for two and a half months to get in touch with the gate back then, right?
"Come on, come out with me for a bit."
Instructor Zhou remained calm and led Jiang Qi to the training ground.
"Jiang Qi successfully broke through the barrier last night, advancing to the mid-stage of the Blood Burning Realm and entering the Inner Academy."
"Furthermore, today's mini-competition will proceed as scheduled!"