Immortal and Martial Dual Cultivation

Chapter 728: Hard Bottleneck to Surpass

“Be it a lower-realm genius or an expert local cultivator in the Tianwu Domain, there are several people with even better talent than Xiao Chen’s. However, they lacked accumulations and did not come to this Savage Battlefield.”

A strange look flashed in the eyes of Hu Hai and the others. This thought felt incredible to them. People like Xiao Chen defied the natural order. In the Tianwu Domain, less than ten of such people would appear even in a hundred years.

And yet Shui Lingling said there were several geniuses more talented than Xiao Chen—that was too shocking.

Shui Lingling continued, “There is a hard-to-surpass bottleneck from half-Sage to Martial Sage. Treasures like Spirit Gathering Pearls have no effect on it. You can only rely on your own comprehension and experiences.

“If the so-called seven giants of the Tianwu Domain do not improve within a year, a new batch of people will probably replace them.”

Xiao Chen entered deep thought. Shui Lingling’s words might have a touch of hyperbole, but they should not be false. The Savage Battlefield was merely the introduction to the opening of this great age. After this, the number of newcomers debuting would only increase.

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Half a month later, the Supreme Sky City appeared in the distance. After being gone for so long, the group finally saw the familiar city walls and bustle once again.

This sight gave everyone a sense of homecoming. They did not need to think of anything and could rest properly.

After the five said their goodbyes to one another, Shui Lingling held Xiao Chen back and said, “Junior Brother Xiao Chen, do you have any plans for the future? If you are willing, I can immediately make you a true inheritor.”

True inheritor…this was a status that many in the Supreme Sky Sect sought. After one became a true inheritor, they could not only practice the Heaven Ranked Martial Techniques of the Supreme Sky Sect but also gain all sorts of resources and a greater degree of freedom.

If these true inheritors grew even stronger, the sect might send them to the Martial God Palace to interact with the elites of the entire Tianwu Domain, working together to fight cultivators of other races. Their experience would increase with significant momentum in the vast Kunlun Realm.

Shui Lingling continued, “As long as you are willing, I can bring you immediately to the Martial God Palace in Central Province. That is the heart of the Tianwu Domain, the place where all the elites of the human race gather.

“There, you are sure to grow stronger at an even faster pace. One year later, your chances of defeating Bai Wuxue would be greater.”

There were many benefits to becoming a true inheritor. Entering the Martial God Palace, which was even better than just being a true inheritor, would result in further advantages. However, everything had a price. Once Xiao Chen accepted, he would definitely have to shoulder some responsibilities or obligations.

Xiao Chen valued his freedom and did not like being restricted. More importantly, he had already promised to go somewhere with Ao Jiao. These two conflicting matters could not be done simultaneously. So he had no choice but to decline Shui Lingling’s invitation tactfully.

Shui Lingling smiled warmly and said, “Very well, I will not force you. If you need anything, you can come and look for me. I will be at the Supreme Sky Sect during this month.”

“I’ll take my leave first, then!” Xiao Chen left after performing a cupped-fist salute.

As Shui Lingling watched Xiao Chen depart, she revealed a contemplative look on her face. She muttered, “Perhaps only the Emperor Sect Master can persuade him.”

After returning to his courtyard, Xiao Chen did not cultivate. He first prepared a hot bath and relaxed his body and mind, which had been tense for days on end.

Then, he prepared a big meal and ate heartily.

Only after he did all that did he begin to tidy up the treasures that he had not used yet. Naturally, the first item was the Dragon Mark Fruit that could increase a person’s Vital Qi by one hundred and fifty tons of force.

However, Xiao Chen had doubts over this Dragon Mark Fruit’s Medicinal Energy. Right now, he already possessed a Rank 1 Sage Body. It was questionable whether he could actually get an increase of one hundred and fifty tons of force.

According to his estimates, it would already be very good if the fruit could give him five tons of force’s worth of Vital Qi.

The second item was naturally the dragon vertebra containing two drops of Dragon Marrow.

Dragon Marrow was good stuff. After Xiao Chen had consumed the half drop of Dragon Marrow, he distinctly felt changes in his bones.

He had experienced the effects even more clearly during combat. The Dragon Marrow transforming his bones into dragon bones played a big part in the failure of Bai Wuxue’s frost poison to seep into his internal organs.

The two drops of Dragon Marrow could strengthen Xiao Chen’s bones further, improving his defense. It might even let his body experience another rebirth.

The third item was the Dragon Tone Art, a sound-wave Martial Technique that countered the Deity Race’s Mental Energy Martial Technique in particular. It would be useful in the future when he left the Tianwu Domain.

As for the final item, it would be the mysterious Azure Emperor portrait. This item was extremely odd. Even now, Xiao Chen did not dare to unfurl it again.

That extremely realistic sense of death felt unbearable. However, the exquisite Drawing the Saber of the person in the painting held an incomparable attraction.

Xiao Chen could not help but want to look, which really filled him with conflicting emotions.

Aside from these, he still had a large pile of True Dragon Bones in his Universe Ring. However, he could only exchange those trinkets for resources; he could not use them himself.

The four treasures sat in front of Xiao Chen. This trip to the Savage Battlefield had resulted in enormous gains. Not only had his strength soared rapidly, surpassing his expectations, but the many spoils he brought back were also remarkable.

Fortuitous encounters…no wonder cultivators loved fortuitous encounters so much, to the point where they were willing to risk their lives and charge ahead.

Xiao Chen held the Dragon Mark Fruit in his hand and thought for a moment. In the end, he decided against consuming it.

His physical body’s foundation was too strong. The odds of him bringing out the full effect of the Dragon Mark Fruit were exceedingly low. He might as well set it aside and give it to Yue Chenxi, who practiced Fist Techniques. If her Vital Qi increased by one hundred and fifty tons of force, her close combat techniques would benefit immensely.

Then, Xiao Chen took out two jade bottles and broke the dragon bone. The two drops of golden Dragon Marrow containing pure Dragon Might fell into the containers.

He smiled faintly and consumed these two drops of Dragon Marrow, which would make anyone’s eyes go red with envy, one after another. After which, he sat down cross-legged and quietly waited for the Dragon Marrow to take effect.

Xiao Chen directed his consciousness into his body and discovered a dazzling golden light layered over his skeleton—that was the Dragon Marrow slowly seeping into his bones.

The previous half drop of Dragon Marrow had not had such an effect, probably due to the low quantity; thus, the amount seeping into each bone had been insufficient.

“Ka ca! Ka ca!”

As the Dragon Marrow slowly permeated Xiao Chen’s bones, they gave off soft crackling sounds as if every bone underwent a change from the inside out.

Only when all the Dragon Marrow had entered his bones did the golden light disappear.

When Xiao Chen looked carefully, he discovered that the color of his bones had changed somewhat. They now gave off a faint golden glow.

The golden glow was extremely faint. However, it gave the brittle bones a solidity, a sense of greater resiliency that they had not had before.

In his consciousness, Xiao Chen had a niggling feeling that he had gained something extra in his bones.

After a long and close inspection, he finally discovered that his entire skeleton actually had an indistinct light barrier around it that formed a protective layer inside his body.

Xiao Chen withdrew his consciousness, and his face lit up in joy. He muttered to himself, “It looks like I had already formed this protective layer when I consumed that half drop of Dragon Marrow back then. This layer is probably why I could resist Bai Wuxue’s frost poison.”

However, the half drop of Dragon Marrow’s effect had been too weak. The light barrier it formed had been imperceptible. Xiao Chen only noticed such an effect after consuming another two drops of Dragon Marrow.

In the future, when meeting Bai Wuxue again, that frost poison that caused others a great headache would be utterly ineffective against Xiao Chen.

Furthermore, the internal protective layer would augment Xiao Chen’s overall defense, resulting in his defense increasing by more than twenty percent.

Holding the broken dragon bones, he said to himself, “This light barrier is still too faint and thin. It has a lot more potential.”

As Xiao Chen experienced the wonders of consuming two drops of Dragon Marrow, a group of unexpected guests with malicious eyes headed for his courtyard after learning of his return.

Hua Tianhe, a true inheritor of the other faction, led this group of people.

Xiao Chen quickly put away the Dragon Tone Art. For now, he did not intend to learn this Martial Technique, as he had too many things to do and not enough time.

He looked at the Azure Emperor portrait and hesitated for a long time. In the end, he still decided to open the painting. That person’s Drawing the Saber held too much of an attraction for him.

The figure in the painting only had a casual posture. However, Xiao Chen could see several ways the figure could draw his saber. Furthermore, there were several more ways that Xiao Chen was not aware of.

Such a Drawing the Saber gave Xiao Chen profound shock. If he could learn it, his Drawing the Saber would improve a step further.

Suddenly, Xiao Chen frowned and casually placed the Azure Emperor portrait back in the Universe Ring. He looked out of the courtyard and snorted. Then, he went out in a flash.

He stood on an Azure Dragon image as it moved up and down. When he arrived outside the courtyard, he eyed Hua Tianhe, Yun Feiyu, and the others without showing any expression.

The eyes of the five people that arrived gleamed with murderous intent, their expressions cold. They placed their right hands on their weapons. Clearly, this was not a peaceful visit.

Xiao Chen raised his eyebrows slightly and said calmly, “Might I inquire what these Senior Brothers are here for?”

Hua Tianhe and the others gave Xiao Chen a measuring look, and some shock immediately appeared in their eyes. After a short two months, they actually found Xiao Chen’s strength to be unfathomable already.

However, Xiao Chen was still a peak Medial Grade Martial Monarch. The thought calmed Hua Tianhe. After all, he was a late-stage Superior Grade Martial Monarch.

As for the others, even the weakest of them was a middle-stage Superior Grade Martial Monarch. Regarding cultivation, they could completely suppress Xiao Chen.

Thinking of this, Hua Tianhe no longer wanted to waste time on nonsense. His expression turned gloomy as he said in a cold voice, “Xiao Chen, let me ask you, back then, in the Savage Beast Forest, did you sneak-attack us?”

Xiao Chen’s expression barely changed as he put on a faint smile. “Senior Brother Hua, please do not make such accusations if you do not have proof.”

A blue-robed swordsman behind Hua Tianhe stepped forward and pointed furiously at Xiao Chen. “You want proof? After that matter, Wang Cheng personally came and told us that you were not with them at that time. Instead, you had hidden yourself sneakily. You are the biggest suspect!”

Unexpectedly, Wang Cheng had even done something like this, causing Xiao Chen some surprise. However, at this moment, whether there was evidence or suspicion was no longer important.

Not bothering with a denial, Xiao Chen said, “Just say what you want to say. There is no need to beat around the bush.”

Hua Tianhe smiled and said, “Since you already admitted to it, then I will tell you straight. You made us lose our qualification to go to the Savage Battlefield, so you have to take responsibility for that loss.”

“That’s right. You have to take responsibility for that loss. Hand over all the treasures you obtained in the Savage Battlefield, and give each of us one million Superior Grade Spirit Stones. Otherwise, you will end up having a hard time in the Supreme Sky Sect,” a person behind Hua Tianhe shouted sternly.

The matter of Xiao Chen exchanging a hundred moves with Bai Wuxue and not losing had not spread yet. These people thought that they had Xiao Chen cornered. Hence, there was no hint of politeness in their speech; they were overbearing and pushy.

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