Chapter 95 - 89: Ghost Face Mask, Widespread Panic

Chapter 95: Chapter 89: Ghost Face Mask, Widespread Panic

"How long has it been? This place has already produced such a terrifying existence. If this continues, I’m afraid the gap between us will only widen."

"Fortunately, figures like that are extremely rare. As long as we don’t cross paths with them, there’s no need to worry too much."

Some felt apprehensive, while others quickly consoled themselves.

As Jiang Hao continued his exploration, more and more Cultivators caught sight of that figure, each of them shocked beyond words.

Of course, while frantically searching for a cultivation spot and releasing "signals," Jiang Hao also accidentally stumbled upon a few peerless freaks cultivating in seclusion.

"The aura of the Spirit Transformation Fifth Stage?"

Sensing those terrifying fluctuations, even Jiang Hao was somewhat astonished.

As expected of peerless freaks. Even with the blessing of a trace of Cyan Lotus Soul Power, he had only cultivated to the Spirit Transformation Fifth Stage, yet these peerless freaks had actually managed to catch up.

Naturally, there weren’t many at the Spirit Transformation Fifth Stage. He had encountered a total of four peerless freaks; three were at the Spirit Transformation Fourth Stage, and one was at the Spirit Transformation Fifth Stage.

However, this didn’t mean much. Perhaps many other peerless freaks had already stepped into the Spirit Transformation Fifth Stage.

He thought, "The higher the realm, the harder it is to cultivate. The inner sect will open in two months at most. Even if I continue cultivating, it will be very difficult to reach the Spirit Transformation Sixth Stage."

Jiang Hao had already tested this. After reaching the Spirit Transformation Fifth Stage, his cultivation hit a bottleneck. Breaking through no longer relied solely on cultivating in a Spirit Pool; it required a certain amount of accumulation and consolidation.

Even so, he couldn’t neglect his cultivation.

Eventually, after countless explorations, Jiang Hao finally found a cave dwelling suitable for cultivation.

The reason it was suitable was that the Cultivators inside this cave dwelling instantly trembled in fear upon seeing the grimace mask and sensing the terrifying fluctuations of aura emanating from him.

"Sir, this Spirit Pool is yours. We only beg that you do not go on a killing spree. We will leave immediately."

The group of Cultivators fled into the distance, readily handing over the Spirit Pool they had painstakingly discovered.

"It took them this long to absorb such a tiny bit of the Spirit Pool’s essence? Forget it, leaving it to them would be a waste anyway."

After muttering that, Jiang Hao unceremoniously took over the Spirit Pool cave dwelling and began cultivating like crazy.

However, he was no longer the same as before. The breakthrough in his cultivation and the qualitative change of his five meridians meant his speed in absorbing the Spirit Pool’s essence was incomparable to the past.

In just ten days or so, Jiang Hao drained the entire Spirit Pool.

This time, he wasn’t in a hurry to find another Spirit Pool to elevate his cultivation. Instead, he prepared to practice a martial technique.

He thought, "I can’t break through to the Spirit Transformation Sixth Stage in a short time. If I encounter an opponent of comparable strength, the most decisive factor will be martial techniques."

Currently, aside from a Tier Ten Sword Technique, the Heavenly Spirit 72 Swords, his only other trump card was the Heaven Piercer move. He simply had too few martial techniques to unleash his full combat power.

Not to mention, since he was already at the Spirit Transformation Fifth Stage, the Heavenly Spirit 72 Swords could no longer bring out the peak strength of this realm.

He thought, "I need to choose a high-tier martial technique to practice. Even if I can only reach the Minor Achievement Realm before the inner sect ruins open, it will still give me an extra life-saving trump card."

Indeed, Jiang Hao meant "choose." Right now, he was filthy rich. The Cultivation Techniques and martial techniques in his Spatial Ring piled up like a small mountain; there were simply too many to use.

Of course, although he had swept clean the Scripture Pavilions on seven Divine Peaks, not every martial technique was suitable for his cultivation. Perhaps not even one in ten was actually usable.

But that hadn’t stopped him from plundering en masse. Even if he couldn’t use them himself, he could auction them off for Spirit Stones after leaving this place.

In the Cultivation Realm, the most indispensable things weren’t just Cultivation Techniques and martial techniques, but also massive amounts of Spirit Stones. Spirit Stones were not only the universal currency of the Celestial Martial Continent but also essential resources for cultivation. Especially when Spiritual Qi was scarce, Spirit Stones could be used to supplement the lack of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi.

Opening his Spatial Ring, Jiang Hao frantically rummaged through it.

He thought, "A martial technique that is too strong won’t match my cultivation base. Forcefully practicing it will result in a backlash. A martial technique that is too weak won’t yield good results either. For the Spirit Transformation Realm, a Profound Tier Martial Technique is the most suitable."

Such martial techniques could infinitely amplify the strength of a Cultivator in the Spirit Transformation Realm, allowing them to unleash peak performance. It couldn’t be more perfect.

With this criteria, the number of usable martial techniques in his Spatial Ring plummeted by a large margin.

Finally, Jiang Hao spotted a Profound Tier Martial Technique. Both its attribute and cultivation method matched him perfectly.

"A level-seven Profound Tier Martial Technique, the Eighteen Styles of the Heavenly Hand?"

Holding the Eighteen Styles of the Heavenly Hand manual, Jiang Hao grew more excited the more he read. It was as if this martial technique was tailor-made for him.

Time flew by, and ten days passed in the blink of an eye. He was still in the same cave dwelling, standing next to the same drained Spirit Pool.

"Eighteen Styles of the Heavenly Hand!"

BOOM!!!

Jiang Hao thrust out a palm strike. In an instant, the power of the Spirit Transformation Fifth Stage surged out, manifesting into a massive, illusory handprint.

The illusory hand, like the hand of a deity, erupted with unprecedentedly terrifying power and slammed violently against the rock wall of the cave.

BOOM!!!

Countless rocks, hard as iron, were instantly pulverized into dust. The entire cave dwelling shook violently, akin to a magnitude-twelve earthquake.

"Minor Achievement Realm?"

Looking at the earth-shattering commotion, Jiang Hao was both ecstatic and stunned.

In just ten short days, with the intervention of a trace of his Cyan Lotus Martial Soul, he had actually cultivated a level-seven Profound Tier Martial Technique to the Minor Achievement Realm.

However, what truly shocked Jiang Hao was the sheer terror of the Eighteen Styles of the Heavenly Hand.

He had just mobilized less than a tenth of his strength, suppressing the power to its weakest state, yet it was still astonishingly devastating.

"This is simply a must-have martial technique for killing. It’s too formidable."

Jiang Hao sighed with emotion. His confidence soared. With his Five Veins Second Transformation, along with this Profound Tier Martial Technique and his Heaven Piercer move, he should at least be a terrifying existence capable of dominating a region within these ancient ruins.

More than ten days drifted by. The noisy and clamoring sounds outside the cave dwelling gradually increased. Evidently, the inexperienced Jiang Hao had miscalculated the exact moment the inner sect would open.

At this moment, the sky curtain had faded significantly, and the surrounding Cultivators emerged from their secluded cultivation one by one.

Firstly, the essence within the Spirit Pools had been mostly depleted by everyone. Secondly, the opening of the inner sect ruins was imminent. Countless Cultivators had already ended their seclusion, drooling as they stared at the Divine Weapons continuously roaming within the sky curtain.

However, the very first thing countless Cultivators did upon ending their seclusion was not to focus on the legacy of the Nine Mountains, but rather to discuss the terrifying aura from over ten days ago.

"I truly didn’t expect such a terrifying existence to enter this place. Over ten days ago, that figure had already stepped into the Realm of Spirit Transformation Five Changes. The aura on his body was so terrifying that no one dared to look at him directly."

"Sir, are you talking about a black-robed figure wearing a grimace mask? We encountered him too. He’s way too monstrous."

News about the black-robed figure with the grimace mask began to spread like wildfire among all the Cultivators, causing quite a commotion and uproar.

Yet, the countless Cultivators who hadn’t encountered that figure maintained an attitude of skepticism.

"A grimace mask? A black-robed figure? A peerless freak?"

"The Realm of Spirit Transformation Five Changes? I’m afraid he’s not the only one who has achieved that, right? Is he really that terrifying?"

"Why does everyone who’s seen him look so frightened and on edge?"

"Heh, this is an old, overused trick. Do you guys actually believe it? It’s just someone playing the ghost to scare people. The inner sect ruins haven’t even opened yet, and someone’s already starting psychological warfare."

"It’s just a petty trick. What era are we in now? The Celestial Martial Continent has gone through so many clashes of prodigies. Trying to intimidate the masses with such a low-end method is a real joke."

"If he were really that strong, he would’ve shown himself by now. Why bother setting up a smokescreen to bewitch people?"