Chapter 201 - 191: Breakthrough, Refining Organ Realm

Chapter 201: Chapter 191: Breakthrough, Refining Organ Realm

The next day.

The light within the hall was as dim and gentle as the day before. Chen Yue picked up a Fasting Pill from the stone platform and placed it in his mouth.

The elixir melted on his tongue, turning into a warm current that slid down into his stomach. The slight feeling of emptiness from not having eaten for a long time quickly dissipated.

He sat cross-legged in the center of the hall once more, rested his hands on his knees, and closed his eyes. First, as usual, he circulated the Vast Heart Rock Skill to stabilize the aura within his body.

Then, Chen Yue tried to circulate the Celestial Demon Burning Technique. With a slight stir of his Heart Spirit, a sliver of it and his Qi Blood began to burn.

There was no loss of control, none of the irrepressible mania from when he first started the Heart-Burning Record, nor the explosive, hair-trigger impulse of the Celestial Demon Dissolution. Everything was stable and smooth.

A pure, driving force began to increase the circulation speed of the Inner Strength within him.

Moreover, Chen Yue discovered that because he had integrated the extremely frenzied principles of the Celestial Demon Dissolution, the combustion efficiency of this sliver of Heart Spirit and Qi Blood was remarkably high.

Compared to yesterday’s Burning Essence Technique, he was burning the same amount of Qi Blood and Heart Spirit, but Chen Yue clearly felt the driving force was stronger—by at least thirty percent.

As the surrounding Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi was absorbed and replenished him, Chen Yue felt the sliver of Heart Spirit and Qi Blood he had burned begin to gradually recover.

The recovery was very slow, so much so that it was almost unnoticeable without careful perception.

Although it was faint, this balance allowed Chen Yue to sustain the circulation of the Celestial Demon Burning Technique for much longer.

Besides, Chen Yue could currently only absorb a small amount of Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi. After all, he didn’t have true Innate Acupoints, and his Sword Intent could only barely sense the Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi.

But as his Heart Spirit continued to strengthen and he became able to capture more Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi, he estimated that the Qi Blood and Heart Spirit consumed during cultivation could be rapidly replenished, reaching the state of positive sustainability he envisioned.

At that point, Chen Yue could start trying to burn more Qi Blood and Heart Spirit each time.

He would gradually expand the scope of combustion, allowing his body’s endurance to grow continuously as his cultivation progressed.

As for the parts that couldn’t be immediately replenished, he could wait until the nightly nourishment period to gradually recover them through meditative breathing and slow circulation of the Vast Heart Rock Skill.

Time flowed like a silent river in the enclosed and tranquil space of the Gathering Essence Spirit Platform.

Inside the hall, there was no change of day and night, no wind, no sound—only the constant, gentle fluorescence and dense Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi enveloping Chen Yue.

His cultivation rhythm was identical to yesterday’s, steadily advancing through each task in silence.

At midnight, the familiar ripple appeared in his perception once more.

[Daily Settlement]

[Diligent Cultivation, Cultivation +1427]

...

[Marrow Refining Realm (8321/9154)]

...

Chen Yue looked at the information on the panel, a smile spreading across his face.

His Cultivation had increased even more than yesterday, jumping from 1255 to 1427—a boost of over one hundred points.

The only difference from yesterday was that he had replaced the Burning Essence Technique with the Celestial Demon Burning Technique.

The same amount of time, the same environment, the same intensity of combustion—just by integrating the combustion properties of the Celestial Demon Dissolution, the rate of his Cultivation growth had taken another step up.

If converted into Nourishing Spirit Pill Yang Pills, this was equivalent to Chen Yue consuming five or six more pills a day. 1427 Cultivation points were roughly equivalent to refining forty-eight or forty-nine Nourishing Spirit Pill Yang Pills.

And he was just one step away from breaking through to the Refining Organ Realm.

Chen Yue withdrew his gaze and closed his eyes again. His breathing was steady, and his heartbeat hadn’t quickened in the slightest despite the approaching breakthrough.

The third day.

The light in the hall remained unchanged. Chen Yue had been in this great hall for three days without seeing sunlight, feeling the wind, or hearing any sound other than his own breathing.

But he felt no anxiety or oppression. His entire Heart Spirit was focused on cultivation, and his perception of the outside world was compressed to a minimum.

All his cultivation steps were identical to the day before: circulating the Vast Heart Rock Skill, practicing the Ten Thousand Forms Tiger Roar Golden Bell Fist Frame—everything proceeded according to a set order and schedule.

...

「Liuyun Sword Sect.」

On a beautiful peak next to the main one, a quiet and elegant courtyard sat halfway up the mountain, with green tiles, white walls, and the swaying shadows of bamboo.

In the courtyard was a stone table, upon which sat a purple clay teapot and two teacups. The fragrance of tea wafted from the spout.

Bei Sufang sat by the stone table, holding a freshly brewed cup of tea. The liquid was clear and bright, reflecting the faint white clouds in the afternoon sky.

A moment later, Guan Duhai’s figure appeared at the courtyard gate.

He wore dark, tight-fitting attire with a longsword at his waist, his expression cold and stern.

He walked into the courtyard, came to the stone table, and cupped his hands in a salute. "Greetings, Elder Bei. For what reason has Elder Bei summoned me?"

Bei Sufang slowly placed his teacup back on the stone table. He skipped the pleasantries and spoke directly:

"I’ve received news. That Chen Yue is currently in the Gathering Essence Spirit Platform; today should be his third day. After he comes out, he will enter the Wenda Corridor for another three days."

Hearing this, Guan Duhai frowned slightly, a vertical line appearing between his brows.

He knew of the Panshi Sect’s Gathering Essence Spirit Platform and Wenda Corridor. For an Inner Sect Disciple to gain access to these two places, they generally had to be in the top ten, or even the top five, of the Panshi Sect’s Cyan Cloud Ranking to get one free use.

The Gathering Essence Spirit Platform could accelerate Cultivation accumulation, and the Wenda Corridor could elevate the level of one’s Cultivation Techniques and Martial Techniques. The combined effect was extremely significant for a Martial Artist.

Guan Duhai’s furrowed brow slowly smoothed out. After a brief fluctuation, his expression returned to its usual cold severity.

"I already expected he would break through to the Refining Organ Realm within a month. These two places just make that possibility greater. But even if he reaches the Refining Organ Realm, the final outcome won’t change at all."

The gap between a Martial Artist who has just broken through to the Refining Organ Realm and one who has been at the peak of the Refining Organ Realm for years, ready to challenge the Innate Realm at any moment, could not be erased by a few days of accelerated cultivation.

Bei Sufang nodded, not refuting him.

He picked up the teapot and filled the cup in front of Guan Duhai. The tea was clear and bright, shimmering with a gentle luster in the afternoon sun.

"Besides this, the Panshi Sect also sent a specific message. They want the Life and Death Decision a month from now to be held here, at our Liuyun Sword Sect, not at their Panshi Sect."

Guan Duhai was stunned for a moment. Then, he instantly understood the implication, and his expression turned grim.

The Liuyun Sword Sect had been the main force in arranging this Life and Death Decision. If the duel was ultimately held within the gates of the Liuyun Sword Sect, and he was slain on the spot by a Panshi Sect disciple who had just broken through to the Refining Organ Realm...

...one could only imagine how the story would sound when it spread.

Bei Sufang watched Guan Duhai’s face darken at the news and didn’t speak immediately.

He raised his cup and took another sip, letting the tea rest in his mouth for a moment before swallowing slowly.

"You are the eighth-ranked prodigy on our Sword Heart Ranking, and the Sword Dao you cultivate requires a smooth and unhindered mind. That’s why I agreed when you wanted to challenge that Chen Yue.

But now, I must ask you again: do you still wish to proceed with this Life and Death Decision?"

Bei Sujian paused, his gaze fixed on Guan Duhai’s eyes:

"We haven’t reached the point of no return. We can find a graceful way out—for example, by reopening the investigation into Guan Duzhou’s death, or even by offering a different condition to make them concede.

Judging from the attitude coming from the Panshi Sect, they are extremely confident about this duel."

A Sect wouldn’t propose to hold the battle on their opponent’s home turf unless they had absolute confidence in their disciple’s strength.

Guan Duhai was silent for a moment, then he looked up.

"Why couldn’t this be their scheme? To display all these favorable conditions to make me back down out of fear?"

Bei Sujian nodded. "That’s also a possibility. It depends on how you see it."

He paused before continuing:

"Normally, there is no reason for you to lose this duel. Therefore, if you insist on going through with this Life and Death Decision, the Sect has decided to let you enter the Sword Grinding Pool ahead of schedule.

If you can advance your Sword Intent further, this Life and Death Decision will be nothing to you! Even breaking through to the Innate Realm afterward won’t be an issue; the Innate Barrier will be no problem!"

At these words, Guan Duhai’s brow furrowed once more.

The Sword Grinding Pool was one of the Liuyun Sword Sect’s most core cultivation resources. It used the Heaven and Earth Evil Qi to temper Sword Intent, capable of greatly increasing a Sword Cultivator’s Sword Intent solidity and lethality in a short period.

But its side effects were equally obvious. Entering the Sword Grinding Pool early meant enduring a torrent of evil qi far beyond what one could normally handle, placing an immense burden on both the Heart Spirit and the body.

Guan Duhai’s original plan was to enter the Sword Grinding Pool in half a year, after he had solidified his foundation, his Inner Strength had become sufficiently mellow, and his Sword Heart was stable enough. Then, he would enter the pool and push his Sword Intent to a new height in one fell swoop.

Entering the Sword Grinding Pool now was a bit too soon for Guan Duhai.

But then he thought of the Sect’s concerns. If the eighth-ranked disciple on the Sword Heart Ranking was killed on his own Sect’s territory, the consequences would be far more severe than just a loss of face.

Guan Duhai was silent for a moment. He looked up at Bei Sujian and nodded. "Alright. I will enter the Sword Grinding Pool tomorrow."

The afternoon wind rustled through the bamboo grove, the sound of the leaves exceptionally clear in the quiet courtyard.

...

As night deepened, a canopy of countless stars spread across the sky above the Panshi Sect.

The dim hall on the side of True Inheritance Peak stood silently, its doors tightly shut. The stone bricks under the eaves gleamed faintly, damp with night dew.

Chen Yue sat cross-legged in the center of the great hall, his back as straight as a pine, his breathing long and even. He had been in a state of Meditation for a long time.

Inner Strength slowly circulated through his meridians. The gentle, thick power in his Dantian was in a state of delicate balance, as if it could break through its formless restraints at any moment.

Midnight arrived.

[Daily Settlement]

[Diligent Cultivation, Cultivation +832]

...

[Marrow Refining Realm (9153/9152)]

...

The moment the numbers on the panel appeared, the experience pool for the Marrow Refining Realm overflowed.

In the next instant, a majestic surge of Inner Strength erupted from Chen Yue’s Dantian. It was like a dormant volcano suddenly awakening, all its power unleashed at once.

The Inner Strength first circulated frantically through his meridians for one Circulation, its speed several times faster than usual. Like an enraged dragon thrashing in a riverbed, it stretched every inch of his meridians to their limit.

Chen Yue’s brow furrowed slightly. He could clearly feel the taut, painful sensation of his meridians being filled to their absolute capacity, but this was far from the end.

Then, the immense Inner Strength surged toward his internal organs.

Cultivation in the Refining Organ Realm was completely different from the Marrow Refining Realm.

The core of the Marrow Refining Realm was to temper the bones and marrow, making one’s Qi Blood more vigorous. The cultivation of the Refining Organ Realm, however, was the tempering and strengthening of the internal organs.

The Panshi Sect’s method for the Refining Organ Realm didn’t start with a single organ. Instead, it began by simultaneously permeating the heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys. All five organs were enveloped, saturated, and scoured by the Inner Strength at the same time.

Chen Yue’s body temperature skyrocketed. A heat ignited from deep within him. His blood flowed faster, his heart pounded violently, each beat more powerful than usual, pumping the scorching Qi Blood to every corner of his body.

A faint red halo began to appear on the surface of his skin—a sign that his Qi Blood was boiling to its absolute peak and overflowing.

Waves of heat emanated from his body, forming a ring of distorted air in the dim hall, as if a layer of transparent flame enveloped him.

Chen Yue’s breathing became rapid and scorching, each exhalation releasing a wisp of pale white mist.

Amidst the shock of the breakthrough, his Heart Spirit remained clear. Chen Yue could perceive his internal organs being repeatedly battered by that power, and he could feel his body undergoing a profound transformation.

The gate to the Refining Organ Realm was being pushed open—slowly, but unstoppably!