“Don’t be so nervous.
If I really wanted to capture you, I would have made my move before you even entered Yihong Courtyard.” The He Family Patriarch looked at Longtian indifferently.
His eyes were perfectly placid, devoid of the slightest ripple.
“Yihong Courtyard…
So you discovered me long ago?
Then what exactly do you mean by this?” Longtian didn’t know what the Patriarch was thinking.
“Weren’t you just cursing me for being old, senile, and blind as a bat?
Being scolded by a junior like this, I naturally have to come out and prove whether my eyes are failing or not.”
“Uh, well, Grandfather, you definitely misheard.
I said you are keen and perceptive, possessing peerless vision.
As a junior, how could I dare to disrespect my elder?” Longtian knew he had to play the obedient junior right now.
If the Patriarch got angry and slapped this unworthy descendant to death, it would be a true tragedy.
“You brat.
I only came to ask you: have you achieved Great Success in both the Stone-Splitting Fist and Vajra Palm?”
Seeing that the Patriarch showed no signs of anger, Longtian finally breathed a sigh of relief.
“Your grandson is untalented.
It took me two whole days to fully master them.”
Longtian knew he had to subtly flex right now, so he deliberately emphasized the words “two days.” He wasn’t stupid.
Since the Patriarch took the initiative to ask him this question, it meant his talent had genuinely shocked the older man.
“Two days to grasp two Martial Skills, and you even reached Great Success?”
Sure enough, hearing Longtian’s answer, a trace of fluctuation finally appeared in the Patriarch’s placid eyes.
“What is your Cultivation now?”
“I luckily entered the Third Layer.”
The Patriarch nodded.
“To defeat Qing Feng, who possessed the same Martial Skills, while only at the Third Layer…
indeed, only Mastery of Martial Arts could accomplish this.
You can be considered a genius.
How about this?
Don’t say your Grandfather didn’t give you a chance.
I heard that in half a month, you will challenge He Chao.
If you can truly defeat He Chao then, I will guarantee your safe return to the He Family.”
Hearing this, Longtian’s eyes instantly lit up.
This was exactly the promise he had been waiting for!
Only by gaining the Patriarch’s favor could he enter the He Family.
Only by entering the He Family could he see He Yitao and persuade him to call off the marriage.
“However, don’t be too happy just yet,” the Patriarch continued.
“You face no small amount of pressure.
Although Qing Feng wasn’t killed by your hands, he died because of you.
Although my second son has two children, only one is a male heir.
You can imagine his hatred for you.
Until you have the strength, you had better not return to Flying Horse Village.
“Work hard.
In my eyes, strength is the most important thing.
Whether your surname is Long or He, my blood flows in your veins.
If you want my protection, you must display a level of strength that satisfies me.
The world of Cultivators has always followed the law of the jungle, and even within the same family, there are no exceptions.
If you didn’t have such talent, I wouldn’t care whether you lived or died.
Alright, I’ve said my piece.
Look out for yourself.”
His voice still echoing, the He Family Patriarch came and went like the wind.
“Strength.”
Longtian once again felt the importance of strength.
Without it, he was less than a piece of shit.
Only with strength could he gain status.
“That old man is right,” Longtian muttered to himself.
“The Cultivator’s world follows the law of the jungle.
I can’t blame others for being strong, only myself for being weak.
Since I temporarily cannot return to Flying Horse Village, I’ll spend this nearly half a month in the Wilderness Forest to improve my strength.”
Longtian had originally planned to train in the Wilderness Forest anyway, as a Cultivator could only grow faster through life-and-death battles.
The Wilderness Forest was a paradise for poisonous insects and wild beasts.
Cultivators ventured into the Wilderness Forest to train, firstly to increase their strength, and secondly to seek serendipity.
Within the Wilderness Forest, quite a few lucky individuals had obtained Mid-level Human or even Advanced Spirit Medicine.
Some had even found Mid-level Human weapons that could slice through iron like mud, drastically increasing their combat power.
In short, the Wilderness Forest was a place where danger and opportunity coexisted.
With enough luck, one might even inherit the legacy of a Great Power.
Taking one last look at Flying Horse Village, Longtian resolutely turned around and hurried toward the Wilderness Forest.
As the sun rose, the Wilderness Forest was bathed in a layer of bloody light, looking like a slumbering beast.
“This is the Wilderness Forest,” Longtian murmured.
“I can’t go too deep; I can only hunt beasts on the outskirts.
If I can obtain Beast Essence Blood, consuming it would give me a chance to become a Beast Cultivator.
I would be invincible within the same level, and even killing opponents of higher tiers wouldn’t be difficult.
Unfortunately, Beast Essence Blood must be artificially refined, which takes time and isn’t guaranteed to succeed.”
“Hmm?
I feel like something is attracting me.”
Just as he stepped into the Wilderness Forest, Longtian’s body trembled.
He felt a voice guiding him toward the distance, a voice coming from the depths of his soul.
“No way?
I just entered the Wilderness Forest, and I’m already having a miraculous encounter?”
Longtian was slightly surprised, but he didn’t advance blindly.
Currently, his Cultivation was only at the Third Level of Mortal Realm.
In this peril-ridden Wilderness Forest, it was better to be cautious in all things.
Besides, the guidance was faint and intermittent.
“I’ll wait until my Cultivation reaches the Fourth Layer before going deeper.
For now, I’ll train on the outskirts,” he decided.
“Huh?
Is this Dream Green Grass?
I just entered the forest, and I’ve already encountered a Basic-level Human Dream Green Grass.
The Wilderness Forest truly is a place to find serendipity.”
In his line of sight, a green blade of grass fluttered in the wind.
The plant exuded a faint fragrance.
“Dream Green Grass has healing properties.
My right hand happens to be injured, and Trauma Ointment can’t compare to the effects of Dream Green Grass.
With such a large stalk of it, chewing just a small section will be enough to fully heal me.”
He plucked the Dream Green Grass and took a small bite.
A cool, refreshing sensation spread from his right fist.
His previously scarred right hand was actually healing rapidly.
In just four or five breaths, his fist returned to normal.
“The effects of graded Spirit Medicine are truly extraordinary.
What a good item.
I reckon it will be able to treat my injuries until I reach the Fifth Level of Mortal Realm.”
Satisfied, he tucked the remaining Dream Green Grass into his robes.
Longtian was just about to move forward when he felt the ground shaking.
Turning his head, he saw a wild boar with a sharp horn glaring furiously at him.
Its blood-red eyes were like two sharp swords.
“A Tier Three of Human Level beast, a Sword Pig.
It’s equivalent to the Third Level of Mortal Realm,” Longtian muttered.
“Damn, this pig’s gaze is so blatant, it clearly wants to humiliate me.
Did it discover the Dream Green Grass first?
I was wondering why such a good stalk of Spirit Medicine hadn’t been picked yet.
Turns out this pig was guarding it.
“I can even defeat someone at the Fourth Level of Mortal Realm, so naturally, I don’t fear a Tier Three of Human Level beast.
I’ll use you as my first sacrifice!”
Beasts of the same tier were generally no match for humans, because humans could cultivate Martial Skills, whereas beasts could not.
After all, beasts that possessed Talent Skills were in the minority.
“Stone-Splitting Fist!”
Longtian stomped his feet and threw a punch at the furious Sword Pig.
The Sword Pig’s massive body was instantly sent flying by Longtian.
The tremendous force blew a deep hole directly into its body, and blood poured out, SPLASHING to the ground.
“Although beasts don’t know Martial Skills, their skin is indeed tough.
Forget it, seeing you in such pain, I’ll just end it for you.”
His left hand turned golden as he slapped the Sword Pig’s head.
The previously howling beast instantly fell silent, dead.
“This solitary horn on the Sword Pig’s forehead can be considered a treasure.
It can be exchanged for quite a bit of money.
I’ll take it, and check if it has a Beast Pill while I’m at it.”
Beasts had Beast Pills, but not all Human-Level Beasts had them.
After all, Human-Level Beasts were the weakest of all beasts.
“Oh, there really is a Beast Pill!”
A Beast Pill was the gathering place of a beast’s strength, containing a massive amount of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy.
Consuming a Beast Pill could enhance one’s Cultivation.
However, a Beast Pill ultimately contained a beast’s Energy; for a human to absorb at most twenty percent of the Energy from a single pill would already be considered heaven-defying.
“What great luck!
I’ll consume it first and see.”
The Beast Pill melted upon entering his mouth, transforming into dense Spiritual Energy that rapidly rushed into Longtian’s body.
The speed and sheer volume were hundreds, if not thousands, of times greater than during his usual Cultivation.
But Longtian soon realized that only a small portion of this Energy had entered his Hidden Veins; the vast majority was actually spilling out of his body.
“As expected, only a small fraction of a Beast Pill’s Energy can be absorbed.
What a waste.
What a complete waste.
How great would it be if I could absorb it all?”
Longtian truly felt it was a pity.
But in the next moment—he did not know if his inner obsession had played a role—just as the thought crossed his mind, the dormant Stone Stele in his Sea of Consciousness actually began to tremble.
A surge of golden light radiated from the Stone Stele, instantly enveloping Longtian’s entire body.
At this moment, Longtian’s entire body faintly emitted a soft golden glow, giving him the majestic air of a Divine Son.
Once enveloped by the golden light, the Beast Pill’s Energy that was spilling out seemed to have its exits sealed off.
It could only circulate within Longtian’s body until it was gradually absorbed by his Hidden Veins.
In other words, apart from the little Energy that had dissipated at the very beginning, he had managed to absorb a full ninety percent of the Energy contained within this Golden Core!
“Ninety percent…
I actually absorbed ninety percent of the Energy.
Just what kind of existence is this Stone Stele?
“Heaven-defying!
With this, I couldn’t avoid being heaven-defying even if I tried!
Others can only absorb ten, at most twenty percent of the Energy, yet I can actually absorb it all!
Doesn’t this mean that to advance my Cultivation, all I need to do is slaughter beasts and harvest their Beast Pills?!”
Longtian suddenly realized just how bright his future was.
The power of this Mysterious Stele far exceeded his expectations.
A pleasant surprise—this was a f*cking incredible surprise!
Longtian murmured, “Mysterious Stele, just what is your origin?
Is there anything in this world that you cannot suppress or Imprison?
“Brother, is this the reason you were killed?
You must have been murdered because of this Mysterious Stele.
But the people who killed you never dreamed that you would hide the Stone Stele within your own flesh and blood.”
Thinking of He Chen, Longtian let out a deep sigh.
If he had a choice, he would rather not have the Stone Stele.
He only wanted his brother, who had always protected and cared for him.
Several breaths later, Longtian completely absorbed the Beast Pill’s Energy.
Within his body, the glow of his three Hidden Veins became even brighter.
“Although a Beast Pill contains the full Energy of a beast’s entire body, a Tier Three of Human Level Beast Pill doesn’t have much effect on me anymore.
If I want to break through to the Fourth Layer, I reckon I’ll need a Human-level Fourth Rank or even a Tier Five Beast Pill,” he analyzed.
“A Fifth Rank of Human Level beast could kill me with a single slap.
I can only barely deal with a Human-level Fourth Rank beast.
In order to become stronger, let the beast hunting begin!
My goal: enter the Fourth Level of Mortal Realm within three days, break through to the Fifth Level of Mortal Realm within eight days, and break through to the Sixth Level of Mortal Realm within half a month!
When the time comes, defeating He Chao, who is also at the Sixth Level of Mortal Realm, will be as easy as flipping my hand!
I am even confident in defeating the number one person of the He Family, He Tong.”