His supreme-grade heaven-earth devouring physique immediately took control of the situation, using most of that influx of Qi to further temper his physical body.
The raw, concentrated spiritual energy circulated through his limbs, and Kahn could literally feel his skin and bones breaking down and rapidly repairing themselves all over again into much stronger, denser versions.
Every single cell was being infused with pure power, turning his flesh into something as tough as refined iron.
The Qi meticulously reinforced his structure, purging any remaining impurities from his marrow and replacing his old, weak human limitations with a truly monstrous durability.
The entire reconstruction process was undeniably painful, causing his muscles to twist and his bones to ache deeply under the sudden strain.
However, the discomfort wasn’t anywhere close to being as painful as the absolute hell he had endured when his physique was initially integrating with him.
Compared to that terrifying, paralyzing experience of total physical destruction, this intense tempering felt manageable, allowing him to stay completely conscious and focused on managing the incredible energy flowing through his veins.
’This legendary pill is awesome!’ Kahn thought, a surge of profound excitement mixing with the physical strain as he maintained his focus. ’It’s gathering so much Qi!’
He could feel the sheer quality of the medicine filling every corner of his being, a stark contrast to the low-grade, diluted pills commonly used by cultivators.
’This is it,’ Kahn thought, his determination hardening into a razor-sharp point. ’The best chance to break through to Qi condensation is now!’
He knew that opportunity like this wouldn’t just knock twice. He had a massive reservoir of Qi trapped inside his body right at this very moment, and if he didn’t seize the chance to push his limits to the absolute maximum, he would be wasting the incredible gift the system’s multiplier had just granted him.
Normally, moving all the way from the low body tempering rank to the Qi condensation realm in a single go was considered utterly impossible in the cultivation world.
It was a massive leap that standard cultivators spent years trying to achieve, requiring immense patience and countless cycles of slow, tedious training.
But the phenomenal effects of a legendary grade pill were just too good, packing an absurd amount of concentrated Qi.
Kahn knew that with enough unwavering concentration and the brutal efficiency of his supreme physique, he would actually be able to break through the impossible barrier tonight.
Meanwhile, entirely unaware of the breakthrough happening deep beneath the earth, a guard on duty in the upper levels of the sect building suddenly stopped in his tracks.
The man stretched his hand out into the empty air, rubbing his fingers together as if trying to grasp something tangible, before muttering to himself in a puzzled tone.
"What’s wrong?" his colleague asked.
"Hmm... the Qi in the air feels so thin today." He frowned, waving his palm back and forth through the quiet corridor.
Even though the total amount of Qi present in this specific region was never particularly high to begin with, the guard highly doubted it was ever meant to be this incredibly thin.
The air felt completely empty and dead, stripped of the natural vitality that usually hummed through the sect grounds.
He shivered slightly as a strange sense of unease washed over him, completely unable to understand what was going on or why the natural energy of the world had suddenly vanished into thin air.
Growing increasingly paranoid about the sudden anomaly, the guard gripped the hilt of his weapon and walked briskly down the hallway, heading out of the building to check the perimeter thoroughly.
He scanned the courtyards, looked up at the quiet mountain peaks, and listened closely for any sounds of conflict.
After completing a full sweep, he confirmed that they weren’t actually under attack by any rival factions, finding absolutely nothing out of the ordinary.
He walked back inside, scratching his head, growing even more confused.
A man clad in flowing blue robes suddenly barged out from a door by the side, his movements urgent and sharp.
The moment his figure came into view, the guards quickly straightened their posture and bowed deeply toward him, their voices filled with immediate respect as they greeted him, saying, "Inner disciple Ter!"
They kept their heads lowered, knowing that an inner disciple possessed far more authority and power than mere guards like themselves.
The man’s face was squeezed into a deep, intense frown as he ignored their formal greetings completely.
He stood in the center of the walkway, looking around at the faint wind blowing through the courtyard with an expression of growing alarm.
The air was moving in an unnatural, erratic pattern, rippling toward a single point as if being dragged by an invisible force.
Ter raised his face, trying to trace the subtle shifts in the atmosphere, his irritation practically radiating off his body.
His eyes suddenly widened in sheer realization, a sudden wave of panic washing over his features.
He whipped his head around to face the guards and shouted at the top of his lungs, "Are you two dumb?! Can’t you tell... someone’s cultivating nearby... someone terrifyingly powerful!"
His voice echoed sharply against the stone walls, filled with disbelief that the guards had been standing around so blindly while everything was being turned completely upside down right under their noses.
The guards shook violently in fear upon hearing his shout, their hearts hammering against their ribs.
They nervously glanced at themselves, sharing a brief look of absolute panic, before quickly glancing back at Ter with wide, terrified eyes.
The mere mention of a terrifyingly powerful cultivator operating secretly within their territory made their blood run cold, and they completely forgot about their previous confusion as the weight of the situation set in.
Compared to them, who were only at the body tempering rank, Ter was already an established cultivator at the Qi condensation realm.
Because of this, he could sense the subtle movements of Qi far better than any ordinary cultivator ever could.
He could actually feel the texture of the Wi currents, and what he was feeling right now was a massive, aggressive vortex that shouldn’t exist here.
Ter started pacing up and down the corridor frantically, his leather boots clicking loudly against the stone floor as his mind raced.
He stopped abruptly, pointing a trembling finger at the ground and shouted at them, "It’s converging towards the cell for some reason... go there now! Check whoever is responsible for this, and get back to me!"
He wanted answers immediately, terrified of what kind of entity had managed to slip into their prison undetected to cause such a massive Qi disturbance.
The guards remained standing completely frozen for a short while, paralyzed by the sheer terror of what they might encounter down in the dark depths of the prison area.
Seeing their hesitation, Ter’s face contorted with absolute rage, and he shouted at them once more, his voice cracking with intensity, "I said now, idiots!"
The second burst of fury broke their paralysis, forcing them to jump into immediate action to avoid the wrath of their superior.
They turned on their heels and quickly rushed down the stairwell, heading straight toward the underground cell area as fast as their legs could carry them.
Their heavy footsteps echoed loudly through the descending passages, their hands gripping the hilts of their weapons tightly as they prepared themselves for the worst.
The fear of Ter was great, but the fear of the unknown cultivator draining the sect’s energy was even greater.
As they left his sight, the frantic energy slowly drained from Ter’s movements, replaced by a deep, dark expression.
He placed his right hand thoughtfully on his chin, his eyes narrowing as he stared down the empty, dark hallway where the guards had just vanished.
He began pacing slowly again, muttering under his breath in a quiet, tense whisper, "We don’t have anyone in the cell... only that trash... could it be?"