Chapter 531 - 251: The True Inheritor Candidate Competition Begins! The Battle for the Demon Suppression Tower! Breakthrough to the Peak of the Sixth Layer of True Master Realm

’Is this what a real genius is like...’

’Good thing I’m his senior brother, not his opponent...’

’Otherwise, life would be truly unbearable!’

...

「Tingtai Garden.」

Jiang Che sat cross-legged on a meditation cushion in the Practice Room.

In the palm of his hand lay the second layer of the Spirit Void Technique, which he had just received from Song Yuan.

Jiang Che extended his Divine Thought into it.

BOOM!

Profound and mysterious Magic Formulas flowed through his mind.

Compared to the first layer’s "Void Transformation,"

the second layer focused more on "Condensing" and "Transformation."

It required the Cultivator to continuously compress and purify that wisp of ethereal and nimble Myriad Phenomena True Qi within their Dantian and Qi Sea.

They also had to begin imprinting a Divine Soul Mark onto their True Qi, allowing them to control it as easily as a limb, capable of countless transformations.

For an ordinary disciple, this step was a gradual process that required accumulation and refinement over a long period.

Often, it would take several months, or even half a year, just to barely grasp the basics.

But for Jiang Che...

A mere two hours passed.

Following an extremely faint hum from within his body, the Chaotic True Qi that had been surging through his meridians faintly took on a deeper, more condensed quality.

[Myriad Phenomena Infinite Dao: Spirit Void Technique, Second Layer - Entry Level (1/30,000)]

’Success.’

Jiang Che slowly opened his eyes, a hint of satisfaction flashing within them.

’The cultivation difficulty for this second layer has definitely increased quite a bit, and the Skill Level cap has also gone up. But now that I’ve reached the entry level, the rest is just a matter of pouring in time and resources.’

After reaching the entry level for the Cultivation Technique, Jiang Che didn’t rush to continue grinding his Skill Level.

Instead, he fell into deep thought, preparing to replan his future cultivation path.

’Before, in order to unlock the second Divine Soul Slot, I spent a huge amount of time grinding Low-Tier Cultivation Techniques to upgrade [True Nine Li Commander].’

’Although the benefits were enormous, it also slowed down the progress of my own Realm to a certain extent.’

Jiang Che’s eyes flickered as he weighed the pros and cons in his mind.

’If I continue practicing other cultivation techniques for stacking passives, it would still increase my combat power...’

’But in this world, one’s Realm is fundamental!’

’Back when I was at the Fourth Layer of the True Master Realm, I could defeat a Ninth Layer Giant Spirit Assassin by relying on my various trump cards.’

’But if I were to encounter someone at an even higher Realm...’

Jiang Che thought of the Giant Spirit War General mentioned in that letter.

Tenth Layer of True Master Realm, or even Half-Step True Mastery!

Against an opponent of that caliber, relying on the boost from those trump cards isn’t enough. I must have a sufficiently high Realm to stand a chance!

’With a higher Realm, my total amount of True Qi, physical strength, and Divine Soul limit will all skyrocket!’

’Then, when combined with those several-dozen-fold amplifications, the power will be truly world-destroying!’

Having figured this out, a decisive glint flashed in Jiang Che’s eyes.

’Stacking passives can be put aside for now.’

’From now on, my focus will be on going all-out to advance my Realm!’

However, Jiang Che glanced at the pile of Elixir Pills he had previously purchased from Duobao Peak and sighed softly.

Stacking passives was tedious, but aside from buying a few cultivation techniques, it wasn’t actually that expensive.

But advancing one’s Realm...

That was a bottomless pit!

Especially after reaching the Mid Stage of the True Master Realm, every step forward required a massive Spiritual Energy Amount.

Just by meditating and absorbing energy? That would take until the end of time!

To be fast, one had to consume a massive amount of Elixir Pills!

’Thankfully...’

Jiang Che touched his Identity Token.

’I still have about seven thousand left from the thirteen thousand I had before.’

’Plus the resources my master sent...’

’I should be able to keep up my cultivation for a while.’

Then, Jiang Che picked up a bottle of Qi Replenishing Elixir from in front of him, tilted his head back, and poured the entire contents into his mouth!

If any outsider had witnessed this scene, their jaw would have dropped.

Ordinary disciples took such Elixir Pills one by one.

Firstly, the Elixir Pills were expensive, so they couldn’t bear to take too many.

Secondly, they were afraid the medicinal power would be too potent and cause their meridians to explode.

Who would chug them straight from the bottle like Jiang Che?!

Of course, for Jiang Che, with his profound True Qi foundation and a body full of passive talents, it was just a basic operation.

BOOM!!!

The Elixir Pills entered his stomach and instantly transformed into a surging hot current, rushing into his limbs and bones like a bursting dam!

Jiang Che’s expression remained unchanged as he focused his mind and circulated the Spirit Void Technique with all his might.

The Myriad Phenomena True Qi in his body seemed to transform into a giant whale, which opened its great maw and instantly devoured all of the vast medicinal power!

And this "giant whale" visibly grew stronger by a fraction.

Time quietly slipped by amidst this frenzied cultivation.

...

「One day, in Tingtai Garden.」

Jiang Che was sitting cross-legged in the Practice Room, his True Qi surging around him, as he attempted to break through a bottleneck in the second layer of the Spirit Void Technique.

Suddenly, a familiar set of footsteps was heard from outside the courtyard, followed by Song Yuan’s call:

"Junior Brother Jiang, are you in the middle of your cultivation? Stop for a moment. I’m here to take you somewhere good!"

Jiang Che stopped his cultivation, stood up, and pushed the door open. He looked with some surprise at the smiling Song Yuan.

"Senior Brother Song, where are we going?"

Song Yuan gave a mysterious smile and pointed toward the back mountain. "Today, it just so happens that the second-ranked True Inheritor Candidate is going to challenge the tower. It’s a rare sight, so I came specifically to call you over to watch. It’ll also give you a better idea of the strength of the True Inheritor Candidates."

"Challenge the tower?" Jiang Che was taken aback. "What’s that for?"

"Let’s talk on the way."

Song Yuan beckoned, leading Jiang Che out of Tingtai Garden and toward Demon Suppression Peak, which was perennially shrouded in black clouds.

Along the way, Song Yuan patiently explained:

"Junior Brother, you’ve just become a True Inheritor Candidate, so there are probably some rules you’re not yet clear on."

"Although the status of a True Inheritor Candidate is revered, it’s not a position you hold forever without effort. To encourage disciples to strive for more, the Sect has established an extremely generous ranking reward on top of the fixed monthly stipend!"