Chapter 75: Explosive Increase in Strength

Chapter 75: Chapter 75: Explosive Increase in Strength

’Saving resources for the future might be wise, but if I can’t even survive the present crisis, what future is there to speak of?’

’I can always earn more Source Points. But if I lose my life, it’s all over.’

Besides, the cultivation boost from a Source Point empowerment was quite valuable in its own right.

’If I use another Source Point to empower the Tiger Roar Golden Bell Shield, will its daily experience gain jump from the current two hundred-plus to four hundred, or even higher?’

’If so, my progress from daily cultivation alone would be astonishingly fast.’

He rapidly weighed the pros and cons in his mind.

’Survival is paramount. Power is the only true foundation.’

Chen Yue’s gaze hardened, his hesitation gone. He focused his mind on the panel, locked onto the [Tiger Roar Golden Bell Shield], and gently placed the newly acquired Source Point upon it.

HUMMM!

In that instant, the familiar sensation washed over him once more.

The entire world suddenly froze in absolute silence. The flickering candlelight became a fixed golden teardrop, and the faint whisper of wind outside the window disappeared completely.

In that moment, time lost all meaning.

On the panel, the text for [Tiger Roar Golden Bell Shield (Great Success 5362/29103)] began to blur. In the next instant, the characters solidified anew: [Tiger Roar Golden Bell Shield (Perfection 18207/98823)].

A requirement of 98,823 Experience Points!

This alone showed just how difficult the Perfection Realm was to achieve!

BOOM!

A majestic, tsunami-like torrent of comprehension flooded forcefully into Chen Yue’s Sea of Consciousness, carrying with it all the mysteries of the Great Success Realm and some from the Perfection Realm.

Insights filled his mind: nurturing spirit within the organs, causing Life Force to surge like the tide. Condensing Qi Blood into Gang Qi, which could be projected as a tangible force or contained within for unparalleled counter-shock.

These insights didn’t just remain in his consciousness. They instantly and perfectly merged with every inch of his muscles, bones, fascia, organs, and even the depths of his marrow, becoming branded into his very instincts.

The frozen world began to move again.

Chen Yue slowly opened his eyes. A sharp light was contained within them, a spiritual radiance shining from within. His entire aura grew deeper and more reserved, yet it faintly exuded a formidable weight and majesty that could make one’s heart palpitate.

Chen Yue carefully savored the changes in every inch of his body after his Tiger Roar Golden Bell Shield had entered a new realm.

The first thing he felt was an increase in strength. It was as if invisible shackles had been completely shattered, and his entire body—from his limbs and bones to his internal organs and even the finest muscle fibers—was filled with an unprecedented, surging power.

Chen Yue estimated that his raw physical strength had increased by at least thirty percent compared to when he was at the Great Success Realm.

This wasn’t a simple numerical increase, but a qualitative transformation brought on by an optimized physical structure and a profound release of his potential.

When he casually clenched his fist, his knuckles cracked like thunder. He could seemingly crush the very air in his palm into ripples, and a careless strike could shatter stone.

His defense had seen an even more astonishing improvement.

His skin was as tough as old leather, yet incredibly supple. His muscles were as dense as interwoven steel cables, vastly increasing their ability to absorb and redirect force. His bones, smooth as jade yet harder than refined steel, would be unscratched by ordinary swords and sabers.

With a mere thought, Chen Yue tried to circulate his Gang Qi.

A radiance like flowing quicksilver spread across his skin with perfect smoothness. In a flash, it covered most of his body, leaving only a few small gaps at the crown of his head, the soles of his feet, and other minor areas.

However, Chen Yue could also clearly feel that attempting to cover his entire body with Gang Qi drastically increased the drain on his Inner Strength.

Given the total amount and quality of his Qi Force at the Bone Forging realm, he likely couldn’t sustain this full-body Gang Qi for long. Furthermore, his defensive strength would decrease as the Gang Qi was spread so thin.

Even so, this level of defense was enough for him to withstand attacks from opponents of the same realm—and even those a realm slightly higher—without injury.

The biggest surprise came from his Heart Spirit.

When Chen Yue subconsciously circulated the energy for Tiger’s Roar Shatters the God, he could faintly sense that a formless, intangible barrier had appeared around his Heart Spirit.

This barrier was a natural spiritual defense, making his Heart Spirit more stable and granting him greater resistance to external Spiritual Shocks and Illusion Techniques.

As a result, Chen Yue felt that the total amount and activity of his Power of Heart and Spirit also seemed to have improved slightly due to this Mental Barrier.

’This Tiger Roar Golden Bell Shield doesn’t just focus on Body Refinement, it also tempers and protects the Heart Spirit?’ Chen Yue was inwardly astonished. This far surpassed his expectations.

Chen Yue subconsciously glanced at his panel and saw that the data there had changed as well.

[Skill: Heart Nourishing Technique Minor Success (1638/3000)]

[Talent: Copper Skin Iron Bones (128/251)]

[Talent: Immune to Hundred Poisons (57/100)]

The Experience Points for his Heart Nourishing Technique had shot up by over a thousand, leaping from just over five hundred to more than sixteen hundred!

This had to be a synergistic effect from the increase in his Power of Heart and Spirit, confirming that the Tiger Roar Golden Bell Shield did indeed benefit his Heart Spirit.

The experience for his Copper Skin Iron Bones Talent also surged by nearly one hundred points, clearly a result of the Perfection Realm Tiger Roar Golden Bell Shield’s tempering effect on his bones and fascia.

Immune to Hundred Poisons had also increased, likely because his overall physical constitution had improved, boosting his body’s ability to metabolize and resist toxins.

’That Source Point was more than worth it!’

Chen Yue slowly exhaled a long, turbid breath, as if expelling all the night’s fatigue and emotional turmoil. He opened his eyes, a smile playing in their depths.

This upgrade wasn’t just an increase in his realm; it was an all-around optimization of his aptitude and a deeper excavation of his potential.

Although he still had no idea what kind of power a lofty expert of the Refining Organ Realm possessed, Chen Yue was confident that the gap between himself and an ordinary Marrow Refining Realm cultivator had now grown quite large.

The next day, Chen Yue’s daily routine continued as usual, as if the deadly battle outside the city and his breakthrough the previous night had never happened.

He rose early as always to cultivate the Vast Firm Essence Technique and Heart Nourishing Technique. In the morning, he completed his refinement of the Bone Marrow Cleansing Pills, and in the afternoon, he tempered his Tiger Roar Golden Bell Shield and practiced the Vertical Cloud Thousand Layer Step. Everything was methodical and orderly.

This continued until night fell and the midnight settlement occurred.

[Daily Settlement]

[For diligently cultivating Tiger Roar Golden Bell Shield, Experience +521]

...

[Skill: Tiger Roar Golden Bell Shield (Perfection 18728/98821)]

When he saw the massive 521-point experience gain for his Tiger Roar Golden Bell Shield, Chen Yue’s eyes lit up. The last shred of reluctance he felt for using the Source Point vanished completely.

’My guess was right!’

The Source Point’s empowerment hadn’t just provided an instantaneous breakthrough and a doubling of his cultivation efficiency. Investing a second time had actually triggered another massive leap in efficiency.

This meant that through his own diligent training, Chen Yue would need only a little over five months to bring the Tiger Roar Golden Bell Shield to complete Perfection.

And that wasn’t even factoring in the possibility of him breaking through to the Marrow Refining Realm, which would increase his daily experience gain from the cultivation technique even further.

The time required then would be even shorter!

Chen Yue took a deep breath, then slowly exhaled. He sat cross-legged in a meditative pose and once again sank into his cultivation.

Late the following night, Chen Yue slipped silently out of the Chen Mansion and made his way to the secluded courtyard where he had arranged to meet Shen Dujiang.

Shen Dujiang was already waiting inside. Upon seeing Chen Yue, his face instantly broke into a wide smile.

He stepped to the side, gesturing toward a dilapidated wooden table inside the room.