Chapter 387: This Is a Main Quest

The Devour Heaven Palace Master stared thoughtfully at Yang Ling.

"I've seen Upper Sixth-Rank martial artists with near-perfect Vital Qi before. The aura they emitted was exactly like yours right now."

Lin Zhen's face was full of envy.

"Congratulations, Senior Brother Yang, on reaching near-perfect Vital Qi!"

"Your future is truly limitless, Nephew Yang. Devour Heaven Palace can be said to have a worthy successor!"

Lin Baoshan also cupped his hands in congratulations.

"Hold off on the congratulations. It's only near-perfect Vital Qi, not true perfection."

The Devour Heaven Palace Master said calmly.

Lin Baoshan and Lin Zhen were briefly stunned, their expressions turning somewhat strange.

So this was the standard of a Fourth-Rank Grandmaster - even near-perfect Vital Qi wasn't worth congratulating?

Yang Ling quickly asked, "Master, is the gap between near-perfection and true perfection really that significant?"

Lin Zhen's eyes flickered, and he subconsciously glanced at his own Palace Master.

He hadn't yet had the chance to learn about this subject.

He only knew there was an enormous difference between near-perfection and perfection.

But he didn't know the specific details of how the two differed when it came to breaking through to Lower Fifth-Rank.

"You should all know that the vitality of a Lesser Master is extremely tenacious."

"To an ordinary martial artist, a fatal wound means nothing to a Lesser Master."

"Earlier, when Wang Yaozu was beaten into that state by Yang Ling, if he hadn't been a Lesser Master, he would have died."

A faint smile appeared in the Devour Heaven Palace Master's eyes.

Lin Zhen and the others nodded subconsciously.

Given the scene they'd just witnessed, if Wang Yaozu hadn't been a Lesser Master, he would have been long dead.

"This is what truly separates a Lesser Master from other martial artists."

"When someone with near-perfect Vital Qi and someone with perfect Vital Qi both break through to Lesser Master, it also affects their vitality."

"Let's say the Crimson Ghost Ginseng's effect can increase a martial artist's vitality by fifty percent when breaking through to Lower Fifth-Rank."

"Near-perfection can add another twenty percent on top of that."

"True perfection, however, can add fifty percent - equivalent to the Crimson Ghost Ginseng's effect."

The hall fell very quiet.

Lin Baoshan was also learning these secrets for the first time, a flicker of shock passing through his eyes.

Lin Zhen's burly frame jolted, and the Vital Qi in his body instinctively surged.

His Vital Qi hadn't even reached the near-perfect level yet.

Originally, he'd planned to break through to Lower Fifth-Rank whenever the opportunity arose.

After all, he'd consumed the Crimson Ghost Ginseng before, so the benefits he'd gain from breaking through would be greater than those of ordinary martial artists.

But now that he knew perfect Vital Qi had the same effect as the Crimson Ghost Ginseng, he felt he could afford to wait a little longer!

This kind of opportunity only came once in a lifetime!

"Near-perfection is twenty percent, perfection is fifty percent - that's quite a significant gap..."

Yang Ling was slightly shocked. He'd nearly assumed he already had perfect Vital Qi.

If the Palace Master hadn't warned him, he'd definitely be slapping his thigh in regret after breaking through to Lower Fifth-Rank!

"The Crimson Ghost Ginseng already enhances gene mutation capabilities by fifty percent, and perfect Vital Qi adds another fifty percent..."

"So by then, my recovery ability will be twice that of an ordinary Lesser Master!"

"Only Lesser Masters who achieve both conditions can match me!"

He began recalling all the Lower Fifth-Rank martial artists he'd encountered.

It was very likely that none of them - including Yun Buchuan - had achieved even one of these conditions!

"Master, how difficult is it to go from near-perfection to perfection?"

Yang Ling asked.

The Devour Heaven Palace Master said, "It's not easy. Don't be fooled into thinking it's just a single sheet of tissue paper - breaking through it is extraordinarily difficult.

Throughout the Rong State, of all the experts I know of, fully half of them never managed to reach perfect Vital Qi.

After all, once you reach a certain age, your Vital Qi begins to decline, and time is not on your side.

If you don't choose to break through by then, you might even lose the qualification to advance to Fifth-Rank altogether."

Lin Zhen blurted out, "Palace Master, wouldn't consuming rare exotic herbs and flowers work? The Vital Qi Age Defying can also increase Vital Qi."

The Devour Heaven Palace Master let out a light chuckle.

"If that worked, there would be plenty of Upper Sixth-Rank martial artists with perfect Vital Qi.

The truth is, once Vital Qi reaches the near-perfect level, no external force can increase it any further.

That includes the rare exotic herbs and flowers you mentioned, and even the sacred martial medicine Vital Qi Age Defying.

None of them can provide the slightest help in advancing from near-perfection to perfection."

Lin Zhen's heart pounded with alarm. He'd originally planned to snag perfect Vital Qi before breaking through to Lower Fifth-Rank, but now it seemed like that was a nearly impossible feat?

Lin Baoshan sighed inwardly. He finally understood why Upper Sixth-Rank martial artists with perfect Vital Qi were so rare in the martial world.

Even near-perfection was an unreachable height for ordinary martial artists.

"External forces can't improve Vital Qi... so I have to rely on internal technique methods to raise it?"

"When the Vajra Bright King Technique first broke through, it did increase some Vital Qi."

"I wonder if reaching the Skilled level will push my Vital Qi to twenty thousand points..."

"Master, since external forces are useless, I can only rely on myself to complete the transformation from near-perfection to perfection?"

Yang Ling looked at the Devour Heaven Palace Master, hoping she could offer another solution.

After all, his Vajra Bright King Technique still needed around thirty-eight thousand experience points before it could advance to the Skilled level.

Without a sacred martial medicine like the Crimson Ghost Ginseng, relying only on Foundation Consolidation Pills would take seven to eight months.

"If there's truly no other way, then I'll just have to spend those seven or eight months."

"Fortunately, I can enter dungeons twice a month, which effectively turns one month into three."

"My level might fall behind a bit by then, but that shouldn't be too much of a problem."

The Devour Heaven Palace Master nodded gently.

"Correct. Only by relying on your own cultivation to raise Vital Qi can you have the chance to break through from near-perfection to perfection.

Our Devour Heaven Palace's Devour Heaven Heart Classic increases Vital Qi every time it advances.

From now on, you don't need to temper your Vital Qi any further. Focus solely on cultivating the Devour Heaven Heart Classic.

Once I obtain the Snow Spirit Marrow, you should be able to reach perfect Vital Qi as well."

"When you break through to Lower Fifth-Rank at that point, you'll be a standout among your peers across the entire world."

Lin Zhen's eyes were filled with envy. This Senior Brother Yang's foundation was already incredibly solid.

Just by cultivating the Devour Heaven Heart Classic, he had the opportunity to achieve perfect Vital Qi.

Being a standout among peers across the entire world - that was no simple standard!

As far as he knew, only core disciples of those first-rate sects had the chance to earn the title of peerless among their generation!

"So I really do have to rely on internal technique breakthroughs to raise my Vital Qi..."

Yang Ling felt somewhat uncertain.

He still couldn't see the details of what the Vajra Bright King Technique's Skilled level would bring.

He wasn't even sure whether reaching the Skilled level would grant him an increase in Vital Qi.

As for the Devour Heaven Heart Classic... he'd never even cultivated it before.

"There doesn't seem to be any other option. For now, I'll just take it one step at a time."

"Half a year - if I can't find an opportunity to raise my Vital Qi to perfection within half a year, I'll still choose to break through to Lower Fifth-Rank."

"Losing thirty percent recovery ability is something I can barely accept."

"Alright. Next, you'll come with me to the Heavenly Will Sect.

I have an old rival there. Years ago, we agreed to have our disciples compete in a match.

Your current cultivation and combat strength are more than sufficient to answer the challenge.

Don't disgrace me."

The Devour Heaven Palace Master rose to her feet.

[The Devour Heaven Palace Master invites you to the Heavenly Will Sect to participate in a competition between Upper Sixth-Rank martial artists. This is a Main Quest.]

[Do you accept?]

[Yes/No]

The Heavenly Will Sect? A Main Quest?

Yang Ling was briefly startled, then immediately cupped his fists.

"Your disciple will give it everything! I will not bring shame upon Master!"