Cultivation System: Stronger with Age

「Fourteen days later,」

The moon was dark, the wind high, at Fuhu Slope.

In the dense forest, Lin Xuankong, who was secretly cultivating, suddenly shifted his gaze. Soundlessly, he leaped onto the dense crown of a giant tree and looked into the distance.

A thousand feet away, over 2,000 extremely formidable Martial Cultivators were forming a long line, slowly heading towards Fuhu Slope. Among their ranks were thirty fully loaded medicinal vehicles, each carrying tens of thousands of pounds of medicinal materials. These vehicles, weighing tens of thousands of pounds each due to their cargo, were pulled by several extremely robust Martial Cultivators. The massive wheels of the Profound Iron Vehicles crushed the wild terrain, leaving deep ruts. At the rear of the convoy, seven or eight imposing Martial Cultivators rode on fine steeds, covering their flank.

At the head of the convoy, Feng Zhushi, the eldest son of the Feng Family, frowned as he glanced towards Fuhu Slope and raised his hand. Instantly, the entire convoy halted. These Martial Cultivators from the Black Tiger Gang, Feng Family, and Guo Family were not only powerful but also exceptionally well-trained. Once the convoy stopped, they each found a position near the medicinal vehicles and silently rested on the spot.

At this moment, BANG! A drum sounded. The hurried, dense patter of footsteps erupted as over a thousand black-clad Martial Cultivators suddenly appeared at the crest of Fuhu Slope and charged down. These Martial Cultivators were also imposing figures, each wielding sharp weapons. They sprinted with the speed of galloping horses; clearly, all were at least Late Stage First Layer cultivators, with some even being powerful cultivators at the Second, Third, and Fourth Layers.

In the blink of an eye, the numerous black-clad Martial Cultivators had charged to within 200 feet of the Feng Family's convoy before halting.

On the Feng Family's side, seeing over a thousand Martial Cultivators charging towards them, the elites of the Feng Family, Guo Family, and Black Tiger Gang remained unperturbed. They silently drew their weapons, rose to their feet, and fixed their gazes on the more than one thousand black-clad individuals. The 2,000-plus elites from the Feng Family, Guo Family, and Black Tiger Gang stood with weapons drawn, their murderous aura palpable. In both the number of powerful experts and sheer presence, they clearly outmatched the black-clad assailants. The Feng and Guo Families had stood firm in Great Marsh Prefecture for centuries, and not without reason. The sheer valorous aura of these Martial Cultivators alone was far beyond what ordinary Loose Cultivators or minor sects could compare to.

At this moment, the two sides faced off. The night wind whistled, bending the grass low. The air was thick with a chilling, murderous intent.

"Feng Zhushi, we've been waiting for you here for a full fourteen days!" From among the black-clad crowd, a Martial Cultivator with a longsword at his waist stepped forward, his eyes filled with killing intent. He was none other than Yan Yunfei, Sect Leader of the Seven Swords Sect.

Across from him, Feng Zhushi glanced at Yan Yunfei, a cold smile playing on his lips. "Yan Yunfei? Still alive, I see. Lucky enough to be saved by Marsh Python Gall, were you? But who gave you the audacity, Yan Yunfei, to dare and try to hijack the medicinal materials of our three families? With that broken sword of yours, adorned with merely three hundred Forehead Scales? Or with your cultivation, which only reached the Fifth Layer two and a half years ago? Or perhaps with those thousand-odd filthy scum behind you?"

He slowly drew a green longsword from his waist. With a gentle shake, his Battle Armor materialized, encasing his entire body. Then, he pointed the sword at Yan Yunfei. "Within ten breaths, you will surely die!"

Before Feng Zhushi finished speaking, a Martial Cultivator stepped out from the black-clad crowd. The long saber in his hand vibrated gently, transforming into red Battle Armor that enveloped him. "Feng Zhushi, what if you add me to the equation?"

Feng Zhushi frowned as he looked over, his eyebrows then arching slightly. "Yuan Butong from the Blood Saber Sect of Prison Dragon City!"

At this moment, upon seeing the newcomer, not only did Feng Zhushi's expression shift, but even among the 2,000 elite Martial Cultivators behind him, a good number showed solemn expressions. Clearly, they had all heard of this Martial Cultivator.

Sect Leader Yuan Butong of the Blood Saber Sect had reached the Fifth Layer nine years ago. He was currently at the Mid-grade of the Fifth Layer. With his exquisite Blood Saber Technique, he was renowned as the foremost expert in Prison Dragon City. Although the Blood Saber Sect could not match the Black Tiger Gang or the Feng and Guo Families, it was still a formidable power. It was considered second only to the Feng, Guo, and Huang Families, the Spirit Snake Gang, and the Yin Talisman Sect, on par with Zhao Yufei's Zhao Family, and was quite renowned.

Yuan Butong's Blood Scale Armor was even more renowned than Feng Zhushi's Azure Light Armor. Although both were Eight Hundred Forehead Scale armors, the Blood Scale Armor was crafted by an Artifact Refiner from Kyoto and inscribed with 1,690 interconnected Runes, more than the Azure Light Armor's 1,600 Runes. This slight difference between the Azure Light Armor and the Blood Scale Armor was not particularly evident when activated by Fourth Layer cultivators. However, the distinctions between Exorcism Armors, when wielded by True Qi experts, would be magnified to their absolute limit—especially since Yuan Butong was at the Mid-grade of the Fifth Layer!

For a moment, the 2,000 elite Martial Cultivators from the Feng, Guo, and Black Tiger Gang forces all tightened their grip on their weapons.

"So what if you, Yuan Butong, have come?" Feng Zhushi stared at Yuan Butong as he stepped out of the crowd. "Do you truly believe you can withstand the 2,000 elites of my Feng Family, Guo Family, and the Black Tiger Gang? Your True Qi would likely be exhausted before you could kill even half of them, and you would perish amidst the chaos of battle!

"Furthermore, Yuan Butong, are you not afraid of facing the relentless pursuit from the Late Stage Fifth Layer experts of our Feng and Guo Families, and the Black Tiger Gang, starting from this day forward?"

At this, Feng Zhushi, who had been relaxed moments before, found his expression turning somewhat somber.

Seeing Feng Zhushi's expression, Yan Yunfei felt a surge of satisfaction. My sworn brother, Yuan Butong, is Mid-grade Fifth Layer and wields the renowned Blood Scale Armor of Great Marsh Prefecture! In both strength and equipment, he completely surpasses Feng Zhushi! Thinking of Feng Zhushi's brutal actions days prior, he couldn't resist tightening his grip on his Forehead Scale Sword, his True Qi flaring.