Cultivation System: Stronger with Age

The dust settled.

Lii Xiaolan, holding the Profound Iron Rod which had now reverted to just over four feet in length, walked over to her two companions. Her eyes were full of joy. "This Ruyi Battle Armor is truly of boundless power! It's a pity my strength hasn't yet reached a higher realm; otherwise, smashing this small mountain in one blow would be no problem at all!"

Xiao Xiuyi's face was full of confidence. "This Battle Armor's power is limitless. The stronger the person who wields it, the greater the power unleashed!"

Lin Xuankong's eyes lit up. "Let me try!"

To his surprise, Lii Xiaolan and Xiao Xiuyi both shook their heads.

Lii Xiaolan said, "You're at the Mid-grade of the Third Layer. Picking it up isn't an issue, but wielding it freely, as if it were an extension of your arm, is certainly beyond your current capabilities! To use it as you wish, you must at least reach the Late Stage of the Third Layer. By then, your explosive power will increase several times over! Huh, you don't believe me? Then give it a try!"

She thrust the iron rod into the ground, and a large part of it was instantly embedded in the earth.

With anticipation in his eyes, Lin Xuankong went over and grabbed it with one hand. His expression flickered. How heavy!

He activated the Qi Blood throughout his body, grasped the Ruyi Profound Iron Rod with both hands, and then forcefully lifted it. The Profound Iron Rod shone with a BUZZ as he raised it. However, because the weight on him had suddenly increased tens of times, the ground beneath Lin Xuankong's feet sank a bit.

His eyes gleaming with joy, he held the rod with both hands and swung it a few times, wielding it with fierce vigor.

After swinging it a dozen times, he thought to himself, With this terrifying iron rod in hand, coupled with Double Vine and the Manluo Demon Pearl, neither Zhao Dalong nor Zhao Erlong would stand a chance; they'd all be crushed into meat pulp under one swing!

But feeling the extremely heavy Ruyi Profound Iron Rod in his hands, he had to admit that he currently couldn't wield it at an incredibly high speed like the Young Lady, nor could he fully unleash its true power—let alone lift it and leap dozens of feet!

It's not that I'm not strong enough... Initially, I only wanted to create an Exorcism Armor weighing over a thousand pounds! With my current strength, I could wield a Profound Iron Rod of over 1,000 pounds with ease! Who would have thought I'd meet the Artifact Refining Genius Xiao Xiuyi, who directly crafted the greatest for me: a 5,000-pound, world's first Battle Armor!

At this thought, his desire for realm improvement grew stronger.

Late Stage of the Third Layer, then I can freely use the Ruyi Battle Armor... It shouldn't take long!

After testing the power of the Ruyi Battle Armor, the three returned to Xiao Xiuyi's "cave dwelling."

Lin Xuankong was naturally extremely grateful to this Artifact Refiner who had created such a powerful Battle Armor for him. He intended to give all three hundred portions of Qi Replenishing Soup ingredients he had brought to Xiao Xiuyi—two hundred portions as the refining fee, and an additional one hundred portions because Xiao Xiuyi had helped him acquire a hundred Forehead Scales.

Although Lin Xuankong didn't have many medicinal ingredients and was usually quite frugal, he never held back for those who had genuinely helped him! Besides, someone like Xiao Xiuyi, who was so purely dedicated to Artifact Refining and could craft such unique Battle Armors, was definitely worth befriending!

To Lin Xuankong's surprise, Xiao Xiuyi didn't accept the extra hundred portions of ingredients. When seeing him and Lii Xiaolan off, she looked at Lin Xuankong earnestly and said, "I have very few friends. Consider those hundred Forehead Scales as a token of our friendship! If I have the chance to buy Demon People's Essence in the future, I only hope you can help me once more and refine a Thousand-Scaly Armor for me!"

Lin Xuankong laughed. "It's a small matter. If I get the chance to obtain Demon People's Essence in the future, I'll surely seek out Miss Xiao for help."

After their farewell, on the way back to the Great Marsh Prefecture, Lii Xiaolan glanced at Lin Xuankong, who was carrying the Profound Iron Rod, and said with a playful glint in her eye, "Miss Xiao treated you so well, helped you refine the world's first Battle Armor, and even said she wanted to be friends. You didn't even invite her to our place to get acquainted and show her where we live?"

Lin Xuankong paused. "Ah, I forgot to mention it! But it shouldn't be hard for her to find me in the Great Marsh Prefecture if she comes in the future. She should be able to find our place!"

"HMPH!" Lii Xiaolan frowned. "Aiya, since she crafted such a good Battle Armor, let's order twenty dishes when we get back! No, I want thirty dishes!"

Lin Xuankong was stunned. "Thirty dishes?"

Seeing Lin Xuankong's slightly pained expression, Lii Xiaolan finally laughed.

「 」

「Half a cup of tea time later,」

Several Martial Cultivators from the Great Xia Dynasty's Government Office landed before the small mountain that had its top smashed off and was split in two.

One of them, an official Martial Cultivator with a particularly imposing aura, respectfully cupped his hands and said, "Prefect Liy, there's no remnant of Demon Qi. It shouldn't have been caused by a powerful demon's advancement. It appears to be a Martial Cultivator who used an Exorcism Weapon to shatter this small mountain! But the power of such a weapon is too fierce and terrifying, truly unprecedented. Even if I used my Exorcism Nine-Ring Saber, a hundred strikes wouldn't be enough to split the entire mountain into two!"

The Prefect of Great Marsh Prefecture, clad in a Python Robe, a formidable figure at the Sixth Layer of Transcendence, squinted his eyes. "Judging by the traces, it was a single strike. A single strike split the mountain, and the residual power spread for over two hundred li... There is no Demon Qi here, no remnant true qi. The one using the Battle Armor must not be a Martial Cultivator at the Fifth or Sixth Layer! Even for a Martial Cultivator at the Third or Fourth Layer, using the strongest Battle Armor of Great Xia, it should not be possible to unleash such fierce power... In Kyoto, I personally saw the Bright Light Dragon Armor. It weighs 1,850 pounds, possesses numerous mystical functions, and is acclaimed as Great Xia's First Battle Armor! But even the Bright Light Dragon Armor, if used by Third or Fourth Layer Martial Cultivators, absolutely could not—far from it—unleash such earth-shattering power!"

Could there actually be a Battle Armor in this world many times stronger than the Bright Light Dragon Armor?

For a moment, a trace of bewildered doubt appeared in the eyes of this Prefect Liy of Great Marsh Prefecture, a man who commanded billions of people and held a status not inferior to Elder Hua of the Profound Phoenix Celestial Sect.

「 」

「In the blink of an eye,」

Ten days passed.

On this day, after finishing his Cultivation of the Pine Crane Longevity Technique, Lin Xuankong was cultivating the Yin Talisman Thunder Heart Method, tempering his body with the Divine Thunder Root.

Suddenly, his expression changed, and he couldn't help but look at the Life Plate in his Brain Mansion.

[Pine Crane Longevity Technique: Entering the Hall 146/300]

[Yin Talisman Technique: Entering the Hall 76/150]

At this moment, he discovered that after the Yin Talisman Technique had entered the Entering the Hall Realm and the Divine Thunder Root within his body had grown to the thickness of a thumb, using the True and Illusory Divine Thunder Root to course through his meridians for tempering was surprisingly faster than tempering his body with Pine Qi Blood!

Looking at the two techniques, both at the same realm yet with completely different progress, Lin Xuankong couldn't help but marvel inwardly. The difference in compatibility indeed impacts the speed of basic Cultivation. My Pine Skill was cultivated two months earlier than the Yin Talisman Technique, and now, after just over a month, the progress of the Yin Talisman Technique has already surpassed that of the Pine Skill! From now on, tempering my body and advancing in the Transcendence Realm will be entrusted to the Yin Talisman Technique, which will surely be much faster than the Pine Skill! My original Cultivation Speed was already far beyond others, and now it will be even faster! According to the daily increase of 4 proficiency points in the Yin Talisman Technique, in six days, I estimate I'll reach the Late Stage of the Third Layer. There are twenty days left until the Demon Slaying Conference; by then, I estimate I'll have achieved Perfection in the Third Layer and will be able to find a way to advance to the Early Stage of the Fourth Layer! This progress is much faster than I originally anticipated! Of course, the longevity-enhancing effect of the Pine Skill must not be abandoned, but in the future, its role will only be to nourish my foundation and extend my Lifespan!

With this thought, Lin Xuankong concentrated his spirit, circulating the Divine Thunder Root within his body at high speed.

The speed of lightning—how swift it is! Instantly, every pore on his skin emitted fine lightning. Every strand of his hair, his eyes, ears, mouth, and nose were all wreathed in extremely fine lightning. This was especially true for his heavily tempered legs, which were densely covered with countless fine bolts of lightning, shining brilliantly! This scene was strikingly similar to that of the Thunder God standing tall in the illusion; though its power was incomparably weaker by countless orders of magnitude, the aura was remarkably consistent!

Occasionally, some lightning would drift away from his feet and strike the nearby Old Willow Tree. The trunk of the Old Willow Tree trembled slightly, its branches swayed, and it gradually began to absorb some of the stray Body Tempering Divine Thunder...

「 」

「In a flash,」

Another ten days passed.

That day, Lin Xuankong had just finished Cultivating in the backyard and returned to the outer room of the wooden building when the anxious voice of Deputy Steward Yang Shan sounded from outside the door.

"Steward Lin, are you there? Trouble has arisen at Piaoxiang Tower! Steward Hu Shuo and Steward Lin Jiao are confronting Grand Chief Steward Sima Liuyun of the Black Tiger Gang over there. It looks like things might escalate!"

Lin Xuankong frowned upon hearing this. He opened the door and looked at Yang Shan. "Piaoxiang Tower is located within the territory of the Yin Talisman Sect. How did people from the Black Tiger Gang come here to cause trouble?"

Yang Shan bowed and said, "Steward, you've been busy Cultivating and rarely come by... There have been rumors in the sect that Zhao Renxiong recently had Elder Hua from the Celestial Sect use the Spiritual Words Technique. It's said that the Spiritual Words Technique, one of the three great Divine Techniques of the Celestial Sect, can deduce events and obtain a prophetic phrase from things that have already happened! Elder Hua, as the only expert in the Celestial Sect who has mastered the Spiritual Words Technique, activated it and obtained a prophetic phrase concerning the identity of the Conical Hat Guest. It consists of eight characters: 'Old husband, young wife; fiftieth year of knowing fate!' Therefore, the Black Tiger Gang has recently been searching the entire city for old men over fifty with young wives, in their own territories as well as those of the Spirit Snake Gang, the Feng Family, the Guo Family, and others. Those old men who married young wives have all met with misfortune. Regardless of whether they are Martial Cultivators, wealthy merchants, or ordinary people, almost all have been captured or killed by the Black Tiger Gang. It's said that many have already died, and the commotion is growing larger! Steward Hu and Steward Lin Jiao were dining at Piaoxiang Tower when they saw people from the Black Tiger Gang come into our territory to capture an old man selling leek-stuffed pancakes. They went to stop them and ended up in a standoff with the Grand Chief Steward of the Black Tiger Gang and his men! That Sima Liuyun is said to be at Perfection in the Third Layer, even more powerful than Steward Ma Jiang..."

Lin Xuankong listened, and his heart sank. One of the three great Divine Techniques, the Spiritual Words Technique, can deduce events and obtain prophetic phrases! Elder Hua of the Profound Phoenix Celestial Sect? This Spiritual Words Technique is indeed somewhat mystical. 'Old husband, young wife; fiftieth year of knowing fate'—isn't that describing me? Zhao Renxiong is really pressing relentlessly! That damned Elder Hua is also to blame, aiding a tyrant! But... an old man selling leek-stuffed pancakes! Old Zhang? Did he marry a young wife too?

Lin Xuankong suddenly stood up. "Did you notify Steward Ma and the hall?"

Yang Shan bowed. "I sent Little Hu to Steward Ma's residence. They should have received the news by now. I'll go notify the hall immediately!"

After speaking, Yang Shan hurried away.

Lin Xuankong pondered briefly, then turned and went back to his small room. He circulated his Qi Blood and, with a single hand, picked up the Ruyi Profound Iron Rod, which had shrunk to about half a foot in length.

Twenty days of Cultivation had passed. His strength had surged; he had already reached the Late Stage of the Third Layer and was advancing towards Perfection in the Third Layer! Previously, he had to mobilize all his Qi Blood and use both hands to even wield the Profound Iron Rod. Now, however, he could lift the Ruyi Profound Iron Rod with a single hand. Though it still felt heavy, once he switched to using both hands to swing it, the power would undoubtedly be ferocious, nearly matching the power the Young Lady had displayed when she wielded the rod!

Realm: Transcendence Realm Third Layer Late Stage

[Pine Crane Longevity Technique: Entering the Hall 186/300]

[Yin Talisman Technique: Entering the Hall 116/150]

Grand Chief Steward Sima Liuyun of the Black Tiger Gang, at Perfection in the Third Layer? I wonder if he has the Heart Method to nurture the Black Soul Wondrous Jade. I was just pondering which Grand Chief Steward of the Black Tiger Gang to deal with these past few days. Now one comes bouncing right to my door! Since you want to capture the Conical Hat Guest, then the Conical Hat Guest will come to meet you. Let's see if you can catch me, and whether you can withstand a blow to the head from the Ruyi Profound Iron Rod!