Cultivation System: Stronger with Age

In the dense forest near Lishui Street, Lin Xuankong gazed thoughtfully at the few large trees before him. Just over two months ago, Ma Xiong and several members of the Black Tiger Gang were buried under these trees. Now, the trees' crowns were particularly lush, standing tall like canopies!

On the treetops, a few small birds chirped. One of them looked rather familiar, seemingly the very bird he had released from Ma Xiong's birdcage!

He recalled how he used to be terrified when facing a Martial Artist like Ma Xiong, who hadn't even entered Transcendence. Now, however, the person he was about to bury under these trees was Shihu Huqing, the Grand Chief Steward of the Black Tiger Gang, renowned and highly esteemed in the Great Marsh Prefecture!

At this moment, Lin Xuankong was quite satisfied. Shihu also had a piece of Exorcism Equipment on him—the Wandering Dragon Exorcism Breastplate. During their fight, the battle had shifted dramatically, and Shihu was defeated before he could even activate the breastplate!

Moreover, Shihu had forty Nourishing Spirit Pills on him. He had already begun using these pills after reaching the Perfection of the Third Layer.

These were Nourishing Spirit Pills, their effects similar to that of Mid-grade Divine Protection Pills!

Martial Cultivators with average backgrounds, like those Loose Cultivators, including young ladies like Xiao Xiuyi, could usually only buy Lower Grade Divine Protection Elixirs outside! Although these elixirs were quite beneficial for cultivating at the Perfection of the Third Layer and the Fourth Layer, their effects were significantly inferior to those of Mid-grade Divine Protection Pills and Nourishing Spirit Pills!

It was said that only Middle-tier Alchemists in Kyoto could refine a small amount of such Nourishing Spirit Pills. And only a high-ranking official like Shihu, a Grand Chief Steward of the Black Tiger Gang with his connections, could afford to purchase them from Kyoto at a considerable cost!

Having obtained such a Treasure Medicine, Lin Xuankong was naturally overjoyed. He was currently in the late stage of the Third Layer and would reach Perfection in a few days, at which point he would definitely need the Nourishing Spirit Pills!

Of course, Lin Xuankong had long since obtained the refining method for the Divine Protection Elixir, but he had been too busy with cultivation and various other affairs to buy a pill furnace or medicine cauldron!

[Divine Protection Elixir: Entry Level 0/20]

Even if he wanted to refine them, it would likely take some time to advance to a Middle-tier Alchemist. Now, unexpectedly obtaining so many extremely precious Nourishing Spirit Pills was a pleasant surprise indeed!

Additionally, Lin Xuankong was somewhat surprised to find that Shihu Huqing did not know the Nourishing Heart Method for the Black Soul Wondrous Jade. According to Shihu, only the Hall Master and Vice Hall Master were qualified to wear the Black Soul Wondrous Jade, and only they, along with someone like Zhao Dalong, the Hall Master's son, knew the Heart Method.

However, under Lin Xuankong's combined soft and hard tactics, Shihu, before his death, gave him some good news: Vice Hall Master Liy Ruofeng was going to attend the Demon Slaying Conference. Not only did Liy Ruofeng know the Nourishing Heart Method, but he also carried the Black Soul Wondrous Jade—the Jade Gourd—with him. Additionally, Liy Ruofeng would be bringing the famous Nine-Scaly Armor to the conference!

This made Lin Xuankong look forward to the Demon Slaying Conference even more: the Nine-Scaly Armor, the second Black Soul Wondrous Jade, the Nourishing Heart Method...

Although Liy Ruofeng was in the late stage of the Fourth Layer, his power would be suppressed to the Perfection of the Third Layer within the Demon-Suppressing Valley. With his numerous rare treasures and Great Xia's First Battle Armor, Lin Xuankong was confident in dealing with him!

After burying Shihu near Ma Xiong and the others, Lin Xuankong, carrying his numerous gains, headed quickly toward Wutong Village. His eyes were full of battle intent. In four months, on the eighth day of September, his strength should be at least in the late stage of the Fifth Layer or even the Sixth Layer. At that time, wielding the Ruyi Profound Gold Rod, Aurora Shining Heaven, Soul-Extinction Celestial Thunder Divine Technique, Twin Vine Demon Pearl, and Manluo Demon Pearl, let's see how many breaths Zhao Renxiong and the Black Tiger Gang's experts can withstand against him!

As for the upcoming Demon Slaying Conference, he hoped to achieve great results, which would make him even more formidable, allowing him to kill with greater satisfaction!

「...」

At the Black Tiger Gang Great Marsh Hall, several Stewards stood pale-faced below. Zhao Renxiong, the Hill City Hall Master who had stirred up the entire Great Marsh Prefecture, sat imposingly at the head, twirling an ink-black Demon Pearl. At this moment, however, his face had a slightly ashen tint, and his cyan eyes glowed with fierce anger.

Everyone said the Cyan-Eyed Tiger could turn the Great Marsh Prefecture upside down, yet before he could do that, the Conical Hat Guest had already done it!

In today's battle, all four renowned Stewards of the Black Tiger Gang perished.

In today's battle, the Great Marsh Prefecture City shook to its foundations.

It was conceivable that from this day forward, the name of the Conical Hat Guest would undoubtedly resound throughout the Great Marsh, its power increasing severalfold...

Vice Hall Master Liy Ruofeng's face was equally ashen. He looked at the Stewards and frowned, "Are you saying that, based on his movements, the Conical Hat Guest should only be in the late stage of the Third Layer?"

Steward Qian Liu swallowed hard, recalling Steward Ma Sandao's tragic death for misjudging the Conical Hat Guest's strength. He felt that guessing the Conical Hat Guest's cultivation was no trivial matter!

He hesitated a bit and said, "That should be the case, but the five of us are not completely certain. However, his weapon's power is terrifying, far surpassing any set of Battle Armor I've ever seen. Of this, I am completely certain!"

Having said that, this dignified Steward of the Black Tiger Gang could not help but recall the immense, earth-shaking rod he had witnessed, his face once again showing strong fear.

Another Steward also showed fear in his eyes. "I've heard that among the great figures in Kyoto, there are eight sets of Battle Armor, each weighing over seventeen hundred catties, known as the Eight Famous Weapons of Great Xia! However... With all due respect, even those Eight Famous Weapons of Great Xia should be far inferior to that terrifying rod, which can extend more than thirteen meters in length! That rod that glowed with a dark golden light,"