Successive Breakthroughs, 10th level of Body Refinement

Inside a room, Kong Xiang was constantly channeling nature energy to fortify the layer holding the poison spirit body.

With one hand, he carefully measured and mixed a bunch of poisonous ingredients in a metallic bath tub.

His request for these materials was heeded, although they also offered him other less dangerous materials he could use instead. Kong Xiang refused and only accepted the poison grasses and shrubs.

The tub was soon filled up, and Kong Xiang stared at the greenish liquid pool in front of him.

With no hesitation, he took off all his clothes and jumped straight into the concoction.

In an instant, he started feeling his body corrode rapidly. Amidst the terrifying pain, he brought his hand which held the poison spirit to his mouth and ingested it. He also dispelled the later of natural energy that had been containing it.

His body was wrecked with an even more violent pain as both his internal and external body was ravaged. The outer poison constantly corroded his body, and the swallowed poison spirit rapidly absorbed his vital energy.

Gritting his teeth, Kong Xiang circulated the Eternal Divine Sutra, simultaneously activating his secondary cultivation technique. In an instant, his virtual meridians appeared and started absorbing a terrifying amount of energy, transforming it to nature qi.

This qi was instantly channeled to his body, slowing down the poisons. The poison spirit hid away from the meridian channel, still absorbing his vitality.

Kong Xiang's rapidly corroding body started to heal and reform. The rate of corrosion, however, was still faster than the restoration rate. Kong Xiang instantly located the panicking poison spirit body and decisively shattered it with nature energy and started drawing on its reservoir of vital energy. The mixture of vital and nature energy reduced the corrosion rate. His body lit up with a glow and he instantly reached the 1st level of Body Refinement.

The minute he reached the first level, the rapid corrosion slowed a tiny bit, as his body was more difficult to corrode. Kong Xiang didn't stop and continued to use the vital plus nature energy to heal his corroded body.

In the same vein, his body rapidly progressed through the Refinement realm. Before long, he had reached the 8th level of Body Refinement. By now, his body was glowing healthily, and the corrosive poison was having little effect on him.

"Still not enough," he muttered, pressing a button that activated a flame below the bath tub. The bath tub soon became hot, and the boiling poison ravaged his body.

"ARGHH" Despite his screams, he ceaselessly channelled energy to repair his damaged body. His body grew tougher and stronger with the pain, and soon, his body lit up with a terrifying burst of aura.

9th level of Body Refinement.

Kong Xiang opened his eyes and sensed his body had reached its limit. He wasn't too happy, as he had wanted to reach the legendary 10th level, just as Li Luo did, but he understood that the Eternal Divine Sutra was auxiliary in nature and could only work through his secondary arts. Nature qi wasn't ideal for body Refinement in the first place, and Kong Xiang only used its healing nature to temper his body to this level.

He could sense the benefits, though. Firstly, his body was brimming with terrifying energy. Having been tempered with a healing qi, his body had gained a healing nature, albeit slow. This meant that in battle, his injuries could be healed on its own without consuming a healing pill or channeling his nature qi.

Secondly, he had gained an anti poison body. His body currently boasted a strong immunity to poisonous materials. It could be said that his poison resistance could protect against some Soul Embryo realm Gu masters.

Thirdly, after digesting all the vitality from the poison body spirit, his body was overflowing with vigour. In a battle of endurance, Kong Xiang had no doubt that his endurance would leave other 9th level Body Refinement cultivators in the dust and might be able to rival Li Luo. Kong Xiang then thought of the Sphere in his mind and wondered if it could help him in any way.

As if sensing his thoughts, the Sphere in his head shook, and he instantly felt all the bones in his body turn to mush, his muscles and organs disintegrating.

The Sphere shook again, and energy flowed into Kong Xiang's body in a magnitude that was ten times greater than before. Nature qi restored his body almost immediately, relieving him of the excruciating pain. He opened his eyes, simultaneously realizing his aura.

10th level of Body Refinement.

Kong Xiang was excited. In the blink of an eye, the Sphere had helped him attain the legendary 10th level of Body Refinement.

Jumping out of the tub, he dried his body and put on his clothes, dashing out of the room excitedly.