Going Further

Shi clan, Shi Li's courtyard.

Bang!

Raring to start cultivating, Shi Li ran with all his strength on his way home as he hurried. He wanted to use as much time as possible to get used to his newfound powers once he breaks through the next stage.

Hearing a loud sound resounding out from the courtyard, Moddy was startled as it noticed that Shi Li was the one who made the sound. "Nya, it was just you. So how did it—"

Moddy's question was ignored by Shi Li who currently held seven pills that were of muddy earth color. Moddy noticed this and smelled an herbal scent coming from the pills. Not only that, with its great control over energy, it was also able to sense a large amount of energy coming from the seven pills. Seeing Shi Li walk farther and farther away towards the training space within the courtyard, Moddy didn't disturb Shi Li's engrossed expression and decided to wait after he finished doing what he needed to do.

...

Shi Li went to the training space and placed the seven pills on the ground as he went up to the strength measuring pillar. It has been a while since he measured his strength so he wanted to know how strong he was before breaking through to the next stage.

With his legs perpendicular to the pillar, he circulated all of the strength hidden within his body and soul as he channeled it towards the tips of his fist, creating a loud explosion sound after colliding with the pillar, only to be muffled by the pillar not long after.

The ever familiar white light that surrounded the pillar only took a while to calculate Shi Li's current strength, disappearing after a few seconds and revealing a two digit number to Shi Li which definitely shocked him.

60.

"Dang, 60 ren. If I were up against a cultivator at the peak of the Martial Novice stage who only focused on cultivating their soul, I would undoubtedly win," Aurus was surprised to see that he had grown a lot in strength this past week. Well, considering that it has only been a few months since Shi Li started cultivating, it was surprising for him to grow in strength at a fast speed.

"Well then, let's not waste any more time and start cultivating!" Remember what he came to the training space for, Shi Li grabbed the seven pills and sat cross-legged on the earthy ground as he popped a pill into his mouth before chewing on it.

Bang!

At the instant he swallowed the pill, a raging gush of energy circulated all over his body and even circulated to his soul. To any person who only consumed a pill for the first time, they would panic and waste a lot of the energy as they try to get used to the aggressiveness of the pill.

But of course, Shi Li wasn't normal. Thanks to him reading a lot of xianxia novels in his previous life, he knew that most pills that helped with cultivation had aggressive energy stored within them, allowing cultivators to make progress in their cultivation or perhaps make a breakthrough.

"Let's use the energy within this first pill to consolidate my foundations for the body and soul." With a thought, he redirected half of the energy stored within the pill towards his soul, which was now gleaming a faint light as his soul showed a toughness that was akin to iron. With the energy enveloping his soul, the gleam that surrounded his soul slightly intensified while his soul sheened a bright silver, bringing out the properties of iron while only being a soul.

Seeing that he was successful in consolidating his soul, he then moved the other half of the energy towards his muscles, making the muscles contract and bunch up as more muscle cells of the same toughness formed around it, allowing Shi Li to exert more power. Nodding his head unconsciously at the success of both sides, he then popped another pill into his mouth, now redirecting all of its energy towards his soul.

"First, we break through with the soul!"

Exquisitely controlling the energy to form a spear of energy that spiralled on its own axis, it gradually moved closer and closer to his soul like a drill excavating the ground in front of it.

Drrr...

At the instant the spear made out of energy collided with his soul, a stinging pain instantly enveloped his mind, wanting him to hold his head at the excruciating pain he felt. Although that was the case, he instead endured the pain and gritted his teeth as the spear continued to spiral away, colliding with his soul as it chipped parts of the iron away before...

Bang!

A sharp gleam of light suddenly covered the whole space that contained his soul. After a while, Shi Li noticed that he could see his soul clearer now, which now looked like as an iron cast of himself. But if looked closely, a small part of the feet on the iron cast was removed, revealing a sturdy gray material akin to refined steel.

"Success! I've broken through to the 3rd Martial Novice stage!" Shi Li couldn't help but shout out inwardly in excitement. Seeing that he was done breaking through with his soul, it was now time for him to break through with his body.

Popping a pill into his mouth once more, he channeled the energy from the pill throughout his whole body as it permeated all over his muscles. Not long after the energy permeated, it then transformed into multiple spears of small size as they tried to pierce towards the tendons that held the muscles together. It was also the focus of the third level of the [Iron Vessel Tempering Manual], making the tendons as tough as iron.

Unlike the soul, the spears piercing through the tendons felt like multiple ants biting on his skin, which only gave him a feeling of itchiness swallowing his body rather than excruciating pain.

"Is this because I've hammered my body to the point that it has become numb to pain?" Shi Li joked at himself as he continued to focus on breaking through.

After ten minutes, a loud explosion sound resounded throughout Shi Li's body as a gust of wind blew the dust surrounding Shi Li into the air, making him look like he was in a desert.

After a while, Shi Li opened his eyes and stood up as he did a few punches and kicks, revealing his newfound strength that was more condensed than the previous strength he had. He also explored the limits of his body in terms of sprinting, seeing that he could sprint further.

He then noticed that he got tired after a short while, a technique flashing in his mind as he said, "I should continue cultivating the [Energy Condensation Art]."

As far as he remembered, he was able to conserve 25% of his energy in his every action, only needing 15% of the energy to be conserved as well to break through to the second level of the technique...well, he also had to increase the efficacy of his lungs transforming energy as well.

With his fists clenched, he smiled as he walked back into the courtyard, heading towards Moddy.

"I've finally broken through to the 3rd Martial Novice stage!"

"It won't be long before I can fight at the Tri-Clan Tournament!"