Lu Feng's Resolve

Lu Feng stood amidst the vast expanse of treasures within the System Space. Without hesitation, he began selecting various items—weapons, artifacts, ores, minerals, talismans, and precious metals—and devoured them eagerly.

Each item dissolved into a peculiar blend of energies, which Lu Feng absorbed eagerly to refine his flesh and blood.

With each passing moment, he felt his physical form growing stronger, infused with an unprecedented surge of power coursing through his veins. Sensing his limits, Lu Feng eventually ceased the process and departed from the System Space.

To his surprise, upon his return, several hours had passed in what felt like mere moments. Pondering the unusual flow of time within the System Space, Lu Feng sat on his bed in a lotus position, meditating upon the newfound strength pulsating within him.

***

Song Jin and Hai Jingzi had finally completed their work. All the pills and items were meticulously packaged and placed inside glass cases, each accompanied by a small card displaying the price.

The items were tagged with the current market price, though considering the quality and quantity available, they represented a great deal for potential buyers.

Having skipped lunch and now hungry as evening approached, Song Jin and Hai Jingzi decided to check on Lu Feng. Knocking on his door, they received no response, so they turned to leave. To their surprise, Lu Feng's door opened just as they were about to depart.

"Are you guys going out for dinner?" Lu Feng asked with a smile.

Song Jin and Hai Jingzi exchanged glances before replying, "Yes."

Song Jin cleared his throat and continued, "We've finished our work. Perhaps you'd like to see it, and then we can all go to a restaurant for dinner."

"That's okay, I trust you guys to do a good job. It's a shame I can't join you," Lu Feng said as he tossed Song Jin a scroll.

Reading its contents, Song Jin and Hai Jingzi nodded in understanding.

"I see. Brother Lu, you don't want people to associate the 'Crimson Hall' with you or the Baihu Clan, right?" Hai Jingzi said with a grin.

Lu Feng chuckled. "Yes. You guys can go ahead. I'll see you both after the auction. Remember to unveil the shop immediately afterward."

Hai Jingzi and Song Jin nodded and departed, leaving Lu Feng alone.

***

Lu Feng looked at his clenched fist, a smirk playing on his lips. The power flowing through his body was immensely satisfying to his senses. Though his self-created technique didn't directly increase his cultivation base, it made him immensely strong.

He concluded that unless his opponent was an Empyrean cultivator or better, he could easily overpower them. Even against an Empyrean cultivator, it would be difficult to predict the outcome.

While a cultivation base determined a cultivator's natural longevity and maximum energy mobilization, strength and skill were different. Someone stronger and more skillful could defeat someone with a higher cultivation base, up to a limit.

Lu Feng now stepped into the same realm as the protagonists of legendary tales, perhaps even beyond— Being able to fight several levels higher.

Deciding to retire to his room at the Golden Inn to cultivate further, Lu Feng disappeared.

***

Lu Feng enjoyed a long bath to soothe his tired muscles and mentally prepared himself for the intense session ahead.

He had provided Elder Fu with three sets of each pill, and Song Jin with fifty sets of each pill. Consequently, a large batch of freshly refined pills began to accumulate in his storage ring.

Choosing those specific pills for production because they could also help level up his cultivation base, Lu Feng was now at the perfection stage of Origin level. With the aid of a Core Perfection Pill, he could perfect his core and step into the next cultivation level.

But Lu Feng didn't plan to stop there.

Gathering a fistful of High-grade Berserker Pills, Lu Feng stuffed them into his mouth and swallowed them. He then grabbed a fistful of each of the remaining types: the Core Perfection Pill, Essence Nourishing Pill, and Ninefold Nirvana Pill.

Though this potential combination was deadly, Lu Feng was prepared for it.

As the turbulent energies of the pills streamed into his body, his eyes turned bloodshot, his veins bulged, and his muscles throbbed. He felt a strong force assaulting his body, ready to tear it apart from the inside.

But Lu Feng refused to yield. With a painful groan, he forcefully assimilated the energies into his body, even as it continued to resist.

Twenty minutes later, Lu Feng's body appeared grotesque. His skin was torn to shreds, revealing the musculature and skeleton beneath.

Utilizing the power of his technique, Titan of Avarice, his muscles were the only thing holding his body together. The moment his muscles gave in would have been his last.

In this dire situation, Lu Feng regulated his breath as much as possible and tried to remain calm.

With time, his muscles gave in, and just as his body was about to explode, Lu Feng yelled, "System. Use Restore!"

His body began to heal, though it took the better part of an hour for him to be fully restored.

Once stabilized, Lu Feng immediately began consuming fistfuls of pills, determined to push his cultivation to the limit.

Thirty-six strenuous and painful hours later, Lu Feng opened his eyes to a room filled with the stench of blood, the bedsheets drenched.

Taking a deep breath, Lu Feng concluded the grueling session of cultivation.

Glancing at the System prompts hovering in his field of vision, Lu Feng noted his achievements and upgrades:

Achieved Breakthrough from Origin to Master Level.

Achieved Breakthrough from Master to Sovereign Level.

Restore used. All injuries and conditions healed.

Health Restored. Spiritual Power/Energy Restored.

Restore now has 3 uses left.

New Information Deduced:

Each sub-stage at and above the Sovereign Level is numbered. Skill points and upgrade cards will be affected past this point.

Achieved Breakthrough from Early to Middle stage of Sovereign Level.

Restore used. All injuries and conditions healed.

Health Restored. Spiritual Power/Energy Restored.

Restore now has 2 uses left.

Achieved Breakthrough from Middle to Late stage of Sovereign Level.

Restore used. All injuries and conditions healed.

Health Restored. Spiritual Power/Energy Restored.

Restore now has 1 use left.

The user has new action rewards, visit the store page for more details.

'Store'

Risk Life And Limb For That Sweet, Sweet, Cultivation - 4 Skill points awarded.

Rolling his eyes at the nonsensical statement, Lu Feng muttered, "Auto-upgrade skill tree."

Fundamental Skills:

Breathing Technique (Early Sovereign, Level 5) - Upgraded.

Extended Skills:

Agility (Early Sovereign, Level 5) - Upgraded.

Perception (Master, Level 4) - Upgraded.

Sharpness (Master, Level 4)

Skill Points - 0

'Exit'

Just as Lu Feng contemplated the System and his newly upgraded Cultivation and skills, Li Wei materialized out of thin air in Lu Feng's room.

Upon seeing that Lu Feng was awake, Li Wei intended to say something but stopped abruptly.

The gruesome scene within the room shocked Li Wei.

"What the...!

***