Chapter 93: The Race of Cultivation Base

Isolation Training Space

Xu Miao didn't summon anyone to dual-cultivate today since he sensed the urgency of increasing his cultivation base as soon as possible.

Another big battle could happen soon, and he might have to be at the center of the conflicts.

Thus, Xu Miao decided to breakthrough tonight. Per the system's recommendation and the references from Xie Tian's various cultivation technique manuals, he chose to advance his cultivation base by merging more Qi strands into his bone marrow, just like how he broke through to the Bone Refinement Realm.

Xu Miao could sense the previous murky flow within his bloodstream. As if he had cholesterol issues, his blood kept getting clogged when Xu Miao was manipulating Qi strands into his bones.

10 hours later, 10,000 Qi strands became one with Xu Miao's bone marrow, but they were not enough.

'System, what's going on here?'

Confused, Xu Miao decided to rely on the untrustworthy system.

[[Breaking through to the next level requires merging at least 20,000 strands of Yin and Yang Qi into your bone marrow. You haven't injected enough Qi strands.]]

'I thought I only need 10,000 strands for both Qi types?'

[[Level 2 requires 20,000 strands. Level 3 requires 30,000 strands. Level 4, 40,000 strands, and so on.]]

'Wait, won't level 10 requires 100,000 strands!?'

[[Yes.]]

Sometimes, Xu Miao regretted relying on the system for advice.

Xu Miao had read Xie Tian's cultivation manuals, and the Dragon Bone Forging, which was a cultivation technique. It only required 10,000 dragon yang Qi to reach the 10th level. Unfortunately, the technique also required a dragon bloodline to cultivate since Xu Miao couldn't produce dragon Qi.

Ordinary cultivation techniques also required fewer Qi strands to breakthrough. A low-grade technique used only 100 to 1,000 strands per level. A medium-grade technique needed 1,000 strands to 2,000 strands, and a high-grade one never required more than 5,000 per level.

Yet, this system recommended 20,000 strands for level 2, and Xu Miao had to use more for a higher level. He doubted if this technique was worth the investment.

'Fine. I'll add 10,000 more strands!'

[[Also, you cannot break through if you have impure Qi and blood in your bloodstream. Please purify them.]]

It explained a lot.

Since using the Body Cleansing technique required a long time to process, Xu Miao utilized the Qi Detonating technique instead. He stopped merging his Qi into his bones, so he could detonate a few strands to cleanse his blood vessels.

Regardless of how Vampiric Touch had corroded his blood, Xu Miao could just commit suicide and get rid of the bad blood.

...

10 hours later

[[Ding]]

[[Congratulations, you have reached level 2 of Bone Refinement Realm.]]

At long last, Xu Miao took one step further, which surpassed Xie Tian's current cultivation base by one level. After he cleansed his meridians and bloodstream, the advancement became easier.

But before Xu Miao could celebrate, the system gave him a brutal restriction.

[[Your current cultivation base is unstable. Your next breakthrough has been temporarily locked.]]

[[Please defeat 1,000 clones in 200% difficulty mode. The clones have to be level 2 of the Bone Refinement Realm.]]

In other words, the system temporarily nerfed Xu Miao's cultivation speed until he could defeat 2nd-stage level 2 clones by himself, and he needed to defeat 1,000 of them.

"Oh, come on, system! Can't you let me power-leveling!?"

[[Unstable foundation leads to corruption and vulnerabilities. Please get used to your new strength and power before you advance to the next stages.]]

[[Moreover, you can practice various techniques while you're fighting against the clones. Please do not neglect skill training.]]

Xu Miao wanted to continue bickering and bargaining, so he could power-level to the level 10 within tonight. However, the system forced him to take it slow like protagonists in various novels.

In novels, most protagonists emphasized on a firm foundation over a high cultivation base. They always beat stronger cultivators with their absolute strength, which came from their solid foundation and experience.

And now, the system encouraged him to do the same.

At this point, Xu Miao had four goals that he had to achieve as soon as possible, but he was short on time. He had to balance between, increasing essence by dual-cultivating, completing tutorial quest number 9, mastering miscellaneous techniques, and increasing his cultivation base.

'Argh! 80 hours a night isn't enough! Should I rush one of them or should I balance them?'

Xu Miao had a dilemma. If he focused on one thing, he wouldn't have enough time to do other things. As such, he had the urge of sleeping all day and staying in this dimension as long as he could.

...

After Yao Lan warned Xu Miao about the potential crisis, the latter became a cultivation madman.

On daytime, he dual-cultivated with either Jiang Lan or Kang Yan. At night, he sparred with monstrous clones to get the 1,000 wins done while he gained experience in skill usage and combat. Averagely, he fought 500 to 600 opponents a night. The rest of the remaining time was spent practicing Dual-Flame, Vampiric Touch, and Goose Tongue techniques.

It took Xu Miao 3 nights to complete the 1,000 wins challenge since he lost many times during the sparring matches.

After getting through the hurdle while he was in the Isolation Space, he stopped fighting against clones and advanced to level 3 right away.

But after spending 30 hours merging Yin Qi and Yang Qi to reach level 3, the system imposed another nerf.

[[Your current cultivation base is unstable. Your next breakthrough has been temporarily locked.]]

[[Please defeat 1,000 clones in 200% difficulty mode. The clones have to be level 3 of the Bone Refinement Realm.]]

Xu Miao could see the pattern. From now on, his cultivation lifestyle would revolve around practicing skills, dual-cultivating, sparring, and advancing to the next rank whenever he could.

The transmigrator hadn't forgotten his primary objective. Every day, he prayed that Xu Xiuying or anyone could kill Xie Tian or cripple him, so these stupid tutorial quests could end. Unfortunately, his prayers were in vain.

The peaceful days lasted only a week before someone interrupted his slow life.

Qi Hong returned. She barged into Xu Miao's room to relay Xu Xiuying's order.

"Young master Xu, your mother and Wei Huang have settled the wedding date. You will marry Wei Yuan next week... Err, WTF!?"

Qi Hong paused as she was stunned by the scene in front of her. Currently, Xu Miao was having a 3P with Jiang Lan and Kang Yan. One of them was sitting on his face while the other was riding him.

This kind of play was uncommon among the dual-cultivators in the brothel. Most of the time, it was common sex or many-men-VS-one-girl scenario. This was the first time that Qi Hong witnessed an FFM threesome scene.

"Can you stop for a moment, so you can pay attention?"

.

.

.

= Meanwhile, 20th Floor =

Xu Miao wasn't the only one working hard.

Xie Tian had regained his senses five days ago. He managed to purify Xu Xiuying's drug effect from his meridian and circulation system. Using the opportunity when Xu Xiuying was away, Xie Tian meditated and absorb Qi strands from the surroundings to recover his energy.

The Qi in the air was lackluster, compared to the 15th floor, where spirit cores, refined Yin stones, and other spirit stones concentrated. Each day, Xie Tian could only regain 1,000 strands of dragon yang Qi, but he couldn't condense any essence.

While Xie Tian was recuperating, Xiong Zhenzhen, whom Xu Xiuying ordered not to literally eat Xie Tian, also kept observing him. She eyed him as if she was a trained dog, who was waiting for her master's permission to eat the food in front of her. Xiong Zhenzhen drooled as she stared at the young man 24/7.

For a week, Xie Tian managed to endure the stare. But today, his patient ran out.

Xie Tian stopped cultivating and gazed at Xiong Zhenzhen in annoyance, "What are you looking at?"

"... Food."

"Excuse me?"

"You, food."

"..."

Xie Tian shook his head. Something was wrong with this girl, so he decided to ignore her.

Until she muttered some interesting words...

"You, I, breed, how?"

"What!?"

"Order, you, me, babies."

"I don't understand. What?"

"Pussy, eat, you, how to?"

"..."

Xie Tian had difficulties communicating with this mysterious girl. Although her intention related to sex, the protagonist didn't care. After all, his heart had just been broken, and he didn't feel like having a relationship with anyone soon.

In the end, Xie Tian ignored Xiong Zhenzhen and closed his eyes, continue meditating.

Frustrated by Xie Tian's attitude, Xiong Zhenzhen decided to violate her master's order. She kicked his chest and pressed him on the ground. Then, she sunk her sharp fangs into his neck.

"FOOD!"

"YOU!!"

Xie Tian was helpless against Xiong Zhenzhen's raw physical strength. She pressed him on the floor while she drank his blood and his Qi strands in his bloodstream.

The protagonist regretted everything. He wanted to ask Jiang Lan why she betrayed him. He also wanted to confront Xu Miao again and gave him a good beating to the face.

'I guess this is the end of the road.'

Xie Tian prepared to die. He gathered all Qi strands into his right fist, planning to strike Xiong Zhenzhen and create a Qi detonation, which would kill himself along with the girl.

Before Xie Tian could finish the circulation process, Xiong Zhenzhen froze. She stopped drinking his blood and held her neck as if she had drunk deadly poison.

"YOU, BAD FOOD!"

Xiong Zhenzhen coughed as she struggled to stand.

*COUGH* *COUGH*

The girl's crimson eyes flickered. Her pupils changed from red to yellow, then from yellow to black, and then from black to red again. Xiong Zhenzhen's Qi and Essence underwent a transformation while black smoke emitted from her facial orifices.

*POEK*

Struggling for a minute, Xiong Zhenzhen fainted.

"..."

Xie Tian squinted his eyes, confused about what had happened. He pushed Xiong Zhenzhen's beautiful body away, so he could sit up.

'What's wrong with her?'

Curious, Xie Tian examined Xiong Zhenzhen's condition by touching her wrist, sending a few dragon yang Qi into her meridian and dantian.

Then, Xie Tian found the anomaly.

"T-This!"

Xie Tian body's moved by itself. He helped Xiong Zhenzhen sit and strip her upper clothes. Then, he pressed his palms against her back, injecting his remaining dragon Qi into her meridian.

"PFFT!"

The girl vomited black blood as soon as Xie Tian's Qi entered her circulation system. Dark fluid exited her pores as if she sweated black sticky liquid.

This was Xie Tian's doing. He was purifying evil Qi within Xiong Zhenzhen's meridian and bloodstream. At the same time, dark Qi entered Xie Tian's circulation system, becoming food for dragon yang Qi.

Xiong Zhenzhen's complexion got better. Her face and skin slowly regained the proper color of a human.

After an hour, Xie Tian retracted his Qi strands and stole half of Xiong Zhenzhen's demonic Qi and Essence.

The girl fainted on top of the fluid of impurity. Xie Tian also collapsed from extreme exhaustion and the backlashes of consuming demonic Qi and Essence.

Yet, Xie Tian revealed a wide smile on his face. He could feel that his strength was returning, but he couldn't breakthrough unless his dantian was recovered.

However, from the looks of it, he could repair it within a month. Afterward, it might only take a few weeks to get back to level 10.

Also, he planned on using this bonker girl as a source of his cultivation resource. The previous "Energy Drain Technique" that Xie Tian had figured how to use from his own enlightenment was useful, and he planned to continue using it.

'You evil girl! I'll use your Qi to repair my dantian!'