Chương 12: The Tiger's Gift

The Realm-Breaking Pearl devoured every last shred of the Purple Spirit Tiger's flesh. When the pearl had consumed the Fire Python's remains, Zhang Huaijin hadn't thought much of it. But this time was different. As the tiger's flesh vanished, a wave of warm energy surged into his body. He could feel it, his physique was growing stronger. The impurities lurking within his flesh were being burned away, ground down to nothing. At that moment, his body reached the very peak of Tier 1 middle grade.

Even most Qi Refining Realm level six cultivators couldn't match his physical strength. Then came the real breakthrough. The power of the Realm-Breaking Pearl pushed him over the edge. His body ascended directly into Tier 1, Upper grade. That was a physique equal to a Qi Refining Realm, Level Seven cultivator. And Zhang Huaijin was only the fourth level of Qi Refining Realm. The transformation of his body ignited his cultivation base. His expression shifted.

Without hesitation, he grabbed the array core and hurried back to his thatched hut. The spiritual energy within his meridians had reached its limit. It was overflowing. Zhang Huaijin sat cross-legged on the ground, a Spirit Stone clenched tightly in his palm. He began to drain its power like a man possessed. Boom. It happened smoothly, without a hitch. Within a dozen or so minutes, his aura swelled violently, then settled. When it stabilized, he felt far stronger than before.

Zhang Huaijin had broken through to the fifth level of Qi Refining Realm. And his sixteenth birthday was still three months away.

"At this rate… it'll take at least two years to reach level Six," he muttered, circulating the Heavenly Fire Blaze Art to refine his foundation. His cultivation speed now rivaled that of a Three Spirit Root prodigy. But the spiritual energy on Heavenly Yang Mountain simply couldn't keep up with his needs. Looks like I'll have to rely on resources, he thought with a sigh. He made his decision. After each day's training, he would continue hunting spirit beasts. Stockpile their materials.

Then, when his year end rotation came around, he would return to the family and trade them for what he truly needed. Zhang Huaijin's birthday fell on New Year's Eve. And so began his daily grind. Every day, after finishing his cultivation, he would light Spirit Beast Luring Incense, draw in his prey, and cut it down. Before he knew it, a month had slipped through his fingers. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. His haul was respectable.

More than twenty Tier 1, low Grade spirit beasts. Five of Middle grade. The black and white energy inside the Realm-Breaking Pearl was now more than half full, thanks to the steady trickle of spiritual energy. As for his meals? They were excellent. When the mountain's spiritual energy ran thin, he ate spirit beast meat. By now, Zhang Huaijin had grown powerful and tall, handsome, radiating quiet strength. His cultivation advanced steadily.

His Soul had reached the level of a ninth level Qi Refining Realm Cultivator. The Primordial Tai Chi Visualization Diagram churned like a chaos god, relentlessly tempering his Soul. He had also condensed three Yin Yang Divine Needles. Forged again and again by that primordial chaos, they gleamed with cold, deadly light. Everything was moving in the right direction. And the forty acres of spiritual fields, under his careful attention, had finally regained their fertility. It was time to plant.

He spent two days sowing the Red Sun Spirit Rice seeds, then cast the Cloud Rain Art again and again, drenching the soil. He also carefully controlled the fire energy of the Six Ren Crimson Flame Array, giving the seeds the warmth they needed to thrive. When everything was finally settled, another three days had passed. Now, there was nothing left to do but wait for the sprouts to break through the earth. For the time being, Zhang Huaijin had very little on his plate.

He packed up his things, then activated a transmission talisman to inform the clan leader. The last time Zhang Lixian had visited Heavenly Yang Mountain, he'd left several extra talismans with Huaijin. His second uncle, Zhang Liliang, was the clan's talisman maker, a tier 1, Middle grade artisan. These transmission talismans weren't particularly valuable; Liliang had piles of them from practicing his craft. The clan received his message and immediately dispatched Zhang Wujian (his cousin).

Half an hour later, Zhang Lixian arrived at Heavenly Yang Mountain with Wujian in tow.

"Hey, you broke through again?" Zhang Lixian's eyes widened in surprise.

"Just got lucky. Killed a Purple Spirit Tiger. Ate its meat every day, working the fields… it just happened." Zhang Huaijin smiled faintly and waved at his younger cousin.

"Sorry, Fifth Brother. Looks like you're stuck here alone for a while. Hold down the fort for me. The spiritual vein here is only Tier 1, low grade, but it won't hurt your cultivation. Work hard, maybe you'll even hit level three while you're here." Zhang Wujian made a sour face.

"Second Brother… don't forget to bring me something when you come back." This was his first time away from Green Bamboo Mountain, and all he felt was excitement. Besides, Huaijin was right. Heavenly Yang Mountain wouldn't slow him down. For now, the mountain had nothing worth stealing. No one would come looking for trouble. Zhang Lixian gave his son a long, searching look. In the end, he said nothing.

"Your grandfather will be eighty nine after the New Year," he said quietly.

"His vitality isn't what it used to be. From now on, I'll be the one running the family." He paused.

"You have real talent, Huaijin. The clan won't chain you down. I'll train up another mid-stage Qi Refining Realm cultivator as fast as I can. Then you can leave this place." Taking over from Zhang Chongwen, Zhang Lixian had finally come to understand just how precarious their survival truly was. Zhang Huaijin had shown his potential. His father would not sacrifice his child's future for the sake of duty.

"I understand, Father." Zhang Huaijin's smile was calm, confident.

"The clan will only get better from here." The clan was struggling now, starved for resources, short on people. But as his own strength grew, as the third generation came of age, things would change. The Zhang family had fewer than twenty Qi Refining Realm cultivators in total. Building a clan from that foundation was brutally hard. Zhang Chongwen had walked on eggshells his entire life, pouring everything he had into keeping the family alive.

After the New Year, he would officially step down and pass the title of clan leader to Zhang Lixian. Qi Refining Realm cultivators past sixty had already lost their chance to pursue Foundation Building. As the years piled on, their vitality faded. Zhang Chongwen is eighty eight now. In his youth, he had faced countless dangers. His body was riddled with old wounds, hidden injuries that had never truly healed. No one knew if he would make it to a hundred.

Zhang Huaijin handed over the array core and transmission talismans to Zhang Wujian. With his father's permission, he left Heavenly Yang Mountain. Zhang Lixian departed shortly after. The spirit beasts within ten miles of the mountain had been almost completely wiped out by Huaijin. Using Spirit Beast Luring Incense now would be nothing but a waste of resources. The spiritual seeds would take at least ten days to sprout.

And up on Heavenly Yang Mountain, protected by the Six Ren Crimson Flame Array, there was no immediate danger.