C12 – Refining the Demonic Fire
“Keke, you didn’t kill Guo Tao, did you? With your abilities, silently taking him out should have been a breeze,” Min Zhenkang whispered into Chu Keke’s ear.
“I didn’t do it. Zhenkang, you said you wanted to avenge him yourself. Why would I go after Guo Tao? Even though I’d love to be the one to do it,” Chu Keke, startled by Min Zhenkang’s sudden question, quickly denied any involvement.
Min Zhenkang couldn’t help but chuckle at her reaction, prompting Chu Keke to realize he was just playing with her. She pouted and playfully scolded, “You’re terrible, Zhenkang. Such a big meanie.”
Seeing her pout, Min Zhenkang immediately tried to stifle his laughter and offered an apology.
“Here’s your meal and drinks, enjoy,” the server announced, arriving with their order.
The playful banter ceased as they began their meal.
“Have you heard? The Jee family is on the lookout for any unusual flames in Whalespell. If you report any sightings to the Jee family’s steward, you could earn a hefty sum of Mysterious Stones.”
“Flames? What kind of flames? And which Jee family are you referring to?” asked the bewildered person sitting opposite.
“How many Jee families do you think there are in Whalespell? It’s obviously the one from Steelgrave,” the speaker replied with a hint of scorn.
“Why is the Jee family so interested in flames around Whalespell? It’s not like we’re known for any high-grade flames, right?”
“Well, who knows? But if you bring any flame-related information to the Jee family’s steward, there’s a reward in it. We should keep our eyes open; we might just strike it rich.”
“You two might not be in the loop, but a friend of mine works for the Jee family. He told me that someone managed to offend their Second Young Master. Somehow, this Second Young Master learned that this person came into possession of a unique flame, which is why the Jee family put out the word. They’re actually trying to flush out the individual behind it all,” a man interjected, approaching from another table.
“Really? That’s the case? Looks like we need to tread carefully,” the first speaker mused, second-guessing his earlier enthusiasm.
“It looks like there’s a shift in the winds over at Whalespell. First, there was the murder of Guo Tao, and now someone’s managed to get on the bad side of the Jee family’s Second Young Master in Whalespell,” remarked the newcomer.
Min Zhenkang was at a loss for words upon hearing the news. Was he really the one Jee Gong was after? All because he didn’t befriend him? It seemed Jee Gong was going to great lengths to find him, which spoke volumes about his pettiness.
He had hoped to catch wind of some intriguing gossip, yet all the talk seemed to revolve around him. Was he really causing such a stir? Min Zhenkang wondered.
Min Zhenkang and Chu Keke had a quiet dinner, uninterrupted by further news. After the meal, he escorted Chu Keke home before returning himself.
No sooner had he entered the Min estate than a servant hurried over. “Young Master, the Patriarch has requested your presence upon your return,” he informed.
“Understood, I’m on my way,” Min Zhenkang replied, heading towards the council hall.
“Second brother, tomorrow I’ll take Zhenkang and Yuyuan to Steelgrave. You should retrieve the thousand-year Blood Lingzhi from the Treasure Pavilion,” Min Qi instructed Min Huiyu, who was seated at the head of the table.
“Big brother, that’s the only Level Five Herb we have at the Min mansion,” Min Huiyu protested with a pained expression. Known for his frugality within the Min family, it was his thriftiness that had amassed such a wealth of treasures for the household.
“Second brother, a treasure is worthless if it doesn’t fulfill its potential; it’s no better than junk. We’ve had this Level Five Herb for ages, yet no alchemist has been able to transform it into a Pill. Who could handle its potent effects if taken as is? Besides, my trip to Steelgrave is to secure the futures of Yuyuan and Zhenkang. A subpar gift won’t impress the City Lord,” Min Qi reasoned with his brother, hoping to sway him.
With a soft “puff,” Min Zhenkang opened his palm, revealing a flame dancing at his fingertips, unaffected by the wind. Remarkably, he felt no discomfort; the flame morphed effortlessly, responding to his thoughts.
Min Zhenkang retracted the flame, but the sight of his scorched skin brought on a fresh wave of concern.
Before he could address his burnt skin, a surge of Profound Qi burst forth from his Dantian, swiftly restoring all that he had expended. But this was merely the beginning. As the Profound Qi continued to flow, Min Zhenkang’s cultivation levels surged upward.
“Bang ~” He reached the third level of Martial Cultivation.
“Bang ~” Then the fourth.
“Bo ~” The fifth.
“BO ~” The sixth.
“bo ~” The seventh.
“Bo ~” And finally, the eighth level of Martial Cultivation.
“Boom!” The ninth level of the Martial Cultivator.
After breaking through to the ninth level of the Martial Mortal Realm, Min Zhenkang’s Profound Qi within his dantian gradually settled. In under two hours, he had soared from the second level directly to the pinnacle of the Martial Mortal Realm. His next endeavor was to condense his Martial Spirit and truly enter the realm of Martial Spirit.
In Suanikos, the martial cultivation realms are categorized as Martial Cultivator, Martial Spirit, Martial Warrior, Martial General, Martial King, Martial Emperor, Martial Sovereign, Martial Immortal, Martial God, and Martial Emperor. Each of the first nine realms is further divided into nine sub-levels, symbolizing the unity of all nine.
After a staggering seven-level advancement, the quantity of Profound Qi in his body surged by over a hundredfold. This explosive increase was merely the result of refining the lowest grade of accompanying flame. Had he refined a higher-grade flame, Min Zhenkang could have continued to advance, but even this low-grade flame nearly cost him his life. A higher-grade flame would likely have reduced him to ashes before he could even begin the refinement process.
With his cultivation level skyrocketing, Min Zhenkang was both thrilled and apprehensive. He feared potential adverse effects due to the rapid increase. Without a solid foundation laid during the early stages of cultivation, future breakthroughs would become increasingly challenging, and his combat effectiveness could suffer significantly. It was clear that he needed to reinforce his foundation before attempting further breakthroughs.
The skin that had been scorched by the Sun Devouring Demonic Fire had now completely shed, revealing fresh, baby-soft skin underneath. Min Zhenkang was somewhat taken aback by the overnight transformation of his sun-darkened skin from the past seven years.
The night deepened, and Min Zhenkang rose to straighten up his room before sinking into a deep sleep on his bed.
Cock-a-doodle-doo!
Before dawn broke, the rooster’s call signaled the start of another bustling day at Min’s mansion. Min Zhenkang rose early, freshened up, and stepped outside. As he did, he noticed the curious stares from everyone he passed. Unperturbed by the odd looks, Min Zhenkang carried on without giving them much thought.
“Zhenkang, what happened to you?” As soon as Min Zhenkang entered the council chamber, Min Qi and all those present couldn’t help but notice his unusual appearance. Lang Huan hurried over, her concern evident as she questioned him.
“Mom, I’m okay.”
“But how did your skin change so drastically in just one night?”
“Big brother, there’s something off. Zhenkang’s cultivation level—” Min Qi and Min Yin approached with furrowed brows.
“...”