On the Third Layer of the Cyan Nether Sword Tower, inside Cultivation Quiet Chamber number twenty-two.
Hong Yu sat cross-legged on a stone bed, his body encircled by faint, hair-thin streams of pure energy. These were ford from the concentrated Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi within the Cultivation Quiet Chamber, which was three tis denser than the outside world.
WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!
Hong Yu was like a sponge, and the entire Cultivation Quiet Chamber was like a basin of water, constantly being soaked up by his dry form.
As Hong Yu circulated his Profound Skill faster, the rate of absorption accelerated.
RUMBLE! RUMBLE! RUMBLE!
The Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi within the Quiet Chamber began to vibrate violently.
In an instant, the hair-thin torrents of energy swelled several tis over, now as thick as an infant's finger.
Dozens of streams...
Hundreds of streams...
Thousands of streams...
Eventually, it beca impossible to count the streams of energy ford from the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi. They ford a massive, sky-blotting net that enveloped Hong Yu completely.
Each torrent acted as a channel between the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi and Hong Yu, continuously funneling massive amounts of energy into him.
An ordinary Martial Artist enduring such a terrifying infusion of energy would have been forced to stop, their ridians and physical body unable to withstand the imnse pressure.
But Hong Yu seed to be thoroughly enjoying the process.
BUZZ! BUZZ!
The *Nine Refinents of the Primordial Spirit* circulated frantically as the seven Qi Vortexes in his Lower Dantian spun with incredible ferocity.
Each Qi Vortex contained the equivalent energy of a normal Half-Step Earth Soul Realm cultivator. And Hong Yu had seven. This wasn't a simple additive effect; it was an exponential increase in power.
At this terrifying rate of absorption, the reserves of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi in Hong Yu's Lower Dantian gradually climbed.
Without him realizing...
Three days and three nights passed.
By now, less than one percent of the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi in the Quiet Chamber remained. Each energy torrent had beco extrely faint, looking as if it might dissipate at any mont.
Noticing the slowdown in his cultivation progress, Hong Yu frowned slightly. 'Has the speed dropped? No way. I'm just short of being able to form the eighth Qi Vortex. I absolutely can't stop now!'
At this thought, Hong Yu began to circulate the *Nine Refinents of the Primordial Spirit* even more frantically.
The seven Qi Vortexes within him began to spin with even more terrifying force.
Each Qi Vortex ford a golden whirlpool, continuously drawing in and absorbing the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi.
When all the Spiritual Qi in the Quiet Chamber was devoured, the vortexes beca like unfed infants, growing even more frantic. Their speed increased to the point that even Hong Yu could no longer control their rotation.
This change finally began to affect the adjacent Quiet Chamber.
In the neighboring Quiet Chamber, a disciple cultivating peacefully suddenly opened his eyes in confusion. 'What's going on? Why is the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi in here decreasing so quickly?'
The sa situation—and the sa confusion—began to spread.
It started with chambers twenty-one and twenty-three, the ones right next to number twenty-two, and then it gradually spread outward.
「Five days later...」
The energy in more than half of the Quiet Chambers on the entire Third Layer had vanished, completely absorbed.
「Ten days later...」
The Third Layer of the Cyan Nether Sword Tower, with its one thousand Quiet Chambers, was now completely empty of energy, feeling exceptionally desolate.
All the Sword Sect disciples cultivating on the Third Layer had left their chambers, their eyes filled with confusion and disbelief. "What in the world happened? Why has all the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi in my Quiet Chamber vanished?"
"Mine too! Who's behind this?"
"Don't tell the Cyan Nether Sword Tower has stopped working?"
"Impossible. If the Cyan Nether Sword Tower malfunctioned, the Sect's leadership would've been alerted by now. Wait, look! The person in Quiet Chamber number twenty-two still hasn't co out."
More and more people began to gather around Quiet Chamber twenty-two.
He was the only disciple on the entire Third Layer still cultivating.
「Inside the Quiet Chamber...」
Quiet Chamber twenty-two was now completely transford. It was filled with Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi so dense it was on the verge of liquefying as it swirled around Hong Yu. Countless tentacle-like torrents of energy latched onto his body, funneling a sea of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi into him.
Hong Yu's body was like a bottomless pit, unrestrainedly absorbing and devouring the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi.
Finally, at a certain mont, Hong Yu's eyes snapped open. "Eighth Qi Vortex—condense!"
His low shout carried a deep, authoritative tone.
The surging Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi in the Quiet Chamber paused for an instant, then with a BOOM, it was blasted away from Hong Yu.
Within Hong Yu's Lower Dantian, the seven Qi Vortexes continued to spin, and gradually, an eighth one began to form.
The Eighth Layer of the Nine Refinents of the Primordial Spirit!
"Hah!"
Hong Yu let out a long breath, his spirits high and a sharp glint in his eyes. 'This *Nine Refinents of the Primordial Spirit* really isn't sothing an ordinary person can cultivate. Just reaching the Eighth Layer required an unbelievable amount of energy. No wonder so few powerhouses in history have managed to master the Nine Refinents of the Primordial Spirit before the age of twenty!'
But more than feeling awed, he was thrilled.
He gently clenched his fists, and a series of CRACKING sounds, like miniature sonic booms, erupted from between his knuckles.
His current base strength was eight tis that of an ordinary Half-Step Earth Soul Realm expert, a total of forty thousand jin of force.
With his physical strength alone, Hong Yu now had no reason to fear an ordinary Mid-stage Earth Soul Realm Powerhouse.
If he were to use his trump cards like *Destruction*, *Three Flas Palm*, and the *Eight Desolates Saint Slaying Technique*, Hong Yu now had enough power to face a Mid-stage Earth Soul Realm genius in a direct confrontation.
After all, the gap between an ordinary Martial Artist and a genius was imnse!
'If I can form the ninth Qi Vortex and use it to break through to the Earth Soul Realm, then Guo Fei will be no match for at all.'
"However..."
Hong Yu's eyes flickered as an unforgettable figure surfaced in his mind. 'However, if I were to face a genius like Hong Renjie, who is at the Half-step Celestial Soul Realm... unless I can break through to the Mid-stage Earth Soul Realm, I'm afraid I'm still no match for him!'
Hong Renjie's cultivation was not only high; more importantly, he was a Celestial Pride Son capable of fighting opponents above his own level.
Given the grudge between him and Hong Renjie, a major battle between them was inevitable!
Hong Yu was simply preparing for a rainy day.
'Huh? Has all the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi in the Quiet Chamber been used up?'
Only then did Hong Yu notice the change in the room, and he couldn't help but feel puzzled.
His left Cyan Eye flickered. The Quiet Chamber, once rich with Spiritual Qi, now held less than one ten-thousandth of its original concentration!
'Strange. Did I really absorb all of it?'
Hong Yu raised an eyebrow.
As he pondered this, he heard a muffled RUMBLE from the direction of the Stone Gate. Soone was clearly attacking it.
'Soone dares to attack the Cyan Nether Sword Tower?'
Hong Yu was stunned. This was the Sword Sect's Cultivation Holy Land; who would dare cause trouble here?
Feeling puzzled, Hong Yu took out his Sword Order and walked to the entrance.
The Sword Order flashed. The number on it—over thirty-nine hundred—plumted, dropping to just over six hundred points.
Hong Yu shook his head in astonishnt. 'I was in here for eleven days? The points really get used up fast. Looks like I'll have to cultivate on the First Layer from now on.'
Shaking his head, Hong Yu retrieved the Sword Order. The tightly sealed Stone Gate of the Quiet Chamber rose silently.
The instant the Stone Gate opened, a sense of alarm flared in Hong Yu's heart, and he took a step back.
BAM!
A pair of heavy fists smashed down, and Hong Yu felt the entire Quiet Chamber shake.
His sharp brows knitted together as he looked up toward the entrance. "Who are you?"
Outside the door stood a surging crowd, their faces a mixture of curiosity, schadenfreude, and other complex emotions.
But Hong Yu paid them little mind. His gaze was fixed on the heavyset young man who stood before him.
The young man weighed at least three or four hundred jin, with a double chin and folds of flesh on his face like a pug. His eyes, squeezed into narrow slits, glinted with a sinister light as he said grimly, "Kid, do you know where you are?"
"Isn't this the Cyan Nether Sword Tower?" Hong Yu frowned. "Who are you? And why were you hiding outside my Quiet Chamber trying to ambush ?"
The heavyset young man was taken aback, clearly not expecting that Hong Yu didn't recognize him.
Then, a look of understanding crossed his face, and the cold light in his eyes intensified. "So you're a new disciple. No wonder you haven't heard of ."
"Are you famous?"
Hong Yu asked.
"..."
The heavyset young man was montarily speechless, unsure how to respond.
Fortunately, a Sword Sect disciple behind him chid in, "Hong Yu, this is Senior Brother Luo Tian, ranked third on the Outer Sect's Earth List."
"Oh, Senior Brother Luo. I've heard so much about you,"
Hong Yu said, giving a listless, dismissive salute.
'I don't have ti to waste on this,' Hong Yu thought. 'I need to find a way to get more points, or I won't be able to maintain this cultivation speed.'
Luo Tian heard his na announced and crossed his arms, expecting a look of admiration and awe from Hong Yu. But this upstart in front of him seed completely uninterested.
This enraged Luo Tian, who roared, "So you're that Hong Yu, the one who bit off more than he could chew by challenging Senior Brother Guo? You really have so nerve! A re new disciple daring to ignore ! Heh heh, today, your Grandpa Luo is going to teach you a proper lesson!"
Luo Tian was used to throwing his weight around.
He was no stranger to starting fights over the slightest disagreent.
"Mount Tai Pressing Down!"
Despite his massive fra, Luo Tian moved with surprising agility. He raised his fists high, his arms as thick as an adult's thighs.
Then, Luo Tian brought both fists crashing down.
His fists seed to be cast from steel, and an earthy yellow light coiled up his arms as he smashed them down toward Hong Yu.
"Senior Brother Luo is only a notch weaker than Senior Brother Guo. Hong Yu won't be able to take this blow."
"Senior Brother Luo's Mount Tai Pressing Down is a powerful Earth Elent Martial Skill. They say he once used it to shatter the walls of an entire capital city!"
"Looks like Hong Yu is about to lose... huh? No way!"
Before the speaker could finish, his eyes widened, flashing with utter disbelief.
Before Luo Tian's powerful Mount Tai Pressing Down could even land, Hong Yu moved like a bolt of lightning, appearing before him and slamming a fist viciously into his gut. Luo Tian's body contorted, and he collapsed to his knees, clutching his stomach and curling up like a cooked shrimp, unable to get back up.
"H-How could this be?"
Luo Tian stared at Hong Yu in disbelief, vomiting yellow bile onto the floor.
Hong Yu sneered. With a grasping motion of his hand, a suction force pulled Luo Tian's fallen Sword Order into his grasp. He glanced at the four thousand-odd points displayed on it, and his eyes glinted. "I happen to be short on points. Consider these as compensation for disturbing my cultivation."
As he spoke, Hong Yu transferred all the points from Luo Tian's Sword Order to his own.
Luo Tian was stunned for a mont, then flew into a rage. "You—you bastard! You dare steal my points? You're dead at! I'll have my boss deal with you..."
"If your boss can kill , by all ans, go get him. But for now..."
Hong Yu kicked out viciously. Luo Tian's heavy body was sent flying backward, landing hard on the ground outside the chamber. Hong Yu's indifferent voice drifted out from within...
"Get lost."
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