CHAPTER 55: CHAPTER 55 TRANSCENDENCE INTO SAINTHOOD_1

The war was truly over...

Jia Ren’s smile was radiant; finally, the day had come. It wasn’t about celebrating the victory of the Five Elements Sect. Who won or lost didn’t matter. The important thing was the end of a life spent not knowing if he’d survive the day.

He had overestimated the duration of the war and, worried about a shortage of Spirit Rice, had economized on food. Up to now, he still had... over four hundred catties of Spirit Rice. That was careless! Jia Ren wanted to compensate himself well and restore his previous supply of Spirit Rice.

"Daoist Wu, what are your plans?"

Elder Wu had already become as thin as a rail, every rib visible, and his shaky walk made one worry that a gust of wind might blow him away. His eyes stared blankly at the sky as tears streamed down his face.

Finally, he had waited for the end of the war... He was extremely grateful to have met Jia Ren; without his help, he would definitely not have lasted until now.

"I can’t stay in this damned place for another moment!

"I’m getting on in years, with no hope for the Great Dao. Continuing to waste my time will eventually amount to nothing.

"When the merchant caravan arrives, I will follow them out of the Great Wilderness and find a peaceful Secular Realm to spend the rest of my life. To hell with cultivation!!!"

Elder Wu vented the pain he had accumulated over the past hundred-odd days.

Staying in Great Wilderness City, it was hard to forget the unbearable past. If one is alive, why not live as a wealthy man, far from the strife of the Cultivation World?

"After I leave, I’ll hand over the Demon-Spotting Talisman business in the Outer City to you."

Elder Wu had always monopolized the Demon-Spotting Talisman business from stalls in the Outer City. With one less Talisman Master, Jia Ren would get a larger slice of the cake.

The Outer City is deserted now, but that doesn’t mean it will be abandoned in the future.

"Have you never considered that I might leave too?" Jia Ren found the thought of leaving Great Wilderness Market surfacing in his mind.

The Cultivation World is vast; why stay in the Great Wilderness?

Elder Wu looked at Jia Ren and smiled. "The Great Wilderness is teeming with Magical Beasts. Elsewhere, your Demon-Spotting Talismans won’t sell so well. You are naturally cautious and have an extraordinary talent for Talisman Crafting; you are sure to live a long life. My Great Dao... you will continue it for me."

Jia Ren felt heavy-hearted; the path of cultivation would have one less fellow traveler.

"Ahem, young friend Jia, could we perhaps make a deal..." Elder Wu began, then hesitated. "I can’t enter the Inner City yet. Could you lend me a few catties of rice?" After speaking, Elder Wu looked quite embarrassed. Jia Ren had held out for so long; he definitely didn’t have much food stored up. If not for the war’s end, he wouldn’t have had the nerve to ask for rice.

The melancholy in Jia Ren’s heart largely dispersed as he silently scoffed. You’ve been brewing your emotions for quite a while. Wasn’t it just for that last sentence...?

"I’ll lend you ten catties of Spirit Rice."

Elder Wu looked at Jia Ren with a strange expression, not expecting the sly dog to still have so much stock. How did he not realize he should have stored more food?! Otherwise, he wouldn’t have had to live so miserably.

With ten catties of Spirit Rice, Elder Wu was overjoyed, as if it were New Year’s. After so long, he could finally have a good meal.

Jia Ren quietly cooked three catties of Spirit Rice, celebrating this new beginning.

After nearly half a year of war, of the Loose Cultivators conscripted from the Outer City, very few had returned alive. When Jia Ren stepped outside, he saw hardly any living people. The Fourth District Market was deserted, the bustling noise of the past long gone.

Is the Five Elements Sect going to abandon the Outer City?

Never mind that. First, I’ll break through to the Sixth Layer of Qi Refinement.

After arduous cultivation, he was just a step away from a breakthrough. For three days, he ignored external affairs, focusing solely on cultivation. With the aid of Spirit Rice and Spirit Stones, his breakthrough was smooth, and his strength increased further.

[Name: Jia Ren]

[Lifespan: 31/97]

[Realm: Sixth Layer of Qi Refinement (1/600)]

[Cultivation Technique: Tortoise Spirit Art Sixth Level (1/600)]

[Spell: Wind Control Skill: Great Grandmaster (Limit II) +]

[Fireball Technique: Grandmaster (656/1600)]

[Spirit Eye Technique: Great Grandmaster (329/3200)]

[Spirit Shield: Great Grandmaster (247/3200)]

[Sun Locking Technique: Proficient (196/400)]

[Return to Origin Sword Qi: Skilled (148/200)]

[Gather Water Spell: Skilled (15/200)]

[Tempting Bait (Fish): Grandmaster (Limit) +]

[Insect Control Technique (Spirit): Grandmaster (Limit II) +]

[Insect Commanding Technique (Contract Spirit Seal): Master (2/800)]

[Metal Finger Technique: Great Grandmaster (Limit II) +]

[Turtle Breath Technique: Great Grandmaster (Limit II) +]

[Turtle Prime Spirit Armor: Great Grandmaster (1065/3200)]

[Seeking Demon Talisman Technique: Skilled (10/200)]

Skill Breaking Point: 10.782

Over a hundred days of cultivation had yielded gratifying results: six spells at Grandmaster-level proficiency and numerous spells also at the Grandmaster level. His efforts had been duly rewarded.

My Skill Breaking Point has surpassed 10. I can attempt a second limit break now.

After consecutive breakthroughs of Grandmaster-level spells, the Skill Breaking Points required had decreased. Cumulatively, they had finally reached ten. The Wind Control Skill, Insect Control Technique (Spirit), Metal Finger Technique, and Turtle Breath Technique were eligible for a second limit break.

Without hesitation, Jia Ren decisively chose the Wind Control Skill.

In this world, nothing is unbreakable; only speed is absolute.

Jia Ren lightly tapped the ’+’ sign beside the Wind Control Skill, and the Proficiency Panel blurred. The next moment, insights into the Wind Control Skill flooded his mind, and he successfully broke through.

[Wind Control Skill: Transcendence into Sainthood (13/6400)]

The Wind Control Skill reached a higher proficiency level, the unprecedented Extraordinary Saint Level. With the wind embracing him, he seemed like a favored child of the wind, treading upon it as he moved. In the blink of an eye, he was dozens of feet away; to ordinary people, it appeared almost like Instantaneous Movement. Cultivators not using the Spirit Eye Technique would likely have difficulty discerning his movements.

Too strong!

Even a Grandmaster Level Wind Control Skill would be compared with the Sword Control Technique. Having reached the Extraordinary Saint Level, no one in the Qi Refinement phase could match him in speed.

Is there an even higher realm above Transcendence into Sainthood?

The Skill Breaking Point cost for a second limit break is tenfold. A third limit break would probably require a hundred Skill Breaking Points. Even if higher proficiency levels existed, it would likely be a long time before they were reachable.

Jia Ren moved continuously, his figure ghost-like. His speed was so immense that he struggled with agile changes in direction and nearly crashed into a stone house.

I still need to get used to this sudden increase in speed.

As Jia Ren familiarized himself with the Extraordinary Saint Level Wind Control Skill, he unknowingly arrived at the edge of the Market. Compared to three days earlier, the Outer City still had few Loose Cultivators. The occasional person he saw was heading straight for the Inner City, not lingering in the Outer City.

"Eh, Wang Daoyou?" Jia Ren swept past like a gust of wind, his face a blur even to cultivators. He stopped and looked at a gaunt, shocked middle-aged man in the distance. The man was pale, his right arm missing, and several ferocious, unhealed wounds marred his body. Jia Ren had a deep impression of this man. It was because of his pillow talk with the female cultivator surnamed Wang that Jia Ren himself had decided to participate in the second trade meeting. The Spirit Turtle used to make the Turtle Spirit Ointment had come from this man.

"Daoist Jia? You’re still alive?" Wang Qian exclaimed. "Then again, you didn’t attend the trade meeting, so you avoided the disaster. If only I had been as cautious as you..." Seeing Jia Ren alive and well stirred a complex feeling in Wang Qian’s heart.

"Do you know how many of our fellow Daoists survived?" Jia Ren asked.

Survived? "They all died... Only I survived..." This touched Wang Qian’s scars, and his eyes reddened.

"Is Fang Wu still alive?"

"I promised our fallen Daoists that I would avenge them!!!"