Chapter 24: Refining the Essence Pill, Power Surges Dramatically

Xiao Rang arranged for Lin Heng to cease his training at the Cold Pool, and Lin Heng offered no objection.

When a martial artist reaches the ninth level of the Grandmaster realm, their body undergoes a metamorphosis into a Vajra-like physique—a body of copper head and iron limbs. At this stage, physical conditioning has reached the absolute limit of human potential. Unless this limit is shattered, there is little room for further growth. Thereafter, one only needs to circulate their blood and energy daily to maintain the body in its peak state, a condition that will persist without degradation until the end of one's natural life. Because of this, once a martial artist has forged their body into this indestructible form, they can redirect the time previously spent on physical conditioning toward other areas of cultivation.

The training program Xiao Rang had devised for Lin Heng was practical combat. Though Lin Heng possessed a vast amount of internal cultivation, his actual combat experience was far from sufficient. Only by engaging in real battles to understand the diverse martial arts of the Jianghu, and by cultivating the instincts to counter various forms of attack, could he fully unleash his potential and transform his cultivation into ultimate combat power.

"Thank you, Master. I will refine these pills as soon as possible," Lin Heng said, accepting the jade box from Xiao Rang and bowing in gratitude.

He took his leave of Xiao Rang and returned to his residence, the Kongming Hall. Although it was already late at night and he would usually be asleep, Lin Heng chose to continue his training. In the past, he had adhered to a strict sleep schedule to allow his body time to grow and develop. However, now that he had achieved the Vajra physique through nine successive transformations, his body—despite him being not yet twelve years old—had reached its physical zenith. Standing at one meter ninety-eight, with long, lithe limbs and a handsome, heroic countenance, he appeared no different from a man in his early twenties. With his growth complete, there was no longer a need for a rigid sleep schedule; he could simply rest when he felt tired. This left him with more time to dedicate to his own pursuits.

Sitting cross-legged on a prayer mat, Lin Heng opened the jade box. Eight pills, each the size of a pigeon egg and blood-red in color, lay before him. These were Essence Vitality Pills. "Essence Vitality" is a collective term for the vital blood and primordial energy that constitute the source of human life. A profound source leads to vigorous blood and spirit, allowing for more efficient cultivation of internal arts. It is for this reason that Essence Vitality Pills can increase a martial artist's power directly, without any side effects.

Lin Heng took one and placed it in his mouth. The pill melted instantly, leaving a sweet taste like nectar upon his tongue. He felt a warm current flow down his esophagus into his abdomen, then disperse throughout his entire body. His digestive system was stimulated to its peak, and his blood, as vibrant as red gems, surged with renewed life and vitality. The internal energy that had been flowing sluggishly through his meridians and acupoints was spurred on by this surging blood, racing through his body like a galloping steed. Were it not for his Vajra physique, such high-speed circulation would have surely caused him internal injury. Meanwhile, the energy of heaven and earth began to converge rapidly upon him, drawn in and refined by his surging blood. As Lin Heng focused his mind and began to actively circulate his internal energy according to his cultivation manual, this refinement process accelerated even further.

Soon, the cloud-like white internal energy flowing through his meridians began to surge with visible speed. One acupoint after another was filled to capacity by the swelling energy. This sudden influx of power gave him a sense of immense strength, an illusion of being able to lift mountains and conquer the world. It was only when his 107th acupoint was filled that the internal energy, which had been racing like a wild stallion, finally calmed.

Without hesitation, Lin Heng reached into the jade box beside him, took another blood-red pill, and swallowed it. He then resumed his meditation to refine the medicinal power. The constant surge of internal energy was intoxicating. In the midst of this expansion of power, he forgot all else. Ignoring the world around him, he refined the pills one by one, converting them into his own internal reserves and steadily deepening his cultivation.

As the moon set and the sun rose, Lin Heng consumed the final pill. As its power was refined, his 247th acupoint was filled, and the internal energy coursing through his body reached a truly vast, oceanic scale. At that moment, the air around him began to undulate violently, crushed and distorted by the sheer force of his tide-like energy. While the quantity of internal energy is not strictly synonymous with actual combat effectiveness, it serves as a foundation for one's power. Driven by such immense energy, his Vajra physique functioned at its absolute peak. For Lin Heng, the feeling of "lifting mountains and conquering the world" was no longer an illusion, but a reality.

"The thirteenth level of the Grandmaster realm."

Quietly contemplating his current strength, Lin Heng felt a surge of joy. The eight Essence Vitality Pills had directly elevated his cultivation by more than two levels, causing his power to soar. Furthermore, the pills had significantly enhanced his fundamental essence, greatly increasing his speed in refining the energy of heaven and earth, and permanently boosting his internal energy accumulation rate by over thirty percent.

"Before refining the Essence Vitality Pills, it took me three months to advance one level. Now, with the enhancement to my essence, I can advance one level every two months," he calculated, a smile spreading across his face. "At this rate, in less than two and a half years, I will reach the twenty-seventh level—the Great Success of the Grandmaster realm—and can attempt to break through to the Great Grandmaster level."

After a while, he calmed his heart and restrained the surging energy around him. He then rose and summoned his attendants to prepare his bath and clothes. Donning a set of robes made from Star Sand Brocade, he picked up his Qingyun Sword and stepped out of the Kongming Hall.

"Master, I am here," Lin Heng called out with a smile. According to their agreement, once he finished refining the pills, he would begin refining his combat experience under Xiao Rang's guidance.

"Not bad," Xiao Rang said, stepping out from the main hall of the Cloud Sword Palace. He looked at his disciple, whose spirit and energy had been completely renewed, and nodded in satisfaction.

He reached out and drew a long sword from within the hall. In a flash, he appeared beside Lin Heng and launched an attack using a specific sword technique.

"This sword technique," Xiao Rang explained while his blade moved with sharp, lethal precision, targeting Lin Heng's vital points, "is the 'Heavenly Star Sword Technique,' passed down by the Heavenly Star Valley, another martial arts sanctuary as renowned as our own."