Chapter 129: 128. Mutual Enhancement (Ally Bonus: Star Yu Still Here)

128. Chapter 128: Mutual Enhancement (Ally Bonus: Star Yu Still Here)

After Li Yi completed his tendon cultivation, evening arrived.

At this time, the two moons in the sky reappeared, hanging left and right across the heavens, with a river of stars piercing north to south—brilliant and majestic, captivating all who beheld it.

Though the world here was cruel, its environment was unmatched.

Li Yi could no longer recall how many years it had been since he last saw the starry sky; in the old district, the night sky was always hazy, visible only as a moon, never a sea of stars, let alone the magnificent Milky Way.

At this moment.

Zhao Ge, the Skinny Monkey, Zhao Qian, and Rong Niang and their group sat gathered in the small courtyard, feasting under the vast starlight and moonlight.

In the center, a large pot steamed hotly; after two hours of slow stewing, the yellow goat meat had turned tender and flavorful, making mouths water. The pot also held many tonic herbs—perfect for martial cultivators. Though only coarse salt seasoned it, one bite was exquisitely delicious.

“Big Brother Yi, try our yellow goat meat—it’s raised in the forest, feeding on wild grasses and mountain mushrooms, drinking mountain spring water. The meat has no gaminess, both nourishing and delicious.” Zhao Qian smiled, pulling a large goat leg from the pot and handing it to Li Yi.

“Thank you.” Li Yi was courteous; he took it, bit into it, and indeed found it extraordinarily delicious, with a unique wild flavor unlike any meat he’d eaten before.

He liked the taste, and immediately ate several more large bites.

Seeing Li Yi enjoy it, Zhao Qian’s eyes crinkled with delight—but when she saw him bite down and shatter the thick goat bone instantly, her smile turned to shock.

Li Yi chewed the meat and bone together, swallowing them in a few bites.

“Big Brother Yi, you can’t eat bones,” Zhao Qian hurriedly said. “Bones won’t digest—they’ll damage your stomach. Martial cultivators must eat carefully, not recklessly.”

Rong Niang and the Skinny Monkey also looked up at Li Yi, puzzled.

“It’s fine—I’m used to eating this way,” Li Yi said casually.

Zhao Ge, a Qi-Orifice cultivator, noticed something unusual: “Strong bones, sharp teeth—Meng De’s physique surpasses tigers, outclasses bears. His tendons and bones are already beyond human limits; his internal organs must be extraordinary too. Others who swallow bones would grind their intestines to pulp, but Meng De dissolves them effortlessly.”

“Only Master sees clearly,” Li Yi smiled, biting again—bone and meat crushed easily, swallowed.

The physical quality of an Evolver is simply unreasonable. Though martial cultivators across the Four Seas and Eight Continents train tendons, refine blood and qi, and unlock bodily potential, they remain mortal flesh. Evolvers are different—their transformation is a leap of life itself, a fundamental divide.

Yet now, Li Yi was re-cultivating martial arts, merging the two paths—he suspected the result would be unimaginably terrifying.

He looked forward to the day his martial arts would reach completion.

“After this meal, rest well tonight. Tomorrow, I’ll begin teaching Meng De bone cultivation,” Zhao Ge said, sipping goat broth, already impatient.

If all went as expected, within two days—tomorrow and the day after—Meng De would unify tendons, bones, and skin. He wanted to see what kind of scene would unfold when Meng De unleashed his divine strength.

“Brother, don’t just eat meat—drink the broth too. All the goodness is boiled into the soup. Eating meat is just for flavor; it does little for your body.” Rong Niang poured a bowl of goat broth and handed it to Li Yi.

Li Yi nodded, took it, and drank it down—his whole body felt comfortable. “Thank you, Rong Niang.”

Rong Niang smiled and poured him several more bowls.

“Sister, pour me some too,” the Skinny Monkey pleaded, holding out his bowl.

“You’ve got hands and feet—pour it yourself,” Rong Niang’s smile vanished. She snorted and flatly refused.

Li Yi laughed. “It’s fine—I’ll pour you some.”

He took the Skinny Monkey’s bowl and filled it.

“Big Brother is the best,” the Skinny Monkey beamed.

“You’re getting above yourself,” Zhao Ge muttered. I haven’t even gotten any from Meng De’s serving, and you’re already enjoying it.

Li Yi noticed the tension and quickly smiled, pouring a bowl for his Master.

“Meng De is thoughtful,” Zhao Ge nodded, a faint smile touching his lips.

Such talent and strength, yet so humble and unpretentious—who wouldn’t love a disciple like this?

Li Yi didn’t neglect anyone—he poured bowls for Zhao Qian and Rong Niang too, to avoid resentment.

“Thank you, Big Brother Yi,” Zhao Qian said, her voice sweet with joy.

Rong Niang said nothing, but her heartbeat quickened, her cheeks flushed slightly.

Zhao Ge noticed these changes, surprised. He hadn’t expected Rong Niang—so stubborn and fierce—to be tamed. But he said nothing. Harmony among disciples was good. If feelings truly blossomed, and they could unite, it would be a blessing. They were family—meat rotted in the pot; why let outsiders benefit?

Thinking this, he stroked his beard and smiled, watching them all sit together eating—deeply content.

How wonderful if it could always be like this.

Alas, his other loyal disciples would never see this day.

Gazing at the brilliant stars, Zhao Ge’s eyes welled with unbidden tears, a quiet sorrow rising within him.

Less than half an hour passed.

The large pot of goat meat was finished. Li Yi ate the most—he loved the flavor and couldn’t help himself.

After eating, Zhao Ge ordered the Skinny Monkey to clean up.

“Go to bed early tonight. Rest well and heal. In a few days, we head to San Yang City—there’s a great battle waiting. Don’t think a full meal means you can slack off. So many brothers and disciples still await vengeance. Never let your guard down for a moment.”

As Master, Zhao Ge scolded them briefly, then sent them to their rooms.

“Master, you should rest too,” the Skinny Monkey said after finishing.

“The medicine Meng De gave me is unusual—I still feel energized. Can’t sleep yet. I’ll keep watch tonight.” Zhao Ge said. “Go rest.”

They nodded and returned to their rooms.

Li Yi drew a bucket of water from the well, washed up simply, and returned to his room early.

Sleeping in this ancient-style room felt unfamiliar, so he began cultivation instead.

He wanted to see if the universe’s energy here was abundant, and how fast he could cultivate.

Thinking this,

Li Yi sat on the bed, formed the Treasure Seal, and activated the White Bone Contemplation technique.

As soon as he entered meditation,

he sensed the surrounding cosmic energy—untainted. The discovery thrilled him: his earlier hypothesis was correct.

Only Earth was polluted.

Other worlds were normal.

But soon, Li Yi’s joy faded.

The cosmic energy here was extremely scarce—even thin.

If polluted energy on Earth was 100, here it was less than 10.

Yet, upon reflection, that made sense.

If cosmic energy here were abundant, people wouldn’t be practicing martial arts—they’d be cultivating immortality.

“Though the energy is thin, at least it’s pure. Cultivating here is still better than on Earth—assuming no rare artifacts. And here, even unused energy doesn’t dissipate—it lingers nearby.”

Li Yi soon made another valuable discovery.

Because it was untainted, any cosmic energy he drew in but didn’t absorb remained, accumulating around him.

Within moments, the energy density around him rose, and his cultivation speed began to accelerate.

He then realized: after martial cultivation, his body’s potential had been unlocked, and his demand for cosmic energy had greatly increased.

This was good.

It meant Li Yi’s cultivation value was being raised.

“Who knew martial arts had this effect? Evolver and martial cultivation are perfectly complementary,” Li Yi exclaimed in delight.

The Evolver’s body transforms, unlocking greater potential. Martial cultivation unlocks that potential, raising cultivation value.

They enhance each other.

The result: the more you evolve, the higher your martial talent; the higher your martial talent, the faster your cultivation value rises—and thus, the faster you evolve.

Perfect.

Keep cultivating like this, and mediocrity becomes genius; genius becomes a monster.

“This journey across the Four Seas and Eight Continents was right. If I cultivated on Earth, my speed would be far slower, my potential never unlocked. If I push my martial cultivation to Qi-Orifice, returning to Earth might double—or even quadruple—my cultivation value to 800%.”

At this moment, Li Yi seemed to have found his own path of evolution and cultivation.

As he continued cultivating, cosmic energy gathered around him.

In the courtyard,

the Eight-Treasure Deer, as a spirit creature, sensed this clearly.

It lifted its head, stepped out from a woodshed, and walked with slow, aged steps to Li Yi’s door.

There, it paused, pacing slightly.

An old deer that had become a spirit—like a human—it used its hooves as hands to push open the door and enter.

Inside, it saw Li Yi seated on the bed, motionless, serene, as if enlightened. Around him, a halo of light glowed, making him resemble a Buddha—divine and extraordinary.

It was this divine aura that drew it.

The old deer lowered its head silently, showing submission, then crept cautiously closer.

Finally, it reached Li Yi’s side, knelt, and lay still, letting the halo envelop its entire body.

“This Eight-Treasure Deer is also absorbing cosmic energy?” Li Yi sensed everything around him—he’d noticed the deer’s arrival but ignored it.

Only when the deer drew close and began absorbing energy did he feel surprised.

“Perhaps this is a spirit creature’s instinct,” Li Yi thought, recalling Earth’s ferocious beasts, which passively absorbed cosmic energy to evolve.

But on Earth, energy was polluted—ferocious beasts evolved into more violent, dangerous creatures, lacking the wisdom and intelligence of spirit creatures, hence why cultivators hunted and exterminated them to protect city dwellers.

Still, Li Yi couldn’t absorb all the cosmic energy he drew in. Sharing some with the Eight-Treasure Deer was fine—let them progress together.

But the deer’s behavior alerted Zhao Ge.

He was keeping watch tonight, naturally observing the courtyard and surroundings, wary of enemies sneaking up.

“Why did the Eight-Treasure Deer suddenly enter Meng De’s room? Trying to steal the divine medicine?” Curious, Zhao Ge tiptoed closer.

But when he peered through the door crack, he froze.

He saw Li Yi seated, hand forming the Treasure Seal, calm and composed, like an enlightened sage. Most astonishingly, within a one-zhang radius around him, a halo of light glowed—tiny, brilliant points, like a starry sky, utterly divine.

That light was actually cosmic energy.

Cosmic energy was normally invisible.

But Li Yi had drawn in so much cosmic energy at this moment that it had gathered into such high concentration it became visible to the naked eye.

Zhao Ge, outside the door, watched for a long time but discerned nothing unusual.

Yet his instinct as a Qi-Channeling martial artist told him that Li Yi’s posture was nearly divine, not of this world—even the Eight-Treasure Deer, a mountain delicacy, willingly knelt at his feet, merely to bask in a glimmer of that radiance.

“Truly, a god descended from heaven, born extraordinary,” Zhao Ge marveled inwardly.

After watching for a while and seeing the Eight-Treasure Deer cause no trouble, he carefully closed the door and left.