Chapter 90: Progress Is Encouraging

“Master, Senior Brother, you must think long-term! You think my resources are substantial only because your current cultivation levels are still low.”

“And if you just sit back and consume what you have, no matter how much you start with, it will eventually be exhausted—so you need a solid foundation that can continuously generate new resources.”

Upon hearing this, Yu Chi Xiao and Jiao Yongbao were momentarily stunned, but Zhuo Xingji and Liang Jingtang caught the hidden meaning and were deeply shaken.

“Dao Ming, you’re not thinking of taking advantage of their mutual destruction to replace them, are you? This is far too dangerous—I won’t allow it!” Liang Jingtang said with grave seriousness.

“Yes, Dao Ming, the Three Families Alliance and the Xu family have deep roots and numerous martial masters. Though your strength is extraordinary—even killing an Eighth-Rank Great Martial Master is effortless—you’re still alone and weak. You can seize some benefits while they’re weakened, but to replace them outright is far too perilous.”

“Moreover, Li Cheng is too vast for one person to control. The Xu family has dominated Li Cheng for over a hundred years—not merely because they have a Master-level cultivator, but because of their powerful clan and affiliated forces.”

“Even so, over the years, the Xu family has constantly been restrained by the Three Families Alliance, even forced to fear their united attempt to overthrow them. So even if both sides are truly crippled, you, alone and weak, cannot replace them.” Zhuo Xingji said with solemn expression.

“I’m not alone—I have you and the Ji family too,” Xia Daoming said.

“Forget about us—Master is the strongest among us, yet he still can’t match your punch! As for us, there’s no point even mentioning it,” Zhuo Xingji said.

“Cough, Senior Brother, just use yourself as the example—leave some face for Master,” Xia Daoming reminded.

“Enough with face or not—none of that matters. Your Senior Brother Zhuo is right: our Qianjiao Martial Hall has only a few minor players. To help you replace the Xu family and the Three Families Alliance and take control of Li Cheng is utterly unrealistic.”

“As for the Ji family, they’re certainly much stronger than us. But they suffered heavy losses this time. Aside from Elder Ji Yuanzhen, who can barely show up to hold the line, no one else is capable.” Liang Jingtang said.

“Hehe, what if I told you that Elder Ji Yuanzhen has now reached Eighth-Rank Great Martial Master, and several Seventh- and Sixth-Rank Great Martial Masters will soon emerge beneath him—and that your own and Senior Brothers’ cultivation will surge dramatically in the short term?” Xia Daoming asked.

“How is that possible?” Liang Jingtang blurted out.

Yet even as he spoke those words, his heartbeat quickened.

This disciple of his was a monster!

Not only was his strength terrifying, but he’d even managed to obtain spiritual rice—the very food of cultivators.

If he said this, perhaps it was truly possible.

“Junior Brother, don’t joke with us—we can’t handle such a shock!” Zhuo Xingji said, flushed and parched.

“I’ve always said I’m honest and sincere—how could I ever lie or joke with you?” Xia Daoming said with solemn expression.

As he spoke, he pulled out a box.

Liang Jingtang and the other three felt their heartbeats surge, their eyes instinctively fixed on the box.

“These are Fengming Pills, refined primarily from top-grade Fengyao grass. Over these past days, you’ve been drinking Yunshou Jade Liquid and eating spiritual rice—your vitality and meridians have been greatly nourished, and your strength has steadily consolidated.”

“With your current solid foundations, if you each take one Fengming Pill, unless your luck is abysmal, you should break through one rank.” Xia Daoming opened the box and smiled.

“The top-grade Fengyao grass was yours, wasn’t it? Otherwise, with such a potent pill aiding them, the Ji family would have long since matched the Ding, Lin, and Saber Dominance Sects—even if they couldn’t rival the Xu family,” Liang Jingtang swallowed hard, forcing himself to calm down.

“Master is truly wise!” Xia Daoming casually tossed out a compliment.

Liang Jingtang was speechless.

What kind of wisdom was that?!

The days that followed.

The situation in Li Cheng remained chaotic.

Every day brought fighting and death.

Yet Liang Jingtang and his five disciples lived comfortably in their old home in Wutong Alley.

With the aid of Fengming Pills and daily consumption of spiritual rice, Liang Jingtang, Yu Chi Xiao, Zhuo Xingji, and Jiao Yongbao all broke through smoothly.

Moreover, after their breakthroughs, their blood qi and strength continued to rise and consolidate.

Especially Jiao Yongbao—who had been a martial genius held back by the Qianjiao Martial Hall—now soared again, rising like a rocket.

He leapt from Fourth-Rank to Fifth-Rank, then swiftly reached Fifth-Rank peak; Sixth-Rank was within reach.

Xia Daoming’s meridian strengthening progress was also rapid.

But not because of the daily spiritual rice.

Spiritual rice mainly nourished vitality and meridians and consolidated strength—he had strengthened his meridians nine times at each realm, his vitality robust, his meridians powerful, his strength far denser than that of martial masters at the same level.

Thus, spiritual rice offered him very limited improvement in martial cultivation.

Yet each day, as he ate spiritual rice, Xia Daoming faintly sensed a subtle change within his body.

The change was indescribable—a shift in inner aura and demeanor, faint but unmistakable.

And the taste of the spiritual rice was truly delicious.

Since that was the case, Xia Daoming naturally wouldn’t deprive himself.

He still ate some spiritual rice every day.

What greatly accelerated his meridian strengthening was the Fengming Pills and the meat of the Jinlin Blood-Pupil Snake.

Most beast meat contained wildly chaotic energy.

For martial artists, it wasn’t nourishment—it was poison.

Yet a very few beasts were exceptions—their meat offered tremendous nourishment.

The Jinlin Blood-Pupil Snake Xia Daoming killed in Gengyun Mountain Valley was one such beast.

Eating spiritual rice daily, consuming Jinlin Blood-Pupil Snake meat, and swallowing a Fengming Pill each night—Xia Daoming’s meridian strengthening progress was impressive.

One morning.

Xia Daoming rode out alone through the South City Gate, in high spirits.

The Ding family now trusted the Qianjiao Martial Hall deeply.

Generally, if one or two people left the city, the Ding family guards at the gate allowed passage.

After Xia Daoming “returned” to Li Cheng, he left the city again within two days to retrieve the snake meat and some spiritual rice hidden outside.

This time, he followed a prearranged plan to meet with the Ji family.

Riding his horse, Xia Daoming arrived at a deserted mountain village fifty li outside the city.

“Greetings, Master Xia. Elder Ji is waiting for you in the back village,” a Ji family youth stepped out from a ruined hut, bowing respectfully, his eyes filled with awe.

The Elder had come in person!

Xia Daoming’s eyes flickered with surprise, but his face remained calm as he nodded. “Good.”

He spurred his horse into the village.

Soon he reached a relatively well-preserved house in the back village.

Ji Yuanzhen, having received word, stood at the door, alert and spirited, waiting for him.

“Elder, why did you come yourself?” Xia Daoming dismounted and handed the reins to a Ji family retainer.

“Let’s go inside,” Ji Yuanzhen smiled.

The two entered the house quickly.

“These are the Fengming Pills recently refined by Wen Yue. This box is from five-hundred-year-old herbs, this one from four hundred, this one from three hundred, this one from two hundred—and there are some from one hundred years, but I didn’t bring them.” As soon as they sat, Ji Yuanzhen handed over four boxes.

PS: Another chapter will be posted at noon today.