Chapter 84: Is He Really a Genius?

"Then, can the things obtained from within the Mirage Sea enhance a Martial Artist's Qi and Blood?"

"I have eaten some before, and I only felt my entire body's Blood Qi greatly increase. It took a long time to fully digest, and both my physical strength and cultivation improved."

Chen Mo spoke up; one reason was to ask if there were any dangers in consuming things from the Mirage Sea, and the other was to pave the way for his own display of strength.

"Ah, you just ate them directly? You didn't eat much, did you?" Sun Shouren's expression changed abruptly, and he scrutinized Chen Mo from head to toe.

"I didn't eat much, just a little bit." Chen Mo's expression was calm as he answered honestly.

"Then it seems you were lucky not to have eaten anything you shouldn't have. When a Mirage Beast is killed, it evolves into a Mirage Spirit, and every type of Mirage Spirit has its own unique function.

If it is compatible with one's own Qi and Blood, then naturally it can be absorbed safely; if it is incompatible, then not only will it be impossible to absorb, but forcing it will also damage one's physical essence and energy."

Sun Shouren's expression was solemn and his tone was slightly stern as he gave his earnest instructions.

He was also sweating for Chen Mo in his heart; it was fortunate that his foster son had good luck, otherwise, a major problem would have occurred.

Chen Mo secretly noted this down. It seemed that the Martial Artists of this world were not, as he had imagined, able to freely absorb the drops evolved from Mirage Beasts.

Only he possessed the Transformation Pearl, which allowed him to absorb and draw upon any kind of Qi and Blood without limit, converting it into his own resources.

"But how should one handle those Mirage Spirits that one cannot use oneself? Take them out to trade with others?" Chen Mo asked.

If that were truly the case, then there must be a black market in this world for trading Mirage Spirits, and perhaps he could find a way to profit from it.

"That is only natural. If you cannot trade them, you can also find a Qi Refiner and ask them to help refine them into pills, which can then be consumed," Sun Shouren said, clearing up his confusion.

Qi Refiners draw the energy of Heaven and Earth into their bodies, and their mastery over the Heaven and Earth Power is far superior to that of Martial Artists.

By utilizing the Heaven and Earth Power, they can refine Mirage Spirits that ordinary people cannot absorb into pills for people to consume.

Yet, whether they are internal or external school Martial Artists, they cannot achieve this.

"There is one more thing. As my strength began to grow, I discovered that the power of Qi and Blood seems to be able to stimulate my eyes.

After stimulation, at night, I once saw things like human-skin lanterns floating in the air, and even the moon in the sky turned the color of blood.

Only in places where the Copper Gong is struck does the moonlight remain normal. Could these things also be caused by the Mirage Sea?"

Having asked his final question, Chen Mo said no more.

"That is correct; these are all situations caused by the erosion of the Mirage Sea. Those human-skin lanterns are called Ghost Lanterns, left behind after the Mirage Sea's erosion. As long as you do not actively look at them..."

As Sun Shouren spoke, he slowly froze, his eyes fixed on Chen Mo, looking him up and down.

Only now did he finally realize one thing: Chen Mo had actually stimulated the Eye of Blood Qi!

To stimulate the Eye of Blood Qi, a Martial Artist needs to possess quite formidable Qi and Blood power.

That Chen Mo could stimulate it now meant that his Qi and Blood power had already reached this level.

But how could this be possible? It had only been such a short time!

Could his cultivation and strength really have improved this quickly?

Sun Shouren's expression was one of astonishment and confusion, yet he did not have much doubt; the act of opening the Eye of Blood Qi could not be faked.

He just could not understand how Chen Mo's strength could have improved so rapidly.

To open the Eye of Blood Qi, a Martial Artist needs at least two thousand jin of Qi and Blood power.

Yet Chen Mo had previously barely reached one thousand two hundred jin; in just these few months, he had actually increased his strength by eight hundred.

This rate of improvement was truly a bit too great.

Could he really be a genius?

But that shouldn't be; if he were truly gifted, why was it that he could barely continue after cultivating the Greedy Wolf Seven Kill Fist to the third level of perfection?

Or could it be that he had already cultivated Inner Qi during this time?

The moment this thought arose in his mind, Sun Shouren himself felt that the idea was a bit too bold.

If that were truly the case, then his foster son could not just be called a genius, but a peerless prodigy.

If he could cultivate Inner Qi so easily, as long as no accidents occurred, his future achievements would definitely far exceed his own.

"Then, to what level have you cultivated the Greedy Wolf Seven Kill Fist? Have you condensed Inner Qi?" Sun Shouren asked, pursuing the matter with a hint of urgency.

"Replying to Foster Father, the Greedy Wolf Seven Kill Fist has been cultivated to the fourth level, and Inner Qi has also been condensed, though it is currently too weak."

As Chen Mo spoke, he first took a few sheets of rice paper from the table and used a wisp of Inner Qi to shake them.

The originally intact paper instantly turned into hundreds of paper scraps.

Watching the scraps of paper drifting and dancing downward, Sun Shouren widened his eyes, his expression full of astonishment.

Immediately following that was a wave of unexpected, wild joy!

"Good, good, good! My son is truly a peerless prodigy!" Sun Shouren was extremely happy in his heart, saying the word 'good' three times in a row.

Chen Mo's talent was even better than his own had been back then; if no accidents occurred, his future achievements would inevitably far exceed his own.

This was because, back then, he had no one in the officialdom to spare effort in promoting him, and it was only because his family's circumstances were slightly better that he could afford to practice martial arts.

But Chen Mo was different; he had a foster father like him to promote him in the officialdom, and his own talent was so good that obtaining the title of Second Grade Martial Jinshi would be no problem at all.

Even if he were to strive for more, a First Grade Jinshi was not out of the question.

As long as he could pass the Jinshi examination, and with his own help, even if he couldn't perform any great meritorious deeds, after grinding for a while, he would at least be a Fifth Rank Official with real power.

If he could perform some meritorious deeds, it would not be impossible for him to enter Jing and become a Third Rank high official.

As for anything above the Third Rank, that was not something ordinary people could reach; those in such positions, regardless of their birth, credentials, or talent, were all the cream of the crop—a slight deficiency would make it impossible to reach.

Even though Sun Shouren felt his foster son's talent was quite good, he dared not imagine him reaching such a position.

"I never thought you could cultivate Inner Qi so quickly; it is enough to show that your talent is extraordinary." Sun Shouren's face was full of smiles, his tone still carrying astonishment mixed with joy.

Chen Mo was his foster son; seeing him possess such talent, Sun Shouren, as his foster father, naturally felt happy.

He could not help but sigh that he indeed had some luck on his side, to have just happened to draft a natural prodigy like Chen Mo during a random recruitment.

It could be said that as long as Chen Mo grew up, it would be of great help to both himself and his own kin.

And likewise, as his foster father, he should of course cultivate and nurture him well.

Chen Mo was the type to know how to repay kindness, so he could rest assured in bestowing favors upon him.

This is also why he appeared so happy after learning of Chen Mo's extraordinary talent, and why he decided to expend the effort to cultivate him.

Because if Chen Mo grew strong, he would certainly be able to bring him benefits.

If Chen Mo were not his foster son, and if Chen Mo grew strong without bringing him any return,

then no matter how good his talent was, Sun Shouren would not care about him in the slightest.

At most, he would avoid offending the other party and perhaps try to befriend or win them over at an appropriate time, but it would be limited to that.

Or even, if there were an irreconcilable, life-or-death feud with him or the forces behind him,

Sun Shouren might even have to find a way to strangle the other party in the cradle beforehand to avoid brewing a greater disaster.

"However, you haven't told too many people about this matter, have you?" Sun Shouren's tone became cautious again.

"Reporting to Foster Father, apart from you and Fifth Brother, no one knows as of now," Chen Mo replied.

"Mm. Do not tell anyone else about this for the time being; once the Dutian Dao Sect has been wiped out, I will then submit a report of your merits," Sun Shouren instructed solemnly.

Exposing one's strength is certainly fine, but exposing it all is not necessarily a good thing.

Furthermore, there is still a battle ahead; keeping some strength in reserve might produce miraculous results when the time comes.

"This child understands," Chen Mo nodded in agreement, then turned to open a wooden chest and took out two jade boxes from within.

Regarding the Grey Mist, the human-skin lantern, and the Blood Moon, these questions had already been answered.

But he still had some other questions, namely how the Gray White Stone obtained earlier from the hands of the Dutian Dao Sect members should be used.

And what specific effects the Human Infant Fruit, which emitted a strange fragrance, had.

He was unclear about these questions and dared not use these items rashly, which is why he specifically brought them today to ask his foster father how they should be used.

(End of this chapter)