Free Web NovelChapter 344: Chapter 173: Counter-shock, Devouring Asking Dust
Lin Ye then spent all 6 of his skill points on [Instant Body].
[Instant Body Level 15 (MAX)]!
Without having to worry too much about stamina consumption, Lin Ye still believed that maxing out this skill was a higher priority than Retaliation.
Now when he used Instant Body, his speed would be even faster, and his maximum travel distance had also increased.
The difference between four or five meters and eight meters might seem like just a numerical increase, but in a fast-paced battle, it could be the difference between life and death.
Lin Ye used his last remaining skill point to unlock [Retaliation].
Without the slightest hesitation, he switched the skill to its [Ten Years Isn’t Too Late] mode.
Under normal circumstances, it was better to have a trump card like this that could quietly accumulate power for a sudden burst.
Lin Ye opened his eyes.
His power had nearly doubled again.
He even had a feeling that if he could travel back to the moment the battle with Dongfang Zhen began, that world-shaking fight might be decided in a single thought.
An absolute statistical advantage was no longer something a mechanic like Thunder Elementalization could withstand.
Just then, a system notification suddenly sounded.
[Ding! All advancement missions for the host’s current stage have been issued.]
[Until the host unlocks the next stage, no more advancement or mechanic-related missions will be issued.]
[Please complete the stage missions as soon as possible!]
It was just like last time, after he had killed the two Gate Guardian Giant Monsters in the ruined city.
He no longer had any racial templates to advance during the P2 stage.
Lin Ye’s gaze hardened with determination.
Although he had already secured the top spot, his journey in the training camp was far from over.
There was still a final mission in the Nirvana Tower to unlock the P3 stage, one he had yet to complete.
The Molten Demon Lord was Level 45.
And his current level was 32.
A full thirteen-level gap. Even with his recent surge in power, which allowed him to easily crush human Martial Artists of the same level, Lin Ye knew that against a high-level non-human lord like this, he would most likely be brutally suppressed.
’I have to raise my level as quickly as possible.’
Lin Ye’s thoughts cleared, and his goal became apparent.
First was the cultivation technique, the Tai Xu Two Principles True Understanding.
His understanding of this cultivation technique had not yet reached its limit.
Once it did, his experience point bonus would increase from 180% to 250%.
Second was the Candlelight Illuminating the Nine Netherworld Map in the Meditation Hall.
His current Visualization Realm was only hovering on the edge of the first image.
With his newly surged Spiritual Power, breaking through to the second image wouldn’t be difficult as long as he was willing to spend the time.
Sharpening the axe doesn’t delay the work of chopping wood.
The experience bonus from the cultivation technique, in particular, was something he had to secure first.
Only after that did he plan to venture deep into the Nirvana Tower, grinding levels while gathering intel on the Molten Demon Lord.
As he was contemplating this, Zhang Daoxuan walked out from the force field beneath the All-Seeing Instrument.
It was Lin Ye’s turn.
He stepped forward, slowly walking to the spot beneath the All-Seeing Instrument.
「Half an hour later.」
Lin Ye opened his eyes. He felt the Spiritual Factors within him, which had been stimulated only to recede like the tide, and his brow furrowed almost imperceptibly.
This time, he had once again failed to fully awaken his second Martial Arts Spirituality.
Lin Ye fell into thought.
’The core principle of the All-Seeing Instrument is to burn Asking Dust, making its effects gentle and stable. This guides and stimulates the Spiritual Factors in a Martial Artist’s body, ultimately inducing the emergence of a Martial Arts Spirituality.’
’This process is suitable for ordinary Martial Artists, preventing the intense effects of Asking Dust from causing their Spiritual Factors to spiral out of control.’
’But I... am not an ordinary person.’
’I can even directly consume and assimilate something as toxic as a Source Crystal. So, could I achieve a more direct stimulating effect by consuming Asking Dust as well?’
Once this thought emerged, it was impossible to suppress.
Without a moment’s hesitation, Lin Ye left the Spirit Core Hall and headed for the instructors’ office area.
He needed to verify his theory. Lin Ye’s goal was to find the unconventional head instructor, Yin Liulan, and see if she would agree.
...
"This is reckless! It’s impossible!"
Nie Cang looked at the perfectly calm Lin Ye before him and felt his own blood pressure soaring.
"Do you have any idea what you’re saying? Consuming Asking Dust directly? Do you have a death wish?"
Yin Liulan, who was standing to the side, said nothing. She simply sized up Lin Ye with great interest, a curious glint in her eyes.
"Asking Dust is too primitive and volatile, extremely unstable!"
Nie Cang’s tone was a mixture of urgency and anger. "Do you know the consequences of swallowing it directly?"
"In a mild case, the Spiritual Factors in your body will run rampant and your meridians will be torn to shreds."
"In a severe case, it could assault your Sea of Consciousness and turn you into a complete idiot! It’s not even out of the question that you could die on the spot!"
Lin Ye listened quietly without retorting.
He had already considered everything Nie Cang was saying.
But he just wanted to try.
"Mr. Nie, calm down."
Yin Liulan finally spoke.
"I think, since he’s the one who made this request, we might as well give it a try."
Nie Cang looked at Yin Liulan in disbelief. "The risk is just too great..."
Yin Liulan’s gaze fell on Lin Ye, a hint of fanaticism appearing on her face.
"I’ve thought about it before, how to help him fully induce his second spirituality."
"His first spirituality is too domineering. Conventional methods of guidance have a negligible effect. Perhaps we really do need some unconventional measures."
She looked at Nie Cang, whose expression was still tense, and her tone relaxed. "Don’t be so nervous. We just need to be fully prepared, that’s all."
"Have you forgotten what Su Yunjin’s Martial Arts Spirituality is?"
Nie Cang froze.
He opened his mouth, wanting to say more, but when he saw Yin Liulan making a voice call to Su Yunjin on her personal terminal, he had no choice but to drop it.
A moment later, Su Yunjin pushed the door open and entered. Seeing the tense, hostile atmosphere in the room, she was a bit confused.
Yin Liulan concisely explained Lin Ye’s idea.
After hearing it, Su Yunjin’s expression changed. She also thought it was absurd.
"Alright, no more arguing. It’s useless for you to try and persuade me. This little devil has already made up his mind."
"Yunjin, as long as he isn’t brain-dead on the spot, you should be able to pull him back from the brink of death, right?"
Hearing this, Lin Ye’s heart stirred.
’A healing-type Martial Arts Spirituality?’
’That’s far rarer than a combat-type spirituality. This is the first time I’ve ever seen one.’
Lin Ye recalled how on the first day of camp, Lu Jiuxiao—whose limb tendons he had severed—had shown up at the Martial Arts Hall for class as if nothing had happened. It must have been this instructor who had treated him.
Su Yunjin bit her lip, finally letting out a sigh. She nodded. "As long as he’s still breathing, I’m confident."
"Then it’s settled."
Yin Liulan made the final decision.
She immediately contacted the training camp’s technical department and requested the raw materials for Asking Dust.
...
「A few minutes later.」
「Spirit Core Hall.」
An instructor covered in sweat rushed in, holding a palm-sized silver metal box.
He immediately placed the box on the ground, then shook out his numb, sore hand.
"Head Instructor, this is the Asking Dust you requested," said a researcher standing next to the instructor.
Lin Ye looked over and saw that the box had a precise mechanical structure inside.
The researcher carefully opened the box, revealing a smaller, transparent crystal tube inside.
Suspended inside the tube was a tiny, seven-colored speck of light. As Lin Ye watched, its light continuously shifted, creating a magnificent and beautiful sight.
The researcher’s voice sounded. "For each session in the All-Seeing Instrument, a normal student’s half-hour use consumes a standard single particle of Asking Dust."
He secretly glanced at Lin Ye and lowered his voice. "Every time he uses it, he consumes about two particles..."
Nie Cang was astonished to hear this.
No wonder he could see a trace of resentment in the researcher’s eyes.
Considering what Yin Liulan had previously said about Lin Ye’s S+ grade potential for Martial Arts Spirituality, it wasn’t hard for him to understand.
Yin Liulan waved her hand, dismissing the researcher.
She carefully picked up a pair of metal tweezers from the box, forged from some unknown alloy.
Then, she spoke to Lin Ye with a grave expression. "The crystal tube contains a vacuum and is reinforced by a special force field."
"The Asking Dust has immense mass. In a moment, after the tube’s seal is opened, you must pick it up with the tweezers at top speed and then consume it."
"If it’s exposed to the air for more than two seconds, the Asking Dust will lose a significant amount of its activity. Furthermore, you cannot use the Gang Sha in your body, as it could also deactivate the Asking Dust. Understand?"
Lin Ye nodded.
Nie Cang’s expression was so grave it seemed like water could be wrung from it. He stared intently at Lin Ye, looking as if he might rush forward to stop him at any second.
Su Yunjin stood behind Lin Ye, also somewhat nervous and ready to administer aid at a moment’s notice.
Only Yin Liulan had a look of anticipation on her face.
Under the trio’s incredibly tense gaze, Lin Ye reached out and took a deep breath.
Then, with extreme speed, he took out the crystal tube and broke the seal at its top!
