“You scared me to death… Luckily, we made it, otherwise we’d have to wait another two years!”
Walking out of the Lingyuan Auction House, Hei Wa patted his chest, a look of relief on his face.
Lu Fan also let out a long breath.
When they went in to sign up, there were only two registration tokens left.
If they had been a step later, they would have truly missed it.
“Yes, good luck.” Lu Fan smiled.
“Let’s go! I’ll treat you to food and drinks!” Hei Wa enthusiastically put his arm around Lu Fan’s shoulders.
Lu Fan, however, shook his head: “The assessment is tomorrow, I need to get enough rest. You should also go to bed early.”
Hei Wa slapped his forehead: “You’re right! You’re absolutely right! Then once we both pass, I’ll treat you properly!”
He grinned, revealing a mouthful of white teeth, waved his hand, and turned to leave.
Lu Fan looked at his broad back and couldn't help but smile.
Hei Wa had an honest face and a strong body like a black rock. At first glance, he looked like he was in his early twenties, but upon asking, Lu Fan learned that he was the same age as himself, fifteen.
Just as he was thinking, the voice of the Tower Spirit sounded in his mind:
“Tsk, this kid is not simple; he has a trace of Barbarian God Bloodline within him. If he can Awaken it, his future is limitless.”
“Barbarian God Bloodline?” Lu Fan was curious, “Is it very strong?”
“Naturally. In terms of strength, only the True Dragon and Demonic Ape clans can compare to it.”
Lu Fan wanted to ask more about the True Dragon and Demonic Ape, but the Tower Spirit interrupted him:
“Knowing these things now is useless. You just need to remember that this dark-skinned kid’s Bloodline is extraordinary, and his character is also quite upright.”
With that, the Tower Spirit said no more.
Lu Fan also stopped pressing and returned to the inn alone.
Although he was full of curiosity about the prosperity of Lingyuan City, with the assessment approaching tomorrow, he was inevitably a little nervous.
To ensure everything went smoothly, he decided to refine the Reincarnation Power accumulated in the Tower and attempt a Breakthrough.
Inside the guest room, Lu Fan sat in meditation, guiding the Reincarnation Power to circulate through his body.
As the energy flowed, a portion dispersed into his limbs and bones, nourishing his entire body.
He clearly felt his body quietly changing.
This wasn't the first time, but this time it was particularly noticeable.
“Tower Spirit,” he finally couldn't help but ask, “What exactly is going on with my body…?”
After a moment of silence, the Tower Spirit replied in a deep voice: “Your Physique is special, and it needs to be continuously nurtured with Reincarnation Power.”
“Am I also a special Physique?” Lu Fan’s heart skipped a beat.
“More than just special,” the Tower Spirit’s tone was solemn, “it’s a Physique rarely seen in tens of millions of years. Otherwise, the Nine Nether Reincarnation Tower would not have recognized you as its master.”
“How does it compare to the Barbarian God Bloodline or the True Dragon Clan?”
The Tower Spirit snorted lightly: “There’s no comparison. Your Physique is far superior.”
Lu Fan was both happy and puzzled: “Then why did you always say before that my talent was not as good as those top Geniuses?”
“Precisely because your Physique is too Heaven-Defying!” the Tower Spirit sighed.
“The energy required to activate it is vast as the sea. If resources are insufficient, it might be difficult to Awaken it in your entire life.
So at this stage, your talent seems ordinary, and the resources required for your Breakthrough are several, even dozens of times that of Cultivators at the same Realm.”
Lu Fan was speechless for a moment.
What kind of situation was this? Guarding a treasure mountain but unable to enter?
“But precisely because of this,” the Tower Spirit continued, “once your Physique is activated, you will be an unparalleled Genius, one in a million. Your combat power at the same Realm will far exceed ordinary people, and fighting across Realms will be as easy as walking on flat ground.”
Lu Fan recalled the battles he had fought along the way.
With a Body Tempering Fifth Realm cultivation, he had consecutively slain Body Tempering Ninth Realm Cultivators, which was indeed extraordinary.
He said no more and cultivated in peace.
Several hours later, night fell.
Lu Fan suddenly opened his eyes, a sharp light flowing within them.
“Body Tempering Ninth Realm.”
In just a few hours, he had broken through four minor Realms consecutively. If this were to spread, it would surely shock the world.
But his heart was unusually calm.
If this Reincarnation Power were given to others, it would be enough to Breakthrough to Qi Refining Ninth Realm, yet he hadn't even stepped into the Qi Refining Realm.
“Resources… still not enough,” he murmured softly.
As soon as he stood up, a pang of hunger came from his stomach.
Only after Qi Refining can one abstain from food; he still needed worldly sustenance.
“I haven’t eaten all day. I’ll go fill my stomach first and take a look at the night view of Lingyuan City.”
Since he had already broken through, the pressure was slightly reduced, and he also wanted to relax a little.
The Tower Spirit was right; the Dao of Cultivation requires a balance of effort and rest.
Under the night sky, Lingyuan City was lit up like day, and the streets were still bustling with people.
Lu Fan walked leisurely with the crowd, bought two hot steamed buns from a roadside stall, and ate them heartily.
For other Cultivators, steamed buns were merely the most ordinary food to stave off hunger.
For him, however, it was a taste he had once longed for.
As the steaming hot bun entered his mouth, a wave of bitterness suddenly welled up in his heart.
Once upon a time, his and his sister’s greatest wish was simply to eat a hot steamed bun.
Now he could buy several at will, but his sister had never tasted one before her death.
All of this was brought about by Cultivation.
Just as his sister said on her deathbed: only by becoming a Cultivator would they no longer be bullied, no longer suffer from hunger and cold.
At this thought, his Dao Heart became even more firm.
He wanted to reach the Peak.
Perhaps by then, there would be a way to revive his parents and sister…
As his emotions surged, the crowd ahead suddenly became congested, and a quarrel erupted from within.
Lu Fan had always disliked joining in on the excitement and was about to turn and go around when he heard a voice that was all too familiar…