The true qi in Li Ming's body filled up every single one of his acupoints, making him feel extremely comfortable.
It was as if every movement of his was filled with spiritual power.
After having broken through to the eighth level of qi refinement and the fifth level of the Blazing Sun Body Tempering Art, his strength had greatly improved.
This was especially so for the true qi within his body. It was leagues above what it was in the past.
All along, he had only done what he could when it came to the aspect of qi refinement. He was pretty much simply praying for some grace from the heavens.
However, he never really thought that he would one day be able to advance to the eighth level of qi refinement. Now, his level in qi refinement could also be incorporated into his combat power.
After all, Li Ming had only used qi cultivation as a means of regulating his breath.
While thinking this, he went to his courtyard.
After the last time he had wreaked havoc in the courtyard, he had already redecorated the place and made it look more simple.
He moved a few huge rocks from the mountain to embellish the rockery.
He could also use these rocks as targets to test his power.
"Wind of supreme harmony, heed my qi."
Li Ming made a wind-riding hand seal and drew the air current around him.
As he recited the incantation, a violent wind suddenly blew in the courtyard, sending sand and stones flying. The strong wind caused the leaves of several large trees to rustle wildly.
Li Ming found the feeling to be quite fresh. He only needed to consume some spiritual qi and recite the incantation to trigger changes in the wind.
He now truly felt as if he possessed the means of immortals.
After that, Li Ming cast the fireball spell. He stretched out his index and middle fingers and pointed into the distance.
"Flames of brilliance, descend!"
The flame on his fingertip followed Li Ming's order and shot toward the rockery.
When it touched the surface of the rock, it exploded, creating a cloud of dust.
Li Ming tried a few more spells. He still had a lot of spiritual qi in reserve, and the range of his spells was quite large.
The only problem was...
The might they displayed was still quite small.
The wind-controlling technique had yet to reach the point where it could affect the weather or summon the wind and rain.
The strength of the wind that it could muster could only allow him to float a bit at most. It would have little effect in an actual battle.
The damage of the fireball was even more insignificant. It was not even comparable to the blazing sun true fire of his Blazing Sun Body Tempering Art.
Overall, the spells did not have any practical strategic value.
It appeared that he would still need to rely on his body refinement in battle.
Nevertheless, Li Ming was still quite satisfied. After all, had made some progress in the Blazing Sun Body Tempering Art and had even reached its fifth level.
There was a huge increase in strength with every level of this cultivation technique.
Moreover, the seventh level of the Blazing Sun Body Tempering Art was already the foundation establishment stage for body cultivation. It was truly a domineering technique.
"Continue!"
Li Ming turned around and went back to his room to cultivate.
...
A month later.
In a valley in the Divine Will Sect.
"Fwiish..."
Walking out of a rapid current, Li Ming's wet clothes stuck to his skin.
His eyes were calm, and the divine light was restrained. He seemed to be a little low-key.
Although his figure had not changed much, his soaked clothes highlighted his strong body, revealing the beauty of strength.
No one knew how much explosive power was contained in those slightly bulging muscles.
Li Ming's body circulated the blazing sun true qi, and the warm temperature suddenly turned into a burning heat. The surface of his body, which had become extremely tough due to his practice of [Iron Skin], began to steam.
Soon, his wet clothes became dry.
"I've grown much more proficient with the Five Divine Fists, but I still need to practice it more in terms of strength and hardness!"
Li Ming's aura had become increasingly condensed. He suddenly swung his fists, undergoing stance training while in the valley.
The originally firm and fierce fist technique became more and more harmonious, and the switches between one from the other became increasingly smoother.
After all, actual combat was not just about displaying your abilities one by one, it was more about how well you coordinated your different abilities, whether it be offense or defense.
After a set of fist techniques, Li Ming continued to absorb the blazing sun true qi and began to practice the Blazing Sun Body Tempering Art.
The more he cultivated this cultivation technique, the more he could feel the profoundness within.
"I need to draw in blazing sun true fire to temper my body again..."
Li Ming immediately made a decision in his heart. The so-called blazing sun true fire was the same flame that allowed his true qi to transform into a tangible flame when he reached the fifth level of the Blazing Sun Body Tempering Art!
That kind of true fire could burn ordinary bodies until they were nothing but ashes, and even he would be injured by it to a certain extent.
Li Ming had experienced that kind of pain before.
However, if he wanted to improve, he had to continue breaking himself and rebuilding. This was the core of body tempering, destruction and reconstruction.
"Draw!"
In his meridians, the blazing sun true qi slowly turned into a green flame. What Li Ming had to do was to catalyze it into a dark-colored blazing sun true fire.
"Crack, crack!"
Soon, a true fire spread from his meridians to his bones, internal organs, and flesh.
Li Ming endured the pain and circulated his true qi according to the basic skills of blood changing, organs refining, and marrow cleansing.
Under the assault of waves of gnawing pain, he could feel the scorching heat approach his heart. If he was not careful, his heart could get injured.
Li Ming, who was already very experienced, naturally would not make the same mistake as the first time when he absorbed too much true qi, which led to his body burning...
Moreover, what was inside his body was the blazing sun true fire, something that ordinary flames could not compare to.
Gritting his teeth, Li Ming's expression remained firm and indomitable. As the blazing sun true fire followed his true qi to undergo a full cycle, a stream of spiritual qi was suddenly triggered in those key acupuncture points.
It was a success. Li Ming opened his eyes and found that his clothes had been burned to ashes.
A frosty aura slowly emanated from his body. It was not only his physical body that glowed with vitality after being tempered by the fire, but his spirit as well.
Li Ming took out some clothes from his storage bag and put them on. Now, he had reached completed the fifth level of the Blazing Sun Body Tempering Art, and he was also at the peak of the eighth level of the qi refinement stage.
He was at the point where he could break through at any moment. It was just that after his strength increased, he encountered an old problem, his cultivation efficiency had slowed down.
This was because he had almost used up all the qi cultivation resources he had obtained previously.
He had to go buy some more medicinal pills and spiritual liquid.
Li Ming thought for a while and immediately went to the hundred opportunities hall on the main peak.
That was the place where the sect's disciples issued and received missions. Every mission would have a certain reward, and it was usually in the form of spirit stones.
If he wanted to buy pills and spiritual liquid, he would need a large number of spirit stones.
...
At the main peak.
Li Ming walked on the road and could already see the buildings of the hundred opportunities hall.
Since he was on the main peak, he often passed by disciples, so Li Ming did not use his Wind Lightning Steps as he thought it would draw attention.
"Junior Brother Li, please wait."
Hearing someone calling him from behind, Li Ming sensed a powerful aura approaching him from behind.
He turned around and saw a senior brother dressed in an elite disciple's uniform flying towards him.
It seemed that he was here to look for him.
Li Ming looked at the senior brother. He was a foundation establishment senior brother, but he was very unfamiliar.
He had no idea as to why he had stopped him.
"Greetings, senior brother."
Li Ming did not dare to be unpolite. He stopped and waited for his senior brother to come.
This senior brother also looked gentle and elegant. He came to Li Ming and treated him with the courtesy of a fellow disciple of the Divine Will Sect.
"Junior Brother Li, I'm here to inform you on behalf of the elders of every hall."
Seeing Senior Brother Zhang's serious expression, Li Ming thought that something must have happened in the sect.
"There is a location in the rear mountain of the Divine Will Sect where the demon-suppressing seal has been broken," said Zhang Xiaoping. "There are demons that have escaped."
"That's why I'm informing all the disciples to work together and chase after those demons!"