TL: Etude
Without any incidents along the way, Ye Tian safely returned to Linhai Base. The day after his return, he visited the black market and purchased numerous vials of intermediate beast blood, spending nearly all of the 10 million he had.
He could have easily paid off his debts if he had used the 10 million for that purpose, but Ye Tian chose to buy intermediate beast blood instead. Although he had ten bottles of high-level beast blood, relying solely on them for cultivation wouldn't last him three months. The most effective method was to occasionally use high-level beast blood for cultivation and use intermediate beast blood to supplement his practice at other times.
In the small courtyard of his villa, Ye Tian began practicing the Intermediate Elemental Body Forging Technique. This technique had only nine movements, but each was far more intricate and complex than those in the basic Elemental Body Forging Technique. As he executed the Intermediate Elemental Body Forging Technique, a rich flow of elemental energy surged into his body at a rate much faster than the basic technique.
"It's three times more effective than the basic Elemental Body Forging Technique!" Ye Tian was astonished.
This was just the result of practicing the Intermediate Elemental Body Forging Technique alone. If he used beast blood to aid his cultivation, the effects would be even faster because the intermediate technique could utilize the beast blood more effectively.
"Let's try the effects of high-level beast blood," Ye Tian couldn't resist taking a sip.
Boom!
A surge of immense energy erupted from within his body, as if he were being torn apart. "I underestimated the energy of the high-level beast blood," Ye Tian thought, alarmed.
He immediately began practicing the Intermediate Elemental Body Forging Technique, repeating it over and over until he finally absorbed the energy from the high-level beast blood.
"Thank goodness for the Intermediate Elemental Body Forging Technique; otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to absorb the energy from the high-level beast blood. Yue Ling must have known this, which is why she gave me both," Ye Tian pondered.
After some calculations, he estimated that the high-level beast blood could increase his cultivation speed by six times. Coupled with the Intermediate Elemental Body Forging Technique, that would be eighteen times. Given his high-level cultivation talent, which was at least three times better than intermediate-level talents, his cultivation speed would be fifty-four times faster compared to the average intermediate-level talents in Linhai Base.
Ye Tian was amazed. Even though those with intermediate-level talents could also use intermediate beast blood to aid their cultivation, increasing their speed by at least two or three times, his cultivation speed was still twenty times faster. One month of his cultivation was equivalent to nearly two years for those with average talents.
"The only downside is that I have only ten bottles of high-level beast blood," Ye Tian thought, somewhat greedily.
With abundant resources and no external disturbances, Ye Tian devoted himself fully to his cultivation. Soon, three months passed.
"I've finally reached the level of an Elite Martial Warrior!"
"I'm so excited!" Ye Tian exclaimed.
His skin, muscles, and bones had been tempered to an extraordinary level of strength, and his power had broken through the limit of 10,000 catties. He had just entered the realm of Elite Martial Warrior, but he was not yet in the early stages of being a true Elite Martial Warrior. To reach that level, he needed to temper his blood.
The process of becoming an Elite Martial Warrior involved refining one's blood. Only when the blood was tempered to a sufficient level of strength could it nourish the body, supporting its evolution to higher levels. Cultivation was a process of evolution!
Ye Tian had not yet begun to temper his blood, a process that was quite complicated. It involved repeatedly purifying the blood to remove impurities and refine what remained. This process consumed a large amount of blood, and if one couldn't keep up with the nutritional needs, the blood could be depleted, leading to death.
The best way to replenish blood was to use beast blood. This process required a massive amount of beast blood. Although high-level beast blood would be better, Ye Tian had already run out. Even if he had some, it wouldn't be enough.
The scarcity of beast blood in Linhai Base was due to Elite Martial Warriors consuming over ninety percent of it. The amount they used daily would astonish ordinary Martial Warriors.
Additionally, during these three months, he didn't waste the opportunity to use his talent for duplication. He secretly copied several intermediate cultivation talents into his identity. Unfortunately, this didn't cause his high-level cultivation talent to transform, but he felt that his high-level cultivation talent had already reached a peak. Perhaps with the addition of just one more high-level cultivation talent, his talent could transform into an apex-level cultivation talent!
After spending another three days, Ye Tian had initially tempered his blood and stepped into the early stage of being an Elite Martial Warrior. With a strength of 13,000 catties, he prepared to head to the Lake of Death once again. He was determined to obtain the talent of the Immortal Jellyfish.
...
Returning to the Lake of Death, Ye Tian felt slightly nervous. Although his cultivation had improved many times over the past three months, and even his blade intent had reached a minor completion realm, he still didn't dare underestimate the dangers of the Lake of Death. This place was home to apex-level beasts; provoking one would mean certain death.
It was evening, and Ye Tian didn't enter the Lake of Death immediately but waited quietly for nightfall. The darkness would make it easier for him to use his Shadow Talent. While it wouldn't fool high-level beasts with psychic abilities, it could deceive low and intermediate-level beasts. Moving at night was much safer than during the day.
Night quickly fell, and the entire Lake of Death became eerily terrifying. Coupled with the pervasive aura of beasts in the area, an ordinary person would likely be too frightened to even walk here.
Suppressing his discomfort, Ye Tian entered the Lake of Death. "Shadow Talent!" he whispered, blending into the darkness and moving slowly under the surface of the lake.
As an Elite Martial Warrior, he could stay underwater for an hour without breathing. He had to find the Immortal Jellyfish within that time, or he would have to surface, which would be too risky.
"It's so dark underwater. Thank goodness for my duplication talent; otherwise, I'd never find the Immortal Jellyfish," Ye Tian thought to himself.
Soon, under the influence of his duplication talent, he sensed the first aquatic beast.
Species: Tiger Claw Fish
Bloodline Talent: Intermediate
-----------
If you're enjoying the story, please leave a rating and review!