Upon returning to his quarters, Peng Gengkun wasted no time in retrieving the secret manual for the Great Vajra Palm.
"I need to learn the Great Vajra Palm, and fast," Peng Gengkun urged.
The system chimed in, "Mastering the Great Vajra Palm requires the consumption of fifteen Spirit Stones simultaneously."
Peng Gengkun's jaw dropped in shock. He did the math; he had just over twenty Spirit Stones, all gifted by Wei Pengxing. Without them, he'd be left with nothing.
Swallowing fifteen would strip him of nearly all his resources. "But if I don't consume them, I can't evolve. So, I'll do it!"
After a moment of contemplation, Peng Gengkun swallowed the fifteen Spirit Stones without a second thought. Instantly, his mind was flooded with new memories.
"Could this be the complete Great Vajra Palm? Despite consuming fifteen Spirit Stones, I've actually managed to learn it!"
Elated, Peng Gengkun immediately put the Great Vajra Palm into action, channeling his Astral Energy to pulverize the wall before him.
"Incredible! That was just the first technique, Vajra Worshipping Moon. With this skill, I'm on par with a Peak Qi Refining Warrior. If I can master the subsequent techniques, I might even defeat those in the Qi Refining Realm."
Yet Peng Gengkun was aware that his current level of skill didn't permit him to perform the subsequent moves of the Great Vajra Palm. A Grade Four Martial Art, it demanded an immense expenditure of Astral Energy. At his current level, he could barely execute the first technique.
He could sense the remaining Astral Energy within him, but he knew he couldn't unleash Vajra Worshipping Moon again.
"The might of the Great Vajra Palm is truly formidable, a testament to the elite Martial Arts of the Flying Cloud Sect. Now that I've mastered Vajra Worshipping Moon, I won't be easily bested in future confrontations."
With this thought, Peng Gengkun resumed his practice, this time without tapping into his Astral Energy, focusing instead on perfecting the form of the Great Vajra Palm.
The Leviathan-roc System enabled Peng Gengkun to learn the Great Vajra Palm by consuming items, yet it didn't grant him full mastery of the technique. To truly master this fourth-grade martial art, Peng Gengkun had to practice relentlessly.
Having recently absorbed some Spirit Stones and a Space Ring, Peng Gengkun needed time to assimilate them before he could advance to the Intermediate Rank of Qi Refining. This period provided the perfect opportunity to refine his Great Vajra Palm technique.
"Once I reach the Intermediate Rank of Qi Refining, I should be able to execute the Vajra Worshipping Moon twice. But to perform the Vajra Palm's second move, the Vajra Subduing Tiger, I'll need to attain the High Rank of Qi Refining," Peng Gengkun mused as he diligently practiced the martial art's forms.
Meanwhile, Wei Pengxing had made his way to the Flying Cloud Sect's Inner Sect and encountered a fellow Inner Sect disciple. The two shared a familial resemblance, clearly indicating their shared lineage.
This Inner Sect disciple, however, exuded a chilly and haughty demeanor, quite unlike Wei Pengxing.
"What brings you to the Inner Sect, Wei Pengxing?" the disciple inquired with a cool detachment.
Swallowing his anxiety, Wei Pengxing confessed, "Wei Mingzhi, I was attacked today."
Wei Mingzhi scoffed at his admission. "Given your temperament, you probably courted trouble and got what was coming to you."
Wei Pengxing's cheeks burned with embarrassment as he tried to explain, "All that happened was I got beaten and robbed of a few possessions."
Dismissing him, Wei Mingzhi retorted, "Don't come to me after getting beaten. Go improve your strength and seek your own vengeance."
"But they didn't just beat me; they took my Space Ring too," Wei Pengxing protested, a note of desperation in his voice.
At the mention of the Space Ring, Wei Mingzhi's eyes snapped open, his expression darkening with fury. "A Space Ring is valuable. Someone dared to rob the Wei family? Did you not reveal who you are?"
Wei Pengxing's spirits lifted at his cousin's reaction. He quickly clarified, "I declared my identity, but he was relentless, claiming he was justified in taking my things. I couldn't overpower him, so I need your help to get revenge!"
Wei Mingzhi let out a cold snort. "If he's bold enough to rob the Wei family, then it's my duty to set him straight. Tell me his name, and in a few days, I'll get your revenge."
Wei Pengxing couldn't contain his curiosity. "How long will you need?"
"I still need to train in the Cultivation Room," Wei Mingzhi replied with another cold snort. "I'm aiming for a breakthrough in my realm to climb the ranks among the Inner Sect disciples. I can't afford to put off my training just to avenge you. But rest assured, you have nothing to worry about."
Wei Mingzhi flexed his fingers thoughtfully. "Whoever hit you doesn't stand a chance against me. Give me a few days to emerge from my training, and then I'll take care of your vengeance."
Elated, Wei Pengxing quickly divulged Peng Gengkun's name and detailed everything he knew about him to Wei Mingzhi before departing from the Inner Sect of the Flying Cloud Sect.
As he walked away, a surge of satisfaction washed over Wei Pengxing. "Peng Gengkun, you're merely a commoner, no match for me! In a few days, my brother will come for you. Then, you'll have no choice but to surrender that Space Ring. And if we end up beating you to death and casting you out of the Flying Cloud Sect, don't expect anyone to come to your aid!"
Lost in his thoughts, Wei Pengxing couldn't help but burst into triumphant laughter.
Three days passed, and the Leviathan-roc System had fully integrated its new knowledge, propelling Peng Gengkun to the Intermediate Rank of Qi Refining.
Now, Peng Gengkun's experience had soared to an impressive 650 out of 5,000. The sight of that number made his head spin.
"If I convert that into Spirit Stones, I'd need to fork over fifty of them. Wei Pengxing doesn't even have that many—how could I possibly come up with fifty Spirit Stones?" he wondered, the task seeming daunting.Diiscover new 𝒔tories at n𝒐ve/lbin(.)c/o𝒎
But then he remembered, "Luckily, I've been made an elite disciple. That means I get twenty hours a month in the Cultivation Room! I've heard the Spiritual Energy there is abundant, drawn straight from the earth's veins, purer than what's found in Spirit Stones. It's bound to boost my experience significantly."
Mulling it over, Peng Gengkun strode out of his room and made a beeline for the Cultivation Room.
He was acutely aware that the Leviathan-roc System required a tremendous amount of experience to upgrade—a burden far too great for an elite disciple to sustain. His ambitions didn't stop there; he aspired to rise to the ranks of an Inner Sect disciple within the Flying Cloud Sect, or perhaps even become a Direct Disciple.
Yet, those lofty goals were not his immediate concern.
At present, Peng Gengkun had only just achieved the Intermediate Rank in Qi Refining. He had a way to go before he could even consider joining the Inner Sect, much less become a Direct Disciple.