Chapter 76: Inner Astral Breakthrough, Slaying the Law Beast

“Forget it, never mind.”

Jiang Yan pushed the Primordial Qi within him to its limit, generating a powerful suction force that forcibly drew the layer of black chaotic Outer Astral into his body.

The golden meridians visible on Jiang Yan’s surface gradually dimmed, their holy light devoured by endless darkness. Wisp after wisp of black Qi began to swirl around him, an infinite blackness swallowing the entire cultivation chamber. All light vanished from the surroundings, and even the molecules drifting in the air fell utterly silent.

Darkness, profundity, stillness…

Ink-black Qi crept up his blood vessels, coursing through his limbs and skeleton. His entire body underwent wash after wash within this mysterious power.

A bone-chilling coldness encroached.

“Ugh—”

Jiang Yan couldn’t suppress a muffled groan, feeling as though someone were scraping a sharp blade across his bones bit by bit.

The black Qi collided with his bones, producing cracking sounds.

Clenching his teeth, veins bulging on his forehead, the pain he endured was more intense than any he had experienced during his previous attempts at Aperture Opening.

Skin, flesh, internal organs—none were spared…

Jiang Yan knew that breaking through to Fourth Rank Inner Astral would involve significant Tempering of the physical body, but nothing he had ever learned indicated that a breakthrough for a Fourth Grade Martial Artist would be this agonizing.

“Your physical body is sustaining damage, triggering [Whispers Among the Thicket]. Your recovery speed is increased by 100%.”

The formidable recovery speed rapidly repaired Jiang Yan’s damaged flesh. Yet, even as it healed repeatedly, the mass of black Qi ceaselessly corroded his form.

For Jiang Yan, any form of gradual damage posed no threat. His robust physique and monstrous recovery rate meant that unless he was instantly killed, there was no hope of ending him.

This was precisely the case with the Turret Mage he had encountered earlier on the Myriad Realms Ladder. All those explosive attacks, unleashed in a torrent, had easily slain Jiang Yan.

A key reason was that Jiang Yan, at Innate Perfection, had stats that were simply too low. Under that overwhelming barrage, he had been burst down before he could even begin to regenerate.

Now, things were different. Although this unfamiliar black Qi continuously damaged his body, it could not kill him quickly. Thus, Jiang Yan was confident he could endure until the Inner Astral coalescence was complete.

Endless pain was merely nourishment for growth. Having died thousands of times, Jiang Yan had nothing to complain about.

Moreover, even as this mysterious black Qi ravaged his body, it was silently Tempering him throughout.

[Heaven Rewards Diligence] was enhancing this Tempering process.

“Your physical body is being forcibly tempered by Unknown Spiritual Qi. Your Physical Body is greatly enhanced.”

“Your mastery over Unknown Spiritual Qi is greatly increased.”

“Your mastery over Unknown Spiritual Qi is greatly increased.”

The black Qi struggled, trying to flee, but it was already too late.

Jiang Yan’s body transformed into a tyrannical, massive hand, firmly pinning it within his grasp.

“You are devouring Unknown Spiritual Qi. Efficiency slightly increased.”

“You are devouring Unknown Spiritual Qi. Efficiency slightly increased.”

…

Three days later.

“Through diligent effort in devouring Unknown Spiritual Qi, efficiency is ultimately enhanced!”

Boom!

Jiang Yan’s body transformed into an abyss that devoured everything. The surrounding darkness, unable to bear the strain, warped and twisted, turning into misty clouds that were forcibly sucked into the vortex he had become.

The darkness dissipated; light returned to the cultivation chamber.

The ink-black blood within Jiang Yan’s meridians receded, everything returning to normal. Only within his Dantian, an infinitesimally compressed point now resided.

Jiang Yan extended his hand, and the little thing reluctantly emerged, lazily twitching a few times between his fingers as if going through the motions.

“It actually has sentience—what kind of monster is this?”

The black dot twitched a few more times but told Jiang Yan nothing.

Jiang Yan lowered his gaze in contemplation. Rather than asking where this black dot came from, it was better to question how it had mutated from the Geng Metal Primordial Qi into its current form.

“Right!” Jiang Yan hurriedly checked the System Log. Previously, he had been too absorbed in condensing Outer Astral, so he hadn’t noticed the System’s prompts. He must have missed something.

“You are absorbing Qi. The quality of your Geng Metal Primordial Qi has slightly improved.”

“Your Geng Metal Primordial Qi is undergoing a mutation.”

“So that’s the reason.” Jiang Yan never expected that merely attempting a breakthrough to become a Fourth Grade Martial Artist would accidentally upgrade his Geng Metal Primordial Qi.

“The essence of Geng Metal Primordial Qi is resilience and sharpness. So what is this cluster of black dots?”

He pondered silently, thinking it would be more straightforward to start a battle than to speculate aimlessly.

With a thought, Jiang Yan entered the Battle Space.

“Initiate battle.”

The Law Beast had now grown wiser and would no longer actively attack Jiang Yan.

This was because he had once secretly used the Blade Bearer’s passive skill, Parry and Counter, causing the Law Beast’s attack to rebound onto itself. Additionally, the Parry and Counter skill carried the negative effects of Pandora’s Box.

Thus, Jiang Yan had inflicted a layer of bleeding on the Law Beast at that time.

Whether the Law Beast was cowardly or had never been injured before, it had since stopped attacking Jiang Yan. Whenever it encountered him, it would only flee.

Originally, Jiang Yan had planned to use the Law Beast to grind his Physical Body’s strength, but now, it wouldn’t even fight him.

So.

“Since you won’t attack me, then die.”

Jiang Yan released a layer of Astral Qi condensed from black energy across his body.

“I wonder what this thing’s ability is.”

The next moment, the heavens and earth changed color, and the entire space was enveloped in endless gloom.

Jiang Yan emanated faint black energy, and an evil Aura spread from his surroundings.

The sudden darkness made the Law Beast tremble, instinctively preparing to flee.

Jiang Yan almost reflexively stretched out his hand.

The next moment, Jiang Yan’s right arm vanished into the darkness, only to reappear blocking the Law Beast’s path.

That hand, wrapped in swirling ink-black energy, was dark and sinister, exuding an overwhelming sense of pressure.

“Hehehe.”

Jiang Yan appropriately voiced his own sound effect for the occasion.

The Law Beast clearly hadn’t anticipated Jiang Yan’s abrupt move, but its rapidly processing brain quickly reacted, swiftly turning to escape.

“Useless.”

Jiang Yan meditated, and a long Saber materialized out of thin air within the black space, continuously flashing and pursuing the fleeing Law Beast.

Within this Domain generated by Jiang Yan, the movement of all things became traceable. The Law Beast, which he couldn’t even see clearly before, now appeared incredibly slow in his eyes.

Moreover, he could freely traverse this shadowy realm. This scene would bring Shang Xingren to tears and shatter the Void-Splitting Weasel’s heart.

The next moment, Jiang Yan’s Doppelgangers swarmed forth.

Three figures simultaneously drew their Sabers.

“Congratulations, you have triggered Dual Casting.”

Saber Qi manifested, traversing space and descending directly upon the Law Beast’s head.

“Congratulations, you have successfully slain the Law Beast.”

“Congratulations, you have obtained the Red Trait: [Above the Saber Saint].”

“Congratulations, you have triggered the guaranteed effect of [Heaven Rewards Diligence], and you have obtained the White Trait [Concealment].”

“The Divine Martial Space has detected that you have achieved a breakthrough to the fourth rank, providing an additional opportunity for Trait Self-Selection.”