Chapter 34: Rapid Surge in Cultivation

Half a palm-sized piece of spiritual herb, Polygonatum.

As for the taste—

Besides feeling as though he had swallowed several mouthfuls of solidified spiritual energy, Lu Fei could only describe it as bitter, somewhat fishy, and just a little astringent. He guessed that this bitter, fishy, and astringent flavor must be the true taste of Polygonatum itself.

Of course, compared to the ethereal sensation of gulping down spiritual energy and feeling half-immortal, such an odd flavor was hardly worth mentioning.

No sooner had he swallowed it down than Lu Fei felt a wave of heat spreading through his body, and the demonic energy within him began to churn and boil.

“What’s happening…?”

He reached up and touched his forehead, feeling the heat even through his fur. His brow was burning with demonic fever.

In that instant, he felt his entire being surge with unprecedented power—no, not power, but energy, a wild energy with nowhere to go.

“This must be the medicinal effect of the spiritual herb…”

Having received nine years of compulsory education and plenty of harsh lessons from society, Lu Fei quickly understood what was happening. He needed to digest the spiritual medicine he’d just consumed and refine it into his own power as soon as possible.

With this in mind, Lu Fei immediately sat cross-legged, took several deep breaths, forcefully suppressed the restless urges within, formed a seal with his hands, pressed his tongue to the roof of his mouth, half-closed his eyes… and began to circulate the Demonfolk Breathing Technique.

Time slipped by quietly.

He had no idea how long it had been.

When Lu Fei finally awoke from his meditative trance, the sky outside the crack in the stone overhead was already growing light.

The heat had faded from within and without.

Now, Lu Fei was eager to know just how much cultivation the Polygonatum he’d eaten had granted him after a night of breathing and meditation.

With a thought—

Lines of pale, virtual data began to appear before his eyes.

[Host: Lu Fei]
[Realm: Level 2 Demon Soldier (197/200)]
[Experience: 147/300]
[Soul Power: None]
[Technique: Demonfolk Breathing Technique (Proficient) (73/500)]
[Skills: Spearmanship (Beginner) (38/100); Archery (Beginner) (21/100); Harpoon Technique (Beginner) (15/100)]
[Divine Powers: Celestial Wolf Devouring the Moon (Proficient) (7/500); Within an Inch (Beginner) (1/100)]
[…]

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As he gazed at the floating data, Lu Fei’s eyes immediately caught the number in the realm section—his cultivation experience had reached one hundred and ninety-seven.

“One hundred and ninety-seven…”

His face was a mixture of delight and disbelief.

Last night, when he’d broken through to Level 2 Demon Soldier, he’d been left with barely a sliver of experience points. In just one night, his experience had soared by one hundred and ninety-six points—only three points shy of another breakthrough.

Three experience points—at his previous cultivation rate, he’d need only seven or eight hours of breathing and meditation.

But now, having just eaten the flesh of the bull demon and swallowed a lower-grade Yellow-class spirit herb, three experience points would require even less time, since the medicinal effects surely lingered within him.

Thinking quickly, Lu Fei felt an urge to resume breathing practice at once and close the gap.

Still, he took a moment to review his upgraded status panel.

His soul power was halfway to the next breakthrough.

Looking to the technique section, the “Demonfolk Breathing Technique” had increased from thirty-two to seventy-three experience points overnight.

A gain of forty-one points—undoubtedly the result of consuming the Polygonatum.

Not only had his cultivation soared, but his technique’s experience had also taken a great leap forward.

Lu Fei couldn’t help but think, “This spirit herb truly is a treasure…”

Only now did he truly realize the importance of spiritual medicine. Before, he’d known they were valuable in the abstract, but not in practical terms.

But now he understood: in one night, he’d gained a hundred and ninety-six experience points, something that would have taken him nearly seventy days of cultivation and meditation. That’s assuming he meditated eight or nine hours a day, every single day, without missing a session.

Seventy days of dull, arduous cultivation—all accomplished with a single piece of lower Yellow-grade Polygonatum and one night’s meditation.

What a miracle.

He also realized how lucky he’d been to catch that long-nosed white mouse capable of seeking out spiritual herbs.

With this thought, he focused on the spiritual mark he’d left on the little creature the night before.

He sensed it at once. The mouse was no longer where it had been last night and was now farther away.

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Nevertheless, he could still feel its presence.

“Thank goodness…”

Lu Fei’s heart eased a little.

Pulling his attention back to the virtual panel before him, he continued his review.

There was nothing much to say about the three basic abilities.

Finally, he examined the divine powers. After last night’s strengthening, his innate power, “Celestial Wolf Devouring the Moon,” had advanced from Beginner to Proficient.

Sensing within, Lu Fei’s face lit up with joy.

Previously, at the Beginner stage, “Celestial Wolf Devouring the Moon” increased his breathing efficiency under moonlight by about twenty percent. Now, at the Proficient stage, the bonus had reached roughly fifty percent—a staggering improvement.

Unfortunately, there had been no moonlight the previous night.

Otherwise, with the bull demon meat, the Polygonatum, and the “Celestial Wolf Devouring the Moon” buff, his cultivation gains would have been even more astounding.

At this thought, Lu Fei looked up at the crack above his head.

It was rather small, and the sky above was further screened by branches.

No wonder he hadn’t seen any moonlight last night—it had all been blocked.

Once daylight came, he’d have to widen the crack overhead and cut down all the trees around the cave.

With this resolution, Lu Fei dismissed the virtual panel and prepared to resume breathing and meditation to quickly earn the last three experience points and break through once more.

Suddenly—

Clang, clang, clang, clang, clang…

That familiar, piercing gong sounded again from outside the cave.

So much for meditation.

Lu Fei stood up and walked outside.

At the entrance, the crow demon had just woken from his hollowed-out nest and was stretching.

Seeing Lu Fei emerge from within, he exclaimed in astonishment, “Big brother, you… you’ve grown bigger!”