# Chapter 165: Cultivation Improvement
"Bang bang!"
Zhang Ruochen moved his feet, his body transforming into a series of afterimages as he retreated while blocking Lu Han's attacks.
In just a few moments, the two had exchanged over twenty moves.
Although Lu Han's cultivation was not as strong as Lang Xin's, she was still formidable, far surpassing ordinary Earth Extreme Realm initial stage martial artists. The sword technique she displayed was a mid-grade spirit-level art, extremely powerful, and she had nearly pierced Zhang Ruochen several times.
By relying on the power of his Space Domain, Zhang Ruochen could barely hold her off.
"The top ten students of the four academies are each geniuses among geniuses. Now that they have broken through to the Earth Extreme Realm, they are indeed extraordinary—ordinary Earth Extreme Realm martial artists simply cannot compare to them."
Zhang Ruochen glanced sidelong and saw Yue Linchong rushing quickly in this direction.
"With my current cultivation, even dealing with Lu Han alone is quite difficult. If I have to face both of them, I will undoubtedly lose."
"Heavenly Heart Pointing the Way!"
Zhang Ruochen slashed out a seven-meter-long sword qi, forcing Lu Han back.
"If you have the ability, come kill me in Ghost Mist Mountain."
Zhang Ruochen executed Wind-Riding Flying Dragon Shadow, transforming into nine residual shadows. Moments later, he had already fled over a mile away, disappearing into the miasma.
Lu Han was extremely furious, stomping her feet incessantly.
She had already broken through to the Earth Extreme Realm. With a single move, she could kill an ordinary Earth Extreme Realm initial stage martial artist. Yet she had let a new student escape—naturally, she could not swallow this anger.
Lu Han raised her war sword, intending to pursue Zhang Ruochen.
"Han Mei, don't recklessly charge deep into Ghost Mist Mountain. According to the map's records, there are some extremely powerful unknown creatures within Ghost Mist Mountain. Even Earth Extreme Realm martial artists who venture in will face certain death. Zhang Ruochen fleeing into Ghost Mist Mountain is definitely a dead end."
Yue Linchong blocked Lu Han, being very cautious, and added: "Zhang Ruochen is just a nobody. He can't stir up any big waves. Let's focus on gathering the Three-Leaf Sacred Qi Grass first."
Lu Han's expression flickered with uncertainty. "Although Zhang Ruochen is just a new student, his fiancée Huang Yanchen is a formidable character. If he escapes and tells her what happened here, it will be quite disadvantageous for us."
Yue Linchong said, "As long as we gather enough Three-Leaf Sacred Qi Grass, our cultivation will advance by leaps and bounds. When that time comes, why would we fear Huang Yanchen? Besides, we can just guard the outside. If Zhang Ruochen comes out from inside, we can deal with him slowly."
"Fine. Let's gather the Three-Leaf Sacred Qi Grass first." Lu Han said.
The Three-Leaf Sacred Qi Grass on the periphery of Ghost Mist Mountain had already been picked by Zhang Ruochen, but at the foot of Ghost Mist Mountain, even more Three-Leaf Sacred Qi Grass grew. At the mountainside location, the quantity of Three-Leaf Sacred Qi Grass was even greater.
Of course, the closer one got to Ghost Mist Mountain, the stronger the toxicity of the miasma became, and the greater the likelihood of encountering danger.
Yue Linchong and Lu Han's Poison-Avoiding Pearls could only support them reaching the base of the mountain. If they dared to go up to the mountainside, they would surely die from poisoning.
Even just at the foot of the mountain, ten times more Three-Leaf Sacred Qi Grass grew than on the periphery.
At this moment, Zhang Ruochen had already fled to the foot of Ghost Mist Mountain, and the Space Domain protecting him had shrunk to a diameter of five meters.
"Better not go up the mountain for now. I'll cultivate here and refine those eight Three-Leaf Sacred Qi Grass first."
Zhang Ruochen found a relatively hidden spot at the foot of the mountain and entered the inner space of the Time-Space Crystal. At the same time, the Time-Space Crystal fell into a crevice between rocks and disappeared.
Before refining the Three-Leaf Sacred Qi Grass, Zhang Ruochen took out that piece of spirit meat and used the Snow Dragon Sword to divide it into ten portions, each weighing about one catty.
Inside that piece of spirit meat, there was actually a large piece of fire-attributed spirit crystal of excellent quality, more crystal clear and transparent than ordinary spirit crystals, with denser spiritual energy.
"If I exchange this large piece of spirit crystal, I can get at least fifty ordinary spirit crystals."
Spirit crystals also have grades of quality, generally divided into four levels: ordinary spirit crystals, medium-grade spirit crystals, high-quality spirit crystals, and top-grade spirit crystals.
The price difference between each level is tenfold.
That is to say, one top-grade spirit crystal can be exchanged for one thousand ordinary spirit crystals.
If the spirit crystal in Zhang Ruochen's hand were cut up, it could be divided into five medium-grade spirit crystals, equivalent to the value of fifty ordinary spirit crystals.
Ordinary spirit crystals are the most widespread and have thus become the currency for transactions among martial artists.
Medium-grade, high-quality, and top-grade spirit crystals are all very rare and are seldom seen on the market.
Generally speaking, only impoverished, low-realm martial artists use ordinary spirit crystals for cultivation. High-realm martial artists almost always purchase medium-grade spirit crystals for cultivation.
Zhang Ruochen set that large piece of medium-grade spirit crystal aside, picked up a one-catty piece of spirit meat, and quickly ate it.
This was spirit meat from a third-level savage beast. Even just one catty was equivalent to twenty catties of spirit meat from a second-level savage beast, with extremely dense spiritual energy and greater benefits for the martial artist.
Afterward, Zhang Ruochen also consumed one Three-Leaf Sacred Qi Grass and began to refine it.
Three-Leaf Sacred Qi Grass was even easier to absorb than Half-Saint True Liquid. Once swallowed into the abdomen, it directly melted into a mass of white medicinal liquid, penetrating into the blood and five internal organs, autonomously drilling into Zhang Ruochen's body.
It took only half a day for Zhang Ruochen to completely absorb the medicinal power of the first Three-Leaf Sacred Qi Grass. That one catty of spirit meat was also absorbed by Zhang Ruochen, transformed into power belonging to himself.
"As expected of Three-Leaf Sacred Qi Grass. In just half a day, it increased the true qi in my qi lake by thirty percent."
Zhang Ruochen felt a slight joy in his heart and began to continue refining the remaining seven Three-Leaf Sacred Qi Grass. At the same time, he also consumed all the remaining nine catties of spirit meat.
The sacred power of the seven Three-Leaf Sacred Qi Grass and the spiritual energy of the nine catties of spirit meat rapidly spread through Zhang Ruochen's body. It was like sixteen light spheres suspended inside him. Even though Zhang Ruochen had opened thirty-six meridians, he still could not absorb it all quickly enough.
Strands of white true qi seeped out from his pores, filling the entire inner space of the Time-Space Crystal.
Zhang Ruochen's body seemed to float in the clouds, greedily absorbing the surging sacred power and spiritual energy.
Every time the thirty-six meridians completed a major cycle, the true qi in his qi lake increased by a large margin.
A full four days passed. Zhang Ruochen completely refined all seven Three-Leaf Sacred Qi Grass and nine catties of spirit meat. Every cell in his body was filled with true qi, and his cultivation reached the perfect state of the Mysterious Extreme Realm Great Extreme Position, only one step away from breaking through to the Mysterious Extreme Realm Great Perfection.
However, Zhang Ruochen suppressed his realm and did not allow himself to break through.
He had consumed a total of eight Three-Leaf Sacred Qi Grass and ten catties of spirit meat. It was impossible to absorb all the sacred power and spiritual energy in just four days.
He estimated that he had only absorbed about one-fifth of all the sacred power and spiritual energy. The remaining four-fifths were still hidden within his body, not yet absorbed.
If he were willing, he could break through to the Mysterious Extreme Realm Great Perfection right now. But if he did that, he would never be able to reach the Supreme Extreme Realm of the Mysterious Extreme Realm.
On the contrary, if he could suppress his realm and fully absorb the four-fifths of sacred power and spiritual energy hidden within his body before breaking through, his physique would definitely reach another height, greatly benefiting his attempt to assault the Supreme Extreme Realm of the Mysterious Extreme Realm.
"With my current cultivation, I should have reached the level of the top fifty on the Mysterious Ranking." Zhang Ruochen felt that his current strength was not weaker than Huang Yanchen's.
If the two were to fight, it would be hard to say who would win and who would lose.
Of course, Huang Yanchen had likely already broken through to the Earth Extreme Realm, reaching another height. Unless Zhang Ruochen broke through to the Mysterious Extreme Realm Great Perfection, he would have a chance to defeat her.
"With my current strength, I am no longer afraid of those two students from the Northern Academy."
Zhang Ruochen released his true qi, activating the Time-Space Crystal, causing it to fly out from the rock crevice and land on the ground.
A flash of white light on the crystal's surface, and Zhang Ruochen once again appeared at the foot of Ghost Mist Mountain.
Zhang Ruochen used his Space Domain to envelop his body and went to search for traces of Yue Linchong and Lu Han.
"The Three-Leaf Sacred Qi Grass at the foot of the mountain has all been picked by them. I wonder if they have left already?" Zhang Ruochen had cultivated for four days inside the Time-Space Crystal, but only a little over a day had passed in the outside world.
They probably hadn't left that quickly.
Just then, Zhang Ruochen saw the figures of Yue Linchong and Lu Han in the distance. They were standing at the entrance of the mountain path, seemingly arguing.
Zhang Ruochen stood behind a huge blood-red rock, channeling true qi into his ear meridians to listen carefully to their conversation.
Yue Linchong carried a bulging bundle on his back, containing dozens of Three-Leaf Sacred Qi Grass. He tried to persuade her: "Han Mei, we've already gathered ninety-eight Three-Leaf Sacred Qi Grass at the foot of the mountain. That's enough for our cultivation to advance by leaps and bounds. There's no need to take risks on Ghost Mist Mountain."
Lu Han rolled her beautiful eyes, showing a contemptuous expression. "Is ninety-eight Three-Leaf Sacred Qi Grass a lot? At most, it will support our cultivation until the late stage of the Earth Extreme Realm. If we want to reach the Heavenly Extreme Realm and become martial arts legends, when will that ever happen? I, Lu Han, have no intention of marrying a useless man! One word—are you going or not? If you're not going, then I'll go alone."
Yue Linchong gritted his teeth tightly, grabbing Lu Han's wrist. After constant inner struggle, he finally made up his mind. "Han Mei, you stay at the foot of the mountain. Ghost Mist Mountain is too dangerous. I'll go! I'll split the Three-Leaf Sacred Qi Grass I gather with you."
Having said this, Yue Linchong resolutely walked toward Ghost Mist Mountain.
Lu Han watched Yue Linchong's back, her gaze fixed on the bundle on his back. A cold, mocking smile appeared on her beautiful face. She struck like lightning, thrusting her sword into Yue Linchong's back.
"Pfft!"
The blood-red sword tip pierced through from the front of Yue Linchong's chest.
Drops of scalding blood rolled off the sword tip, dripping onto the ground with a pattering sound.
"Why... why?" Yue Linchong's whole body trembled, his voice carrying an indescribable despair and grief.
"Shing!"
Lu Han's face was extremely cold. She pulled out the sword and kicked Yue Linchong in the back, knocking him to the ground.
Then she walked over, took the bundle from Yue Linchong's back, opened it, and saw the dozens of Three-Leaf Sacred Qi Grass inside. A satisfied smile appeared in her eyes.
Lu Han closed the bundle, looked at Yue Linchong lying in a pool of blood, and sneered: "Do you think I don't know the dangers of Ghost Mist Mountain? If you went up Ghost Mist Mountain, you would never return. Since you were going to die anyway, why not die by my sword? At least this way, I can get your share of the Three-Leaf Sacred Qi Grass."