Chapter 499: Breakthrough
Even so, the crowd widened their eyes in astonishment!
"How is this possible? He was only practicing for an hour, and he can already summon faint glimmers of fire?"
"A genius! An absolute genius!"
"Elder Dongfang, you've really found a treasure!"
The crowd exclaimed one after another. Pride filled Dongfang Shi's eyes.
Zhao Dong frowned in contemplation. The procedure seems flawed, but I feel the bigger issue is that my cultivation is too low. This Fire Summoning Technique is a high-level Cultivation Technique. With my current strength, I can only perform it once before my Spiritual Energy is depleted, making it impossible to practice multiple times. To master the Fire Summoning Technique, I must first advance my cultivation!
With this in mind, Zhao Dong immediately took out the pills the elders had just given him and began to swallow them one by one. He sat cross-legged, absorbing the medicinal power and using it to help digest the Jade Marrow Stone.
Zhao Dong had already reached the peak of the seventh level of Foundation Establishment on the white jade bed. With the pills and the effects of the Jade Marrow Stone, something shifted.
BOOM!
A loud noise exploded in Zhao Dong's Dantian. The surrounding, sea-like Spiritual Energy instantly began to surge into him!
Foundation Establishment, eighth level!
"A third breakthrough!?" Dongfang Shi's eyes widened.
This was Zhao Dong's third breakthrough in two days. Even the experienced and knowledgeable Dongfang Shi was shocked speechless. The other elders were simply dumbfounded!
Meanwhile, as his realm broke through, Zhao Dong's Dantian expanded. He loosened the seal on the Jade Marrow Stone, allowing the massive amount of Spiritual Energy within to gush out. Seizing this opportunity, Zhao Dong continued swallowing pills like the Soul Nourishing Pill to nurture both his Soul Power and Divine Power.
Four hours later, his body once again erupted with intense white light.
BANG!
A great sound exploded once more in Zhao Dong's Dantian.
Foundation Establishment, ninth level!
Everyone was utterly astonished.
"The Jade Marrow Stone! He must have digested the Jade Marrow Stone! That's a treasure of our Qingyun Sect. Its Spiritual Energy alone is enough to create a third-level Martial Saint in one go!"
"Impressive! Truly impressive. Although the Jade Marrow Stone is excellent, it is also volatile. An ordinary person could never digest it so quickly. He truly is extraordinary!"
The crowd sighed in admiration, their eyes filled with appreciation as they looked at Zhao Dong.
Another hour later, the Spiritual Energy from the Jade Marrow Stone inside him had been mostly absorbed, along with the full power of the pills. Zhao Dong knew this round of advancement had reached its limit.
He slowly stood up and once again formed the hand seals. In the next moment, a rain of fire instantly filled the sky.
"Success!" Zhao Dong was overjoyed.
The surrounding elders were already numb to it. The shocks Zhao Dong had given them were so numerous that this latest one barely registered.
"I'm starting to think that Cultivation Stone must have been broken," Dongfang Shi said with a wry smile. "Zhao Dong's talent must be so powerful that the stone couldn't display it. It certainly wasn't that his talent was so poor that it didn't produce any light..."
Zhao Dong dismissed his technique and finally noticed the shocked expressions of the crowd around him.
He scratched his head awkwardly. "I apologize. I got too excited and couldn't help but cultivate on the spot. I've kept you all waiting."
"Not at all," Dongfang Shi said with a smile. "For us old folks, witnessing the birth of a genius is a rare opportunity in itself."
After speaking, Dongfang Shi frowned. "Your talent is indeed extraordinary, and you've gained many opportunities. However, this could be both an advantage and a disadvantage."
Zhao Dong frowned. "Elder Dongfang, what do you mean by that?"
Dongfang Shi explained, "Your cultivation is advancing too quickly, which might lead to an unstable foundation. Therefore, I suggest you don't use the remaining Spiritual Energy from the Jade Marrow Stone for further advancement. Instead, use it to solidify your current realm.
"As the saying goes, a thousand-story tower is built from the ground up. Only with a solid foundation can your path forward be a long one. If you're greedy for quick success, you might be powerful for a short time, but you could face major problems later on."
Hearing this, Zhao Dong's heart trembled.
He hurriedly bowed. "Thank you for your guidance, Elder Dongfang. I will take it to heart!"
"Hahaha... Excellent. Knowing when to advance and when to retreat, not being rash... I can't even imagine what your future holds," Dongfang Shi laughed heartily, his eyes full of admiration.
After some cordial exchanges, Zhao Dong approached Su Li.
Su Li sized him up and said with satisfaction, "Not bad, little brother. You've got your Big Brother's style from back in the day. Work hard and try to surpass me."
"You're joking, Big Brother," Zhao Dong bowed hurriedly. "In my heart, you'll always be my Big Brother!"
Changing the subject, Zhao Dong said, "Big Brother, now that my trouble is resolved, we should hurry and treat your internal injuries."
"Alright!" Su Li nodded. "Wait here for me. I'll go get the medicinal herbs."
With that, Su Li strode away.
Zhao Dong turned to wait, only to see Dongfang Shi and the others staring at him as if they had seen a ghost.
"What did you just say?" Dongfang Shi asked in shock. "You're going to treat Su Li's internal injuries?"
"Zhao Dong! You can't act rashly!" the Third Elder said worriedly. "No one has been able to cure Su Li's internal injuries. He's doing extremely well just by maintaining his condition and preventing them from worsening. If you intervene recklessly and something goes wrong, there will be serious trouble!"
"True," Dongfang Shi said with a furrowed brow. "Although many in the sect are displeased with Su Li, he is our pride. We watched him grow up. Even though he has fallen this far, we don't want to see him die.
"I know you are powerful, but medicine and martial arts are two different things. You mustn't be reckless!"
Zhao Dong shook his head firmly. "Elders, there's no need to worry. My Big Brother has shown me tremendous kindness. If I weren't confident, I would never gamble with his life.
"I admit I'm not one hundred percent certain I can cure him, but you don't want to see him continue to degenerate like this, do you? As long as I can heal his injuries, I believe he will regain his confidence and once again become the pride of our Qingyun Sect!"
Zhao Dong's words indeed swayed Dongfang Shi and the others. They were all like teachers and fathers to Su Li. No one wanted to see him in his current state. After everything that had happened, they also felt that Zhao Dong wasn't the type to make empty boasts. They were keenly aware of the great debt Zhao Dong owed Su Li. With this in mind, although everyone was still worried, they all just sighed and shook their heads, saying no more.
A moment later, Su Li returned to the cave abode with the medicinal herbs Zhao Dong needed. He touched a ring on his hand, and a jet-black, top-tier Pill Furnace appeared on the floor.
Su Li handed the herbs to Zhao Dong and said frankly, "Don't put too much pressure on yourself. I lost hope for my body long ago. Just do your best."
Su Li's words significantly lessened the burden on Zhao Dong's mind.
Zhao Dong nodded vigorously. "Rest assured, Big Brother. I will cure you, no matter what!"
With that, Zhao Dong took a deep breath and slowly approached the Pill Furnace.