Devouring the Heavenly Demon Art: Blood and Qi
Since matters had reached this point, Zhang Lingxiao had no intention of sitting idly by.
Opportunity always favored the prepared.
Without hesitation, he sat down cross-legged and began cultivating, determined to step onto the Martial Dao as quickly as possible and gain the strength needed to protect himself.
Although Zhang Lingxiao had never been able to cultivate before, he had studied cultivation theory extensively. Following the incantations engraved deep in his memory, he carefully guided his breathing and circulation.
Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi naturally seeped into his body, but the amount was pitiful, and the absorption rate painfully slow.
Under normal circumstances, Martial Artists relied on cultivation techniques to accelerate their bodies' absorption of Spiritual Qi.
The moment Zhang Lingxiao began circulating the technique, Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi surged toward him as if drawn by an invisible force, rushing into his body at a terrifying speed.
Inside the silver ring, the white-haired woman who had been silently observing widened her eyes.
"What kind of monster is this brat? His cultivation speed is horrifying. If he were given a top-tier technique, just how far could he go?"
"Could he possess some kind of peerless physique?"
Her curiosity deepened.
With a flick of her jade-like finger, a ray of spiritual light shot toward Zhang Lingxiao's forehead.
Instantly, his consciousness went blank.
The next moment, an unfamiliar yet profound cultivation method appeared in his mind.
Devouring Heaven Demon Art.
Zhang Lingxiao's heart trembled.
"What's going on? First I suddenly gained the ability to cultivate, and now a cultivation technique has appeared in my mind… Could this be a fortuitous encounter?"
His thoughts drifted back to recent events.
The only thing that stood out was the intimate encounter with the red-clothed woman several hours earlier.
"Could it be related to her?"
"Was she the antidote… and through her, my meridians were finally opened?"
The more he thought about it, the more convinced he became.
Whether the red-clothed woman had awakened or not no longer mattered.
What mattered was time.
He needed to cultivate, step into the Martial Dao, and escape the dungeon before dawn.
Because Zhang Lingxiao had been known as a good-for-nothing unable to cultivate, the dungeon was constructed from ordinary materials. No one had ever imagined he could break out.
As long as his strength improved quickly, escape was not impossible.
Having made his decision, Zhang Lingxiao did not hesitate.
He abandoned the Zhang family's basic cultivation method and switched to the Devouring Heaven Demon Art.
The difference was immediate.
This demonic technique was of an unfathomably high grade, completely eclipsing the Zhang family's cultivation method.
The moment he circulated it, Zhang Lingxiao realized just how terrifying it truly was.
His previous absorption speed had already been shocking—but now, it was beyond comprehension.
Boom!
In just a few breaths, Zhang Lingxiao directly broke through, stepping into the Qi Wu Realm First Heaven.
Inside the silver ring, the white-haired woman nodded in satisfaction.
"As expected… this boy is a born Martial Artist."
"His meridians are several times wider than those of ordinary people. The Spiritual Qi he requires for breakthroughs is also several times greater, but in exchange, his combat power will far surpass others in the same realm."
"In the future, fighting across realms will be commonplace for him."
Her interest in Zhang Lingxiao deepened.
With such a genius, the day she reshaped her physical body no longer felt distant.
Zhang Lingxiao, unaware of the soul hidden within his ring, suppressed his excitement and continued cultivating.
As his Qi and blood surged violently—
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Three consecutive breakthroughs echoed within his body.
In a single breath, Zhang Lingxiao advanced straight into the Qi Wu Realm Fourth Heaven, becoming a middle-stage Qi Wu Realm Martial Artist.
"This technique… is absurd."
"In just one hour, I've reached the Fourth Heaven."
Zhang Lingxiao had paid close attention to the cultivation levels of his peers over the years.
Most of them, after cultivating for several years, barely reached the Second or Third Heaven. Only a handful of so-called geniuses could step into the Fourth Heaven.
And he had achieved it in one hour.
If they were geniuses…
Then what was he?
A prodigy?
"Heaven truly hasn't abandoned me."
"Given enough time, not just the Zhang family—even the entirety of Qingyun Town would be beneath my feet!"
For eighteen years, he had been labeled trash.
Now, in a single night, he had surpassed what others struggled to achieve in a lifetime.
Yet Zhang Lingxiao did not let arrogance cloud his judgment.
The Zhang family elders—and especially the First Family Head—were Lingwu Realm experts. His current strength was still insufficient.
Vengeance and justice would have to wait.
First, he had to escape.
Standing up, Zhang Lingxiao gripped the iron bars of the cell and exerted force.
A surge of power erupted from his arms.
The solid iron bars twisted and bent as easily as soft clay.
A cold smile appeared on his face.
He slipped through the opening and exited the cell.
Because Zhang Lingxiao had once been unable to cultivate, only a single guard had been assigned to the dungeon.
That guard happened to be the younger brother of the one who had beaten him earlier—a mere Qi Wu Realm First Heaven Martial Artist.
"First you… then your brother."
"Anyone who bullied me will pay."
Zhang Lingxiao stepped forward and threw a punch.
Bang!
A full-force strike from a Qi Wu Realm Fourth Heaven expert pierced straight through the guard's chest.
The man died instantly, without even a chance to scream.
As Zhang Lingxiao reached for the dungeon key, an unfamiliar sensation surged through his body.
The Devouring Heaven Demon Art activated on its own.
A crimson glow seeped out from the corpse, transforming into threads of energy that rushed into Zhang Lingxiao's body.
The violent power refined itself within him, converting into pure Spiritual Qi and further strengthening his physique.
Four words surfaced clearly in his mind:
Blood Qi Power.
The Devouring Heaven Demon Art was not merely a cultivation technique—it was a devouring art.
By absorbing the Blood Qi lingering in the bodies of the dead, a cultivator could refine it into Spiritual Qi, while the impurities tempered and strengthened the physical body.
Zhang Lingxiao's eyes shone.
"This technique… is truly heaven-defying."
"A prodigy Martial Artist with a prodigy technique—my future is limitless."
He took the dungeon key and left without lingering.
To avoid unnecessary trouble, Zhang Lingxiao did not leave through the main gate. Instead, he vaulted over the wall and vanished into the night.
It was a small regret—he had intended to kill the gate guard as well.
"We'll meet again."
"You can run for now, but you won't escape forever."
Glancing back at the Zhang family estate, Zhang Lingxiao disappeared into a dark alley.
"There's something wrong with my father's death."
"He had no interest in becoming family head—how could he possibly rebel?"
"And he was a Lingwu Realm late-stage expert. The First Family Head was only middle-stage. Killing him should have been impossible."
"No matter what… there is no place for me here anymore."
"When I return, it will be to clear my father's name—and to take revenge."
After careful consideration, Zhang Lingxiao left the city.
He soon discovered that devouring Blood Qi was far faster than meditative cultivation.
Not only did it rapidly increase his cultivation, but it also strengthened his physique.
With a clear goal in mind, Zhang Lingxiao headed toward the Demon Beast Forest.
He would hunt Yao Beasts.
And he would grow stronger—by devouring everything in his path.
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