36: Chapter 36 You Can't Hold On to the Boss's Position

"Number Two! Stop spacing out and come down for hot pot!"

Ning Yuan's cheerful voice echoed clearly through the villa's main hall.

The slight surge of triumphant spirit Jiang Mingyue had just felt from successfully breaking her limits was instantly scattered to the winds by this mood-killing shout.

This guy!

Couldn't he say something a bit more classy?

Before she could even open her mouth to retort,

a snow-white figure shot out of her room with a 'whoosh,' turning into a streak of light as it scampered towards the dining table downstairs.

It was White Moon, the newly hatched fox kit, sniffing the air vigorously with her translucent little nose, drawn by the rich aroma of meat wafting through the house.

The picture of a little glutton, she was utterly adorable.

"Hey! Second Brother, when did you get a pet?"

Zhou Qi, spotting the unbelievably beautiful little fox, immediately moved closer with curiosity.

Just then, Wang Zai, who had been lying by Ning Yuan's feet gnawing on a bone, lazily lifted his head.

He merely gave the little fox a casual glance before letting out two unhurried barks.

Yet, these two seemingly ordinary barks

caused the little fox, who had just been filled with longing for the hot pot, to instantly have all her fur stand on end!

Her previously smooth white coat bristled completely. Her body trembled uncontrollably, and a low, pitiful whimper escaped her throat, as if she had encountered some natural predator!

The previously haughty Wang Zai was now looking down at her with a gaze that clearly said 'big brother looking at a little brother'.

Meanwhile, the Moon Shadow Celestial Fox, possessor of a Saint-level Bloodline, timidly lowered her noble little head. She even performed an incredibly human-like gesture, clasping her front paws together and bowing respectfully towards Wang Zai.

Only then did Wang Zai seem satisfied. He nodded, withdrew the pressure emanating from the depths of his bloodline, and went back to gnawing on his large bone.

The little fox, now utterly docile, scurried behind Wang Zai. She imitated him, picking up a small bone of her own and began nibbling on it cautiously.

She looked exactly like a newly recruited, spirited little delinquent following a gang boss.

Witnessing this dramatic scene, everyone present couldn't help but burst into uproarious laughter.

"Hahaha! Wang Zai actually knows how to recruit underlings now!"

Standing at the top of the stairs, Jiang Mingyue watched, feeling both exasperated and amused, her heart filled with a sense of frustration.

In the blink of an eye, she had been led astray by this mutt!

"A dignified Moon Shadow Celestial Fox with a Saint-level Bloodline! A future overlord of the starry skies! Reduced to being a lackey for a mutt!"

She gritted her teeth in annoyance.

However, deep down, she also understood.

If White Moon was this terrified, then that seemingly harmless mutt by Ning Yuan's feet... probably had a background simple enough to be frightening!

Seeing Jiang Mingyue still rooted to the spot, Ning Yuan walked over. He very naturally slung an arm around her shoulders and pulled her towards the dining table.

Jiang Mingyue instinctively tried to break free.

The Qi and Blood power within her body began to resist on its own.

Yet, she soon discovered to her horror that

the large hand resting on her shoulder remained unmoved, steady as Mount Tai, like an iron band she couldn't budge in the slightest!

She froze on the spot.

Although she hadn't used her full strength,

surely she shouldn't be... completely incapable of even a little resistance?

"I've already broken the ten million jin limit for Qi and Blood! Why does the gap between us feel no smaller?"

She shot a deeply complex look at Ning Yuan beside her.

Ning Yuan calmly ate his meat, secretly laughing to himself.

"You little Number Two, just broke your limit and already want to show off in front of me, trying to take the lead, huh?"

He had to make Jiang Mingyue clearly understand:

The leader will always be the leader.

With my fifty million jin of brute strength, what are you going to use to challenge me!

The leader's position is not for you to grasp!

Jiang Mingyue took a deep breath, forcefully suppressing the unwillingness and shock in her heart.

"I'll endure it!"

"Once I reach the Transcendent Realm! Once I can fully utilize my combat experience and secret art advantages, then I'll come back and properly suppress you!"

Channeling her frustration into appetite, she began devouring the food in front of her with gusto.

For a time, the four of them sat around the table, enjoying a harmonious and joyful atmosphere.

During the meal, Lu Sheng and Zhou Qi brought up topics about the academy tournament and the many prodigies.

After listening, Jiang Mingyue just curled her lip disdainfully.

"They're nothing but a bunch of rabble, not worth worrying about."

Ning Yuan, smiling, patted her shoulder and said:

"My little brother here has the makings of a Martial Saint!"

...

In the blink of an eye, another twenty days quietly slipped by.

During this period, Ning Yuan lived a reclusive life, pouring all his time and energy into arduous cultivation.

The so-called special cultivation resources offered by the Great Xia Martial Academy were, for him, less effective than simply taking his own pills.

Others had to work hard completing missions, earning credits, just to exchange for those precious elixirs.

He, on the other hand, had more credits than he could spend, and elixirs he could practically eat like meals.

As for the so-called guidance from famous teachers, he needed that even less.

The path he was now walking was one no one in the history of human martial arts had ever set foot upon.

Those so-called famous teachers understood even less about this path than he did.

Therefore,

for him, staying quietly in his dorm room, cultivating his Myriad Tribulations Star Dome Dragon Elephant Scripture, was the most efficient way to improve.

Of course, he would occasionally go out to eat, drink, and unwind with his dorm brothers.

On this particular day,

Ning Yuan was, as usual, cultivating in the training room.

Looking inward, he saw the dense clusters of Starry Sky Dragon Elephant Particless within his body, each radiating brilliant light.

"Nine hundred and ninety..."

"That means my current foundational Qi and Blood power has reached... ninety-nine million jin!"

"Just one million jin short of the final hundred million jin limit. This Myriad Tribulations Star Dome Dragon Elephant Scripture is truly difficult to master!"

In twenty days, he had made terrifying progress.

But according to his initial estimate, progressing at four million jin per day, he should have broken through the limit long ago.

Yet, reality was different.

The path of cultivation becomes increasingly difficult the closer one gets to the end.

"Sigh, this last million jin will probably take me another three days, won't it?"

Ning Yuan sighed, his tone full of vexation.

If anyone else, any other prodigy, heard these words, they would likely cough up three mouthfuls of blood on the spot and angrily retort:

Is this even human language?

Throughout history, countless Prodigys have been trapped before that ten million jin limit barrier, unable to advance an inch their entire lives!

And here you are, about to raise that record by tenfold in just three more days?

In truth,

Ning Yuan was quite satisfied with his own cultivation speed.

However, he did have his own worries at the moment.

Namely... the follow-up cultivation method.

In human martial arts, the Qi and Blood Realm is just the foundation-building stage.

The subsequent Transcendent Warrior, Flying Warrior, and even the ultimate Title Warrior realms—each major realm has a completely different core focus for cultivation, and thus requires different techniques.

The Myriad Tribulations Star Dome Dragon Elephant Scripture he was currently cultivating was, strictly speaking, only a fragment.

After all, the Dragon Elephant Suppressing Heaven Art initially rewarded by the system only contained the Qi and Blood chapter.

Therefore, after the fusion and evolution of the two techniques, what was naturally born was also only the Qi and Blood chapter content.

"I say, brother tongzi, can't you be a bit more reliable?"

"Wouldn't it be nice to give the complete version all at once? What, specifically picking on us trash talents, is that it?"

Ning Yuan lodged a protest in his heart towards the system.

The system remained aloof and ignored him as usual.

Ning Yuan sighed.

Actually, he had plenty of top-tier follow-up techniques.

For example, the Star Immortality Technique the Ning family had found for him was a supreme treasure pointing directly to the Martial Saint realm, complete with methods for every stage.

But the problem was...

After witnessing a divine art like the Myriad Tribulations Star Dome Dragon Elephant Scripture, how could he still be interested in those ordinary goods?

It was like asking someone accustomed to traveling by private superluminal spacecraft to go back to riding a donkey cart. Would they be happy about it?

"Could it be... that brother tongzi will only give me the follow-up technique when I'm about to break through to the Transcendent Realm?"

Just as he was thinking this,

the system's voice rang out in his mind.

[Thirty days have arrived!]

[This system cannot help but express admiration once more. Host, you actually did it!]

[Although the Host often indulges in unrealistic daydreams, this level of perseverance is truly commendable! Keep it up, and one day, the throne of the number one Prodigy under the starry skies will be yours!]

[Congratulations, Host, on successfully completing the second stage cultivation mission—reaching the Advanced Warrior realm within thirty days!]

[Mission Reward: Host's cultivation aptitude permanently increased tenfold! Opportunity to use the Epiphany Space x 1!]

Ning Yuan smiled.

Well, well!

I was so focused on cultivation, I almost forgot about this!