I, Who Hate Marine So Much, Have Become A Future Nika?

Chapter 4: Advancement of the Qi Consumption Technique

Zhong Cang persisted in his cultivation for a month.

During this month, he remained like an ascetic monk, not taking a single step outside, devoting all his thoughts to cultivation.

Such practice was tedious, but it corresponded to the improvement of Zhong Cang's strength.

After a month, all the primary cultivation techniques that Zhong Cang focused on had made significant progress.

First was the Five Beasts Infusion Technique. Since the cultivation of this technique required spiritual energy for body tempering, and Zhong Cang needed to connect with his spiritual energy to his longsword, the progress of the Five Beasts Infusion Technique was minimal.

After a month, the proficiency of this technique only increased by 120 points, reaching the entry level of the first realm at 223/500.

"Too slow..."

Sighing, Zhong Cang looked towards the next technique, which was the Qi Consumption Technique.

Originally, the proficiency of this technique was at 522/800 in the second realm, but now, after a month, it had reached 792/800.

And Zhong Cang could cultivate it nine times a day, increasing his proficiency by nine points each time.

"At this rate, tomorrow, this technique will advance!"

Thinking of this, Zhong Cang felt excited.

He was looking forward to the changes that the third realm technique would bring to him.

After the Qi Consumption Technique, the technique Zhong Cang currently focused on was the Ignorant Heart Sword Art.

This technique had the greatest improvement. A month ago, Zhong Cang had just started learning it.

Now, his progress had reached 720/800 in the first realm.

"I can cultivate the Ignorant Heart Sword Art twice a day, six hours each time, twelve times in total. In four days, this technique will also advance!"

Thinking of this, Zhong Cang's anticipation grew stronger.

"The higher the proficiency limit, the stronger the technique. After the advancement, it should bring about the greatest changes for me."

"I wonder what the Ignorant Heart Sword Art at the first realm proficiency will bring me?"

"Sword Intent? It's unlikely. That is a profound understanding that can only be achieved at least at the mastery level..."

As he was about to advance, Zhong Cang's mood became somewhat excited.

Just when he was eagerly anticipating, there was a knock on his courtyard door.

Opening it, he saw a fairly pretty girl standing outside, his cousin, Zhong Yingying.

"Why are you here?"

Zhong Cang was surprised, while Zhong Yingying seemed quite displeased.

"Do you think I wanted to come? Father asked me to bring you here."

After complaining, she got to the point:

"There's a gathering at Zhulin Pavilion, Xie Siya will be there with Qingxue. Father wants me to bring you along. I warn you, don't do anything out of line there. Those young masters and misses at the gathering are true cultivators. They have the protection of Foundation Building and Gold Core. If you provoke them, even Father won't be able to save you."

Hearing her cousin's sincere warning, Zhong Cang nodded and said, "I have an absolute method to not provoke them."

"What is it?"

"Not going."

"Huh?"

This time, Zhong Yingying was genuinely surprised.

"You're not going? Qingxue will be there, and you've always liked her, right?"

"The one who liked her was the original owner of this body, not me."

Of course, he wouldn't say this directly. Zhong Cang gently touched the longsword in his arms and said calmly, "Yingying, after practicing swordsmanship, I discovered something. Practicing swordsmanship is more interesting than pursuing girls."

"Huh?"

Such an answer clearly caught Zhong Yingying off guard, leaving her confused.

And this shocked expression of the girl was quite interesting, which made Zhong Cang take a few more glances.

This natural reaction also made Zhong Cang understand that his "swordsmanship" was not yet perfected.

While Zhong Cang was lost in thought, on the other side, Zhang Yingying, who had regained her senses, opened her mouth but didn't know what to say.

After a while, she finally spoke, "You really won't go? Such opportunities are rare. It won't be so easy to see your loved one again next time."

"It doesn't matter. Right now, my favorite thing is swordsmanship. Women only affect the speed at which I draw my sword."

"..."

This response left Zhang Yingying speechless, but at the same time, she felt Zhong Cang's determination.

Because of this, she no longer tried to persuade him and instead returned with a complicated expression.

Zhong Cang didn't pay attention to Zhang Yingying's thoughts. After she left, he continued to practice his Ignorant Heart Sword Art.

Communication, comprehension...

In meditation, a day quickly passed. The next day, in the early morning, Zhong Cang, who woke up early, felt his heart beating slightly faster than usual.

He couldn't help but feel excited because today was the day he would break through his fundamental Qi Consumption Technique.

"Hoo..."

Taking several deep breaths in a row, Zhong Cang's mood finally calmed down a bit.

Then, he immediately began practicing his Qi Consumption Technique.

"Inhale..."

Inhaling, holding his breath, digesting, and then inhaling again, holding his breath... With each practice, Zhong Cang's abdomen gradually swelled.

But as his abdomen swelled, the proficiency of his Qi Consumption Technique also steadily increased.

792, 793, 794, 795... 800/800!

Soon, Zhong Cang completed eight rounds of practice, and his Qi Consumption Technique reached the state of perfection.

At this point, Zhong Cang's heart beat even faster.

But this time, instead of calming his emotions, he took advantage of his completely active body due to excitement and performed the final action of inhaling and swallowing.

"Inhale..."

As he inhaled and let the spiritual energy digest in his abdomen, Zhong Cang completed his final practice.

After this practice of the Qi Consumption Technique, Zhong Cang felt a buzzing sound, as if a bomb had exploded in his mind.

Soon, Zhong Cang discovered that there was indeed an explosion in his mind.

But the exploding bomb was not made of gunpowder and steel; it was knowledge and comprehension.

...He had practiced the Qi Consumption Technique eight hundred times, and now, the experience from these eight hundred practices was replaying in his mind.

The surging memories flooded Zhong Cang's mind like a tide, making him understand the various details of practicing the Qi Consumption Technique in the depths of his consciousness.

For the time it takes an incense stick to burn, the surging comprehension gradually disappeared from his consciousness.

At the same time, Zhong Cang's fundamental Qi Consumption Technique underwent a new change.

[Qi Consumption Technique, Mastery of the Third Realm (1/3000), Special Attribute: Devouring Tongue]

"The name of the third realm is Mastery, and the proficiency has skyrocketed to 3000, nearly four times higher. It's quite high..."

Regarding this, Zhong Cang could only sigh, and soon his attention shifted to the final special attribute.

"Devouring Tongue? What is this?"

"Why does it sound like an ability in the culinary field? Could it enhance my tongue's perception and sensitivity to ingredients and flavors far beyond that of a Transcendent person?"

"But this ability is useless to me. I'm not a gourmet. Besides, although the Qi Consumption Technique has the word 'eat' in it, it consumes air (spiritual energy), so it shouldn't have anything to do with food, right?"

Unable to understand, Zhong Cang didn't want to think too much and continued to explore through practice.

In his opinion, no matter what abilities Devouring Tongue possessed, they would be revealed in the subsequent practice.

However, the bloating in his abdomen made him give up the idea of immediate practice.

"Let's wait until tomorrow to practice the Qi Consumption Technique. Today, I'll finish practicing the Five Elements Strengthening Technique and the Ignorant Heart Sword Art first..."

(End of this chapter)