Level Up in Martial World

Lu Zhen heaved a sigh of relief as he sensed the dome-shaped structure within his heart's meridian.

"I have reached the second level of heaven refining demonic Qi," he exclaimed. Now, Lu Zhen's demonic cultivation could directly be compared to that of a second-stage martial artist.

The dantian in his heart meridian slowly began to glow, absorbing the pure Qi from his body and converting it to demonic Qi.

From now on, Lu Zhen didn't have to actively convert pure Qi into demonic Qi. As long as he guided the pure Qi into his dantian, it would automatically convert.

This was the second level of the heaven refining cultivation method. Once he filled the entire dantian with his demonic Qi, he would be able to advance to the third level. But for that, he needed to have a deeper understanding of his bloodline.

Thinking of this, a small frown appeared on his face.

"I don't even know what my bloodline has become after mixing with the Elfen bloodline," Lu Zhen thought with a bitter smile.

He needed to gain a deeper understanding of his bloodline to progress further. In the cultivation method that Elv had given him, there were only details about eight bloodlines that would aid in his cultivation.

The bloodline after merging had become a different category altogether.

"I have to conduct my own research on the bloodline now," Lu Zhen contemplated as he stood up. He now had three bloodlines in his body: the Volgrith, Elfen, and his human bloodline.

Previously, his human bloodline dominated his body, with only some characteristics from the Volgrith bloodline showing. But now, with the Elfen bloodline merged as well, it dominated about forty percent of his body.

Since it was a pure bloodline that directly came from the person who was implanted with it, it was naturally stronger. Combined with the Volgrith bloodline, they both took dominance of slightly less than half his body.

Despite this, only half of his body remained dominated by his human bloodline.

"Hmm, can I merge these three bloodlines into one to create a superior bloodline?" Lu Zhen pondered, his eyes lighting up with excitement.

While the cultivation method of the heaven refining demonic Qi did combine the two bloodlines temporarily, it was merely a superficial integration, far from a true merging.

Lu Zhen scrutinised his reflection in the mirror, his crimson eyes flashing with intensity. His hair now bore a peculiar hue, a blend of blond and black strands cascading down to almost waist length.

However, it was his muscular physique that stood out the most as Lu Zhen swiftly disrobed. With each movement, his muscles crackled with power, casting a heavy aura in the surroundings. Notably, a thin line of muscle seemed to coalesce, forming a semblance of a demon-like visage within his physique.

Lu Zhen's physique had undergone a subtle transformation, becoming slightly more slender without compromising the strength of his muscular frame. Each sinew seemed purposeful, honed through countless battles to maximise efficiency and power.

"Remarkable," Lu Zhen murmured, his gaze sweeping over his changed form. Unlike the typical progression of strength in martial artists, where enhanced core strength was the norm, Lu Zhen's body seemed to have evolved in a unique manner, adapting to his growing power with a blend of grace and resilience.

Donning his emperor robes once more, Lu Zhen delved into the depths of his being, focusing on the dantian nestled within his heart meridian. There, he sensed the presence of two strands of demonic Qi, pulsating with a dark and foreboding energy.

This demonic Qi, distinct from that generated by his bloodline, exuded an aura of destruction, its malevolent essence palpable. As he contemplated the implications of this newfound power, a sense of anticipation coursed through Lu Zhen.

"I wonder," he murmured thoughtfully, as he channelled a single strand of the demonic Qi into his body, eager to discover its effects firsthand.

As he delved deeper into the second level of his cultivation, the potential of the demonic Qi within him began to unfold in ways he hadn't imagined before. No longer confined to scattered strands, the demonic Qi now found a home in his dantian, allowing him to wield its power with greater precision.

With each pulse of the demonic Qi coursing through his veins, Lu Zhen felt a surge of strength emanating from the depths of his being. His muscles, already honed to perfection, now seemed to pulsate with newfound vigour, each fibre vibrating with potent energy.

An aura of power enveloped him, tangible and palpable, as if the very air around him trembled in acknowledgment of his growing might.

And as he stood, his towering frame seemed to stretch upward, reaching heights that bordered on the surreal, almost brushing against the ceiling of his chamber.

The transformation was staggering. Lu Zhen's eyes widened in awe as he beheld his altered form, his once-dark hair now a radiant blond cascading around him like a golden aura.

With a simple gesture, he tested his newfound strength, and the result was nothing short of astonishing—a mere flick of his wrist unleashed a violent gale, the sheer force caused the walls to crack.

"Have I reached the strength of a first-stage martial artist?" Lu Zhen thought, excitement gleaming in his eyes.

Soon, the strand of demonic Qi ran out, and Lu Zhen returned to his normal form.

"I need a larger cultivation room next time," he thought with a bitter smile.

Suddenly, a knock came from outside Lu Zhen's cultivation chamber.

"Who is it?" he asked.

"Young leader… the army is under our peripheral area already," came the urgent response.

"What!? Wasn't the army still taking two days to arrive? How come they arrived so fast?" Lu Zhen exclaimed with shock as he hurried out of his seclusion.

"Leader," Zhang Shi bowed with respect.

Lu Zhen simply nodded his head expressionlessly and proceeded forward, followed by Zhang Shi. He was the poor guy who was used as an example in the coronation ceremony of Lu Zhen.

Now, with the power from Lu Zhen, he had become a trusted subordinate, and the information about the outside world was also collected by Lu Zhen, making Zhang Shi quite redundant. However, his strength was still considerable.

So, Lu Zhen appointed him as the general instead.