Of course, it was entirely impossible for anyone within Green Wind City, and even the entire Green Feather Province, to do such a thing even if they were given a potion of bravery.
Dante ignored the outside world as he continued to charge forward like this for a total of 10 minutes, more than twice the time taken when he previously cultivated with a 'full tank'. When Dante closed his eyes and came to, the bonfire around him was sucked back into his body as if nothing happened.
In this time, the core disciples who were still around were shocked by the scene they had just watched.
Among the core disciples, there was the first place Li Zhi, a tall and slender young man with a graceful demeanor. His black hair was tied in a high topknot, and his almond-shaped eyes held an air of elegance.
Li Zhi came from a prestigious family with a history of martial prowess. He had always been hailed for his natural grace and mastery of softness-based techniques. He was currently at the Perfection Stage of the Martial Blood Realm, one step from becoming an Entry-level Martial Master.
Seeing Dante's fiery display, he raised an eyebrow, intrigued by the newcomer's unique cultivation method.
In second place was Mei Lin, a short and energetic girl with fiery red hair, known for her explosive force techniques. Her spirited nature was reflected in her freckled cheeks and bright green eyes. Mei Lin hailed from a small village and was self-taught in martial arts.
She was initially skeptical of Dante's approach but couldn't deny the intense energy radiating from his cultivation. She was also at the Perfection Stage of the Martial Blood Realm, but was slightly worse than Li Zhi.
In third place among the core disciples was Liu Yang, a stoic and serious-looking young man with a shaved head, who practiced durability maintenance techniques. His muscular build and stern gaze gave him a formidable appearance. Liu Yang had faced many hardships growing up and had always relied on his endurance to overcome challenges.
He watched Dante with a contemplative expression, recognizing the power emanating from him. He was currently at the Mastery stage of the Martial Blood Realm.
Of course, not forgetting the popular Shui Binglan - the fourth Core Disciple - who stood out with her air of mystery. Her long, ebony hair flowed like a river down her back, and her deep blue eyes held an enigmatic allure. Shui Binglan had been recruited due to her exceptional bone and blood quality.
Her cultivation was unique, based on the purity of her life energy rather than traditional techniques. She observed Dante with curiosity, silently wondering about his connection to such intense energy.
She was a dual cultivator of Internal Arts and External Arts like Dante, so she was the least pressured. In terms of Internal Arts, she was at level 1, 90%, while in terms of External Arts, she was at the Perfection stage of the Martial Warrior Realm.
In fifth was Wu Jian, a middle-aged man with a calm and collected demeanor, specialized in stamina consumption reduction techniques. His salt-and-pepper hair and disciplined posture showed his years of martial experience. Wu Jian had joined the Core Disciples through rigorous training and had always valued efficiency.
He watched Dante's cultivation with a knowing smile, appreciating the efficiency in his technique. He himself was at the Mastery stage of the Martial Blood Realm.
The reason why an older disciple like him could be accepted was that he was also the best Alchemist in the city's hall, and the level 3 and above Blood Energy Soup could not be made without him.
The sixth core disciple was Lin Mei, a petite and gentle-looking girl with delicate features who practiced flow-based techniques. Her long, dark hair framed her soft face, and her eyes sparkled with kindness. Lin Mei came from a humble background and had always believed in the harmonious flow of energy.
She watched Dante's fiery cultivation with a mixture of awe and wonder. She was currently at the Great Accomplishment Stage of the Martial Blood Realm.
Finally, the seventh core disciple, Chen Wei, a tall and muscular young man with a carefree smile, focused on explosive force techniques. His braided hair and easygoing expression made him approachable. Chen Wei's upbringing in a remote village had instilled in him a love for carefree living.
He was genuinely impressed by Dante's display, recognizing the potential for immense power. He was also at the Great Accomplishment stage of the Martial Blood Realm.
As Dante's cultivation came to an end, a hushed silence enveloped the courtyard. There was an air of strangeness as everyone contemplated Dante's Internal Force talent and wondered if they could reach this level or surpass it.
When comparisons were made, many expressions darkened or directly became ugly, and the looks that Dante got were no longer as respectful. It was more intense for the inner disciple who valued every core disciple spot and knew for sure that the hall could not feed more than 10 such people.
However, due to her sheer talent, Shui Binglan practically swallowed two spots with how many resources she consumed to advance rapidly.
Looking at this Dante fellow, he might just consume the last spot if his consumption was as great as Shui Binglan's!
Thinking like this, they could not sit still. You could beat them, you could cheat them, but they definitely would not allow you to cut off their path of advancement as that concerned their future!
Dante ignored everyone and checked his results. He was only slightly pleased because his blackish-red bead containing his internal force had almost doubled in size, but he had not yet broken through to the second level and acquired the much-desired spirit sense.
[Player Name: Dante
Player Race: Human
Faction: Supreme Martial Hall (Kingdom-level)
Internal Arts: Inferno Ascension Technique (Level 1: Ante-Inferno Ember Stage, 95%)
External Arts: Raging Blood Halberd Technique (Body Tempering, Entry Level, 1%)
Strength: 500
Agility: 500
Dexterity: 500
Intelligence: 500
Constitution: 500
Vitality: 500
Money: 0 copper coins, 0 silver taels, 0 gold bars.]
He was just 5% away from the second level. Dante couldn't help but sigh internally that this method of growth was truly fast. He had already surpassed Shui Binglan, who had been a core disciple longer than him, in just 3 days of cultivation.
Of course, the means by which he achieved this feat were one in a trillion and could only be replicated by him alone for now. With his current SDI and cultivation speed, he should be able to clear that last 5% in about a week.
5% Internal Arts cultivation speed a week was super fast, nowhere near long, thanks to his high SDI. Another person might have to spend 4 months even if they had the same talent and cultivation method as Dante without the benefits of his high SDI.
However, Dante's eyes flickered as he thought about his special cultivation cycle, which should influence his growth positively. He then looked to the side to see the servant disciple he sent over carrying 5 bowls of the level 4 blood energy soup he requested.
A hint of surprise and disappointment couldn't help but flash in Dante's eyes. Really, no one took the second bait he cast? Were these people not like the cultivators he read about in the books who
made stupid decisions 24/7?
Or maybe he was too obvious? Whatever.
Dante took the soup and drank all 5 of them in one go, making the eyes of the servant disciple pop out. Just as he expected Dante to explode from the rampaging energy, his face did not even flush as Dante licked his lips with a look of dissatisfaction.
"Go and bring 5 more… no, 15 more bowls. Please make it quick." Dante commanded as he left the token with the fellow.
The servant disciple muttered his acknowledgment shakily and then ran out. It was as if he was scared that if he remained there for one more second, Dante would transform into a demon beast and swallow him with one gulp.
Dante looked at the sprinting fellow with a hint of amusement before deciding to start practicing the Raging Blood Halberd Technique. He entered the 10 postures, from the Awakening Stance to the Flowing River, then the Ascending Phoenix, leading to the Eternal Tree stance, the Harmonious Breath, the Roaring Flame, the Halberd's Embrace, the Crimson Tempest, the Endless Spiral, and finally, the Heavenly Convergence.
Once Dante completed the full cycle, his blood energy boiled and coursed throughout his body once more, the soup he just consumed rushing to all parts of his body and tempering them as part of the details of the realm as well as the technique itself.
30 minutes later, Dante stopped and moved to drink the already brought over bowls of blood energy soup, but his expression was not filled with satisfaction like before, but slightly ugly and gloomy.
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