Stronger with Crimson Modifier-Chapter 100: Passage [2]

This was because, according to the records and what Helinta had said, when one broke through to the Martial Arts Family realm, the more abundant their accumulated Qi and Blood, the more powerful the Essence Element Divine Treasure they could open.

So, Hu Qi had been continuously accumulating his.

As for the Seven Evils Saber, Hu Qi had not upgraded it; it remained at the Third Layer.

It wasn’t that he didn’t want to. Rather, the Fourth Layer of the Seven Evils Saber had a prerequisite: it could only be used after breaking through to the Martial Arts Family realm.

Even if Hu Qi could use the Crimson to upgrade it, it would be useless to him.

To put it bluntly, his body’s "hardware" couldn’t handle it.

The most urgent task at hand was to use the combined effects of these Pile Skills to cultivate his body’s Qi and Blood to Perfection, then use the Crimson to upgrade the Three-Eyed Primordial Snake Spirit Devouring Map, open a Divine Treasure, and reach the Martial Arts Family realm.

’Almost there,’ Hu Qi thought. ’I just need to wait two more days to cultivate the Spiritual Eagle Posture to Perfection, then I can start preparing for the breakthrough.’

As he considered this, he couldn’t help but think of the woman he had encountered before, Han Luan.

If he were to face her now with his current strength, he certainly wouldn’t be in such a pathetic state as before.

As time passed, before his Modification Points were sufficient, something else came to disrupt Hu Qi’s routine.

The Sect Leader, Jiang Zuo, who had been away, had returned.

...

In a large reception hall in Zhu Xi.

When Hu Qi arrived, several figures were already seated inside.

Besides his Second Senior Sister, Helinta, there were two men and one woman.

Seeing Hu Qi arrive, Helinta’s expression flickered slightly. She stood up, gestured toward the others, and began the introductions.

"Junior brothers and sisters, this is our new youngest Junior Brother, Hu Qi. This is your Third Senior Brother, Han Yuan; Fourth Senior Sister, Lin Yao; and Fifth Senior Brother, Lin Tu."

Hu Qi’s expression shifted. Realizing Helinta was helping him get acquainted, he spoke up.

"Greetings, senior brothers and sisters!"

Han Yuan was a strong man with dreadlocks, slightly dark skin, and a sinister gaze.

As for Fourth Senior Sister Lin Yao and Fifth Senior Brother Lin Tu, they were a pair of fraternal twins.

They were slightly plump and looked very similar.

Upon hearing Hu Qi’s greeting, Han Yuan merely glanced at him with his sinister eyes, gave a nod, and remained seated without saying a word.

Lin Yao and Lin Tu, however, exchanged a look before a smile appeared on their faces.

Lin Yao was the first to speak.

"I’d heard we had a new junior brother. We were too busy with other matters to meet before. Now that I see you, you’re truly a fine and talented man."

"What my sis said is right."

Lin Tu chimed in from the side.

Hearing this, Hu Qi recalled the rumors he had heard about these two and immediately served up a dose of flattery.

"Not at all. You, senior sister and brother, are the true dragons among men. Your talent is extraordinary. As your junior brother, I have much to learn from you."

However, to Hu Qi’s surprise, his flattery was extremely well-received by the pair.

Lin Tu’s eyes, in particular, lit up.

"Haha! Excellent, excellent! Junior Brother, you truly have a discerning eye, unlike those common folk."

Lin Yao felt the same. Her attitude toward Hu Qi became even warmer, and she even insisted he sit next to them.

For a moment, aside from Helinta and Han Yuan who remained silent to one side, the three of them chatted with great enthusiasm. Under Hu Qi’s deliberate and subtle compliments, it was as if they had known each other for ages, with endless things to say.

Throughout the conversation, Hu Qi mostly listened while the two of them did the talking.

Through their chat, Hu Qi managed to gather some general information.

Previously, they, including Han Yuan, were usually stationed in other cities, handling missions involving Lower-Rank Black Blood Species.

If not for the Sect Leader’s summons this time, they wouldn’t all have returned.

"I wonder why Master has summoned us this time?"

Hu Qi thought for a moment before asking.

"I’m not sure."

Lin Yao shook her head.

"It might be related to holding a proper induction ceremony for you. I heard even First Senior Brother came out of seclusion for it!"

Hearing this, just as Hu Qi was about to ask about this mysterious First Senior Brother, a side door was pushed open, and two figures walked in.

The one in the lead was Jiang Zuo. His expression was normal, not much different from when they had last met, except that his face was a little pale.

Following a step behind him was a tall and powerfully built man.

The man was around thirty years old, with a buzz cut as stiff as steel needles.

He had a square face, thick eyebrows, large eyes, strong features, and a posture as straight and tall as a pine tree.

His shoulders were broad and his chest was thick. As he walked, the lines of his muscles were faintly visible beneath his sleeves, looking as if he could unleash a terrifying strike at any moment.

"Master, First Senior Brother!"

Seeing the two enter, everyone immediately stood up—even Han Yuan and Helinta. Hu Qi followed their example and stood behind them.

"Please, be seated."

Jiang Zuo waved his hand and then sat in the seat of honor.

Du Wang went to the first empty seat and sat down. Clearly, that spot had been reserved for him.

At that moment, Jiang Zuo, seated in the place of honor, swept his gaze across the room.

His eyes landed directly on Hu Qi, who was sitting at the very back.

A flash of surprise appeared in his eyes.

With his discerning eye, he could naturally gauge Hu Qi’s general condition.

That vigorous Qi Blood Power.

Clearly, it wouldn’t be long before he reached Qi Blood Perfection.

He had also heard from Helinta about some of the things Hu Qi had done before.

This person’s temperament and aptitude were both top-notch.

Thinking of this, his gaze paused for a moment.

He smiled and said,

"You must be Hu Qi. I previously had your Second Senior Sister accept you as a disciple on my behalf. Now that I’ve returned, we should complete the ceremony. Serve the tea."

"Yes, Master."

Hu Qi naturally had no objections.

Soon, someone had a pot of freshly brewed tea brought in. Hu Qi poured a cup and presented it to Jiang Zuo with both hands.

Jiang Zuo reached out, took the cup, and took a sip.

"Since you are now my disciple, I don’t have much to give you as your master, so take this."

As he spoke, he took a black object from his robes.

Hu Qi reached out and took it.

It was cold to the touch, like holding a block of ice. It looked just like the skull cap of some creature.

And Jiang Zuo’s next words confirmed his suspicion.

"This is the skull cap of a Lower-Rank Black Blood Species. The chilling yin aura it emits can help a Secret Martial Artist increase their chances of success when breaking through to the Martial Arts Family realm. Beyond that, and more importantly, the killing intent from the Ghost Slaying Saber you practice is too strong. This item can, to a certain extent, help you calm your mind and spirit.

"Remember, if you ever feel you can’t control the killing intent in your heart, you must stop your cultivation.

"If you have any questions about this, you can ask your Second Senior Sister. If it really becomes unmanageable, then give up on it and switch to another Saber Technique. Understand?"

Looking at the skull cap in his hand, a grateful smile appeared on Hu Qi’s face.

"Thank you, Master! I will."

Seeing this, the others around them began to applaud.

However, upon hearing that Hu Qi also practiced the Ghost Slaying Saber, the expressions on everyone’s faces, except for Helinta’s, turned a little strange.

Afterward, Jiang Zuo had Hu Qi return to his seat.

Then he began to speak about other matters.

The situation at the Celestial Pool had been temporarily brought under control.

He might need to enter a period of seclusion now that he was back.

During this time, the Shexin Sect would need them to look after it.

Hearing this, they all naturally nodded in agreement.

They assured Jiang Zuo he could enter seclusion with peace of mind and not to worry.

"Master, what exactly is the situation with the Celestial Pool now?"

Just then, Han Yuan, who was off to the side, suddenly asked.

His voice was somewhat hoarse, grating like sandpaper on metal.

At his words, everyone showed a curious expression.

Hu Qi was no exception.

He, however, was curious about what the Celestial Pool even was.

Jiang Zuo took in everyone’s reactions.

He began to explain.

"There was an upheaval at the Celestial Pool earlier, but it has now been suppressed..."

As Jiang Zuo continued his explanation, Hu Qi gained a general understanding of this so-called Celestial Pool.

The Celestial Pool was a crater lake located in the southern part of the Xia Federation.

It was oval-shaped and surrounded by more than a dozen mountain peaks. The lake water was clear and azure, and the scenery was magnificent and captivating.

Because of this, it attracted a large number of tourists every year.

But half a year ago, a shift in the earth’s crust beneath the Celestial Pool opened a passage to the Inner Earth World.

Being a passage, this meant that the Black Blood Species from the Inner Earth World could use it to reach the surface.

Conversely, Secret Martial Artists could also use this passage to travel to the Inner Earth World.

However, under normal circumstances, no Secret Martial Artist would do so, as it would be tantamount to suicide.

Such entrances were not uncommon in the world.

But because their sizes varied, most of them posed no threat and could simply be sealed off.

The Celestial Pool, however, was different.

Initially, this passage wasn’t very large.

The Xia Federation discovered it promptly and sealed it off immediately.

But unexpectedly, as time went on, the passage not only didn’t shrink but actually showed signs of expanding.

Even the figures of Middle-Rank Black Blood Species began to appear.

This directly led to the destruction of several towns at the foot of the mountains.

In response, the Xia Federation was furious and mobilized a large number of Secret Martial Arts experts to suppress the threat.

Not long ago, a certain Venerable took action, and only then did the situation improve.

Jiang Zuo didn’t go into detail, only giving a simple overview of the situation.

Afterward, he ordered some dishes from the Zhu Xi dining hall, and the seven of them gathered for a meal.

The dinner table is the easiest place to deepen relationships.

After several courses and a few rounds of drinks, everyone had had a fair amount to drink, but the alcohol was nothing to the powerful physiques of Secret Martial Artists.

During the meal, Hu Qi held his cup and went around toasting everyone individually.

By the end of the meal, the others’ attitudes toward him had become increasingly warm.

This was true even for Han Yuan and Helinta.

After all, no one dislikes a person who speaks pleasantly and knows how to read the room.

...

The sky gradually darkened.

Soon, everyone had eaten and drunk their fill.

At Jiang Zuo’s signal, everyone took their leave.

Only Jiang Zuo, Du Wang, and Helinta remained in the room.

And at that moment, Jiang Zuo, who had been perfectly calm, suddenly swayed, his face flushing red.

After a fit of coughing, he opened his palm to reveal a shocking splash of crimson blood, which looked especially glaring against his pale skin.