193 It Shattered... (1/2)
The sixth hit sounded. The vibrating energy that had accumulated within Wang Baole's body had reached an unimaginable peak. He spat out a large mouthful of blood.
The blood was black and seemed to contain the toxins that had been in his body. Wang Baole's body felt like jelly after he spat out blood. The dark spots grew in his vision.
Am I hitting the drum to the point of blacking out… Wang Baole's head buzzed; consciousness seemed to be slipping from his grasp. As that thought flashed across his mind, and his legs lost all strength; he fell, kneeling, with a soft thud. It seemed as if he was about to pass out. It was then that he thought he heard the crackling sound of something shattering inside him.
A strong Spirit Qi burst out and surged through his body the instant he heard the sound. As the external vibrations persisted, the Spirit Qi fused with Wang Baole's meridians. His cultivation level shot up drastically in an instant!
The leveling of his cultivation was like a shot of confidence. He shook himself and regained clarity of mind. That was when he realized that the crystal inside his body had absorbed the vibrating energies. Fractures appeared on the crystal, and Spirit Qi escaped from within without stop. Within the span of a few breaths, his cultivation level leaped from the lowest, third level of the True Breath realm in a giant bound.
Such a move exists! Wang Baole's breath quickened as he was caught by surprise. The surrounding crowd was in an uproar.
”This Wang Baole is too relentless. He hit the drum until he threw up blood!”
”Six hits—that has never happened before. But why do I feel that Wang Baole's body seemed very unnatural during the last two hits…”
”His eyes were shut, and he almost fell to his knees. What do I feel as if he passed out?”
The heated discussions persisted. With the discovery of Wang Baole's considerable advancement in cultivation level, the debate grew fiercer and more heated, like an uprising storm.
”My god!”
”His cultivation improved? The energy he is giving out isn't right!”
”I can feel it—compared to just before, this Wang Baole's cultivation level is higher now!”
Sounds of discussion, argument, and shock rose and sank. The breathing of Lin Tianhao, the Pavilion Head, and his deputies quickened. As for Wang Baole, the sparkle in his eyes grew brighter. He stood and could feel the leap in his cultivation. His eyes shone fiercely.
In my whole life, I, Wang Baole, have never hated anything more than cheating. I am counting on my skills to sound the drum… Wang Baole was inwardly pleased and mused to himself. Five hits could bring forth the Grand Elder; who knew who six hits could call forward. He had to play it safe. Wang Baole sucked in a deep breath. The devouring seed inside him burst into action, controlling his body and raising the drum stick yet again, hitting it against the Elder Request Drum!
The seventh time!
Boom! Nothing seemed to happen after that.
Seems like that's not enough… Wang Baole's body, both inside and out, was trembling at that moment. The vibrations were, however, absorbed by the crystal. He remained uncertain and worried, so he hit the drum again!
The eighth time!
This should be enough, right? If I continue, I think my cultivation might breakthrough… Wang Baole felt the increasing number of fractures in his crystal. He thought for a bit, and his eyes shone with anticipation. Without further thought on whom he might be calling forward, he hit the drum again.
The ninth time!
The tenth time!
The sounds of the drum being hit resounded. Everyone in the crowd watched, dazed. There were no longer any sounds of discussion. At the moment, the entire square watched on in shock; be it Lin Tianhao, the few Deputy Pavilion Heads, or the Pavilion Head—all were flabbergasted. White noise buzzed in their heads.
The number of times Wang Baole had sounded the drum was unprecedented. The last few hits, especially, were done in one go. His body did look weird and had a strangeness to it. Nevertheless, the sounds of the drum being hit resounded clearly through the air.
What's more… it didn't end there!
The eleventh, twelfth, thirteenth times…
As everyone remained in shock, Wang Baole hit the drum for the seventeenth time. He could still persist, but the drum stick couldn't take it anymore. It shattered.
The scene sent many in the dazed crowd murmuring.
”It shattered? Even the drum stick shattered?”
”This Wang Baole, could he be some monster in disguise…”
As the crowd remained in a daze, something mind-blowing happened again. As the drum stick shattered, Wang Baole could feel the extensive fracturing on the outer layer of the crystal inside him. A huge wave of Spirit Qi burst forth and filled his entire body. His cultivation broke through in an instant as the Spirit Qi made its way through his body, shooting straight from the third level of the True Breath realm… into the fourth level!
”What the—his cultivation broke through!”
”How is that possible!”