Chapter 168: Refining His Body Under Pressure, Missing the Exit

Seeing that his disciples had retreated, Qin Xiao could also go all out.

This Pressure, Qin Xiao could still withstand, but he also knew that these last few steps were probably terrifying.

After calculating, Qin Xiao did not hesitate and stepped to the next grid.

Immediately the Pressure greatly increased, adding a full forty percent.

“No problem, continue.”

Qin Xiao tested the Pressure. Nothing he couldn’t handle. On he went.

Subsequently, he took two more steps in succession, bringing the Pressure to more than double its previous level.

Ever since his disciples withdrew, Qin Xiao had traversed three grids.

“Only five grids left. There are no safe grids here anymore; even the center point will increase the Pressure. This is a bit tricky.”

Once the Pressure doubled, Qin Xiao felt the strain.

Difficult or not, he had to keep going. He couldn’t just overturn the whole board. After calculating his route, he took another step.

This time, the Pressure doubled outright instead of increasing by incremental percentages.

“Damn, I’m glad I walked the right path. If I had chosen the wrong square, this step would probably kill someone on the spot.”

Qin Xiao understood now. People called it safe only because none of them had reached this point. Even a correct step doubled the Pressure. A wrong step might multiply it five or ten times. Who could bear that sudden increase? It might crush them to death.

Though the Pressure was already great, Qin Xiao could still bear it. After another calculation, he took another step.

This time the Pressure doubled once more, reaching four times the level from two steps prior.

Qin Xiao sat cross-legged on the ground; the sheer force had turned his legs to jelly.

“Three grids left. Just the last three. If every step doubles, the next one will be eight times what it was before. They really are trying to grind me to death.”

Not daring to rush the next move, Qin Xiao pulled out a large bottle of Spirit Liquid and began gulping it down. He needed to replenish his energy, and with Pressure this fierce, not using it for Body Refinement would be a waste.

“What is he doing? Why is he suddenly meditating?”

“Perhaps he’s recovering. After all, he’s nearing the end, and the Pressure must be immense.”

“This Qin Xiao is truly extraordinary. It’s just a pity Tianyuan Sect couldn’t keep him and drove him to sever ties.”

All the onlookers watched with curiosity, while some began to taunt the Tianyuan Sect.

“What do you mean by that? Qin Xiao left the sect of his own accord. What does that have to do with us?”

Seeing the mockery, Chu Sheng retorted angrily.

“The fact is your Great Elder forced him out. The whole of Qingzhou knows about it. You still won’t let people talk?”

Unyielding, the other person snapped right back.

“Alright, alright, stop arguing about this.”

Lin Shimeng stepped forward to mediate. It was dirty laundry; what was the point of Chu Sheng arguing? It only brought further embarrassment.

“Qin Xiao has a close relationship with the two Luo Junior Sisters. Perhaps we can win him over to the Mysterious Yin Sect.”

Lu Feng began to look at Qin Xiao in a new light. Previously, while Qin Xiao’s reputation was decent, he wasn’t worth courting-geniuses were a dime a dozen. But now, if Qin Xiao actually secured a Saint Origin Spirit Fruit, his value would change entirely. Find the original chapter at novelping . com.

“Pity the elders couldn’t make up their minds. If we had recruited Brother Qin earlier, wouldn’t he be part of our Pure Yang Sect by now?”

Gong Yuankui regretted it too. Qin Xiao was now so close to the Immortal Dao Merchant Association that he probably would not join another sect.

“This brat is on good terms with Ruoxue and has close ties with Big Brother. We must pull him over. If he won’t be a friend, the sooner we eliminate him as an enemy, the better.”

Ling Wujun had plans of his own. Before, he had not much cared whether he could recruit Qin Xiao. Now, he had to try. If he could not win him over, he would have to get rid of him.

Meanwhile, Qin Xiao, deep in recovery, remained oblivious to the fact that he was now a target.

“Truly wonderful. The Spirit Liquid is being absorbed at an astonishing speed.”

Qin Xiao already felt the benefits of the Pressure. Once the Spirit Liquid was swallowed, his flesh automatically absorbed it without requiring conscious guidance.

“Good enough. Time to try the next step.”

Clutching a large bottle of Spirit Liquid, Qin Xiao readied himself for a quick replenishment.

As soon as he stepped out, before he could even sit, the crushing Pressure slammed him flat onto the ground, making it an effort just to stand.

“Damn, doubling it really is terrifying.”

Discarding all hesitation, Qin Xiao began frantically chugging Spirit Liquid. He had more than enough to spare.

But the Spirit Liquid he drank was not enough to restore his body.

His body bore all the Pressure. It rapidly absorbed the Spirit Liquid, repairing and strengthening itself in one go.

If one bottle was not enough, he would use two.

Raising both hands, Qin Xiao grabbed another large bottle and poured it straight down his throat.

Once he drained the two bottles, he took out two more and kept drinking until his body could bear the current Pressure.

The spectators outside were baffled. He had only two steps left; why had he stopped to gulp down water? Were the last few squares that hot?

“Does this fellow have an endless supply of Spirit Stones? Who drinks like that?”

Ling Ruoxue knew full well that Qin Xiao wasn’t drinking mere water-it was pure Spirit Liquid! He had already downed ten bottles, and a single bottle contained a thousand drops.

“Is this how much Master has in reserve?”

Qin Xiao’s disciples were equally dumbfounded. While they knew he possessed plenty of Spirit Liquid and had promised them a thousand drops a month, he had just burned through ten thousand drops in the span of a few moments and was still drinking!

“Is that kid… drinking Spirit Liquid?”

Ling Wujun sensed something amiss. No one chugged water at a time like this. He knew Qin Xiao had reserves, but this quantity defied normal comprehension.

Anyone with a shred of discernment realized Qin Xiao was consuming Spirit Liquid. As for the rest, it wasn’t a lack of insight, but rather that their worldviews simply couldn’t stretch to imagine such extravagance.

“Bullshit Pressure! Come on, give me more! Crank it up!”

Having adapted to the current weight after draining nearly twenty bottles-amounting to twenty thousand drops of Spirit Liquid-Qin Xiao felt his physique greatly enhanced. Though the Pressure remained heavy, he was able to stand once more.

Feeling his rate of consumption slow down as his body failed to absorb the liquid fast enough, Qin Xiao decided not to wait and strode toward the next grid. The source of this chapter is novelping(.)com.

Rising to his feet, he stepped directly into the square he had calculated beforehand.

The Pressure doubled again.

Unflustered, Qin Xiao sat cross-legged and resumed his frenzied consumption of Spirit Liquid.

“This feels amazing. Absolutely amazing.”

Though the Pressure caused his bones to creak in protest, Qin Xiao was thrilled. Where else could he find such an effective method of Body Refinement?

This time, Qin Xiao stayed on the square for over an hour, drinking an uncountable quantity of Spirit Liquid.

Then, Qin Xiao stood up once more and stepped onto the final grid.

This time, the doubled Pressure failed to knock him down; he stood firm and upright.

Once he stepped out of this square, the Saint Origin Fruit Tree would be right in front of him. That should mean he had passed.

Instead of stepping out immediately, however, Qin Xiao sat down cross-legged once more.

He went back to his routine of drinking Spirit Liquid, bottle after bottle.

He kept this up until the following day, when it was time to leave the secret realm.

“We shouldn’t wait any longer. It takes quite a bit of time to reach the entrance from here. We need to leave.”

Lu Feng suggested they depart without delay.

“Indeed. Everyone’s cultivation varies, and some fly slower. By our calculations, it’s time to head out.”

Gong Yuankui agreed.

As for Qin Xiao, there was nothing they could do; once inside the formation, no shouts could penetrate the barrier.

“What is Master doing? Why hasn’t he come out yet?”

Yun Man grew anxious. How could he still be meditating at a time like this?

“Man’er, let’s go quickly, or we truly won’t have enough time.”

Ling Ruoxue grabbed Yun Man, urging her to leave.

“I’m not leaving. I want to wait for Master.”

Yun Man refused to budge.

“Don’t forget, Qin Xiao’s flight speed is exceptional. We can wait for him at the entrance. If he emerges at the very end and is held up because your speed lags behind, it will only cause trouble.”

Thinking it through, Ling Ruoxue figured her best bet was to coax Yun Man to the entrance first, dragging her out by force if necessary.

“Elder Sister is right. If Master flies at full speed, he’s much faster than us. I mustn’t hold him back.”

Yun Man considered it. At full speed, Master really could fly much faster than they could on swords. Sword flight depended on Spiritual Qi and the quality of the sword; Master had neither limitation.

Everyone left, while Qin Xiao, still inside the formation, knew nothing of their departure.

If Qin Xiao failed to emerge before the secret realm closed, he risked being trapped inside.