Chapter 234: Chapter 232: Grandmaster Realm

If even the Blood Pattern Ant King was affected, let alone the other Blood Pattern Ants.

They were all trembling, prostrated on the ground, not daring to move a muscle.

Whether it was the Seven-colored Spiritual Power or the aura emanating from the scrap of Desolate Celestial Beast Hide, both had an immense suppressive effect on the Blood Pattern Ant King.

But Jiang Jichen knew... ’This is only temporary!’

A powerful being like the Blood Pattern Ant King had long since gained sentience.

It would soon break free from this suppression.

Of course, Jiang Jichen only dared to use his Seven-colored Spiritual Power because he was alone and inside the Treasure Tower Space of the Exquisite Treasure Tower.

The aura of his Seven-colored Spiritual Power wouldn’t spread outside the Treasure Tower!

But even with his Seven-colored Spiritual Power, he couldn’t withstand a single blow from the Blood Pattern Ant King.

So, in the brief moment that the Blood Pattern Ant King and all the Blood Pattern Ants were suppressed, he burst into action.

"Blood Burning Secret Technique!"

"Violent Spirit Skill!"

"Void Shadowless!"

In that instant, Jiang Jichen unleashed the fastest speed he could possibly muster at his current realm.

Blood Burning Power gave him an endless supply of Seven-colored Spiritual Power.

Violent Spirit Skill increased the speed at which he released Spiritual Power tenfold.

This allowed him to unleash the Void Shadowless Technique at an even more terrifying speed.

With the added boost from his Seven-colored Spiritual Power, Jiang Jichen was now moving more than thirty times faster than normal.

Even many cultivators above the Foundation Establishment Realm could not necessarily match this speed.

He moved like a gust of wind, like a flash of lightning. An afterimage hung in the air, but he was already long gone.

By the time the Blood Pattern Ant King reacted, it only saw a distant afterimage at the edge of the forest. Jiang Jichen’s aura had completely vanished.

"SCREEECH!"

Realizing it had been tricked by that insignificant human, the Blood Pattern Ant King let out a furious shriek. It flapped its wings and gave chase with overwhelming power, turning ancient trees to dust and flattening hills in its wake.

Simultaneously, all the other Blood Pattern Ants sprang into action.

SKITTER SKITTER...

Like a swarm of locusts passing through, they formed a crimson torrent, surging in the direction Jiang Jichen had vanished.

But it was too late. Jiang Jichen’s skill at escaping was unparalleled.

Once he was given an opening, it was impossible to find him again.

For example, he had now turned into what seemed to be a corpse, completely devoid of aura, hidden deep beneath the soil.

Just like... a dead branch buried in the earth!

In a forest littered with falling leaves and dead branches, who would pay any mind to a single one buried in the earth?

Only after all the Blood Pattern Ants were long gone did Jiang Jichen burst out from beneath the forest soil.

His aura went from non-existent to vibrant and full of life.

But in the next moment, his face turned deathly pale. His body began to tremble violently from within, and he could almost hear the sound of his own blood vessels bursting.

"SPURT!"

After Jiang Jichen spat out a few mouthfuls of blood, he finally felt some relief, but he had also plummeted from his previous state of immense power into extreme weakness.

The aftereffects of the Blood Burning Secret Technique and the Violent Spirit Skill had finally kicked in.

Furthermore, his earlier transition from a state of supreme power to one of deathly stillness was, in itself, an act of immense self-injury.

But during that short time, Jiang Jichen had been forced to suppress all of his injuries.

It wasn’t until this moment that the full extent of those injuries erupted.

Although his escape had lasted merely a hundred breaths, it had completely exhausted Jiang Jichen’s reserves of Seven-colored Spiritual Power, forcing him to unleash every last bit of potential his current realm had to offer.

His injuries were more severe than they had ever been!

Even with the Undying Scripture and his incredibly tenacious Life Force, he would be in mortal danger if he didn’t treat his wounds immediately.

He should have stopped to heal, but Jiang Jichen didn’t dare to linger for even a second. Gritting his teeth, he dragged his weakened body away, relying on his unparalleled willpower to escape.

Of course, this desperate struggle to escape only worsened Jiang Jichen’s injuries.

Jiang Jichen could even feel his Blood Qi drying up and his strength being completely depleted. He was truly nearing the end of his life.

Finally, two double-hours later, after a journey fraught with tension but no major incidents, Jiang Jichen found a hidden, small lake in a mountain ravine.

Tucked away beside the mountain stream was a hidden stone cave. The stream itself ended in a Spirit Lake shrouded in mist.

It was surrounded by mountains on three sides, a picturesque scene of lake and peaks, beautiful beyond description.

From the stone cave by the ravine, one had a perfect view of the entire Spirit Lake. It was an ideal spot for secluded cultivation.

But with his grievous injuries, Jiang Jichen was in no mood to appreciate the scenery. He dove straight into the stone cave.

The stone cave was empty and a little damp, but thankfully, the floor was flat. It was about the size of a small room.

Once inside the cave, Jiang Jichen immediately sat down cross-legged and took out the Celestial Blood Grass!

He plucked a blood-red leaf and tossed it into his mouth.

"BOOM!"

His body shook as a vast torrent of Blood Qi Spiritual Power began to circulate within him.

Jiang Jichen immediately circulated the Undying Scripture and the Ancient Source Character Scripture, refining the Blood Qi Spiritual Power at the fastest possible speed.

The Celestial Blood Grass had countless wondrous uses, including replenishing Blood Qi and repairing the physical body.

Furthermore, the Celestial Blood Grass contained Celestial Human Essence Blood and vast amounts of Sun and Moon Essence, making it astonishingly effective for cultivation.

Soon, Jiang Jichen was completely immersed in refining the Celestial Blood Grass.

He became lost to the world, forgetting the passage of time. Roughly five double-hours later, Jiang Jichen opened his eyes.

His entire body was now surging with Blood Qi and roiling with Spiritual Power. A sensation of incredible strength spread through him.

The effects of the Celestial Blood Grass were truly heaven-defyingly potent.

In just five double-hours, Jiang Jichen had not only made a full recovery but had also unknowingly broken through to... the Grandmaster Realm of Innate Ten Great Perfection!

’Whew... a life-and-death struggle really is the fastest way to raise one’s cultivation. But more importantly, you need a supreme Spirit Medicine to back it up. Looks like this gamble with my life paid off!’

After a moment of delight, Jiang Jichen immediately turned his attention to his current situation.

The teleportation to the second level of the Exquisite Treasure Tower had been completely random, scattering everyone to different locations.

Jiang Jichen was deeply worried about Tang Ni, Hua Xiaoling, and Yee Youmeng. The second level of the Exquisite Treasure Tower was far too dangerous, home to vicious beasts above the Foundation Establishment Realm. If they were as unlucky as he had been to encounter one, he feared they wouldn’t even get a chance to escape.

Beyond the inherent dangers of the Treasure Tower Space, there was also the threat from cultivators of the various Noble Families and Sects.

He knew that the four of them were now public enemies. They would be attacked by anyone they encountered.

Therefore, he urgently needed to find them.

With that, Jiang Jichen didn’t linger another moment. He rose to his feet and walked out of the stone cave.

Just as he stepped out of the cave, Jiang Jichen froze as if struck by lightning. His gaze was locked on the Spirit Lake below.

What was it that he saw?

Under the enchanting moonlight, a beautiful woman was swimming in the Spirit Lake.

Who... was bathing under the moon?