Cultivation Starts from Farming Chapter 987 - 425: Spirit Worm Breakthrough; Vitality Breakthrough_3

Seeing Ma Jin’s hesitation and internal turmoil, True Monarch Xuanmo’s patience wore thin. With a sneer, he declared, "Ma Jin, to be blunt, I am already affiliated with the Star Palace!"

"The Star Palace stands supreme over the Inner Sea and the continent, harboring ambitions for global dominion. Subduing these Outer Lands and eradicating the ungrateful Demon Races is our preordained strategy and an unavoidable destiny."

"If you submit now, it is not too late, and you may even accrue some merit by following our lead. When the Star Palace sweeps across the outer seas, this vast ocean will undoubtedly have a place for your Hundred Cloud Hall."

"Should you persist in your defiance... hmph, today marks the beginning of your Hundred Cloud Hall’s annihilation!"

The dual burdens of impending death and the survival of his sect pressed down upon Ma Jin’s heart like colossal mountains, causing his expression to shift dramatically as he grappled with an inner conflict.

Pride versus survival, the sect’s legacy against personal ignominy—these thoughts warred fiercely within him.

Observing this internal struggle, True Monarch Xuanmo’s eyes glinted with a murderous intent. He prepared to unleash the claw-shaped Heaven-Reaching Spiritual Treasure in his grasp, stating coldly:

"My patience has its limits. You have three breaths to decide: life or oblivion, make your choice!"

Sensing the fatal danger aimed directly at his Divine Soul, and enduring the frigid gazes of the two Star Palace cultivators flanking him, Ma Jin ultimately felt all his strength drain away.

With a prolonged, sorrowful sigh, he closed his eyes and uttered with profound bitterness, "I... agree."

Confronted by an insurmountable chasm in power and the stark choice between existence and annihilation, this Elder of the Late-Stage Nascent Soul realm, who had long commanded the respect of the Outer Sea, finally bowed his head.

...

Two months later.

In the depths of an underground cavern on Blood Bone Island.

In stark contrast to the turbulent undercurrents affecting Hundred Cloud Hall, this sanctuary remained exceptionally peaceful.

Xu Ping stood with his hands clasped behind his back, facing the Dragon Blood Fruit tree.

After years of careful cultivation, two crimson fruits, each the size of a fist, now adorned the treetop, radiating an immense and awe-inspiring aura.

The Dragon Blood Fruits had reached full maturity.

"They have finally ripened once more."

Xu Ping gazed upon the two Dragon Blood Fruits, a genuine smile gracing the corners of his lips.

The bottleneck in his own cultivation was merely half a step away from the threshold of the Fourth Rank Upper Grade.

These two Dragon Blood Fruits were indispensable to his impending breakthrough.

Xu Ping carefully harvested the two Dragon Blood Fruits, employing a Secret Technique to sustain the vitality of the Dragon Blood Fruit tree, thereby ensuring its continued growth.

Having completed these tasks, he swiftly returned to his secret chamber.

Seated cross-legged upon the cool stone slab, Xu Ping regulated his breathing, elevating his mental and physical state to its zenith.

Without a moment’s hesitation, Xu Ping consumed both Dragon Blood Fruits concurrently.

The fruits dissolved within his mouth, instantly transforming into two torrents of lava-like liquid that surged through his entire being.

An unimaginable, colossal wave of energy erupted within him, violently coursing through his meridians, flesh, and bones.

Xu Ping’s countenance immediately turned flushed, and veins visibly bulged across his skin’s surface.

Yet, his gaze remained piercingly calm, his mind meticulously focused, expertly guiding this tempestuous energy along established meridian pathways, progressively refining, absorbing, and integrating it into his own burgeoning energy source.

Time flowed by in silent, dedicated cultivation.

Xu Ping’s physique functioned as a colossal furnace, relentlessly assimilating and refining the potent energy derived from the Dragon Blood Fruits.

The energy fluctuations emanating from him intensified noticeably, a reddish glow appearing to pulse beneath his skin, exuding an aura reminiscent of a primeval beast.

An entire two months elapsed.

On this particular day.

It felt as though a silent detonation occurred deep within Xu Ping, as his energy finally shattered an invisible barrier, ascending to a new echelon of power.

"Boom!"

An energetic pressure, many times more formidable than before, involuntarily radiated outwards from his person, causing the restriction glyphs on the chamber walls to ripple erratically.

He opened his eyes, a fleeting crimson flash igniting in his pupils before rapidly receding.

Soon thereafter, the surging energy retreated back into his body, concealing itself deep within.

Nevertheless, Xu Ping’s lips curved into a broad, triumphant smile, "I have finally achieved my breakthrough!"

He meticulously assessed the surging power now contained within him. His energy’s might far surpassed its previous level; he dared to surmise that with his physical prowess alone, he could contend with the Spirit Treasures wielded by ordinary Mid-Stage Nascent Soul cultivators.

But that was merely a secondary benefit.

The paramount achievement was that, with the advancement of his energy, he could now perfectly command the formidable army formation comprised of ten Tier Four Middle-grade Puppets!

"Let us test this out!"

A flicker of exhilaration danced in Xu Ping’s eyes.

With a flick of his sleeve, ten puppets, each possessing the potent aura of a Tier Four Middle-grade artifact, materialized within the chamber in perfect formation.

A mere thought from Xu Ping sent his power coursing forth, not as a blunt assault, but transforming into countless fine blood threads. These threads seamlessly connected with the control runes embedded at the very core of the ten puppets.

Instantly, the eyes of all ten puppets blazed with a synchronized crimson light. An invisible force field bound them into a cohesive unit—the Puppet Array was complete!

"Buzz!"

A formidable aura of killing intent immediately permeated the chamber. The very air seemed to thicken and solidify, and the restrictive formations on the walls emitted sharp, cracking sounds, as if on the verge of shattering.

"How incredibly effortless!"

Xu Ping meticulously assessed his control over the combined army formation. In his current state, his divine sense and spiritual energy were perfectly harmonized, allowing him to command the ten puppets as if they were extensions of his own limbs, moving with impeccable precision and fluidity.

Furthermore, maintaining the operation of the army formation required minimal effort, freeing him to simultaneously deploy other potent techniques during combat.

Xu Ping then proceeded to evaluate the specific combat capabilities of the puppet array.

With shifts in his thoughts, the army formation would coalesce or disperse, attacking and defending in unison. At times, it transformed into a devastating storm of attacks; at others, it solidified into an unbreachable bastion of defense.

Offensively swift as a lightning strike, defensively as unyielding as a mountain.

After a brief period of testing, Xu Ping felt a clear understanding form within his heart:

"The might of this puppet array is fully on par with a genuine Nascent Soul Perfect stage Cultivator."

"While it might fall slightly short in terms of extreme tactical variations and pure agility, its defensive capacity potentially surpasses that of an ordinary Nascent Soul Perfect Great Cultivator by a small margin!"