The Heavens: Man Covers the Heavens, Refines Treasures to Become an Emperor

"Too weak!"

Jiang Xuan was thrown heavily to the ground, and a sharp pain shot through his back.

He quickly rolled away to avoid the stomping of the fire demon, while his spiritual energy circulated rapidly within his body.

"Body Refinement Power - Unleash!"

Jiang Xuan's muscles swelled instantly, and his veins bulged.

He stopped dodging and chose to confront the Fire Barbarians head-on!
"boom!"

The two fists collided, and a shockwave exploded outwards.

Jiang Xuan took three steps back, and Huo Man also swayed, somewhat surprised.

"Interesting people"

Huo Man licked his lips.

"But that's not enough!"

The flame totem in the center of Huo Man's chest suddenly lit up, transforming into a substantial flame that covered his entire body, forming a totem fire armor at his heart.

Is this the innate ability of the Wuman tribe?
The battle entered a fierce stage.

The Fire Barbarian possessed astonishing power, each strike carrying a scorching wave of energy. However, Jiang Xuan quickly discovered that the opponent's combat skills were quite rudimentary, relying entirely on instinct and brute force.

"Chance!"

After dodging, Jiang Xuan seized the moment when Huo Man withdrew his fist, gathered his spiritual power in his right fist, and slammed it into the fire armor on the opponent's chest.

"Crack!"

Cracks appeared in the totem fire armor, and the fire barbarian's expression changed drastically.

Jiang Xuan pressed his advantage, delivering three consecutive punches to the same spot, finally shattering the fire armor completely!

"impossible!"

Huo Man stared in horror at the shattered breastplate, his face showing disbelief.

Jiang Xuan gave him no chance to catch his breath, sweeping a whip kick towards the Fire Barbarian's neck. Without the protection of the totem, the Fire Barbarian finally revealed an opening, staggering backward from the blow.

"it's over."

Jiang Xuan whispered, his body close, and the final elbow strike landed heavily on Huo Man's temple.

Huo Man collapsed to the ground, unconscious.

Jiang Xuan, panting heavily, looked at his spoils.

The physique and strength of the Wuman tribe are indeed astonishing; they are natural-born warriors. However, their combat techniques are too primitive, which is a fatal weakness.

As Jiang Xuan was about to leave, his gaze was drawn to the totem patterns remaining on Huo Man's chest.

Even without the support of spiritual power, those patterns still retain a certain mysterious design.

"Is this... a natural barbarian marking?"

Jiang Xuan squatted down and examined it carefully.

The patterns are complex and mysterious, seemingly containing some profound truth of the universe.

Jiang Xuan suddenly realized that this might have something in common with spirit rune patterns? He had read in ancient books that spirit rune masters studied the patterns of all things and comprehended the way of spirit runes from them.

"Worth studying"

Jiang Xuan took out a dagger from his waist and carefully cut off the skin with totem patterns on the chest of the Fire Barbarian.

He was extremely meticulous throughout the process, afraid of damaging the integrity of the patterns.

"Jiang Xuan! What are you hiding here researching again?"

A clear, crisp female voice came from behind.

Jiang Xuan turned around and saw Xiao Man standing at the warehouse door with her hands on her hips, her almond-shaped eyes wide open.

"Nothing much, just a small find."

Jiang Xuan put away the jade box and dusted himself off.

Xiaoman approached and wrinkled her nose.

"The smell of blood again? You didn't go hunting Fire Barbarians again, did you?"

She suddenly lowered her voice.

"The quarterly assessment is in two months. I heard your opponent is a true powerhouse from the Wuman clan. You can't afford to be careless!"

Jiang Xuan's lips curled up slightly.

"Don't worry, I know what's going on."

There are several ghosts!

Xiaoman rolled her eyes and took out a food box from her bosom.

"Here, I saved this especially for you. Old Mo is busy tinkering with his spirit furnace again, he hasn't even had time to eat."

The food box was opened, and a fragrant aroma filled the air. Braised barbarian beef, spirit rice dumplings, and a small pot of green bamboo wine—this kind of treatment was absolutely unique in the Bloodthirsty Camp.

Thanks.

Jiang Xuan didn't stand on ceremony and grabbed a piece of meat to gnaw on. The meat was tender and melted in his mouth, clearly cooked using a special method.

Xiaoman couldn't help but laugh as she watched him wolf down his food.

"Eat slowly, no one's going to take it from you."

Her expression suddenly turned serious.

"Honestly, how much progress have you made this past month?"

Jiang Xuan swallowed the food in his mouth, his eyes gleaming.

"The fourth soul star has been lit."

"What?"

Xiaoman's eyes widened.

"It's only been a month! Didn't you say last time it would take at least three months?"

"The effect of the condensation pill is better than expected."

Jiang Xuan spoke casually, without mentioning his extravagant habit of consuming twenty pills every day, which was worth two hundred silver coins, equivalent to half a year's income for an ordinary cultivator.

Just as Xiaoman was about to ask further questions, a loud "boom" suddenly came from deep inside the warehouse, followed by Lao Mo's excited shout.

"It's done! I finally did it! Jiang Xuan, come and see!"

The two walked quickly toward the depths of the warehouse.

Old Mo stood in front of a strangely shaped device, covered in purple-gold and with intricate patterns. It was the modified Zi Ying warship.

"How about it?"

Old Mo smugly wiped the black ash off his face.

"A complete transformation! Power increased by at least 30%!"

Xiaoman chuckled.

"Come on, this was clearly Jiang Xuan's idea; you were just the executor."

Old Mo blushed.

"Ahem. This cooperation, it's a cooperation!"

He turned to Jiang Xuan, rubbing his hands together.

"Want to test its power? I promise it won't get out of control like last time."

Jiang Xuan stepped forward, his fingers lightly tracing the patterns on the surface of the Ziying warship. His soul perception spread out, revealing every detail within a forty-foot radius.

He could clearly feel the flow of spiritual energy inside the device, which was indeed smoother and more efficient than before.

"It's worth a try."

Jiang Xuan nodded.

"But we have to go to the training grounds."

"Very good!"

Old Mo was so excited that he danced around.

"I knew you'd agree! Xiaoman, hurry and prepare the activation stones!"

Xiaoman pouted.

"He's quite adept at ordering people around."

But she still turned around to get the spirit stones, and before leaving, she didn't forget to give Jiang Xuan some instructions.

"Don't let him do anything reckless; he almost blew up the warehouse last time."

After Xiaoman walked away, Lao Mo leaned closer to Jiang Xuan and whispered.

"Honestly, your talent in spirit runes is terrifying. Even the camp's chief spirit rune master couldn't have come up with those improvement suggestions."

Jiang Xuan didn't reply, but instead took out the jade box with barbarian patterns from his pocket.

"Take a look at this for me."

Old Mo opened the jade box, and his eyes widened in surprise.

"This...this is the totem pattern of the Fire Barbarian royal family? Where did you get it?"

"Obtained by chance."

Jiang Xuan downplayed it.

"Can you figure out what's going on?"

Old Mo carefully held the jade box, squinting his eyes to examine it closely.

"The pattern's direction is completely different from regular spirit patterns, but it does contain a certain regularity."

He suddenly gasped.

"Wait a minute, why does this pattern look a bit like a variant of the core formation of the Ziying warship?"

A glint flashed in Jiang Xuan's eyes.

“It is so.”

"What? It's true?"

Old Mo looked completely bewildered.

Jiang Xuan put away the jade box.

"It's nothing. Let's go test the Ziying warship."

One month later, inside the Tongtian Secret Realm. Jiang Xuan stood amidst the surging waves of spiritual energy, his muscles taut.

The impact of the ocean currents and waves was even stronger than before, but he remained as steady as a rock, taking step by step toward the summit.

"Only fifteen zhang away"

Sweat slid down his cheeks, only to be evaporated by the violent spiritual energy before it even hit the ground.

Jiang Xuan could feel the four major spiritual energy vortexes within his body operating wildly, absorbing and transforming all the incoming spiritual energy.

At the four acupoints of the heart meridian, four miniature vortexes are devouring the spiritual energy from the outside world.

This was a talent that Jiang Xuan discovered a month ago. Ordinary cultivators only have one spiritual energy node in their heart meridian, but he actually has four!
Being exceptionally gifted also means needing more resources.
Jiang Xuan gritted his teeth and took another step forward.

His bones creaked under the strain, but he seemed oblivious.

With his soul perception extended to its limit, every flow of spiritual energy within a forty-foot radius was clearly discernible.

"This time, we must reach the summit!"

Meanwhile, the students watching from the sidelines in the secret realm were discussing it animatedly.

"That kid's improved again! He was only halfway up the mountain last month, wasn't he?"

"To have such a performance at the seventh level of True Martial Realm is simply monstrous."

"I heard he consumes twenty Cold-Resistance Pills every day; no wonder he's progressing so quickly."

"Hmph, it's just a result of piling up resources."

The speaker was a tall student with the cultivation level of True Martial Ninth Level, but he was behind Jiang Xuan on the points leaderboard.

He stared at the tenacious figure striving upwards in the secret realm, his expression gloomy.

Ning Meng stood on the other side of the crowd and couldn't help but frown when he heard these words.

"Resources are also a part of strength. If you have the ability, you can strive for them yourselves."

"Ningmeng, you're really protecting him."

Qi Can sneered.

"Don't forget, you can't pass the quarterly assessment with just elixirs."

Inside the secret realm, Jiang Xuan had already climbed above the mountainside. His movements didn't stop, as if he were tireless. Sweat slid down his forehead, but it was evaporated into mist in mid-air by the spiritual energy rising from his body.

"Judging from his spiritual energy circulation, it's much smoother than last month."

Appreciation flashed in Ning Meng's eyes.

"Pretending to be something they're not."

Qi Can turned and left disdainfully.

"When he comes out, I want to see what he's improved."

More than ten days later, in the cultivation room.

Jiang Xuan sat cross-legged on the stone bed, his body surging with spiritual energy.

The spiritual energy within his body had reached a critical point, with the spiritual energy flowing through his meridians like a river, and each cycle making his aura more solid.

“Now!”

He suddenly opened his eyes, and his spiritual power erupted, a powerful aura sweeping across the entire cultivation room. His spiritual power completed a perfect Great Circulation within his body, then broke through its shackles, reaching a completely new realm.

"True Martial Realm, Eighth Level!"

Jiang Xuan clenched his fist, feeling the surging power within his body.

His spiritual power underwent a qualitative change, becoming more condensed and profound.

Stepping out of the training room, Jiang Xuan noticed that many students were gathered around the fighting arena.

Upon his appearance, the murmurs subsided considerably, but all eyes became more focused on him.

"Jiang Xuan, I heard you've broken through to a higher level?"

Ning Meng strode over, a sincere smile on his face.

Jiang Xuan nodded.

"Just broke through to the eighth level."

"Perfect timing, Wen Mingxiu was just saying she wanted to spar with you."

Ning Meng lowered his voice.

"Be careful, she recently mastered the Jade-Severing Finger of Azure Flame."

Jiang Xuan's eyes were filled with fighting spirit.

“I couldn’t ask for more.”

In the center of the fighting arena, Wen Mingxiu had been waiting for a long time.

She was dressed in white, and faint emerald flames flickered at her fingertips.

"Jiang Xuan, do you dare to come up and have a match?"

Her voice was clear and crisp, yet it carried a distinct provocation.

On the sidelines, Qi Can, Mu Lengxin, and others stood together, their faces showing expressions of anticipation for a good show.

Ning Meng stood on the other side.

Jiang Xuan didn't say anything and leaped into the fighting arena.

Please advise.

"I heard you've broken through to the eighth level?"

Wen Mingxiu looked Jiang Xuan up and down.

"Let me see if it lives up to its name."

Before she finished speaking, she suddenly lunged forward, her right index and middle fingers joined together, the tips of her fingers blazing with emerald flames, aiming straight for Jiang Xuan's chest.

"Azure flames sever jade fingers!"

Someone on the sidelines exclaimed in surprise.

This finger strike was as fast as lightning; the emerald flames drew a graceful arc in the air, distorting the air wherever they passed.

Wen Mingxiu's eyes were filled with pride. This was her family's secret technique, which, once it struck, was enough to shatter gold and jade.

Jiang Xuan's spiritual energy instantly surged.

He clenched his right fist, and a blood-red aura emanated from the knuckles.

"A bloody battle on all sides!"

With a single punch, the crimson fist shadow surged forth like a raging torrent, meeting the emerald flames with overwhelming force.

"What?!"

Wen Mingxiu's pupils contracted sharply; she hadn't expected Jiang Xuan's counterattack to be so fierce.

The two forces collided, and the azure flames were instantly engulfed by the crimson light, but the remaining force did not diminish and slammed heavily into her.

"boom!"

Wen Mingxiu was sent flying backwards like a kite with a broken string. After landing, she staggered back more than ten steps before barely managing to stand, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth.

She looked up at Jiang Xuan in disbelief.

"That's impossible."

There was silence.

Everyone was shocked by this scene.

Wen Mingxiu was at the ninth level of the True Martial Realm and had even used his ancestral secret technique, yet he was still knocked back by Jiang Xuan with a single punch!

"What powerful punches!"

Ning Meng couldn't help but exclaim in admiration.

Qi Can's face was ashen, his fists clenched so tightly they cracked. Mu Lengxin's face was pale, clearly frightened by the strength Jiang Xuan had displayed.

"Thank you for the concession."

Jiang Xuan withdrew his fist and stood still, his breathing steady, as if the attack just now had not consumed much strength.

Wen Mingxiu wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth, her eyes filled with both resentment and horror.

"How can your spiritual power be so strong?"

Jiang Xuan did not answer, but simply nodded and turned to leave the fighting arena.

This battle has already proven its strength, so there's no need to say more.

At the sidelines, the trainees automatically made way for Jiang Xuan, and their gazes toward him were completely different now.

Those who once looked down on him now only felt shock and fear in their eyes.

"The quality of his spiritual energy doesn't seem like that of someone who has just broken through to the eighth level."

One of the students said in a low voice.

"Blood Battle Across the Ten Directions... this martial skill is at least mid-level Xuan rank, right?"

Another student guessed.

Ning Meng caught up with Jiang Xuan and patted him on the shoulder.

"Well done! Now let's see who dares to look down on you."

Jiang Xuan smiled.

"This is just the beginning."

In the distance, Qi Can stared at Jiang Xuan's back, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.

"During the quarterly performance review, I will show him what true ability is."

"Senior Brother Qi, his progress is too fast!"

Mu Lengxin said with deep concern.

“What are you afraid of?”

Qi Can snorted coldly.

"Only the eighth level, still quite a distance from the ninth. Moreover, we still have trump cards up our sleeves."

At the entrance of the fighting arena, Xiao Ke stood there, looking in the direction Jiang Xuan had left, her eyes glazed over.

She had originally thought it would take Jiang Xuan at least six months to make such progress, but she never expected him to achieve it in just a few months.
"His potential probably far exceeds our imagination."

Xiao Ke muttered to herself. (End of Chapter)