As Gu Chen's thoughts moved, five skill points transformed into five years of cultivation. It was as if someone had infused power into him from above, and a great surge of internal energy appeared out of nowhere, merging with his original energy. The combination significantly increased his internal energy compared to before.
Feeling the abundant energy within, Gu Chen did not hesitate. With a single thought, another five points of skill value were converted into cultivation.
In an instant, another great surge of internal energy appeared within him. It was visible on the panel, and his cultivation reached thirty years.
At this point, Gu Chen directed the thirty-year cultivation energy within him to his heart, beginning to slowly refine the residual demonic yin energy.
This process took half an hour to succeed.
The reason it took so long was primarily because Gu Chen's cultivation level was only at the Energy Concealment Realm, not the Meridian Pass-through Realm. His heart meridians were too fragile and could only be addressed gradually.
If he were at the Meridian Pass-through Realm and his heart meridian were clear, he could refine that small trace of yin energy in a moment.
With the yin energy gone, Gu Chen instantly felt a lightness in his body, and the persistent chest pain vanished as well.
With the hidden danger gone, Gu Chen could let loose. Looking at the remaining forty-two skill points on the panel, he had a thought. This time, the skill points instantly decreased by twenty, exchanged for twenty years of cultivation.
Boom!
Gu Chen's whole body shook, and a large amount of internal energy appeared out of nowhere throughout his body. Then, with a squelch, blood splattered all over his body.
This was because, with the power suddenly surging, his flesh and blood couldn't take it. Many capillaries burst open.
Fortunately, Gu Chen retained some rationality and didn't convert all the remaining forty-two skill points into cultivation at once. Otherwise, Gu Chen suspected that the massive surge of internal energy could have directly caused his body to explode.
If this had happened, Gu Chen might have become the first warrior in the history of the Nine Provinces to die due to having too much internal energy.
"Whew—"
Gu Chen let out a long breath, carefully checking himself. He found that besides some torn capillaries, there were no other injuries.
This allowed him to relax his heart at once.
Afterward, he took off his clothes and washed his body, covered in blood and looking quite terrifying.
During this time, Gu Chen was also constantly focusing on controlling and digesting the suddenly increased internal energy in his body. As the internal energy circulated continuously, he felt as though the strength of his flesh seemed to be gradually increasing.
This was because internal energy was derived from the blood and flesh themselves and only self-generates when a martial artist breaks through the limits of the Blood Refining Realm. Thus, the stronger the internal energy, the more the body would be nourished in return, and its strength would increase as well.
After washing, Gu Chen once again immersed his mind into the panel.
Name: Gu Chen
Martial Arts: Iron Body Technique (Complete), Thirteen Grand Protectors' Horizontal Skill (Complete), Red Flame Palm (Minor Achievement), Dragon Tendon Tiger Bone Fist (Initial Understanding)
Internal Skill: Pure Yang Skill
Cultivation: Fifty years
Realm: Late Energy Concealment Realm
Skill Points: 22
"Improving by thirty years of cultivation only reached the late Energy Concealment Realm?"
Gu Chen looked perplexed as he felt the rich internal energy within, comprehending from the original owner's memories. Such internal energy should be described as the Energy Concealment Realm at its peak, so why did the panel only show the late stage?
But the panel could not be incorrect, which meant he could accumulate more power at this level.
Thus, Gu Chen made a conscious decision, refraining from the recklessness of before. He chose to convert only ten skill points.
Swish—
Immediately, with the disappearance of ten skill points, Gu Chen's body manifested another ten years' worth of cultivation energy.
At this moment, Gu Chen's body experienced a feeling of fullness, akin to the sensation of overeating due to the rapid increase of internal energy in a short period, reaching a critical point that required time to be digested.
If he continued forcing an increase, he might experience similar results as before, or even worse.
Thus, Gu Chen dismissed the idea of further enhancing his cultivation.
Now, he turned his attention to martial arts.
In the Nine Provinces, martial arts were different from internal arts, with various phases or realms. Therefore, in distant times, the forerunners of martial arts had divided them into several stages that are still in use today.
These are Initial Understanding, Beginner, Minor Achievement, Major Achievement, and Perfection—a total of five realms.
The skill points on the panel not only enhance cultivation but can also elevate martial arts levels.
Therefore, with a thought from Gu Chen, three skill points promptly disappeared, and on the panel, the Iron Body Technique progressed from Major Achievement to Perfection.
At the instant the Iron Body Technique reached Perfection, Gu Chen immediately felt his skin tighten, and a surge of corresponding martial arts experience infused into his mind.
At this point, his body was shedding its old skin, a phenomenon occurring only when the Iron Body Technique attains complete mastery.
Soon, Gu Chen shed all his old skin, new skin emerged, appearing fair, firm, and glossy. Of course, not only that; having Iron Body Technique at Perfection meant that no matter when, his body surface seemed to be covered with an iron armor that ordinary swords could hardly penetrate.