Cosmic Demon

Chapter 255 The Branded Warrior Unlocks the Fifth Limit!
The battle ended so quickly that it surprised everyone present.

The short-haired woman and the watermelon-headed man stared blankly at Pompeii, who was twisted into a pretzel shape, their mouths agape in shock and amazement.

Accompanied by a series of cracking sounds, the blood of the high-ranking relative gushed out like a wrung-out towel, soaking the scorched earth.

Its powerful vitality at the professional level prevented it from dying immediately.

"Ho ho..."

Pompeii gasped for breath, his eyes filled with shock and disbelief.

It didn't understand until the very last moment of its life.

How did Qin Shi transcend the level of "food" and become a "predator"?
This feeling was extremely shocking and unacceptable.

It's like a turkey that was destined to be a meal, suddenly transforming into a monstrous creature that slaps the diner's head off.

It was so unexpected it was almost absurd!
"Aside from its defensive capabilities, its strength in other aspects is average."

As the victor, Qin Shi gave what he considered to be a fair assessment.

Although the perfect-grade electric shock saber could not break through Pompeii's solid body surface, the old martial arts school specializes in internal force, using strength to attack strength and breaking through the surface with a point, which is a specialty of theirs.

Even the toughest skin, like black armor, cannot hide the fragility of the internal organs and tissues.

"Being able to block nearly four hundred basic attacks with your bare hands is something to be proud of."

Qin Shi gently brushed his hand away, as if dusting off a speck of dust.

The demonic body below the neck exploded with a "bang," like a fine piece of porcelain struck by a giant hammer!

The flesh and blood collapsed and disintegrated, like powder, scattered and blown away by the scorching airflow!
hum!
The perfect core of the field suddenly trembled, as if a giant net for catching whales had tightened, seizing some extraordinary substance from the dead Pompeii.

After throwing hundreds of punches and expending considerable physical energy, Qin Shi couldn't help but squint his eyes.

In the internal vision state, the mortal body and bones are like a magnificent palace, with each snow-white bone acting as a pillar, supporting the flawless and plump flesh.

"Hey, I leveled up again?"

Qin Shi wondered if he had crossed the threshold of the fifth major limit simply by defeating an opponent like Pombel.
Breakthrough is far too easy.

Before he could figure out the reason, lines of text appeared on the monument panel.

You have gained new material.

[Super Digestive]

[Is it integrated? 】

"I never knew the Perfect Core could be used like this. Turning the loser's 'characteristics' into our own? It wasn't for nothing that I put in so much effort and spent months developing it."

Qin Shi paused for a moment, slowly processing the information.

After reaching the professional level, his perception of himself and the outside world has been enhanced to an extremely terrifying degree.

It can even control cell division and energy conversion, enabling extremely precise interference operations.

Therefore, when Pombel was shattered by the force, Qin Shi clearly sensed that at the moment of the opponent's complete death, a dark ray of light clung to himself.

He raised his hand and saw that there were indeed markings similar to scales on his palm.

"The 'curse' of the Spider-Man race."

As Qin Shi stepped out of the battlefield, the short-haired woman also noticed him, and her expression changed slightly as she said:
"High-ranking relatives, especially those of demonic lineage with high blood levels, can release an indelible 'brand'."

The mere presence of the 'despicable killer' that slayed them within the nest's perimeter will trigger a sense of kinship.

So you were marking me?
Qin Shi didn't pay much attention. One of the great advantages of condensing a perfect core is that its inherent characteristics can create a fusion effect with other specialized fields.

If he wished, he could instantly integrate Pompeii's selfless contribution of "super digestion" into his own body, turning it into nourishment.

"Keep it first."

Qin Shi raised his eyelids, his gaze calm. He didn't mind being a "branded warrior" for once, and was even quite looking forward to it, as the human-faced spiders kept sending out vengeful armies to besiege him.

This is a generous gesture, and we warmly welcome it!
After all, besides being a new recruit in the Yellow Springs Training Camp who needs to complete exploration missions, he is also a contestant in the Star Cup Junior Group.

Defeating your subordinate creatures will also accumulate points!
Although it is not as effective as participating in large-scale battles and influencing the course of the war.

However, Qin Shi never had unrealistic ambitions; he always adhered to the principle that even the smallest mosquito is still meat.

Catching up with Yu Li, who is ranked first, will not be easy; a few encounters with strong opponents are far from enough.

"Eat your food one bite at a time and walk your journey one step at a time."

Qin Shi shrugged. "In the early stages, just getting the qualification to access the ancient heavenly road is enough."

Unless they are dominant demon kings like Qi Wuxiang, most of the players in the Star Cup follow a development path of accumulating strength before unleashing their full potential.

Having defeated Pompeii, who had willingly offered himself up, Qin Shi dispelled the third-stage amplification effect and looked at the man in the high robe:
"How much supply do we have left? Take out one-third of the energy fluid."

Gao Pao, being honest and obedient, took eight cans from his tactical backpack and handed them to Qin Shi.

Even if he's slow to realize, he should understand that this Brother Qin is definitely not some amateur rookie.

He single-handedly wiped out the Void Beast horde at the substation, then wielded his sword to clash with the high-ranking familiar, the Spider-Man, twisting it into a pretzel.

This incredible and astonishing performance completely convinced Gao Pao.

Even if Qin Shi told him that he was actually a retired elite soldier who was carrying out a secret mission and was infiltrating the Yellow Springs Training Camp.

Even those in high robes are willing to believe it!

"In a little while, the lower-ranking servants of the Spider-Man, as well as other creatures driven by the Black Moon Tide, should surround us."

Qin Shi gradually adapted to being a squad commander, and after careful analysis, he issued orders:
"You two are responsible for clearing them out. Xiao Gao can come along and provide assistance. Xiao Zhao, stay here and set up a perimeter."

The short-haired woman didn't say much. She put on her watermelon head and brandished her twin swords, charging towards the thick black tide that was pushing towards the distant horizon.

"I destroyed the flesh and blood of that high-ranking member of the human-faced spider, but there should be some limbs left on the battlefield that can be collected as samples."

Qin Shi also instructed Zhao Su that cleaning up the battlefield was an important task, and the Huangquan Camp had given special training in this area.

In fact, this is the main task of the new recruits in the three training camps.

A few months is far from enough time to train rookies into qualified combat units.

"Okay! Success!"

Zhao Su answered without hesitation, his accent slightly tinged with his native tongue.

After spending time together, Qin Shi had figured out the "background" of most of the members of the Yellow Springs Training Camp.

Gao Pao was probably the same person as Cheng Ze from the old factory street, if it weren't for the vigorous and fervent development movement.

He might operate in a gray area, doing dangerous work that puts him in a life-threatening situation.

Zhao Su's situation is relatively complicated. He is not a native of Hengzhou, but according to the standards of the imperial capital Haizhou, he is considered a "new immigrant".

Of course, Hengzhou itself is a marginal planet that suffers from discrimination, so it's not worth taking this so seriously.

In summary, the overall quality of the new recruits at the Yellow Springs Training Camp is about the same as that of the elite class at the new No. 1 Middle School.

Qin Shi realized the cruelty of war itself. To be fair, even if they completed all the training and graduated from Huangquan, how many of these people would be able to live until the end of the Great Expansion?
He suppressed the distracting thoughts that were rising in his mind and gradually realized how many stories of joy and sorrow were hidden behind Lao Liang's weathered face.

When the mind operates, random emotions are eliminated, and the mortal body merges with consciousness.

Every major battle presents an opportunity for breakthrough.

This is a unique upgrade path for the old martial arts school.

Compared to the "theory-driven framework" of the new martial arts school, the old martial arts school is indeed more ancient and traditional to some extent.

They emphasize "sublimation and breaking limits".

We must use every means to break free from and shatter the shackles imposed upon our mortal bodies.

Even if the process may involve harming the human body and disregarding human life, "the fifth limit is within reach."

Qin Shi quickly adjusted his state of mind; it would take an ordinary person a great deal of mental energy to recover from a fierce battle.

However, Qin Shi, who was in the Holy Embryo stage, could easily enter into meditation. His spirit resided in the inner landscape, making his sea of ​​consciousness spotless, and the flow of distracting thoughts, emotions, and even ideas was orderly.

"Just what level is Brother Qin?"

After Zhao Su finished searching, he carefully cleaned up the battlefield.

He subconsciously kept a distance of about 100 meters from Qin Shi, as if that was the only way he could feel safe.

From his perspective, Qin Shi resembled a lifelike statue, with no chest rise and fall and no sound of breathing.

The once vibrant and energetic life force seemed to have gone dormant, making one wonder if Qin Shi was still alive.

"A professional-level instructor... could he be even stronger than the instructors in the Underworld?"

Zhao Su scratched his head. Imagination is the best filter, and he was beginning to believe the conjectures that Gao Pao usually whispered about.

What, Brother Qin is the illegitimate son of a powerful family in the central city, forced by his father and brothers to come to the front lines...?

call!
After activating his cultivation mode and frantically absorbing energy factors, Qin Shi finally brought himself to his optimal state.

The first thing to be driven was "The Art of War".

The Yellow Springs Training Camp took black medicine and received the attention of the [Celestial Beings], resulting in a series of achievements.

Make the progress of "The Art of War" rapid!
We've reached nearly five hundred floors!
The torso and limbs of the Qin Dynasty resembled a giant vortex formed by radiance, containing numerous bright nodes.

Densely packed, like stars!
Especially as Qin Shi's life force purity broke through the third dimension and reached the crystalline stage.

Whenever the "Art of War" was activated, Qin Shi's mortal body would rise like a small sun, dazzlingly bright.

This caused Zhao Su to retreat several dozen meters again.

He watched as thick streams of energy converged and spread out into an ocean.

The surging light, like a rising tide, enveloped Brother Qin.

Zhao Su couldn't help but murmur:

"I've never seen anything like this before."

During the Qin Dynasty, he was so engrossed in his work that he blurred the lines between the external world and his own mind.

He said with emotion:

"I've never enjoyed cultivation so much."

Once the "Art of War" was fully activated, the other inheritances were also activated in turn, making Qin Shi's mortal body like a bottomless pit that could never be filled.

When this terrifying cultivation lasted for forty minutes, Zhao Su inexplicably felt that the black moon above his head seemed to have dimmed slightly, as if its light had been obscured by dark clouds.

Rumbling--

An hour later, Qin Shi completed the first round of training.

The perfect field he created was firmly supported by four pillars: the Art of War, the Method of Void Meditation, the Secret Manual of the Universe's Furnace, and the Hundred Aspects of Refining Power.

To ensure the continued growth of the field, the four pillars must be balanced.

"The price of having numerical values ​​is several times more training than at the same stage."

Qin Shi let out a long breath. Such an ordinary action triggered a violent shock. His pores opened, his muscles and skin tightly bound together, expelling the impurities that had been tempering his body.

The ground, like a shaking blanket, suddenly bounced upwards and then surged!
Centered on Qin Shi, billowing smoke and dust spread outwards, obscuring the tall and upright young man, leaving only a blurry outline.

"This is a contaminated area, Captain. Isn't it a problem that the boss is cultivating so recklessly?"

The short-haired woman and the watermelon-headed man who had been cleaning up the surrounding servants returned and saw Qin Shi in the distance, who resembled the eye of a typhoon swallowing up a tide of energy.

"Maybe."

The short-haired woman hesitated when asked a question by the man with the watermelon-shaped head.

The reason why the polluted zone was formed is because the depth of the Netherworld increased, like a continent that had sunk to the bottom of the sea being lifted up and collided violently with the material world.

When fissures are created and energy seeps in, they can easily "pollute and alienate" living species.

The existence of numerous chaotic demons in the Netherworld allows their power to easily distort and enslave those below them, causing them to become distorted and submit.

Although the wilderness environment is suitable for cultivation, many professional cultivators prefer to stay in the city for this reason.

"I've heard that the standard for judging whether a tradition is strong is its conversion rate."

External energy is always full of impurities, much like refining ore. SSS-level martial arts can achieve nearly 80% efficiency.

The short-haired woman speculated that the young boss probably possessed an SSS-level martial art.

……

……

"The fifth major limit has been reached; the membrane has been opened."

Qin Shi remained calm. It was as if a valve had been opened in his body, and his already viscous and thick blood, as heavy as mercury, faintly shimmered with a white-gold hue.

His entire body was like a giant steel furnace releasing terrifying heat, distorting the air. His arms, thighs, chest, back... his muscles swelled and undulated like earthworms crawling all over them.

Blood boils, a sublimation and transformation occur, the mortal body is so hot it feels like it's about to melt!
In that instant, Qin Shi felt himself "growing".

The membranes that envelop cells, the tissue membranes of human organs, and even the more special structural membranes... they are like saplings basking in the sunlight, growing strong and rapidly undergoing reorganization and transformation.

Between the blood vessels and muscles, a "large net" covering the entire body appears.

It was as if seawater was flowing back into Qin Shi's mortal body, and the energy tide that entered immediately "filtered out" a large number of impurities.

With each breath, the pores open and close, and everything is sprayed out.

This also increased cultivation efficiency by another 10%, reaching a terrifying 95%.

"Not enough, not enough!"

Unsatisfied with having reached the fifth major limit, Qin Shi embarked on a third round of cultivation.

……

……

Suddenly, a commotion erupted in the administrative building where the Spider-Man clan was holding a nest hatching ceremony.

"Herus has failed!"

"Swar has failed too!"

"Even Debbie didn't succeed..."

The high priest, prostrate on the ground like a serpent, received these messages and was filled with shock and anger:
"Why is this happening! The night of the Black Moon, the energy tide—it should be the optimal time to enter the nest and complete the hatching!"

Filled with resentment, it actively projected its spirit, linking with that enormous golden vertical pupil.

Under the sweeping mental storm, the high priest trembled all over, blood flowing from his mouth and nose, and received his final answer.

But it was still very confused, as if it didn't know where the problem was.

"The intensity of the energy tide decreased on the night of the Black Moon? What does that mean?"

The high priest strained to look up at the dark moon, whose radiance had indeed dimmed considerably.

It couldn't understand where the immense energy that should have allowed the nest to hatch had gone.
Is there anyone else who can steal the power of the Black Moon from the Netherworld?

(End of this chapter)