Chapter 400: Ninth-Rank Little Eunuch

This Fire Flood Dragon Island could suppress the terrifying regenerative abilities that came with gene mutation?

Yang Ling was somewhat stunned, a hint of solemnity creeping into his eyes.

That so-called Fire Flood Dragon Island, could there really be a Fire Flood Dragon on it? A divine beast capable of rivaling the Water Qilin?

Hong Ruohai and the other Ironclad Department agents were also shaken to the core, never having imagined Fire Flood Dragon Island would be so perilous, possessing the ability to suppress the terrifying vitality of even Fourth-Rank Grandmasters.

"So the Rong tribe and we share an unspoken understanding: Fourth-Rank Grandmasters never set foot on that Fire Flood Dragon Island, and neither do Fifth-Rank Lesser Masters."

Xu Wenjun's tone grew heavier:

"If someone gets injured up there, a Fourth-Rank Grandmaster holds no advantage over a Sixth-Rank. If one were to die carelessly, even retrieving ten Fire Spirit Pearls wouldn't be worth the loss."

Yang Ling couldn't agree more. Sacred martial medicines were, after all, just medicines. How could they compare to the value of a Fourth-Rank Grandmaster?

These were strategic national treasures, each one capable of posing a considerable deterrent to enemy states.

"Your only task upon setting foot on Fire Flood Dragon Island this time is to decapitate the Rong tribe's Sixth-Ranks."

Xu Wenjun said thoughtfully:

"Based on past experience, taking out four or five heads is generally enough to secure first place upon return."

"Likewise, the Rong tribe wants to decapitate you just as badly. You need to strike back while keeping yourselves alive."

"As for the rare exotic herbs and flowers on Fire Flood Dragon Island, consider them your reward for setting foot on the island."

Yang Ling thought for a moment, then asked in a low voice:

"Lord Xu, could you let slip what reward our Zhao State plans to give the three first-place winners?"

First place among Lower Sixth-Ranks, first place among Mid Sixth-Ranks, and first place among Upper Sixth-Ranks.

So this Sixth-Rank Top Hundred Battle had three first-place slots up for grabs.

Xu Wenjun: "The Lower Sixth-Rank first-place winner gets at least one Vital Qi Age Defying pill. That's the baseline reward."

"The Mid Sixth-Rank first-place winner gets a Vajra Bodhi."

"The Upper Sixth-Rank first-place winner gets a Water Bodhi seed."

Yang Ling inwardly gasped sharply.

These rewards were no small gesture! They were exceptionally generous, in fact!

All three first-place slots started at Sacred martial medicines!

The Vital Qi Age Defying pill was the least valuable of the bunch.

But the other two...

"I've only ever eaten a defective Vajra Bodhi, and its attributes at the time were..."

Yang Ling recalled the memory.

[Vajra Bodhi (Defective), consuming it grants 500 additional HP, 100 Vital Qi, 1000 points of Internal Technique cultivation, and 5 points of Strength Attribute]

"It boosts HP, Vital Qi, Internal Technique experience, and even Strength Attribute..."

"If a complete Vajra Bodhi does all that, I can only imagine how far its effects would go."

Just then, Xu Wenjun spoke again:

"This Sixth-Rank Top Hundred Battle is different from previous ones. In the past, it was Upper Sixth-Rank against Upper Sixth-Rank, Mid Sixth-Rank against Mid Sixth-Rank."

"This time, on Fire Flood Dragon Island, I suspect their Upper Sixth-Ranks will target you Lower Sixth-Ranks first."

"Our strategy should mirror that as well. Use the higher against the lower, keeping casualties to a minimum."

"So the situation you Lower Sixth-Ranks will face is going to be extremely tough."

Yang Ling felt the same way. No wonder this man had sought his help in looking after Xu Qingnian.

A thought suddenly struck him, and his expression turned odd:

"Since this is a free-for-all rather than same-rank combat, how exactly will first place be determined?"

"Is it possible for one person to take away all three rewards?"

If it were same-rank duels, three first-place winners would inevitably emerge.

But a free-for-all was much harder to calculate.

"The specifics will be decided by those civil officials."

Xu Wenjun said with pointed meaning:

"How much we can get is determined by them.

Besides, the Sixth-Ranks heading to this Top Hundred Battle are no pushovers.

There's no way anyone could possibly sweep all three rewards."

Yang Ling's eyes narrowed. The civil official faction even controlled these resources?

He was beginning to understand why the military officers were so disadvantaged.

"But why is it impossible for someone to sweep all three rewards?"

...

After taking his leave from Xu Wenjun, Yang Ling returned to his Meditation Room.

He opened his Status Panel and took a look.

The Vajra Bright King Technique still needed twenty thousand more Experience Points, and there was no chance of breaking through to Skilled level anytime soon.

The Great-Grade Azure Dragon Force and Heavenly Will Hundred Battles Diagram were even further from Skilled level in terms of Experience Points.

On the Martial Arts Technique side, Dragon-Capturing Saber Technique and Candle Dragon Seven Star Sword Technique still needed seventy to eighty thousand Proficiency points to break through.

Ethereal Steps and Wind God Vajra Legs were already at Transcendent level.

"Right now, there's only one path to elevating my current combat power."

Yang Ling looked at the Heavenly Will Hundred Battles Diagram.

His Master had told him very clearly that with Micro-Management level control, he would have the chance to run three Internal Techniques simultaneously!

Yang Ling slowly closed his eyes and began running the Vajra Bright King Technique and Great-Grade Azure Dragon Force at the same time.

The process went smoothly. He had long since mastered this.

His Vital Qi flowed like mountains and rivers, neither obstructing each other yet remaining interconnected.

"Next up, the Heavenly Will Hundred Battles Diagram!"

With a flicker of intent, Yang Ling's Heavenly Will Hundred Battles Diagram began to circulate slowly.

Drawing on his previous experience, he ran the Heavenly Will Hundred Battles Diagram while splitting his focus three ways, controlling the other two Internal Techniques simultaneously.

In that instant, his attributes began surging wildly.

First, the attribute boosts from the Vajra Bright King Technique and Great-Grade Azure Dragon Force took effect.

Then, the attribute boost from the Heavenly Will Hundred Battles Diagram followed suit.

Yang Ling felt a flicker of joy. This attempt seemed to be going smoothly.

But the very next second, his Vital Qi began to churn chaotically.

All three Internal Techniques ground to a halt simultaneously, and the boosted attributes vanished without a trace.

"Of course it's not that simple. But the first step has gone rather well. As long as I keep trying, eventually I'll get these three Internal Techniques to reach a perfect balance within my body."

Days passed one after another.

On the third day, Yang Ling could run all three Internal Techniques simultaneously for about five minutes.

On the fourth day, major progress: all three Internal Techniques ran in sync for seven full minutes!

On the fifth day, all three Internal Techniques ran simultaneously for ten minutes.

Yang Ling slowly opened his eyes, a hint of emotion in them.

Adding this third Internal Technique into the mix was nowhere near as simple as one plus one plus one. The difficulty had multiplied at least tenfold from before.

"I can now run all three Internal Techniques simultaneously for ten minutes, but the moment I stand up, that balance gets broken."

"I'm still quite far from being able to apply this in actual combat."

"I wonder how long it took those Fifth-Ranks my Master mentioned to achieve simultaneous operation of three Internal Techniques in real combat?"

On the sixth day, Yang Ling kept experimenting. Today, his simultaneous Internal Technique limit reached fifteen minutes.

Every single day showed visible progress.

Yang Ling's state of mind grew calmer and calmer.

He believed that one day, he would bring these three Internal Techniques to a state of perfect balance, moving with his very thoughts!

On the seventh day, Yang Ling was still cultivating, but he faintly noticed the ship's speed beginning to slow.

This time, all three Internal Techniques ran simultaneously for a full twenty minutes!

Compared to his initial attempts, the improvement was enormous!

Yang Ling walked onto the deck, and what greeted his eyes was a bustling, clamoring harbor!

This harbor was more magnificent and grand than any he had seen before!

The Water Transport Guild porters moving cargo on the wharves numbered at least tens of thousands!

The sea around this area was already packed with ships of all kinds. Some were departing, heading for who knew which Provincial Capital, while others were arriving from distant places to the Capital, carrying who knew what cargo.

[Zhang Wei (Private chat): Yang Ling, I've established a foothold in the Capital. I've become a Ninth-Rank little eunuch in the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs. I've discovered that the number of players in the Capital is absolutely massive]