My Martial Dao Has No Bottlenecks

After being reborn in the Martial Refining Pool, the first change Liang Cheng noticed was his cultivation speed—it was now over thirty percent faster than before.

Excited, he became a recluse, holing up in his private courtyard all day. He practiced his saber techniques by day and performed Body Tempering by night, circulating the Broken Wave Technique to assail his acupoints. He consumed bottle after bottle of Qi Blood Pills like candy, spending his Contribution Points as if they were water.

「One month later.」

In the Quiet Chamber, Liang Cheng slowly concluded his cultivation and exhaled a turbid breath.

The Profound Iron Token in his palm showed his remaining Contribution Points: a mere one hundred and seventy.

A few lines of small text appeared before his eyes:

[First Layer of the Broken Wave Technique: Minor Success (389/2500)]

[Stone Armor Skill (Iron Armor): Great Success (716/3000)]

[Gale Saber Technique: Great Success (1124/2000)]

His power had advanced significantly.

Now that his Root Bone was mended, the progress of both his Broken Wave Technique and Stone Armor Skill had soared. As for his Gale Saber Technique, his strikes now faintly carried the momentum of surging waves, making it increasingly compatible with the Broken Wave Technique. A single slash could unleash the Ninth Layer Hidden Force from the blade’s edge, producing astonishing power.

’It’s time to go out and earn some Contribution Points. I wonder how accepting missions is different for a Celestial Dormitory disciple.’

Liang Cheng washed up, changed into a Silver-Edged White Robe, and pushed open the door.

Outside, a Servant Disciple was already waiting. Seeing Liang Cheng emerge, the disciple hurried to bow and said, "Senior Brother Liang, you’ve come out of seclusion."

"Mm."

"Over the past month, quite a few people have sent visiting cards," the Servant Disciple said, holding out a stack of cards. "The Xu Family, the Chen Family, the Qiao Family, and several Commerce Associations in the city have all sent people. Senior Brother Lu and Senior Sister Qin from the Celestial Dormitory also came by twice."

Liang Cheng casually flipped through them without pausing.

The card from the Xu Family was worded respectfully, making no mention of their past grievances. It read as if it were from an old friend. Liang Cheng grew wary. ’I’m not yet strong enough to make them bow their heads to me.’

The card from the Qiao Family was personally written by Qiao Zhi. Her handwriting was neat, but the tone felt stiff and awkward.

He put down the cards. "Understood."

The Servant Disciple added in a low voice, "Also, Steward Zhao Ming from the Foreign Affairs Hall has come by five times this month. Each time, he just paced outside the courtyard, too afraid to knock."

Liang Cheng’s steps faltered.

’Zhao Ming?’

He seemed lost in thought for a moment before his expression became neutral again. "I see. Thank you."

With that, he walked straight toward the Foreign Affairs Hall.

The Servant Disciple froze.

’Senior Brother Liang... thanked me?’

...

The main hall of the Foreign Affairs Hall was as bustling as ever.

When Liang Cheng stepped inside, the once-noisy hall fell abruptly silent as countless eyes fell upon him.

He stared straight ahead, walking directly toward the inner hall, which only disciples from the Celestial Dormitory and higher were qualified to enter.

Muffled discussions rose up from behind him:

"That’s Senior Brother Liang! This is the first time he’s appeared since his promotion to the Celestial Dormitory, right?"

"I heard he spent a full three days in the Martial Refining Pool. His Root Bone has probably improved even further, maybe even rivaling the geniuses from the Noble Families..."

"How long has it been? He hasn’t even been in the Martial Arts Academy for a year and he’s already in the Celestial Dormitory. Comparing yourself to others is just infuriating."

Liang Cheng acted as if he’d heard nothing. Just as he was about to enter the inner hall, he suddenly felt a stare boring into his back.

He turned around without hesitation.

Behind the counter, Zhao Ming quickly lowered his head, pretending to organize some scrolls, but his fingers were trembling slightly, and fine beads of sweat dotted his forehead.

Liang Cheng glanced at him without a word before turning back and continuing toward the inner hall.

Zhao Ming, however, stiffened, nearly dropping the scrolls in his hands.

The inner hall missions were indeed different. The rewards started at five hundred Contribution Points, a world apart from those outside, but they were also much more dangerous.

The inner hall was not large and was simply furnished. Light shimmered across three Jade Discs on the walls. The list of missions was far shorter than in the outer hall, but the Contribution Points offered for each were substantially greater.

Liang Cheng scanned the Jade Discs:

[Guard the North Mountain Ore Vein, three-month term, monthly stipend of three thousand points]

[Exterminate the Tier Five Demon Beast, the Iron-winged Bat King, deep within Black Wind Ridge. Estimated two thousand points]

[Escort a secret treasure from the City Lord’s Mansion to Jinhua City. Five thousand points. Requires a team of three or more, led by at least one True Qi Realm expert.]

...

The lowest-reward missions started at five hundred points, but they either took too long or weren’t cost-effective. Liang Cheng’s gaze finally landed on an inconspicuous task:

[Accompany Pill Master Elder Huang into the Thousand Poison Valley to gather herbs. Three days, two thousand points reward.]

[Requirements: Accomplished in Hard Skills, poison-resistant constitution preferred.]

’Elder Huang again...’ Liang Cheng recalled the dangers of the last herb-gathering trip on West Mountain. ’That old man’s missions are always life-or-death gambles.’

Still, two thousand points was enough to exchange for a new batch of resources. More importantly, while Elder Huang had a strange temper, he was never stingy with rewards or Elixirs. Besides, his Alchemy skills were superb, and Liang Cheng might need his help refining Elixirs in the future.

"This is the one."

Liang Cheng reached out and took the mission slip. A crimson Rune flashed, indicating that the mission was now his.

He turned and walked toward a side door in the inner hall, where a Black-robed Steward stood guard.

"Senior, I’m accepting this mission," Liang Cheng said, handing over the mission slip and his Identity Token.

The Black-robed Steward inspected the items, recorded the information, and handed the Token back. "Gather at the entrance of the Alchemy Room tomorrow at 7:00 AM. Elder Huang doesn’t wait for anyone."

"Thank you, Senior."

Liang Cheng put away his Token and walked out of the inner hall.

The outer hall was still noisy, but the sound died down again as he walked through.

Zhao Ming was still standing behind the counter. When he saw Liang Cheng emerge, he quickly lowered his head, his fingers unconsciously rubbing the edge of a scroll.

Liang Cheng’s gaze swept over him, but his pace never faltered as he walked straight out of the hall.

...

Early the next morning, Liang Cheng headed toward the Alchemy Room.

The familiar scent of herbs and something burnt still wafted from the Alchemy Room’s courtyard.

After Liang Cheng knocked, Elder Huang’s impatient voice came from inside. "Who is it?"

"Disciple Liang Cheng. I’ve accepted the mission to the Thousand Poison Valley and have come to see Elder Huang," Liang Cheng replied, his voice steady.

There was a moment of silence from inside, and then the door opened a crack with a CREAK.

Elder Huang’s old, soot-stained face peeked out. His small eyes scanned Liang Cheng from head to toe before he sniffed the air and narrowed them.

"Been for a soak in the Martial Refining Pool?" Elder Huang grunted, pulling the door open. "Come on in. I’ve got something for you."

Liang Cheng followed Elder Huang into the Alchemy Room, which was as cluttered as ever. Wisps of green smoke drifted up from the Pill Furnace in the center of the room. Elder Huang grabbed a grimy leather pouch from a wooden shelf in the corner and tossed it to Liang Cheng. "Catch."

Liang Cheng caught the pouch. It was heavy. Inside was a full bag of dark red gravel that emitted a mixed scent of something pungent and rust.

"That’s Red Blood Sand, for external use," Elder Huang said, rubbing the medicinal ash on his hands. "Sprinkle it on a wound to stop bleeding and disperse blood stasis. It also has some effect on venomous insect bites. In a place like the Thousand Poison Valley, poisonous bugs outnumber the blades of grass. Carry it for protection."

"Thank you, Elder Huang." Liang Cheng tied the pouch to his waist.

"Don’t thank me yet," Elder Huang said, turning to stare at him. "This time, we’re after the Rotting Heart Lotus. It grows in a Poisonous Pool in the deepest part of the Thousand Poison Valley. For ten zhang around it, the poisonous gas is so dense it’s practically tangible. If even a trace touches you, your lungs will rot through, even if you’re at the Transformation Force Peak."

He paused, a glint in his small eyes. "But if your Hard Skill is impressive enough, you’ll have a sixty to seventy percent chance of withstanding it when combined with my specially made Antitoxic Pill. So, kid, level with me. Just how far have you progressed in your Hard Skill?"

Inside the Alchemy Room, medicinal vapors swirled in the air.

Liang Cheng fell silent for a moment, then raised his right arm. With a single thought, a faint, dark-iron color appeared beneath the skin, as if it had been cast from cold iron and giving it a subtle metallic sheen. He bent a finger and tapped it lightly against the Iron Mortar and Pestle beside him.

CLANG—

The crisp sound of metal striking metal echoed through the Alchemy Room. A distinct finger-shaped indentation was now visible on the surface of the pestle.

Elder Huang’s eyes lit up, and he burst into laughter. "Good! Hard enough!"

His laughter cut off abruptly. He lowered his voice, his tone growing uncharacteristically serious. "But kid, the Rotting Heart Lotus is guarded by a symbiotic Demon Beast—a Green-Scaled Poison Python, at least at Tier Five Peak. I can’t guarantee your Hard Skill can withstand it."

Liang Cheng’s expression remained unchanged. "Since I’ve accepted the mission, I will naturally do my best."

"That’s what I wanted to hear." Elder Huang nodded in satisfaction and tossed over a Small Jade Bottle. "Inside are three Anti-Miasma Pills. Hold one in your mouth before entering the valley; it will last for two hours."

"Understood."

"Then let’s not delay. Time to go."

Liang Cheng put away the Small Jade Bottle. As he followed Elder Huang out of the Alchemy Room, the sun was rising on the horizon, painting the sky with crimson clouds.

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!