I Am Immortal in Great Yu

Chapter 158: Chapter 68: Fourth Grade

[Tribulation Points: 5089]

”So many?!”

Fang Rui was stunned. ”Changshan County Town had already been through droughts and war. Before the plague even broke out, there were probably only ten to twenty thousand people left. In the past two days, the number of people confirmed to be infected, counted by household, was only around two or three thousand.”

”To be blunt, even if they decided to burn the city, it would be impossible to kill everyone—the Rebel Army, the common folk, all of them. The logistics of such an operation would be a nightmare. At most, they would section off the city, evacuate the healthy, and enforce collective quarantine on the areas surrounding any outbreak...”

”Hmm, they wouldn’t actually be thinking of burning the city, would they?! Although, considering the methods of that ruthless figure in the Rebel Army... he was willing to slaughter the refugees left after taking the city. It wouldn’t be surprising if he did something like this.”

The more Fang Rui thought about it, the more plausible it seemed. ”But if that’s what I prevented, then the number of Tribulation Points seems a little low.”

He mulled it over and over until a realization dawned on him. ’Nipping a calamity in the bud will naturally award far fewer Tribulation Points than stopping one that’s already in progress. That’s a given!’

It was like the difference between solving the plague now versus waiting for it to spread to other county towns, or even an entire Mansion or province, and then solving it for a greater reward of Tribulation Points.

’But then again, if I’d waited that long, the plague would have mutated multiple times, and I might not have been able to stop it. By that point, there could be several different strains of the pathogen in a single city, making it impossible to contain!’

If he had to do it all over again, Fang Rui would still choose to nip the plague in the bud.

The reason was simple, just two words: control and safety.

’The scale of the calamity, my level of involvement, my personal connection to it, whether it’s already happening or not...’

As Fang Rui summarized the rules for gaining Tribulation Points, he felt his understanding of the word ’Tribulation’ deepen.

’Hmm, I’ll have plenty of time to figure out the rules for Tribulation Points later. Right now, there’s something more pressing!’

He looked at his panel. In the Cultivation Technique section, a ’+’ had appeared after Health Cultivation Skill.

’I can finally advance my Realm!’

’Sigh... I really did intend to rely on my own hard work for my cultivation, for both my Cultivation Techniques and my Skills...’

And it was true. Though it seemed like Fang Rui spent all his free time playing with the two little girls, Fang Ling and Nannan, and telling them stories, he was, more often than not, engrossed in his studies.

’But these are chaotic times! Disasters come one after another, too quickly and too relentlessly. I’ve been given far too little time to develop. What other choice do I have?’

It couldn’t be helped.

’It’s not that I’m lazy; the world is forcing my hand. So, if allocating points feels good for a moment, allocating points all the time will feel good forever!’

’Upgrade!’

With a thought, Fang Rui focused his consciousness on the panel and pressed the ’+’ after Nourishing Body Skill.

BOOM!

The familiar, cool current reappeared, surging from the void and pouring into his body.

In that instant.

Just as when he upgraded his Skills, Fang Rui entered a state of epiphany as a torrent of insights regarding the Health Cultivation Skill flooded his mind.

Indeed. Unlike previous Realm advancements, where his understanding of the Health Cultivation Skill deepened like a trickling stream, this time, insights crashed over him like a tidal wave, occupying his entire mind.

It was as if all his previous accumulation had finally come to a head. The puzzle pieces snapped into place, and a skyscraper rose where there had only been a foundation.

In that moment, the Health Cultivation Skill broke through from the Peak of Perfection to a new, higher level—one that was profound and indescribable.

Meanwhile.

A small portion of the immense, cool current from the void settled into his physique, but the vast majority followed his bloodstream, circulating throughout his entire body and bringing about a mysterious transformation.

The Fourth Grade Realm was Blood Exchange!

Fang Rui could feel it. Under the influence of that cool current, the Bright Force from Sixth Grade Enlightenment and the Dark Force from Fifth Grade Marrow Cleansing were being converted into nourishment. Or rather, they were being reintegrated and transformed into another, even more potent type of Power.

During this process, his blood showed no outward change, but on the inside, it was undergoing an earth-shattering transformation.

In essence: the Extraordinary Factor was fusing with his blood!

...

After about a hundred breaths, the Bright Force and Dark Force had been completely converted into that other, more powerful type of Power. The immense, cool current was also depleted, and the breakthrough drew to a close.

”Fourth Grade, achieved!”

Fang Rui’s eyes snapped open as he looked at his panel.

[Name: Fang Rui]

[Tribulation: 3089]

[Cultivation Technique: Nourishing Body Skill (Divine Skill)]

[Realm: Fourth Grade (Blood Exchange)]

[Skills: Fang’s Medical Skill (Great Success) (+), Beast Taming Technique (Uninitiated) (+), Feng Shui Skill (Uninitiated) (+), Life-taking Saber Technique (Minor Achievement) (+), Rapid Trace Step (Uninitiated) (+), Disguise Technique (Uninitiated) (+), Thirteen Throws of the Flying Swallow (Uninitiated) (+), Xue Family Spear (Uninitiated) (+), Mountain-Splitting Saber Technique (Uninitiated) (+)]

[Divine Techniques: Immortality (Gray)]

...

’So the Nourishing Body Skill is at the Divine Skill level now? It even contains the word ”Divine.” No wonder that feeling from before was so profound and indescribable.’

Fang Rui nodded slightly, closed the panel, and murmured in satisfaction, ”The Fourth Grade Blood Exchange Realm... I’ve finally made it!”

’As for the specific changes...’

He stood up, grabbed a handful of soybeans, and scattered them on the table. Stepping back two or three feet, he silently channeled his Power and made a pressing motion toward them with his right hand.

CRACK!

A sharp crack echoed through the air.

The soybeans... seemed completely unchanged.

However, when Fang Rui stepped closer and blew on them, they instantly crumbled into dust, one after another.

’If Sixth Grade Enlightenment produces Bright Force, and Fifth Grade Marrow Cleansing produces Dark Force, then the Power born from Fourth Grade Blood Exchange can be called Transforming Force!’