Section 54: Enjoying Fist-to-Flesh Violence? Conceptual Abilities?

Twice the efficiency and he still says his imagination isn't rich enough?
Could that mean an improvement efficiency of over two times?
To be honest, given the Director's and Ye Ping's life experiences, they couldn't imagine an efficiency boost of over two times actually happening right before their eyes.

The Director was skeptical. "Although your self-created technique is indeed dozens of times more complex than the Zero-Tier Super-Grade, an efficiency increase of over two times still feels quite impossible."
Ye Ping nodded, deeply agreeing.
What did an increase of over two times even mean?
Anyone who cultivated regularly knew that the Zero-Tier Super-Grade technique allowed an eight-year-old super genius to increase their vitality value by 20 points per day purely through cultivation. This was already considered an exceptional vitality cultivation technique.
Compared to the Zero-Tier Super-Grade, Commander Chen Fan's exclusive cultivation technique improved efficiency by 0.8 times, allowing the same eight-year-old genius to increase their vitality by 36 points per day—a terrifying growth rate.

By direct comparison, a 2-fold efficiency increase meant a daily vitality increase of 60 points!
The gap would widen visibly to the naked eye!
And this was just a twofold efficiency increase; judging by Xu Ran's tone, the gap would be even greater?
Ye Ping couldn't help asking, "Just how much is it? Could it have reached 2.5 times?"
Xu Ran: "..." "Your imagination is too timid. Add a bit more to that."
The Director: "Could it have touched 3 times?"
Xu Ran finally smiled and nodded. "Mm, roughly 3 times."

Ye Ping was startled. "3 times efficiency? Are you certain? Did you sense it incorrectly?"
Xu Ran: "I wouldn't sense it incorrectly. Exactly 3 times."
The Director and Ye Ping exchanged glances, their pupils experiencing an earthquake.
Ye Ping: "3 times! An astronomical figure! If it truly reaches a threefold efficiency increase, then this self-created technique is number one in the world."
The Director's left eyelid twitched wildly. "A threefold efficiency increase means increasing vitality by 80 points every single day purely through cultivation, easily boosting annual vitality by 30,000 points. And that's just in the early stage! A year from now, it will probably be 160 points of vitality per day... and then it will snowball, growing more and more ferocious. All in all, the further along you are, the more terrifying the manifested growth rate becomes."

"In other words, you, who originally started cultivating two years later than the [Mirror King] and the others, can wipe out a gap of over a year thanks to your self-created technique!"
"If the gap is only a year, then you might actually be able to compete for the top five of the selection tournament in this golden age!"
Hearing this, the Director's eyes grew brighter and brighter, and the desire for Daxing in Jing Province burned in his heart once again.
"As expected of comprehension and bone-structure... Good, good, good!"
Hope reignited in the Director's heart. With a kind smile, he patted Xu Ran's shoulder. "There are still 330 days left; I hope you can create a miracle. From now on, let's call it the Miracle Bone-Structure."
"And your self-created technique shall be called... the Xu Family Vitality Cultivation Technique!"
Xu Ran: "..."
The Director, who was terrible at naming things, was naming things again!
What kind of trash name was Miracle Bone-Structure? It wasn't cool at all...
And the Xu Family Vitality Cultivation Technique was even more trash among trash...
Xu Ran waved his hand. "Director, wouldn't calling it the Semi-God Cultivation Technique sound a bit better?"
The Director fell into deep thought, then replied with absolute conviction, "Based on my nearly two hundred years of life experience, the Xu Family Cultivation Technique is obviously much more imposing."
Xu Ran: "..."
As if...
Ye Ping cooperated with Xu Ran. "I think the Semi-God Cultivation Technique is more appropriate. With a threefold efficiency increase, what else could it be if not semi-god level?"
Xu Ran: "Right, right, right."
The Director: "Sigh, you two have hit your rebellious phase. Fine, since you created it, you have absolute naming rights."

Xu Ran breathed a sigh of relief. "Then if I submit this Semi-God Cultivation Technique, can I trade it for a Super-Grade treasure?"
The Director's gaze narrowed slightly. "Of course! Researching and submitting a Super-Grade cultivation technique grants a special-class merit. That is a massive achievement!"
"Come with me to the office, and I'll help you apply. Ye Ping, you come too."
Ye Ping: "Alright."
Before long, the three of them entered the office.
The Director turned on his computer and got to work. He recorded a video of the Semi-God Cultivation Technique, wrote down detailed information, made a few phone calls, had Uncle Ye write a letter of guarantee, and then had Xu Ran fill out a form.
With everything ready, the Director submitted the application.
Leaning back in his chair, he took a large gulp of strong tea. "It's been applied for. However, we'll have to wait for the Peak Pavilion's Cliff-realm martial artists and scientists to verify it for a period of time to determine the true efficiency increase before the reward is officially issued."
Xu Ran smiled faintly. "Fine, as long as I get the reward, they can verify it all they want."

Anyway, his primary goal was to improve his own cultivation efficiency, and getting a reward on top of that was no different from finding a winning lottery ticket out of nowhere.
Utterly exhilarating!
The Director was beaming with joy. "Alright, that's settled. Go home and wait for good news! From now on, all you need to do is prepare wholeheartedly for the God-Slaying Squad selection tournament 330 days from now."
Xu Ran: "No, Director, there's still one thing you forgot. The reward for slaying the [Nightmare Grievance Mother] hasn't been issued to me yet. That's a Super-Grade art and a Super-Grade weapon."
The Director raised an eyebrow. "There is indeed such a matter."
"However, with your meager vitality value, you completely lack the ability to wield a Super-Grade weapon. You'd probably only be able to unleash ten percent of its lethality."
"So, to some extent, it's not as good as the intermediate weapon I can provide you with here."
"As for the Super-Grade art, with your Miracle Bone-Structure, you should learn it very quickly. Why don't you choose two Super-Grade arts instead? If you can master two Super-Grade arts, you'll have even greater confidence in the selection tournament."

Xu Ran: "I'll still take one Super-Grade weapon and one Super-Grade art! I want to try a Super-Grade weapon."
The Director: "Are you sure?"
Xu Ran: "Sure."
The Director said with full bravado, "Very well. Besides, if you can't use the Super-Grade one, I have plenty of intermediate weapons here."
While speaking, he fished out a bunch of keys, opened the safe behind him, and took out a specialized tablet computer.
He turned on the computer.
Fingerprint verification.
Palmprint verification.
Eyeball verification.
After a series of cumbersome operations, the interface of the tablet computer was finally unlocked.
"Alright, I've logged into the Peak Pavilion's treasury. Sit next to me and choose two eye-catching treasures."
"After you finish selecting, they'll be air-freighted over in about two days."
"You know about the Peak Pavilion, right?"
Xu Ran: "I know."

The Peak Pavilion was China's most core institution, without exception. It governed and constrained all practitioners, controlling and cleaning the General Administration, Investigation General Administration, Taxation General Administration, Inspection General Administration...
Ye Ping's position as Chief Inspector belonged to the Inspection General Administration under the Peak Pavilion.
In addition, the Semi-God Kindergartens in every province also reported directly to the Peak Pavilion.
It could be considered a massive investment by the Peak Pavilion to cultivate the strongest batch of geniuses. In other words, Xu Ran and the others' backing was China's strongest Peak Pavilion, and when they grew up, they would directly become the backbone of the Peak Pavilion.
The Director operated the device seriously for a while, then handed the tablet computer to Xu Ran. "I've filtered through them once for you. You can take a look at what treasures are available first, take them home to ponder for a few days, and then decide on your final prizes."
Xu Ran: "Thank you, Director. Hehe."
At this moment, the covert joy in the depths of his heart could no longer be suppressed.

Taking the tablet computer, his gaze immediately turned to the treasury interface—the treasury interface was crafted to look extremely high-end, as if overlooking a real exhibition hall. Neat glass cabinets were arranged in the hall, and inside them, a series of Super-Grade weapons gleamed with radiant light and dazzling brilliance.
The Director guided patiently from the side: "I've already filtered through them once for you."
"The interface is full of Super-Grade weapons. See the filter box in the upper right? You can filter them yourself... weapon type, weapon weight, directional focus... everything can be changed freely."
"However, I suggest you browse through all the Super-Grade weapons. Whichever one sparks your interest, choose that one. There aren't many Super-Grade weapons in the treasury anyway, only 345 pieces."
Xu Ran: "Alright."
He nodded while focusing intently. The weapons in the treasury were complete: spears, sabers, maces, staves, axes, Yue, long-handled golden melon hammers... all eighteen traditional weapons were present, each exuding a cold gleam that shouted "extortionate value."
The value of a Super-Grade weapon was priceless; if you wanted to buy one, begging everywhere might not even secure you one.
Even in the military, it required an astronomical amount of contribution points, or achieving first-class or special-class merits.

"Long-handled golden melon hammer, two-meter handle, head like a skull, forged from the highest quality dead-gold. Weighs five hundred catties."
Seeing such an imposing weapon, Xu Ran couldn't help feeling somewhat moved. A chilling solid hammer used to smash enemies—one smash and bones would turn to powder, one smash and brains would splatter everywhere. Simply art!
"However, the desire to choose it isn't extremely, extremely strong. Let's put it on hold!"
"Let's look at the others... I'll look through all of them before making a decision." Xu Ran muttered to himself.
Ye Ping wore a peculiar expression and glanced sideways at Xu Ran. "You took a fancy to the long-handled golden melon hammer? So violent? This doesn't quite match your vibe of invisibility and paper substitute techniques."
Xu Ran spread his hands. "Actually, deep down in my bones, I like the violence of flesh-to-flesh combat..."
Ye Ping: "..."
"Couldn't tell. I felt you were more elegant, skilled at precise kills, skilled at wisdom."
Xu Ran smiled. "Is that so? I didn't expect my image to be so wise and elegant. Thanks for the compliment. But a real man's battle is still about flesh-to-flesh combat and hacking enemies to death with sheer force—that's what's interesting."
Ye Ping: "Understood. All mages have a heart for melee combat, right?"
Xu Ran smiled slightly. "I'm not a mage..."
Saying this, he swiped the treasury interface to the next page with his slender fingers and read intently: "The Flowing Thousand-Feather Saber, exclusive to mental-type practitioners, can be controlled by mental power, dispersing into a thousand feathers to slay enemies... A bit too elegant."
Ye Ping: "That's a Super-Grade weapon for mental-type bone-structures. Without 60,000 points of mental power, you can't drive that thing. It's not suitable for you."
Xu Ran gave a shallow smile. "Understood. The weapon I want to choose is also physical-type."
Ye Ping: "The long-handled golden melon hammer?"
Xu Ran: "That one... my desire isn't strong."
"I think the Ring-Pommel Saber suits me better."
When Xu Ran's gaze landed on the Ring-Pommel Saber, he couldn't pull it away completely anymore.
That long saber was so elegant, yet so murderous!
It stirred Xu Ran's heart into a frenzy. In his mind, an invincible image uncontrollably surfaced of himself gripping the saber, hacking flesh with every strike, and slaughtering all enemies.
Even before touching the saber, Xu Ran could feel it.
A miraculous skill was waiting for him within the path of the saber!
Xu Ran took a deep breath, looking solemn and respectful: "So I was meant to use a saber! No wonder Iron Mountain Lean and fist techniques didn't work out. I took the wrong path!"
How did that saying go?
Ever since I first gripped a saber in my childhood, I knew I would become the peak of sabers and number one under heaven.
Xu Ran smiled genially: "I'll choose this one—the Rock-Spirit Ring-Pommel Saber!"
The Director: "Are you sure? Do you want to go back and think about it for a few days?"
Xu Ran focused. "No need, this is it. My best weapon is the saber."
The Director: "Very well. It seems you are very interested in saber techniques. Actually, on the current battlefield, sabers are indeed very popular. However, because it's a Super-Grade weapon, your pitifully small vitality value won't be able to unleash its edge."
"Once the Ring-Pommel Saber is delivered, try playing with it for a few days, and then I'll help you store it in the secret room."
The Director arranged things very professionally: "For weapons, you match the weapon to your realm. You're getting a Super-Grade weapon early because of your merit in slaying the [Nightmare Grievance Mother]."
"Once you reach the Mountain Realm, you'll be able to wield a Super-Grade weapon. But even this kind of Super-Grade weapon isn't the strongest. It can only be used as a transition."
"During this period, you need to collect all kinds of superior materials, or even mine the talented divine bones of crystal beasts, grievance beasts, and specters, and then ask a blacksmith to help you forge a weapon suited to your hand."
Ye Ping nodded in agreement: "A weapon forged by oneself is the most handy. For example, my jade flute originates from the bone-structure of a grievance beast in the alien star battlefield..."
Xu Ran nodded. "Understood. In the future, I'll go mine the divine bones of grievance gods to use as a weapon. I've even thought of the name: God's Joy."
The Director and Ye Ping: "..."
When others said things like that, they were probably boasting without drafting, but Xu Ran, who could slay the [Nightmare Grievance Mother] at age six, carried no sense of discord at all.
"Slaying the gods... I'll have to rely on your efforts... I hope to live to see a tranquil world and clear rivers."
Xu Ran, who bore the crimson-gold achievement [Twilight of the Gods], smiled genially. "We will."
"Pick a Super-Grade art as well? Since you've chosen a long saber, the available arts would naturally be saber-type arts."
Xu Ran wasn't in a hurry at all. "No, no, no, let's wait until the saber arrives first. I'll use an intermediate saber to practice for a while; what if I create my own saber technique? Then I can learn some other Super-Grade art to maximize profits."
The Director: "You're going to create your own saber technique?"
Xu Ran wore a matter-of-fact expression. "Of course. It's not like I haven't self-created arts before. Phantom Steps, Invisibility..."
The Director: "Since you're the one saying this, I have no way to refute it..."
Xu Ran smiled faintly: "Director, for the sake of my grand enterprise of self-creating saber techniques, you have to support me with an intermediate Ring-Pommel Saber!"
The Director: "That's not a problem. Intermediate weapons are dime a dozen around here. Follow me."
"Right, you also wanted a Vitality Lamp-Lighting Technique, right?"
Xu Ran: "Yes."
Nodding, Xu Ran followed the Director toward the secret room.
He picked up a copy of the Vitality Lamp-Lighting Technique and grabbed an intermediate Ring-Pommel Saber.
Impatient, Xu Ran bid farewell: "Thank you, Director, I'm going to cultivate."
The Director: "Alright."
Sensing that a brand-new miraculous skill was right before his eyes, Xu Ran executed the Three Thousand Thundering Movements, turning into lightning and happily arriving at the cultivation hall.
"It's already brewing, bound to succeed..."
Xu Ran's heart beat wildly.
He always felt as though a super divine skill was crossing time and space, traversing everything, and flowing into his body.
Making his heart beat like a drum, his blood boil, and his breathing rapid...
'Clang—'
The long saber was unsheathed, the sound of metal clashing crisp and clear, humming and vibrating as it traveled further and further like a dragon's roar, forming ripples of echo.
"What a soul-pleasing sound!"
Xu Ran focused, standing still as a pine, rapidly sketching attack methods in his mind: poke, parry, slash, scrape, pare, sweep!
The stone mannequin in front of him was covered in wounds, being peeled away layer by layer... patter, patter, falling to the ground.
Before long, a stone mannequin turned into fragments all over the floor.
Xu Ran's technique grew increasingly pure, but the miraculous skill failed to trigger.
"Huh? It didn't trigger at all? What's going on? My technical proficiency is already very high."
Xu Ran activated Phantom Steps, arriving before another stone mannequin: poke, parry, scrape, pare, sweep! His technique grew even more refined... yet the miraculous skill remained motionless, and not a single prompt sound appeared in his mind.
"Something's not right. My technique is commendable and my combat power is not lacking either. Why can't I trigger a miraculous skill related to saber techniques?"
Xu Ran fell into deep thought, and suddenly a flash of inspiration hit him, slowly parting the fog clouding his mind.
"I think I probably know why..."