Looking at this data, Zhao Ya fell into deep thought.
Apart from the Gale Saber Technique breaking through to Returning to the Essence, the Five Tiger Fist and Light as a Feather were both on the verge of a breakthrough.
And the kidney was merely six percent away from being fully unlocked.
Once the kidney is fully unlocked, all the five internal organs will be, at that point, fully unlocked, and it’s uncertain what changes might occur then.
The current city situation is ever-changing, and Master Lu Dingtai is unconscious, while Wei Hongbin and Yuan Chenfeng and others are watching like tigers eyeing their prey.
Zhao Ya understood that to safely navigate this crisis, the fundamental necessity is to enhance his own strength.
He slowly exhaled, a decision forming in his mind.
Early the next morning, Zhao Ya found Senior Brother Shen Dao and Senior Sister Meng Shiwen and other people to inform them of his thoughts.
"You want to use all the stored dried meat in the Martial Arts Hall for your cultivation?" Shen Dao exclaimed in surprise.
"Yes." Zhao Ya nodded,
"These dried meats are shared among all the disciples of the Martial Arts Hall, so I wanted to seek your opinions. If you disagree, then I won’t mention it again."
Zhao Ya spoke very candidly.
Exchanging glances, Meng Shiwen, Shen Dao, and the others shared a look before Shen Dao chuckled and said.
"Junior Brother, your words show you’re treating us as outsiders. We’re brothers under the same master; why would we mind such trifles as some dried meat? But you must know."
Shen Dao’s face turned solemn, "The path of cultivation requires gradual progress, with every step firmly planted. If one is greedy for quick success, or tries to take shortcuts, it will not only waste the dried meat, which is a small matter, but if it harms your foundation and ruins your future in Martial Dao, that would be troublesome."
Beside him, Miao Shaocheng also said, "Yes, Junior Brother, I know you’re worried about the current situation and want to become stronger quickly, but such matters can’t be solved by haste."
Meng Shiwen didn’t speak, she just quietly watched the youth before her who stood straight as a sword.
Zhao Ya smiled, "The two senior brothers make excellent points; I’m well aware of these principles. Since I’m saying this, I naturally have my reasons, and I wouldn’t joke around with my Martial Dao future."
Hearing Zhao Ya’s words, the group felt relieved.
They all knew Zhao Ya was prudent and was not the sort to act impulsively, so they all nodded in agreement.
Not only that, but Shen Dao and Xu De both said they had some stored dried meat themselves, and they gave it to Zhao Ya.
Thus, all the dried meat inventory of the entire Dingtai Martial Arts Hall, including the additional support from Shen Dao and others, went to Zhao Ya.
The majority of it was the commonly used Seven-Star Blood Eel, along with some higher-grade dried meat and a few Vajra Strength Pills.
Zhao Ya didn’t stand on ceremony; he took these things back to his small courtyard and then instructed Zui’Er that he was entering closed-door cultivation. Unless something important happened at the Martial Arts Hall or the master awoke, he was not to be disturbed.
Zui’Er naturally agreed.
Zhao Ya cleared out a spacious room, leaving only a meditation mat for temporary rest, then shut the door and began by consuming a handful of parasitic eggs the mother insect had produced, putting them into his mouth all at once, relying on his extraordinary talent for digestion.
Since feeding those black wasp eggs to the mother insect, the quality of the parasitic eggs had improved significantly.
The rich and surging Qi Blood from the eggs quickly filled his entire body.
Zhao Ya then commenced his cultivation.
When the Qi Blood from these eggs was fully absorbed and consumed, Zhao Ya put the remaining eggs into his mouth, while also consuming two strips of Seven-Star Blood Eel.
Since he began cultivating, this was the first time Zhao Ya used such an extravagant method.
One strip of dried meat after another was consumed as if money were no object.
It seemed his stomach was a bottomless pit; with the combined efforts of Water and Valley Essence and Rising Clarity and Subtlety, his stomach acted like a grinder, extracting every drop of Qi Blood from the dried meat, nourishing his body.
Apart from visiting the restroom to expel the impurities and waste from the dried meat, Zhao Ya didn’t leave his room. He seemed possessed, continuously practicing martial arts.
Previously, Zhao Ya had to precisely calculate the amount of Qi Blood needed for his training to avoid wastage.
But now, none of that mattered anymore.
Zhao Ya had only one goal: to become stronger, and to do so as quickly as possible.
To achieve that goal, some waste could be tolerated—everything had to make way for efficiency.
Thus, with the vast supply of Qi Blood, Zhao Ya’s capabilities in all aspects were growing visibly stronger at a rapid pace.
During this time, Shen Dao, Miao Shaocheng, Xu De, and Meng Shiwen all came to visit, but when they heard Zhao Ya’s shouts from his training through the closed door, they left quietly without disturbing him.
Zhao Ya was oblivious to all this, fully immersed in the ocean of Martial Dao, indifferent to anything happening outside.
Day by day passed.
The tension in the city escalated.
The conflicts between the newly arrived cavalry and the Commandery’s Martial Artists intensified, and although Captain Sun Yingkui, who was sensible and reasonable, tried to mediate, people like him were scarce.
Thus, the tensions between both sides sharpened.
Moreover, as they settled in and felt secure over time, the unruly nature of the cavalry became increasingly apparent.
Extorting shops and demanding money was child’s play; some even went so far as to rob men and abduct women.