Chapter 154 Evolving of the Peerless Battalion! (1)

“Tcheh, when did I agree.” Shangguan Xue’er said exasperatedly.

Shangguan Fei’er smiled and said: “How can it not be an agreement? If you didn’t give tacit approval, how could you get me to look for Bing’er? A silent approval is still approval, and approval is agreement right? Hehehe, Sis, don’t deny it any further. I’m so happy today~ Don’t you know, these few days, I have been feeling so terrible. Now that you are here, I finally have someone to talk to. Tonight, let us sisters talk through the entire night!”

Shangguan Xue’er said: “Just now you said, that Zhou Weiqing has hope of surpassing me?”

Shangguan Fei’er nodded and said: “It’s not just a chance, but a certainty.”

Hearing her words, Shangguan Xue’er was instantly unwilling to accept it. As the heir to the Heaven’s Expanse Palace, she had always been the top of her generation. It could be said that even amongst all the disciples and heirs of the Five Great Saint Lands, she was still at the top of the pyramid. Zhou Weiqing did not even have the backing of any Great Saint Lands, though she had to admit his talent was not bad, but how could he possibly surpass herself with the Boundless Infinitum Set. No matter what, Shangguan Xue’er was unwilling to believe that was possible.

Naturally, Shangguan Fei’er could understand what her sister was thinking. With a smile, she said: “Sis, don’t think I am exaggerating or lying. Before I spent time with him, I was also unwilling to believe such a thing was possible, or that he could even surpass me. However, after all this time together, I have no choice but to accept that Little Fatty is truly a monster. The speed of his cultivation is just too shocking.”

Shangguan Xue’er furrowed her brow and said: “Well, say then, what sort of advancements has he made, and in what areas?”

Shangguan Fei’er said: “Do you remember what stage he was at during the Heavenly Jewel Tournament? As far as I know, when he first left the Fei Li Empire to join the Heavenly Jewel Tournament, he had just reached the Three Jeweled Stage, barely entering the Heavenly Shen Energy stage. Yet… now? His Heavenly Energy has already reached the Nineteenth Stage, almost reaching the Five-Jeweled Stage! This time, he is entering closed door cultivation for the purpose of breaking through to that Mid Level Zun Stage…That might seem like nothing to you or me, but just think about it, from three to five Jewels, how long has it taken him? It is only about a year… even for you … when you were at that stage, you never rose at such a speed right?”

Hearing Shangguan Fei’er’s words, it was as if Shangguan Xue’er’s eyes were suddenly opened.

All this time, she had never really put Zhou Weiqing on the same level as herself. Perhaps at most she had been surprised by his six Attributes, thinking his talent was just ‘not bad’.

However, upon hearing her sister’s words, only then did she realise that it was indeed true. In just a year, his Heavenly Energy had raised six stages, and he was about to breakthrough to the Five-Jeweled stage. After all, the higher one’s Heavenly Energy cultivation level was, the harder it was to continue raising. At the three-Jeweled stage, perhaps Shangguan Xue’er’s speed was no lesser than Zhou Weiqing, but at the Five-Jeweled stage, her speed was already slower.

Although it seemed like Zhou Weiqing was extremely far from Shangguan Xue’er’s current Seven-Jeweled cultivation level, she was suddenly reminded of a very pertinent fact by her sister’s words… a fact that she had overlooked before this.

Shangguan Bing’er had previously told them that Zhou Weiqing’s Heavenly Energy had only Awakened about four to five years ago. That meant that in just this short period of time, his Heavenly Energy had skyrocketed to what it currently was… from zero to the almost five-Jewels now. Furthermore, Zhou Weiqing was about two years younger than them, and did not previously have any support from any Great Saint Lands. Who knew what his cultivation level would grow to in two years time!

Shangguan Fei’er continued: “Now you understand what I mean right? That Immortal Deity Technique of Little Fatty’s is truly terrifying, almost disgusting even. Although we are unable to cultivate it, as it is almost tantamount to suicide, but it seems to have been made for him. With that cultivation technique, I am certain that before the nine-Jeweled stage, his speed of advancement will not slow much. That is to say… I estimate that within four to five years, maybe less, he will reach the Upper Level Zong Stage.”

“By that time, who knows, he might actually even be able to reach the Heavenly King Stage before the age of thirty! That is something that not even Big Uncle was able to accomplish! Sis, just think about it, in four or five years, are you certain that you will definitely reach the Heavenly King Stage? Furthermore, we are slightly older than he is. That is the reason why I said that he would definitely be able to catch up with you in the future.”

Shangguan Xue’er looked at her gleeful little sister and said passively: “Heavenly Energy cultivation level is important, but it is also not the deciding factor for everything. Furthermore, all of that is just your estimations.”

Shangguan Fei’er laughed merrily as she said: “Sis, looks like you really aren’t convinced! Well, what about actual combat? Even though you have the Boundless Infinitum Set, that fellow also has the ‘Hate Ground no Handle’ Legendary Set! Perhaps in terms of comparing Legendary Sets, his might be slightly weaker than yours, but how much of a difference can the two have? Do not forget, he also has the Demonic Change State and the Six Attribute Elemental Jewels. In terms of actual combat, I currently dare not say that I will definitely be able to defeat him. Even if I can, it will definitely be at a heavy price. This is even because I know most of his Skills very well. Although you are much stronger than I am, if you are not clear about his abilities, even if you can defeat him, it would also be at a heavy price.”

All of a sudden, Shangguan Xue’er giggled. “Fei’er, do you know what you look like now?”

Shangguan Fei’er started momentarily before saying: “What do I look like?”

Shangguan Xue’er continued saying laughingly: “Just now, you looked totally like a mother hen protecting her little chicks. You haven’t even married that fellow yet, and you are already so protective of him. Well, besides the fact he hasn’t caught up with me yet, even if he becomes stronger than me, so what? Anyway, we are not enemies.”

“Sis, you dare say I am like a mother hen?! I… I…” As she said that, Shangguan Fei’er suddenly sprang savagely at Shangguan Xue’er.

…

While the two sisters were joking around with each other at one side, Zhou Weiqing had started his closed door cultivation in his own tent.

This time, the closed door cultivation was not at Long Shiya’s behest, but something he had requested of his own accord. After being taught by Long Shiya, Zhou Weiqing became clearer and clearer about his own flaws and what he lacked. On the surface, his talents were amazing. However, he had not been in the Heavenly Jewel Master world for long, and his flaws were plentiful as well. These flaws might not seem like much, some extremely tiny, but if an enemy managed to grab hold of one and make use of it, it could be a possible point that sent him to eternal doom.

More importantly, the Peerless Battalion had been replenished with so many new men, and Zhou Weiqing could feel the weight on his shoulders increasing. Although he did not speak out about this, that feeling in his heart was definitely growing. Closed door cultivation to break through to the Five-Jeweled cultivation level was his current goal. Furthermore, this time, he would do so by training in the Six Ultimate Skill Manipulation Arts while in Demonic Change State.

Long Shiya would remain in the same tent as Zhou Weiqing throughout this period. During the time when Zhou Weiqing was training in the Six Ultimate Skill Manipulation Arts, he would give detailed pointers and correct any mistakes.

In his eyes, Zhou Weiqing’s passion and persistence towards cultivation was far below his own. Back in those days, Long Shiya had gone through so much in order to increase his cultivation and gain power, barely forging his way through countless of trials and tribulations. Yet, at the same time, he had no choice but to admit that this disciple of his was far superior to himself in terms of understanding and comprehension. In addition to his other talents, it was definitely a startling cultivation speed. If he examined himself, Long Shiya knew that he was already being extremely critical and strict, but Zhou Weiqing would still give him a pleasant surprise every day. The Six Ultimate Skill Manipulation Arts in his disciple’s hands was slowing starting to look decent. After all these days, at least in terms of the first stage of the Six Ultimate Skill Manipulation Arts, Zhou Weiqing was already starting to enter deeper and at a much more stable state. At least for all Skills below the Five-Jeweled stage, he was already able to mimic them.

Of course, that was not to say that Zhou Weiqing would practice mimicking every single Skill, but it was more a particular talent or attribute that he had to master in mimicking; basically training hard in the Six Ultimate Skill Manipulation Arts’ mimicking capabilities. As the saying goes ‘The Methods used may vary, but the Principle always remains the same’. As long as he knew the key to the method, it would be much easier to mimic any Skill within his capabilities.

To Zhou Weiqing, having two months to breakthrough to the Five-Jeweled stage was not a particularly difficult task. After all, his Immortal Deity Technique was truly ‘disgusting’. Just like what Shangguan Fei’er had said, the speed of growth of his Heavenly Energy had never slowed, not even as his cultivation level increased.

Normally, Heavenly Energy cultivation would become harder and harder as one’s cultivation level increased. However, in Zhou Weiqing’s case, whenever he raised a stage of Heavenly Energy, his own Death Acupuncture energy whirlpools would also increase by one, and the draw from the atmospheric energy was greatly increased, and this would offset the extra difficulty in cultivation speed.

Originally, Zhou Weiqing had been very worried what would happen to him after reaching the thirty sixth Stage of Heavenly Energy and reaching the Heavenly Xu Stage and the Heavenly King Stage. After all, that was the limit of the Immortal Deity Technique with the thirty six Death Acupuncture Points, and he did not have another higher level cultivation technique. Now, he did not need to worry too much about the future; with a teacher like Long Shiya, that was no longer any problem. At least, before he broke through the Heavenly King Stage, it was clear that Long Shiya would not easily leave his side.

As Zhou Weiqing entered the close door cultivation, everyday he would enter the Demonic Change State to train in all his various Skills, not just to train in the ‘Ice Cold Perception’, increasing his senses and knowledge in the profound secrets in that state, but also to increase the time he could remain in that state. At the same time, he was also constantly improving in his Six Ultimate Skill Manipulation Arts and Heavenly Energy. It could be said that it was not only training in Skill usage, but also Heavenly Energy, without neglecting either. This was Zhou Weiqing’s greatest advantage compared to any other Heavenly Jewel Master, an advantage from the Immortal Deity Technique, the advantage that would allow him to slowly catch up with the Shangguan Sisters.

At the same time, the development of the Peerless Battalion was on the right path, following the instructions that Zhou Weiqing had laid out. The three thousand new ruffians who had joined were quickly dispersed amongst the various new Companies, and with the lure of food and money, as well as the ‘propaganda’ from the older Peerless Battalion soldiers, soon converted them all.