Just like any other city, Valen city also had a group of cultivators who called themselves 'Mercenaries'. They would do anything for cultivation resources.

Moreover, they would go on expeditions once in a while to explore some ancient caves and wilderness.

​​

However, those mercenaries didn't return from their expedition and Master Valen didn't have a slight clue of their return.

'Only if they were here at this time, then it would be quite a help for the city.'

Master Valen shook his head and looking at the shining orb in his hand, he started absorbing the energy inside it.

For the mercenaries, he didn't need to pay them anything because they will fight the otherworldly warriors for two things.

One, their families are also living in the city. So, they need to fight them to protect their families.

Two, after killing the bug warriors, they can collect the bug core which is a good cultivation resource.

The more they kill, the more they gain.

However, Master Valen felt it was a pity that there was no way to contact them.

Nevertheless, he didn't think about them much because he only has one hour to increase his cultivation before the otherworldly bug warriors invade his city.

Similarly, the senior commander, Zaid also found a guest room to cultivate.

They only have a single aim and it was to increase their cultivation as high as possible before the bug warriors come.

.....

Inside one of the guest rooms,

'Ding,

Master, do you want to absorb the universal energy inside the bug core?

After entering the room, Henrick took out a bug core and just as he was about to absorb the energy from it, he got the system notification asking him whether he wanted to absorb the energy or not?

"Yes."

Why would he not absorb it?

As long as he got sufficient internal fire energy, he could fill his last energy pillar in the mind sea and reach the peak energy condensation realm.

'Ding,

+ 10 percent of pure internal fire energy.

'Huh? 10 percent? Not bad.'

Henrick was satisfied with the amount of internal fire energy he got from the bug core.

Actually, the energy inside the bug core was universal. As long as a cultivator absorbs the energy in it, the universal energy will be converted into the affinity element of that cultivator.

'Ding,

+ 10 percent of pure internal fire energy.

'Ding,

+ 10 percent of pure internal fire energy.

.

.

.

.

.

'Ding,

+ 10 percent of pure internal fire energy.

'Ding,

Master's dantian is completely filled. The extra pure internal fire energy will be transferred to the special storage gourd.

Without wasting any time, he used 18 energy condensation realm bug cores and he only stopped when he got the system notification that informed him about his dantian.

'It only took me less than a minute to fill my dantian. If I store these bug cores, I can instantly refill my dantian in long battles.'

Unlike others who had to spend some time before absorbing the energy inside the bug core, Henrick just had to think about it and the pure internal fire energy will be transferred into his dantian.

Moreover, he didn't stop even after his dantian was filled; instead, he started filling his special storage gourd.

'Ding,

+ 10 percent of pure internal fire energy.

'Ding,

.

.

.

After using 10 more bug cores, his special storage gourd also filled.

'It's your time to shine, Underworld fire.'

Receiving his orders, the special flame which was resting in his mind sea woke up and rushed into the dantian before absorbing 190 percent of internal fire energy from his dantian.

As soon as it absorbed the fire energy, it rushed back to the mind sea to fill his last energy pillar.

Henrick didn't waste any time as he continued to repeat the process to fill his dantian first and later using the special flame, he filled the energy pillar in his mind sea.

After 50 minutes,

After repeating the process for 50 minutes, he completely filled his last energy pillar and he is now considered a peak energy condensation realm cultivator.

'Ding,

Congratulations to the master for successfully reaching the peak energy condensation realm.

'Ding,

To enter into the energy transformation realm, the master has to transform the energy pillar in his mind space.

Just as he opened his eyes, Henrick received two system notifications which made him frown because the instructions given by the system were very vague.

'System, can you explain it a little more clearly?'

Henrick silently questioned the system because the sect leader Gamos only explained to him about the energy condensation realm; however, he didn't have much idea on the energy transformation realm.

'Ding,

In the energy condensation realm, a cultivator just needs to fill the energy pillar with the internal energy from his dantian.

'Ding,

Whereas in the energy transformation realm, cultivators need to transform the energy pillar into a specific beast or item or weapon.

'Ding,

For each transformation of the energy pillar, the cultivator will receive a specific effect regarding his transformed energy pillar.

'What? I have to transform 20 energy pillars. So that I can receive 20 specific effects.'

Henrick was surprised for a moment and soon that surprise turned into excitement.

'No wonder, System said having more energy pillars is definitely useful.'

Henrick remembered the system' words when he saw the 20 energy pillars in his mind sea.

'Ding,

Yes, master. As long as you remember or see a certain beast or item, you can transform the energy pillar into those shapes.

'Ding,

After transforming, the master has to once again fill those transformed energy pillars with his pure internal fire energy.

Once again, he got two system notifications and seeing them, he was surprised a little but he didn't think much about it.

Because the last thing he worries about right now is pure internal fire energy.

'I have more than 600 bug cores, this will last him for a very long time for me.'

Since the energy condensation realm bug cores gave him 10 percent of pure internal fire energy, Henrick expected he would at least 20 percent from the energy transformation realm bug cores.

'Also, to which form should I transform my first energy pillar?'

Soon, Henrick fell into a dilemma as he started thinking about it.

…..

Outside the city wall.

'Thud' 'thud'

Thousands of bug warriors marched towards Valen city.

Judging by their speed, they will reach the city wall within five minutes.

"Enemy attack"

"Enemy attack"

A couple of soldiers who were watching for the energy from the watchtower noticed the army of the bug warriors and hurriedly rang the bells to inform everyone in the city.

"Everyone, let's fight them."

"Yes, let's fight them."

"After six years, I finally entered into the energy transformation realm, I want to test how powerful I became."

Soon, all the soldiers who were silently cultivating in the training ground woke up from their cultivation session and excitedly shouted.

After 55 minutes of absorbing the bug cores, everyone had received a significant boost in their cultivation.

In 55 minutes, they barely absorbed three bug cores but everyone's cultivation increased by at least four levels in the energy condensation realm and two levels in the energy transformation realm.

As for the commanders who were at level 9 and level 8 energy transformation realm, they reached the peak energy transformation realm. They were only an inch away from entering the master realm.

Inside the main hall,

"Master Valen, how is your improvement in cultivation?"

Commander Zaid walked out of a guest room and entered the main hall when he heard the emergency bell from outside.

As soon as he entered the main hall, he asked about Master Valen's cultivation progress.

In their current situation, as long as Master Valen breaks through to the grandmaster realm, their current crisis will be over.

"Even though there was not much progress, I can feel that I am only an inch away from entering the grandmaster. I only need a little push. Hopefully, the current situation can give that push and help me enter the grandmaster realm."

Master Valen hoped he would enter the grandmaster realm. So that he could save his city from the otherworldly bug warriors.

"But, you were able to increase your cultivation by two levels. Good."

After talking about his cultivation progress, Master Valen looked at Zaid's cultivation and revealed a slight smile on his face.

Before today, Zaid was only a peak energy transformation realm cultivator; however, the earlier battle helped him in entering the master realm and with the help of the master realm bug core, he reached level 3 master realm.

"It's all thanks to that bug core. I only absorbed it by 50 percent and my cultivation increased by 2 levels and by the time I absorb it completely, I can reach level 5 master realm."

Zaid said with a face full of excitement.

Because with his current power, he could fight master realm cultivators and even if he can't kill mid-level master realm beings, he could hold them for some time.

So, Zaid was satisfied with himself and said to Master Valen, "Master Valen, let's go and show our city's power."

"Haha...let's go."

Master Valen nodded his head and directly went to the training grounds before coming out of the city gate and readied his army's battle formation.

.....

Inside the guest room,

'I will worry about the energy transformation realm later. I have to join the battle and earn crude souls and reputation points.'

Henrick also heard the emergency bell and stopped thinking about the energy transformation realm and hurriedly walked out of his room.