The fire subsided after a while. Even when Amrit was looking like a human torch, there was no one to appreciate this view. This was a battlefield, everyone was busy with their battles and there were occasional flashes here and there so it was not an unusual view. When the fire was cleared the three-meter radius around Amrit was scorched, and the sand had melted and turned into crystalline blocks. As for Amrit, there were fire marks all over his upper body, the clothes had burned to ashes but his mask remained the same.

There were a few black spots on his chest and abdomen but they were quickly scabbing and replaced by new skin. He had knowingly taken this attack. The superficial injuries were nothing to care much about as they could heal almost instantaneously, Amrit wanted to try the effect of impact on his body created by the fireball. He didn’t know what overcame him as it was a foolish decision but he wanted to know the limits of his physical body. And he was pleased with the results. When the fireball exploded near him, the impact created by the fireball and the shockwaves shook his internal organs a bit. It was at this moment he realized his weakness.

Although his physical body was strong, it was not the same with his visceral organs. This was the reason why he couldn’t live up to his potential. Previously he thought it was due to the lack of suitable techniques he couldn’t exert full strength of his physical body efficiently. But now he understood he was limited by his visceral organs. Although he understood this, there was no way to remedy it. For body path cultivators, when they reach the third stage equivalent to the golden core formation realm, called the viscera refining realm could they effectively refine internal organs and strengthen them to withstand impacts and exert more strength.

Since Amrit was still in the body refining stage, he couldn’t refine viscera like other body parts. Even a small injury to the visceral organs could have great consequences. It wasn’t that Amrit couldn’t heal them but sometimes even with healing the internal organs, there may be some hidden injuries left that could impede future cultivation. There was no such thing as perfection in the cultivation world. Even the dao itself was not perfect.

But during his cultivation, when Amrit had strengthened his body, his visceral organs were also refined to some extent. Other cultivators may not feel changes as they were miniscule but Amrit had stepped beyond the tenth step so there was an overall upgrade. Now when the impact hit him, his visceral organs shook a bit but there were no visible injuries, just a feeling of throbbing all over his body. When he reached near the Ming clan cultivator his body was already healed. The burnt patches were scabbing off and the only remnant of the previous fire was the burnt clothes on his body. Most of his upper garments were completely burnt off showing his chiseled physique.

Only his mask and lower garments remained as he had enforced them with his qi. He swung his halberd and slashed into the cultivator’s chest. There was no defense left on the Ming clan cultivator’s body. But when the halberd was about to hit, a sword parried Amrit’s halberd. By now, Amrit was bubbling with rage and when his attack was blocked he nearly went mad. He looked and saw another cultivator appear beside the Ming clan cultivator.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

This cultivator seemed foreign to the Lunaris city. It wasn’t that Amrit knew all the clans but the vibes this cultivator was giving and the aura he emitted was somewhat different than he was used to. This new cultivator was giving threat signals to Amrit’s instincts. Although he appeared to be in the late stage of the foundation building realm, he seemed stronger than most of the cultivators present in the city. ‘He must be from the Thapa clan’, Amrit thought silently.

After blocking the halberd, the cultivator swung his sword and pushed Amrit back a few meters. Both of them were gauzing their opponents as no one made a first move. The cultivator from the Ming clan had a look of horror on his face as life flashed past his eyes in an instant. He was standing there shaken. Amrit was getting angry because the cultivator from the Thapa clan had saved the Ming clan cultivator at the last moment.

The Thapa clan cultivator looked at Amrit and said with a slight disdain “Your cultivation technique seems to be outside of this city. You don’t really have to meddle in other’s affairs. If you hand me the cultivation technique for your armor, you won’t have to die needlessly on this battlefield.” Amrit didn’t reply but charged his aura on the halberd and attacked the Thapa clan cultivator. This time he had injected a bit more of his aura on the halberd and he used the Nine nether steps to reach the cultivator.

The cultivator from the Thapa clan was at the late stage of the foundation building realm so he had a greater reaction speed. And seeing Amrit didn’t reply to his question he instantly became angry. For the people of the second-tier city, any cultivator from third-tier cities were country bumpkins. For him even asking for the technique was already being humble. If he hadn’t thought the technique was unique he would have already killed Amrit.

But without even replying to him Amrit charged with halberd. This made the cultivator from the Thapa clan angry and he instantly used his martial arts. The Thapa clan had a sword technique called Black Swan Returns. It was a signature move of the Thapa clan from the capital. It was a lower grade spirit technique and only the main descendants of the Thapa clan could cultivate it. Even in the city of Helas, few from the Thapa clan could cultivate it.

Amrit knew that there were few cultivators from the Thapa clan floating on the sky but he didn’t think there would be even more. But it made no difference, Amrit reached the Thapa clan cultivator and slashed the halberd with full force. This halberd was once more blocked by the sword easily. Amrit slashed once again and this created a stalemate for about a dozen moves. It wasn’t that Amrit was holding back but the cultivator from the Thapa clan was truly an excellent fighter.

This time Amrit felt like this was a sparring session more than a battle. The cultivator from the Thapa clan was also gauzing the strength of Amrit. Although Amrit didn’t show it in his moves, he felt a faint threat from Amrit. As the stalemate continued, the cultivator from the Thapa clan was bored and said “It seems like you are also the average cultivator of this city.” Just as he had said that the ribbons on the halberd shone with dazzling light and made a ‘swoosh’ sound.