Tomb robbing: I was Buried alive in the Mausoleum of the First Emperor, I Get Stronger by Looting Corpses - Chapter 32

Chapter 32: Physical Transcendence, A Celestial Body?

What kind of twisted constitution is this? Serpent bones? No wonder her body looked so delicate and soft.

Yang Yi muttered to himself, his thoughts tangled.

To encounter such a rare woman—what on earth would that feel like?

He reckoned she could assume all one hundred and eight positions without breaking a sweat.

But what exactly is this Demon-Lipped Serpent’s Breath physique supposed to be? A poisonous body?

Her very essence was steeped in venom. When her emotions fluctuated, her breath alone would exude a lethal toxin. Touching her was out of the question. Simply getting close could mean death. And to top it all, she was the original bearer of this physique. In other words, it was unprecedented, at least in this world.

“System, what kind of world is this, really?”

“Having peculiar bones is one thing, but now unique constitutions as well?”

“It’s starting to feel a little too fantastical.”

Taking a deep breath, Yang Yi addressed the system.

Ding! 

[Every world has its share of eccentric and exceptional individuals, along with unique physiques. Even in the host’s former world, such things existed—albeit exceedingly rare and largely unknown. Besides, this is an age where martial cultivation is possible. Therefore, the host need not overthink it.]

To his surprise, the system actually gave a response—though it felt somewhat perfunctory.

“Well then…” he nodded, letting it go.

Clearly, in the system’s judgement, this so-called Miss Ku was a highly exceptional case. Her existence was anything but ordinary.

Demon-Lipped Serpent’s Breath… Even the name sounds irresistibly seductive. Add to that a natural serpent bone… this woman might just be the rarest gem in all of existence. What a shame. I can’t touch her, can’t even get close.

Yang Yi let out a silent sigh of regret. He could not even bring himself to summon her out. He was not ready to gamble with his life like that.

I wonder if the medical compendium can solve the problem of her constitution…

The thought sparked a flicker of hope. But deep down, he felt it unlikely. After all, it was an innate condition. Curing it would require a complete physical transformation—rebirth, even. That may well lie outside the realm of medicine altogether. Certainly, it was beyond the reach of medicine in a normal world. Perhaps it could be suppressed, or controlled… that might be possible.

……………………………………………………………………………

In the end, Yang Yi reluctantly exited the system’s storage space. But not before stealing one last, lingering glance. Even Yu Ji had never made him lose his composure like this.

Forget it. I should return to collecting corpses. Strength first, sentiments later. With another deep breath, Yang Yi calmed himself. He was beginning to realise that the system had a habit of tossing surprises—or shocks—his way now and then. Soon enough, he immersed himself in the work again. But when he looted the final corpse, there were no special gains left.

“System, display my attributes.”

The moment he gave the command, a status panel floated into view.

Host: Yang Yi

Age: 20

Cultivation Stage: Entry-level Transformative Strength (Internal Pre-Heaven Stage)

Soul Realm: Mortal

Innate Talent / Bone Structure: Overlord Bone²

Cultivation Methods: Ancient Breathing Technique, Mohist Breathing Technique, Basic Breathing Technique, Medical Breathing Technique

Skills: Introductory Mohist Mechanics, Peerless Halberd, Introductory Sword Draw Technique

Available Lifespan to Extract: 2,535 years

Remaining Cultivation Time: 90 years

……………………………………………………………………………

“Ninety years of cultivation time… I wonder how far that can take me?”

Yang Yi’s heart blazed with anticipation. He was still only at the threshold of Transformative Strength. And his version was vastly different from others. Ordinarily, one needed only to convert all their Dark Strength into internal energy and channel it throughout the body. But for Yang Yi, it involved condensing Dark Strength to the extreme until Pre-Heaven Qi was born.

To saturate his entire body with that energy—how vast a quantity would be needed? How much Dark Strength must he refine?

With great gain comes great cost. If I want to cut down foes across major realms, I must sacrifice something in return. Perhaps this invincible path may lead me to an ancestral form—to become a Pre-Heaven Human once more.

The thought lingered.

Pre-Heaven Humans… They were the first of humankind, crafted by Nuwa herself. Long since extinct. As his mind wandered, Yang Yi realised he had strayed into the realm of myth and fantasy. Must be all those novels I read in my past life. Shaking his head with a faint smile, he issued his next command: “System, extract all cultivation time. Focus exclusively on the Ancient Breathing Technique.”

Ding!

[Host is now entering a cultivation state. With your Internal Pre-Heaven stage at the entry level of Transformative Strength, this path is tailored to your unique fate. For ninety years, within the tomb’s passageway, you embraced cultivation in its purest form. Sustained only by ordinary food to fuel your vitality, you ceaselessly refined your Dark Strength. Under relentless tempering, threads of powerful Pre-Heaven Qi gradually emerged. They coursed through your meridians, dispersing into every corner of your body. Your physique, nourished by this divine essence, began to evolve towards flawlessness. Your lifespan increased by no less than five hundred years. After ninety years of seclusion, you have broken through to the mid-stage of Transformative Strength. At the same time, your eighteenth Overlord Bone has been successfully awakened.]

As the system’s voice came to a halt, the ninety years vanished like smoke.

Bloody hell…My body transformed? I’ve achieved longevity? Gained five hundred years of life? So this… is the terror of Internal Pre-Heaven… Am I truly on the path to becoming a celestial being? Yang Yi found it all a bit surreal. Even without the system now, he could live well past five centuries.

According to the Ancient Breathing Technique, even Foundation Establishment⁴ only grants about two hundred years of added life. I’m now mid-stage Transformative Strength—and still two major stages away from Foundation Establishment! Moreover, neither the Transformative nor the Qi Armour Stages are supposed to extend one’s lifespan at all!

He murmured to himself, dumbfounded. Driven by curiosity, he clenched his fist and smashed it into the ground.

BOOM!!

The floor trembled violently. The blue stone cracked instantly. At the centre of the webbed fissures was a fist-sized crater.

Such power… At this rate, I could probably take on a Qi Armour cultivator with my bare hands.

Yang Yi whispered. Qi Armour allowed one to project their energy externally. It was a whole new tier of power. Just like the ancient distinction between innate and acquired talent in wuxia tales. For a martial artist, reaching the Qi Armour realm was like crossing a chasm into an entirely different world. To challenge such a being across realms, for most, was sheer lunacy.