The 2nd realm came quickly, as heavenly Qi surged to 1,200. With it came the power of someone in the 2nd realm! The 2nd realm in this world was essentially Foundation Establishment, where a cultivator established their foundation. Duh. Honestly, because Huang Lu has no formal education on the technicalities of what that meant, he didn't really care. This Royal Bloodline handled everything on his behalf.

[1,200 to 2nd realm. 1,800 to 2nd step of 2nd Realm. 2,400 to middle steps/half step, 3,200 to peak of 2nd realm. 4,000 to 3rd realm]

It's awfully convenient. It's almost as if the fates themselves decided that describing the nitty gritty details of cultivation to be absolutely a waste of time, so why bother describing something that most heavenly spirits would just roll their eyes and skim?

And before Huang Lu could even enjoy his newfound power, someone called him out.

"Huang Lu, come and earn you daily pork bun. There's someone harassing the market hawkers again.". It's one of the market regulars, and Huang Lu's the de facto protector of the civilian/commoner market street. Huang Lu shrugged, ah, evil never rests, and he will not rest either.

He got out of bed, dressed in simple clothes. There's no point wearing thick or fancy clothes when he's gonna drench himself in oil.

"Huang Lu, you came." One of the hawkers were happy to see him. "That lady there demands that we pay money for protection."

A lady? Huang Lu squinted his eyes and saw a pretty lady, but she had a fierce look on her face. Somehow, he knew she was a cultivator, and her eyes immediately turned and glared at him. "So, you're the protector of the market, eh? Well, time to meet your maker, because, I, disciple of the Wild Blood Sect, will kill you."

Huang Lu frowned. He will slay evil, even if they are female. He didn't like beating girls though, but if they are naughty, they should be punished. The female cultivator screamed and roared, and the aura of someone at the peak of the 1st realm flooded the market. It's pathetic, really. Apparently, it took about three to four years to get to the peak of 1st realm. Only the super talented got there in a year.

Huang Lu did it in days. No. The royal bloodline did. Huang Lu did absolutely jack shit. He was nothing more than a vessel for the power of the royal bloodline.

Huang Lu parried the punches easily. He was in the 2nd realm, and now the difference between him and the female cultivator was like heaven and earth. After all, every realm had to be significantly different, why else would they be classified as different realms? If the scale of power was gradual, it would be better for them to be placed and described as a slope, or a constant, ascending series of stairs.

He blocked them, and the female grunted in frustration. She screamed like a wild animal, and then her form changed. It was another of those beast forms. Her face turned cattish, and she saw cat ears made of Qi. Her arms had a Qi-shell that took the shape of a cat's paws and claws. Why did a male cultivator transform physically, while the female cultivator's transformation was a spiritual shell or armor?

The female slashed and swiped, but Huang Lu's cultivation was that of someone in close combat. He got uncomfortably close, and then wrested her easily. In an instant, he held her hand and head with a lock and she choked.

He remembered that he squeezed a little too hard last time, and accidentally killed the guy who tried to kill him. He decided to give this lady a chance. Maybe because she's pretty and he didn't like to hurt a pretty lady. He had to admit he was biased like that. A man was more likely to be killed, but a woman, less so. Instead, the woman would be subject to a life of servitude and slavery in a world where the strong ruled.

Maybe it was better to just die.

The woman couldn't defeat his strength. She strunggled. Her lackeys were horrified. "Let her go!"

"Sure." Huang Lu loosened his grip over her neck once her Qi armor faded away. She coughed and panted as she attempted to breath.

Huang Lu's turn, as he flared his 2nd realm Qi. The female cultivator's face paled even more, and she immediately kneeled on the floor and begged. "Please don't kill me. This lowly one acknowledges the great cultivator's superior cultivation. I had eyes but I could not see the greatness of Mount Tai."

Her lackeys immediately joined in and kneeled. Everyone in the market stared at the absurdity of these Wild Blood Sect members kneeling before a nobody. But the world of cultivators were always one where there are always crouching tigers and hidden dragons. Did they think they would get away with it all the time?

Huang Lu sighed. "I won't kill you. Just leave the market alone. Go."

They scurried away like a pack of fleeing rats.