Max was not surprised.

He took out more resources and consumed them without hesitation.

This time, the pressure in his body increased severalfold. His muscles expanded slightly, then compressed again. His bones released crisp cracking sounds as they were washed by the gathered power. Every inch of his flesh felt as though it was being hammered by invisible divine blacksmiths.

But Max did not show pain.

Compared to the torment he had endured in the past, this was nothing.

More importantly, his body was too strong now.

The 5000 Dragon Scales formed a hidden protective layer beneath his skin, preventing the violent energy from damaging his physical structure. The 5000 Draconic Essences acted like anchors, stabilizing every surge of power and forcing it to move according to his will.

Because of this, the process that should have been extremely dangerous became almost smooth.

Max continued gathering force.

One wave.

Two waves.

Ten waves.

All of the energy slammed into the sealed Vein of Strength again and again.

Gradually, the hidden Divine Vein began to react.

A deep rumbling sound echoed inside his body.

Max’s eyes snapped open for a brief moment.

"Found it."

He immediately activated Dragon Scales Transformation, but only partially. Thin black scales appeared across his arms, chest, and shoulders, strengthening his body even further. At the same time, his draconic aura surged, causing the endless white space around him to tremble slightly.

Then Max clenched both fists and roared inwardly.

"Open."

The gathered energy transformed into a violent current and rushed toward the third Divine Vein.

Bang!

The first impact shook his entire body.

Bang!

The second impact caused cracks to appear across the invisible barrier sealing the vein.

Bang!

The third impact made the Vein of Strength shine with a deep crimson-gold light.

Max did not stop.

He burned through more body cultivation resources and pushed every strand of energy toward that single point. His heart pounded harder. His blood boiled. His muscles trembled not from weakness, but from the rising force waiting to erupt.

Then, finally, the seal shattered.

BOOM!

A terrifying wave of strength exploded from within Max’s body.

The third Divine Vein opened.

The Vein of Strength awakened.

In an instant, Max felt as if a new source of power had been born inside him. It spread through his body with brutal simplicity, strengthening his arms, legs, back, chest, bones, tendons, and organs.

It did not feel like energy being added from the outside. It felt as though his body had remembered a power it was always meant to possess.

His muscles became denser.

His bones became heavier and stronger.

His flesh gained a terrifying explosive force.

Every movement of his body now carried a deeper physical dominance than before.

The 5000 Draconic Essences also reacted to the opening of the Vein of Strength. They pulsed together, synchronizing with the new Divine Vein. His Dragon Scales grew even tougher, and the physical strength contained within each scale increased.

Max slowly stood up.

The moment he rose, the ground of the Dimension of Time trembled beneath his feet.

He looked down at his hands and clenched them lightly.

Crack.

The air around his fist distorted from the pressure alone.

A smile appeared on his face.

"The third Divine Vein..."

He could feel it clearly.

The Vein of Strength had not simply increased his raw power. It had multiplied the efficiency of his entire body. Every punch, every kick, every sword swing, and every movement would now carry far greater force than before.

With his Black Dragon Chaotic Bloodline complete, 5000 Draconic Essences, 5000 Dragon Scales, and now the Vein of Strength opened, his physical body had reached a level that even many higher-realm geniuses would find terrifying.

Max took a slow breath and allowed the remaining medicinal power to settle.

The process had gone smoother than he expected.

If he had attempted this before devouring the black dragon corpse, opening the third Divine Vein would have been difficult and dangerous. But now, with his transformed physique, the barrier that once seemed challenging had become something he could break through with steady force.

He looked at the remaining resources before him.

"There is still some left."

His eyes gleamed faintly.

"Then I should not waste it."

Max looked at the remaining resources spread before him and did not waste a single moment.

The opening of the third Divine Vein had consumed a large portion of the body cultivation treasures, yet Lady Virelia’s preparations had been generous.

Several bottles of condensed divine essence still remained, along with spirit stones rich in law energy, two rare fruits wrapped in natural runes, and a cluster of pale crystals that released pure cultivation force.

For many disciples, this leftover amount alone would have been enough to support months of training.

For Max, it was another step forward.

He sat down once more in the endless white world of the Dimension of Time and calmed his breathing. The newly opened Vein of Strength pulsed steadily within him, while the first two Divine Veins resonated in harmony. His body now felt heavier, denser, and vastly more powerful than before.

Then he began cultivating.

Max crushed the pale crystals first.

They dissolved into streams of radiant energy that entered his pores and flowed directly into his meridians. He followed by swallowing the two spirit fruits, whose rich essence spread through his organs like warm currents of liquid light. Finally, he opened the bottles of divine essence and drank them one after another.

At once, a tremendous amount of energy gathered inside him.

Ordinary cultivators would have needed to stop and carefully refine each layer of power, but Max’s body was no longer ordinary.

The complete Black Dragon Chaotic Bloodline refined energy with frightening efficiency.

The 5000 Draconic Essences absorbed impurities and converted raw force into nourishment.

The 5000 Dragon Scales stabilized his physique.

The three opened Divine Veins pulled in energy like hungry stars.

Even so, Max’s body required an absurd amount of resources.

What would fill a lake for others only became a river for him.

He activated his cultivation art and drew every strand of power inward. Waves of energy circled around him again and again, compressed, refined, and pushed toward the barrier of the next level.

Hours passed within the Dimension of Time.

The pressure inside his dantian rose steadily.

The aura around him thickened.

Then, with a deep rumble, the final layer of resistance gave way.

Boom.

A surge of force erupted from Max’s body and swept across the white world like a shockwave.

His cultivation advanced.

Ninth level of the Law Awakening Realm.

Max slowly opened his eyes. They shone with deeper power than before.

He exhaled and let the remaining traces of energy settle.

"If this were another cultivator..." he murmured.

He knew the truth clearly.

With the same quantity of resources, many geniuses would have broken through two or even three levels. Some ordinary cultivators might have advanced even more.

But Max’s foundation was too monstrous.

Every realm of his required vast oceans of energy because each breakthrough strengthened not only cultivation, but also bloodline, body, Divine Veins, and countless hidden foundations.

What others gained in speed, he gained in depth.

And Max was fully satisfied with that.

A weak foundation that rose quickly meant little.

A terrifying foundation that rose steadily could shake worlds.

He stood up and clenched his fist lightly.

The aura of the ninth level of Law Awakening Realm flowed naturally through him, perfectly stable and without the slightest sign of instability.

Combined with the Vein of Strength and his completed bloodline, his combat power had risen far beyond what a simple level increase suggested.

Max smiled faintly.

"One more step closer."

And he was far from finished preparing.