Chapter 29 : The Elder??!
Despite his body's chaotic state, covered in sweat and dried blood, with small wounds slowly healing thanks to his newfound strength, it couldn't erase the radiant smile gracing his face.
That smile reflected a true sense of victory, a feeling he hadn't experienced in ages. He had finally achieved something monumental, something beyond the imagination of most people in the Boundless Star Realm: power surpassing his current cultivation realm by an entire stage.
He recalled how he used to view Ninth Layer Foundation Establishment cultivators as living legends, individuals capable of turning battles with a single strike or controlling spiritual energy as if it were an extension of their bodies.
And now, he himself had become one of them, or at least possessed strength equivalent to theirs. This accomplishment filled his heart with pride, but it also reminded him of all the effort he had poured in to reach this point.
He felt that all the pain, frustration, and negative emotions that had overwhelmed him since entering the forest were entirely worth it. He remembered those cold nights sleeping on the damp ground, shivering from the chill and exhaustion, surrounded by the sounds of beasts lurking nearby. And the frustration that nearly drove him to give up more than once.
All those dark moments had now transformed into fuel propelling him toward this achievement. The forest had changed him, making him stronger not just physically, but mentally as well.
Shen Yuan rose slowly, feeling his body recover at an astonishing speed thanks to the Primordial Body Technique. He looked at his fists, then clenched them tightly, sensing the new energy surging through his muscles, veins, and bones. The energy flowed like a rushing river, filling every cell in his body with boundless vitality.
He couldn't resist the urge to test his new strength. Raising his hand, he punched a large rock on the side of the cave. The rock shattered into tiny fragments, scattering into the air like dust. He smiled wider, amazed at how effortlessly he had done it.
In the past, he would have needed tremendous effort to create even a small crack in a rock of that size and durability, but now, his power was beyond imagination. A wave of euphoria washed over him, as if a new world had opened before him.
But despite his joy, he had to focus on something more important. The Elder had promised a surprise awaiting him upon achieving this progress. Shen Yuan knew that anything from the Elder would be extraordinary, elevating him to heights of power he had never dreamed of reaching.
He recalled how the Primordial Body Technique had changed his life, granting him physical strength beyond the natural, allowing him to survive against ferocious beasts. If the surprise was similar, it would be a massive step toward his goal of becoming the strongest.
He lifted his head, looking around the empty cave that had become his refuge. He began pacing back and forth, clearly waiting for that surprise. He imagined it might be a powerful spiritual technique.
But... nothing happened. An hour passed, with Shen Yuan wandering the cave, listening to the sounds of the forest outside. Then two hours, and the cold began to creep in despite his new strength.
Then three hours, and silence enveloped the cave as if the entire forest had stopped breathing. The waiting tormented him, turning his excitement into tension.
Shen Yuan could no longer endure the wait. He cleared his throat and spoke a bit louder:
"Ahem... ahem, Elder, in case you haven't noticed, I've reached the Ninth Layer."
But he was met with silence. The Elder didn't respond. This was strange, as the Elder was always present in his mind, offering advice or warnings in crucial moments.
"Elder?" he called again, ensuring the mental connection hadn't been severed. Perhaps there was some glitch, or maybe the Elder was occupied with something .
Once again, there was no reply. Worry began to creep into Shen Yuan's heart, replacing his previous excitement. Had something happened to the Elder? Was this silence part of the surprise, a test of his patience?
He continued trying to call out repeatedly, pacing the cave, raising his voice higher, but after another three hours, he finally despaired and stopped. The Elder sometimes avoided responding, perhaps to force him to think for himself, but it had never reached this level of silence.
Shen Yuan's anxiety grew, imagining dire scenarios: perhaps the Elder had left, or maybe there was a danger threatening their existence together. But before he could sink into panic, he remembered something important that could occupy his mind and distract him from the worry.
He was now at the Ninth Layer of Body Refinement. He needed to break through his limits three more times to reach the Twelfth Layer, then enter the next realm: the Foundation Establishment Realm.
In this realm, cultivators build a solid spiritual foundation to absorb spiritual energy, like expanding spiritual meridians to accommodate more energy and control it smoothly.
This realm represented a major transformation, where the cultivator could use spiritual energy more efficiently, opening doors to stronger techniques and more complex battles.
And most importantly, the dantian—or its expansion—occurs in this stage. Upon breaking through from Body Refinement to Foundation Establishment, the dantian forms automatically as a small bead, then improves and expands with each layer until reaching the perfect form at the Ninth Layer.
The dantian was the center of spiritual energy, storing and distributing it, and any mistake in its formation could hinder a cultivator's progress forever.
In the Foundation Establishment Realm, cultivators could finally use true combat techniques, as they become able to expel spiritual energy outside the body and employ it in attacks. This ability changed everything, transforming battles from physical struggles to spiritual arts filled with creativity and power.
Whereas in the Body Refinement Realm, the focus was on building a strong and resilient body, making expelling spiritual energy impossible except for geniuses with profound understanding of it.
Such individuals could expel one or two threads, and they were seen as prodigies, but it wasn't very useful in daily combat.
As for Shen Yuan, he had been able to expel some threads to enhance the sharpness of the War God's Pearl in sword form, making it a crucial tool in battles.
He recalled how he used it against Second Star beasts, where those spiritual threads gave his sword an extra gleam, cutting through thick hides like paper.
But Shen Yuan was in a bit of a serious predicament: he didn't possess any true martial arts! When he was in the Shen Clan, he had only learned basic techniques for fists, movement, or sword, all at the basic rank—the lowest tier of techniques.
They were used in the Body Refinement Realm to build a general understanding of martial arts, not for actual combat. He remembered those boring lessons in the clan's courtyard, where he practiced, mimicking simple sword movements under his teacher's supervision.
Those techniques were sufficient for self-defense in simple encounters, but they held no value in the Foundation Establishment Realm, where arts required efficient use of spiritual energy.
"Do I really have to return to the city again?" Shen Yuan muttered in a slightly unwilling tone, sitting on a rock in the cave, gazing at the entrance where faint sunlight filtered in.
After spending months in the forest, he felt a familiarity with its tranquility, away from the city's clamor and people's disdain. The forest had become his home, a haven where he could focus on his cultivation without distractions.
He recalled the rustling leaves, the scent of damp earth after rain, and how the beasts taught him lessons in survival. He preferred the peace he found here, where no one judged or betrayed him.
And he wasn't foolish either; there were scores to settle with those who had left him on the brink of death. He remembered that ominous moment when he was exiled.
They were the ones who pushed him onto this path, and with his new strength, he could now confront them. But was he ready for that? Shen Yuan could be forgiving, but his isolated and somewhat pampered upbringing had left him lacking common sense in a world where the weak are discarded, and random killing is as common as drinking water.
He understood that after three years outside the Shen Clan's walls, where he saw brutality in people's eyes and betrayal in every transaction. But understanding was far easier than acting... He feared becoming like those who had hurt him, sinking into an endless cycle of revenge.
He needed time to think, perhaps continue his cultivation here a bit longer, waiting for the Elder's return.....
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