Chapter 2: One Step to Heaven

  Boom!

  Dark clouds filled the night sky, suddenly a flash of lightning and thunder, illuminated half of Luoyun Peak.

  At the foot of the mountain, under the stone wall, a figure can be vaguely seen sitting cross-legged in the early dawn, motionless and still, as if it has already calmed down its breath and blood. On top of his head, a light gray mist is slowly rotating, continuously absorbing the surrounding heaven and earth's original energy, and with each breath, it enters the body's meridians.

  However, there was another thin circle of gray mist surrounding it, constantly gathering at the scar on its left cheek, and a layer of dark red blood light flickering uncertainly, as if something was about to burst out from within.

  But was shrouded by the golden runes floating on its surface and could not escape.

  Roar!

  A tyrannical aura suddenly surged, a blood-red glow flickered, and a vague shadow burst towards the sky, shaking violently and transforming into a vast expanse of misty shadows. It seemed like a giant bird soaring through the void, wandering amidst thunderbolts, shrouding the horizon.

  Breaking free from shackles of illusions, yearning for freedom, desperately struggling to surge up to the ninth heaven, amidst thunderstorms, surging ceaselessly.

  Only maintained for a few breaths, a mournful cry, the huge and mysterious ancient runes on his body suddenly appeared, and instantly transformed into a flash of light rushing down, but in the midst of the fall, his body was wrapped in crackling golden electric arcs, flashing again and disappearing into the scars on Licheng's face.

  If there were a strong person present, they would surely be able to recognize it. The illusory shadow was very similar to the legendary phoenix, but different from it, filled with brutal and murderous aura.

  "Wow!"

  Quietly sitting in the stillness of dawn, Li Chen suddenly raised his head and let out a loud roar, his face twisted in a grotesque grimace as he convulsed uncontrollably, a foul odor wafting from his body as sparks crackled around him.

  It was only then that the faint shadow moved, and the crackling sounds around him turned out to be flashes of golden blue lightning arcs, which interweaved with the flashing thunder in the sky, lasting for a good while before subsiding.

  At this time, in Li Chen's brain response, the meridians appeared with a strong air flow, which was the long-awaited symbol of martial arts - internal breath!

  The misty air gradually gathered as time passed, and Li Chen was surprised to find that the number of internal breaths grew at an extremely fast rate, breaking through to the first layer of internal breath in just half a short period.

  When more than half of the time had passed, he clearly heard the fluctuations in his body and suddenly broke through to the second layer.

  No harvest, still maintaining the original state, hard to mobilize the internal breath, impacting the body's meridians, the sound of "peng peng" kept coming, after more than two hours, suddenly broke through again, reached the third layer.

  At this time, the growth of internal energy still did not stop. The demon core in his body was inexplicably immune to the demonic energy that made any low-ranking warrior tremble with fear, as if it were a potent poison, yet it had no effect on him.

  At this moment, Li Chen discovered that his physical strength, which he had been tempering for many years, was actually increasing again.

  Perhaps it was the blessing of heaven that this young man, who had been through many hardships in his life, reached the peak of the fourth layer of internal energy at dawn, and only one step away from entering the fifth layer.

  Compared with the previous Li Chen, he can be said to have risen to a higher level!

  Obviously, the level of that demon core was above his expectations.

  He could even clearly feel that his physical strength, which had been tempered by the elixir for many years, seemed to have undergone a transformation and increased by more than one level.

  "Hah... Hahaha! Youkaku, youkaku, I must think of a way to get youkaku"

  Li Chen, drenched from head to toe, woke up unbelievably refreshed, staring at a pair of hands that seemed to be laughing uncontrollably, and it took him a good while, enough time to finish a cup of tea, to recover from the shock.

  "Get out of here!"

  Taking a few deep breaths, Li Chen stood up and shook his limbs, making a cracking sound, feeling an inexplicable comfort throughout his body.

  With a sweep of the surroundings, the sky was vaguely bright at the horizon. Quickly, the two corpses were moved and buried in the pile of rocks. This place was secluded, with dense rocks standing all around, making it an ideal location for hiding bodies.

  Tore off a piece of tattered cloth, wrapped up the few damp little books and medicine packets, as well as several scattered items, and stuffed them all into the stone crevice. Only then did Li Chen refill two buckets with well water and walk lightly towards the courtyard.

  No one would believe that this fifteen-year-old youth accomplished in one night a miracle that had never occurred on the continent for countless years.

  And this miracle happened in such a remote and secluded mountain valley.

  Such a commotion naturally caught the attention of many powerful individuals within the Mystic Cloud Sect, but they were all suppressed by that overbearing and brutal aura, unable to move.

  When that terrible breath disappeared, many strong men searched for it, but they could no longer find any trace of it.

  "Wow, you're up quite early!"

  On the south face of Luoyun Peak, halfway up the mountain, in a separate courtyard, Chen Songtai, an outer disciple and miscellaneous servant who served He Kuiming, swept past with disdain as he poured water into the tall water tank standing upright on the high platform, his body dripping wet from the early morning dew.

  "Tell Chen Shi-xiong, it's getting late, today He Shi-xiong is going to fire up the furnace and refine the elixir!"

  Li Chen shrunk his neck and scratched his head, unnoticeably blocking the torn front of his shirt with his arm.

  "Haha!"

  Chen Songtai's expression was neither sunny nor cloudy as he turned and walked out of the courtyard.

  Yesterday he deliberately delayed for half a day, so that Li Chen couldn't fill the water in time, but unexpectedly he didn't sleep all night and filled it up.

  Although Li Chen took over the hard work for him, allowing him to have more time to cultivate, but for someone of his age who has made little progress in martial arts, he can only take pleasure in bullying others, especially a waste that can never retaliate against him.

  Watching him leave, Li Chen narrowed his eyes and quickly walked into his own room, changed into a clean set of clothes, and rushed out.

  Without stopping for a moment, box after box of medicine was moved out from the house adjacent to the main building on the north side. When everything was ready, a young man wearing blue clothes and with a handsome face walked into the Dan room. He was none other than He Kongming, the genius disciple of the Xuan Yun Sect's inner door who had been won over from Miss Li San.

  "Get out!"

  He Kongming gave Lei Chen a cold glance and walked to the desk, picking up several jade boxes with faintly fragrant herbs from the top.

  A half-person-high incense burner with carvings of flowers, birds, fish and insects, spotlessly clean after being wiped down, was emitting rolling heat waves.

  This is Hei Kōmei's alchemy lab. Only when sweeping the room or when testing medicine at dawn would he be summoned.

  "Yes!"

  Without another word, Li Chen put down the neatly arranged medicine and walked out of the room with a respectful bow, closing the door behind him.

  Standing in the courtyard, looking up at the sky, clenching and unclenching fists three times, two unyielding rays of light burst forth from eyes like stars.

  The corner of his eye twitched, as if he could hear a low grinding sound.

  Disdain, indifference, and pity, he had seen too much of it all. He didn't want to continue like this, whether for himself or for others.

  That family of three generations gave their lives for the Li family, ultimately suffering and dying in pain, unable to receive medical treatment, a pitiful old man struggling for a breath.

  Take a deep breath, eliminate distractions, walk to an open space outside the courtyard, adjust your posture, sink your waist and stand like a horse, and practice a set of fist techniques with a flowing movement.

  The martial art is called "Tiger Roar Fist", which was learned by Old Lei in his younger years. Although it's not a high-ranking technique, its power lies in its fierce killing intent and unstoppable momentum.

  Hoo-ah!

  With a majestic appearance, a vigorous and powerful aura emerges, as if a mighty storm is brewing.

  "This feeling is so strong!"

  One punch after another came down, and Li Chen not only didn't feel tired, but even had a stronger trend, which was because of the initial formation of his inner breath.

  Inner strength can not only strengthen one's own energy and defense, but also relieve fatigue, increase endurance, especially in the early morning with a surprising burst of strange power, under the assistance of inner strength, the killing power is even more astonishing.

  Although he had never fought against a martial artist before, the experience of being repaired and trained by Third Miss over the years told Li Chen that with his current strength, he would absolutely not be at a disadvantage when facing an internal breath boundary fifth layer martial artist.

  New book sets sail, urgently needs old and new book friends to collect and send flowers to support, please help Dusty with one arm!

  "Mo Dao Zu Shi"

  The vast and desolate land is home to numerous tribes, where demons roam free. The human tribe is born with mediocre talent, weak and feeble, raised like pigs and dogs in enclosures, yet they remain ignorant of their own nature, considering themselves intelligent and superior!

  Young Ah Man, dissatisfied with his humble life, accidentally obtained the heavenly creation origin divine object. With an unyielding heart, he went through trials of life and death, and finally created the unparalleled divine ability - Qian Kun Nine Changes!

  Storm through the nine hells, destroy the nine heavens, slay the demons and monsters, reverse the flow of the desolate wilderness, control the ancient tyrants, make all spirits bow their heads, turn one's hand into clouds and cover with rain, using the most brutal and savage methods to establish the era of the Wild God!

  This is the fate of the barbarian tribes, known in history as - The Barbarian God Tribulation!