Chapter 104: The Fierce Clash of Magic Artifacts

The powerful medicinal effects of the Red Snake Fruit far exceeded Xu Xuan's imagination. Not only did it help him step into the tenth layer of Body Refining in one fell swoop, but it nearly caused his body to explode and perish.

Fortunately, at the final moment, Xu Xuan unleashed the Dragon's Fury Breath far beyond his limits. This secret technique sublimated all his vital energy and power, converging it into a single point to produce a supernatural ability similar to a dragon's wrathful breath. Its destructive force was utterly terrifying, a forbidden art.

This technique almost drained his entire vital energy in an instant, with a tremendous cost, yet it allowed Xu Xuan to safely weather the crisis.

Plop!

Xu Xuan's enfeebled body plummeted from a height of thirty to forty zhang, slamming into the cold pool with a splash of water flying in all directions. The icy water soaked his frame, washing away the lingering burns and aches deep within his body.

After resting briefly in the cold pool, Xu Xuan dove to the depths, where he discovered the withered Silver Frost spiritual herb, its spiritual essence already decayed by more than half. He thus consumed the herb to aid his recovery.

After ingesting the strange grass, Xu Xuan's injuries and vital energy recovered at a much accelerated pace.

One day and night later, Xu Xuan's wounds were fully healed and his vital energy restored to eighty percent.

After the baptism of the Tenth Change, his current physical form had become even more perfect and formidable. His muscles and bones appeared neither exaggerated nor unbalanced, yet they harbored unfathomable power.

Who could possibly imagine the astonishing might concealed within this slender, well-proportioned physique?

According to the classification of Body Refining strength, the seventh layer grants one thousand jin of force, the eighth two thousand jin, and the ninth three thousand jin. This applied to all ordinary cultivators at the Body Refining stage.

As for Xu Xuan, who had reached the tenth layer of Body Refining and stepped through the threshold into body cultivation, he could deliver over four to five thousand jin of force with a single strike.

Boom!

Xu Xuan's palm struck the cold pool, instantly sending up waves several meters high. A deep ravine was literally carved from the spot, and the fish swimming nearby were instantly killed by the shockwave.

When he reached the shore, a light kick with one foot produced a fissure several feet long right there.

Every gesture carried raw, primitive power. This was merely the unrefined physical strength of an ancient body cultivator, one of its specialties.

Xu Xuan stood motionless, drew a deep breath, and a faint red aura immediately manifested from his flesh and blood, radiating scorching heat that coiled around his body and exuded a primal, overwhelming presence that cast him as a god of war between heaven and earth.

"This power... is entirely derived from human flesh and blood."

Xu Xuan spread his palm, and that section of skin suddenly shimmered with a layer of faint red light. The scorching aura stirred the surrounding air with intense agitation.

As the wielder of this power, Xu Xuan felt its terror keenly. In comparison, the spiritual energy or true qi of the same stage were hard-pressed to match it.

Yet with a thought, the faint red aura retracted and returned to every limb and orifice of his body. Indeed, all power stemmed from himself alone, neither trusting heaven nor earth, only the self.

"I wonder what level I am at now?"

Xu Xuan murmured to himself, his past-life memories allowing him to roughly gauge his current cultivation.

"Hahaha! Truly excellent. Upon stepping into the door of body cultivation, your cultivation level is comparable to Qi Refining third layer. After a bit of tempering, you can match Qi Refining fourth layer. Of course, true combat power cannot be measured by apparent cultivation; only your opponents will be able to test it, hehehe..."

The remnant soul from his past life spoke with an excited, anticipatory tone.

Qi Refining third layer?

Xu Xuan felt a surge of delight. Normally, anyone entering the cultivation path began at Qi Refining first layer.

But as a newly ascended cultivator, his base level was already on par with Qi Refining third layer, and this was merely the surface manifestation!

It was worth noting that before becoming a body cultivator, Xu Xuan had already been able to rival Qi Refining third layer, or even unleash even more terrifying power.

His current physical burst from the tenth layer of Body Refining could challenge Qi Refining fourth layer immortals, not to mention the true strength of an ancient body cultivator.

Thus, his actual power remained unpredictable even to Xu Xuan himself.

"Right, this power differs from spiritual energy; it somewhat resembles the true qi of a martial artist, yet there are distinctions..."

Xu Xuan's palm again released that faint red scorching aura, causing the surrounding area to churn with inexplicable force and a powerful scorching pressure.

"Yuan power, belonging to the ancient body cultivators' strength." The remnant soul answered without hesitation.

Yuan power?

Xu Xuan was stunned, and sudden clarity dawned in his mind: "It is condensed from the essence qi within the human blood and flesh. Because my constitution is fire-type, and combined with the profound meaning of the Dragon's Fury, it manifests as this fire-type yuan power. This force can produce supernatural abilities and influence the external world and heaven and earth, comparable to spiritual energy and true qi, yet it is purely self-generated power, so primitive..."

"Correct, your comprehension is excellent."

The remnant soul replied with approval.

Xu Xuan's appearance of deep thought had given him some insight into the path pursued by ancient body cultivators. When he truly became a cultivator of this way, he was extremely fortunate with his choice at the outset.

At this moment, he might be the sole ancient body cultivator within the Little Fish Realm!

Stepping onto this path required Xu Xuan to recall the memories of past-life ancient body cultivation techniques.

"We meet in dreams..."

The remnant soul's voice faded.

Xu Xuan subconsciously nodded, but suddenly recalled that today marked the final day for his outing from the mountain gate. Even as an inner disciple, one excursion was at most five days.

"Return to the sect first; after all, I have become a true ancient body cultivator."

Xu Xuan drew a deep breath and suddenly circulated his power. The faint red light on his body roared violently.

Boom—

His entire form transformed into a cannonball-like streak, turning into a fiery figure that leaped to a height exceeding ten zhang in an instant, then planted one foot upon the rock wall.

Step step step!

Xu Xuan's figure flew and trod across the sheer cliffs at either end of the abyss, each step leaving a deep footprint half a foot in depth. The mountain body shook, stones flew, and the scene was breathtaking.

In only a few breaths' time, he had literally leaped to the cliffside.

Compared to his previous journey, Xu Xuan had taken a long detour last time, but this time he stepped directly onto the cliff. Anyone else witnessing it would likely call him insane.

After leaping onto the steep cliff, Xu Xuan quickened his pace toward the Fengyu Immortal Sect.

Within half an hour, he reached Xingyu Mountain, each stride on the winding stone steps surpassing a zhang with ease. Even facing cliffs over ten zhang high, he crossed them in a single bound.

Every measure of body cultivator power derived from the flesh and blood of the body, and this control over the body and strength felt so natural and comfortable.

As they approached the vicinity of the mountain gate, several familiar figures appeared ahead.

"Senior Zhong, you've been following me for half the journey..."

Yu Qin's soft, timid voice reached him.

Xu Xuan focused and saw Yu Shimei gazing at him with helpless pleading eyes.

Beside her, Zhong Hong laughed wickedly. "Yu Shimei, I only wish to protect you with maximum strength so you suffer no harm."

"I'm almost at the mountain gate; don't follow."

Yu Qin spoke with a pleading tone, her timid figure before the several sword sect disciples looking pitiful and delicate.

"Being able to spend more time with Shimei makes Zhong happy in body and mind. Yu Shimei is so kind; how could one deny her?"

Zhong Hong shamelessly pressed on, and two more sword sect disciples beside him waved flags and shouted, "Yes, Yu Shimei, give Senior Zhong a chance."

"Zhong senior brother is sincere; why not consider it, Shimei?"

When Xu Xuan walked toward them with a frown, what were these sword sect disciples trying to do, pestering so persistently?

Yu Qin finally grew angry, brows furrowed as she turned away from the three without a glance.

"Yu Shimei, don't be angry!"

Zhong Hong reached out to grab her hand, but she pulled away.

"Sword sect fellows, you are too much!"

A disciple from the Wind Feather Sect passing by shouted sternly.

"Get lost!"

Zhong Hong's gaze turned sharp, and he glared fiercely, a powerful sword dao qi surging around him. The Qi Refining fifth layer spiritual pressure made the Wind Feather Sect disciple pale with fear, not daring to utter a word.

With Zhong Hong at the helm, the three sword sect disciples dominated, and ordinary disciples of the Wind Feather Sect were nothing to them.

"Hehe, what is going on?"

A handsome, balanced young figure approached from behind, neither slow nor hurried.

"Xu senior brother."

Surprise and delight overflowed in Yu Qin's beautiful eyes as she revealed a pure, beautiful smile like a rainbow after rain.

Xu Xuan walked to her side and smiled faintly. "Let's ascend the mountain together and ignore these flies."

Upon hearing this, Zhong Hong and the others changed color dramatically, their expressions turning icy and sinister.

"Boy, are you looking for a beating?"

A sword sect disciple scolded.

Xu Xuan gave a cold hum. "This is the Fengyu Sect's important place; leave at once."

"Xu boy, you haven't reached the mountain gate yet."

Fierce light flashed in Zhong Hong's eyes as his tall, burly frame slowly advanced.

Xu Xuan blocked Yu Qin's path, his face cold as frost, and said not a word more, only one: "Roll!"

What!

The sword sect trio instantly erupted in fury. Zhong Hong's Qi Refining fifth layer spiritual pressure surged like tidal waves toward them.

His burly body pressed closer, nearly sticking to Xu Xuan's face, eyes flashing with killing intent. "Say it again!"

The anger in Zhong Hong's eyes had turned into cold killing intent.

Xu Xuan remained unmoved, still only one word: "Roll!"

"You are courting death!"

Zhong Hong condensed sharp light in his palm. "Whoosh" A horizontal chop came flying. Today he had not brought his giant sword, but defeating a Body Refining ninth layer ordinary person or low-stage martial artist was no small matter.

Such a situation caused Yu Qin behind Xu Xuan to cry out in alarm, "Senior brother, be careful!"

Despite being a sword cultivator, as a Qi Refining fifth layer immortal, this palm strike was no trivial matter and could injure anyone below Qi Refining fourth layer.

Slap!

A loud crack echoed across the field.

Xu Xuan's palm moved with speed too fast to see and seized Zhong Hong's arm.

Zhong Hong was greatly startled. His arm felt as if clamped by an iron vise, the pain excruciating and leaving him unable to move.

"Release... let go of me!"

Zhong Hong's entire arm went numb, and regret filled his heart. He had underestimated the opponent; after all, the other was a Body Refining ninth layer ordinary cultivator, even a martial artist, how could he engage in close combat?

"Attack together!"

The other two sword sect disciples drew their magic swords at the sight.

Clang clang!

Two sword lights slashed toward Xu Xuan, clearly intending to rescue Zhong Hong.

Xu Xuan gave a cold hum and waved his palm.

Slap!

Zhong Hong's two-hundred-jin blockhead was sent flying by a single palm slap, and he immediately spat out a mouthful of blood with a "wow."

Clang swish swish—

Almost simultaneously, two magic swords stabbed forward. The nearby disciples from both sects nearly held their breaths: small scuffles were fine, but if lives were lost...

Clang clang!

The resonant clanging of metal spread throughout the area.

Xu Xuan's two hands, one on each side, directly met the stabbing magic swords.

Flesh palm against magic weapon!

The other spectators stood dumbfounded, wondering if this Xu Xuan had gone mad.

However, the facts were not so.

Clang clang—

The two magic swords were sent flying away, and those two sword sect disciples were horrified to the extreme. A world-shaking monstrous force shook their tiger mouths until they bled, their bodies staggering backward continuously.

Second update, seeking monthly votes!