Chapter 14: A Leap of Terror

In the early morning, a hazy mist shrouded the mountains and forests near Yangmu Village, limiting visibility to scarcely more than a dozen meters.

Dewdrops beaded the grass of the mountain meadows, the air fresh and invigorating, filling the lungs with comfort.

The morning is the best time to start the day.

There, on the open hillside, the figure of a young boy moved with unhurried ease—bounding, rolling, gliding—each motion carefree and natural.

Whenever the boy leapt skyward, his limbs and torso assumed the posture of a swallow in flight. As he drifted downward from midair, he seemed to descend as lightly as a bird’s feather or a falling leaf, his speed far slower than normal—or perhaps, it was just an illusion. It was as if his body weighed far less than that of an ordinary person.

Suddenly!

The boy sprang more than two meters off the ground, his body twisting as he landed on a nearby mound, borrowing its momentum to launch himself in a soaring leap onto a large tree.

With a flash, he flew from the branch like a swallow, his figure transforming into that of a great bird, tracing a long, elegant arc over a river some seven or eight meters wide.

At the highest point of his flight, his trajectory would have sent him plunging straight into the river below. In the chill of the morning, the water would be icy cold—a fate little better than becoming a drowned rat.

At this crucial instant, the boy drew a deep breath, his energy gathering at a single point; his eyes were as sharp as a hunting hawk’s.

“Rise!”

His hands slapped the air, legs thrusting backward, channeling his vital energy from his chest out to every limb and extremity.

In a flash, his falling body found support in the void, executing a beautiful backflip, light as a feather, landing with perfect precision on the far bank of the river.

When he touched down, the icy river gurgled just half a step behind him.

After completing these movements, the boy gasped for breath; his handsome face shone with a determination and maturity rare for one so young.

“I’ve basically mastered the essence of the third transformation of the Dragon-Serpent Art—the ‘Drift’ technique. Even the most difficult moves are finally within my grasp.”

Xu Xuan’s chest rose and fell, his breath coming quickly, yet his eyes brimmed with excitement and satisfaction.

Ever since his return from Pinghua Town, Xu Xuan had come to the mountains every morning to cultivate the third transformation of the Dragon-Serpent Art.

The third transformation, the ‘Drift’ technique, required a challenging terrain—far too restrictive to practice at home or in the village.

Thus, he always came to the mountains before dawn to train.

This was now his third day practicing the ‘Drift’ technique.

Three full days it had taken for Xu Xuan to master these scattered moves. In his spare time, he scoured the nearby forests for spiritual herbs, finding only a few.

As for the deeper reaches of the mountains, he dared not venture there yet; should he encounter a vicious beast, he was not confident of escaping unscathed.

Having learned the most difficult movements of the ‘Drift’ technique, Xu Xuan attempted to string together the entire third transformation into one seamless sequence.

He had already discovered that each transformation of the Dragon-Serpent Nine Transformations, when performed in succession, would greatly stimulate and refine his body.

After perfecting the first two transformations, he had easily broken into the second level of Body Refinement; his physique and strength had increased dramatically, and his vital energy was now more robust than ever.

Each transformation brought different benefits. The first granted him the flexibility of a serpent; the second, the ‘Bend’ technique, targeted his bones for breakthrough and advancement.

The third transformation was a lightness technique, and Xu Xuan felt it imitated birds and other creatures of the wild.

During his practice, he felt as light as a swallow, his leaping ability vastly improved. He could now easily vault onto the roof of a house several meters high; the legendary feats of running on walls and leaping across eaves seemed within reach.

Swish! Swish! Step! Soar!...

In the wilderness, Xu Xuan’s movements were unpredictable, his form vanishing into the air, a sight both pleasing and exhilarating.

More than that, he felt a sense of carefree delight.

At one point, he executed the final moves of the ‘Drift’ technique—borrowing force in midair, rising ever higher.

Embracing the cool wind, he felt himself become a great bird, soaring freely across the sky. As he fell, he again borrowed force from the empty air, drifting across like a feather, alighting on the far bank of the river.

The entire sequence of the ‘Drift’ technique was completed without the slightest hitch.

In that instant, an ethereal current surged through his limbs, wild and dreamlike.

Xu Xuan felt as if his whole body had become lighter, as though he could step into the clouds with a single stride, floating like a feather.

At that same moment, he felt his vital energy within, like countless streams converging into a river, break through a barrier.

“I did it!”

Xu Xuan’s face glowed with joy and excitement. He closed his eyes tightly, savoring the current crashing through his body—four parts aching, three parts tingling, and three parts like ascending through clouds...

He drew a deep breath and suddenly stomped hard on the ground.

Bang!

With a heavy thud, the grass bore a half-inch-deep footprint, a fissure like a gully splitting the earth.

The sound startled all the birds in the nearby forest, sending them scattering.

“So this is the strength of the third level of Body Refinement?”

Xu Xuan opened his eyes, a flash of delight in them.

The standard for reaching the third level of Body Refinement was to unleash three hundred jin of force barehanded.

Without even testing, Xu Xuan knew he easily possessed that strength—his legs alone could produce far more than three hundred jin.

Having broken through, Xu Xuan wasted no time and headed deeper into the mountains.

Soon, he came upon a cliff, six or seven meters wide.

His eyes sharpened, fixing on a strangely shaped, pale blue flower growing on the opposite cliff, its petals like starry crystals.

From his memories of a previous life, Xu Xuan was almost certain this pale blue blossom was the rare “Blue Star Lotus,” a spiritual herb of the second rank.

Just days ago, the Ziyang Grass—a first-rank material—had fetched a considerable sum of spiritual coins.

A second-rank spiritual herb like this, according to his recollection, would be worth at least ten times as much.

But the Blue Star Lotus grew out of reach on a sheer cliff, with a chasm of six or seven meters between.

Below, swirling mists obscured the depths—a sight that inspired dread.

“Now that I’ve mastered the third transformation, I’m seventy percent sure I can make it.”

Xu Xuan took a deep breath, his gaze fixed on the opposite cliff.

Even with seventy percent confidence, his heart raced with tension.

For if he failed, it could mean his life.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!...

He regulated his breath, his mind becoming as clear as a still well, his energy surging with a powerful resilience.

He knew full well that if he waited a few more days, his chances would be greater.

Yet, the moment he formed the thought of retreat, his resolve to move forward hardened.

The path of cultivation is rife with dangers. If he shrank from even a minor risk, how could he ever hope to reach the ranks of the immortals?

A flash of decisiveness lit his eyes. He took several steps back, gathered his energy to the utmost, and charged forward in a soaring leap.

Thud—whoosh!

His body, light as a swallow, flew toward the cliff across the chasm.

In that moment, his mind was more tranquil than ever—there was nothing but himself, transformed into a bird, flying to the far shore of his soul.

He forgot himself, forgot his human form, becoming a swallow in truth.

It seemed an age passed as he flipped in midair, feet landing at an angle on the cliff, his head tilting down—facing the abyss below.

Yet in this state of transcendent calm, even when staring into the depths, he felt no panic.

Like a bird sailing above a chasm, he felt no fear.

With his feet braced and body leaning over the precipice, Xu Xuan’s hand shot out to grasp the Blue Star Lotus, a strange coolness washing over him.

Thud!

With a burst of strength, one hand gripping the flower, Xu Xuan leapt into the air.

But with only one hand for leverage and the spiritual herb now in his grasp, his ascent slowed halfway across the chasm—he began to fall.

If he dropped now, even a cultivator would be dashed to pieces.

In that life-or-death instant, his vital energy, gathered at a single point, exploded outward through every limb.

Swish!

He borrowed force from the air, flipping forward, and landed at the very edge of the cliff.

With a shout, he freed his other hand and grabbed the ledge.

With a muffled sound, his hand plunged deep into the rocky soil.

Dangling over the abyss by a single hand, dirt trickled from his grip and fell, scattering into the depths below.

Bang! Thump! Thump thump thump!

Xu Xuan felt his heart racing to the limit.

He glanced at the Blue Star Lotus in his hand—unharmed, its petals glowing with a dreamlike radiance under the morning sun.

(The second chapter—an extra update will come tonight. We've made it to the New Book Rankings! Everyone, cast your recommendations and help us soar!)