33: Chapter 33 Mid-stage Dan Jin

A month later, Chen Yuanji stood in the White Birch Forest, slowly pushing out his fists. His movements were as slow as drawing silk, yet each strike carried a dull sound of breaking air. The golden inner core in his Dantian had grown a size larger than a month ago, expanding from the size of a fist to that of a large bowl, emitting a hum like the vibration of wings in a beehive as it rotated.

Middle Stage Dan Power! It was half a month faster than expected. Bai Xue's guidance had been invaluable; her knowledge of the Mist Forest allowed Chen Yuanji to avoid most dangers and focus all his energy on his cultivation. Daily practical combat against Rank Three Yao Beasts also made his application of Dan Power increasingly proficient.

“Not bad.” Bai Xue lay nearby, her golden eyes half-open and half-closed. “Your progress is faster than I anticipated. I estimate that in another month, you should be able to reach the Late Stage of Dan Power.”

“I can't wait that long.” Chen Yuanji withdrew his fists and exhaled a mouthful of turbid air. “Zhou Xuanji could find this place at any time.”

“And if he finds it, so what? Are you afraid of him?”

“I can't beat him! But I can run,” Chen Yuanji said. “If I can't outrun him, I can hide. The Mist Forest is so large, he won't be able to find me.”

Bai Xue stood up and shook the fallen leaves off her body. “Your state is good today. I'll take you for a stroll around the edge of the middle layer.”

Chen Yuanji nodded and followed Bai Xue deeper into the White Birch Forest. The middle layer of the Mist Forest was even more treacherous than the outer layer. The trees here were taller, their canopies blotting out the sky. The ground saw no sunlight year-round, covered in a thick layer of rotting leaves that felt soft underfoot, like stepping on cotton. The air was thick with the scent of decay, mixed with a faint smell of blood.

“There's a Blood Lingzhi ahead,” Bai Xue stopped and gestured forward with her chin. “A Grade Three herb, good for Blood Qi cultivation.”

Chen Yuanji looked in the direction she pointed. At the base of a dead tree grew a blood-red lingzhi mushroom, about the size of a palm, its surface covered in fine patterns. Three venomous snakes were coiled around the lingzhi; they were Rank One Yao Beasts and highly toxic.

“I'll handle it.” Chen Yuanji stepped forward. The three venomous snakes raised their heads simultaneously, flicking their crimson tongues and letting out hissing warnings. With a wave of his right hand, Chen Yuanji fired three pebbles at once, accurately striking the heads of the three snakes. Their heads were crushed, and after a few twitches, their bodies went still. He crouched down, carefully picked the Blood Lingzhi, and placed it into his cloth pouch.

“A Grade Three Blood Lingzhi could sell for five thousand taels of silver outside,” Bai Xue said. “You humans are truly strange, measuring everything with money.”

“Without money, you can do nothing.” Chen Yuanji stood up. “That is just how the rules of this world are.”

Bai Xue remained noncommittal and continued walking forward. The two passed through a dense forest and came to a stream. The water was crystal clear, revealing the pebbles and small swimming fish at the bottom. On the opposite bank was an open field covered in waist-high wildflowers of various colors, standing out exceptionally in the dim forest.

“Once we cross this stream, we'll be in the middle layer.” Bai Xue stopped. “I cannot accompany you over there.”

“Why?”

“Because my enemy is there.” A cold light flashed in Bai Xue's eyes. “A Rank Four Yao Beast, the Golden-Winged Peng. It was the one that heavily injured my mother back then. I cannot defeat it right now.”

Chen Yuanji looked at the open ground on the other side and remained silent for a moment. “I won't go over,” he said. “I'll come back when I reach the Late Stage of Dan Power.”

“Smart.” Bai Xue turned around. “Let's go back. You've been out too long; that little Lu girl must be worried.”

Chen Yuanji followed Bai Xue back to the tribe. As expected, Lu Yao was waiting at the village entrance. Seeing him return, the tense expression on her face finally relaxed.

“Big Brother Chen, where did you go? I've been looking for you all morning.”

“I went for a stroll at the edge of the middle layer with Bai Xue.” Chen Yuanji took the Blood Lingzhi out of his pouch. “Here, take this to the old woman to make medicine. It will be good for your cultivation.”

Lu Yao took the Blood Lingzhi, her eyes sparkling. “Big Brother Chen, you're so good to me.”

“Less talk. Did you practice your Stake Training today?”

“I did! For two hours!” Lu Yao puffed out her chest. “I don't wobble at all now when I do Zhan Zhuang.”

“Then tomorrow, you'll start learning the Drilling Fist.”

“That's great!” Lu Yao jumped with joy, her antlers nearly hitting Chen Yuanji's chin.

Chen Yuanji took a step back. Seeing her excitement, the corners of his mouth curled up slightly. This girl was becoming more and more like Xiao Hu. Shen Wuchang sat under the ancient tree, drinking wine and watching all this with a hint of gratification in his eyes.

“Kid, you're quite good at taking care of children.”

“I'm not taking care of children.” Chen Yuanji walked over and sat down. “They all have their own paths to walk. I'm just leading them through the door.”

“And after they enter the door?”

“After that, it's up to them.”

Shen Wuchang said no more and continued drinking. Chen Yuanji also poured a bowl of wine and sipped it slowly.

“Elder Shen, how is your injury?”

“It's mostly healed.” Shen Wuchang moved his left arm. “With another half month of rest, I should be able to recover to seventy percent of my peak strength.”

“Seventy percent? Is that enough?”

“It's not enough to fight the Void-Piercing Realm, but it's enough for the Faxiang Realm.” Shen Wuchang looked at him. “Why do you ask?”

“I want to go take a look at the Middle-layer Ruins.”

Shen Wuchang put down his wine bowl, his expression turning solemn.

“Kid, are you crazy? The Middle-layer Ruins have a guardian beast that is at least Rank Four. With your current strength, going in is just seeking death.”

“That's why I need your help.”

Shen Wuchang looked at him. “Let this old man think about it.”

Chen Yuanji didn't press him and continued drinking. That night, Chen Yuanji cultivated in his room. The Blood Lingzhi had been processed into a medicinal liquid by the old woman; taking one drop a day could accelerate Blood Qi cultivation. He swallowed a drop, sat cross-legged, and urged his inner core to rotate. The golden inner core in his Dantian spun slowly, absorbing the power of the liquid, and the core grew a fraction larger.

“If I progress at this rate, I should be able to reach the Late Stage of Dan Power within two months,” he calculated. “But if I can enter the Middle-layer Ruins and find the martial gods heart, that time could be shortened to one month.”

The martial gods heart—Bai Xue said it was a supreme treasure left behind by the last Martial God of the Martial Dao Divine Court, containing the Martial God's lifelong power. If he could obtain it, a Breakthrough to Gang Energy would no longer be a dream. Gang Energy! The fifth layer of Internal Family Boxing. Those who achieved Major Achievement in Gang Energy would be protected by a Protective Aura around their entire body, making them impervious to all techniques. By then, even if he couldn't defeat Zhou Xuanji of the Void-Piercing Realm, he could at least make a clean escape.”

Chen Yuanji opened his eyes and looked at the moon outside the window. The moonlight was like water, spilling into the courtyard and coating everything in a layer of silver-white. In the distance, the faint howl of a white wolf echoed in the night sky. That was Bai Xue's voice, sounding as if she were calling out for something!

Tomorrow, new cultivation awaited him!