37: Chapter 37 The Power of Qi

When Chen Yuanji emerged from the crack, the battle outside was nearing its end. Shen Wuchang was covered in blood, kneeling on one knee on the ground; his left arm was bent at a bizarre angle, clearly broken again. His gray light shield had mostly shattered, leaving only a thin layer clinging to his body that could dissipate at any moment. The Golden-Winged Peng circled in the sky, its wings spread wide enough to blot out the sun; every dive brought with it the piercing sound of the wind, and its sharp claws were enough to tear through steel.

"Old man, can you still hold on?" Chen Yuanji stood at the mouth of the crack, looking up at the Golden-Winged Peng in the sky.

Shen Wuchang looked back and saw him, first in a daze, then his eyes widened.

"You kid... you're out? Did you get the martial gods heart?"

"I got it."

Chen Yuanji walked slowly toward the battlefield; his pace was not fast, but every step was as steady as a mountain, and the gravel beneath his feet was sent flying by his Protective Aura. The inner core in his Dantian was no longer golden but had turned pure white like a small sun, emitting a blinding light. His body was protected by Protective Aura, making him impervious to all techniques.

The Golden-Winged Peng sensed something and abruptly stopped its dive, hovering in mid-air, its golden eyes staring fixedly at Chen Yuanji. Its instinct told it that this member of the Human Race was different from before.

"What did you take?" the Golden-Winged Peng spoke, its voice sharp and piercing, with a trace of trembling.

"What you were guarding," Chen Yuanji stood in front of Shen Wuchang and looked up at it, "the martial gods heart."

The Golden-Winged Peng's pupils suddenly constricted. "Impossible! An ant like you, who doesn't even have Yuan Power, how could you pass the trial?"

"You can try."

Chen Yuanji extended his right hand, palm upward, and a wisp of white Protective Aura rose from his palm, condensing into a small flame that flickered in the wind but did not go out; this was Gang Qi Materialization. This was the signature ability of Gang Energy, the power to condense Protective Aura into any form, combining offense and defense.

The Golden-Winged Peng stared at that white flame, fear flashing in its eyes. It had guarded the ruins for hundreds of years and seen countless Martial Artists try to break in, but it had never seen anything like this. That was not Yuan Power, nor was it Yao Power, but a kind of Physical Body strength that was pure to the extreme.

"Who exactly are you?" the Golden-Winged Peng asked.

"Chen Yuanji."

The Golden-Winged Peng was silent for a long time before slowly folding its wings and landing on the cliff wall. "You passed the trial; the martial gods heart is yours. I will not stop you." It paused. "But since you have taken the martial gods heart, you must bear the corresponding responsibility."

"What responsibility?"

"The Tiandao Sect will not let you go," the Golden-Winged Peng said. "The martial gods heart is a treasure of the Martial Dao Divine Court that the Tiandao Sect has sought for a thousand years. By taking it, you have made yourself an enemy of the Tiandao Sect."

Chen Yuanji looked at it and said calmly, "I have long been an enemy of the Tiandao Sect."

The Golden-Winged Peng said no more and turned to fly back to its nest. Shen Wuchang scrambled up from the ground and looked at Chen Yuanji, his eyes full of disbelief.

"Kid, what Realm are you in now?"

"Gang Energy."

"Gang Energy? Is that the fifth stage of Internal Family Boxing you mentioned?"

"Yes."

"What Realm in this other world is it equivalent to?"

"I don't know," Chen Yuanji thought for a moment, "but it shouldn't be inferior to the Faxiang Realm."

Shen Wuchang sucked in a breath of cold air. Ten days ago, Chen Yuanji was still in the Dan Power Middle Stage and had been made to spit blood by a single palm strike from a Tiandao Sect deacon at the Faxiang Realm Early Stage. Today, ten days later, he was already at Gang Energy, which was not inferior to the Faxiang Realm.

"You kid really are a monster," Shen Wuchang shook his head.

Chen Yuanji supported him and walked toward the White Birch Forest. "Let's go, Lu Yao is still waiting for us."

When the two of them passed through the middle zone and returned to the White Birch Forest, the sky had already darkened. Lu Yao was sitting in the shed, hugging her knees, her eyes red and swollen. Seeing Chen Yuanji return, she jumped up and ran over to hug him.

"Brother Chen! You're finally back! I thought you..."

"Thought I died?" Chen Yuanji patted her back. "I said I would come back."

Lu Yao cried even harder. Chen Yuanji didn't comfort her, but just let her cry. Sometimes, crying it out is better than bottling it up. Shen Wuchang sat in the shed, bandaging his own wounds. His left arm was broken and his right leg was also injured, but his spirits were still good.

"Kid, what are your plans next?" he asked.

Chen Yuanji helped Lu Yao sit to the side and turned to look at him. "First, we need to find a place to settle down. Lu Yao can't return to her tribe; the Tiandao Sect people know about it. Bai Xue also can't stay in the White Birch Forest. Although the Golden-Winged Peng has retreated, there is no guarantee it won't go back on its word."

"Where to?"

"Heavenly Demon City," Chen Yuanji said. "With Granny Hu at the Demon Emperor Palace, the Tiandao Sect won't dare to act recklessly."

"Heavenly Demon City?" Shen Wuchang frowned. "Zhou Xuanji is in Heavenly Demon City. Aren't you walking into a trap by going back?"

"Zhou Xuanji is in the Void-Piercing Realm, and I cannot defeat him yet. But even he wouldn't dare to make a move on the Demon Emperor Palace's territory," Chen Yuanji said. "Besides, Xiao Hu is still at the Demon Emperor Palace. I promised her that I would go back to see her."

Shen Wuchang was silent for a moment, then nodded. "Fine. I'll listen to you."

Chen Yuanji looked at Bai Xue. "Bai Xue, are you coming with us?"

Bai Xue lay to the side, her golden eyes looking into the distance as if she were thinking about something. "I'm staying here," she finally said. "The Golden-Winged Peng won't make things difficult for me, and besides, I am waiting for someone."

"Waiting for whom?"

"Zhou Xuanji." A cold light flashed in Bai Xue's eyes. "If he comes to the Mist Forest, I want to be the first to know."

Chen Yuanji looked at her and did not try to dissuade her.

"Take care!"

"Take care!"

Chen Yuanji supported Lu Yao and led Shen Wuchang toward Heavenly Demon City. Behind them, Bai Xue's figure gradually disappeared into the White Birch Forest, leaving only those golden eyes shimmering in the darkness like two stars.

Three days later, the three of them returned to Heavenly Demon City. The Yao Race guards at the city gate recognized Chen Yuanji and did not block them, letting them through directly. His room at the Yaofeng Pavilion was still reserved for him. Niu Dali was sitting in the lobby drinking wine; seeing Chen Yuanji return, he set down his cup.

"You're back?"

"I'm back."

"Who is that Deer Clan girl?"

"A friend."

Niu Dali didn't ask further and had the manager open another room. This was Lu Yao's first time in Heavenly Demon City, and everything looked fresh to her. She stood by the window, looking at the bustling Yao Race on the streets, her eyes bright.

"Brother Chen, it's so lively here."

"You'll live here from now on," Chen Yuanji said. "The Demon Emperor Palace has a branch of the Deer Clan, and Granny Hu will arrange things for you."

"And you?"

"I still have some things to handle."

Lu Yao lowered her head and did not press him; she vaguely knew that Chen Yuanji was not the type of person to settle down. He had his own path to walk, and she was just a passing traveler on that path. At dusk, Chen Yuanji went to the Demon Emperor Palace. Su Xiaohu was practicing her punches in the courtyard; seeing him enter, she threw down her fists and pounced on him.

"Brother Chen! You're finally back! I thought you didn't want me anymore!"

"How could I?" Chen Yuanji rubbed her head. "How has your practice been?"

"Granny Hu says my talent is very good, and I'll be able to awaken two tails in another year!" Su Xiaohu proudly shook the tail behind her—there was still only one, but it was fluffier than before and its color was more vibrant.

"Not bad." Chen Yuanji took out the martial gods heart from his robes and let her take a look. "I went to the Mist Forest and got this."

Su Xiaohu's eyes widened. "What is this? Such strong blood-qi power!"

"The martial gods heart. A treasure of the Martial Dao Divine Court."

Although Su Xiaohu didn't quite understand, she knew it was a good item and quickly told him to put it away safely.

"Brother Chen, are you leaving again soon?"

"Yes," Chen Yuanji said, "but I won't go far. I'm going to stay in Heavenly Demon City for a while to thoroughly stabilize my Gang Energy."

Su Xiaohu breathed a sigh of relief and took his hand, chirping away about the interesting things that had happened during this time. Chen Yuanji listened, nodding occasionally with a faint smile on his lips. In the courtyard, the setting sun gilded everything in a layer of gold. In the distance, from the direction of the Demon Emperor Palace, a few low tolls of a bell could be heard; that was the signal for evening lessons.

Chen Yuanji looked up at the sky, calculating his next plan. He had achieved Gang Energy, but it was not enough; what he wanted was the God Realm. The sixth stage of Internal Family Boxing: Not seeing, not hearing, yet knowing beforehand. Once he reached that Realm, even if Zhou Xuanji was in the Void-Piercing Realm, he would be confident in his ability to fight.

"Just wait," he whispered. "It won't be long now."