Chapter 548 - 538: Body Refining Method

Chapter 548: Chapter 538: Body Refining Method

Her crimson eyes lifted slightly, only to fall upon a back that wasn’t particularly brawny, yet stood exceptionally straight and tall. He looked so lean, but upon closer inspection, one would discover his steps were unusually steady. Each footfall was as firm as bedrock, as if he could not be toppled even by landslides and tsunamis.

"..."

At that moment, something fiercely strummed Chu Aoqing’s heartstrings. This man had left an indelible mark on her heart. Little did she know, from the instant she’d met him, she was destined to be swept into his vortex, with no chance of ever climbing out, no matter how hard she struggled.

Time slowly passed. With their Primordial Power sealed by the Dazzling Stars, Mu Chen and Chu Aoqing relied solely on the speed of their legs, covering half the distance in just half an hour.

However, the moment they stepped past the halfway point of the Dazzling Stars, the pressure on their shoulders increased so abruptly that even Mu Chen, caught off guard, felt his shoulders slump.

"Hm?"

With a grunt of surprise, Mu Chen flexed his muscles and pushed his shoulders back up, somewhat astonished. ’Until now, the gravity added with each step was almost negligible. Even at the halfway point, it didn’t feel unbearable. But just one step past halfway, and the pressure on my shoulders has already more than doubled!’

"Surprising, isn’t it?" Dilaka, who had been walking ahead of Mu Chen, turned back with a smile.

"Er... a little, but it’s still manageable," Mu Chen said, rubbing his nose.

Dilaka chuckled. "You won’t be saying that in a moment. If this was all the power the Dazzling Stars had, it wouldn’t be here on Holy Tomb Mountain."

After saying this, Dilaka turned away, the corner of his mouth twitching a couple of times. He cursed ’monster’ under his breath, then quickly wiped away the beads of sweat trickling from his temple.

Why?

Because the pressure Dilaka was currently enduring was close to 500,000 kilograms—a terrifying weight! If he were using his Primordial Power, this would be far from his limit. But relying on his physical body alone, it was already making his movements a little sluggish.

The Dazzling Stars increased the weight for each person according to their individual physical constitution. Since the weight on Dilaka was nearing his limit, Mu Chen should have also been approaching his own physical limit. And yet, judging from Mu Chen’s expression and how he’d handled it, he barely seemed affected. In other words, Mu Chen’s hidden physical strength was far greater than what he let on.

Glancing sideways at Chu Aoqing, Dilaka saw a distinct change in her expression. Beads of sweat were already trickling down her cheeks. Thankfully, her breathing was still steady, but Dilaka was certain she wouldn’t make it two-thirds of the way up the Dazzling Stars. As for Mu Chen, Dilaka couldn’t figure him out. ’This must be a trait of the Nine Attributes Dantian,’ he thought.

...

"So, the Turtle Spirit Sect has agreed to postpone the engagement ceremony?"

「Central Continent, Tingyu Pavilion’s Inner Cabinet.」

Qin Shang looked at the man in black before him, the corners of his mouth lifting into a faint smile.

"Yes. They’ve agreed to a two-year delay. The engagement ceremony will be held after the Nine Clans Competition ends. As for why they agreed to postpone it..." The man in black’s expression turned a little strange as he replied.

"Go on," Qin Shang said.

"The Turtle Spirit Sect agreed so readily because their Young Sect Master successfully broke through to the Fifth-Ring Martial Venerable realm a month ago. He’s still in seclusion, and if all goes well, he’ll be even stronger in two years. Of course, you have nothing to fear, Young Master, but I’m worried this will make it much more difficult for Young Master Chen to crash the wedding. After all... Young Master Chen is only a First-Ring Martial Sect. The difference between them is simply..."

The man in black didn’t finish his sentence. Simply stating their respective Martial Artist Realms made everything clear.

’A Fifth-Ring Martial Venerable?’ Qin Shang’s expression hardened. ’To think Xu Shaohui’s Martial Arts Realm has progressed so quickly over the years.’ He said in a low voice, "Black Soul!"

"Your subordinate is here."

"I’ll trouble you to go to Holy Tomb Mountain and inform Mu Chen about the plan to crash the wedding."

"Yes."

"Wait."

Black Soul was just about to leave when Qin Shang called him back.

After a moment of contemplation, Qin Shang said, "Actually, never mind. Don’t tell him for now. It will be good for him to have this concern and pressure on his mind. At least he won’t forget about it."

After saying this, Qin Shang suddenly turned his gaze to Black Soul. "It’s been a long time since you’ve seen Xiaohanzi, hasn’t it?"

Black Soul froze. Upon hearing the name "Xiaohanzi," an indescribable longing and affection flashed through his otherwise cold eyes.

Seeing his reaction, Qin Shang chuckled. "Very well. You’ve worked hard all these years. Report back in one year. You’ll likely be even busier then."

"Young... Young Master..." Black Soul’s throat worked, and his voice trembled.

Qin Shang’s expression turned serious. "Enough. Don’t refuse. This is an order. Do you intend to defy me?"

Black Soul hastily bowed his head. "This subordinate wouldn’t dare!"

"Then disappear from my sight at once."

"Yes, sir!" Black Soul responded loudly, spun around, and discreetly wiped a glistening tear from the corner of his eye. His figure flickered and vanished from the Inner Cabinet.

Qin Shang watched the doorway with a smile, his expression only changing to a deep frown after Black Soul’s presence had completely faded. He sighed. ’What a pity. If Wu’Er hadn’t planted the Obsession Gu, I never would have stood in the way of this marriage; I might have even supported it. But since she has already chosen her lifelong partner, I can only place my unconditional faith in Mu Chen and help him. In this world, I do not want to—and cannot—lose Wu’Er, my last remaining family... It’s time to get serious.’

As he spoke, Qin Shang turned and strode into the depths of the Inner Cabinet. Moments later, powerful waves of Primordial Power pulsed out, surging through the entire room...

...

PANT, PANT.

「On Eternal Saint Peak.」

Mu Chen was sprawled out on one of the steps, his entire body drenched in sweat. Large beads of perspiration rolled ceaselessly down his cheeks, and his harsh panting was forceful enough to create ripples in the puddles of sweat on the stone. Beside him, Chu Aoqing was also covered in sweat. Judging by her expression, however, she was clearly having a slightly easier time than Mu Chen—but only slightly. Dilaka, on the other hand, was perfectly relaxed. Not a single drop of sweat appeared on him, even on the seventieth step.

’This is about their limit, but today isn’t about pushing past it.’ Looking down, Dilaka turned to them and said, "Now, just think the words ’give up’."

"Huh?"

The sudden sound caused Mu Chen and Chu Aoqing’s taut nerves to snap. THUD! Both of their bodies collapsed stiffly onto the steps.

Dilaka shook his head at the sight. "The gravity of the Dazzling Stars isn’t permanent. I just wanted to see your limits. If you mentally say the words ’give up,’ the pressure will vanish completely. I ’gave up’ a long time ago, which is why I’m so relaxed."

Mu Chen was exasperated. "You should have told us that earlier!" he said disdainfully. "This might be great for Body Forging, but our main goal today is the Eternal Holy Domain!"

"Give up!"

As he spoke, Mu Chen mentally repeated the words. ’Give up!’ Suddenly, the Dazzling Stars shimmered with a seven-colored radiance. Mu Chen felt his entire body go light as the accumulated pressure vanished without a trace. An incredibly liberating sensation washed over him from the inside out, sweeping away all his fatigue.

He leaped to his feet and bounded up two steps at once, encountering no resistance whatsoever.

At the same time, Chu Aoqing also rose from beside him. Strands of her purple hair, dotted with sweat, clung to her cheeks. Her face, flushed from the exertion, was exceptionally captivating.

’To think such a thing actually exists in this world.’

Chu Aoqing stared at the Dazzling Stars in front of her, her expression one of utter astonishment. As the young lady of one of the Nine Hidden Families, she knew exactly what kind of heaven-defying power something like this represented.

’Never mind its ability to increase gravity from all directions; its special ability to seal Primordial Power alone offers immense benefits to a Martial Artist. Why? When facing a life-or-death threat in battle, wouldn’t your subconscious automatically try to use Primordial Power to defend yourself? The answer is obvious: yes! But what if you faced that same situation without your Primordial Power? Would there be any way to solve it? The answer is no! In truth, for a Martial Artist accustomed to having Primordial Power, their first reaction upon losing it is to give up! They give up all resistance!’

’Therefore, the Dazzling Stars’ ability to seal Primordial Power creates the perfect environment for training without Primordial Power—a training ground countless people could only dream of!’

’So Holy Tomb Mountain doesn’t just have the Five Elements Sacred Domain, which possesses power on par with the Ancestral Realm treasures of the great Hidden Clans. It also has the Dazzling Stars, which is in no way inferior to the Five Elements Sacred Domain! If the Five Elements Sacred Domain is the ultimate treasure for rapidly advancing a Martial Artist’s Martial Arts Realm, then the Dazzling Stars is the ultimate treasure for Body Forging and increasing a Martial Artist’s physical strength!’

’If students could use both of these ultimate treasures, Holy Tomb Mountain would undoubtedly become the number one power on the continent! But why? Why isn’t it open to the students?’

And all the students of Holy Tomb Mountain knew the answer to that question: Mu Chen.

Mu Chen, however, was thinking along completely different lines than Chu Aoqing. ’I’ve already incorporated the Dazzling Stars into my cultivation plan. I can completely forget about trying to split my focus three ways. With the Eternal Holy Domain allowing me to cultivate my Spiritual Power and Martial Arts Realm simultaneously, I can free up half my time for Body Forging. And the perfect place for that is the Dazzling Stars!’

"Save the amazement for later. Get up here, both of you. We’ve already wasted enough time." Seeing them still staring blankly, Dilaka had no choice but to speak up again.

Startled from their thoughts, Mu Chen and Chu Aoqing exchanged a glance and quickly headed up. Without the burden of gravity, their physical strength allowed them to ascend the steps with ease, clearing each one in the blink of an eye.

A minute later, under Dilaka’s guidance, the two of them finally stepped onto the summit of Eternal Saint Peak. They looked up and saw a space that seemed to exist only in a dream...