Chapter 4: Formidable Physique
"Forget the past, look to the future!" Bahun's words brought Xiao Chen complete relief. It felt as if he had been reborn, his eyes now filled with determination and resolve. The ancient divine blood had fully refined his body, granting him an extraordinary physique.
"Now that I've opened all my meridians and possess the Destructive Saint Art and the Ancient Chaos Sword Technique taught by Senior Bahun, I no longer need to practice the Xiao family's Profound level techniques," Xiao Chen muttered to himself, a sinister smile appearing on his lips for the first time.
On the Tianyue Continent, martial arts and techniques are divided into four levels: Heaven, Earth, Profound, and Yellow. Heaven is the highest level, but above it are the even rarer Immortal, Divine, and Saint levels. The techniques taught by Bahun were Saint-level, the pinnacle of existence!
Glancing at the ruined Immortal Dao Sect, Xiao Chen murmured, "The sect is gone now; I should leave as soon as possible. I won't return to the Xiao family either. With such powerful techniques, the world is vast—there will be a place for me. Master, rest in peace. I will find out who destroyed the Immortal Dao Sect and avenge you!"
Xiao Chen initially wanted to bury all the sect members but realized that someone might arrive soon. So, he decisively chose to leave. The twelve years of suffering had turned Xiao Chen into a meticulous, cautious, and mature young man.
Sure enough, just after Xiao Chen left, cultivators arrived at the Immortal Dao Sect. They were shocked by the horrific scene of the massacre.
Within an hour, the news spread rapidly through Feng Yue City and its surrounding towns, causing a sensation among all the cultivators in the area.
The most shocked by this news was Xiao Chen's father, Xiao Changfeng. Since Xiao Chen only frequented two places—the Xiao family and the Immortal Dao Sect—Xiao Changfeng was frantic when he heard about the massacre. Despite the disapproval of the two elders, he sent Xiao family disciples to search for Xiao Chen.
Although the Xiao family was overseen by the two elders, Xiao Changfeng's cultivation had reached the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment, slightly higher than that of the elders. Out of respect for them as seniors, Xiao Changfeng usually listened to their advice. However, the current situation was different. Xiao Chen was his only son, and Xiao Changfeng cherished him deeply since his mother died when he was young. Now, Xiao Chen's life was uncertain, and Xiao Changfeng's anxiety and anger made even the elders wary of provoking him.
"I can't believe the Immortal Dao Sect was wiped out. This is the far west of the Tianyue Continent. Who could they have offended to be annihilated like this? The entire sect is nothing but corpses. It's terrifying," a Xiao family disciple searching for Xiao Chen said, his face showing fear.
"Such a powerful person must be involved. I guess that useless young master is also doomed. He thought joining the Immortal Dao Sect would allow him to cultivate true essence? How laughable. Now, he's lost his life."
"To be honest, I've never seen the family head so anxious and angry. I don't understand why he cares so much about a useless son."
"Exactly, it's better if he's dead. He won't disgrace our Xiao family anymore. After the Yang family called off the engagement, everyone in Feng Yue City laughed at our family for trying to curry favor with them. The Wang family has become more arrogant, even wanting to take over our business. The Yang family's withdrawal only made them call us worthless."
"Let's find a place to rest for a while. I don't feel like searching. Anyway, it's better if he's dead! The Xiao family doesn't need a useless person!"
None of the Xiao family disciples hoped for Xiao Chen's survival. Though ordered to search, they preferred to laze around instead.
...
Having left the Immortal Dao Sect, Xiao Chen found himself in a remote, dense forest, rarely visited by people. The forest was filled with thick vines and the scent of earth and wood permeated the air.
Xiao Chen found a concealed spot at the foot of a large mountain. There was a cave resembling a beast with its mouth wide open, waiting for prey to enter. Despite the eerie atmosphere, Xiao Chen, accustomed to walking mountain paths at night, felt no fear. His eyes, akin to a cat's, allowed him to see clearly in the dark.
Entering the cave, Xiao Chen sat down on a patch of ground and closed his eyes, recalling the memories in his mind.
"Senior Bahun's Destructive Saint Art and Ancient Chaos Sword Technique—what level are these techniques? They sound incredibly powerful!" Xiao Chen muttered, smiling. He had only heard of techniques classified as Heaven, Earth, Profound, and Yellow but never of Immortal, Divine, or Saint techniques.
Having never cultivated true essence, Xiao Chen had no trace of it within him, and he couldn't examine the treasures in the storage ring since it required true essence to do so.
"Senior Bahun said my body has been refined and I no longer need to establish a foundation. He also mentioned that my physique is now hundreds of times stronger. Let's see if it's true!" Xiao Chen murmured, recalling Bahun's words.
He picked up a fist-sized rock and punched it. With a "bang," the rock shattered.
"I've really become stronger! I shattered a rock this size with no effort at all!" Xiao Chen exclaimed, stunned. In the past, he couldn't even punch a wooden board without feeling pain.
Overjoyed by his newfound strength, Xiao Chen lifted a rock several times larger with one hand and smashed it with a punch. The rock shattered just as easily!
Xiao Chen couldn't believe it. In the blink of an eye, he had gained such a powerful physique, like having innate divine strength. Looking at his strengthened fist, a bright smile spread across his youthful face, a smile filled with pure joy.
"I've become stronger! I've become stronger! Even without true essence, I'm really stronger now." Xiao Chen's heart overflowed with joy. For the first time, the innocent young man felt the thrill of growing stronger.