Fierce Battle

"Could it be that my cultivation caused this? No wonder I feel my true qi becoming more abundant, and there seems to be some essence of plants and trees mixed in."

"If that's the case, then my cultivation speed will be even faster. I've already reached the Fourth Layer of the Body Tempering Realm. With enough true qi, I can open up other closed meridians and advance further to the realm of the Hundred Meridians Connection." Chen Feng thought with excitement.

Not long after, Ye Tian came running again, and his eyes showed surprise.

"Did you drive away Wang Bo just now?" Ye Tian asked incredulously.

"Yes," Chen Feng nodded.

"So, you have advanced to the Fourth Layer of the Body Tempering Realm and even ascended two levels in a row?" Ye Tian asked in shock.

Chen Feng nodded again, not saying much.

"You must be careful. Wang Bo's grandfather is an elder in the sect. After his defeat, he will definitely seek revenge with other fellow disciples," Ye Tian said with concern.

Though Chen Feng didn't speak, a hint of anxiety appeared in his eyes. Within the sect, there were disciples at the Fifth Layer, Sixth Layer, and even the Seventh Layer of the Body Tempering Realm. Cultivators at these levels could easily kill him, as his strength was not enough to resist them.

After Ye Tian left, Chen Feng touched the small tower on his chest and began to contemplate. The small tower had always been with him, seemingly ordinary, covered with cracks and tatters. Previously, Chen Feng didn't think much about it and considered it his only possession, so he didn't throw it away. However, after the thunderstorm incident, he realized that the small tower was not as simple as it seemed. It was undoubtedly not an ordinary item, and he felt that there might be a connection between his identity and this small tower.

From the time he could remember, Chen Feng had been wandering alone, not knowing how many places he had visited, how much suffering he had endured. There were several instances where he nearly starved to death or was almost devoured by fierce beasts. Naturally, he wanted to know where he came from, who his parents were, whether he was abandoned, or if there were other unknown reasons. However, apart from the worn-out small tower, he had nothing else on him.

A few days ago, the small tower unexpectedly showed anomalies. It not only absorbed thunder and lightning but also continuously helped Chen Feng break through his cultivation. This situation made Chen Feng unable to remain calm.

"What secrets does this small tower hold? Unfortunately, I am only at the Fourth Layer of the Body Tempering Realm now. I can only have divine consciousness after reaching the Profound Realm, and only then can I control magical treasures. At that time, I can explore the truth about this small tower. Although it's shabby, I feel it's definitely not ordinary."

"Reaching the Profound Realm is so difficult; I'm afraid there are only a few cultivators in the entire Blacksource City who have achieved it."

Finally, Chen Feng shook his head and stopped overthinking. These matters were still far away, and the most important thing now was to quickly improve his strength to deal with the troubles that lay ahead.

In the following days, Chen Feng remained in the courtyard, cultivating quietly. After these few days of exploration, he was certain that the nature of his true qi had indeed completely changed. It had transformed into a strange kind of true qi, much stronger than what he had cultivated before, and filled with vibrant vitality. This made his blood and energy abundant, and his muscles and bones stronger. In just a few days, Chen Feng felt like he had grown taller, and his flesh began to swell with a hint of powerful strength.

Although he had developed some techniques based on the route of the true qi, Chen Feng could clearly feel the flaws in his techniques and cultivation method. The peculiar cultivation method he was currently using was undoubtedly flawed. Chen Feng had a hunch that the method might have been transmitted by the small tower. When he entered the Profound Realm and controlled the small tower, perhaps he could cultivate a complete technique.

This peculiar true qi was indeed powerful. In just a few days of cultivation, Chen Feng had opened two more major meridians. This cultivation speed made Chen Feng secretly delighted. If he continued at this rate, it wouldn't take long for him to break through once again and reach the realm of the Hundred Meridians Connection. By then, he would have a certain status within the Iron Sword Sect, considered a middle-ranking disciple.

One day, while Chen Feng was cultivating, his ears suddenly twitched, and he heard a noisy sound of footsteps approaching the courtyard where he was.

Chen Feng's eyebrows furrowed, and he whispered, "Could there be more trouble coming?"

Bang!

The courtyard gate was kicked open again, and a group of six people walked in, with Wang Bo, who had been beaten up a few days ago, among them. He was now looking at Chen Feng with hatred in his eyes, and there was a hint of smugness in his expression, as if he had brought someone here for revenge.

Seeing the leader, Chen Feng's face changed, and he felt a bit uneasy.

"It turns out to be Senior Brother Liu Yuan," Chen Feng stepped forward and saluted.

The leader was a young man who looked to be under twenty years old, with a calm complexion. He nodded at Chen Feng in response to the greeting but didn't say much, seemingly lost in thought about something.

Liu Yuan was a cultivator at the Hundred Meridians Connection realm. At the age of seventeen, he had already reached the Fifth Layer of the Body Tempering Realm. Rumor had it that he was currently refining gang qi and trying to break through once again.

Looking at Wang Bo, who seemed pleased, Chen Feng cursed inwardly, "He actually brought Liu Yuan. This guy is a whole realm above me. At the Hundred Meridians Connection realm, his true qi is continuous and nourishes his flesh. He is about to form gang qi. How can I be his opponent?"

However, there was one thing that made Chen Feng slightly relieved: Liu Yuan was someone who only focused on cultivation and didn't act as domineering and arrogant as others. He had never bullied Chen Feng before, and his character seemed to be somewhat decent.

"Indeed, to make such progress in such a short time and breakthrough two realms is not simple. It seems you have been accumulating all these years," Liu Yuan said calmly, showing no signs of hostility.

"Please, senior brother, teach this waste a lesson," Wang Bo sneered, urging Liu Yuan to take action.

"You are only at the fourth realm, far from my level. I won't bully you. After ten moves, if you can still stand, I won't interfere anymore. Otherwise, you should leave this place," Liu Yuan said nonchalantly to Chen Feng.

"Liu senior brother," Wang Bo wanted to say more, but Liu Yuan stopped him. It seemed that Liu Yuan had his own plans and didn't bother about Wang Bo.

"Alright, I'll learn from you, senior brother Liu," Chen Feng said in a deep voice. The true qi in his body began to circulate, surging like a tide, emanating a powerful force that made his blood boil, as if a volcano was about to erupt.

"Mm, you indeed are at the fourth realm, not too far from the fifth realm. Come at me," Liu Yuan said calmly, seemingly unimpressed by Chen Feng.

Chen Feng's eyes focused, and he calmly rushed towards Liu Yuan, using the Iron Claw Eight Style – a technique from the Iron Sword Sect. Each finger was like a sharp sword, and though it was a common technique, it could cause serious injuries.

"Good," Liu Yuan uttered as he used the same move with his index and middle fingers. Both of them clashed fiercely, and Chen Feng felt a tingling sensation in his fingers, as if they were fractured. The immense force pushed him back, but with his true qi circulating rapidly, the discomfort disappeared, and his arm returned to normal.

Liu Yuan's face turned serious as he observed Chen Feng, thinking, "This kid's meridians are already mostly opened up. He can actually contend with me in a direct confrontation."

"Again!" Chen Feng shouted and rushed towards Liu Yuan once more, unleashing a series of attacks. Just as before, the true qi flowed inside him, and the numbness in his fingers vanished again.

"Good, take this move from me," Liu Yuan roared, finally using his most powerful attack. His whole body seemed to transform into a sharp sword, and the air around him crackled with power. This was Liu Yuan's perfected Sword Intent, the strongest attack he could muster.

"Good!" The onlookers cheered, and Wang Bo and the others hoped that Liu Yuan would defeat Chen Feng.

Clash after clash, the battle between the two became more intense. Although Liu Yuan's aura grew stronger, and his attacks became more powerful, he still couldn't push Chen Feng back. On the contrary, Chen Feng appeared to grow more tenacious under pressure, like a steadfast wind.

"Wonderful! Take this move!" Liu Yuan shouted, launching his strongest attack. This time, he used his whole body's energy and Sword Intent, transforming into a sharp sword that slashed towards Chen Feng.

"Great!" The crowd cheered louder.

"Who would have thought that Senior Brother Liu had reached such a level, where spirit and energy merge into one and transform into a sword shape! This kid is probably done for. Even if he doesn't die, he'll be severely injured," some of them exclaimed.

"Yes, it would be best to disable this waste. A waste will always be a waste," Wang Bo said through gritted teeth.