Chapter Forty-Eight: Sensing with the Heart

From that moment on, Xu Chen found himself with a little companion always at his side.

Xu Chen cultivated, and the companion cultivated as well. Xu Chen ate, and so did the companion. When night fell, the little one obediently returned to his own room.

In the blink of an eye, two months slipped by.

Observing Fox Moon, who had grown accustomed to life here, Xu Chen decided it was time to put his plan into motion.

He had fallen far behind his peers at the sect in terms of cultivation.

“Brother Xu, you go ahead. Brother Niu will accompany me with my training here.”

Fox Moon was now only eight years old, his head barely reaching Xu Chen’s chest. In Xu Chen’s eyes, he was still just a child.

“Alright,” Xu Chen replied.

He took a flying mount to the sect’s main gate plaza, then spent twenty spirit coins to board a spirit boat headed to the Treasure Nurturing Minor World.

At the minor world’s teleportation array, Xu Chen handed over his secret realm token and fifty thousand spirit coins.

“Two months of cultivation.”

The supervisor on duty examined the token and allowed Xu Chen to enter the array, which transported him into the Treasure Nurturing Minor World.

Once there, Xu Chen breathed deeply, savoring the rich spiritual energy in the air.

“Time to train!”

He found himself once more in the familiar small valley. Everything was just as he’d left it. After a bit of tidying, it was suitable for living.

He concealed the entire valley with a mist array, then seated himself at the center of the training ground. Drawing out a lotus spirit stone, he tied it to his waist with a slender cord.

“In two months, my blood and energy strength must reach at least the level of five tigers.”

A delicate lotus fragrance wafted from the spirit stone, instantly invigorating Xu Chen’s mind.

“Begin!”

Xu Chen rose and commenced the Twelve-fold Surging Wave Body Tempering Technique.

After years of arduous practice, his mastery of this blood and energy foundation technique had reached the Form Manifestation level. If he could execute twelve sonic booms with a single palm, he would achieve the Intent Integration stage.

The highest realm of the Twelve-fold Surging Wave Body Tempering was the unity of form and intent—at that level, each strike in battle would unleash the fury of a tidal wave.

With the unique spiritual energy of this minor world and the lotus spirit stone at his side, Xu Chen quickly entered a state of deep focus, losing himself in cultivation.

Time lost all meaning as Xu Chen poured himself ruthlessly into his training. Two months passed in a flash.

“Mighty wave surges to the heavens!”

With a single palm strike, ten sonic booms erupted, followed by a faint, lingering echo.

Xu Chen withdrew his power, the sharpness in his eyes fading to calm.

The ground around him rippled outward in waves for several yards.

He exhaled slowly, sensing the strength of blood and energy surging within.

“I should have the power of five tigers and three bulls now.”

His relentless efforts these past two months had not been in vain.

During this period, Xu Chen did nothing but train, pausing only for rest. He must have repeated the Twelve-fold Surging Wave Body Tempering Technique tens of thousands of times.

“With a bit more effort, I might reach eleven sonic booms, and my power will increase once more.”

At this, Xu Chen glanced somewhat reluctantly at his vibrating disciple token.

“Time to go.”

He departed the minor world, took a spirit boat back to the Great Creek Sect.

There, he found Fox Moon and Niu Dali cultivating in the plaza.

Niu Dali swung a pair of dumbbells with fierce vigor, while Fox Moon practiced the unique blood and energy foundation method of their Three-Colored Fox clan, his movements as graceful as a dance.

When Fox Moon saw Xu Chen, his eyes immediately sparkled. He stopped training and ran over.

“Brother Xu, you’re finally back!” he called, blinking up at Xu Chen.

Looking at the boy before him, Xu Chen couldn’t help but feel a sense of kinship. Fox Moon, too, possessed only ordinary talent. The difference was that his family was a great noble house among the Three-Colored Foxes, with powerful immortals in residence.

Thus, the resources available to him far surpassed Xu Chen’s, which was why Fox Moon could reach the blood and energy realm at such a young age.

Yet, consuming too many spirit pills or resources at this stage could undermine his future foundation. On the other hand, forgoing them would only limit his future achievements.

“How goes your training?” Xu Chen asked with a smile.

“I have the strength of two tigers now.”

“That’s excellent. Keep it up!”

“I have a few things to take care of. You go on with your practice.”

Fox Moon was timid, of poor aptitude, and initially rather withdrawn—he preferred to train alone. Over time, however, with Xu Chen’s companionship, he had gradually grown accustomed to having someone by his side.

“Go ahead, Brother Xu, I’ll continue cultivating.”

Returning home, Xu Chen eagerly entered the Saint White Space.

He forged two Thousand-hammered Blades, then carefully prepared medicines, antidotes, and poisons to boost his strength.

Once everything was in order, Xu Chen solemnly pushed open the wooden door to the Six Forms of the Sacred Ape.

“Grandfather is here.”

His doppelganger said nothing, simply assuming a combative stance.

“Say a few more words—this may be the last time I see you.”

Xu Chen drew one of the Thousand-hammered Blades from his back and slowly coated its edge with Corrupt Blood Extract.

“Since the day I met you, you’ve killed me tens of thousands of times.”

He placed two antidotes in his mouth, and in his palm concealed two types of poison powder.

“This time, let’s bring it to an end.”

Xu Chen summoned all the blood and energy in his body, blade in hand, and charged at his doppelganger.

The doppelganger’s expression remained blank, but the sacred ape’s phantom behind him let out unceasing roars.

“You haven’t killed me yet, and you speak of an end?” The doppelganger, so stern before, suddenly laughed.

“Is it not so?”

Xu Chen slashed at the doppelganger, while his other hand scattered a cloud of poisonous powder, filling the battlefield around them.

“Enough talking. I admit, your crooked methods have succeeded.”

As he spoke, the doppelganger’s voice sharpened, his eyes blazing with unmatched pride.

In a flash, he unleashed the Sacred Ape’s Heaven-smashing Hammer Form, attacking without regard for the cost.

But at that moment, Xu Chen altered his blade’s trajectory, slicing upward.

He severed the doppelganger’s arm, but the doppelganger’s most powerful ritual hammer struck Xu Chen’s shoulder.

His entire arm mangled, Xu Chen gritted his teeth, holding onto consciousness as he swiftly retreated to safety.

“Corrupt Blood Extract, once it meets blood—even at the peak of the blood and energy realm, you won’t last long.”

“And the air is thick with Five-poison Sand and Yin-dissolving Powder. If these touch an open wound, their effects are doubled.”

Xu Chen watched the doppelganger warily, ready for any desperate retaliation.

Though the doppelganger’s arm was severed, his gaze remained fierce. Yet, the wound at his shoulder had already begun to rot.

“Continue!”

With all his might, the doppelganger punched at Xu Chen.

Xu Chen’s blade left a deep, bone-baring wound across his body.

Deprived of one arm, the doppelganger fought with growing ferocity, matching Xu Chen injury for injury.

By the end, both were covered in gruesome, bone-deep cuts. When his body began to rot away and the poison had penetrated his organs, the doppelganger finally slumped to the ground, powerless.

Now, gazing at Xu Chen, a faint smile appeared at the doppelganger’s lips.

“You are the one who guided me, aren’t you?”

Seeing that gentle smile, Xu Chen suddenly recalled the doppelganger’s uncharacteristic hint after Xu Chen withstood eighty moves for the first time.

The doppelganger nodded with effort.

“Go and comprehend it well.” With those words, the doppelganger melted into a pool of blood.

As this world shattered, Xu Chen’s soul was forcefully drawn into an unknown realm.