Chapter 83: The Benefits of the Wei Family

Xu Chen exerted his vitality to its utmost limit, his mind operating at full capacity. He swiftly analyzed every move and every shift of force from his doppelganger. The speed of their exchanges grew ever more rapid, until both figures were nearly reduced to mere afterimages. Waves of violent energy boomed again and again within this sacred white space. Hundreds of blows were traded, and in a moment of carelessness, an eerie force infiltrated Xu Chen’s heart meridian.

“Puh!”

Xu Chen spat a mouthful of bright blood, hastily circulating the Three Zen Transformations to mend his internal wounds. But the doppelganger gave him no respite, launching a relentless assault. Move after move, Xu Chen found himself increasingly overwhelmed, unable to counter, until his injuries became severe and the doppelganger’s force penetrated his protective energy, harming his internal organs.

Even as Xu Chen hovered on the brink of death, his face bore a fierce fighting spirit. His will condensed into a new manifestation within the sacred white space. Seated cross-legged, Xu Chen began to replay the battle.

“This must be the doppelganger’s greatest strength.”

Though he had lost, there was no trace of defeat on Xu Chen’s face—instead, he felt tantalizingly close to victory.

“If I can win just one exchange, I can defeat the doppelganger.”

“Again!”

Xu Chen rose and pushed open the bronze door of the Seven Celestial Forms.

“Come! Let’s fight again!”

A shadow shot toward the doppelganger. The battles continued, fifteen in succession—each time, the doppelganger barely won by a single move, then widened the gap to secure victory.

Late at night, Xu Chen withdrew from the sacred white space, his spirit utterly drained as if consumed, and he collapsed onto his bed in deep sleep. In his dreams, he continued to replay his fights with the doppelganger.

At dawn, Xu Chen awakened from his slumber. As he ate breakfast, his disciple badge vibrated.

“I forgot I still have a mission.”

Illusion Valley, within the illusory world.

Xu Chen materialized amidst a desert, facing Bai Ningxue.

“Fight with all your strength; don’t hold back for me.”

A shadowy figure rushed toward Xu Chen. He responded as usual, unleashing his full power. Yet after only one exchange, Xu Chen was forced back several steps.

“Your strength…” Xu Chen was slightly shocked.

“I gained some insight during cultivation and my strength has increased,” Bai Ningxue’s tone remained as cold as ever.

Xu Chen took a deep breath. How could one’s strength suddenly leap by an entire dragon? Not long ago, when he sparred with Bai Ningxue, her vitality was about one dragon and five tigers.

From that single move just now, her strength was at least two dragons and five tigers. Xu Chen was puzzled, but then remembered Bai Ningxue’s origins, and understood. With such a supreme method for forging vitality, enlightenment yielding an extra dragon’s strength was only natural.

“In that case, things just got interesting.”

Xu Chen’s expression grew serious; Bai Ningxue, seeing this, looked satisfied. The two resumed their battle. Once more, Xu Chen found himself in his favored situation—using weakness to counter strength.

Bai Ningxue’s every move was ghostly and icy; Xu Chen’s own techniques became ever more varied, his force unpredictable. Though Bai Ningxue pressed the advantage with her vitality, she was more cautious than Xu Chen during their exchanges.

The fight lasted half an hour, with Xu Chen narrowly claiming victory. The illusory world shattered and reformed; now they stood atop a lake.

Bai Ningxue conjured ice beneath her feet, standing solidly upon the water; Xu Chen used sheer force to do the same.

“In a year, can your vitality rise by three dragons?”

“Someone’s already asked me that, and yes, it can.”

Xu Chen sensed this news would soon be common knowledge.

“I suppose I needn’t have asked.”

A silver longsword appeared in Bai Ningxue’s hand. A weapon rack materialized beside Xu Chen; he plucked a battle blade from it.

They resumed fighting. Less than half an hour passed before Xu Chen seized a fleeting opening and severed Bai Ningxue’s head.

The illusory world shattered, then reformed. They fought again.

One hour of sparring ended, with Xu Chen barely victorious each time. Afterward, he saw Bai Ningxue’s expression nearly break her stoic facade.

Xu Chen rode a flying craft home. Upon arrival, he found a delivery crane at his door, a package clutched in its beak.

“From the front lines.”

As Xu Chen spoke, a thunder eagle landed at the threshold, producing a letter for him.

The crane and eagle both eyed Xu Chen, but their gazes flickered warily at each other.

Xu Chen took the package and letter, then stepped inside.

“A parcel from the Wei family.”

The sender’s address puzzled him, but he set it aside and opened the letter from his parents at the front lines.

He scanned it line by line, a smile slowly spreading across his face.

“Hill City. Son of a thousand-man commander.”

“Father’s been promoted again, his monthly salary reaching an astonishing eight thousand spirit coins.”

Between the lines, Xu Chen sensed the joy of his parents.

“Not bad. Things keep getting better.”

“I just wish the teleportation array to Hill City would open soon.”

“It would be best if I could visit my parents.”

After reading, Xu Chen opened the Wei family package.

“Twenty thousand spirit coins, three bottles of vitality pills, and one opportunity to cultivate within the Wei family’s secret realm.”

“This is this year’s cultivation resources for the Wei family’s junior branch disciples.”

Xu Chen’s lips curled up slightly as he looked at it.

“Well, even a mosquito is still meat.”

After stowing the parcel in his storage pouch, Xu Chen stepped outside to begin his cultivation.

In the small square, one man, one fox, and one ox each occupied their own space.

Xu Chen took out a jade slip, pressed it to his brow, and began to read.

He had brought out the method for forging vitality—Nine Revolutions of the Divine Soul—thirty-six forms in all, encompassing not only the circulation of vitality but also methods for channeling spiritual power.

The two complemented each other, proceeding in tandem.

Cultivating to the level where form and will were unified would strengthen the soul and enhance vitality.

Xu Chen had originally intended to continue cultivating a method that would boost his spiritual power, but upon seeing Nine Revolutions of the Divine Soul, he inexplicably changed his mind.

He chose Nine Revolutions of the Divine Soul, simply following his intuition.

After a day’s cultivation, Xu Chen entered the sacred white space, first to refine medicine, then—after enduring a lightning strike—proceeded through the bronze door of the Seven Celestial Forms.

Upon entering, he and his doppelganger stared at each other for a long time.

“Come, let’s fight again.” Xu Chen channeled his vitality, a raging sea surging behind him.

“No need to fight. Consider yourself passed,” the doppelganger suddenly laughed.

“Already? But I haven’t beaten you yet.”

As the world began to shatter, Xu Chen was taken aback, a hint of reluctance in his words.

“Though I could beat you with some effort, it’s only a matter of time before you surpass me.”

“Besides, your current strength has just reached the threshold to barely pass.”

The world fractured, and the doppelganger’s figure faded into nothingness.

Xu Chen’s soul was drawn into an unknown space.

This time, he found himself inhabiting the body of an old man with white hair.

A man who, after a lifetime, had reached only the Treasure Body Realm.

“Began cultivation at six; now at one hundred forty-eight, nearing the end.”

“A mediocre talent, yet yearning for the immortal path.”

“After a lifetime’s effort, still less than what the gifted achieve in a few short years.”

The white-haired elder sighed softly.