Chapter 48

Yun Che sat down on the spot, closed his eyes, and after a few breaths, his expression had completely calmed down. His mind was clear and tranquil, the hunger, and the joy and impatience of having a new mystic meridian were all gone. All his spirit and consciousness were focused on the newly formed mystic meridian within his body.

Having cultivated mystic arts in two lifetimes, from nothing to something, he no longer needed guidance from others. The first mystic power in the mystic meridian came from the body's primordial energy. By gradually guiding the body's primordial energy into the mystic meridian, it would transform into a thin mystic aura. When this thin mystic aura filled the mystic meridian, it would mark the official entry into the initial stage of mystic power!

This process would take about half a year for ordinary talented individuals. For those with high talent, it could be completed in three to four months. After completing this most important foundation-building process, one could then absorb the primordial energy of heaven and earth for cultivation. This process was irreversible because only by officially entering the initial stage of mystic power could one absorb the primordial energy of heaven and earth through the mystic meridian.

In the silence, a thread of initial mystic aura began to condense within Yun Che's mystic meridian... With all fifty-four mystic gates open, the body's primordial energy surged in from fifty-four directions simultaneously, the speed of which was unimaginable...

---

Before entering the Heavenly Poison Pearl, Jiaoli told Yun Che not to disturb her for three days. But even she didn't expect that when she woke up from her deep sleep, it was already seven days later.

The seven days of deep sleep within the Heavenly Poison Pearl finally eliminated the negative effects of her reckless use of mystic power. Looking at Yun Che from within the Heavenly Poison Pearl, she let out a slight "hmm" after a moment.

In the Red Dragon Mountain Range, by a mountain waterfall.

A waterfall cascaded down from a cliff that was two to three hundred meters high, splashing into a pond below, creating a mist that rose into the air. The thunderous sound of the waterfall was deafening, echoing far and wide.

At the edge of the waterfall, a young boy, bare-chested and barefoot, was walking step by step towards the water curtain that seemed to fall from the sky. He released all his mystic power without reservation, protecting his head and back.

His figure was clearly tiny compared to the massive waterfall. Although the height of the waterfall was not too exaggerated, the force of the massive water flow was still enough to easily shatter a person's body...

But the boy still walked resolutely towards the huge rock that had been pounded by the waterfall for countless years...

When Jiaoli left the Heavenly Poison Pearl, this was the scene she saw. She glanced at the height of the waterfall, her eyebrows slightly raised.

"Boom!"

The powerful force of the waterfall struck Yun Che's body, instantly breaking through his fragile mystic power defense and slamming him into the violently churning pond.

A burning pain spread throughout Yun Che's body, his upper body turning bright red. A streak of blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, but there was no trace of retreat or fear in his eyes. He panted heavily, rising from the turbulent water, and with all his strength, struggled to climb back to the shore.

The impact of the waterfall had inflicted significant injuries on him, and struggling against the surging water to reach the shore had almost exhausted his last bit of strength. But once he reached the shore, he did not collapse and catch his breath. Instead, he staggered and walked back towards the huge rock under the waterfall. The last bit of mystic power, the last bit of strength, he concentrated it all on his head for protection.

"Already at the first level of the initial stage? So fast!" Seeing the tiny bit of mystic power Yun Che released, Jiaoli was surprised. In just seven days, he had officially entered the first level of the initial stage of mystic power! This speed was enough to shock anyone, even in her knowledge.

Clearly a mortal body, his newly formed mystic meridian was no different from a normal person's before he activated the Evil God Technique... What method did he use to officially enter the initial stage of mystic power in just seven days! Even with all mystic gates open, it should take at least a month for a human!

But, at just the first level of the initial stage, he dared to challenge such a waterfall, which was essentially a suicidal act!

Moreover, after being severely injured by the waterfall for the first time and his mystic power almost dissipating, he almost immediately stepped towards the waterfall again without any rest.

Jiaoli quickly approached, shouting, "Do you want to die!"

Yun Che heard Jiaoli's voice, his steps paused for a moment, but only for a moment, then he continued walking towards the waterfall...

"Boom!!"

The last bit of mystic power was undoubtedly scattered in an instant, Yun Che's back instantly split open with dozens of tiny blood marks. His vision went black, and he spat out a large mouthful of blood, then was slammed back into the churning pond.

"Truly reckless!" Jiaoli frowned, her figure flickering as she quickly rushed towards the direction Yun Che was being swept away, preparing to pull him back to the shore. Soon, Yun Che's figure surfaced, but just as she was about to reach out to pull him up, she heard a hoarse, weak, but resolute voice...

"Don't... help... me..."

Yun Che's face was as pale as paper, the blood marks on his back were shocking, his eyes half-open, his gaze seemingly scattered yet incredibly clear.

He hadn't fainted... Jiaoli retracted her hand, surprised again. No! In that state, being hit again like that, a normal person would have lost consciousness.

Looking at him, Jiaoli suddenly thought, could it be that he was using his willpower to force himself not to faint?

"You not fainting is already impressive. Are you sure you can make it back to the shore?" Jiaoli floated above him, not reaching out as he wished. As she spoke, she suddenly thought of something, her face turning pink, and she quickly retreated, pressing her hands on her skirt.

But Yun Che's attention was clearly not on her. In a normal state, he could resist such a current, but for him now, this turbulent water was a terrifying nightmare. He squeezed the last bit of mystic power from his almost completely drained mystic meridian, lifting his almost numb arms, and resisted the heavy impact of the water, inching towards the shore...

In just a few breaths, his arms and shoulders began to cramp... This was the body's instinctive reaction to complete exhaustion. In this state, his arms were almost useless, unable to lift. The cracks on his back gradually widened, blood flowing profusely... This scene made Jiaoli's heart race, and even her hands, which were holding her skirt, relaxed unconsciously...

But Yun Che's arms began to lift and dig, his body inching closer to the shore. It was unimaginable how he could still squeeze out strength when his body was at its limit, completely exhausted, and his mind should have been scattered... Perhaps, what was driving his body was not strength, but willpower... an incredibly terrifying willpower!

Under Jiaoli's somewhat dazed gaze, Yun Che crawled back to the shore again. At that moment, Jiaoli's inner shock was almost as great as witnessing a world-shaking battle. Just as she thought Yun Che would be completely weakened and faint, she saw him stagger to his feet again.

He could still stand up!!

Yun Che, standing up again, walked towards where Jiaoli was. His steps were slow, and with each step, his body swayed violently, ready to fall at any moment. After walking dozens of steps, he finally stopped, and Jiaoli noticed a small pond there. The pond was clearly man-made, no more than a meter in diameter, filled with... black liquid!

Yun Che walked into the black pond, sitting down with difficulty, his entire body, except for his head, submerged in the black liquid. At this moment, he closed his eyes and finally fainted.

Jiaoli descended from the air, her gaze complex as she looked at the unconscious Yun Che.

This pond was clearly dug by Yun Che, and its surroundings were covered with a large amount of things. Most of them were various herbs, over twenty types in total. The most numerous were a pile of black, dry branches, whose aura was very similar to that of the pond.

Jiaoli picked up one at random, sniffing it lightly, her face immediately changed. "Devil Skeleton Vine!"

He actually soaked himself in this?!

He used this method to force himself into the initial stage of mystic power in just seven days... No! Maybe even less than seven days?!

Jiaoli silently looked at Yun Che's face... The remnants of youth on his face proved that he was indeed only sixteen years old. How could a sixteen-year-old achieve this? Had he really... experienced hell?

---

Two hours later, Yun Che woke up. As soon as he opened his eyes, he saw Jiaoli floating beside him, her face cold, immediately pressing her hands on her skirt.

"Have you been like this for the past few days?" Jiaoli asked.

"More or less." Yun Che straightened his still somewhat exhausted body, the wounds on his back mostly healed. The pond contained not only Devil Skeleton Vine but also the best healing liquid he could make with the herbs he could gather.

"Aren't you afraid you might suddenly die!" Jiaoli's face turned colder.

"I won't let myself die. Absolutely not!" Yun Che smiled lightly, speaking with confidence and determination.

Jiaoli sneered, "You're overestimating yourself. Do you think there's only water in the waterfall? If a rock hits you, your body will be split in two... I want to know, why are you so desperate?"

"Because I need enough power." Yun Che leaned back in the pond, speaking slowly. "If I had enough power, my master wouldn't have been forced to die, and my family wouldn't have been bullied... Before, my mystic meridian was crippled, and I had no right to pursue power. Now, heaven... no, Jiaoli, has given me a new mystic meridian. I have no reason to be lazy... And you! My little Jiaoli master, you told me to reach a realm that no one in the Cyan Wind Empire has ever reached within thirty years. For you, how could I not be desperate?"