Chapter 59

Swoosh!

A green shadow suddenly drifted over the ridge, and the red leaves stirred by the strong wind rustled like a joyful melody.

"Yan Yang Mountain is famous for its red leaf forest and belongs to the territory of the Xuan Yun Sect. However, outsiders don't know that beneath this mountain, due to the mineral veins, a concentration of yang energy has formed a spiritual spot, often used by the sect's high-ranking members to break through their cultivation of yang techniques!"

Li Chen scanned the surroundings, following the map in the jade box, and continuously climbed through the mountains and forests. After nearly two hours, he finally found a cliff.

This was only possible because Li Chen's cultivation was not weak, he was familiar with the mountain terrain, and had the map to assist him. If it were someone else, they would be lost in the vast mountains, unable to distinguish directions.

"This is the place!"

Looking up, Li Chen saw a protruding rock above the cliff. He leaped and clung to the rock wall, climbing up with his bare hands.

Squeak!

Whistle!

The monkey's cry and the eagle's screech echoed one after another. The branches swayed, and the strong wind shot out as the two beasts went to guard the surroundings.

"Has the sun risen?"

Standing on the protruding rock, Li Chen gazed at the rising light in the distance, slowly sat down in a cross-legged position, took off his shirt, opened his storage bag, and took out a jade box and several spirit stones.

Click!

Gently opening the jade box, inside were eight jade buttons the size of walnuts and a small booklet, which was the map to enter Yan Yang Mountain.

"Chi Yang Pill, a second-grade lower-grade spirit pill, containing rich chi yang energy. There are eight here. Dean Hou couldn't have known in advance that I was cultivating the 'Nine Transcend Pure Yang Technique' and prepared suitable pills for me."

Li Chen picked up a jade button, pushed the jade box behind him, and opened the jade button. Inside rolled out a pill the size of a thumb, emitting a faint warm red light, smooth and lustrous. "Who cares, even if it's poison, it won't affect me!"

He casually put it in his mouth, swallowed it, took a deep breath, and rapidly moved his hands, ultimately focusing on his dantian, circulating his inner energy according to the meridian paths recorded in the 'Pure Yang Technique'.

Sweat!

As the inner energy gradually gathered, Li Chen's skin suddenly bulged with veins, and fine sweat beads turned into mist. When the sunlight shone on his face, he appeared almost ethereal.

Gradually, the temperature around Li Chen began to rise, the mist dissipated, and the sweat on his body increased, shining brightly. A faint red glow gathered from his left chest and slowly flowed to his dantian.

Strangely, Li Chen's skin gradually turned black, as if he had been exposed to too much light, making him look as if he had aged by four or five years.

"Dan Yang Scattering!"

As the sky gradually darkened, Li Chen, who looked extremely haggard, suddenly opened his eyes, rapidly pressed several major acupoints on his body, and finally slapped his dantian.

Li Chen's entire body seemed extremely exhausted, and he swayed, only managing to stay upright by supporting himself on the boulder.

Without resting, Li Chen gritted his teeth, sat up straight, and resumed his posture, grabbing a spirit stone and sitting in meditation.

This continued for nine days. On the ninth night, while Li Chen was meditating, a heavy rainstorm suddenly started.

Fortunately, the weather in the mountains was unpredictable; the heavy rain came and went quickly. By morning, it was a bright sunny day, even brighter than the previous ten days.

After nine days of dispersing his energy during the day and cultivating at night, Li Chen looked extremely haggard, as if he had aged by several decades.

Worse still, he had not eaten or drunk anything for nine days, relying solely on his willpower and the energy absorbed from the spirit stones to sustain himself.

However, the illusory vortex above his head had become increasingly dense, as if it were about to burst.

"Dan Yang Gathering, Pure Yang Rebirth, True Qi Condensation, Break Through!"

A sound like a muffled thunder echoed, as if something had shattered. Li Chen opened his mouth and roared, rapidly waving his hands forward, drawing a circle of red light.

The exposure of true qi indicated that Li Chen had finally broken through to the True Qi Refinement stage.

As his eyes opened and closed, two piercing rays of light shot out. As the technique circulated, the true qi in his body, which had turned into a misty flow, slowly gathered moisture from the surrounding air.

By evening, his body finally regained some luster, though his face still looked like that of a man in his twenties.

"The first transformation, finally completed!"

Without feeling relieved, only a bitter smile, Li Chen was unsure if choosing the 'Nine Transcend Pure Yang Technique' was right or wrong. But now that he had completed the first transformation, he had to continue practicing.

Otherwise, the impure pure yang true qi in his body would burn his meridians, causing them to rupture and leading to his death.

But now, after slightly circulating the newly generated pure yang true qi and feeling its powerful flow, Li Chen knew that his suffering had not been in vain.

Swish!

Circulating the true qi, he casually drew a line on the boulder, and a gully appeared. Li Chen estimated that he was at least ten times, or even more, stronger than before.

Not only that, but his vision had also improved, allowing him to see the fine details of insects and birds over a hundred feet away, and his hearing had also increased significantly.

Patted the ash of the spirit stone powder in his palm, Li Chen took out his storage bag and casually input a strand of true qi, easily opening it.

Reaching inside, he wanted to take out some food to fill his stomach, but his hand suddenly paused.

Whistle!

A warning from the thunder eagle came from the sky.

"Truly patient, to actually find me here!"

Casually taking out a few meat cakes, Li Chen coldly scanned the distant forest.

This place was extremely remote, known only to the high-ranking members of the Xuan Yun Sect, with no special treasures. Few people came here. Seeing the figures that suddenly appeared, they vaguely resembled the knights who had chased him that day.

Clearly, these people had heard Li Chen's involuntary roar when he broke through and followed the sound.

Squeak!

Soon, the monkey's warning also came.

Rustle!

Casually putting on his shirt and tucking his storage bag, the cliff was not visible from the outside but was not very secret in the forest. Moreover, those people were all powerful cultivators. By the time they approached, it was too late to hide.

He leaped down the cliff, like an eagle, and each time he landed, he would lightly tap the rock wall to reduce the impact.

After dozens of breaths, he landed at the bottom of the cliff with a thud.

At this moment, the figures of two men and a woman were already approaching.

Two of them were Li Yueqing and Zhang Chulong, and the last one was someone Li Chen did not recognize.

"Indeed extraordinary, no wonder you could escape from Junior Brother Zhang that day!"

The tall man at the front slowly lowered his hand and smiled insincerely.

"What? So impatient to invite me to the birthday banquet?"

Li Chen ignored him and looked at Li Yueqing.

"Hehe, Little Brother Li, you've made Sister Li search so hard. I'm just here to make sure you don't miss it!"

Li Yueqing giggled, swaying her waist, her seductive eyes scanning Li Chen, noticing that he looked several years older, somewhat surprised.

"Li Chen, why don't you come and pay respects to Senior Brother Qiu?"

Zhang Chulong's eyes darted, and he said coldly.