Chapter 42

"Ha ha ha ha ha......"

Sun Xiao was the first to burst into a wild laugh. He clutched the wine bottle in one hand and pointed at Sun Yan's nose with the other. "You little brat, you don't even plan your lies. Imperial Wind Academy? Are you still asleep? As my son, I know everything about you. With your capabilities, you can't even reach the threshold of Lai Feng Advanced College! And you're talking about Imperial Wind Academy? You should take a look at yourself in the mirror."

Finally, Sun Xiao waved his hand. "Forget it. Considering how filial you are, I won't hold it against you today, no matter what trouble you've caused."

Lai Feng College was the 1000th ranked advanced college in the Nanfeng Region. For people like Sun Xiao, who lived at the bottom of society, this college was the most discussed topic. If their children could get into this college, it would be a great blessing. Especially Uncle Lin, his greatest wish was for his daughter to get into Lai Feng College in next year's graduation exam.

A group of drunkards sat on the ground, laughing uncontrollably. The tall and thin young man, Brother Feng, choked on his wine, almost losing his breath.

"Xiao Yan, you're usually so smart, why are you playing such a stupid joke on us today? Sigh, it must be the exam pressure." Brother Feng shook his head and said.

Uncle Lin patted Sun Yan's shoulder and comforted him. "Ah Yan! I know the graduation exam is very stressful, but no matter how you perform, the exam is over now. Don't think about it anymore, put the pressure aside, and enjoy the holiday. The future will take care of itself. Everyone has their own way of living, and there are many paths to take."

"Exactly, I love hearing Uncle Lin's words," Brother Feng clapped his hands and said. "Xiao Yan, look at me. I didn't get into an advanced college either, but I'm living a good life now!"

"Bullshit! You, Little Feng, have the nerve to say you're living a good life?"

"If Ah Yan lived like you, his life would be over. He might not even find a wife."

The others all looked down on Brother Feng and started chatting, discussing what kind of job Sun Yan might find in the future.

Sun Yan stood to the side, listening dumbly, unable to interject. In fact, trying to have a normal and rational conversation with a group of drunkards was a very foolish thing to do.

Seeing the atmosphere of the drinking group getting more and more heated, Sun Yan shook his head helplessly and decided to tell his father the news seriously after he sobered up the next day.

"Old man, I'm going to play around the stone tower. Call me when you're leaving," Sun Yan said, reaching out to grab the bottle and toss it to the others. "Uncle Lin, my father's health isn't good. Keep an eye on him and don't let him drink too much."

"Sure, sure!"

"No problem!"

"Ah Yan is really filial!"

The group immediately praised him, raising their hands in agreement. After all, such high-quality wine was a rare treat, and with fewer people to share, everyone would be happier.

"Sun Yan, you ungrateful son!" Sun Xiao roared in anger.

Sun Yan shook his head, not bothering to respond to his father, and turned to walk towards the stone tower, ascending the steps, his figure gradually disappearing.

...

The night sky hung with two moons, and the Luoshan Tower stood under the moonlight. A strong wind blew from the horizon, and leaves fell everywhere.

Stepping on the steps, Sun Yan looked up at the stone tower, still feeling the same awe he felt as a child. The stone tower, a hundred meters in diameter, stood like a pillar connecting heaven and earth. The entire tower had no seams, as if carved from a single piece of stone, with ancient and weathered marks covering the walls.

The origin of the Luoshan Stone Tower was still a mystery. Whether it was made from a single piece of stone was a topic of much debate, shrouded in mystery.

However, such stone towers were not unique to Luoshan City. There were 11 other similar stone towers on the planet Dommil, located in 12 different directions. Each of the four administrative regions of Dommil had three such towers.

According to official conclusions, these 12 stone towers were prehistoric relics, dating back thousands of years. Their purpose was likely more symbolic, without any practical use.

Touching the walls of the stone tower, Sun Yan felt a cold sensation in his palm. The marks on the walls remained unchanged, unaffected by the countless touches over the years.

A strange emotion welled up in Sun Yan's heart, a mix of sadness, joy, and a touch of melancholy.

At the age of 8, when he moved from the suburbs to the city, he was the worst student in his class, often looked down upon by his classmates. Whenever he felt depressed, touching the walls of the stone tower would help him calm down.

In the past half month, Sun Yan's life had undergone a dramatic transformation. Today, he had stunned everyone at the martial arts test, achieving a score that secured his place at Imperial Wind Academy.

"Luoshan Tower, Luoshan Tower. I'll be leaving soon and won't be able to visit you for a long time. Please bless me, bless me to find my mother." Sun Yan touched the tower wall, whispering softly, sharing his young heart's secrets.

The events of the past half month flashed through his mind, like ripples on a lake, gradually settling into calm. Sun Yan's mind became clear, his body relaxed, and the internal energy in his dantian began to flow slowly. The thin stream of energy spread throughout his body, strengthening his muscles, tendons, and bones.

A faint glow appeared on Sun Yan's skin, flowing over his body. From a distance, it looked like fine mist enveloping him.

His skin exhaled and inhaled, renewing itself.

After a second-level martial artist's skin opens its pores, as the internal energy deepens, the pores open like nostrils, allowing the body to breathe and renew itself.

This was a sign that a second-level martial artist was approaching the peak of their level. When all the pores were fully open, they would reach the pinnacle of the second level.

At this moment, Sun Yan was just one step away from the pinnacle of the second level. If Chen Wang saw him, he would be stunned. Such rapid progress in martial arts was truly unbelievable.

The two moons slanted in the sky, and Sun Yan's shadow stretched out under the moonlight, as if he were wearing a silver cloak, exuding a transcendent aura.

Suddenly, Sun Yan felt a warmth in his palm, and a powerful suction force came from the wall. The cold wall suddenly became hot, burning his palm.

"What's happening?"

Sun Yan was startled and tried to pull his hand away, but found his right hand stuck to the wall, unable to move.

"Damn, what's going on?"

He grabbed his right wrist with his left hand and used all his strength to break free from the suction force. However, he found his left hand also stuck to his right wrist.

The suction force from the stone tower quickly spread throughout his body, and the internal energy inside him lost control, circulating wildly. In an instant, the internal energy reached its limit, causing pain in his limbs and bones.

"Damn, it can't keep turning! If the internal energy keeps circulating like this, I won't be able to handle it and will burst to death."

Sun Yan's heart turned cold. The limit for a second-level martial artist's internal energy circulation was 10 rotations per second. If he forced it beyond his body's capacity, it would cause serious damage. If his internal energy continued to circulate at this speed, the result would be only one—bursting to death.

The thought of his body exploding into pieces, scattered on the ground, made Sun Yan feel cold and tearless.

Surely, the result of a windfall is always a tragedy? I'm still a young man, I haven't even enjoyed life yet. At least, I should lose my virginity before dying, so I can die with a smile.

The suction force from the stone tower grew stronger, and the internal energy circulated faster. Sun Yan's heart grew colder, and a tearing pain invaded his brain.

"Brother is done!" As this desperate thought arose, Sun Yan's mind suddenly cleared, and he involuntarily entered a state of emptiness. The powerful suction force, after a wild circulation, suddenly stopped and then converged on his head.

Buzz!

A spark appeared in his mind, like a ray of dawn breaking through the darkness, clearing the clouds and descending to the world.

A mark formed in his mind, a fist mark! Not too big, not too small, perfectly centered, a simple fist mark.

This simple fist mark made Sun Yan's mind focus. As he tried to observe it closely, a powerful aura rushed towards him.

This punch seemed to contain boundless truth. The heavens, the nine skies, the endless stars, and the ancient layers of time were all encompassed within it.

However, the vastness of the meaning contained in this fist mark was overwhelming. Just touching the surface layer made him feel his mind being drawn in.

"What is this?" Sun Yan was terrified, yet his mind was clear, creating a conflicting feeling that made him extremely uncomfortable.

Suddenly, Sun Yan felt a sensation and turned to look at the night sky. His eyes widened and his mouth opened wide.

In the night sky, the two moons of Dommil flashed, and the stars seemed to emit a silver light, as if two beams of light were pouring into the young man's mouth. A refreshing force flowed down his throat, like drinking a bottle of cold water on a hot summer day, feeling incredibly refreshing.

In his mind, the surface information of the fist mark seemed to transmit, and then, like a flash of lightning, a thunderous voice echoed in his head.

"Primordial energy, see the true heart!"

In the next moment, his thoughts shattered like glass, and one scene after another flashed before his eyes: 13 years old, 9 years old, 8 years old... Childhood memories flashed through his mind, as clear as yesterday.

At 13, the young man would wake up at four every morning, wearing a weighted suit equal to his body weight, and run around half of Luoshan City, rain or shine...

At 9, facing a pack of stray dogs, the young man fought like a mad dog to save his injured best friend, Mutong...

At 8, the child, with a smudge of dust on his face, sat on a pile of goods, watching his father carry them...

At 6, the child sat in the ancestral house at night, folding the newspaper about his mother's spaceship accident and carefully putting it in a wooden box...

At 3... The scene suddenly changed. In the vast space, a gray-brown spaceship's door was open, and the imbalance of gravity created a strong suction force, pulling people into space. Among the people, a three-foot-tall child, covered in blood, stood firmly, holding an adult man under his arm, his eyes like iron, staring ahead...

Bang!

Another loud sound exploded in Sun Yan's mind, and all the scenes became blurry and disappeared.

At this moment, the refreshing force and the hot suction force from the stone wall merged, quickly transforming into a gentle force, converging with Sun Yan's internal energy, flowing back to his dantian like a stream. The fist mark in his mind also slowly faded away.

In the next moment, Sun Yan felt his right hand loosen and lifted it away from the stone wall. Looking around, the moonlight washed the surroundings, covering everything in a silver veil. A sense of loss welled up in Sun Yan's heart.

Tapping his head, Sun Yan frowned and muttered, "Strange, what just happened? I seem to have remembered something from before I was 6." He shook his head but couldn't recall anything. "Forget it, it's probably not a good thing."

Suddenly, his skin vibrated with a crisp sound, and all his pores opened, releasing countless fine white mists, enveloping him.

"This is the pinnacle of a second-level martial artist!"

Sun Yan clenched his fists, feeling all his pores open, breathing in and out, renewing his body. He felt a stronger force in his body, his steps were light, his senses were sharp, and his six senses were significantly enhanced.

Listening carefully, he could hear the sound of leaves falling a hundred meters away, every detail clear! This was the internal energy at the pinnacle of a second-level martial artist.

Stunned for a moment, Sun Yan was both surprised and delighted. He never expected that in just a short while, he would cross that final line and reach the pinnacle of the second level.

Looking up, the top of the Luoshan Tower pierced the night sky, its end unseen, ancient and solemn. Sun Yan felt a sense of reverence. He didn't know what secrets the ancient stone tower held, but it was beyond his current reach.

Standing in front of the stone tower for a while, Sun Yan finally dared not touch the wall again. "Better to stop while ahead, better to stop while ahead."

Straightening his mind, Sun Yan turned and left, descending the steps, heading towards his father.

At this moment, a faint argument could be heard from ahead. Sun Yan listened carefully, and his brows furrowed.