Chapter 2

The medicine seeped into his abdomen, and Long Chen hurriedly used his mind to guide it, dispersing the medicine throughout his body.

Usually, martial artists absorb medicine into their dantian and then distribute it to the rest of their body. However, Long Chen had no spiritual root, and his dantian was empty, unable to store energy.

He could only disperse the medicine into each cell. Although these medicines were ordinary herbs, after Long Chen’s combination, they produced an extremely powerful effect.

As the medicine flowed into his body, countless pores slowly opened. Each cell, like a person about to suffocate, crazily absorbed the spiritual energy of the world.

“Boom”

A muffled sound came from inside Long Chen’s body, and the previously sealed meridians instantly opened. Long Chen couldn’t help but let out a muffled groan.

Others cultivated using the energy in their dantian, gradually opening their meridians, progressing step by step without any pain.

But Long Chen couldn’t do that. He needed to rely on external energy, like guiding seawater to flood the fields, a fierce power that not everyone could endure.

“Painful, but I’ll remember this pain,” Long Chen gritted his teeth. If it weren’t for someone stealing his spiritual root, why would he use such a crazy method?

“Bang bang bang…”

Continuous explosions sounded inside Long Chen’s body, one meridian after another opening. Each time a meridian opened, Long Chen had to endure intense pain.

When all his meridians were unblocked, Long Chen almost fainted. It took a full hour for him to recover.

Now that the pain had passed, Long Chen felt all his pores open. With each breath, the invisible spiritual energy of the world was slowly being absorbed by him.

“Very good, the meridians are unblocked, and I can finally cultivate.”

Long Chen felt his body. With the meridians unblocked, he could naturally absorb the spiritual energy of the world through his pores, nourishing his body and making it stronger.

Although he had just unblocked his meridians, after being transformed by the spiritual energy, Long Chen felt full of strength.

“Huff”

A punch was thrown, accompanied by a whistling wind, and a smile appeared on Long Chen’s face. This pain was not in vain.

Ordinary people cultivating must first enter the Qi Sensing Realm, where they can sense spiritual energy before entering the Qi Gathering Realm.

But Long Chen took a different path, using the medicine to open his pores and forcibly draw in the spiritual energy of the world, penetrating his meridians, thus directly entering the Qi Gathering Realm.

However, this Qi Gathering Realm referred to the strength of Long Chen’s body being nourished, entering the Qi Gathering Realm. Without a dantian, he couldn’t form a qi vortex, so he wasn’t truly in the Qi Gathering Realm.

“Although I have forcibly unblocked my meridians, I can’t store true qi in my dantian, and in battle, I can’t last long. This still won’t do.”

Long Chen searched his memory for a long time and suddenly found a unique martial technique among countless alchemy techniques—Nine Star Tyrant Body Technique.

To Long Chen’s delight, it was as if it was tailor-made for him. It was a secret technique to unlock the hidden treasures of the human body. It cultivated not the dantian but the nine stars.

The nine stars are nine secret treasures within the human body. If all nine treasures were unlocked, it would be equivalent to having nine dantians. Seeing this, Long Chen almost jumped up.

However, when he read further, his heart turned cold. The cultivation required the consumption of countless pills.

Just the formation of the first star—the Fengfu Star—required an enormous amount of energy. If relying solely on external absorption, even a hundred years wouldn’t be enough to form it.

To form the first star, he had to use pills, and a vast number of them. Otherwise, cultivation was impossible.

But the Long family was in dire straits and couldn’t afford to buy so many pills. Moreover, the pill he had taken was not considered a true pill.

“I need to find a way to earn some money.”

Long Chen pondered for a moment, changed into a set of clothes, and walked out of the door. It was already past noon, but the vast mansion was almost empty, appearing very desolate.

Long Chen’s father, Zhenyuan Marquis, had been stationed on the border for years. Over these years, Long Chen and his mother had endured the scorn of the capital’s people. Despite their noble titles, they lived in poverty. The entire mansion had only a dozen servants, as they couldn’t afford more.

Among all the noble families, the Long family was the most destitute, and Long Chen was the most destitute among all the young lords.

The Fengming Empire was a place where martial arts flourished, and everyone practiced martial arts. But Long Chen had a special constitution and couldn’t practice, making him a target of ridicule.

In contrast, Long Chen’s father, Tianxiao, was a legendary hero, guarding the border. Even the fierce barbarians couldn’t invade the Fengming Empire.

Long Tianxiao was a military god of the Fengming Empire, while Long Chen was a waste who couldn’t even enter the Qi Sensing Realm, inevitably leading to the perception of a tiger father and a dog son.

Many people mocked him, but Long Chen didn’t care. However, a few days ago, the young lord of the Manhuang Marquis, Zhou Yaoyang, mocked Long Chen, saying he wasn’t Long Tianxiao’s son.

Long Chen was furious at the time, as it was clearly an insult to his mother’s fidelity. Blinded by anger, he challenged the other party to a duel.

But the other party was a Qi Gathering Seventh Level expert, while he was just an ordinary person who couldn’t even produce qi. It was a self-inflicted humiliation.

As a result, Long Chen was beaten unconscious and sent back to the Long family, becoming a laughingstock in the capital.

Leaving the mansion, Long Chen headed straight for the capital’s Hundred Herbs Shop, where various precious herbs were sold. He needed to understand the market for herbs.

On the way, many people saw Long Chen and pointed at him behind his back. Long Chen was already used to this.

At the same time, he inwardly sneered. His father had suppressed the border, establishing great achievements for the entire Fengming Empire.

But what did they receive? They were bullied and scorned in the capital, and he was almost beaten to death. Was this the reward? A group of people protected by his father treated him with disdain. Was this the reward?

Long Chen quickened his pace. Although he wasn’t afraid of such gazes, it still made him uncomfortable. Just then, his path was blocked.

“Hey, isn’t this Young Lord Long Chen? I heard you were beaten so badly you didn’t recognize your own mother. How are you so lively today?”

In front of Long Chen stood a young man in his late teens, dressed in fine clothes, with two guards. He looked at Long Chen with a mocking expression.

This person was also a young lord from a noble family, named Li Hao. His title was not high, and his status couldn’t compare to Long Chen’s, but in the Fengming Empire, titles and status were secondary; the most important thing was strength.

Li Hao was standing in the middle of the road. If Long Chen wanted to pass, he would have to go around him.

If it were the old Long Chen, he would have turned around and left. But today, Long Chen looked at Li Hao, shook his head, and sighed, “They say a good dog doesn’t block the way. It seems you’re not a good dog.”

“Long Chen, it seems you weren’t taught a lesson last time. Do you want to be beaten to death and thrown off the stage again?” Li Hao’s face changed, and he mocked.

“So you’re just a dog, fit only to eat shit by Zhou Yaoyang’s side.” Long Chen shook his head. He didn’t want to waste time on such a person. He needed to get things done and pass by him.

“Long Chen, you’re asking for death.”

Li Hao’s face turned red with anger. He couldn’t believe that the usually timid Long Chen was so defiant, completely ignoring him. He reached out to block Long Chen.

Long Chen frowned slightly, about to speak, when suddenly a figure walked over and shouted at Li Hao, “Li Hao, you’re the one asking for death. Who do you think you are to threaten my brother?”

The newcomer was a tall man, about eighteen years old, standing nine feet tall, much taller than both of them, with a very intimidating presence.

“Shi Feng, this is none of your business. You’d better not meddle,” Li Hao said, somewhat intimidated by Shi Feng. Shi Feng was also a young lord, with a similar status, but he was a Qi Gathering Eighth Level expert, while Li Hao was only at the Third Level.

Moreover, Shi Feng had innate strength, and few people at the same level could match him. Li Hao didn’t have the courage to challenge him.

“Brother Long Chen, I heard you were beaten by that bastard Zhou Yaoyang. I’ll avenge you,” Shi Feng said, looking at Long Chen with anger.

Long Chen looked at the tall man in front of him and felt a warm feeling in his heart. Shi Feng was the only person in the capital who treated him like a brother.

“It’s fine. I’ll take care of my own revenge. Don’t worry about it,” Long Chen smiled and patted Shi Feng’s shoulder.

Shi Feng, seeing Long Chen’s response, thought he might be embarrassed and didn’t bring it up again.

“Let’s go for a walk,” Long Chen said, smiling, and started to lead Shi Feng away.

Li Hao, seeing that they were treating him like air, couldn’t help but get angry and shouted, “Long Chen, you bastard, if you have the guts, challenge me.”

Long Chen had just taken a few steps when his face suddenly turned cold, and a murderous aura rose in his eyes as he slowly turned around.

“You want to challenge me?” Long Chen’s voice was cold, like ice, making people shiver to the bone.

Li Hao couldn’t help but shiver. He felt that today’s Long Chen was different, but he had already made his boast. If he backed down now, he would become a laughingstock in the capital.

Moreover, he had bullied Long Chen so many times that he acted on instinct, not paying attention to the fear that rose in his heart.

“Sure, do you dare to accept?” Li Hao shouted.

“No problem, but I want to add a bet,” Long Chen thought for a moment and said.

“Add a bet? Ha, your family is almost broke. What do you have to bet with? Your house or become my slave if you lose?” Li Hao sneered.

However, he didn’t notice the cold, sinister smile on Long Chen’s lips.

“Brother Shi, can I borrow your treasure sword?” Long Chen asked.

“Here,” Shi Feng, though reluctant, handed over the long sword.

Long Chen nodded, silently remembering this favor, and said to Li Hao, “This sword, though not top-notch, is worth eight thousand gold coins. I’ll consider it worth five thousand gold coins. If you win, you can take the sword. If you lose, you give me five thousand gold coins. How about that?”

Li Hao’s heart stirred. The sword in Shi Feng’s hand was made of fine steel and crafted by a master, worth eight thousand gold coins.

Now, this fool Long Chen was willing to use it as a bet. He was already overjoyed.

But he mocked, “I wonder if you’ll deny the bet if you lose?”

“Don’t worry, I, Shi Feng, always keep my word,” Shi Feng sneered.

“Alright, let’s go to the arena and sign the contract. If I don’t beat you to the ground today, I’m not Li Hao,” Li Hao said, delighted and full of confidence.

Long Chen’s face was calm, but a hint of darkness appeared in his eyes. Li Hao was just a dog by Zhou Yaoyang’s side and not worth his attention. However, why were they targeting him? What was their scheme?

But no matter what the scheme was, the truth would eventually come to light. Long Chen and his group headed straight for an arena outside the capital.