Chapter 24

The giant python writhed in pain, its massive tail thrashing wildly, but it could not change its ultimate fate. A trace of sorrow and a hint of longing flashed in its huge eyes.

“Hiss~ Hiss~~”

The python let out a long, mournful cry, the light slowly fading from its eyes as it slowly closed them and fell from the sky.

“Boom”

A human-sized crack split open on the python’s back, and Lin Xiao burst out from inside. The python lay on the ground, dead.

In fact, from the moment Lin Xiao voluntarily entered the python’s body to the moment he used his Breaking Fist to tear through and emerge, only five seconds had passed.

Lin Xiao turned around and looked at the dead python on the ground, feeling a myriad of emotions. This journey, though filled with great opportunities, was also fraught with unimaginable dangers. Helping the irregular army defeat the regular army, narrowly escaping the giant bear, and finally killing the python—these events could easily be made into a movie if set in the city.

But no matter what, I am the ultimate victor.

Taking the most valuable snake gall and snake eyes from the python, Lin Xiao found a safe place to enter the space and take a shower, as the stench of the python was nauseating.

The meteorite... the final goal of this journey. Lin Xiao stood beside the meteorite and sighed, thinking about the blood and sweat it took to obtain it.

Next to the meteorite, the traces of the beast battle from a few days ago had quietly disappeared, leaving only the recently deceased python. Apart from marveling at the speed of the cleanup crew, there was nothing else to think about.

Approaching the meteorite, which he had endured great hardships to obtain, Lin Xiao placed his hands on it and chanted "Absorb" while channeling his Astral Energy. The Astral Energy, like a hungry tiger, pounced and bit into the energy within the meteorite, then returned to Lin Xiao’s body.

Lin Xiao fully channeled his Astral Energy, and a vortex slowly formed around him, drawing in all the energy from the meteorite and the surrounding air.

1%... 5%... 10%... 15%... Lin Xiao’s energy reserves gradually increased, reaching 20% in no time. He was almost dancing with joy, but his rationality held him back. He should first absorb all the energy from the meteorite before considering anything else.

Lin Xiao’s joy turned to pain in an instant. After reaching 35% energy reserves, the absorption stopped, no matter how hard he tried. It seemed this was the limit of the fourth level.

The excess energy began to rampage through Lin Xiao’s body, violently cleansing him. Although it was not life-threatening, the sensation of being torn apart and then reformed was far more "comfortable" than the previous bone and marrow cleansing.

As the violent energy gradually dissipated, Lin Xiao felt his physical strength had improved after this baptism. Even the previously sluggish meridians now flowed smoothly, indicating that his basic physical techniques had reached the peak of the initial fourth level.

He smiled in satisfaction. If not for this unexpected event, it would have taken several more months to reach the peak of the initial fourth level.

Lin Xiao opened his eyes, a piercing light flashing in them. If one looked closely, they would see that his eyes had become calm and profound, drawing people to explore the secrets within.

Looking at the meteorite, which had turned to powder and was being carried away by the wind, Lin Xiao’s heart followed the wind, leaving the land where he had struggled for a week.

A few vultures were feasting on the remains of the python, and the area had become a wasteland. However, with time, the land struck by the meteorite would gradually recover, turning back into a lush green forest.

Returning to the long-absent city, he saw the bustling traffic and the hurried pedestrians, the fast-paced life having become part of the urbanites' blood.

Compared to the tranquil and distant mountains, the noisy city was a stark contrast. Although Lin Xiao also enjoyed the quiet and distant mountains, humans are social creatures, and being away from people felt strange. At least, Lin Xiao had not yet reached the realm of a sage, where he could live a life of solitude.

Lin Xiao spent only a day traveling from the mountains back to Taiyuan, then immediately flew back to H City.

It was already past five o'clock when he got off the plane, right in the middle of rush hour. The subway would be packed again. He bought a ticket and followed the crowd into the subway.

It didn’t take long before the train started, and the scenery quickly passed by. Lin Xiao found a handrail to hold onto and habitually scanned the surroundings.

“Hmm?”

Lin Xiao saw a familiar face, but her situation was far from good. She looked awkwardly at Lin Xiao, her eyes filled with pleading.

In fact, Luo Qingya had seen Lin Xiao as soon as he got on the subway, but with so many people, she couldn’t get through. Seeing Lin Xiao look over, she excitedly expressed her thoughts.

Lin Xiao, with his sharp eyes, noticed Luo Qingya’s expression and, connecting it with the lecherous man behind her, quickly guessed what was happening.

Without hesitation, he pushed through the crowd and walked toward Luo Qingya.

As he got closer, he saw Luo Qingya dodging the lecherous hand behind her. As a former colleague, he grabbed her hand without hesitation and pulled her to his side.

At the same time, he grabbed the lecherous hand that was retracting and applied force.

“Crack”

“Ahh…”

Lin Xiao detested such worthless men who liked to molest women. He mercilessly broke the lecherous hand.

The man, clutching his broken hand, lay on the ground howling. The surrounding crowd, seeing Lin Xiao protect Luo Qingya and the lecherous man on the ground, understood what had happened. A few young men stepped forward and kicked the lecherous man several times.

No one sympathized with such scum. Even if there were any, they were shocked by Lin Xiao’s ruthless action—breaking a hand in one move. This required at least the strength of a special forces soldier. It was best not to provoke such a person, which was the consensus among the crowd.

Seeing the matter settled, Lin Xiao turned to look at Luo Qingya, a trace of admiration flashing in his eyes.

Luo Qingya, already exceptionally beautiful, was wearing the company uniform, her well-proportioned figure and mature yet innocent face making her a typical uniform temptation.

Luo Qingya, feeling Lin Xiao’s intense gaze, blushed slightly and said, “Thank you. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t know what to do.”

“No need to thank me, it was just a small effort. Next time, if you encounter such a person, just give them a slap. If you make a big scene, they’ll run away,” Lin Xiao said nonchalantly.

“Still, I have to thank you. Last time at the company, I accidentally hit you and wanted to treat you to a meal to apologize, but when I asked, you had already resigned. This time, I relied on your help again, and I am truly grateful,” Luo Qingya said earnestly to Lin Xiao.

“Ha ha, it’s all small matters, no need to worry about it. We were colleagues, after all. And you are a beautiful lady, so you’re giving me a chance to get closer to you,” Lin Xiao teased, looking at Luo Qingya.

Since his energy reserves were full, the stone that had been weighing on his heart was finally lifted, and he relaxed enough to speak his mind.