Chapter 14

"Carrying the Cauldron Warrior?"

Upon hearing this, Wang Lie burst into laughter and said, "The 'Carrying the Cauldron Warrior' is cultivated using secret medicines, golden sand infused into the body, jade liquid melting the body, and celestial stars forging it. Only large sects can accomplish this. What virtue or ability do I have to receive such good fortune?"

Seeing the puzzled look on Ai Zhongwen's face, Wang Lie proudly tore open his upper garment. Countless twisted, tadpole-shaped golden talismans shimmered and crawled across his back and chest, filling the open space on the mountain path with a golden glow, reflecting brilliantly.

Ai Zhongwen's expression changed, and he exclaimed, "Golden Pattern Talisman Book?"

Wang Lie smiled proudly and said, "Exactly, it's the Golden Pattern Talisman Book of our Guangyuan Sect!"

Ai Zhongwen glanced at Zhang Yan, his lips moving, a hint of worry appearing on his brow.

The Golden Pattern Talisman Book is made by grinding the five-element divine sand, soaking it in secret medicinal liquid for forty-nine days, then adding spirit shell jade liquid and refining it for another forty-nine days to create golden ink. A powerful immortal master then draws the golden talisman on the recipient's body, which can elevate their cultivation by at least one level.

Since the same five-element divine sand is used, the aura is similar, which is why Ai Zhongwen mistook him for a "Carrying the Cauldron Warrior."

Wang Lie turned his gaze to Zhang Yan, his expression softening slightly. He said, "Senior Brother Zhang, your current cultivation is only at the 'Condensing Essence and Manifesting Intent' stage. With the help of the talisman book, my cultivation is comparable to that of a 'Yuan Cheng Ru Zhen' cultivator. My body is as hard as iron, my bones as strong as an elephant, my blood like a rushing river, and my strength more than twice yours. In a confrontation with me, you have no chance of winning. However, I see that you have extraordinary skills in combat. If we fight, both of us will be severely injured. Why don't you just back off? I won't make things difficult for you. What do you think?"

After exchanging a punch earlier, Wang Lie realized that Zhang Yan was not an easy opponent. Although his own strength was superior, he was not entirely confident of victory in a real fight. Therefore, he did not want to engage in a life-or-death struggle with Zhang Yan. A peaceful resolution would be the best outcome.

Zhang Yan was initially stunned by his words, then burst into laughter.

Wang Lie felt humiliated and angrily said, "What's so funny?"

Zhang Yan stopped laughing, his eyes fixed on Wang Lie, and said, "The honor of the sect rests on our shoulders. How can we treat this like a game? Senior Brother Wang, to think you would try to talk me down is truly laughable."

Wang Lie's eyes twitched, wanting to retort but unable to find the right words.

"Senior Brother Wang, I initially thought you were someone of substance, but now I see that you lack the determination to win, the resolve to break through, and the heart to kill. How can you talk about victory?"

Zhang Yan's voice grew louder, his words carrying a formidable and unstoppable momentum, "Your words only fuel my resolve to fight to the death. If you want to pass through this mountain gate, you'll have to step over my dead body. Today, there is no retreat, only a fight to the bitter end! Take this punch!"

With a roar, Zhang Yan took a step forward, and the stone tiles beneath his feet cracked with a "crack." Like a sudden thunderclap, he crossed the distance in an instant, his punch coming straight at Wang Lie with unmatched momentum.

Wang Lie, feeling both ashamed and angry from Zhang Yan's words, was caught off guard by the sudden attack. Overwhelmed by Zhang Yan's momentum, he panicked and fumbled, even worse than Liang Dong. In a hurry, he didn't know whether to advance or retreat, and could only weakly raise his hand to block his chest.

In a moment, Zhang Yan was within arm's reach. His punch hit Wang Lie's arm, feeling like it had struck a thick wall.

Zhang Yan's eyes narrowed. Wang Lie was indeed strong, and in his haste, he couldn't break through immediately. But against such a formidable opponent, he had only one chance and could not afford to retreat.

His forehead veins bulged as he gathered all his internal energy into his punch, determined to succeed with this one strike!

Just as his internal energy was depleted, the dantian in his abdomen suddenly opened, and a surge of primordial energy rushed out, boiling within him like a pot of boiling water. He felt an indescribable force building up, ready to be released.

Zhang Yan roared again, forcing the punch through with such force that it produced a loud crack.

Bang!

With one punch, Wang Lie's arm bone broke, his chest caved in, and he spat out a mouthful of blood, his feet leaving the ground as he fell backward.

Zhang Yan leaped up, grabbing Wang Lie by the neck before he hit the ground, and slammed his knee into Wang Lie's abdomen, driving him into the ground. He then pressed him down and began pounding his head repeatedly. At first, Wang Lie tried to defend himself, but as his consciousness faded, he lost the will to resist, and the sound of punches continued to echo.

The mountain path's stone tiles, repeatedly struck by Wang Lie's head, were cracked and chipped, showing the immense force of Zhang Yan's blows.

In the end, Wang Lie was barely breathing, and Zhang Yan, still not satisfied, dislocated his limbs before slowly standing up. He realized that despite the brief confrontation, he was drenched in sweat.

Ai Zhongwen watched the entire scene in shock. Zhang Yan, usually gentle and refined, had shown a ferocity and brutality like a predator, making even Ai Zhongwen feel stiff and cold with fear. Looking at the unconscious Wang Lie, he trembled and said, "Senior Brother, this is just a friendly match. Why go so far?"

Zhang Yan replied indifferently, "Senior Brother Ai, you must understand that if you don't kill a tiger, it will turn around and harm you. If I hadn't injured him, he would have injured me!"

In his previous life, in the post-apocalyptic world, there were countless examples of opponents who, despite being severely injured, managed to turn the tables due to a moment of carelessness. He dared not be careless. He would rather take extra precautions than give his opponent any chance.

Ai Zhongwen reluctantly accepted Zhang Yan's explanation, but the image of Zhang Yan's sudden ferocity still made him uncomfortable.

Zhang Yan looked at Wang Lie, now covered in blood and barely breathing, and felt a sense of relief.

Wang Lie's true strength far exceeded his own, and the gap between them was not exaggerated. Such an opponent was indeed difficult to handle. However, Zhang Yan, experienced in combat, had a resilient will and did not panic at the sight of a strong opponent. Instead, he looked for opportunities.

Wang Lie's words revealed a weakness. Zhang Yan noticed that he lacked the determination to win and the desire to fight. Perhaps he was sent by someone and was afraid of getting hurt.

With his rich combat experience, Zhang Yan provoked and stimulated Wang Lie with words, secretly gathering his strength. As expected, after a few words, Wang Lie became agitated and his breathing became uneven. Zhang Yan immediately seized the opportunity and decisively attacked, quickly subduing Wang Lie.

However, in defeating a formidable opponent, he also gained something.

During the punch, he felt his dantian suddenly open and close, the surging primordial energy rushing through his body like a river, almost breaking free. Fortunately, it gradually dissipated during the repeated punches. To his surprise, although most of the primordial energy was lost, the remaining bit was more refined and concentrated.

He felt he had found the true method to refine primordial energy.

After condensing essence, the primordial energy is locked in the dantian, beyond the control of the mind, making it extremely difficult to refine. But in the moment of life and death, the dantian opened on its own.

He suddenly realized that Chen Feng must have done the same, perhaps already knowing this method. He challenged many opponents, seeking to open the dantian in extreme external pressure and refine the primordial energy through breathing and mental focus.

It seemed that the more intense the life-and-death struggle, the more likely the dantian would open. What he initially found troublesome now seemed straightforward after experiencing it.

Ai Zhongwen approached Zhang Yan, took out a bottle of pills from his sleeve, and handed it to him, saying, "Senior Brother Zhang, after several battles in one day, you should take these pills to recover quickly. There might be more battles tomorrow."

Zhang Yan held the pills but did not immediately take them, lost in thought.

The fact that Guangyuan Sect sent such a powerful person overnight indicated that they did not intend to prolong the conflict but to resolve it quickly.

This was not a good sign for him.

He could handle one Wang Lie, but not necessarily two or three. Chen Feng, during his time at Nanhua Sect, did not face many formidable opponents, but that didn't mean he wouldn't.

This made him consider withdrawing.

After all, blocking the disciples of the two sects at the mountain gate was too risky. Now that he had found the right path and had the残玉 (residual jade), he was confident he could refine his primordial energy without engaging in life-and-death battles. He could find other suitable methods and did not need to stay here to fight to the death with the disciples of the two sects.

But what was the purpose of his participation in the Dharma Assembly? Wasn't it to gain fame? He couldn't easily miss such a good opportunity.

Though it is often said that one cannot have both fish and bear's paw, he did not want to give up either.

With this thought, he smiled slightly. Since Guangyuan Sect wanted a quick resolution, he would give them what they wanted.

"Senior Brother Ai, please deliver a challenge. I, Zhang Yan, challenge Guangyuan Sect... in three days, at the Star Tablet!"

Ai Zhongwen's eyes widened, and after a moment, he grabbed Zhang Yan's sleeve and said urgently, "Senior Brother Zhang, are you crazy? Be careful, be careful!"

The Star Tablet, originally used by ancient virtuous scholars to record the movements of the stars, is inscribed with ancient script. There are nine tablets in total, each containing profound secrets of the universe. Over time, six of them have been deciphered, but the interpretations vary widely due to the changing constellations.

These six tablets are the main attractions of the Xuanwen Dharma Assembly, each kept by the host.

The tablets have a peculiar effect. When deciphering them, one's aura changes with the constellations. Understanding the secrets can bring great benefits, but making a mistake can lead to chaotic aura, damaged meridians, or even severe damage to the soul and the foundation of cultivation. This is not just a competition of Xuanwen but a matter of life and death.

Zhang Yan's expression remained calm as he said, "Senior Brother Ai, if we don't do this, will we just sit here and wait for Guangyuan Sect to attack us? It's better to take the initiative and resolve this in one battle!"

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PS: I was drunk and was sent home. I got up to update, and I feel better after vomiting a bit.