Chapter 24

Life at the quarry was monotonous yet fulfilling. As time passed day by day, Tang Tian became more robust. He learned from the others, baring his upper body, his muscles becoming more defined and gleaming with a dark luster, as if they contained boundless strength.

Tang Tian's expression was focused, his fists glowing with a faint white light as he punched the stone.

The stone cracked with a sharp sound, a fine, straight fissure appearing.

Tang Tian's fists rained down continuously, the cracks on the stone's surface multiplying. Each crack was as straight as a knife, and with a snap, the stone turned into a pile of rubble.

Tang Tian picked out the stones larger than chestnuts from the rubble and tossed them aside.

His Small Crumbling Fist was still weak, and his strength was far inferior to Big Brother Shi's. It often took many punches to shatter the stone, and the shattered pieces were of varying sizes.

Having seen Big Brother Shi's Small Crumbling Fist, where each piece of rubble was the same size, Tang Tian knew that was the true level of skill.

Envious, Tang Tian was filled with determination.

The power of the Small Crumbling Fist was much greater than that of the Flash Fist. A third-stage Small Crumbling Fist even included techniques to stimulate true energy, while a second-stage Flash Fist only had basic power techniques.

By causing a sudden oscillation of true energy to achieve destruction, that was the essence of "crumbling."

The moves of the Small Crumbling Fist were simple and unadorned, but this did not mean it lacked power. The style of the Small Crumbling Fist, like Shen Yuan's Iron Palm, emphasized force over finesse, with astonishing destructive power.

When the Small Crumbling Fist was cultivated to a high level, it could even injure from a distance. When the oscillation of true energy reached a certain strength, it could cause the air to oscillate, also capable of injuring.

What Tang Tian did not expect was that the Crane Qi Technique was also very suitable for the Small Crumbling Fist.

When the Crane Body stimulated the Small Crumbling Fist, the oscillation of true energy gained a sharp, blade-like quality. The cracks formed by Tang Tian's Small Crumbling Fist on the rock were different from others. While most people's Small Crumbling Fist produced irregular cracks, Tang Tian's cracks were as straight as if cut by a knife.

Tang Tian's Small Crumbling Fist improved rapidly, but he did not abandon the cultivation of the Flash Fist.

The cultivation of the Flash Fist took place behind the Cross Light Gate.

Tang Tian entered the light gate again and, without resting, began to cultivate.

After the Flash Fist was perfected, reaching 200,000 punches was not too difficult for him. However, the process was extremely tedious and arduous.

Each round of intense cultivation lasted ten days. During these ten days, no one spoke, only continuously punching, with even the rest periods being extremely brief. By the last few days, both mind and body would be utterly exhausted.

Tang Tian's punching speed was extremely fast, his fists flickering in the air, unpredictable and hard to trace.

These days, he had been using the Small Crumbling Fist to break stones during the day, and he felt his progress. Especially his arm strength, which had become even stronger. The Small Crumbling Fist's ancient and powerful style gradually infused his Flash Fist with a fierce flavor.

The elusive and fierce styles, two completely different styles, quietly merged.

Sweat flowed in streams, heavy breathing mixed with the sound of punches, and the numbers behind the light gate kept jumping.

399,999.

400,000!

The heavy breathing and the sound of punches suddenly stopped, and in the silence, a long, deep inhalation echoed. Though it was just a breath, it carried a sharp, blade-like quality!

Tang Tian, who had been motionless, had a cold, fierce light flash in his eyes, and he looked like a wild beast ready to pounce!

The deep inhalation abruptly stopped.

Tang Tian's figure vanished like a ghost.

A bright, lightning-like silver punch trace tore through the air.

Like a bolt of lightning, the sudden burst of light illuminated everything in sight. The indomitable aura made one's scalp tingle.

The silver lightning struck the mist surrounding the open space with a loud boom.

Boom!

Tang Tian's true energy was instantly drained, his eyes wide open. The oncoming wave of air rushed to him in an instant.

"Ah ah ah..."

Before he could react, he was swept away by the air wave, crashing into the mist wall on the other side, and then bouncing back to the ground.

Tang Tian lay sprawled on the ground, utterly disheveled, with no strength left in his body, not even willing to move a finger. He lay there, staring blankly at the ceiling, letting the sweat flow freely. Soon, a pool of sweat formed beneath him.

Finally, he had succeeded...

The Flash Fist killing move, [Lightning Kill]!

He was so exhausted that his eyelids grew heavy, and he fell asleep directly.

For the first time, he fell asleep behind the light gate.

While asleep, Tang Tian did not notice that when he used [Lightning Kill], a palm-sized golden card appeared on the light gate. On the card, Tang Tian stood with an empty fist, his expression fierce. Beneath his feet, two words were written: Flash Fist!

After an unknown amount of time, when Tang Tian slowly woke up, he was startled to see the light gate. The intense cultivation was about to end!

He did not have time to get up, and in a flash, he returned to reality.

"Basic Tang, get up, it's time to start work!" The thin wooden door was no match for Amoli's loud voice.

"Coming, coming!" Tang Tian hurriedly got up, not even bothering to wash his face, and rushed out the door.

A day's life began.

Each day was incredibly fulfilling.

Tang Tian gradually figured out the pattern of the light gate. Whether it was due to the Southern Cross, the light gate and the number "ten" had a very peculiar relationship. The light gate opened every ten days, and each session lasted ten days. If the intense cultivation was completed very well, Tang Tian could set the next session's start time himself.

After each intense cultivation, Tang Tian needed about ten days to recover his physical and mental strength. A ten-day intense cultivation was also about his limit.

Due to the intense cultivation, Tang Tian's Small Crumbling Fist improved rapidly, but the most significant improvement was in the Crane Qi Technique. The outline of Tang Tian's Crane Body became clearer, and the fine meridians had expanded more than twice their original size.

With the Crane Body expanding by two times, Tang Tian discovered another benefit: the efficiency of refining true energy was greatly improved.

The refined true energy slowly crystallized and grew along the outer wall of the third-stage dantian pool.

The capacity of the third-stage dantian pool was gradually increasing.

※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※

The night was like water, and everyone gathered around, roasting meat and drinking. The work at the quarry was tedious and arduous, and the evening was a rare time for relaxation.

After spending time together, Tang Tian and Amoli found that these burly men, though they appeared fierce, were actually very kind. The two of them shamelessly came over to join in the eating and drinking. Their outgoing personalities quickly made them part of the group.

The campfire flickered on everyone's faces, alternating between light and dark.

"Big Brother Shi, what did you do before?" Tang Tian asked curiously.

Shi smiled warmly: "I used to do odd jobs."

"No way, Big Brother Shi is so powerful!" Tang Tian looked disbelieving. In his eyes, Big Brother Shi's strength was truly astonishing.

He suspected that Big Brother Shi had at least fourth-stage strength, and even if it was fifth-stage, he would not be surprised. In Starwind City, ordinary jobs required second-stage strength, and third-stage strength could get a very good job. Fourth-stage strength, well, it was said that the head of the Starwind City security force was fourth-stage.

Apart from him, only the top few academies had experts above fourth-stage. In Starwind City, any student with fourth-stage strength would receive treatment far better than most teachers. Fourth-stage teachers in Starwind City were extremely rare. Not just in Starwind City, but throughout the Wu'an Star, it was the same.

People with fourth-stage strength would choose to earn money in larger places. And those young geniuses who reached fourth-stage at a young age would not stay in such a small place for life. They would either venture out or choose a larger constellation to enter a higher academy for further study.

Tang Tian had never seen anyone with fifth-stage strength or higher.

Big Brother Shi's displayed strength was too overwhelming. Tang Tian was sure that if Shen Yuan had faced Big Brother Shi that day, he would not have lasted ten moves.

Amoli was already so drunk he couldn't tell east from west. His rough appearance made him very popular with these burly men. Tang Tian, a physical powerhouse, was considered a weak little sprout here.

Shi smiled: "My strength is good enough here, but it's not that great. Old Wei used to be quite strong, but he's not anymore."

"Was Old Wei very strong back then?" Tang Tian's attention was immediately drawn.

"Yes, he was very strong back then." Shi's face showed a nostalgic look, and he said with a sigh, "But he got injured later, and with his age, he's not as strong anymore. We, too, are not as strong. Once we pass fifty, we start to decline."

Tang Tian was skeptical: "No way, Big Brother Shi, you guys are so strong, I think you could still kill a cow with one punch at eighty!"

"Ha ha!" Shi laughed heartily, took a big gulp of wine, and his eyes showed a hint of drunkenness: "I hope your good words come true. By the way, Little Tian, why did you choose the path of a close-combat expert?"

"Old Wei said it. He said I was fierce and suited for close combat. He also said my women would like close combat..." Tang Tian scratched his head.

Shi choked on his wine, his face turning red.

"Did Old Wei lie to me?" Tang Tian's eyes widened.

Shi's face turned even redder, and after a moment, he straightened up, his expression strangely distorted: "I can guarantee that Old Wei did not lie to you!"

"Hmph, if he lied to me, he's dead!" Tang Tian said fiercely.

Shi put away his smile and said seriously: "But the path of a close-combat expert is very difficult to cultivate."

Tang Tian shook his head and said just as seriously: "I'm not afraid. As long as I can become stronger, no matter how hard or tiring it is, I'm not afraid. Because I made a promise with Chiharu. I have to go to the Perseus constellation to find her, and then we will go to the Heavenly Path together."

Shi's expression froze, and after a moment, he sighed and put down his wine bottle: "Little Tian, I don't oppose you going to the Perseus constellation, but if you want to venture into the Heavenly Path, I suggest you have at least fifth-stage strength."

"Fifth-stage?" Tang Tian was stunned but quickly nodded: "Okay, I'll remember that."

翻页上AD开始

翻页上AD结束