Chapter 16: The Fifth Level of the Martial Way, True Essence Leaves the Body

At the same time. In the Starry Pavilion region, inside one of its pavilions. Snap. A young man clad in luxurious finery, graceful and jade-like, crushed the teacup in his hand into fragments. A trace of murderous intent flashed across his handsome face. "The high-level meeting of the Martial Academy has decided that my qualification in Huaqing Pool is gone??"

Facing him stood a youth who hastily answered, "Wanqing, do not get angry... Chenfan's entry into the academy assessment already placed him within the top four hundred of the Myriad Phenomena Void Realm, far too fierce, even surpassing most Martial Dao fifth layers in the Martial Academy..."

A helpless smile appeared on Wanqing's face. "I owe my rapid advance to the fourth layer and five hundred mark to the family's backing. Yet this fifteen-year-old Chenfan, also at Martial Dao fourth layer and already inside the top four hundred of the Myriad Phenomena Void Realm? I heard that this year's disciple who entered with an overflowing blood body was him."

He shook his head to the youth before him, expression complicated. "No..."

Wanqing raised his brows slightly, seated on the stool, feeling even more speechless. "Not yet so powerful, has he consumed some miraculous elixirs?"

"Unknown."

The youth spread his hands, then his eyes flashed a cold glint. "Still, this boy's strength is insufficient... Once inside the Lunar Pavilion, many Martial Academy members hold opinions against him. Shall I find someone to stir trouble for him? Create some complications? Or send our Wan Family's Wan Yuntian brother in the Lunar Pavilion to make the boy suffer?"

Wanqing shook his head. "Wan Tianbao, you are no longer young. Why act so childishly? What good would that do? Even if you make Chenfan hated by all in the Martial Academy, even if the boy faces endless difficulties and lessons in the Lunar Pavilion, will my Huaqing Pool quota be regained?"

"Or do you think your little schemes will escape notice by the Martial Academy high-levels?"

Wan Tianbao fell silent, speechless.

Stirring trouble was simple, yet doing so brought no real result, only pushing Chenfan to the opposite side...

Wanqing closed his eyes for a long while, then suddenly opened them. "Now there are only two ways. Either my ranking surpasses Chenfan's before four months pass, with strength stronger than his, snatching back the quota, or... Chenfan vanishes from this world. There are still four months remaining..."

He clenched his fist. "The Huaqing Pool quota, I will never let it slip away easily!"

Cultivation accumulation is secondary; one chance to comprehend the Dao is truly rare. Even peak Martial Dao sixth layer experts would break their heads to seize it!

Moreover, he was wise, knowing that no matter what, no action could be taken against Chenfan within the Martial Academy. One must wait for the opportunity...

Wait for Chenfan to leave the Martial Academy!

...

Compared to the Starry Pavilion, resources throughout the Lunar Pavilion had improved. Cultivation rooms offered better effects, lecture instructors possessed stronger overall power and greater permissions.

The Martial Academy's various training facilities and resource allocations had multiplied many times over.

And Chenfan had at last achieved his goal, no longer needing to queue, spending his days immersed in the Myriad Illusion Hall!

Disciples of the Lunar Pavilion could enter the Profound Character Rooms, where the Thunder Array effect increased further, lightning rays denser and more potent.

Even on his first entry, Chenfan felt considerable pressure.

Yet greater pressure yielded better results in absorbing origin stones and comprehending thunder intent, the latter advancing at an astonishing speed.

The days that followed, beyond listening to lectures, eating, and sleeping, he remained in the Myriad Illusion Hall constantly. Even the origin pills he had once discarded as trash, he now consumed one daily!

With ample funds, he cared little about the daily drain of origin pills and origin stones, yet origin points were depleted at a terrifying rate of forty to fifty each day.

His Thousand Strikes of Thunder drew ever closer to the unity realm.

Simultaneously, his other martial arts began rapid elevation.

Time passed swiftly.

Half a month after joining the Lunar Pavilion, his Nine Star Origin Pill broke through the second layer, the upper limit of secret techniques exploding to fifty percent!

And two months later, his Star Forging Body Technique and White Cloud True Skill both broke through.

His cultivation naturally advanced as well, reaching Martial Dao fifth layer, Forging Bone Realm.

Strength surged dramatically.

Until now, no bottleneck had been encountered!

The White Jade Red Sun Pill had never had the chance to be used...

"It seems this elixir will only see use when I break through to sixth layer."

Alas, at fifth layer's closed-door cultivation, another breakthrough would require nearly two years, far too distant.

Chenfan understood that to break through to sixth layer demanded not only complete tempering of the bones but also construction of the qi and blood small circulation within the body.

Even full tempering of his bones would reach only fifth layer perfection, entirely different from before!

After Forging Bone Great Completion, when breaking through to sixth layer qi and blood circulation, the White Jade Red Sun Pill would arrive at exactly the right moment.

The other pill, Lantian Jade Refining Pill, Chenfan intended to reserve for the Huaqing Pool journey, to be absorbed and refined there.

He had never imagined failing to secure the quota and being defeated by a Ren Chang Martial Academy disciple.

Regarding the realm...

Chenfan's Thousand Strikes of Thunder progress bar constantly jumped and ascended under his ceaseless observation of thunder light variations, approaching unity ever nearer.

Although his Thousand Strikes of Thunder remained merely entry into subtlety great completion on the surface, he had gained a far more profound comprehension within, his realm now vastly higher than before!

Even as the Myriad Illusion Hall's effects gradually waned, according to current progress, Chenfan held confidence that he could break through the unity realm within a few months.

In the Lunar Pavilion, within a special secret chamber.

Chenfan gripped the black sword.

Before him stood a black wooden puppet one zhang tall.

This puppet was crafted from special black iron wood, capable of withstanding only standard Martial Dao sixth layer martial artists.

Chenfan closed his eyes; true essence flowed through his body, surging instantly from his hands through fully connected acupoints into the black sword.

Swoosh!

Four to five inches of true essence sword glow erupted above the black sword.

Carrying a razor-sharp aura, it slashed forth like a black crescent moon, cleaving cleanly onto the puppet.

After one strike...

Crack!

The puppet was bisected neatly at the waist.

Chenfan's eyes flashed with sharp delight.

Joy filled his heart.

"Once true essence leaves the body, all my martial techniques can be wielded remotely, their power greatly amplified, while the role of treasures becomes ever more pronounced."

Treasures could amplify and condense true essence.

With the black sword, Chenfan's casual slashes now matched the level of ordinary Martial Dao sixth layer martial artists.

Though merely a lower limit, it was nonetheless formidable.

"With true essence separated from my body, I can also cultivate the Three Inch Sword secret technique..."

The Three Inch Sword secret technique was a method of sword qi manipulation, achievable only when true essence left the body.

And at this moment, less than two months remained until the battle in Huaqing Pool...

...

Chenfan continued to cultivate in seclusion.

When Wanqing learned that Chenfan had remained buried in the Martial Academy for three full months without the slightest intention of leaving, he finally could not stay calm.

His innate talent was exceptional and his strength formidable, yet he lacked the grasp or confidence to surpass Chenfan before the Huaqing Pool battle and reclaim the quota.

Chenfan's prolonged stay in the Martial Academy only intensified his anxiety.

He summoned Wan Tianbao. "We can wait no longer..."

Wan Tianbao was equally helpless.

Martial Academy disciples were required to complete mandatory outer missions each year, yet Chenfan had been in the academy for only three months and showed no hurry to fulfill his own.

Apart from his senior brother Zhang Fan and Chi Liuguang and a few others, Chenfan avoided all casual interaction with Martial Academy members, preferring to cultivate in seclusion. Wan Tianbao found himself equally at a loss.

Wanqing's brows furrowed tightly.

"He avoids initiating contact, but that does not mean he does not know how to interact. Since he will not take the initiative, we will create opportunities for him."

Wan Tianbao narrowed his eyes.

Wanqing's gaze narrowed further. "Our goal is to find a way to make Chenfan leave the Martial Academy, not to harm him. The more interactions he has with others and the more appropriate outings he makes for social engagement, the more natural and normal that would seem, would it not?"