I'll Walk It with You!

The Holographic Light Screen went out completely, and the dormitory fell silent once more.

Chen Fan sat on the edge of the bed, his hands still resting flat on his knees. The piercing S-level alarm seemed to still linger deep in his eardrums, echoing continuously.

The exposed skin on Chen Long's cheek, and the bleeding bandage on Luo Mengjie's left arm.

Starry Sky Frontline... Anomalous Beasts... Death...

Chen Fan stood up.

He took off his tattered white Training Uniform and threw it on the ground. His slender body had well-proportioned and firm muscles, without an ounce of excess fat.

He walked to the corner of the room.

Miniature Gravity Control Console was embedded in the wall. Chen Fan raised his hand, his fingertips hovering over the cold touchscreen.

1.0...2.0...3.0...

The numbers were jumping; Gu Ci had set the highest training intensity for him at 3 times the normal level.

Chen Fan's fingers did not stop.

3.5.

Confirm.

"Buzz!"

A deep mechanical roar instantly filled the entire room as the Gravity Field Engine operated at full power, and the energy circuits on the Special Alloy walls emitted a blinding blue light.

The air became incredibly thick in an instant.

An overwhelming and terrifying pressure, like a tangible mountain, crashed down from above!

Chen Fan suddenly bent his knees.

"Bang!"

The floor, made of Special Alloy, made a dull thud, leaving two shallow dents from his stomping.

At that moment, his entire skeleton rubbed together violently, producing a teeth-grinding creak. His muscle fibers were stretched to their limits, and his capillaries ruptured instantly, causing a fine layer of blood to seep from his fair skin.

The doubling of gravity is not a simple numerical addition. 3.5 times the gravity means that Chen Fan's internal organs are being subjected to abnormal compression. Every breath is like swallowing razor blades.

"Well!"

Chen Fan let out a suppressed growl.

He clenched his teeth tightly, and a strong, metallic taste of blood immediately filled his mouth.

Within the Qi Sea Dantian, the 110 calories of Star Qi and Blood, condensed like mercury, instantly boiled upon sensing the destructive pressure from the outside world!

Liquid Qi and Blood surged wildly along the meridians, washing over every torn muscle and repairing damaged blood vessels.

He withstood a weight strong enough to flatten steel, his spine straining upwards inch by inch, his bones groaning and his muscles trembling.

He forcefully straightened his bent legs back to their normal position.

The Five Elements Stars Transformations!

Under 3.5 times the force of gravity, Chen Fan's every movement became extremely slow. He raised his right arm as if dragging a massive boulder.

He threw a punch.

There was no sound of air being torn apart; the gravitational field distorted the flow of air.

The Star Power and the Five Elements Fist Intent converged wildly within his body, transforming into the purest kinetic energy.

The first time, Chen Fan spent a full half hour.

After finishing his routine, there wasn't a single dry patch of skin on his body. Sweat mixed with the seeping blood dripped from his chin onto the floor, instantly pressed into a very thin water stain by gravity.

There was no stopping.

Second time.

Third time.

Fourth time.

Ye Mu had fallen, the neon Stream of Lights outside the window had long since gone out, and only the monotonous hum of the gravity engine could be heard inside the dormitory.

Chen Fan was completely engulfed in a state of near madness, forgetting the passage of time and the excruciating physical pain.

The fiftieth time.

When Chen Fan threw another straight punch, the speed at which his internal Qi and Blood circulated had reached an unbelievable extreme.

In that very instant.

Chen Fan keenly detected a slight disturbance deep within his Dantian.

That solid barrier, which reorganized upon breaking through 100 calories and tightly sealed off 110 calories of Qi and Blood, was under extreme pressure and the frenzied collision of Star Qi and Blood.

An extremely fine crack appeared.

A new, purer wisp of energy seeped out through the crack and merged into the Qi Sea.

A glint of light appeared in Chen Fan's eyes.

"Is your Qi and Blood circulation loose? Is 110 calories of Qi and Blood not the limit?"

Chen Fan murmured softly, but after pondering for a moment, Chen Fan shook his head.

"Never mind, I'll ask Teacher Gu about it tomorrow!"

With that, Chen Fan took a deep breath and immersed himself in cultivation once again.

The next day, it was broad daylight.

Sunlight pierced through the high-strength glass and shone onto the cold Alloy floor.

"Drop."

Chen Fan pressed the stop button on the control panel.

The gravitational field dissipated instantly.

The moment the pressure was released, Chen Fan's body swayed violently, almost falling over. His muscles convulsed uncontrollably, and his skin was covered with a layer of dark red scabs and white salt stains.

He gasped for breath, greedily inhaling the fresh air into his lungs.

After calming his breathing, Chen Fan went straight to his desk, turned on his communicator, and entered Gu Ci's number.

Three seconds later, the communication was established.

The Holographic Light Screen unfolds.

Gu Ci appeared on the screen, still wearing that faded gray long gown, holding a glass of amber-colored liquor. His background was a dimly lit office with various documents piled on the desk.

Gu Ci raised his eyelids, his gaze falling on Chen Fan through the screen.

He saw the scabs on Chen Fan's body, his bloodshot yet unusually bright eyes, and he could tell what kind of brutal exploitation Chen Fan had just endured.

Gu Ci's fingers, holding the wine glass, paused slightly.

I told you to rest.

Chen Fan straightened up, looked directly into Gu Ci's eyes, and spoke calmly and firmly.

"Teacher, 110 calories is not the limit."

"I felt it; that barrier had loosened."

Gu Ci did not respond immediately.

He brought the glass to his lips, slowly drank the strong liquor, his Adam's apple bobbing. He placed the empty glass on the table, making a crisp clinking sound.

Gu Ci remained silent for a full ten seconds.

"110 calories is the limit for most ordinary Prodigies," Gu Ci said slowly, looking at Chen Fan. "Once you cross that threshold, you enter the Qi-Blood Realm."

Chen Fan didn't refute, but listened quietly. He knew that Gu Ci had more to say.

Sure enough, Gu Ci changed the subject.

"But throughout the vast history of humanity in the Federation, ironclad rules are meant to be broken."

Gu Ci stood up and walked to the Light Screen.

"Since the Starfield Expansion Era, humanity has left its mark on countless Star Systems, its numbers immeasurable. Over such an immense period, a few truly exceptional individuals have inevitably emerged."

"They disregard common sense and ironclad rules."

Gu Ci lowered his voice, revealing an unspeakable solemnity.

"Currently, the Federation Military Headquarters's Classified Archives contain information about one of the strongest Starfield Martial Gods in Human Race history, known as the White Emperor!"

"Back when he was at the Quasi-Martial Artist Realm, he forcibly expanded his Qi Sea Dantian an unbelievable extent."

Gu Ci stared into Chen Fan's eyes and uttered a number.

118 cards.

118 calories!

Chen Fan pondered the number.

His current Qi and Blood is 110 calories, just 8 calories away from 118 calories.

However, for these 8 calories, after reaching the limit of 100 calories, every 0.1 calorie increase becomes incredibly difficult, almost like climbing to the heavens.

"After White Emperor broke through to 110 calories, he did not choose to advance to the Qi-Blood Realm. Instead, he spent half a year traveling throughout the territory of the Human Federation, using extreme environments such as extreme cold, magma, and radiation to forcibly Bone Refinement his physical body, and finally reached the limit of 118 calories."

Gu Ci looked at Chen Fan, his eyes sharpening.

"Forcibly expanding the Dantian is like walking a tightrope over a cliff. If you're not careful, your Qi Sea will collapse, your meridians will sever, and you'll become a cripple, worse than an ordinary person."

"Your current strength is unmatched among your peers. As long as you break through to the Qi-Blood Realm step by step, the resources of Jiangnan No. 1 High School will be fully tilted towards you. Your future achievements will at least be those of a general guarding a region."

Gu Ci placed his hands on the table, leaned forward, and stared intently at Chen Fan.

You're already good enough; you don't need to risk your life.

"I'll ask you one more time: I told you to rest, why are you still pushing yourself like this?"

The dormitory fell silent.

Chen Fan looked at Gu Ci, who was being aggressive on the screen.

In his mind, the Scarface on Chen Long's face, Luo Mengjie's blood-stained bandages, and that piercing S-level alarm flashed through his mind again.

But he didn't say any of this.

He doesn't need sympathy, nor does he need understanding.

Meeting Gu Ci's gaze, Chen Fan spoke four words in the calmest tone.

I want to become stronger.

On the other side of the Light Screen.

Gu Ci's body stiffened abruptly.

I want to become stronger!

Ten years ago.

It was also a dimly lit room.

It was also a boy covered in blood, with most of his bones broken.

The boy lay on the ground, gripping his trouser leg tightly, tilting his head back and looking at him with the same calm, same obsessive gaze.

"Teacher, I don't want to die... I want to become stronger."

That boy was the first disciple he ever took on, the one he personally mentored, and the peerless genius who ultimately had his bones crushed by his enemies and died a tragic death.

Ten years have passed.

Gu Ci believed his heart had long since died. He refused to take on disciples or teach anyone, turning himself into a walking corpse.

Until the Old Principal pushed Chen Fan in front of him.

Even now, I hear the exact same words again.

Gu Ci's vision gradually blurred.

In the Light Screen, Chen Fan's slender yet upright figure, spanning ten long years, slowly overlapped with the proud and stubborn phantom in his memory.

Gu Ci slowly straightened up. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

When he opened his eyes again, the deathly stillness in them had been replaced by a chilling sharpness.

It was as if a ferocious beast that had been dormant for ten years had awakened.

"Good."

Gu Ci's voice was no longer hoarse, but firm.

"Since you want to take this path, I... will accompany you!"