Conqueror's Haki

Because this advancement involved two classes, Lu Chen was now in a rather perilous situation.

If he had advanced in an ordinary place, then just as he had three days ago, the system would have drained his life essence, leaving him skin and bones—or even killing him outright when his energy and flesh essence ran dry.

Fortunately, Lu Chen had kept an extra eye open this time. He had advanced inside the Witch Doctor Master's room, and that gave him a chance to survive.

No, it should be said that he had fought for that chance himself.

Without hesitation, while Arrow, ranked second, stepped forward to receive his medicinal soup, Lu Chen rushed over, snatched the bowl from the Witch Doctor Master's hand, and gulped down the medicine.

Still finding it insufficient, Lu Chen threw himself over the soup pot and, heedless of the scalding heat, began guzzling the medicine with loud gulps.

Lu Chen's actions stunned everyone in the room. Even the Witch Doctor Master flew into a rage.

"A'Chen, what are you doing... Wait, this is..."

The enraged Witch Doctor Master had originally intended to stop Lu Chen, but he quickly noticed something was wrong. Lu Chen's exposed skin was rapidly turning red, a sign that his blood was coursing at tremendous speed.

A blood mist even began to spread through the room.

Such a display quickly calmed the well-traveled and knowledgeable Witch Doctor Master.

"Red skin, blood mist spreading—these are signs that only appear when advancing into a Barbarian Blood Warrior. A'Chen has advanced into a Barbarian Blood Warrior. Good, very good."

Stealing the medicinal soup for no reason would naturally have angered the Witch Doctor Master.

But now that he realized Lu Chen was replenishing the deficit from his advancement, the Witch Doctor Master was no longer angry. Not only was he not angry, he even hoped Lu Chen would drink more.

Yet while the Witch Doctor Master was delighted, the other Barbarian youths whose portions had been taken felt miserable.

"Even if he's advancing, does he really need to drink that much?"

"Exactly! Even Xiao Shi didn't drink that much when he advanced!"

Seeing Lu Chen about to finish all the medicinal soup, the others could no longer hold back.

At that, the Witch Doctor Master laughed outright.

"Shut up, all of you. What do you know? When those who have awakened their bloodline advance, that bloodline strengthens their bodies and makes them more powerful. And that requires even more energy."

After saying that, the Witch Doctor Master actually turned a "kindly" smile toward Lu Chen.

"Drink. The more you drink, the better."

Under the Witch Doctor Master's protection, Lu Chen drained every last drop of the medicinal soup in one breath. He even chewed up and swallowed the herbs at the bottom of the pot, along with the Barbarian Beast bones.

Only when he had consumed and digested the entire pot of medicine, turning it into a warm current flowing through his body, did Lu Chen finally feel alive again.

But while he felt comfortable, the others in the room could only watch as the medicinal soup was swept clean. The misery in their hearts was beyond words.

Just as they stared at Lu Chen, he too let out a long breath and raised his head.

After meeting the others' eyes, Lu Chen finally realized what he had done.

To be honest, seeing the resentment in their eyes made Lu Chen feel rather embarrassed. But before he could apologize, something unexpected happened.

Those resentful gazes entered Lu Chen's sight, and a surge of mental energy abruptly spread through his mind.

It was as though the dignity of a king had been challenged and automatically awakened. That wave was tyrannical and razor-sharp, instantly suppressing the entire area.

Lu Chen himself did not feel much under that wave.

But everyone else in the room suddenly felt as if they had been targeted by a natural predator, as if they were looking up at a towering mountain.

Everyone in the room felt Lu Chen's body suddenly grow immense, like a giant, radiating boundless might.

At the same time, beneath that might, the Barbarian youths felt as though their hearts had suffered a Heavy Blow. Every one of them felt their heartbeats slow, their vision darken, and an urge to prostrate themselves before Lu Chen.

In such circumstances, strong figures like Arrow and the Witch Doctor Master fared better. Their hearts merely felt uncomfortable and their vision dimmed. But the ordinary Barbarian youths rolled their eyes back and actually fainted.

That sight gave Lu Chen a tremendous fright. As his mental energy wavered, the overwhelming domineering aura also dissipated.

As the aura faded, Arrow, who had just barely managed to withstand it, suddenly crouched to the ground and began gasping for air. Clearly, although he had held on, he had not been in good condition either.

But Lu Chen had no time to pay attention to him now. He immediately looked at the Witch Doctor Master and hurriedly said, "I'm sorry, Witch Doctor Master. I didn't do it on purpose."

Lu Chen explained himself like that because he feared the Witch Doctor Master would mistake him for an Evil Soul and disperse him completely.

Fortunately, the Witch Doctor Master did not attack. However, the way he looked at Lu Chen was already gleaming.

That utterly satisfied gaze made even Lu Chen feel a measure of pressure.

In the end, Lu Chen quickly changed the subject. "Witch Doctor Master, we should treat the others first."

"Right, save the others first."

The people in the room had merely fainted and were not seriously harmed. Before long, the Witch Doctor Master used an extremely pungent herb to wake them.

But once the Barbarian Tribe youths regained their senses, they looked at Lu Chen with fear. Their gazes shifted away, and they did not dare meet his eyes.

Even Arrow, who had already become a Barbarian Blood Warrior, was the same.

Seeing this, Lu Chen found it difficult to say anything more and could only leave first.

However, before he could leave, the Witch Doctor Master called out to him again.

"Wait. If I remember correctly, you haven't gone on patrol these past few days, have you? There probably isn't much food left at home. I still have some meat here. Take it."

Lu Chen was stunned when he saw the Witch Doctor Master pointing at over a hundred pounds of cured wild boar meat.

"Witch Doctor Master, this is too valuable."

"Compared to you, this food is nothing. Be good and take it. Don't feel burdened by it. If you want to repay me, then work hard to increase your strength. Your growth in strength will be the best repayment you can give me."

"Here, take it and eat first. If it isn't enough, come ask me for more."

The enthusiastic Witch Doctor Master had clearly been astonished by Lu Chen's talent.

With sheer presence alone, he had knocked everyone unconscious. The Witch Doctor Master had not seen such talent even once in many years. By now, he had completely acknowledged Lu Chen and regarded him as the village's savior. That was why he was giving Lu Chen so many things.

After thinking it over, Lu Chen did not refuse. As he had said before, he was not one to stand on ceremony. Of course, he would not merely accept benefits either.

"Someday, I will repay all of this, as well as Uncle Da Zhuang's Deer Leg. I will repay it tenfold, a hundredfold."

And so, carrying half a pig, Lu Chen quickly returned home.