The Gap

Yan Hong spread his arms, his expression turning fanatically fervent.

"You think I researched this 'Demon Transformation Pill' for these ants?"

"No, they are merely experimental materials. As long as I can perfect the data and present this method of demon transformation to the great 'King,' I will receive supreme rewards and ascend to the heavens, becoming a true great demonic beast!"

"And you, a Demon Queller Envoy with such vigorous Blood Essence, will serve as my second gift to the 'King'!"

Before his words could even finish.

Yan Hong's body suddenly underwent a bizarre transformation.

Poof! Poof! Poof!

The skin and flesh on his body exploded without warning.

Countless fragments of flesh and blood, carrying a foul-smelling black ichor, shot towards Shen Che like a barrage of needles or shotgun pellets, covering the sky!

This sudden attack was incredibly vicious and sinister.

Shen Che's hair stood on end.

Without the slightest hesitation, he willed his Golden Bell Shield technique to its absolute limit.

The ancient, pale-golden bell phantom reappeared, enveloping him completely.

Ding ding dang dang--

A rapid, crisp series of sounds, like raindrops on banana leaves, erupted.

The countless flesh fragments slammed violently against the golden bell phantom, creating ripples but failing to penetrate even an inch.

When the rain of flesh and blood subsided.

The ground in front of Shen Che was a mess, riddled with small pits smoking blackly from the corrosive flesh.

The scattered flesh on the ground began to writhe, converging rapidly towards the center of the hall like iron filings drawn to a magnet.

An unnamable mass of flesh twisted and expanded on the ground.

The "crackling" sound of bones growing and the "ripping" sound of muscles tearing and reforming intertwined into a scalp-numbing symphony.

Moments later, a completely new body appeared in its place.

It was a burly monster nearly two meters tall, its muscles coiled like cast iron.

A ferocious, jet-black horn sprouted from its head, and its mouth was filled with jagged teeth, flashing with a cold, bone-white light.

A torrent of demonic energy surged from its body, making the air in the underground hall thick and heavy, turning breathing into a burden.

This aura far surpassed that of leaders like Wang Bing and Wang Yan; it was even stronger than Feng Changkong's.

Peak Primordial Qi Realm.

Only one step away from the Innate Realm.

"See? This is true power!"

Yan Hong twisted his thick neck, the sound of his bones popping filling the air as he reveled in his new body.

"I cultivated for three hundred years, yet due to this damned bloodline restriction, I couldn't break through to the Innate Realm."

"But as long as my 'Demon Transformation Pill' succeeds and I earn the King's reward, I can shatter this shackle!"

His words were filled with absolute confidence in his own strength.

Shen Che looked at him and suddenly spoke.

"So, after three hundred years of effort, you're still a pathetic worm stuck at a bottleneck?"

"Just because your bloodline is trash?"

Yan Hong's ecstatic expression froze instantly.

"You... want... to die!"

The three words were squeezed out through gritted teeth.

The furious demonic energy exploded, shattering the flagstones beneath his feet into dust.

He stomped his foot on the sunken ground, and his entire massive body shot forward like a cannonball, tearing through the thick air and lunging at Shen Che.

His speed was so great that he left an afterimage behind.

He threw out his right fist.

In front of his fist, the air was compressed by the extreme force, creating a vacuum zone visible to the naked eye.

This punch was enough to level a small hill.

Facing this world-destroying punch, Shen Che did not dodge.

He crossed his arms, guarding his chest.

The Horizontal Training True Qi within him circulated madly, without reservation.

The pale-golden bell phantom reappeared, more solid than ever before.

The black martial arts uniform on his body also began to emit a heavy metallic sheen.

Golden Bell Shield! Iron Shirt!

Activate with full power!

The next moment, Yan Hong's fist, imbued with terrifying power, met Shen Che's crossed arms in a fierce clash.

"---CLANG!!!"

A deafening explosion erupted within the great hall.

The sound was no longer muffled but a pure, sharp, and piercing metallic clang, as if two iron mountains had collided head-on.

A terrifying shockwave spread out in a ring, gouging three feet into the ground and sending stone fragments flying.

The youths in the iron cage who hadn't already fainted from fright rolled their eyes and simultaneously passed out from the thunderous noise.

Even Liu Hua in the corner felt his eardrums sting, his head buzzing.

Crack.

A faint, crisp sound.

A clear crack appeared on the solidified golden bell phantom surrounding Shen Che's body.

Immediately after, an irresistible force penetrated the bell phantom's defense.

Shen Che felt as if struck by lightning, his body uncontrollably sent flying backward.

He slammed heavily into the wall over ten meters away. The solid wall was indented with a clear human silhouette from the impact, and spiderweb-like cracks spread outwards.

Dust rained down.

Shen Che slid down the wall, his feet landing on the ground, stabilizing himself.

His crossed arms tingled.

"This guy's pure physical strength... is probably over 200,000 jin, almost double mine."

He quickly assessed the situation in his mind.

Although his arms were numb, he hadn't sustained any real critical injuries.

The Golden Bell Shield had blocked most of the impact, and the residual force was then dissipated by the second layer of defense, the Iron Shirt.

But this gap was undeniable.

"Hm?"

Yan Hong looked at his unharmed fist, then at Shen Che, who was merely shaking his arm in the distance. A hint of surprise flickered in his inhuman pupils.

"A brat in the True Meridian Realm, able to withstand my punch without dying?"

"Your horizontal training technique does have some merit."

"However, that's as far as it goes."

He grinned menacingly, preparing to charge again, intending to pulverize this tough bone into meat paste with a relentless barrage of heavy punches.

Shen Che watched Yan Hong prepare to pounce again, knowing clearly.

There was a vast chasm between the peak of the Primordial Qi Realm and his current strength.

With conventional means, further fighting would only result in defeat and death.

He had to change the tide of the battle.

His thoughts sank deep into his mind.

A status panel, visible only to him, quietly appeared.

Dragon Elephant Prajna Skill?

If he could raise the Dragon Elephant Prajna Skill to the seventh level, he would gain another 100,000 jin of immense strength.

At that point, his pure physical strength would reach 200,000 jin, matching this monster before him.

An equal footing meant a brutal and fierce battle.

The outcome would be uncertain.

Shen Che disliked this uncertainty.

His thoughts turned to another technique.

If you find this book good, remember to add it to your bookshelf so you don't lose it next time.