Initiation

Initiation

After listening to Old Yuan's introduction, Luo Jun frowned and thought for two seconds before asking, "Senior, since you're a Cultivator, can you see the Mission Target and tell me what it is?"

Old Yuan shook his head. "Chaos Missions can announce information in many ways. Some are made public, like the rules on the door. Sometimes, they're given privately to an individual. The target of this mission is clearly the latter."

"Although I have mastered Vital Energy, I'm an outsider in this mission and can't see privately issued mission information. Even if I could see it and tell you, Chaos World missions may change at any time based on the progress of the strategy. Once I leave, you still won't be able to learn the latest information."

"What's the success rate of this Realm Breakthrough? How severe will the damage be?" Luo Jun asked.

"This method of using external force for a Realm Breakthrough is my own unique creation, and I haven't had many chances to test it." Old Yuan answered honestly. "Based on my limited experience, the success rate is roughly one in three. An ordinary person would likely face mortal danger from the backlash, but you have exceptional talent and a strong physique. Your tolerance should be greater than that of ordinary people."

After saying that, he stared into Luo Jun's eyes. "Well? Do you want to take the challenge?"

Luo Jun took a deep breath and made his decision. "Let's do it! I accept!"

Old Yuan's eyes lit up, and he praised, "Good! You've got guts!" His opinion of Luo Jun rose another few notches.

But how could he know where Luo Jun's confidence came from?

With the Dice of Heavenly Secrets in hand, Luo Jun had a greater advantage than ordinary people when it came to matters of probability. Even if he failed, he had the Lead-Weighted Dice as a backup. After everything he had experienced at the hotel, he had gained quite a bit of experience and was now close to being Upgraded. Even if his luck was truly terrible and he failed twice in a row, as long as the damage did not kill him on the spot, he could fully recover once he gained a little more experience.

It was worth the gamble!

Under Old Yuan's guidance, Luo Jun removed his outer clothes and sat cross-legged beside the bed, his back against its edge.

Old Yuan stood behind him, palms pressed together.

"Relax your Whole Body. Next, you'll feel a surge of energy entering your body. Don't resist it, but focus your attention on it, especially its direction of flow. There may be pain during the process. You must endure it. Don't move around or cry out." As he spoke, he handed over a towel.

"Understood!" Luo Jun nodded and clenched the towel between his teeth.

After taking several deep breaths and gathering enough power, Old Yuan suddenly thrust out both palms and pressed them against Luo Jun's back.

In an instant, Luo Jun felt a warm yet vast power pour into his body from his back.

This is Vital Energy?

Before Luo Jun could properly experience it, Old Yuan warned from behind him, "Clench your teeth and hold on!"

The moment his words fell, that power began moving through Luo Jun's body. But before it had traveled far, it seemed to encounter some kind of obstruction. The power suddenly gathered and fiercely assaulted the barrier!

The attack immediately sent a piercing pain bursting from within Luo Jun's body. Sweat instantly beaded on his forehead, his facial muscles twisted, and even the edges of the towel in his mouth curled from how hard he bit down!

Why does it hurt this much? This was a little beyond Luo Jun's expectations!

But he still remembered Old Yuan's words. He tried his best to accept that power while concentrating on it, feeling it break through the obstruction.

But before he could breathe a sigh of relief, another barrier arrived!

The pain was no less severe than before!

Luo Jun clenched his teeth again!

This was probably no different from opening the Ren and Du Meridians described in martial arts novels.

I have to hold on!

Thus, under Old Yuan's manipulation, Luo Jun felt that energy break through barrier after barrier within his body. Some brought incomparable Excruciating Pain, while others were relatively mild. With every successful breakthrough, that energy grew a little stronger. Finally, after making a great circuit through his body, it returned to its starting point and completed one cycle!

Is that it? Luo Jun thought. It was painful, but everything had gone smoothly, step by step...

"Don't relax..." Old Yuan warned from behind him. "That was only the preparation. The Final Challenge begins now!"

Luo Jun was startled upon hearing this. Then he felt that, after completing its cycle through his body, the power began accelerating. As it circulated, it seemed to disperse and merge into every part of his limbs and bones!

What followed was unbearable Excruciating Pain!

This pain was worse than all the previous pain combined, and it had no specific location. It covered his entire Whole Body without discrimination, from the tips of his hair to his heels.

So this was the real thing!

Luo Jun immediately summoned the Dice of Heavenly Secrets and set the target as a successful Realm Breakthrough!

The black-and-white dice spun, then came to a stop...

Event Difficulty: 68. Final Points: 18+5. Event Failed!

Hearing this message, Luo Jun was horrified.

Then, a small die appeared within his Sea of Consciousness!

The Lead-Weighted Dice!

At this critical moment, Luo Jun used the single-use item he had exchanged for 300 chips!

Event Difficulty: 38. Final Points: 96+5. Congratulations, Event Great Success!

Hearing this message, Luo Jun's heart settled. He focused his attention and prepared to face the Final Challenge!

Waves of Excruciating Pain crashed over him like tides. Luo Jun's entire body tensed, trembling all over. His head was thrown high back, and his eyes were full of bloodshot veins.

It even gave him the sensation of being on the verge of death!

The Vital Energy in his body was quickly depleted, leaving his Meridians utterly empty. Yet for some reason, the pain had not faded. His body was like cracked, drought-stricken earth, yearning for the nourishment of rain.

"Urgh, urgh, urgh..." Luo Jun's body arched. His dried-up Meridians could no longer satisfy his flesh and could only draw strength from the Outside World, pulling it from Old Yuan's body!

"Hm?" Old Yuan's puzzled voice came from behind him. "This state..."

He could feel Vital Energy entering Luo Jun's body through his palms, but it was not something he was actively sending in—it was being sucked out!

"Still not enough?" Old Yuan's face changed in shock, then his eyes lit up, and the Corner of Mouth lifted unconsciously. "Could it be..."

"Good kid! Take as much as you need!"

The Vital Energy within Old Yuan accelerated its circulation and poured into Luo Jun's body!

The moment that Vital Energy entered, it did not even have time to fill his Meridians before his limbs and bones greedily absorbed it. The supply could not keep up with the demand!

This state continued for a quarter of an hour before Luo Jun's body finally stopped changing, and the pain at last receded.

Luo Jun finally breathed a sigh of relief. The towel fell from his mouth, and the row of teeth marks on it was bitten so deeply that light nearly shone through.

A tentative question came from behind him. "How do you feel?"

Luo Jun was silent for several seconds. Then he slowly raised both hands and gave himself a long, satisfying stretch.

As his muscles and bones moved, a series of crackling sounds came from his Whole Body.

"I feel like I just climbed out of a hot pool after soaking for half an hour, then chugged a bottle of Ice Cola..."

In short, it felt incredible!

"Looks like it worked!" Old Yuan's voice trembled with unusual excitement. "Come, come, kid, punch me!"

"You're forcing me to strike down my master right after I finished cultivating?" Luo Jun turned around and gave the bald old man an odd look. "I've never heard a request like that in my life."

"Enough nonsense, hit me!" Old Yuan urged. "Use all your strength!"

Knowing how formidable Old Yuan was, Luo Jun did not hold back. He set his stance, gathered all his strength, and threw a punch!

Smack!

Old Yuan firmly caught Luo Jun's fist.

So there's no difference after all... Luo Jun felt a little disappointed.

"No, it's vastly different!" After experiencing the force of Luo Jun's punch, Old Yuan was overjoyed and burst into excited laughter. "It worked! I finally succeeded!"

Those words made cold sweat break out on Luo Jun's back. "Didn't you say there was a one-in-three chance of success? Were you lying to me? Am I the first one to succeed?"

"That's not what I meant!" The smile on Old Yuan's face could not be restrained as he explained with a broad grin, "The Body Refinement Realm is the foundation of Vital Energy Cultivation. At this realm, Vital Energy is mainly used to strengthen the body, temper the spirit, and lay the foundation for later cultivation. Under normal circumstances, every breakthrough in the Body Refinement Realm improves all bodily functions by around fifty percent."

At this point, Old Yuan looked at Luo Jun as though he were a beloved treasure.

"But the force of your punch has increased by one hundred percent compared to before!"

(End of Chapter)