Purple Python Crossing River

The night was deep, and a dazzling radiance shone from the depths of the old forest behind the mountain.

Chen Fusheng eagerly took out the Heart Source Pill. It was a golden orange, peach-shaped, and pill aura swirled around it like smoke and clouds.

Chen Fusheng held it beneath his nose and sniffed. There was a faint vitality within it; clearly, the pill had been stored exceptionally well.

"The Heart Source Pill is formed when a fire-element Star Master draws in Earth Vein Fire and receives the essence of the Great Sun, using spirit herbs as its essence and refining it for eighty-one days."

Mu Zhen had also given him the relevant introduction and instructions for taking it, emphasizing that those with weak constitutions were forbidden from using it. Otherwise, there was a danger their hearts would burst.

"The Heart Source Pill can strengthen the heart and promote the growth of my Life Essence Blood throughout my body. My current physique can definitely withstand it."

Strictly speaking, Life Essence Blood was equivalent to the lifeline of the physical body, possessing much in common with the qi sea.

Chen Fusheng sat cross-legged, opened his mouth, and swallowed the Heart Source Pill. With a whoosh, it appeared inside his heart.

As the medicinal power dispersed, his heart quickly grew scorching hot. The pain of raging flames devouring him hammered into his soul.

"Furnace Contemplation Method. I am the furnace, my body is heaven and earth, and my essence blood is the furnace fire. Strengthen the heart and refine the essence blood."

Chen Fusheng assumed the Five Hearts Facing Heaven posture, tightly closed his mouth and nose, sealed his pores, and turned his body into a furnace.

He sealed the furnace, and the Heart Source Pill began to burn. The process was extremely painful.

Even the temperature of his body soared wildly. The source of his heart had undergone a transformation; all the blood in his body became boiling hot, as if magma were about to flow out.

This feeling was more than ten times stronger than the nourishment from the Yellow Orange Fish!

It felt as though a foreign object were filling his heart. The pain surged without limit, and his heart grew larger as it began to tremble violently.

Thump! Thump!

Chen Fusheng's body trembled. After his heart merged with the Heart Source Pill, it erupted with Life Essence Blood like a volcano, coursing through his limbs and bones. His skin turned bright red.

"So hot, so hot!"

Chen Fusheng wished he could tear open his flesh to release the waves of heat. He gritted his teeth and held on. Once he lost his momentum, the medicinal power would inevitably be wasted.

He suddenly leaped to his feet, his feet cracking the layer of mud beneath him. Then he charged forward and smashed an ancient tree apart with one slap, like a vicious tiger springing from its cage and leaping across the four wilds.

He digested and absorbed the medicinal power through extreme movements. It was more like replacing his blood, circulating the Life Essence Blood created by his heart throughout his body and discarding the old to accept the new.

The newly born energy tempered his sinews and bones. The major tendons throughout his body swelled like horned dragons, and he clearly sensed his physique rising to another level!

"Boom!"

A heroic feeling welled up within Chen Fusheng. He leaped more than thirty feet into the air and landed atop a giant tree.

Then his aura shifted. His body softened, and his form seemed to become a Spirit Snake winding around the giant tree as it slithered downward.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

His crawling speed grew faster and faster. His spine was like a soft sword, his flesh like iron hide, and he became ever more agile and resilient.

The Heart Source Pill's medicinal power was too fierce. His heart continued to tremble, driving Chen Fusheng into an abnormal state of excitement. He sprang up and down, overflowing with energy.

"They say the heart is an ape and the mind a horse. Hahaha! A heart ape, a heart ape—the ape of the heart!"

He suddenly activated the Explosive Ape Chest Beating engraving. His essence, energy, and spirit underwent a drastic transformation. He stood amid heaven and earth, black hair flying wildly, while an indescribable might surged from his handsome face.

"Roar..."

Chen Fusheng let out a long howl and hammered both fists against his chest. A terrifying beastly shadow appeared behind him. Boom, boom, boom!

With every blow to his chest, his heart rang like a great drum, full of rhythm, unexpectedly causing the Root Bone throughout his body to resound in unison!

The sound was immense, carrying the momentum of raging waves.

As he continued pounding his chest, his qi and blood boiled. His blood circulation accelerated, from his feet to his head and from his back to his thighs. An extraordinary power seemed to course through his entire body!

"This is Explosive Ape Chest Beating. Qi travels through every meridian in the body, creating a feeling of complete passage. Wonderful—simply too wonderful!"

As his qi and blood surged, his Life Essence Blood rose and fell turbulently. Chen Fusheng felt as if his physical body had come alive again. His qi was like thunder, racing throughout his body, while golden light radiated from his skin.

Boom!

He took a large step and punched forward. The air itself rumbled, crackling and snapping. One punch smashed several ancient trees to pieces, then shattered a great boulder.

"If I had possessed this kind of punching power a few days ago, I could have hammered Teng Lin into Blood Mist!"

Chen Fusheng successively practiced the Evil Tiger Diagram, Spirit Snake Diagram, and Explosive Ape Diagram. His physical body grew stronger and stronger through the body-tempering methods, as if he had been reborn.

"The heart is the source of the physical body and the link of qi and blood. Qi travels through the body, spraying from the pores like swords and gathering in the fists. Every blow carries heavy momentum and fierce power!"

"This is the heart. It affects qi and blood and strength. The stronger it becomes, the more vigorous my life force will be!"

Chen Fusheng pondered the path of cultivation. He treated the ancient trees in the forest as enemies; his fists were like weapons, and his legs lashed out like great whips.

He continued cultivating and studying...

When the Heart Source Pill's medicinal power was exhausted, he pushed the energy within his body through his qi sea. The energy hidden inside approached the peak of the Third Heaven!

"Break through again!"

Chen Fusheng's pupils widened. He gathered the remaining medicinal power together, and with a boom, fourfold energy burst from his qi sea, enveloping his body in dazzling light.

"Hahaha, I'm at the fourth level of the Star Guiding Realm!"

"Once I earn more money and purchase Five Organs Source Medicine, given enough time, I'll be able to forge a physical body that can devour the energy of the stars!"

Chen Fusheng laughed heartily. Five Organs Source Medicine consisted entirely of high-grade spirit pills. Only by tempering everything from the flesh, skin, sinews, and bones to the organs could one reach perfection in the Star Guiding Realm.

By then, he would also see exactly what level of treasure body the physical foundation forged by the Furnace Contemplation Method corresponded to.

After ending his cultivation, Chen Fusheng lay on the ground with his hands behind his head, a brilliant smile spread across his face.

Yet an unease always lingered in his heart. If he were exposed one day, where would he go?

Chen Fusheng's drowsiness vanished in an instant. If he wanted to survive and protect himself, there was only one path: grow stronger and face everything!

"Grandpa said that if you can't beat them, run, and the farther you run, the better. But right now, I don't even have the ability to escape."

Chen Fusheng thought of the supreme-grade spirit fish and sped toward the Black River.

At dawn.

The Fangshi District was extraordinarily lively, with people discussing the supreme-grade spirit fish everywhere.

In particular, the appearance of the Silver Moon Fish Shoal in the Hundred Li Black River had caused an enormous disturbance.

Chen Fusheng had not expected a great battle to erupt after they left. Treasure ships had sunk, at least a dozen demon beasts had perished, and it was even said that Star Masters of the Other Shore Realm had died in battle!

The supreme-grade spirit fish remained missing. Based on the various parties' guesses, it had probably fled toward the depths of the Black River. Finding it would be like searching for a needle in the sea.

As for the Ebony Treasure Ship, it had gone to the depths of the Black River to search.

"Looks like no one knows the spirit fish is hiding in the outer area."

Chen Fusheng fell into thought. How could a heavily wounded spirit fish recover in just a few days?

"If I dig it out and seize this great opportunity, my cultivation will definitely soar in the short term!"

Chen Fusheng acted decisively and quickly headed to the Fangshi District for high-end trading, scanning the stalls on both sides of the street.

Whether or not he could find the supreme-grade spirit fish, he needed to fully equip himself before entering the Black River alone.

"A treasure ship that's forty percent damaged, only one thousand nine hundred star stones! Come and have a look!"

"Black River spirit herb! Ice Ling Grass, with its roots perfectly intact!"

"Top-grade treasured sword! Crafted by a famed master, three thousand star stones!"

"Don't miss it as you pass by! A demon-beast treasure garment made from Azure Snake skin! It'll let you move unhindered through the water!"

"A demon-beast treasure garment!"

Chen Fusheng walked over and glanced at the treasure garment, which glimmered with azure light and was as thin as a cicada's wing. He reached out and touched it. It was soft yet firm, and cold enough to pierce to the bone.

Chen Fusheng was tempted. The garment was highly suitable for the Spirit Snake Diagram and could also enhance his defenses, effectively increasing his chances of surviving in the water.

"Young brother has a good eye. This is a freshly made Azure Snake Treasure Garment. The price is only three hundred star stones."

Hearing the stall owner, Chen Fusheng calmly said, "The Azure Snake is merely the lowest-level demon beast. Its skin can make at least three treasure garments. If you throw in this retractable Fine Steel Fish Spear, then we have a deal."

Chen Fusheng scooped up the silver fish spear. It weighed roughly five hundred pounds, but with his arm strength, he could swing it with ease.

After several days of exchanging words with Liu Bai and the others, Chen Fusheng was no longer a fledgling novice. He had some understanding of the prices of common resources on the market.

After a round of haggling, he bought it all for three hundred and twenty star stones!

After leaving the Fangshi District, Chen Fusheng found a secluded area and put on the Azure Snake Treasure Garment close to his body.

He could sense his current defensive power. Even a Star Guiding Realm ninth-level expert would find it difficult to shake him.

With the fish spear on his back, Chen Fusheng walked along the riverbank, stopping now and then. The several dozen miles of riverbank backed onto mountains, and he occasionally encountered fishermen.

During this time, Chen Fusheng used the Spirit Snake Diagram to sense the changes in the river and detected the faint, intermittent fluctuations of demon beasts.

"The demon beasts must be eating the corpses in the river. No wonder there are no ships passing over the water. Looks like no one has entered the Black River these past few days."

Chen Fusheng found an uninhabited place, took off his robes, and placed them in the grass. Then he tied the bag of star stones around his ankle.

He gripped the fish spear in his left hand and jumped into the Black River without hesitation.

Splash!

A wave swept past, and Chen Fusheng vanished without a trace, like a dragon returning to the sea, swimming through the water at astonishing speed.

Chen Fusheng was pleasantly surprised to discover that in the state of the Spirit Snake Diagram, he could breathe underwater. It was even like entering an inner-breathing state, giving him astonishing water skills.

Chen Fusheng avoided the demon beasts' feeding grounds and explored aimlessly. He did not find it boring; the Spirit Snake Diagram was simply better suited to cultivation in the water and could absorb water-element energy to replenish him.

No one knew how much time had passed. When Chen Fusheng saw the words "Hundred Li" carved into the river-domain boundary marker, his heart sank slightly.

He began changing direction and swimming sideways, circling again and again as he searched tirelessly.

Watching the stars shift in the sky, Chen Fusheng grew somewhat restless. It had probably been two days and two nights. Could the supreme-grade spirit fish really have escaped?

Even the demon beasts that had been foraging had left by now. He had nearly searched the entire Hundred Li River Domain, yet still had no clues.

"It couldn't have escaped. There's no reason for it to escape either. Could it be that the Spirit Snake Diagram's perception is insufficient?"

Chen Fusheng visualized the Star Chart Heavenly Pillar. There was no hope of activating the Flood Dragon Diagram... His gaze settled on the Purple Python Crossing River engraving!

"A few days ago, I asked Lie-ge. After a snake cultivates for a thousand years, it transforms into a python. Its body becomes enormous, making it comparable to a Three Realms Star Master. They usually cultivate within a thousand li of the Black River."

"During the battle in the Black River a few days ago, no Three Realms demon beast came charging in. After all, once such a terrifying demon beast appeared in the outer reaches of the Black River, it would face encirclement and slaughter by the powerful figures of the Star Palace."

Chen Fusheng sat cross-legged among the river-bottom weeds, untied the bag of star stones from his ankle, took out the stones, and absorbed them to pour energy into the Purple Python Crossing River Diagram.

After dozens of star stones were exhausted, the Purple Python Diagram merely emitted a faint glow.

With a dark expression, Chen Fusheng continued pouring in energy. As one hundred star stones were exhausted, then even two hundred, and finally three hundred, the Purple Python Diagram gradually began to radiate intense light.

"Three hundred star stones in all, plus the fish spear and treasure garment. Half my fortune is gone just like that. I hope this choice won't make me regret it!"

Once the bow was drawn, there was no turning back. Chen Fusheng gritted his teeth and activated the Purple Python Diagram!

In a daze, Chen Fusheng seemed to transform into a gigantic, primordial purple python stretching across the river domain, cutting off the river, looking down upon the fish and shrimp, and summoning wind and rain!

This feeling truly carried the might of a top-tier expert.