Breakthrough! Martial Disciple Peak

Deep within the factory, the twisted steel jungle cast shadows as thick as ink.

The air was filled with the scent of rust, oil, and a faint, almost imperceptible hint of blood.

Scarface Qiang's roars, like those of a wounded beast, and the frantic screams of motorcycle engines tightened like invisible nooses over the abandoned factory grounds, the shadow of death pressing down heavily.

Lin Xiao hid behind the steel base of a massive stamping machine, the cold metal pressed against his back, sending a bone-chilling cold through him.

His breathing was suppressed to the lowest possible level, his chest barely rising or falling, his entire being like a stone carving merged with the shadows.

Only his eyes, in the dimness, flickered with a cold, sharp glint, like a leopard poised to strike, locked onto the increasingly glaring pillar of light and the noisy human voices filtering in from the entrance.

[Source Energy Points: -0.1 (Mild Overdraft)]

The faint blue screen in his mind, though still dim and bearing wisps of black cracks that hadn't fully healed, pulsed with a stable, powerful core.

The basic scanning function, like invisible tendrils, cautiously extended, clearly feeding back the chaotic scene at the factory entrance.

Scarface Qiang's burly figure stood like a moving iron tower at the entrance of the dilapidated factory building. The ferocious scar on his face twisted like a living thing under the flickering light of the motorcycle headlights.

He was surrounded by seven or eight burly thugs armed with cleavers and iron rods, like hyenas that had caught the scent of blood.

Ah Qi leaned on an iron pipe he'd found nearby, his face pale, one leg wrapped in thick bandages, but the venom in his eyes burned hotter than anyone else's.

"Spread out and search! That little bastard is heavily injured, he can't have run far! Turn this place upside down inch by inch! Find him, and I'll chop him to pieces with my own hands!"

Scarface Qiang's hoarse roar echoed through the empty factory, carrying undisguised, brutal killing intent.

Heavy footsteps, the piercing sound of metal striking discarded waste, and the fierce shouts of the lackeys surged in like a tide from the entrance, quickly spreading towards the depths of the factory.

Time! Lin Xiao needed time!

His injuries hadn't healed, and his Source Energy Points were still in a mild overdraft state.

Facing a furious two-star peak martial artist and his pack of wolf-like subordinates, a direct confrontation would be suicide!

His only path to survival lay in a breakthrough!

To break through the bottleneck barrier of Martial Disciple peak and advance his strength!

To use the burst of power and recovery that came with the breakthrough to create chaos and find an opportunity to break out! Or even... to counter-kill!

This thought flashed through Lin Xiao's mind like lightning, carrying a desperate madness and a chillingly calculated composure.

Without hesitation, he pulled two items from his inner pocket.

One was the basic Body Tempering Fluid issued by the school.

A thumb-sized glass bottle containing a turbid, pale green liquid, emitting a pungent herbal smell and faint energy fluctuations.

This stuff was effective for ordinary Martial Trainees, but for Lin Xiao, who had already stepped onto the threshold of becoming a martial artist (albeit severely injured and regressed), its effect was negligible, better than nothing.

The other was the milky white jade bottle Su Qingxue had given him – the "Jade Marrow Muscle Growth Powder."

More than half of the powder in the bottle had been used, but the clear medicinal fragrance and pure life energy still faintly emanated from it.

A flicker of resolve flashed in Lin Xiao's eyes.

He abruptly pulled out the stopper of the basic Body Tempering Fluid, tilted his head back, and gulped down the entire turbid, pungent liquid!

A spicy, burning sensation, like cheap alcohol mixed with rotten grass roots, exploded in his mouth and esophagus, bringing an intense burning feeling!

Almost simultaneously, he used his left thumb to pry open the jade bottle's stopper, unhesitatingly poured out a small pinch of the "Jade Marrow Muscle Growth Powder" that shimmered with a faint jade light, and placed it directly at the root of his tongue!

BOOM—!

Two medicinal forces, completely different in nature but equally potent, erupted within Lin Xiao's body like ice and fire!

The basic Body Tempering Fluid, like scalding lava, savagely scoured his already scarred meridians, causing tearing pain and forcefully stimulating his dormant Blood Essence!

While the pure, gentle herbal essence of the "Jade Marrow Muscle Growth Powder," like a clear spring, followed closely behind, painstakingly repairing the meridians scorched by the lava and nourishing the depleted cells!

Ice and fire intertwined! Agony and vitality coexisted!

Lin Xiao's body felt as if it had been thrown into a steel furnace, only to be instantly plunged into an icy sea!

He clenched his teeth tightly, the veins on his forehead bulging like coiled dragons. Large beads of cold sweat mixed with blood (from biting his gums) instantly covered his forehead!

His body trembled uncontrollably, and a suppressed, beast-like death rattle emanated from his throat!

This pain far surpassed the previous absorption of the inferior Energy Stone!

This was using two forces of completely different natures to forcefully stimulate and squeeze his body's potential, impacting that invisible bottleneck barrier!

Not enough!

His body was groaning, his potential was being squeezed, but that layer of Martial Disciple peak remained tenacious!

He had to add fuel to the fire! Use the Modifier to forcefully pry open the bottleneck!

Lin Xiao's eyes turned crimson, his will like a red-hot iron brand, crashing fiercely against the faint blue screen in his mind!

[Target Locked: Host (Lin Xiao)]
[Status Scan: Body severely injured (moderate), meridians moderately damaged, Blood Essence forcefully stimulated (unstable). Realm: One-Star Martial Artist (Pseudo) / Late Martial Trainee. Bottleneck: Martial Disciple peak barrier (Firmness: High)]
[Modifiable Items: ...Forcefully and instantaneously weaken bottleneck barrier microscopic structure (Estimated effect: Reduce breakthrough difficulty by 15%)... Required Source Energy Points: 0.3! Warning! Current core is mildly overdrawn! Forced modification may exacerbate overdraft! Breakthrough process energy surge may trigger core oscillation!]

0.3 points!

It's a deduction of 0.3, making it [-0.4]! Overdraft is worsening! The risk is immense!

But Scarface Qiang's footsteps and his lackeys' shouts were already like the death knell, echoing in the abandoned workshop next door! The closest footsteps were less than twenty meters from the stamping machine where he was hiding!

There was no time to hesitate!

"Modify! Target: Bottleneck barrier! Weaken it!"

Lin Xiao roared silently from the depths of his soul!

His intent carried the desperation of burning all bridges!

[Instruction received! Source Energy Points deducted: 0.3!]

[Source Energy Points: -0.1 - 0.3 = -0.4!]

[Modifying parameters… (The light screen's glow fluctuated violently! The core's pulse accelerated! Faint light flickered at the edges of the black cracks!)… Modification complete!]

Buzz—!

A wave of intense dizziness and a hollow sensation of his soul being ripped away instantly washed over him!

The mild overdraft had instantly become a [-0.4] moderate overdraft!

The core's pulse became somewhat rapid and unstable!

But the moment the modification was complete!

Lin Xiao felt that the incredibly solid, rock-like bottleneck barrier of Martial Disciple peak within him seemed to be gently tapped at its most fragile, unstable "point" by an invisible hand!

Crack!

A faint, crisp sound originating from the soul level, audible only to him!

That barrier instantly developed a barely perceptible crack!

Now!

"Break for me—!"

Lin Xiao let out a world-shattering roar in his mind!

He unreservedly hurled the Blood Essence within him, violently chaotic like boiling magma from the two medicinal forces, and the True Qi from the Surging Waves Art, towards the cracked bottleneck barrier with all his might!

Rumble—!

Like a river bursting its banks! Like mountains collapsing!

A power far more condensed, substantial, and as steady as the earth, erupted from the deepest part of Lin Xiao's body like a slumbering volcano!

His tattered clothes billowed around him as if caught in a gale!

An invisible wave of energy spread out from him, kicking up thick dust and iron filings from the ground!

Inside his body!

The True Qi of the Surging Waves Art felt like its final shackles had been broken, becoming surging and powerful in an instant!

Its circulation speed dramatically increased!

The True Qi, which had been like a trickling stream, was now like a rushing river!

Carrying the sustained nature of water and a nascent, powerful impact, it surged through his meridians with unprecedented fluidity!

Wherever it passed, the minor damage caused by the forced stimulation was quickly smoothed and nourished by this new, powerful force!

His meridians were widening! His bones and muscles emitted crackling sounds!

His flesh and blood greedily absorbed the nourishment brought by this new power!

An aura far stronger and more refined than before, like a waking behemoth, erupted from Lin Xiao!

Martial Disciple peak!

It was a natural progression!

[Ding! Host has broken through to Martial Disciple peak! Life level has undergone a minor leap! Physical attributes have been comprehensively enhanced (Strength +30%, Speed +25%, Stamina +40%, Neural Reaction +20%, True Qi Volume +50%, True Qi Condensation +30% )!]

[Ding! Detected Host completing the [Realm Breakthrough] event (Influence: Personal)… Awarded Source Energy Points settlement: +0.5!]

[Source Energy Points: -0.4 + 0.5 = +0.1!]

The notification sound was clear and pleasant! Like heavenly music!

A warm current, far purer and more potent than the inferior energy stones he had absorbed before, surged into the depths of Lin Xiao's soul like a torrent breaking through a dam!

The faint blue light screen in his mind suddenly erupted with bright, azure light!

The residual black cracks, nourished by this pure energy, rapidly healed and disappeared like spring snow melting in the sun!

The core's pulse became unprecedentedly strong, stable, and full of vitality!

The lingering sense of depletion and emptiness vanished like morning mist under the sun!

[Source Energy Points: +0.1 (Surplus)! Core Status: Stable! Functions have returned to normal levels (Minor modifications are acceptable)!]

Strength!

An unprecedented sense of power filled his limbs!

Lin Xiao's eyes snapped open!

Two beams of solid-looking light flashed and vanished in the dimness!

He felt as if his body had undergone a complete transformation!

The wound on his right shoulder and back, deep enough to expose bone, no longer sent jolts of pain, but rather a tingling, itchy sensation of rapid healing!

He gave his arms a slight shake, his joints popping like popping beans, and a surge of power far exceeding anything before rushed through his muscle fibers!

With a slight push of his feet, his body felt as light as if it had lost all weight!

He had broken through! Not only had he escaped the exhaustion, but he also possessed surplus Source Energy Points!

His body's injuries were rapidly recovering, nourished by the leap in life level brought about by the breakthrough and the new True Qi!

"This way! There's movement!"

A startled shout, accompanied by the sound of hurried footsteps, suddenly erupted from the other side of the stamping press!

Clearly, the energy fluctuations and airwaves that Lin Xiao couldn't completely suppress during his breakthrough had alerted the nearest searchers!

"Over there! Surround him!" Scarface Qiang's furious roar sounded like thunder, filled with the ecstasy of finding prey and murderous intent!

Heavy footsteps and the grating sound of metal dragging on the ground, like a tide of death, instantly surged towards Lin Xiao's hiding place!

The corners of Lin Xiao's mouth slowly curved into a cold, cruel arc, like a drawn blade, its cold light shooting westward.

He slowly stood up, his movements steady and powerful, devoid of any trace of his previous weakness and sluggishness.

He stretched his neck, his joints making crisp popping sounds.

He felt the True Qi of the Surging Waves Art coursing through his body, the stable operation of the bright, azure screen in his mind, and the composure brought by the surplus of [+0.1].

His gaze swept over the massive stamping press in front of him, the rusted steel beams overhead, and the discarded oil drums piled up not far away, stained with suspicious oil.

[Environment scan initiated…]

[Target: Heavy stamping press base (stable), suspended rusted steel beam (connection points A, B rustiness 78%), discarded oil drum C (internal residual high-volatility solvent vapor, concentration: dangerous)…]

[Modifiable items: …instantaneously amplify metal fatigue effect at connection point A of rusted steel beam (+10%)…Required Source Energy Points: 0.05…]

[Modifiable items: …fine-tune critical point of internal steam pressure in oil drum C (-1%)…Required Source Energy Points: 0.03…]

The prompt tone was clear, stable, and efficient.

The prey's whimper was right beside his ears.

The hunter's ferocious face was just inches away.

Lin Xiao shifted slightly, concealing himself in the massive shadow of the machine. He spread the fingers of his left hand and gently pressed them onto the cold, rough, oil-stained base of the stamping press. His right hand was clenched into a fist, a condensed stream of True Qi from the Surging Waves Art flowing silently in his palm.

He raised his head, looking in the direction of the footsteps and shouts, his eyes calm and undisturbed, like a deep pool.

"Scarface Qiang…" he murmured to himself, his voice echoing in the machine's shadow, as cold as the Siberian wind, "Welcome… to my abattoir."