Crazy Training

The cave was deep and well hidden.

It was one of the hiding places Yan Kui had scouted and marked in advance after entering Qingyun Sect. Natural shrubs and boulders concealed the entrance, making it nearly impossible to spot from outside. The cave ran deep enough to evade ordinary Spiritual Sense scans.

But how long could this concealment last?

Yan Kui sat cross-legged in the depths of the cave, his back against the cold stone wall. He had taken off his shirt and was inspecting the wounds on his back. The scorch marks left by the lightning strike were healing—the self-healing ability of the second stage of the Crimson Extreme Golden Body was already taking effect. Beneath his charred skin, new muscle tissue was regenerating.

His gaze fell on the black jade slip before him—the <Heaven Shaking God-Demon Record - Third Layer Fragment>.

"Worth it," Yan Kui murmured. "The risk I took for the second layer... was absolutely worth it."

But he did not immediately study this ancient secret art. He knew this was not the time.

A faint fluctuation of energy came from afar. It was the trace of a Spiritual Sense scan—the Enforcement Squad had begun its operation.

The alarm across the sect had sounded the moment he escaped the Scripture Pavilion. The entire Qingyun Sect had been roused. The Enforcement Squad, Outer Disciples, and even the elites of the inner sect had been mobilized for a sweeping search.

Yan Kui closed his eyes and spread his Spiritual Sense outward. He could sense cultivators searching, tracking, and sealing off areas throughout the sect.

"They'll find this place." Yan Kui opened his eyes, a cold glint flashing in them. "It's only a matter of time."

Though this cave was well hidden, it could not hold out for long against a search of the entire sect. Maybe a few hours, maybe a day, or maybe... the Enforcement Squad would burst in the very next moment.

So he had to make the most of his time.

"System," Yan Kui ordered silently. "Take stock of the Cultivation Techniques I've recorded."

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[Recorded Cultivation Techniques]

1. Profound Iron Body (Foundation Establishment body cultivation, Strength + physique)

2. Indestructible Diamond Body (Foundation Establishment body cultivation, physique + defense)

3. Blood Fiend True Body (Foundation Establishment body cultivation, Strength + physique)

4. Blazing Flame Body (Foundation Establishment body cultivation, specialized in Strength)

5. Wind Walk Technique (Foundation Establishment movement technique, specialized in agility)

6. <Heaven Shaking God-Demon Record - Third Layer Fragment> (ancient body-cultivation secret art)

[Current Status]

Origin Power: 30.7

Strength: 12.0

Agility: 7.0

Physique: 15.0

Yan Kui studied the System Panel and quickly made his decision.

"I'll put the Heaven Shaking God-Demon Record aside for now. I don't have enough Origin Power, and cultivating that technique requires more preparation." His gaze settled on the first five techniques. "First, cultivate these five Foundation Establishment techniques to minor mastery. Improve my base attributes and boost my combat power."

He could sense the Enforcement Squad's search radius gradually closing in. There wasn't much time.

"Let's begin."

[Beginning cultivation: Profound Iron Body]

The system's prompt rang in his mind. The next moment, a heavy, metallic energy surged into Yan Kui's body from the void.

[Initiating...](Origin Power consumed: -2.0)

The energy seeped straight into his bones and muscles without any buffer. Yan Kui could clearly feel his bones crackling—his bone density was rapidly increasing.

[Initiation successful! Strength +0.5, physique +0.3]

His muscle fibers began to reorganize. His already powerful muscles grew denser, as if compressed and forged by some invisible force. A faint metallic sheen appeared on the surface of his skin.

[Continuing breakthrough...]

[Reaching minor mastery...](Origin Power consumed: -4.0)

An even stronger energy surged in. Yan Kui's body trembled slightly, but he made no sound. He was used to this kind of pain by now—from the Mortal Warrior stage to the Crimson Extreme Golden Body, he had endured far worse.

[Minor mastery achieved! Strength +0.7, physique +0.5]

"Profound Iron Body... minor mastery." Yan Kui murmured, feeling the changes within him. "Both Strength and physique have improved. My body feels heavier... but that weight is a sign of strength."

But he did not stop.

[Beginning cultivation: Indestructible Diamond Body]

A second surge of energy entered him. This time, it was transparent, a protective force like diamond.

[Initiating...](Origin Power consumed: -2.0)

[Initiation successful! Physique +0.5, defense +5%]

An invisible protective film formed over Yan Kui's skin. It was not actual physical armor, but a reinforcement of some sort of energy layer. It stacked with the "Ice Fire Yin Yang" defensive effect of the second stage of the Crimson Extreme Golden Body, forming an even more terrifying defense.

[Continuing breakthrough...]

[Reaching minor mastery...](Origin Power consumed: -4.0)

Just then, a faint energy fluctuation came from afar.

It was a Spiritual Sense scan.

Yan Kui's eyes remained closed, but his Spiritual Sense had already detected it. About three li from the cave, cultivators from the Enforcement Squad were conducting a sweeping search. Their Spiritual Sense spread like a spiderweb, covering the entire area.

"They're searching fast," Yan Kui sneered inwardly. "But not fast enough."

He did not stop cultivating.

[Minor mastery achieved! Physique +0.8, defense +10%]

"My defenses have improved again." Yan Kui sensed the changes within him. "Now even a Foundation Establishment Middle Stage spell will have trouble hurting me."

[Beginning cultivation: Blood Fiend True Body]

[Warning: This technique involves Baleful Intent and may affect the mind]

A third surge of energy entered him. This time, it was violent and bloody.

[Initiating...](Origin Power consumed: -2.0)

A bloodthirsty urge surged through him in an instant. A red glint flashed across Yan Kui's eyes—but his original eyes, one ice-blue and one flame-red, quickly suppressed it.

His mind was perfectly clear. The bloodthirsty urge brought on by the Blood Fiend True Body was nothing to someone who had already lived through countless killings.

[Initiation successful! Strength +0.6, physique +0.4]

[Continuing breakthrough...]

[Reaching minor mastery...](Origin Power consumed: -4.0)

Suddenly, shouts and cries of battle rang out below the mountain.

It was a manhunt in another area. The Enforcement Squad had discovered a hidden Outer Disciple and was moving to surround him. The cries soon faded—clearly, the disciple had been subdued.

A cold smile curled Yan Kui's lips.

"Their efficiency... isn't bad," he murmured inwardly. "Too bad they haven't found me."

[Minor mastery achieved! Strength +0.9, physique +0.6]

[Special effect: Quickly recover stamina by killing enemies in battle]

"The Blood Fiend True Body... really is sinister." Yan Kui felt the Baleful Intent churning within him. "But this bloodthirsty power is exactly what I need. The path of the Extreme Way has never been picky about its methods."

[Beginning cultivation: Blazing Flame Body]

[Detected: Highly compatible with the fire attribute of the second stage of the Crimson Extreme Golden Body]

A fourth surge of energy entered him. Scorching fire energy roiled inside his body.

[Initiating...](Origin Power consumed: -2.0)

[Initiation successful! Strength +0.4, fire resistance +10%]

The fire energy within him was further roused. In the pattern where ice and fire intertwined, the fiery side grew brighter. The dark red flames in his right eye burned hotter, their temperature seemingly rising several times over.

[Continuing breakthrough...]

[Reaching minor mastery...](Origin Power consumed: -4.0)

Another fluctuation of energy came.

This time, it was closer. The Enforcement Squad's search radius was steadily shrinking; they had entered this mountainous region. Yan Kui could sense a dozen or so auras weaving through the forest, their Spiritual Sense sweeping every corner like searchlights.

"They're getting closer." Yan Kui kept his eyes shut. "But they're still a little way off."

[Minor mastery achieved! Strength +0.6, fire resistance +15%]

[Special effect: Attacks inflict burning]

"Flame Power... fuses perfectly with the Crimson Extreme Golden Body." Yan Kui felt the fire energy surging through his fist. "Now every punch I throw can set my enemies ablaze."

[Beginning cultivation: Wind Walk Technique]

[Detected: Can stack with Spirit Snake Absolute Shadow (movement speed +50%)]

A final surge of energy entered him. It was a flowing, azure force of wind.

[Initiating...](Origin Power consumed: -2.0)

His body suddenly grew light, as if gravity had been cut in half. Azure energy poured into the muscles of his legs, resonating with the "Spirit Snake Steps" he had cultivated earlier.

[Initiation successful! Agility +0.5]

[Continuing breakthrough...]

[Reaching minor mastery...](Origin Power consumed: -4.0)

Just then, footsteps sounded outside the cave.

It wasn't one person, but a group. At least eight people were moving along the slope. Their conversation drifted faintly into the cave:

"Have we finished searching this area?"

"Not yet. There are still a few caves up ahead."

"That Outer Disciple... he must be hiding around here. The hall master said he was injured, so he couldn't have gone far."

"Pick up the pace! Elder Luo's orders are to take him alive!"

Yan Kui's eyes opened a narrow crack.

[Minor mastery achieved! Agility +1.0]

[Special effect: Wind gathers beneath your feet when moving; speed +20%]

"They're here," he murmured inwardly. "Perfect... I've finished cultivating, too."

[All 5 Foundation Establishment techniques cultivated to minor mastery!]

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[Current Attributes]

Strength: 12.0 → 15.0 (+3.0)

Agility: 7.0 → 8.5 (+1.5)

Physique: 15.0 → 18.0 (+3.0)

[Origin Power Consumed]

30.7 → 0.7 (-30.0)

[Technique Status]

Profound Iron Body: Minor Mastery

Indestructible Diamond Body: Minor Mastery

Blood Fiend True Body: Minor Mastery

Blazing Flame Body: Minor Mastery

Wind Walk Technique: Minor Mastery

[Stacked Effects]

- Ice Fire Yin Yang (defense +50%, spell damage -70%)

- Extreme Path Domain (ice and fire burn within a three-meter radius)

- Spirit Snake Absolute Shadow (movement speed +50%, Fivefold Afterimage)

- Diamond Defense (defense +10%)

- Blood Fiend Recovery (quickly recover by killing enemies in battle)

- Blazing Burn (attacks inflict fire damage)

- Wind Walk Speed Boost (movement speed +20%)

[Overall Assessment]

Current combat power: comparable to the peak of Foundation Establishment Middle Stage

Defensive capability: can withstand Foundation Establishment Middle Stage spells head-on

Movement speed: difficult for Foundation Establishment Late Stage cultivators to track

──────

Yan Kui slowly rose to his feet, grateful that he had killed several Qi Cultivation disciples who had been chasing him during his escape. Otherwise, he wouldn't have completed this breakthrough.

In that instant, he felt a world-shaking transformation within him.

The energies of the five techniques intertwined, stacked, and resonated inside him. Though they had not fully merged, this state of "cultivating multiple techniques in parallel" had already sent his combat power soaring to a terrifying level.

He rolled his shoulders and tested his body.

His bones crackled—that was the high bone density granted by the Profound Iron Body. Every movement of his joints carried a heavy sense of power.

His muscles had grown more streamlined. They had not simply swollen; their density had increased. Each muscle was like steel forged through a thousand hammer blows, compact and bursting with strength.

The intertwined patterns of ice and fire on his skin had grown more distinct. The deep blue and dark red lines were now overlaid with a faint metallic sheen. In the light, the patterns seemed to flow, with Runes faintly flickering within them.

The mismatched colors of ice and fire in his eyes had grown brighter. The deep blue chill of his left eye seemed capable of freezing anything, while the dark red flames of his right seemed able to burn all things. The two opposing forces had reached a kind of balance in his eyes, radiating an aura of extreme danger.

He tentatively took a step forward.

"Whoosh—"

His figure blurred in an instant.

The Fivefold Afterimage effect of Spirit Snake Absolute Shadow stacked with the Wind Walk Technique's speed boost, on top of the huge increase to his Agility attribute. Together, the three pushed Yan Kui's movement speed to a terrifying level.

With the slightest movement, he crossed several dozen meters and appeared at the other end of the cave. Five afterimages lingered in his wake before slowly fading.

"My speed... has more than doubled." Yan Kui murmured. "Now even Foundation Establishment Late Stage cultivators will have trouble keeping up with me."

He clenched his fist.

"Boom—"

The air erupted with a sharp crack.

It wasn't a true sonic boom, but the sound of power compressing the air. Yan Kui could feel the terrifying force surging through his fist—the power of three Cultivation Techniques, Profound Iron Body, Blood Fiend True Body, and Blazing Flame Body, layered together with the base strength of Crimson Extreme Golden Body Second Stage. This punch was powerful enough to shatter a boulder.

More importantly, the punch also carried a scorching flame effect. The air around his fist rippled slightly, its temperature frighteningly high.

"Strength... 15.0." Yan Kui looked at his hands, satisfaction flashing in his eyes. "Constitution 18.0, agility 8.5."

"With five Cultivation Techniques stacked together, even though they're only at the minor mastery stage, my combat strength has already reached the peak of Foundation Establishment Middle Stage."

He turned and looked toward the cave entrance.

The footsteps outside were drawing closer. The Enforcement Squad had searched its way into this area and was checking the caves one by one.

A cold smile tugged at Yan Kui's lips.

"Origin Power... I've only got 0.7 left." He murmured inwardly. "Not enough. Nowhere near enough."

"But it doesn't matter."

"Enforcement Squad... you've come at just the right time."

"I need more Origin Power. And you... are prey walking right into my trap."

On the hillside, eight Foundation Establishment Early Stage cultivators were searching.

At their head was a middle-aged cultivator in a green robe, an Enforcement Hall badge at his waist. His Spiritual Sense spread out, covering a radius of several hundred meters.

"There are three more caves ahead." He addressed the members behind him. "Search them carefully, one by one. That Outer Disciple is 2.8 meters tall, with dark red skin and mismatched ice-and-fire eyes. His features are too distinctive; there's no way he can hide."

"Captain, is that Outer Disciple really that strong?" a young disciple asked. "I heard he can withstand spells from someone at Foundation Establishment Late Stage..."

"The gatekeeping Elder said so himself," the captain replied gravely. "That's why the hall master sent all eight of us together. If we encounter him, don't fight him alone. Trap him with the formation first, then attack together."

"Understood!"

The eight continued onward.

Soon, they reached the first cave.

The captain sent his Spiritual Sense inside and swept through it. "Empty."

The second cave.

"Empty as well."

The third cave.

The instant the captain's Spiritual Sense entered—

A terrifying aura erupted from within.

It was an aura of extreme danger, brimming with killing intent. As if some ferocious beast had just awakened, it was staring at them from deep within its lair.

The captain's face changed in an instant.

"Found him!" he shouted. "He's in this cave! Everyone, prepare for battle!"

The eight Foundation Establishment Early Stage cultivators immediately formed a battle formation. Each gripped a Magic Tool, spiritual energy surging as they prepared to attack at any moment.

At the cave entrance, a dark red figure slowly emerged.

He stood 2.8 meters tall. His skin bore bizarre patterns of interwoven ice and fire, overlaid with a metallic sheen. His left eye was deep blue as ice, his right eye dark red as flame. His gaze radiated extreme danger and cold-blooded killing intent.

It was Yan Kui.

He stood at the entrance, his eyes sweeping over the eight cultivators before him.

Then he smiled.

It was a cold smile, brimming with killing intent.

"Eight," Yan Kui murmured. "Just enough... to replenish my Origin Power."

The Enforcement Squad captain's heart gave a violent thump.

At that moment, he suddenly understood one thing—

This Outer Disciple wasn't running away at all.

He was waiting.

Waiting for prey to come straight to him.