Nineteenth Chapter: Origin Crystal, Frenzied Absorption, Growing Stronger!

In the empty classroom, Chen Yan sat at his desk, carefully opening the metal box in his hands.

Streaks of blazing crimson light shot into Chen Yan's eyes. The blood-colored cube was translucent throughout, bright and scorching, a warm current flowing into his palm.

As the red light entered his eyes, a sour, stinging sensation instantly surfaced in Chen Yan's mind, and he could barely open his eyes.

Within the Saint Breaking Realm, orange, gold, and green lights interweaved, shifting and shimmering as they flowed toward the Saint Breaking Tree.

The gold light representing Skill Energy was the most abundant, followed by the green light representing Physique Energy.

Unfortunately, the Saint Breaking Realm hadn't leveled up yet, so it couldn't absorb Physique Energy.

The green light was blocked by an invisible barrier three feet from the Saint Breaking Tree, while the orange and gold lights rolled steadily into the tree's roots.

[Saint Breaking Realm: Level 2 (3/15)]

[Saint Breaking Fruit:
Strength: (44/100)
Blood: (35/100)
Skill: (15/100)]

Chen Yan looked at the Saint Breaking Tree. Three fruits hung from the branches like dangling pearls, each colored orange, red, and gold respectively.

Soon, the orange fruit marked with the character "Strength" began to grow.

Meanwhile, the outline of the fruit marked "Skill" grew clearer and started to develop.

Chen Yan's heart pounded. At this moment, he shifted his attention to the Origin Crystal in his hand.

Threads of crimson light slowly reflected into Chen Yan's eyes. Forcing himself to endure the stinging sensation, he saw a figure within the red light.

A standing figure—faceless, formless. Its body began to turn transparent, and Chen Yan could see its blood vessels, meridians, bones, and organs.

The figure began to breathe, breathing continuously.

With each breath, its lungs expanded and contracted. The blood flow in its vessels slowed and quickened by turns. Its meridians began to glow with faint Blood-colored Radiance.

This was the Breathing Technique!

Through breathing, one masters the body's instincts, changes the flow of bodily power, and enriches the constitution of the True Self!

This was the Crimson Gang Body Tempering Canon!

Chen Yan started to imitate the breathing of the figure within the crystal. At first, he felt nothing, but gradually, his brow furrowed.

Pain. His lungs hurt. His flesh and blood hurt, too.

Was this pain because he was breathing correctly, or because he was doing it wrong?

Confusion clouded Chen Yan's mind, but he continued absorbing the Origin Crystal.

If he stopped just because of pain, then being weak was only natural.

Creak.

In the classroom next to Chen Yan's, Gao Yuan walked out with a bewildered expression, handing the metal box to Principal Zhang Yue, who was sitting in the hallway.

"One hour and three minutes." Zhang Yue smiled, glancing at the clock on the table.

"Principal, it's one hour, two minutes, and forty-three seconds!" Gao Yuan quickly pointed at the clock.

"I'm rounding it down to one hour." Zhang Yue blinked.

"Martial Division's Chu Feiyuan isn't here anyway."

Zhang Yue placed the metal box into a crate beside her. This box could only be opened once; afterward, Chu Feiyuan himself would have to open it again.

Although Chu Feiyuan didn't care much about others' insights, he hadn't gone so far as to let them run completely unchecked.

"Thanks, Principal." Gao Yuan scratched his head with a grin.

"So? Didn't get it?" Zhang Yue asked.

Gao Yuan deflated instantly, shaking his head. "It feels really hard. I was afraid of wasting time, so I stopped early. I'll try again tomorrow."

"Mhm. Buy yourself something good to eat tomorrow." Zhang Yue lowered her voice. "Yu Zhiwen's grandfather used to be a martial artist, but now his Qi and Blood are depleted. He has experience. Write down everything you don't understand and go ask her."

A sly glint flashed in Gao Yuan's eyes. He quickly bowed to Zhang Yue and was about to leave when he noticed the classroom next door.

"Principal, is Chen Yan still in there?"

"Mhm." Zhang Yue nodded.

Gao Yuan frowned slightly. Instead of leaving right away, he pulled out a stool and sat down to wait for Chen Yan.

He looked toward Chen Yan's classroom, waiting for him to come out.

There were almost no Hardening Martial Artists in Green Mountain Town, but Qingshan High School had some books on Hardening techniques.

As for Chen Yan, Zhang Yue had the same idea.

First, let him comprehend it. Write down what he didn't understand, then come out. She'd look through the books and explain it to him.

Why didn't you say so before?

Simple—saying it before would have made Chen Yan take it for granted, but after Chen Yan understood the difficulty, offering the books as guidance would stir gratitude in his heart.

Xia Tong trained his students for his own sake; how could he be any different?

Only, he was more meticulous, more cautious.

As for Gao Yuan, even simpler—he couldn't hold out after an hour himself, and high schoolers all have that competitive streak; he wanted to see when Chen Yan would come out.

Time passed slowly like this.

Two hours.

"Huff!"

Inside the classroom, Chen Yan let out a long breath.

The pain in his body grew heavier and heavier.

Thankfully...

Soon.

[Skill: (100/100)!]

The progress of the [Skill] Character Saint Breaking Fruit, which had been zeroed out at noon today, was full again!

Directly comprehending the Origin Crystal—the boost to his skill was unimaginable!

Chen Yan's eyes flickered. Within the Saint Breaking Realm, it seemed another version of himself appeared, grabbing that golden fruit with one hand and stuffing it into his mouth.

Insights about the [Crimson Gang Body Tempering Canon] flooded Chen Yan's mind all at once.

It was as if he had already comprehended the Origin Crystal for a long time.

One day, two days, three days... ten days!

The ten days of comprehension were gradually digested by Chen Yan.

His previous understanding became clearer.

"I wasn't learning it wrong—the breathing method simply changes the Muscle, Bone, Skin, Strength!"

Chen Yan's eyes flashed. This new understanding told him something shocking: the breathing method itself could optimize the physique.

Until the very end, the body's optimization would transform, perfectly aligning with the external training martial art of the [Crimson Gang Body Tempering Canon].

But even without training the external art, the body would still grow stronger, the muscles, bones, and skin would still become sufficiently powerful.

No wonder comprehending the [Crimson Gang Body Tempering Canon] produced a green light representing physical energy and an orange light representing strength energy.

He calmed his mind again.

Continue!

By nine in the evening, five and a half hours had passed.

A trace of seriousness appeared in Zhang Yue's eyes. She walked to the door of Chen Yan's classroom, then lowered her hand that was about to knock.

"Gao Yuan, is Chen Yan's family well-off?" Zhang Yue asked, feeling uncertain.

"Not well-off. His family's from the next village—I passed by, it's a mud house." Gao Yuan spoke, his eyes now full of strangeness.

"Mm." Zhang Yue nodded, feeling even more odd inside.

This was Chen Yan's first time absorbing an Origin Crystal. Logically, he should cherish it and come out immediately if he encountered something he didn't understand.

Why was he still not out after five hours?

The Body Refinement Breathing Technique was even harder than ordinary Qi and Blood Cultivation Methods.

Inside the classroom.

Chen Yan swallowed another [Skill] Character Saint Breaking Fruit containing insights into the [Crimson Gang Body Tempering Canon].

"Awesome!"

Chen Yan shouted low in his heart. Today was absolutely the day of his greatest harvest!...

Under the cover of night, the streets of Green Mountain Town carried a hint of noise, with houses on both sides standing quietly in place.

At the very edge of this row of self-built houses, a three-story building was quite luxurious.

On the third floor, inside a room.

"Martial Division Head Chu, when it comes to Purple Hazel Mushrooms, nothing beats the ones from Green Mountain Town."

On the dining table, a dazzling array of dishes floated with fragrance. Zhang Ge picked up a piece of Purple Hazel Mushroom coated in sauce and placed it into Chu Feiyuan's bowl.

Chu Feiyuan let out a faint laugh:

"I almost don't get it. You've opened a Martial Arts Hall and a restaurant in the county, so why insist on sending your son to study in this godforsaken place?"

"I'm sentimental." Zhang Ge said with a grin, pulling out a black plastic bag from under his hand:

"I noticed you like Purple Hazel Mushrooms, Town Martial Chu, so I grabbed some more from the kitchen for you to take back."

Chu Feiyuan frowned. If he wanted hazel mushrooms, weren't there any in the county?

Even as he thought this, Chu Feiyuan still took the plastic bag. A heavy weight met his hand, and his gaze flickered as he opened the bag slightly for a look.

Inside was a full load of Town Martial coins—a rough count put it at a million.

Chu Feiyuan nodded, setting the bag down by his feet:

"Is this about the Town Martial Class?"

"Yes." Zhang Ge narrowed his eyes, his face full of flattery.

"Easy to discuss." Chu Feiyuan nodded.

The whole thing went too smoothly—so smoothly that Zhang Ge was stunned for a good while.

"But my son didn't get the Town Martial Bonus."

Chu Feiyuan picked up a piece of beast meat with his chopsticks, sweeping his gaze over the dazed Zhang Ge:

"I don't know about the whole of Yunmeng City, but in Luoshan County, I ask you—what's your surname?"

Zhang Ge's eyes widened, and he quickly replied:

"Chu, of course."

Zhang Ge sighed inwardly. The Chu Family was the real power, a prominent clan in Yunmeng City that had firmly latched onto Gong Hengwen's coattails.

And now with Chu Xuansheng rising, they were truly at their peak.

But Chu Feiyuan narrowed his eyes at Zhang Ge and said:

"Zhang Ge, I've looked into you. You were just an ordinary villager before, but last year you suddenly shot up and entered my sight."

Zhang Ge was taken aback, but Chu Feiyuan smiled:

"Relax, I just want to get to know you.

Everyone else does the same thing. One hundred and forty-three students in a single Town Martial Class—how many are pulling strings?

One more of you really doesn't matter."

Zhang Ge gave a stiff smile and nodded, then stepped outside. When he came back in, he had another black plastic bag in hand.

Chu Feiyuan paused, then laughed:

"More Purple Hazel Mushrooms?"

"I figured you liked them." Zhang Ge said with a smile, handing the bag to Chu Feiyuan and opening it.

Chu Feiyuan's pupils contracted, and he lowered his voice:

"You want your son to become my disciple?"

"No." Zhang Ge spoke up:

"I just want you to tamper with Chen Yan's Body Refinement Breathing Technique Origin Crystal." Zhang Ge said quietly.

"Oh?" Chu Feiyuan squinted:

"You want me to switch Chen Yan's spot to your son, and then ruin Chen Yan on top of that?"

Zhang Ge fell silent. Chu Feiyuan said coldly:

"Does this Chen Yan have connections? In the Town Martial Division?"

"No, none at all!" Zhang Ge quickly replied:

"He's just a nobody."

"Then you..." Chu Feiyuan frowned. He couldn't take it all at face value—he'd check for himself.

"I hold grudges." Zhang Ge smiled:

"His father bullied me back in the day."