Can You Help Me, Chen Yan

"How long do you plan to keep me locked up?"

In a single-occupancy iron cell on the underground level of the Town Martial Hall, Chen Yan stood before the iron bars, his face cold.

At first, he had been staying with Wang Yang in the holding room.

But now, he had been escorted into an iron cell—this was no longer detention, but imprisonment.

The county-level Town Martial Hall had the authority to hold prisoners, and the iron cell was meant for them.

Sentences of one week to one year would be served in the Town Martial Hall's prison.

Sentences exceeding one year would be transferred to a large penitentiary.

In the corridor, a young martial officer looked at Chen Yan, a trace of sympathy in his eyes, and spoke:

"The city just called. You've stirred up big trouble today."

"He was going to chop off Teacher Wang's fingers," Chen Yan said.

The young martial officer fell silent for a moment. He looked at Chen Yan, the sympathy in his eyes growing thicker:

"His boss's surname is Gong. You need to understand—sometimes the rules of the Town Martial Division don't apply, let alone those of the Town Martial Hall."

Chen Yan's heart sank. He looked at the young martial officer:

"What do you think will happen to me?"

The other man's expression stiffened. This time, he met Chen Yan's gaze directly, as if moved by something, and said softly:

"That man's master is just an outer concubine of the Gong Family, running a company. But even so, he's still a Gong Family member—he has plenty of pull.

I think you'll be locked up for at least a year, since you're just a..."

"I have a Strength Stripe. I'm already a martial artist." Chen Yan pulled off his shirt, revealing a pitch-black pattern coiled like a dragon on his chest.

The young martial officer froze, staring at Chen Yan in shock.

A genius of the Body Tempering Path!

"One Strength Stripe—you're pretty strong!"

Suddenly, a low shout rang out in the corridor. The young martial officer quickly stepped back, only to see a man whose head was wrapped in gauze like a pig's head walking over with the director, Xin Gongxian.

"Kid, you've got some nerve. You want to die? I'll grant your wish!"

The man cursed loudly, his two vicious eyes exposed and fixed on Chen Yan.

"Secretary Ye, calm down. The kid doesn't know any better." Beside him, Director Xin Gongxian spoke, glancing at Chen Yan with utter indifference.

"Calm down? Calm down your mother!" The Suit Man turned to Xin Gongxian and roared:

"You see me beaten like this and you're blind, are you?!"

Xin Gongxian paused for a moment. This man—just a dog clinging to the Gong Family—dared to speak to him like this.

That was what he thought, but he turned his gaze darkly to Chen Yan:

"Look at the mess you've made!"

A Red Light flared from Xin Gongxian's body, and in an instant, a Qi Wave surged through the entire corridor. The gauze-wrapped Secretary Ye was about to curse again, but his expression shifted slightly.

He was furious now, but only just remembered that the man beside him was the director of the Town Martial Hall.

"Chen Yan, you've caused a huge disaster this time. No one can help you. You'll rot in this cell—how long depends on your behavior!"

Xin Gongxian bellowed, his voice vibrating with Qi and Blood, deafening.

He was displeased with Secretary Ye, and his rebuke of Chen Yan was also a veiled warning to Ye.

This was his turf.

Chen Yan was just a tool to intimidate Secretary Ye.

"How long will I be locked up?" Chen Yan asked coldly.

He needed to get to the Town Martial Class. If he was locked up too long, everything would go cold.

"You want out?" Secretary Ye's expression twisted.

"Hahahaha!"

He laughed.

"If this weren't the Town Martial Hall, but Yunmeng City, do you think you'd still be alive right now?" His voice turned icy, like a venomous snake.

He'd been beaten to this state by a student from some backwater.

How could he face anyone tomorrow? How could he explain it?

In the old days, Chen Yan would have been dead and screaming by now.

Chen Yan's gaze swept over Secretary Ye, then landed on Xin Gongxian, who looked back at him with cold indifference.

Chen Yan sat down on the seat inside the iron cell, his body fading into the darkness.

"I understand."

His voice was flat, as if he had already accepted his fate.

He had been in a car accident last year, and just a few days ago, his sister suffered one too—the Town Martial Hall had no leads at all.

The noodle shop he relied on for a living had been allocated to Zhang Qingsi's father.

All of these matters had been handled by Xin Gongxian.

Chen Yan didn't believe the man would offer him any fairness.

"You little beast, you..." Secretary Ye wanted to keep cursing, but his voice was cut off by Xin Gongxian:

"Chen Yan, since you've made a mistake, reflect on it properly."

Xin Gongxian narrowed his eyes:

"But if you keep causing trouble, I'll take your life!"

His voice boomed, like a dragon's roar.

Beside him, Secretary Ye's gaze tightened, turning even more venomous—Xin Gongxian was using Chen Yan to send a warning to him again.

"I understand." In the darkness, Chen Yan's voice rang out:

"I'll train hard and reach Unity Realm as soon as possible, so as not to waste the director's hard work and effort."

He sounded earnest, with a hint of respect.

Everyone was stunned. Unity Realm?

After the first realm of the Body Tempering Path, the Seventy-two Patterns Extreme Forging Realm, came the Unity Realm.

What was he talking about?

Xin Gongxian narrowed his eyes. This kid was threatening him.

How many people could even reach Seventy-two Patterns, let alone Unity Realm?

Ridiculous.

Everyone left.

The light in the cell was switched off. Chen Yan sat quietly, the four walls like pitch-black inkstone, exuding a deep, secluded aura. The air carried a faint stench and a lonely desolation.

[Saint Breaking Realm: Level 3 (1/75)]

[Saint Breaking Fruits:

Strength: (100/100)

Blood: (99/100)

Skill: (100/100)

Physique: (34/100)]

Shifting his awareness to the Saint Breaking Realm, he realized the [Strength] Character and [Skill] Character Saint Breaking Fruits had already ripened.

Within the Saint Breaking Realm, rolling golden light still flickered. The Skill Energy left over from the Head-Opening Enlightenment had diminished greatly, but it was still enough to grow another [Skill] Character Saint Breaking Fruit.

Chen Yan swallowed two Saint Breaking Fruits in one go.

Torrents of power and memory energy surged through his body and mind.

Hah...

Chen Yan stood up, his expression calm.

Was he angry? Yes, he was angry.

But right now, anger was useless—anger would only harm him.

Others were trying to harm him; he couldn't harm himself on top of that.

Seeing the Town Martial Class drifting further and further away from him, Chen Yan pressed a hand to his face and couldn't help but laugh.

"Hahahaha!" His clear voice rang through the darkness.

No one could help him anymore.

Luo Puxin was only a one-time acquaintance—would he help?

His father couldn't help him.

Teacher Wang Yang couldn't help him either.

His sister was still young.

"Who can help me?" Chen Yan's lips moved, and a nameless difficulty welled up in his heart, heavy and obstructive.

A long silence.

"Sacred Breaking Tree, can you help me?" Chen Yan murmured in his heart.

At this moment, it was his only hope.

Only the Saint Breaking Tree could aid him.

If you can't find the book by its title, try searching by the author—maybe it's just been renamed!

The [Blood] Character Saint Breaking Fruit was only a sliver away from fully ripening.

For so long, Chen Yan had refused to give up on Limit Breaking Awakening, all because of the Saint Breaking Tree.

All because of this [Blood] Character Saint Breaking Fruit.

Today, he would undergo Limit Breaking Awakening!

He took a deep breath, letting himself settle into calm.

Under that deep breath, Chen Yan's understanding of the Crimson Gang Body Tempering Canon grew sharper.

Breathe, breathe!

Chen Yan's muscles subtly swelled and contracted; his sinews, bones, and skin began to gradually heat up.

A mouthful of Red Mist spilled from his lips.

A faint air-burst sound cracked through from between Chen Yan's fists.

Chen Yan punched the air again. As his fist shot out, a pale red Qi Wave visibly rippled outward from his knuckles.

Another punch.

The sound of this strike wasn't thunderous, but it was sharp, crisp, carrying a shallow Qi Wave that stirred the airflow within the iron cage.

Air burst, air burst—the unbroken crack of air bursts stretched through the cage.

Punch, punch—pushing to the limit.

Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom!

His punching speed grew faster, fiercer, more exhausted—yet he kept hammering like a tireless machine.

Inside the iron cage, streams of air surged, tangling, twisting, rolling together.

Finally, at some moment, billowing Red Mist enveloped his entire body. Chen Yan was drenched in sweat, his muscles bulging.

A surge of heat flowed unceasingly through his body, through his Five Organs, pounding and rushing.

Chen Yan had already fully absorbed the Skill Energy from the [Skill] Character Saint Breaking Fruit.

But within his mind, there remained much obscure knowledge that grew clearer with every punch and every breath.

Sweat seeped out, then evaporated.

The airflow swirling around him grew more violent.

Tired. More tired. Even more tired.

Finally, in an instant—

A flash of Red Light shot from Chen Yan's fist.

The red radiance shifted, and a blurry silhouette of a Girl emerged.

"What's wrong with you these past few days? You're like a madman—it's scary," the Girl complained.

She herself had been dragged by her sister Gong Fanling into nonstop training these past few days.

Clearly, this person competing with her for Limit Breaking Awakening was still far behind.

Chen Yan ignored her and looked at the Data Panel.

[Saint Breaking Realm: Level 3 (3/75)]

[Saint Breaking Fruits:

Strength: (15/100)

Blood: (100/100)

Skill: (9/100)

Body: (42/100)]

The [Blood] Character Saint Breaking Fruit had ripened!

Chen Yan's heart pounded violently. He swallowed that [Blood] Character Saint Breaking Fruit.

Whoosh!

A wave of fire, scorching like magma, instantly slammed through Chen Yan's limbs and bones. He gasped for air, feeling his own flesh, brimming with excitement.

Flame-like Blood Energy abruptly blazed fiercely across Chen Yan's body.

Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle!

The vast Blood Energy crashed in an instant into every corner of Chen Yan's Five Organs.

"What's happening to you? You're awakening!"

Within the Red Light, the Girl shouted, sensing the change in Chen Yan at this moment, startled.

Chen Yan said nothing. His eyes gleamed as he felt every reaction within himself.

He was about to awaken.

He had waited so long.

"You... you're going to succeed."

Within the red light, the girl sighed wearily, then collapsed to the ground as if all strength had left her.

But the next moment—

Sss...

The blazing flames of Blood Energy that had been roaring on Chen Yan's body began to recede.

The heat within his Five Organs faded rapidly.

"Huh?" The girl blinked. "You ate a Heaven and Earth spirit item?"

"It's useless. We're going through Limit Breaking Awakening—only breaking limits can awaken you. No matter how good the spirit item, your body won't absorb it."

She stood up, stroking her chin. "Still, you must be pretty rich. I could tell the Blood Energy you just erupted was really pure. I thought you were broke."

"Shut up!" Chen Yan barked.

The girl froze. This was the first time Chen Yan had spoken—a very clear, masculine voice.

Chen Yan stared blankly at the Red Light of Blood Energy dispersing from his body.

The Blood Energy that the Saint Breaking Fruit had given him was vanishing at a terrifying speed.

His whole body tensed, trying to stop the loss, but it was useless.

His body was like a dying flame—nothing could hold it back.

Finally, the Blood Energy was nearly gone. Only the last inch remained in his right fist, about to vanish.

"So..." Chen Yan's expression fell. "Even you can't help me."

He watched the inch of flame in his palm dwindle, until only a single spark remained.

No one could help him now.

Even the Saint Breaking Tree couldn't save him.

Who could?

Chen Yan laughed—a helpless sound.

"I told you, it's really hard," the girl said soothingly. "This is Limit Breaking Awakening."

Chen Yan threw a punch.

"Can you help me?" he murmured.

"Huh?" The girl was taken aback. "We're rivals, you know."

Chen Yan punched again.

In his fist, that inch of firefly-like Blood Energy, just as it was about to die out, flickered once—as if caught by a strong gust.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

A red spark appeared in his fist, like a match striking.

That wisp of flame burned in his palm, tearing through flesh and sinew, agonizing.

"You... you!" The girl gasped, sensing the change in Chen Yan.

In her ears rang the sound of Chen Yan's relentless punches—like steel clashing, like a mad dragon's roar.

Resolute. Fierce. Unyielding.

In the darkness, sparks burst forth, growing brighter and more blazing.

It was as if a thousand, ten thousand Living Beings were screaming, struggling.

Chen Yan kept swinging his fists. The pain of Blood Energy lacerating his body grew more intense, but he never stopped.

Can you help me?

Chen Yan.