Damn It

Chen Yan chose a seat toward the back.

A simple understanding of Yin Zhe was that it was the attribute of one's own Blood Energy.

What Luo Puxin had meant when he told Chen Yan to learn to use Blood Energy without Yin Zhe was that he needed to control his own attribute.

Chen Yan still couldn't do that.

Controlling Yin Zhe was extremely difficult, especially when he used the Chaos Abyss Art. Then it was even harder to keep it in check.

Even after midnight the previous night, Chen Yan had still been unable to stop the chill from leaking out while cultivating the Chaos Abyss Art.

But he still had to come to the Blood Sensing Chamber. As Luo Puxin had said, Chen Yan needed to act as if he desperately wanted to awaken.

The moment Chen Yan could control Yin Zhe would be the day he awakened.

That was how he would stay alive.

Of those who had undergone Limit Breaking Awakening, everyone except Chen Min would face endless danger if their location was exposed.

What Chen Yan needed to do was slowly activate the Chaos Abyss Art and Yin Zhe in the Blood Sensing Chamber, gradually increasing how much he released until he could fully control the chill.

But what Luo Puxin didn't know was that Chen Yan would waste none of the efficiency of absorbing Blood Energy. The Saint Breaking Realm wouldn't let it go to waste.

A faint smile appeared at the corner of Chen Yan's mouth.

The Blood Energy he gained from medicinal baths each day before awakening hadn't been wasted. The Saint Breaking Realm had absorbed it instead.

The Blood Energy the [Blood] Character Saint Breaking Fruit gave Chen Yan felt as if it had always been part of him—utterly natural and pure.

"Hey, you're Chen Yan, right?"

A young man's voice rang out. A student sitting near the front of the Blood Sensing Chamber stood up.

"Wu Chuhua's my younger brother." A faint smile appeared on his face.

"You sure hit him hard yesterday."

The other students in the Blood Sensing Chamber all turned to look at Chen Yan. Some snickered, while others looked at him with pity.

"Wu Chuqi, the accommodations are assigned according to combat strength. That's the rule in the Town Martial Class!" Gao Yuan stood up and spoke, looking a little nervous.

But the man named Wu Chuqi kept his gaze on Chen Yan.

"I'm ranked seventh in the Town Martial Class."

His smile grew wider, hinting at danger. He looked straight at Chen Yan, inwardly startled to see the other boy smiling.

He wasn't afraid of him at all. He even looked like he wanted to fight.

Wu Chuqi paused, then let the chill fade from his expression and smiled.

"Good. He deserved it. My brother's the kind of guy who needs a beating. Give him a few more, and I'll thank you for it.

"And I apologize for him pretending to be Zhang Tie."

Chen Yan's smile faded. He looked a little surprised.

"I heard your Horizontal Refinement is strong. You failed to awaken Blood Energy before, but you don't want to give up on it." Wu Chuqi spoke earnestly.

"But when it comes to sensing Blood Energy, don't push yourself beyond your limits. It's very difficult for someone who hasn't awakened to be in the Blood Sensing Chamber."

His manner was sincere. After saying that, he sat back down, and nothing else happened.

Everyone looked at Chen Yan. Some of them hadn't known him well, and only now learned that he'd failed to awaken before and was trying to awaken by sensing Blood Energy.

Trying again after failing to awaken was incredibly difficult.

Some admired Chen Yan's persistence. Some understood him. Others thought he was dreaming.

Hiss...

Red light gradually appeared on the Bluestone walls, carved with Formation Disks, and rolling Red Mist began to seep out. The students in the Blood Sensing Chamber all started absorbing it.

The Red Mist swirled around them, and red light began to appear inside the Saint Breaking Realm.

The first realm of the Qi and Blood Path, the Five Viscera Realm, was the process of accumulating and forging Blood Energy in the five viscera.

Of course, there were different levels of accumulation and forging.

Take Chu Xuansheng, the top student in the Town Martial Class this time. He had already accumulated and forged four and a half Zang, and his Accumulation and Forging Degree was above seventy percent.

Accumulate and Forge Degree meant how full the accumulation was.

By the time he reached the peak of the Five Viscera Realm, perhaps his Accumulation and Forging Degree would reach seventy-five percent.

Seventy-five percent was already top-tier here.

As red light rolled through the Saint Breaking Realm, Chen Yan watched a [Blood] Character Saint Breaking Fruit ripen.

Hiss...

Yin Zhe stirred inside his heart, sending out a piercing chill.

A curtain of Red Mist obscured the view in front of Chen Yan, but his brows slowly rose.

Ink Light appeared inside the Saint Breaking Realm.

Ink Light represented Elemental Energy.

Had the Blood Energy in this Red Mist been mixed with something?

Chen Yan grew more and more puzzled. As he circulated Yin Zhe, he could sense all sorts of Elemental Energy in the Red Mist.

Some burned with fierce heat: fire. Some were lush and verdant: wood.

There was also a bone-chilling presence: ice.

So much Elemental Energy—what was going on? It seemed to be gathered only around him. He hadn't encountered anything like this at the City Martial Division.

Following Luo Puxin's instructions, Chen Yan slowly activated the Chaos Abyss Art and absorbed only a little Blood Energy as he monitored the chill leaking from his body.

He began cultivating with great care.

Hiss...

Blood Energy carrying all kinds of Elemental Energy slowly entered his body. Chen Yan's eyes flashed as a wave of chill erupted.

His meridians were becoming blocked!

If he'd absorbed any more, his meridians would have become more and more obstructed.

These Elemental Energies were impurities to the body!

This Elemental Energy was abnormal to begin with. Chen Yan carefully sensed the area around him. The Red Mist containing Elemental Energy was swirling only around him.

Someone was targeting him.

He hadn't noticed before because he hadn't been cultivating.

If he hadn't cultivated the Chaos Abyss Art and knew nothing about the body's meridians, blindly absorbing this stuff would only make him feel worse and worse.

With his meridians blocked, awakening would only become more difficult.

Damn it!

Coldness appeared in Chen Yan's eyes. The Blood Sensing Chamber was under Chu Feiyuan's control.

Killing intent filled Chen Yan's heart, and his vicious fury surged until he could barely rein it in.

After a while,

his body drew close to the Green Wall carved with Formation Disks.

A burst of heat drove Chen Yan back.

This Green Wall was scorching!

And it was getting hotter and hotter.

The heat was so intense that even Yin Zhe couldn't affect the Green Wall.

Chen Yan's eyes flashed. He stopped circulating the Chaos Abyss Art and carefully released Yin Zhe, letting it slowly creep into the Green Wall.

Feeling the temperature around him, Chen Yan guided Yin Zhe deeper into the wall.

Hiss, hiss, hiss...

Yin Zhe continued to spread, slowly devouring the ice-attribute energy and Blood Energy mixed into the various Elemental Energies.

Yin Zhe could devour Ice Attribute energy and Blood Energy. Chen Yan had learned that back at the City Martial Division.

Unlike when he circulated the Chaos Abyss Art, Yin Zhe was like a magnet: Ice Attribute elements that shared its source were drawn in and absorbed.

But the other elements, which did not share its source, were repelled by Yin Zhe.

That was the advantage of Limit Breaking Awakening. Your cultivation technique could absorb Blood Energy, and so could the source of your talent.

The progress was incredibly fast.

And Chen Yan still had the Saint Breaking Tree.

[Saint Breaking Realm: Level 3 (33/75)]

[Saint Breaking Fruit:

Strength: (95/100)

Blood: (100/100)

Skill: (13/100)

Physique: (43/100)]

Chen Yan swallowed a [Blood] Character Saint Breaking Fruit, and the Blood Energy inside his heart grew more vigorous.

Yin Zhe continued absorbing ice elements and Blood Energy. Chen Yan sensed all around his heart and found that his Blood Energy Accumulation and Forging Degree was already about twenty percent.

There wasn't much Ice Attribute energy inside the Green Wall, since it was so heavily mixed with other elements.

Still, it gave Chen Yan a way to steadily strengthen Yin Zhe.

Chen Yan guided Yin Zhe deeper and deeper into the Green Wall. The chill seemed almost alive as it gradually passed through the wall and into a series of pipes.

The temperature kept rising, and Chen Yan felt unsettled.

He'd been worried that the chill of Yin Zhe would leak out, but the pipes were so hot that Yin Zhe couldn't affect them at all.

He continued deeper. Yin Zhe reached a sealed space where the flesh of various Ancient Beasts was immersed in a pool of blood. The blood was boiling, and the temperature had reached a whole new level—at least a thousand degrees.

Rolling waves of Blood Energy rose from within and were carried through the pipes to the Blood Sensing Chamber.

Chen Yan's eyes lit up. So this was where the Red Mist came from.

Yin Zhe was melting, but Chen Yan kept releasing more.

Chen Yan gritted his teeth. He sucked as hard as he could!

He'd meant to show some restraint, but Chu Feiyuan had tried to harm him like this. Why should he act like a decent person?

A chill flashed brightly in the Blood Pool, and Yin Zhe began to suck it all in!

Chen Yan focused on his heart. The Blood Energy inside it kept increasing.

Like water being poured in, it rose slowly.

Another [Blood] Character Saint Breaking Fruit ripened.

Two!

Three!

Four!

Five...

Was he eating too many?

Chen Yan's heart raced. He was starting to feel stuffed himself.

Maybe it was a bit much.

Six!

Seven!

Chen Yan kept swallowing them. He wasn't circulating the Chaos Abyss Art; his heart was simply taking in these sources of Blood Energy. It felt like it was about to explode.

Eight!

Nine!

Ten!

Chen Yan gritted his teeth. He felt worse and worse, and ice crystals had formed around him.

He was nearing his limit.

Eleven!

This was different from what had happened at the City Martial Division. Back then, he'd cultivated while circulating the Chaos Abyss Art, so the Blood Energy that entered his heart had already been transformed.

But this time, Chen Yan was swallowing Blood Energy whole. It hadn't passed through the Chaos Abyss Art at all.

And just then,

bang, bang, bang...

The container storing the beast flesh began to shudder. Chen Yan froze and withdrew Yin Zhe.

"What's going on?"

Chu Feiyuan hurried to the Qi and Blood Chamber and questioned the teacher operating the controls at the back.

"Seems someone absorbed it too quickly. Or maybe I put in too much Impure Blood Energy."

The teacher spoke sheepishly.

Chu Feiyuan touched the enormous container holding the beast flesh and frowned.

"It must be too much Impure Blood Energy. Adjust it."

"Yes!" The teacher adjusted the controls.

Chen Yan didn't dare absorb any more. He carefully circulated Yin Zhe and absorbed the chill from the ice crystals around him.

He felt as if his whole body had grown swollen. When he stood, his legs were weak.

Fortunately, Luo Puxin had added some restrictions to keep his Blood Energy contained, so Chen Yan wasn't too worried.

But now, the Blood Energy inside Chen Yan's heart had increased enormously. It felt as if it was close to fifty percent.

Had he absorbed too much?

Chen Yan didn't know.

His face flushed red as he walked out of the Blood Sensing Chamber. He didn't look well at all.

"Chen Yan, you lasted this long!"

Nearby, Wu Chuqi had just finished too. He looked astonished.

Five hours!

For someone who hadn't awakened to last that long in the Blood Sensing Chamber was excruciating.

Seeing Chen Yan's expression made his own all the more complicated.

"You're pushing yourself too hard."

His younger brother pushed himself just to show off. He couldn't compare with Chen Yan.

Chen Yan said nothing and walked out of the Blood Sensing Chamber.

"Chen Yan, what's wrong?" Chu Feiyuan knew the Impure Blood Energy was to blame, but still put on a look of deep concern.

Chen Yan shook his head, his face flushed red.

Chu Feiyuan asked with concern:

"Perhaps it's because of the Blood Sensing Chamber. My Chu Family has a better one, but you can only use it if you sign with us.

The people who sign with my Chu Family are all genuine geniuses. You could..."

As he spoke, he watched Chen Yan's expression.

But Chen Yan slowly shook his head.

"Teacher Chu, I feel awful. I need to go back and rest."

His heart felt like it was about to burst.

Chu Feiyuan was about to say something, but seeing how much pain Chen Yan was in, he had no choice but to let it go.

Chen Yan left, killing intent filling his eyes.

Only now did he understand why there had been so much Elemental Energy on his side.

Chu Feiyuan had wanted him to sign with the Chu Family. He'd wanted to trip Chen Yan up first, then help him back to his feet.

That way, Chen Yan would be so grateful that he'd foolishly become Chu Feiyuan's dog.

Damn it!

If he hadn't awakened and had absorbed all that energy without knowing any better,

he would have been ruined, with no hope of ever awakening.

"He really pushes himself too hard." Wu Chuqi's expression was deeply conflicted.

Chen Yan truly did push himself. Someone like him had nearly lost his spot to a good-for-nothing like Zhang Qingsi.

Thinking of something, Wu Chuqi watched Chen Yan's retreating figure and added:

"Watch out for Li Shaowu."

Chen Yan didn't answer. He hurried away.

Chu Feiyuan watched Chen Yan's retreating figure, frowning.

He'd only wanted Chen Yan to see how inadequate the school's Blood Sensing Chamber was. He hadn't expected things to turn out like this.

When Chu Feiyuan reached the room where the beast meat was stored, he barked at the teacher there:

"Why did you put in so much Impure Blood Energy? You nearly ruined the kid!"

The teacher looked wronged. You were the one who asked me to, he thought, then changed the subject.

"Brother Chu, I think it's time to replace the blood food. This batch doesn't seem to have enough energy left."

Chu Feiyuan was shocked.

"How is that possible?!"

"They're from the Town Martial Class, after all. They're all geniuses, so it's normal they absorb it quickly," the teacher said with an awkward smile.

Chu Feiyuan's expression turned ugly. Damn Luo Puxin.

So bloated!

His heart was about to burst.

Chen Yan's face twisted in pain. This was all Chu Feiyuan's fault.

He would kill him!

The moment he rushed into the Training Room, Chen Yan roared.

"Ha!"

He spat out a gust of air as fierce as a winter gale, carrying countless bone-piercing ice crystals.

Like an Ice Dragon breathing frost, countless tiny ice crystals slammed into the surrounding walls with a series of booming crashes.

Feeling a little better, Chen Yan immediately sat cross-legged and circulated the [Chaos Abyss Art].

Suppress it, suppress it again!

After a long while, Chen Yan's expression eased, and the Blood Energy in his heart grew steadier and steadier.

The Blood Energy in his heart began transforming into Yin Zhe, condensing.

Chen Yan's gaze was cold. He had Chu Feiyuan to blame for making him suffer like this.

At the entrance to the small courtyard, Luo Puxin wore a hesitant expression.

"How should I tell Chen Yan?" he murmured.

Earlier, Shen Yiwei had called. After mulling it over, he'd still advised Chen Yan to give up on Qi and Blood Path.

Give up a Heavenly Pride with a one-in-ten-thousand chance of Limit Breaking Awakening

in order to preserve a true Horizontal Refinement genius.

Chen Yan's talent for Horizontal Refinement was already exceptional. It would be very difficult for him to have the talent for Qi and Blood as well.

Luo Puxin hesitated, then entered the room in an instant. His senses flared as he headed toward the Training Room.

"Hm?"

A chill washed over him, and Luo Puxin froze. What was going on?

He gripped the Training Room's doorknob with one hand. Coldness rushed over him, and Luo Puxin furrowed his brow.

"Chen Yan, it's me, Luo Puxin," he called.

With a click, the door opened.

It was as if he'd suddenly found himself atop Cold Peak. A fierce chill buffeted Luo Puxin, leaving him utterly bewildered.

"Hm?" Luo Puxin stared into the Training Room, now completely frozen over, his heart pounding.

"Bro Luo, you're here," Chen Yan said with a smile.

Luo Puxin stared at the Training Room, frozen into an ice cavern, and stood there, stunned.

Holy crap, what was this?