By noon the next day, Lu Chen's true essence had recovered to full strength.
It had not risen gradually. At dawn, the activity of his Dragon-Pattern Spirit Bones had suddenly jumped to 90%, golden light pouring from his bones as though floodgates had opened.
His true essence leaped straight from thirty percent to seventy percent, then spent the rest of the morning rising from seventy percent to full strength.
[Dragon-Pattern Spirit Bones Activity: 90%. Dragon Thunder True Essence: Full Strength. Status: Peak.]
He stood on the training grounds, Root Severer gripped in his right hand.
The golden and violet patterns on the blade shone brighter than ever.
With a casual swing, he cleaved out a trench three zhang long in the ground. The soil at its bottom had been scorched into glass.
Zhou Tieshan stood beside him, his mouth opening and closing, but no words came out.
Lu Chen sheathed his sword and turned back toward the tent.
Yun Qingyue was arranging medicine bottles on the table. Before her lay a neat row—Heart-Protecting Pills, Breath-Restoring Pills, Foundation Elixirs, Mind-Clearing Powder, and Hemostatic Powder.
The jade box containing the Nine-Turn Soul-Returning Pill sat alone on the far right. Its lid was open, and the pill's nine golden markings flowed beneath the sunlight.
"Ready?"
"Mm."
"Take off your clothes."
Lu Chen removed his shirt, revealing the scars along his waist and right arm—pale gold, faintly raised against his skin.
Yun Qingyue walked over and pressed her fingers against the scar at his waist, tracing its edges in a circle.
"The muscles have healed solidly. What about your meridians?"
She moved her fingers from his waist to his wrist, placing three fingers over his pulse point. Closing her eyes, she remained still for ten breaths.
"Your pulse is strong. Steadier than