Breakthrough

(Thanks to Dongxue Xiangwang Xiari for casting a recommendation ticket for the third time.)

The nights at the Training Camp had grown a little chilly by September. In Chen Daolin's residence at Jiangnan Pavilion, incense that soothed the mind filled a quiet meditation room. Wearing loose white training clothes, Chen Daolin sat cross-legged on a cushion with his eyes closed, hands positioned with his palms facing upward. He silently absorbed the natural energy around him, refining it through his cells into Genetic Origin Energy and gradually improving his physical fitness.

He had been at the Training Camp for more than twenty days. Aside from going out to hunt monsters, he spent his time at the camp training in the imitation Gravity Room, the spear practice room, and the underground chamber beneath the pavilion. His spear technique, Movement Technique, and physical fitness were all improving rapidly.

Chen Daolin opened his eyes and stood up. Clenching his fist, he threw a punch at the air in front of him as fast as lightning. The wind howled around his fist, followed by a sharp crack like thunder. The force of his punch made the air in front of him explode. And this was only his natural physical strength—he hadn't even activated King Kai Fist.

"My punching force is already close to 8,000 kilograms." Chen Daolin drew back his fist with satisfaction. During his time at the Elite Training Camp, the imitation Gravity Room had greatly increased his rate of physical improvement, even though it wasn't as effective as the Ancient Civilization Gravity Room.

On September 27, Chen Daolin went out to hunt monsters again.

Some people at the Training Camp were good at hunting monsters despite not being very strong, while others were powerful but not necessarily skilled hunters. So the rankings couldn't tell the whole story.

Spirit Readers, for instance, could hunt monsters several times more efficiently than warriors of the same level.

But they couldn't use their Spirit Reading Power in the Virtual Space.

That was a kind of balance, too.

As his physical fitness and strength continued to improve, Chen Daolin had begun hunting Intermediate Beast General-level monsters. But his success rate was much lower than when hunting low-level Beast General-level monsters. A few times, he had nearly been caught in a counterattack and badly wounded. After that, he was especially cautious every time he made a move, lest he be undone by a careless mistake.

Dark clouds blanketed the sky. Lightning flashed and thunder rumbled from time to time as heavy rain poured down. Through the misty rain, in the courtyard of a dilapidated three-story villa in City 1001, a warrior battled a huge, ferocious Golden Leopard, three meters tall and more than five meters long. The man and leopard moved so fast that they were little more than shadows. The air rang with violent impacts, and obstacles shattered into flying debris as the two fought. The Golden Leopard roared furiously again and again.

Boom—

A tremendous collision rang out, sending dust and stones flying. A figure crashed through the wall on the first floor and flew into the rain. He rolled a long way across the muddy ground before stopping, then quickly scrambled to his feet. It was Chen Daolin, leaning on his spear as he coughed and spat blood. "Cough..."

Thunder roared. A flash of lightning turned the world deathly white, revealing the long shadow of the Golden Leopard as it strode out of the villa like a colossal beast. Its emerald eyes fixed on the human before it. Patches of its fur were stained with blood, and its flesh was torn open. The rain striking its wounds only intensified its pain and fury. With a roar, its body became a blur, whipping up a gust of wind as it sprang at Chen Daolin.

Damn it. I thought it was only an Intermediate Beast General, but I can't beat it... Chen Daolin smiled bitterly to himself. Hunting in the Wilderness Area wasn't just about humans hunting monsters; monsters hunted humans, too. Chen Daolin had encountered this Golden Leopard near the city while it was out hunting. He had no idea it would be such a monster. Its strength, speed, and reflexes all surpassed his, and it also had the keen instincts of a wild beast. It chased him until he had nowhere to run. After a fierce battle, they had ended up at this villa for their final showdown.

An intense sense of impending death washed over him, making his whole body tremble. With his life on the line, Chen Daolin's mind became utterly focused. He saw only the Golden Leopard's rapidly enlarging shape. His heart raced, his blood surged, and the sounds around him seemed to fade away. Everything slowed, like a scene in a movie. He could even clearly make out the path of the raindrops falling overhead.

A sudden flash of insight came to him. Chen Daolin moved in an instant, narrowly dodging the Golden Leopard's attack. He drifted around it like a weightless ghost.

Swish!

His spear shot out, its fierce gust of wind parting the layers of rain as it sank deep into the Golden Leopard's thick, tough flesh.

"Roar!"

The Golden Leopard roared in pain, spun around, and sprang at Chen Daolin.

But Chen Daolin seemed like a different person now. His Movement Technique was impossibly elusive, every move as precise as if calculated by a computer. No matter how the Golden Leopard attacked, it always missed. Gradually, countless wounds appeared on its body. At last, the Golden Leopard grew afraid. A hint of fear showed in its eyes as it slowly retreated, then turned and vanished into the rain.

Holding his spear, Chen Daolin stood quietly and watched the Golden Leopard leave. Suddenly, he shuddered and dropped to one knee, coughing again and again. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth and fell onto the water, sending ripples across its surface.

"That was close... I nearly didn't make it..." Fear still showed on Chen Daolin's face, then gave way to joy. "But that crisis finally pushed my Movement Technique into the Micro-level. I suppose I was lucky in the end."

Chen Daolin slowly got to his feet. He was badly injured this time, so he should find somewhere to rest. Dragging his exhausted, aching body, he slowly walked into the villa.

The morning of September 28, at the Elite Training Camp.

Chen Daolin got out of bed and checked his injuries. They had stabilized, and he finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Yesterday had probably been the most dangerous situation he had ever faced—more dangerous than his first encounter with the Rat Tide. The Golden Leopard had shown strength no weaker than that of a high-level Beast General, completely overpowering and pummeling him. No matter how desperately he fought, he had only managed to leave a few insignificant wounds on it. The feeling of being unable to win or escape had been utterly despairing. On top of that, whether because of the thunderstorm or something else, his Tactical Watch's distress signal wouldn't go through. Though given the situation, he probably wouldn't have lasted until help arrived anyway.

Under the pressure of imminent death, Chen Daolin had also felt his strength improve by leaps and bounds. Many new insights had come to him, and the explosive effort he had summoned at the limits of life and death had even loosened his hold on Kaio-ken x3, giving him a chance of activating it at four times.

After breakfast, he changed into his training clothes and headed for the Nine-Layered Tower with his spear. He still had an hour's worth of time to use the Ancient Civilization Gravity Room and Trial Tower in September.

As soon as he stepped outside, he saw Zhao Ruo jump down from the second floor of her pavilion. Seeing that Chen Daolin looked a little pale, she asked with concern, "Senior Brother Chen, are you all right? You look a bit pale."

Chen Daolin thanked her for her concern. They were both headed to the Nine-Layered Tower, so they went together, chatting as they walked.

"By the way, Senior Brother Chen..." Zhao Ruo suddenly leaned closer. "Are you and Junior Sister Ji dating?"

Chen Daolin looked at her. "No, we're just friends."

"Oh. I've seen quite a few guys pursuing Junior Sister Ji lately, so I thought you might not know." Zhao Ruo stuck out her tongue.

There had always been far fewer female students than male students at the Elite Training Camp, so the pretty ones were popular with the men. Someone like Ji Xuan, who was both talented and beautiful, with a bright future ahead of her, had attracted plenty of attention as soon as she arrived.

Chen Daolin hadn't expected to hear gossip about Ji Xuan from Zhao Ruo. But it was Ji Xuan's personal business, and Chen Daolin didn't want to meddle. He would leave her to deal with it herself.

Chen Daolin and Zhao Ruo chatted as they walked, and soon reached the ninth floor of the Nine-Layered Tower. The elevator doors opened, and a young man with slightly curled golden hair and another tall, slender white man stepped out. Both sides paused when they saw each other. Chen Daolin recognized the golden-haired young man as William, who had deliberately challenged him on the second day after he arrived at the Training Camp, late last month.

William whistled. "Well, well. The coward named Chen. We meet again."

Zhao Ruo might have been petite and a woman, but she had a fiery temper. William's words instantly made her furious, and she stepped forward. "William, watch your mouth! Who are you calling a coward?"

William sneered. "Am I wrong? Then ask him if he dares accept my challenge."

Zhao Ruo spat. "William, have you no shame? You only bully the weak and pick on newcomers. If you've got what it takes, challenge someone ranked higher than you."

William looked at Chen Daolin. "I hear the geniuses from Huaxia Country are all impressive. What's the matter? Don't you dare fight me?"

Afraid Chen Daolin might act rashly, Zhao Ruo grabbed his arm. "Senior Brother, ignore them. These foreigners are up to no good. Don't fall for their tricks. Let's go."

Chen Daolin left with Zhao Ruo, but before they went, he shot William a long look.