Crystal Vine Fruit

On January 18, Chen Daolin and Ji Xuan returned to Mingyue Residential Quarter in Yangzhou City, Jiangnan Base City. In the villa, they sat in the bedroom with two egg-sized, crystal-like fruits in front of them.

"According to the information on the Martial Artist Forum, you just have to eat them."

Chen Daolin picked up one of the fruits and swallowed it. It tasted like frozen jelly, melting as soon as it touched his tongue. A sweet, cool stream slid down his throat and into his stomach. Ji Xuan watched him with concern. Chen Daolin waved to show her he was fine. Soon, a rush of heat rose from his lower abdomen. He couldn't help squeezing his legs together and turning to look at Ji Xuan. Her eyes were evasive. She turned her head as if nothing had happened, her cheeks faintly red.

"Maybe we should eat them separately," Chen Daolin said awkwardly.

"Mm..." Ji Xuan was a little embarrassed, too. She picked up the Crystal Vine Fruit and left Chen Daolin's room.

Chen Daolin sat on the bed, silently sensing the changes in his body. The Crystal Vine Fruit's effects weren't as violent and domineering as Dragon Blood, which caused pain. Instead, it felt like soaking in a hot spring, warm and wonderfully comfortable. Waves of heat flowed from his lower abdomen to his limbs and bones. His cells greedily absorbed the miraculous energy as his genes were rapidly transformed and his physical abilities improved at a stunning pace.

As the Crystal Vine Fruit took effect, the miraculous energy transformed Chen Daolin's flesh, bones, nerves, skin, and internal organs, making them tougher and more resilient. Even if someone fired a rifle at him from close range, they wouldn't be able to pierce his skin.

"This Concentration Fruit doesn't cause anything like the intense pain of Dragon Blood when you use it. Is that because one occurs naturally while the other is artificially made?" Chen Daolin wondered.

Chen Daolin sat on the bedroom bed. By the time the Crystal Vine Fruit's effects had fully taken hold, more than five hours had passed. He breathed a sigh of relief. He was drenched in sweat, sticky and uncomfortable, so he left the bedroom and took a refreshing shower. After changing into clean, comfortable clothes, he called Ji Xuan.

She answered soon.

"Hello?" Ji Xuan's voice came through, low and husky with a hint of huskiness.

"How are you?" Chen Daolin asked.

"I'm fine. I feel great. I'm full of energy." Ji Xuan sounded delighted.

"Want to go test ourselves at the Martial Arts Hall?" Chen Daolin suggested.

"Sure." Ji Xuan thought it over, then agreed.

The two of them went to the Extreme Martial Arts Hall in Yangzhou City and headed straight to the sixth floor. They found an empty training room and switched on the Punch Strength Testing Machine. Ji Xuan stood in front of it, took a deep breath, and struck the target with a punch that created a sonic boom.

Bang!

Beep, beep, beep!

Chen Daolin went over to look: "kg".

That put her right at Elementary War God Level.

A smile appeared on Ji Xuan's face.

Reaching Elementary War God Level physically meant that her Spirit Reading Power was already at High-level War God.

"I'll test my Spirit Reading Power, too." Ji Xuan controlled a flying knife and slammed it into the target. This time, the target shook much more violently than before. An astonishing number appeared on the screen: "kg".

It was far beyond the minimum punch strength for High-level War God. The Crystal Vine Fruit Ji Xuan had taken was probably responsible.

Besides increasing physical strength by fifty thousand kilograms, the Crystal Vine Fruit could give a Spirit Reader another hundred thousand kilograms of strength.

Such a huge boost was astonishing. No wonder all the various factions were fighting tooth and nail to get their hands on it.

Chen Daolin had eaten one Crystal Vine Fruit, and Ji Xuan had eaten another. The remaining two were in the safe at home. As long as they didn't tell anyone, they didn't have to worry about someone stealing them.

As for what to do with them, Chen Daolin had originally wanted to give them to the three members of Ji Xuan's family, but he wasn't sure if that was appropriate. He'd looked into it, but still hadn't found out whether ordinary people could use them. For now, all they could do was put them aside and decide later.

Chen Daolin stood in front of the Punch Strength Testing Machine, raised his fist, and slammed it into the target.

Thump! The explosive sound echoed through the training room.

"kg".

Chen Daolin took a deep breath and activated King Kai Fist. His muscles tensed, and an inexplicable aura radiated from him. Ji Xuan, whose mental power was exceptionally keen, couldn't help taking a step back.

"Hah!" Chen Daolin exhaled sharply and punched the target.

Thump!!! The target shook violently from the blow.

A number appeared on the screen—

"kg".

Ji Xuan's eyebrows rose. His punch strength had far surpassed her Spirit Reading Power, by nearly two times.

But he wasn't done yet.

Not bad. Chen Daolin's expression showed a hint of excitement as he took up his stance again.

World Destroyer, First Layer: 1.9 times force!

A sharp crack rang through the air.

Thump!!!

The target snapped violently backward, and the entire Punch Strength Testing Machine trembled slightly.

An astonishing number appeared on the screen—

"kg".

Ji Xuan's mouth fell slightly open, shock showing in her eyes.

His punch strength was a full three times hers!

How had he done it?

Physical strength? Force amplification? Or something else?

At that moment, Ji Xuan was filled with curiosity about Chen Daolin.

With that kind of attack power, he could probably kill even a High-level War God with one punch, couldn't he?

Ji Xuan studied Chen Daolin's utterly ordinary face with a strange look. He was only nineteen, yet he had already reached this level. Just how great would his achievements be in the future? Could he become someone who stood at the very peak of the world, like Hong?

Ji Xuan suddenly found herself looking forward to it.

After returning from City 003, Chen Daolin and Ji Xuan settled back into their routine of cultivating at home. Sometimes they went to train at the Jiangnan Extreme Main Hall or exchanged pointers with other martial artists. Their days passed peacefully.

Then, on February 12, Chen Daolin and Ji Xuan both received a call from Zhuge Qing herself. She said her birthday was on the fourteenth and invited them to come celebrate with her.

Chen Daolin and Ji Xuan accepted.

On February 14, Chen Daolin and Ji Xuan went to Zhuge Qing's birthday party as promised.

That evening, the two arrived outside the courtyard of Zhuge Qing's villa. They looked at the row of luxury cars parked outside and the impeccably dressed guests streaming in, then exchanged glances.

As one of the three chief directors of the Extreme Martial Arts Hall in Jiangnan Base City, Zhuge Tao wielded tremendous influence. Many important figures had come to show their support after hearing that his daughter was turning eighteen.

After confirming their identities, Chen Daolin and Ji Xuan went inside. Having anticipated what Zhuge Qing's birthday party would be like, Chen Daolin had made an unusually rare effort with his outfit this time. He wore a silver-gray suit, a black tie, and white dress shoes. His tall, straight frame and energetic bearing meant that, despite his ordinary looks, no one would dismiss him. Ji Xuan wore a fitted black evening gown. She had no makeup on, her face fresh and bare. Tall and shapely, with graceful curves and exquisite, striking features, she had clear, limpid eyes. The unique aura of a Spirit Reader also drew people's attention without fail.

After exchanging a few words with Zhuge Tao, Chen Daolin and Ji Xuan sat in a corner of the courtyard that had been set up for the party, quietly watching the smiling, lively guests chatting around them.

With the keen senses of martial artists and the powerful mental abilities of Spirit Readers, it was easy for them to detect people's emotions and subtle changes in their expressions. In other words, ordinary people could hardly hide their feelings from them. Their muscle tension, blood flow, heart rate, and breathing—all of it could easily be detected by powerful martial artists. It was difficult for ordinary people to keep secrets from them.

After a while, Zhuge Qing called Ji Xuan away. Chen Daolin sat alone in the corner, as still as a statue, conspicuous amid the bustling crowd.

Two elaborately dressed young women stood not far away, sizing Chen Daolin up.

"Xiao Shi, what do you think of that guy?"

"Which one?"

"The short-haired guy in the silver-gray suit, sitting alone in the corner."

"Hmm... He's so-so. Not as good-looking as my third boyfriend."

"Who's talking about looks? I mean his bearing. Don't you think he's got a certain charm?"

"I don't. He's so-so." Xiao Shi was a total beauty fanatic.

If a guy wasn't good-looking, she didn't care about anything else.

"How about we go introduce ourselves? He might have an impressive background."

"Not interested." Xiao Shi said it casually, then her eyes lit up as she spotted a handsome guy walking over alone on the other side. "Xiao Xue, I'm going to have some fun over there. Want to come?"

Xiao Xue hesitated. She had a feeling that the short-haired guy in the silver-gray suit was extraordinary. But with her friend Xiao Shi urging her on—and the fact that the handsome man headed that way really caught her eye—she eventually let herself be coaxed into going along.

Years later, Xiao Xue would think back on that decision and regret it so much she could have kicked herself.

Not many martial artists at the Jiangnan General Hall knew Chen Daolin. He usually lived in Yangzhou City, and the people at the General Hall who knew him were mostly Zhuge Tao, Zhou Yongzheng, and a few others. Even if other martial artists had seen him and knew who he was, they weren't familiar with him. Given his current status, no one dared to approach him casually.

Zhuge Tao did come over to speak with Chen Daolin twice during the party, but both times he was interrupted by something else and hurried away.

Not long after, a faint commotion rose from the courtyard. Chen Daolin stood and saw Zhuge Qing walk out of the villa.

There was no denying that Zhuge Qing looked beautiful that day. Young and naturally lovely, she had dressed with care. Her glossy black hair had been styled into an elegant updo, revealing a long, graceful neck as white as jade. Her snow-white gown perfectly outlined her youthful, graceful figure. Standing there, poised and elegant, she looked as though she had stepped out of a painting, becoming the center of attention.

"What do you think?" Ji Xuan asked. She had appeared beside him at some point, a glass of red wine in her hand.

"She looks fine," Chen Daolin replied tersely.

Fine meant fine. Nothing more.

Zhuge Qing was now studying at Jiangnan First Military Academy. It was said that after her Martial Artist Practical Examination, she had changed her ambitions. She was working very hard at the academy, and since she had entered as a martial artist and her father had connections, her future was all but assured—bright and boundless.

After the party ended, Chen Daolin and Ji Xuan walked out through the Zhuge family's front gate. They saw the two young women get into a man's car and drive off. Ji Xuan asked, "You've been looking over there. Are you jealous?" She had been approached by plenty of men that evening, and it had annoyed her terribly. She had already decided she would avoid parties like this whenever she could. She wasn't the sort of woman who liked dressing up in flashy clothes, exposing herself to the public, and basking in the lustful gazes of men.

Her keen Spirit Reading Power let her see straight through their thoughts. It was hard to feel anything but disgust for them.

Chen Daolin shook his head. "You're reading too much into it."

On the second floor of the villa behind them, Zhuge Qing stood alone by a window in her room. She watched Chen Daolin and Ji Xuan walking away, her gaze turning despondent.