Chen Family Aids the Fight (Seeking Follow-up Reads)

"The Qi Transformation Pill can not only directly replenish internal force, but also increase the capacity of the dantian..."

Zhou Yun pinched the pitch-black, lustrous pill between his fingers. Just holding it in his hand, he could faintly feel his dantian's internal force beginning to stir.

It seemed to be a superior version of the Blood Coagulation Pill, but its efficacy was far beyond comparison. The mere fact that it could expand the dantian's capacity was something the Blood Coagulation Pill could never achieve.

Having depleted his internal force from spear practice, he did not hesitate and swallowed it in one gulp.

The internal force within the pill dissolved in his stomach, transforming into the purest energy that flowed into his dantian without the slightest obstruction.

Previously, the Blood Coagulation Pill only replenished blood and qi, requiring the user to convert it into internal force themselves, whereas the Qi Transformation Pill simplified this process entirely, more than doubling the speed of replenishment.

Not only that, but Zhou Yun also felt that his dantian, which could previously only hold a volume of seven fingers, now showed signs of being able to accommodate eight.

"To be able to increase the dantian's capacity—this is practically changing one's innate talent."

Zhou Yun remembered what Shen Qingxue had told him: for an ordinary Bright Force practitioner, a dantian capacity of seven fingers was considered perfection, at which point one could attempt to break through to the Dark Force realm.

But if he could fill a capacity of eight fingers, his endurance in prolonged combat would be far beyond that of an ordinary peak Bright Force practitioner.

Perhaps, it would even grant him a significant advantage when he eventually attempted to break through to the Dark Force realm.

"Since that is the case, I shall strike while the iron is hot and master it."

Zhou Yun felt his body brimming with strength once more. After a long day of grueling spear practice, he was only a step away from grasping the true form of his spear technique.

Furthermore, the internal force within his body had already reached the thickness of four fingers, and after the replenishment, it showed signs of breaking through the five-finger threshold.

There is no time like the present. Zhou Yun picked up the Black Iron Spear and continued to brandish it in the courtyard.

Pure internal force continuously surged through his limbs, making Zhou Yun feel as though he had inexhaustible strength.

He performed the first rotation of the Thunder Meteor Spear Art for a full hour without a moment's rest.

The spear tip sliced through the air, moving so fast it left afterimages. Its form already carried the momentum of a falling meteor; the heavy spear seemed to possess the weight of a thousand jun, its mere aura enough to make one gasp for air.

Bang!

Zhou Yun slammed the spear into the ground, creating a pit the size of a fist.

"The key to the first rotation of the spear art is momentum!"

Zhou Yun suddenly had an epiphany. In his mind, he no longer viewed the Black Iron Spear as a mere weapon, but as a meteor falling from the heavens, capable of crushing everything beneath it.

No wonder Master Liang had chosen this specific spear for him when he asked for one that suited him; what was required was the ability to suppress others through sheer momentum.

If there are blades in the path ahead, one must simply crush through them!

Bang, bang, bang!

The sound of the spear tearing through the air rang out as it descended continuously.

The Black Iron Spear in Zhou Yun's hands was no longer an external object, but a weapon he could truly wield with ease.

"The first rotation of the Thunder Meteor Spear Art, mastered."

Zhou Yun stood tall with his spear retracted, feeling immensely pleased.

Not only that, but the internal force in his dantian had reached the thickness of five fingers, just one step away from the six-finger perfection of the Bright Force realm.

This first rotation was named Falling Meteor. He should have understood its meaning long ago, but he had been too focused on the speed of the spear's form, neglecting the essence of the heavy spear itself.

"This weight of two hundred and sixty jin suits me quite well."

Zhou Yun weighed the spear in his hand. Ordinary martial artists wouldn't even be able to lift it, let alone hold it with both hands without gasping for breath.

Only those who had reached the Bright Force realm or higher, or martial artists with a solid foundation like Zhou Yun, could wield this heavy spear with such proficiency.

After all, not everyone treats their blood and qi as if it were free; most people keep it carefully stored within their dantian, saving it for higher-level breakthroughs.

"I'm a bit hungry."

Zhou Yun felt a weakness in his limbs and a wave of hunger washing over him—a side effect of high-intensity training that could only be satisfied by food.

Furthermore, his head felt slightly dizzy, and he swayed on his feet.

"The price of wielding a two hundred and sixty jin spear is an accelerated consumption of the body's blood and qi."

Zhou Yun rubbed his stomach and immediately set off toward the inner courtyard's cafeteria.

"Since I feel this hungry after every training session, I should grab a bite before I start next time."

He planned as he walked, his pace quickening until he reached the cafeteria in the blink of an eye.

One benefit of the inner courtyard was that the cafeteria never closed; there were always cooks on rotation, ensuring that inner courtyard disciples could eat hot, meaty meals at any time.

After all, inner courtyard disciples were either gifted with three-form bone structures or were experts in Bright Force; the blood and qi consumed during their training was naturally several times that of outer courtyard disciples, so food was an absolute necessity.

"Master, three jin of stewed beef, make it nice and tender."

Zhou Yun called out immediately.

The cook served the food quickly, and before long, a large basin of hot, tender stewed beef was placed before him.

The aroma of the meat, infused with potent medicinal herbs, wafted toward him. The price remained very reasonable, costing only one guan of currency.

Setting aside the cost of the beef itself, the potent herbs used in the stew were quite expensive in their own right.

Zhou Yun was tucking into his meal with gusto when he saw several inner-court disciples moving in and out of the second floor, a flicker of longing stirring in his heart.

He still remembered the words Liang Chengshi had spoken back then, though he had dismissed the offer to charge meals on a tab upstairs as nothing more than a joke.

While the rare, precious fish and exotic beasts were certainly enticing, he knew better than to incur favors he couldn't easily repay.

"Junior Brother Zhou, what a coincidence?"

Just then, an acquaintance descended from the second floor.

It was Chen Jingping, the man who sponsored Zhou Yun; he appeared to have just finished his own meal as he came down from above.

It's good to have power and influence, Zhou Yun sighed inwardly, though he stood up and cupped his hands in greeting, "Senior Brother Chen, it has been a long time."

"Why is Junior Brother Zhou eating on the first floor? You can usually go upstairs to have some dietary supplements beneficial to martial artists. Since you are a martial artist sponsored by my Chen Clan, you are entitled to a twenty percent discount."

Chen Jingping handed over a Chen Clan Token, looking somewhat apologetic. "It was my fault for forgetting to give this to you last time."

"Many thanks, Senior Brother. I don't pay much mind to food, so please don't let it weigh on your heart."

Zhou Yun spoke politely, but he secretly made up his mind to visit the second-floor canteen next time.

"You are too modest, Junior Brother... but since I've run into you here, it is quite a coincidence."

Chen Jingping smiled faintly and said, "My Chen Clan is going to have a sparring match against the White Phoenix Martial Hall here in Black Stone County, starting tomorrow. Would you be interested in coming to watch?"

"A sparring match? What for?" Zhou Yun asked.

"It concerns some minerals used for forging weapons; you might not be aware of it yet."

Chen Jingping explained, "We martial practitioners have needs across four paths: medicinal pills, dietary supplements, cultivation techniques, and weaponry."

"My Chen Clan happens to be a family from Xiang City that specializes in forging weapons. We want to open a new smithy in Black Stone County, but the mineral vein we require happens to conflict with the territory of the White Phoenix Martial Hall."

"The White Phoenix Martial Hall—that is one of the three major martial halls in Black Stone County, isn't it?"

Zhou Yun was lost in thought, but he couldn't help but frown as he asked, "If there is a conflict, why not just send people to negotiate and resolve it? Why the need for a sparring match?"

"Because the mineral vein my Chen Clan desires happens to lie directly beneath their White Phoenix Martial Hall," Chen Jingping said with a refined smile.