Skill Advancement, The Second Qi and Blood Barrier!

[You have consumed the flesh and blood of a Tier 6 Ferocious Beast—Earth Scale Python...]

[Skill "Efficient Absorption" proficiency +100!]

[Skill "Qi Nurturing Foundation Art" proficiency +100!]

[Ding! Detected that the skill 'Qi Nurturing Foundation Art' has reached maximum proficiency. Foundation perfected, essence and energy unified. Automatically promoted to—Hundred Bones Body Forging Technique (Entry)!]

[Ding! Detected that the skill 'Efficient Absorption' has reached maximum proficiency. First glimpse into the Dao of Devouring attained. Automatically promoted to—Refining All Things (Entry)!]

[Hundred Bones Body Forging Technique]: A superior body-refining technique that works from the skin, flesh, tendons, and bones, moving from the outside in to penetrate deep into the level of the internal organs.

[Refining All Things]: Your means of acquiring energy will no longer be limited to food; all things between heaven and earth can be refined. Furthermore, energy conversion and absorption efficiency are increased by 100%!

The system notifications in his mind were like a rapid drumbeat, signaling a qualitative leap for his two core skills!

Just as Chen Yan was devouring frantically within its belly, triggering his own breakthrough...

Outside, the Earth Scale Python was experiencing the most painful and desperate moment of its life.

Its massive body convulsed violently as its internal organs were torn apart and its core essence blood was forcibly extracted.

The tough vitality it had once been so proud of had now become a slow, agonizing torture.

It could clearly feel that tiny yet terrifying existence...

Gnawing away at its foundation, bit by bit, from within its most vulnerable depths!

It tried to mobilize its blood energy to strike back, to crush the intruder.

But its internal blood energy was already in retrograde, its power surging chaotically.

It could not organize an effective counterattack at all.

Its violent hissing gradually faded into weak, sorrowful whimpers, the ferocity and murderous glint in its vertical pupils replaced by immense pain and the blankness of a spirit about to be extinguished.

It had rampaged through these ruins, survived a night of bloody battles, devoured countless opponents, and stood only a single step away from the even stronger Tier 6 realm...

Carrying endless unwillingness and the deep regret of failing to ascend to a higher level, the Earth Scale Python's flame of life was completely extinguished.

Its massive, uncontrolled body finally stopped convulsing and collapsed stiffly onto the ruins.

As its vital signs vanished completely, the massive, masterless blood energy remaining within its body lost its cohesion...

It began to dissipate rapidly, merging into the surrounding air, and soon vanished without a trace, as if it had never existed at all.

At this moment, within the remains of the snake's belly, Chen Yan finally ceased his frantic devouring.

He rubbed his slightly sore jaw and couldn't help but grumble:

"This snake meat... is way too chewy."

Despite the complaint, his heart was filled with pleasant surprise.

The Earth Scale Python's flesh and blood were not only tough, but the energy contained within was also pure and vast, far exceeding anything he had absorbed before.

The [Refining All Things] skill was already showing its power!

It efficiently converted this pure blood energy and life essence into fuel for his own growth.

"If I could eat this grade of ferocious beast meat every day..." Chen Yan looked at the still-abundant "stockpile" around him, a flicker of heat in his eyes, "the speed of my advancement would definitely jump up by one, no, several levels!"

[Detected that the host's cultivation has reached Amateur Rank 9! Commencing breakthrough of the second blood energy barrier for you!]

"What? Wait..."

Chen Yan, inside the snake's belly, hadn't even had time to fully process his new skills and surging power before an even more violent change descended!

He felt his entire body's blood energy like boiling water, surging, compressing, and undergoing a qualitative change beyond his control!

Every pore on his body snapped shut.

Massive blood energy, mixed with the freshly absorbed and not-yet-fully-refined essence of the Earth Scale Python, along with the newly born tempering force, erupted violently from within his body!

It instantly condensed outside his skin into a dense, impenetrable, blood-red cocoon!

The cocoon shell looked soft but was exceptionally tough, completely wrapping Chen Yan's avatar inside and isolating it from the outside world.

He couldn't even transmit a single thought; in an instant, he lost all consciousness and fell into the deepest state of metamorphosis.

Meanwhile, in Jiang City, at the Mechanical Kindergarten.

"Oh no!"

Chen Xiaoyan, who was diligently doodling with crayons during art class, suddenly stiffened, the hand holding his pen freezing in place.

His small body shuddered violently without warning, and then his eyes closed.

Like a puppet with its strings cut, he slid straight off his little chair and collapsed onto the floor with a "thud," completely unconscious.

Yu Qingmeng, sitting next to him, was the first to notice.

The little girl blinked her large eyes at first, thinking Brother Xiaoyan was playing some new, fun prank to tease her.

She reached out a small finger and poked Chen Yan's soft cheek, whispering:

"Brother Xiaoyan? Wake up, the floor is cold."

There was no reaction at all.

She pushed him harder, "Brother Chen Xiaoyan? Stop sleeping!"

Chen Xiaoyan remained motionless, his breathing so faint it was almost imperceptible.

Yu Qingmeng truly panicked now; the face that usually radiated spirit instantly drained of color, turning frighteningly pale.

Children in this era of high martial arts had long been exposed to the concept of "death" through books and television, but those were merely distant words and images, never truly touching their own lives.

Now, witnessing it with her own eyes, the little girl was completely thrown into disarray, her heart hammering against her ribs.

She sprang up from her seat, her voice thick with a clear, tearful tremor as she shrieked toward the hallway:

"Teacher Li! Teacher Li! Something's wrong!"

"Chen Xiaoyan... Chen Xiaoyan fainted! I can't wake him up no matter how I call him!"

The surrounding children had already been drawn by the commotion, and upon hearing this, they were all startled, craning their necks to look.

A few of the timid ones, infected by Yu Qingmeng's anxious, tearful state, felt their own eyes redden and began to sob as well.

Within the crowd, Zichen quietly poked his head out, his gaze fixed on Yu Qingmeng, momentarily dazed.

How is it that even when Little Meng cries, she looks so beautiful?

Teacher Li was in the office, leisurely drawing water to prepare some tea.

At the sound of that terrified cry, her heart skipped a beat.

Her hand jerked, and the hot water she had just drawn splashed out, soaking her clothes, yet she didn't even notice.

She dropped her cup and rushed into the classroom. Seeing Chen Yan lying motionless on the floor, her head buzzed, and cold sweat broke out instantly!

Every child here had a background that was far from simple; they were either wealthy or influential!

If any child were to suffer some mishap under her watch, not only would this well-paying job be lost, but it was hard to say if she would even escape being held accountable later!

She forced herself to stay calm, quickly recalling...

When Du Qionghua enrolled him, she had explicitly stated that Chen Yan was in good health and had no history of congenital diseases!

"School doctor! Call the school doctor!"

While shouting at the childcare worker who had rushed over at the sound, she pulled out her communicator with trembling hands and dialed Du Qionghua's number immediately.

"Hello, is this Teacher Li from the kindergarten? What's the matter?"

The moment the call connected, Teacher Li's voice was filled with irrepressible panic:

"Hello... yes, is this Chen Yan's mother?"

"Please, please don't panic, listen to me... Chen Yan... he's at the kindergarten, he suddenly fainted..."