The Abyss and New Life

He hovered his hands over Goku, and soft emerald light emanated from his palms.

The light, like a pure spring of life, slowly seeped into Goku's wounds.

The charred flesh could be seen wriggling and healing little by little, with new granulation tissue growing slowly but steadily.

The Old Kai stood a few steps away, leaning on his ancient scepter.

The wrinkles on his face seemed to deepen with shock.

His eyes were wide open, staring intently at Qi Heng who had suddenly appeared.

He gripped the scepter so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

His lips trembled, and it took him a long time to stammer out a dry sentence, "You... you just... you took that Baby... could it be..."

"Eliminated." Qi Heng replied, his voice as calm as if he were commenting on the nice weather.

He walked forward, the grass rustling softly.

"From his physical existence to his energy core, and then to his soul imprint, everything has been completely erased. He has no chance of resurrection."

Old Kai seemed to have all his strength drained away; his shoulders slumped, and he fell silent.

His expression was complex, a mixture of relief, lingering fear, and an inexplicable sense of awe.

Even the breeze in the Supreme Kai Realm seemed to pause for a moment.

The healing actions of the Shin also stopped, and he looked up at Qi Heng.

His eyes churned with emotions—gratitude, relief, but mostly a accusatory fervor. "Mr. Qi Heng! You... you clearly possess such power, why... why did you have to wait until now? Why did you have to wait until Goku was beaten like this, almost to death, before..."

His voice trembled as his eyes swept over the horrifying wounds on Goku's body, filled with heartache and confusion.

Qi Heng had already approached.

He lowered his head, his golden eyes falling on Goku's face—even unconscious, Goku gritted his teeth and refused to let up.

Qi Heng's gaze was deep, as if it could penetrate flesh and blood to see something more essential.

"Because this is an abyss he must cross." Qi Heng's voice remained calm, yet it carried an undeniable authority. "Without a truly life-or-death situation, without an opponent you can't defeat even after giving your all, your body and soul cannot break through that barrier, nor can you touch the deeper power. Comfortable training cannot forge a true warrior."

At this point, Goku's eyelids, who was lying on the ground, suddenly twitched violently.

His brows were tightly furrowed, as if he were wrestling with the pain inside his body.

Finally, he laboriously and slowly opened his heavy eyelids.

At first, his gaze was unfocused, unable to see clearly. He could only see the blindingly bright sky above, shredded by leaves, and a few blurry figures.

His chapped lips parted slightly, and only weak breaths could be heard from his throat; he couldn't utter a word.

His gaze moved with difficulty, finally settling on Qi Heng's calm face.

"Don't speak." Qi Heng's voice was low and steady, especially clear in the silent air.

He slowly squatted down, his movements exuding authority.

Dust rose gently from the edge of his black boots. He reached into his robes and pulled out a round bean, gleaming with a soft green light— Senzu Bean.

The light wasn't dazzling, but it seemed to contain endless vitality, making it exceptionally bright in the dim environment.

"Eat it."

Kid Goku lay on his back, his chest heaving violently.

Each breath aggravated his wounds, and the blood stained his orange martial arts uniform dark.

He tried to roll his eyes, looking at the Senzu Bean, opened his mouth, and finally managed to open it with difficulty.

Qi Heng put the Senzu Bean into Goku's mouth, and he could feel the faint warmth between Goku's lips with his fingertips.

The Senzu Bean slid down my throat.

In an instant, a warm and powerful life force exploded within Goku's body! Green light shone from beneath his skin, rushing into his limbs and bones like a living thing.

As the light flashed, the deep wound, where flesh had rolled back and bone was visible, emitted a faint "sizzling" sound. The muscle fibers wriggled, intertwined, and healed again, leaving not even a scar.

The broken bones snapped shut inside the body, the misaligned joints healed themselves, and the damaged internal organs were enveloped in green light, quickly becoming as good as new.

The whole process was incredibly fast, yet the details were crystal clear, almost like a miracle.

In less than three seconds, the light faded.

Kid Goku suddenly took a deep breath, like a drowning person surfacing.

He sat up abruptly, his movements fluid and powerful, showing no signs of his near-death state.

He raised his arm in disbelief, clenched his fist, his knuckles cracking, and his strength returned.

He shook his head, his orange-red hair swaying, then looked up at Qi Heng, who was still squatting in front of him, with his clear blue eyes, grinning with energy and gratitude.

Thanks.

Qi Heng then stood up.

The hem of her long black coat swept across the ground with her movements.

He stood ramrod straight, his back to the still-dazed Shin and Old Kai, his voice devoid of emotion, as calm as the cold water of a deep pool.

"No need to thank me," he said calmly, his gaze sweeping past Kid Goku and looking towards the distant starry sky. "I just didn't intend for you to die here. You're still useful."

Kid Goku paused for a moment, then his smile widened, and he even chuckled out loud, scratching the back of his head.

"You're really direct."

He wasn't angry at all; on the contrary, he seemed to have met an interesting person.

Qi Heng ignored those words.

He slowly turned around, leaving only his back view.

A gust of wind blew from somewhere, lifting a few strands of black hair from his forehead, and causing the hem of his clothes to sway.

His profile was sharply defined under the starlight, yet it appeared even colder and more enigmatic.

The silence lasted only a moment.

"Three days from now," Qi Heng said, his voice not loud, but clear enough for everyone to hear, carrying an undeniable tone, "I will help you break through to Super Saiyan 4."

"What?!"

The air seemed to freeze.

Shin's eyes widened, and he almost dropped his scepter.

Old Kai was visibly shaken, his face tightened, and his eyes were filled with disbelief.

If Vegeta were there, he would probably explode with power instantly, and Krillin and the others would probably scream in surprise—but now, all the shocked and bewildered gazes were fixed on Qi Heng's lonely figure.

"Super Saiyan 4?" Kid Goku's eyes lit up instantly, like two flames had been lit.

He stood up abruptly, unable to resist pressing for an answer, his voice brimming with the excitement of a child discovering a new toy. "What's that? Is it stronger than Super Saiyan 3?"

"Much stronger." Qi Heng remained calm, his answer simple yet weighty.

He tilted his head slightly, glancing out of the corner of his eye at the longing and fighting spirit on Kid Goku's face.

"But the prerequisite is," he paused, each word striking a chord, "That you have to be able to endure the process."

Before he could finish speaking, he raised his right hand, index and middle fingers together in front of his forehead.

He performed the movement with ease, yet it carried an inexplicable sense of ritual.

"Three days from now," he said finally, his voice still echoing in the air, "See you in the Supreme Kai Realm."

Buzz--

There was no great commotion, only a bright white light suddenly enveloping him and disappearing instantly.

He vanished in an instant, leaving only lingering ripples in the air and that chilling, powerful aura.

A deathly silence.