8
The cruel truth was like a blunt knife sawing back and forth through his heart. Images of his companions surfaced in his mind. Had they gathered the sixth Dragon Ball yet? And Yiyi... that once-naive girl should be a sophomore in college by now, shouldn't she? Was she doing well? Did she still remember the boy who had once fought by her side?
Anxiety grew like weeds, only to be crushed by a surge of ruthless resolve. Regret was useless. Getting stronger was all that mattered. Since he could not turn back time, he would make up for what he had lost with speed.
He reached into his robes, his fingertips touching a crystal-clear diamond wine bottle. Inside, the Lava Heart Wine radiated a terrifying heat. The dark red liquid churned as though alive, gleaming with a deadly, seductive luster.
"I'll drink it again," Xun Uchiha murmured, his gaze growing feverish. "Last time, just one drop let my God King Vajra Technique break through to the fourth level. If I want to break past the bottleneck of the fifth level, I'll have to increase the dose."
His mind made up, he moved like lightning and plunged back into the deep sea.
In the deep blue waters, Boren Lee sat cross-legged in quiet meditation. Seeing Xun Uchiha rush toward him, he was about to ask what was wrong when Xun said gravely, "Boren Lee, help me break through."
Boren Lee's brows drew tight. His gaze fell on the dangerous bottle of Fireheart Wine, and he said urgently, "No! Last time, you took just one mouthful, and I spent a month treating you before your meridians stabilized. If you drink too much this time, the consequences will be unthinkable!"
"I don't care!" Xun Uchiha's voice carried through the seawater, filled with