Meng Chen: Why Was My Whole Body Aching?

"Ow... what the hell did I do...?"

When Meng Chen woke up, he felt utterly weak, with his waist and back aching all over—especially around his lower back.

It felt like back in his previous life, when he had worked the fields in his rural hometown. Meng Chen was like a young ox dragging a massive millstone instead of a plow, huffing and puffing as he tilled a hundred acres without stopping.

Meng Chen opened his eyes and stared blankly at the ceiling for a long while. He had no idea how he had gotten back into bed. His mind was a muddle, utterly chaotic.

He only remembered being too greedy, then the Dragon Blood erupting and setting his blood ablaze with desire...

Everything after that was gone. All that remained were scattered, disjointed images: enormous white mountains collapsing and burying him, only for the scene to shift and find him wandering through a meadow, pink petals drifting from the sky and falling into his mouth, soft, sweet, and fragrant...

He also seemed to have become Chenxiang, splitting a mountain to save his mother. Yet after he cleaved the mountain open and entered it, he could not find the Third Holy Mother anywhere. Anxious, he kept searching in and out of the mountain, calling for his mother as he looked...

They were all abstract scenes brimming with symbolism, leaving him thoroughly confused.

Maybe the Dragon Blood had rushed to his brain and scrambled his consciousness?

Meng Chen mocked himself.

Supporting himself against the bed, he sat up and looked down, only to find that he was still naked. The three Sun Python Markings on his body had vanished, replaced by five golden Blazing Sun Flood Dragon Markings.

Each was more solid and lifelike than the Sun Python Markings had been, like five miniature flood dragons quietly lying dormant across his body.

He had clearly broken through successfully. His blood and vitality surged powerfully through his body, and the Blazing Sun Flood Dragon Markings formed from them even carried a trace of genuine flood dragon might.

It just did not have that same sensation of an enraged dragon raising its head as when he had broken through before.

I succeeded?

Meng Chen clenched his fists. Though his physical condition was poor, the sense of power flowing back to him was stronger than ever. Every muscle fiber was like steel wire, capable of withstanding force measured in tons.

Beyond his formidable body, he could also feel incomparably vast battle qi churning within him, more than a hundred times greater than before. Meng Chen even discovered that he could release battle qi outside his body and condense it into a pair of wings.

Battle King.

Three-Star Battle King.

The unprecedented feeling of power left Meng Chen almost lightheaded. This time, he had crossed three major realms in one leap, soaring from Battle Master to Battle King. If he could do it again...

Meng Chen hurriedly stopped himself. This time, he had practically taken a trip through the gates of hell. He had never expected the Dragon Blood to become so terrifying when overused.

But how had he recovered in the first place?

At that thought, Meng Chen instinctively looked around, only then noticing a mature, alluring figure sitting beside him, seemingly lost in a daze.

Qing Yanjing had never imagined that she would ultimately take this step. What was she supposed to do now?

"Aunt Qing?"

Meng Chen called out, and Qing Yanjing snapped back to her senses as if waking from a dream.

"You're awake?" Qing Yanjing lowered her eyes and did not look at Meng Chen. "How do you feel?"

The moment Meng Chen heard that, his attention was immediately diverted. Puzzled, he asked, "Aunt Qing, how did I manage to break through? What happened after I passed out?"

Qing Yanjing did not answer directly. Instead, she seemed to imply something as she asked, "You... don't remember anything?"

Meng Chen gave a bitter smile. "I don't. My waist just hurts badly. It feels like something pressed on me."

Qing Yanjing's entire body trembled at his words, but she quickly calmed herself and reproached him, "It was because you insisted on doing it. You used too much Dragon Blood, and your meridians nearly collapsed. I used a secret technique to help guide and refine it, barely saving your life. This breakthrough was simply a blessing in disguise."

Meng Chen finally understood. If that was the case, then if he kept using that secret technique, would he not be able to keep breaking through rapidly?

Using a secret technique once felt great; using it forever would feel great forever!

But Qing Yanjing warned him next, "Although your realm has risen, your foundation is likely still unstable. You should enter seclusion and stabilize it properly. You cannot blindly pursue speed. Besides, that secret technique... consumes too much. It can only be used once."

Meng Chen could not help feeling disappointed, but he still said apologetically, "Thank you, Aunt Qing. I was too reckless this time. I won't be so impatient again."

Only then did Qing Yanjing nod in satisfaction. "Then go into seclusion and cultivate properly. I also need to... recover for a while. This time took too much out of me."

But just as Qing Yanjing stood up, her body suddenly swayed and her face turned pale. She nearly collapsed, saved only because Meng Chen quickly rose and caught her.

"Aunt Qing! What's wrong?"

Meng Chen asked worriedly.

Qing Yanjing's face was flushed red. The pain between her buttocks was unbearable, but even more frightening was the masculine aura emanating from Meng Chen, which stirred every memory within her.

"Hah... it's nothing. The secret technique consumed a little too much. I'll be fine after resting."

Meng Chen furrowed his brow, unable to stop himself from blaming his own greed for dragging Qing Yanjing into this.

Seeing the pallor on her face, Meng Chen said with heartache, "I'm sorry, Aunt Qing. It's all my fault."

Seeing the pained expression on Meng Chen's face, Qing Yanjing felt warmth in her heart. She said gently, "There's no need to apologize. Cultivate well and strive to ascend to the Great Thousand World soon, to purge the Extraterritorial Evil Clan. I'll recover after a few days of rest, so don't worry."

Hearing Qing Yanjing's words, Meng Chen felt even more certain that his greed had burdened her. He had no other thoughts at all.

He was still filled with guilt toward Qing Yanjing, unaware that she had given far more than he imagined—and that she had put on her skirt and refused to acknowledge him.

Qing Yanjing did not want Meng Chen to keep dwelling on the matter, lest he notice something was wrong. She took out the jade bottle containing the Blood Lotus Pill and handed it to him, changing the subject.

"Alright. Now that your cultivation has improved, it's time to refine this Heavenly Flame, isn't it?"

Meng Chen's attention immediately shifted. Taking the jade bottle, he poured out the Blood Lotus Pill, which was the size of a dragon's eye.

Seeing this, Qing Yanjing took out the green lotus.

Within the green lotus was a slender flame, yet it possessed the terrifying power to burn everything to ashes.

Using soul power, Qing Yanjing separated the lotus pedestal from the Green Lotus Core Flame. The instant the Green Lotus Core Flame separated from its pedestal—

The tiny wisp of flame abruptly swelled into a blazing mass. Terrifying heat burst forth, rapidly raising the temperature of the entire room until it became like an oven.

Had Qing Yanjing not wrapped the entire residence in spiritual power beforehand, the house Meng Chen had spent fifty thousand gold coins on would have been reduced to scorched earth in an instant.

Holy shit!

The terrifying power of the Heavenly Flame made Meng Chen a little apprehensive. After all, he had just experienced a life-threatening crisis caused by greed, and he had no choice but to proceed cautiously.

He remembered that in the original story, one refined the Heavenly Flame while sitting atop the green lotus.

Taking the advice, Meng Chen sat down on the lotus pedestal and swallowed the Blood Lotus Pill.

The pill melted as soon as it entered his mouth. A cold medicinal force traveled down his throat to his dantian, then began seeping through his extraordinary meridians, eight channels, limbs, bones, and every part of his body, all the way to his skin.

Threads of dark red liquid seeped out from Meng Chen's pores like blood, dyeing his entire body crimson.

After enveloping Meng Chen, the crimson liquid began to solidify, forming a protective layer that sealed him safely inside.