Journey to Star Dou Forest

"Thank you, Master!"

Lu Chen's eyes lit up as he grinned. "But don't worry, Master. I'm only temporarily fusing these Soul Bones. I'll return them once I've absorbed my Soul Ring."

"You brat, why are you being so polite with me?"

Du Busi waved his hand impatiently. "Just use these Soul Bones. The important thing is raising your combat strength."

However, Lu Chen shook his head and explained helplessly, "Master, I've always fought by trading injury for injury. Losing an arm or a leg is nothing unusual.

"If I absorbed these precious Soul Bones and started holding back in battle, wouldn't I become a delivery boy?"

With that, he did not wait for Du Busi's response and immediately began fusing the Soul Bones.

One Soul Bone after another entered his body, and Lu Chen could clearly feel his physical strength soaring at an incredible rate.

Although the improvement from limb bones was not as significant as that of a torso bone, all four were high-quality Soul Bones at the fifty-thousand-year level.

Their combined effects forcefully pushed his physical body to a new peak.

At the same time, his spiritual power successfully broke through to the Spirit Connection Realm.

A moment later, Lu Chen let out a long breath and slowly opened his eyes, a sharp gleam flashing within them.

"I feel terrifyingly strong right now!"

As soon as he spoke, Lu Chen's gaze swept toward a massive, solid boulder nearby, two meters tall and one meter thick.

He slowly stepped forward, and a golden giant rose from the ground behind him.

The giant's right fist slowly clenched.

A ring of crimson steam suddenly boiled around his body.

Its aura was terrifying.

"What is that guy doing?"

In the distance, Long Aotian had just changed clothes and was preparing to secretly cultivate when he saw a crowd gathered around Lu Chen in the training ground. He was immediately puzzled.

Du Busi, Guan Yi, and Elder Luo Wei all watched with anticipation in their eyes.

They were curious just how far Lu Chen's strength had reached.

Standing before the boulder, Lu Chen's gaze suddenly sharpened. His furious roar exploded across the training ground:

"Heartburst Liberation Fist!"

He threw a punch!

In that instant, space itself seemed to freeze.

The massive boulder before him instantly exploded beneath his iron fist.

Countless fragments of stone scattered in every direction.

Only then did a deafening explosion crash into everyone's ears like thunder.

That punch had been so fast that even the sound lagged half a beat behind.

It was as though a cannonball had suddenly exploded in midair, airwaves rolling as shockwaves raged.

Within five meters of Lu Chen, the ground instantly became a vacuum zone, leaving not even a blade of grass behind.

The nearby disciples were forced back again and again by the blast, stumbling with horror written across their faces.

The entire training ground fell deathly silent.

"S-So strong!"

Long Aotian's pupils contracted as he stared at the ruin-like scene before him and at Lu Chen standing in its center.

The shock in his heart was beyond words.

Such a terrifying strike had come from the hands of a Soul Scholar?

He was both stunned and bewildered. Didn't I only leave for half an hour? What the hell did this guy do?

Vina, Tang Ya, and the others were even more dumbfounded.

They could only stare blankly ahead, their minds utterly empty.

Chen Lü swallowed and muttered, "The Young Sect Master's punch... it may have already surpassed a Soul Ancestor, right?!"

A Soul Ancestor-level disciple's pupils shrank as he said bitterly:

"Though I hate to admit it... I can't take the Young Sect Master's punch."

Elders Luo Wei and Guan Yi had seen much of the world, yet even they were completely shaken by that attack and could not speak for a long time.

Du Busi was so excited that he could barely contain himself.

The muscles on his face twitched.

His eyes were full of fervor and satisfaction.

This was his disciple, a genius seen once in ten thousand years!

Lu Chen looked down at the shattered stones beneath his feet, and even he was startled by this power.

"So this is what it feels like to be a pay-to-win whale? Terrifying indeed!"

Although this punch was the absolute limit of his full strength, its power was enough to kill a Soul King expert!

One had to know that the higher a Soul Master's level, the stronger they became.

A level-fifty Soul King already possessed a Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Ring, yet they still could not withstand the force of his punch.

Of course, those absurdly gifted cheaters did not count.

"Alright, everyone, disperse and return to your cultivation."

Du Busi swept his gaze across the crowd and said solemnly, "What happened today is not to be spread outside. Otherwise, bear the consequences yourselves!"

The reason he had allowed Lu Chen to absorb Soul Bones and display his strength in the training ground was so the sect's disciples could witness the Young Sect Master's terrifying power firsthand.

It would add even more fuel to Lu Chen's prestige.

With such a heaven-defying Young Sect Master, the Body Sect's future would surely be limitless.

The next day, at the entrance of the Body Sect!

A burly youth leaned against the gateframe, his face wearing an obvious bitter expression.

It was Long Aotian, who had been waiting for quite some time.

Lu Chen approached the gate with Tang Ya and immediately spotted him looking like that.

When Long Aotian saw Lu Chen, he deliberately turned his face away with a sharp motion.

Clearly, he was still brooding over everyone seeing his red underwear yesterday.

"Well, if it isn't Senior Brother Ao Tian?"

Lu Chen walked over with a smile, his tone carrying a hint of teasing.

Long Aotian glanced at him, snorted through his nose, then turned his head away again, with no intention of speaking to him.

Seeing that, Lu Chen stepped forward and hooked an arm around his shoulders, laughing.

"So what if people saw your red underwear? What's the big deal?

"You're not a woman. At worst, I'll let you see mine tonight too. Then we'll be even, alright?"

Several dark lines instantly appeared on Long Aotian's forehead. He gritted his teeth and said, "I'm a normal man!"

"What the hell? Who said I'm not normal?"

Lu Chen immediately retorted. Then he narrowed his eyes and feigned helplessness. "Alright, alright, stop dragging this out.

"At worst, I'll teach you the Whirlwind Iron-Cleaving Fist. Is that good enough?"

Long Aotian's eyes instantly lit up like lightbulbs, and he abruptly turned to look at Lu Chen.

Even his voice rose in excitement. "Really? You're not lying to me?"

"Damn it..."

Lu Chen was speechless and deliberately turned away from him.

"Young Sect Master! Brother Lu!"

Long Aotian hurriedly moved closer, his tone urgent. "When are you teaching me that Iron-Cleaving Fist? I have time right now. I can learn whenever!"

Lu Chen glanced at him and said calmly, "Do you know what you look like right now?"

Long Aotian paused. "Like what?"

"Like a simp."

A wicked smile curled across Lu Chen's lips as he mocked him without mercy.

"Brother Lu, you!"

Long Aotian was instantly furious, but he could not bear to lash out.

After all, he was still waiting to learn the fist technique.

Tang Ya watched the two bicker from the side and finally could not help laughing out loud, her eyes curving into crescents.

This was probably the joy between men.

No matter how embarrassing things got, as long as they were casually coaxed and given a little sweetness, their previous conflicts could instantly be thrown to the back of their minds.

"Alright, stop fooling around. It's time for us to set off."

At that moment, a gentle female voice rang out.

A beautiful woman, still full of mature charm, slowly walked over. It was the Fourth Elder, Luo Wei.

She wore a neat, fitted purple combat outfit.

It did not diminish an elder's dignity, yet it also highlighted the allure of a mature woman.

When Lu Chen saw her, he was immediately surprised. "Why is it the Fourth Elder? Where's my master?"

Luo Wei smiled and explained, "The Sect Master took some people to the Sun Moon Empire to procure the spiritual herbs you need for your second awakening."

The corner of Lu Chen's mouth twitched slightly.

What procurement? He was obviously going there for a zero-cost shopping spree!

Only his master could make robbing people sound so righteous.

"Aunt Luo!"

Long Aotian immediately put away his joking demeanor and greeted her respectfully.

"Greetings, Fourth Elder!" Tang Ya also hurriedly bowed.

Luo Wei nodded at Long Aotian, then looked at Tang Ya with a gentle smile.

"Calling me Fourth Elder is too distant. From now on, call me Aunt Luo along with Ao Tian."

"Alright, Aunt Luo!"

Tang Ya's eyes brightened, and she obediently bowed again.

Luo Wei looked over the three of them and said seriously, "Our destination this time is Star Dou Forest.

"Ao Tian needs to obtain his third Soul Ring. Lu Chen, yours will be your first Soul Ring. As for Xiao Ya..."

She looked at Tang Ya, curiosity in her eyes. "You don't need a Soul Ring for now, so stay by my side."

With that, Luo Wei took the lead. "Let's go. The sooner we leave, the sooner we return."

The three hurriedly followed after her.

Lu Chen had specifically brought Tang Ya along this time because he wanted her Dark Blue Silver Grass to awaken completely.

Once they returned from Star Dou Forest, they could make a detour to Heaven Dou City and wipe out the Iron Blood Sect.

It was time to avenge Uncle Tang and Aunt Tang!