Body Tempering Fourth Stage and an Uninvited Guest

Black Wind Mountain Range, inner region.

Compared to the outer region, the trees here were taller and denser, blotting out the sky and sun. Even sunlight struggled to penetrate.

The air was thick with a dangerous, oppressive aura.

Low beastly roars drifted from the depths of the forest from time to time, sending chills down one's spine.

Chen Chen's figure streaked through the woods like a wisp of blue smoke.

He had cultivated the Seven Shadows Step to the minor mastery stage. With every step, a faint afterimage lingered behind him, and his speed was astonishing.

Over the past few days, he had not rushed to leave. Instead, he had launched a frenzied hunt through this inner region.

He needed battle to stabilize his rapidly rising cultivation.

He needed to temper his martial techniques.

And even more, he needed... those final 40 Cultivation Points!

"Roar!"

A nearly three-meter-tall second-tier demonic beast—the Earth-Splitting Bear, its body covered in rock-like muscles—charged at him with a roar.

Its enormous bear paw carried a gale fierce enough to tear through the air, capable of shattering gold and stone alike.

If Chen Chen had encountered a demonic beast of this level a few days ago, he would have turned and fled without the slightest hesitation.

But now...

Battle intent blazed in his eyes. Rather than retreat, he advanced!

"Good timing!"

With a shift in his footwork, his body traced a bizarre arc, narrowly evading the Earth-Splitting Bear's pounce.

At the same time, the Steel Blade in his hand, infused with all the blood and vitality of the Body Tempering Third Stage, flashed like black lightning as it viciously slashed toward the Earth-Splitting Bear's relatively vulnerable armpit!

"Pfft!"

The blade sank into flesh, and blood sprayed out.

Pain enraged the Earth-Splitting Bear, and it let out an even more violent roar before turning and swatting at him.

But Chen Chen had already borrowed the momentum to flee, appearing several meters behind it.

He had no intention of clashing head-on with this demonic beast of terrifying strength. Instead, he used the movement advantage of the Seven Shadows Step to circle it constantly, searching for an opening.

Like the finest bullfighter, he left wound after bone-deep wound across the Earth-Splitting Bear's body.

A quarter of an hour later.

This once-unrivaled second-tier demonic beast finally crashed to the ground from excessive blood loss.

[ Ding! Killed second-tier demonic beast Earth-Splitting Bear. Cultivation Points +20! ]

Chen Chen panted heavily as he watched the changing number on the system panel, a faint smile appearing on his face.

[ Cultivation Points: 60 ]

"Just the last 20 points!"

His gaze burned as he looked deeper into the forest.

After another half hour of searching, he finally found a lone second-tier demonic beast—a Sabertooth Tiger.

After a fierce battle, Chen Chen paid the price of a few minor injuries and successfully slew it beneath his blade.

[ Ding! Killed second-tier demonic beast Sabertooth Tiger. Cultivation Points +20! ]

[ Cultivation Points: 80 ]

"Enough!"

Chen Chen was ecstatic.

He immediately found a secluded mountain ravine, sat cross-legged, and impatiently issued an order to the system.

"Break through! Body Tempering Fourth Stage!"

[ Consuming 80 Cultivation Points. Beginning breakthrough to the Body Tempering Fourth Stage... ]

Boom!

An energy even more vast and majestic than the one from his breakthrough to the third stage detonated completely within his body!

His body seemed to become a bottomless vortex, madly devouring that energy.

His blood and vitality surged through his meridians, producing a thunderous roar like raging rivers.

His bones, muscles, and internal organs all underwent deep transformations and reinforcement beneath the washing force of that energy.

This breakthrough lasted a full hour.

When Chen Chen opened his eyes again, lightning seemed to flicker within them.

His entire temperament had undergone an earth-shaking transformation.

If he had still carried a trace of youthful immaturity before—

Then now, he was like a peerless treasured blade drawn from its sheath, its edge fully revealed, brimming with sharpness and tyranny.

Body Tempering Fourth Stage!

He clenched his fist, sensing the explosive power within him, and a satisfied smile appeared on his face.

He had absolute confidence that if he faced someone like Wang Lie again, he would not even need to use a martial technique. With strength alone, he could crush him!

[ Name: Chen Chen ]

[ Realm: Body Tempering Fourth Stage ]

[ Cultivation Technique: None ]

[ Martial Techniques: Cloak Axe Technique (Minor Mastery), Seven Shadows Step (Minor Mastery) ]

[ Cultivation Points: 0 ]

"It's time to return to Qingyang City."

Chen Chen rose to his feet and gazed toward Qingyang City in the distance, his eyes icy cold.

Wang Family, were you ready to receive my wrath?

He did not set out immediately. Instead, he first tended to his wounds and restored himself to peak condition.

Even a lion used its full strength to hunt a rabbit.

He would not give the Wang Family any chance to turn the tables.

However, just as he was preparing to leave the ravine, his ears suddenly twitched.

He heard... footsteps.

And there was more than one.

They were rapidly approaching from his direction!

Chen Chen's expression instantly hardened.

He immediately concealed his aura. With a flash, he ducked behind an enormous boulder, revealing only his eyes as he watched warily.

Very soon, three figures entered his sight.

At their head was a woman dressed in a moon-white gown, her face veiled by a light gauze.

Her figure was graceful and her bearing otherworldly. Even though her features could not be seen clearly, one could still sense the icy aloofness that kept others a thousand miles away.

Chen Chen could not see through her cultivation at all!

It was as though she were merely an ordinary mortal.

But Chen Chen knew very well that this was impossible!

How could someone capable of venturing into the inner region of the Black Wind Mountain Range possibly be an ordinary mortal?

The only explanation was that her cultivation had far surpassed the limits of what he could perceive!

At the very least, she was in the late Body Tempering Realm—or perhaps even higher!

Two elders followed behind the woman.

One wore a grey robe, while the other wore a black robe.

The temples of both elders bulged high, their auras as steady as mountains. Whenever their eyes opened and closed, sharp light flashed forth.

Their cultivations were both at the Sixth Level of Body Tempering!

"Miss, according to the map, that Ice Spirit Grass should be nearby." The Grey-robed Elder respectfully said to the White-robed Woman.

"Mm." The White-robed Woman merely responded faintly. Her voice was cool and clear as spring water, while her veiled eyes carefully swept over the ravine.

Very soon, her gaze settled on a small plant growing from a crack in the rocks deep within the ravine. Its entire body was crystal-clear as jade, radiating a faint chill.

"Found it."

A trace of delight flashed through the White-robed Woman's eyes. Her lotus steps shifted lightly as she prepared to go forward and pick it.

"Miss, be careful!"

The Black-robed Elder's expression suddenly changed. In a flash, he positioned himself in front of the woman, his gaze like lightning as it shot toward the side of the Ice Spirit Grass.

Within the shadows of the rock crevice, a tiny snow-white snake no thicker than a thumb had raised its head and flicked its tongue. Its ruby-like eyes stared fixedly at them.

"A peak second-tier demonic beast, the Snow Jade Snake!" the Grey-robed Elder said solemnly. "This snake is incredibly venomous and extremely fast. It is the guardian beast that accompanies the Ice Spirit Grass."

"No matter."

The White-robed Woman's tone was indifferent, as though she did not consider this peak second-tier demonic beast worthy of notice.

She extended a slender jade finger, and a grain-of-rice-sized ice crystal unexpectedly condensed at its tip.

"Go."

Her crimson lips parted softly.

That speck of ice transformed into a white streak and instantly struck the Snow Jade Snake seven inches below its head at a speed too fast for the naked eye to follow.

"Hiss!"

The Snow Jade Snake's body suddenly stiffened.

A visible layer of frost rapidly spread from the point seven inches below its head throughout its entire body.

In less than a breath, this savage venomous snake had turned into a translucent ice sculpture, utterly devoid of life.

Behind the boulder, Chen Chen's pupils contracted to their limit!

Releasing true qi beyond the body!

Condensing qi into ice!

This... this was not something a Body Tempering Realm martial artist could do!

This was...

The Qi Condensation Realm!

Or perhaps an expert of an even higher realm!