"Origin Qi?"
Ding Chen stared in shock. He had never imagined that Chen Xian had actually succeeded in condensing his acupoints and begun surging origin.
But the Origin Qi rolling off Chen Xian's body... was a little terrifying!
Wang Yan, Qin Fei, Luo Ying, and the others could also tell that Chen Xian had cultivated Origin Qi.
The energy martial artists dreamed of!
Because Origin Qi inflicted tremendous damage upon demons and monsters; it was an important force that restrained them.
With Origin Qi inside one's body, killing lesser demons was like cutting down one with every swing of the blade!
"He's only eighteen, isn't he?" Ding Chen muttered.
Wang Yan and the others nodded. They were all slightly older than Chen Xian.
Ding Chen smiled for once. "A one-in-a-thousand chance. He's very lucky!"
According to statistics, among more than a thousand martial artists in the world seeking to cultivate Origin Qi, only one could succeed.
For a time, Wang Yan, Qin Fei, and the others looked at Chen Xian with immense envy.
"Pass the order down. Everyone is to keep their mouths shut!"
A profound light flickered in Ding Chen's eyes as he spoke in a deep voice.
There was a Surging Origin Realm expert in the Head Chef Army camp. His chances of surviving on the battlefield would be extremely high.
They absolutely could not let the vanguard learn of this and transfer Chen Xian away.
"Yes, sir!"
Wang Yan and the others understood Ding Chen's intentions as well and immediately passed down the order.
At that moment.
Chen Xian withdrew the dark golden flames burning all over his body. Looking down at himself, his gaze could not help going blank for a moment.
His clothes had been burned full of holes, and even his crotch was letting in a draft.
His entire body was blackened, covered in a sticky layer of black impurities that smelled utterly foul.
"Bleurgh...!"
Chen Xian took a sniff and nearly vomited.
When he turned his head and saw Ding Chen staring at him, he smiled awkwardly and hurried off to wash up.
Half an hour later.
Inside the tent.
Chen Xian had changed into a clean, coarse-cloth cook's uniform. His skin was smooth as gold and jade, with a striking texture.
Ding Chen and the other two surrounded him with faces full of amazement. They said nothing, merely stared at him.
Chen Xian grew somewhat uncomfortable beneath their gazes and said, "Everyone has secrets in their hearts. No one should ask anyone else's!"
Ding Chen and the other two froze.
Wang Yan called out, "I'm so pure and innocent. What secrets could I possibly have?"
Chen Xian said, "Why don't you bring toilet paper when you go to the latrine?"
Wang Yan: "...!!"
"Ha ha ha...!"
Seeing Wang Yan's embarrassed state, Ding Chen and Qin Fei could not help laughing.
After a moment, Ding Chen patted Wang Yan's shoulder. "Enough. Let's not ask anymore. In any case, Chen Xian has successfully surged origin. That's a good thing!"
Wang Yan nodded. "That's true... Brother Ding, the gap has gotten a little too wide. We can't afford not to work harder!"
"It is time to work harder!"
Ding Chen nodded and exchanged a glance with Qin Fei. Then the three of them resumed moving their blood.
Chen Xian did not disturb them. Still immersed in the joy of successfully opening his Jade Sea, he sat cross-legged on the bed and began circulating the Greater Celestial Circuit according to the Ox Demon Golden Flame Technique.
After finishing, he glanced at the panel.
"One hundred and five years. This feels amazing!"
Looking at his lifespan, Chen Xian rejoiced inwardly.
Over the next seven days, Chen Xian used all of his remaining 42 Experience Points to raise the Ox Demon Golden Flame Technique, though it remained at beginner level.
His Jade Sea Realm was also at beginner level and did not change.
Yet he could clearly sense that the Origin Qi in his Jade Sea had grown far more abundant.
With no Experience Points left, he circulated the technique himself, absorbing fire-attributed spiritual energy from heaven and earth into his body to condense Origin Qi.
It was extremely slow, but he was in no hurry.
Now that his Jade Sea had been opened, even without Experience Points, he could slowly grind away at it.
During that time, Ding Chen and the others improved extremely quickly and had already reached Blood Moving Minor Accomplishment.
Only Cao Fang and Zhao Yu were slower. Their bodies had now fully recovered, and they had reached Body Refinement Completion, currently attempting to move their blood and qi.
The other disabled soldiers had also more or less recovered. They had originally been in the Blood Moving Realm.
It was simply that, by comparison, their progress could not match that of Ding Chen's group of five.
Besides that.
Ding Chen also instructed everyone to share some Demonic Beast meat from their daily meals with the warhorses.
In three more days, they would head onto the battlefield to fight demons and monsters. If the warhorses lacked stamina, it would be exceedingly dangerous for the soldiers as well.
As for other matters, news that the Ninth Demon Suppression Army had added a hundred-man Head Chef Army had long spread through the camp, drawing ridicule and mockery from countless soldiers.
The Head Chef Army cowered in the rear. What damned use was a cook army?
Instead of properly cooking meals, they were dreaming of taking the battlefield and winning glory?
Were they going there to give away free kills?
If the Demon Army saw them, would they not laugh that the Great Ning Dynasty had no one left?
And all sorts of other grating remarks.
Chen Xian and the others occasionally heard them, but did not care. Every day, they drilled when it was time to drill, practiced when it was time to practice, and rested when it was time to rest.
At the beginning of September.
The autumn wind carried a chill.
Half a month of drills had ended.
After breakfast that day, Liao Zipeng brought three lieutenants and nine chief medics to the Head Chef Army camp.
"This subordinate, Ding Chen, greets Lord Liao!" Ding Chen led the others forward to salute.
Liao Zipeng waved a hand and swept his gaze over everyone. He nodded disdainfully. "Lieutenant Ding, how has the half month of drilling gone?"
Ding Chen straightened, neither servile nor overbearing. "Not bad. Does my lord wish to inspect us?"
Liao Zipeng nodded disdainfully. "Of course!"
"Zhao Tong, go test them!"
Zhao Tong stepped out from behind him. "Yes, sir!"
He walked before the crowd and looked at Ding Chen. His gaze swept over Chen Xian and the others one by one before finally settling on Cao Fang.
"You, step out!"
Ding Chen could not help frowning. In their hundred-man unit, apart from Cao Fang and Zhao Yu, everyone was in the Blood Moving Realm.
Zhao Tong's choice was truly precise. He had specifically picked Cao Fang, who was at Body Refinement Completion.
Cao Fang's face darkened. Just as he hesitated, someone beside him suddenly spoke with a smile. "Old Zhao, Cao Fang's injuries haven't fully healed yet. I'll take his place!"
Wang Yan stepped forward. He was now a chief medic as well, on the same level as Zhao Tong, so he gave the latter no face at all and directly called him Old Zhao.
Zhao Tong stared at Wang Yan, a chill flashing through his eyes.
Previously, Wang Yan had swung a fist at him, only to be kicked flying by him.
Was he trying to get revenge this time?
"Hmph, then it'll be you!"
Zhao Tong snorted coldly. Half a month ago, Wang Yan had still been at Body Refinement Completion. At most, he would now be a Blood Moving Beginner.
Chen Xian and Qin Fei both gave Wang Yan a meaningful look.
Wang Yan understood and smiled, striding over to stand before Zhao Tong.
Zhao Tong snorted. "We can begin now, right?"
Who would have thought that Wang Yan would not answer? With a sudden charge, he smashed toward Zhao Tong.
His fist, roiling with black-red blood and qi, brimmed with an intensely scorching force.
Zhao Tong was startled.
"Blood Moving Minor Accomplishment?"
Bang!
The two fiercely exchanged a punch. Zhao Tong was shaken back four or five steps.
With the advantage in hand, Wang Yan launched a swift assault.
He rained punches and kicks upon Zhao Tong.
Though Zhao Tong was at Blood Moving Great Accomplishment, he could only defend. Seeing everyone laughing at him, he gritted his teeth, roared, and wrapped his arms around Wang Yan's waist. The two lunged forward together, and after crashing to the ground, they grappled in a tangle.
"Let's see you keep acting tough!"
Wang Yan's fists were like iron lumps. Within moments, he had beaten Zhao Tong into screams, his face bruised, nose swollen, and blood spraying from his mouth.
Although Zhao Tong was at Blood Moving Great Accomplishment, he usually cared only for pleasure and had grown lax in his cultivation.
Wang Yan was only at Blood Moving Minor Accomplishment, but he cultivated more than six hours every day and underwent high-intensity body refinement.
This was one reason Zhao Tong could not defeat Wang Yan.
The second was the difference between individuals.
The same technique, cultivated by different people.
Even at the same realm, there could still be different gaps.
That was the issue of talent.
"Ahhh... stop hitting me... I surrender..."
Zhao Tong shielded his head with both arms, letting out screams like a pig being slaughtered.
Liao Zipeng squeezed his brows together, too lazy to even look at him. Zhao Tong was truly making a spectacle of himself.
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