Autumn passed and winter arrived. The north wind howled, its chill as sharp as knives.
Even inside the house, one could still feel the biting air sweeping through.
I’ve fully recovered!
At this moment, Wen Zhixing was bare-chested, revealing an exceptionally robust physique.
Large beads of sweat covered his heated body, turning into a white mist that enshrouded him.
His arms lifted slightly, and within those rock-hard muscles, it seemed as though formidable strength was harbored.
This second nirvana had directly tempered Wen Zhixing’s muscles, greatly enhancing his strength.
He was now brimming with vigor.
He even longed to find someone to battle for dozens of rounds.
With this strength, do I now have some means of self-protection?
Wen Zhixing clenched his fist, his face alight with excitement.
However, this expression only lasted for a moment before it fell.
Self-protection? Hardly. If I run into Si Nanyan again, I’ll still be pinned beneath her.
He recognized the reality.
To turn the tables and become the Master... I still have a long way to go.
But beating up Zhang Tiancheng... that shouldn’t be a problem.
Wen Zhixing rubbed his hands together, his joints cracking.
Zhang Tiancheng had only just stepped into the Qi Movement Realm, with paltry Spiritual Qi available for use within his body.
Moreover, he had entered the Qi Movement Realm at the Third Level of Shedding Mortal.
Though it was the Third Level of Shedding Mortal, it was still far inferior compared to Wen Zhixing’s Second Level of Shedding Mortal.
His foundation was extremely weak.
With his brute strength, beating up Zhang Tiancheng would be as easy as pie.
What a pity, there’s no opportunity.
Wen Zhixing harbored some grudges.
Zhang Tiancheng had not been friendly to him from the start and had even threatened him.
Recently, he had even taken some elixirs from him again.
That showed Zhang Tiancheng was not a good person.
Ordinarily, he must have exploited some other furnaces’ elixirs too.
The affairs of others were not his concern, but he would eventually settle his own accounts.
Forget it, I still need to ’rest’ now.
Wen Zhixing shook his head, no longer letting his thoughts wander.
His recovery rate was already very fast. It couldn’t get any faster.
Si Nanyan had already taken great interest in him. If he pushed harder, where would that leave him?
How would I plan an escape in the future?
Hence, he still needed time to "rest."
It was just unfortunate that by spending all his days in this place, he had lost the chance to obtain the Fortune Fragment.
Years of solving problems had bestowed Wen Zhixing with immense patience.
This period could be well utilized to cultivate the Blood Escape Skill—this secret skill—until he achieved complete mastery.
「Three more days passed.」
Wen Zhixing secluded himself within his room.
Because he was cultivating the Blood Escape Skill, his aura remained in a weakened state.
Even if someone came to check on him, nothing seemed amiss.
Wen Zhixing stood emotionless on the ground. It’s truly not easy to get started with this Blood Escape Skill.
Normally, for a cultivator to use techniques freely, entering the Mysterious Might Realm is required. Only with a clear soul platform and a strong enough divine soul can one cast techniques. The Blood Escape Skill is a rare secret skill that can be used at any realm. But for that reason, it is hard to grasp and even harder to control.
One careless moment, and all the essence blood would burst out of the body, posing extreme danger.
Over the past several days of cultivating this Blood Escape Skill, he had truly gone through hardships.
Each attempt to practice resulted in the loss of a considerable amount of essence blood.
Fortunately, after two nirvanas, his constitution was already far from ordinary.
His recovery speed, in particular, was incredible. Even Wen Zhixing himself found it unbelievable.
This was his capital.
Let’s try again, Wen Zhixing pondered briefly and once more set the Blood Escape Skill in motion.
He was so close to the threshold of mastery.
Every attempt these past few days had been just a hair’s breadth away.
A large, wide palm slowly lifted. A hint of crimson emerged from between his fingers, followed quickly by a surge of blood mist. f.r(e)e\webn.ovel.co\m
"HMPH..." A muffled grunt erupted from Wen Zhixing’s mouth.
His entire palm was enveloped in the blood mist, which then spread towards his whole body.
In an instant, Wen Zhixing became a blood-drenched figure.
The rich, heavy scent of blood spread throughout the room.
This is... I’ve got control over it!
Wen Zhixing did not move, but a sharp glint appeared in his eyes.
He had a moment of enlightenment; he could feel it.
Everything was going smoothly.
He was about to succeed. As long as he continued to stabilize himself for a moment longer, to hold onto that sensation...
Just then, Zhang Tiancheng’s voice inconveniently traveled from outside the courtyard.
"Junior Brother Wen."
In the past, Zhang Tiancheng would have entered without greeting, simply pushing the door open.
But now, given their supposedly closer relationship, that would be inappropriate.
This shout was also a reminder to Wen Zhixing that he was about to come in.
Startled by the voice, Wen Zhixing’s blood energy immediately began to churn.
He frowned. What terrible timing for an interruption!
Mastering the basics of this secret skill had tormented him greatly.
If Zhang Tiancheng caused his efforts to fall short...
Wen Zhixing steeled his heart and continued to activate the Blood Escape Skill.
In the next moment, his entire being turned into a cloud of blood mist.
Blood Fiend Energy filled the air.
In an instant, he disappeared from inside the house and appeared outside in the courtyard.
Zhang Tiancheng was approaching cheerfully.
Before he could react, a figure shrouded in blood mist materialized before him.
A pair of crimson eyes met his, glinting with bloodlust.
"You... you... you are..."
Zhang Tiancheng’s pupils instantly dilated, his heart trembling violently.
Without a word, Wen Zhixing’s blood energy surged violently as he launched a ferocious palm strike.
The force of the palm strike charged forward like a raging bull—thunderous and explosive—smashing fiercely towards Zhang Tiancheng.
Zhang Tiancheng felt as if his blood had frozen; his whole body turned ice-cold.
His mind went blank, and he was unable to think.
Although he was a Qi Movement Realm cultivator, he had always been subjected to essence absorption and had never experienced combat.
This was an encounter he had never faced before.
Who is this? Why are they attacking me? Questions flashed through his mind incessantly.
Palm collided with flesh!
Zhang Tiancheng was struck hard, sent hurtling into the stone wall outside the courtyard.
From that hit, Zhang Tiancheng’s consciousness began to blur.
Then came a rain-like barrage of punches.
It’s the end for me! Ah!
That thought had just flickered through Zhang Tiancheng’s mind when he was beaten into unconsciousness.
Seeing this, Wen Zhixing did not stop, delivering several more punches.
He continued until Zhang Tiancheng’s body was left with only instinctive twitching.
Wen Zhixing’s expression was cold.
A moment later, he crouched down to examine him.
Seeing that Zhang Tiancheng was truly unconscious, Wen Zhixing dispersed the blood mist around himself and resumed his original appearance.
[Through your arduous cultivation, your Blood Escape Skill has officially reached the entry-level.]
I’ve reached the entry-level!
Wen Zhixing’s eyes lit up with joy, though his complexion was pallid.
At this moment, the loss of essence blood in his body was severe.
Merely escaping that short distance had consumed most of his essence blood.
Had it been a little later, he estimated, he would have been drained dry.
Wen Zhixing felt a lingering fear. That was close.
The Blood Escape Skill truly was dangerous.
But he still laughed with satisfaction.
Because now he finally had cards in his hand.
Looking at Zhang Tiancheng on the ground, beaten beyond recognition, Wen Zhixing regained his calm. One score at a time, he thought. Our past debts are now settled.
The next moment, Wen Zhixing’s expression changed to one of concern. He crouched down, started slapping Zhang Tiancheng’s face, saying urgently, "Senior Brother Zhang, Senior Brother Zhang, what’s happened to you!"
Zhang Tiancheng received several more slaps.
Seeing him only groaning unconsciously, Wen Zhixing, with a look of feigned worry, pinched Zhang Tiancheng’s grotesquely swollen face to force his mouth open and stuffed a Wonderous Soul-devouring Pill into it.
"Senior Brother Zhang, quick, take this elixir."