WHOOSH—

The sound of rushing air filled his ears. Lu Yuan shifted slightly, preparing to strike, but he was already hit in the chest.

"Hmph!"

He grunted, blood seeping from the corner of his mouth, as if fragments of his internal organs had surged up.

Sounds can deceive; hearing isn't trustworthy!

BANG!

Another kick.

This one sent Lu Yuan flying sideways. His robust body shattered a nearby rockery, sending debris scattering everywhere.

Expressionless, Lu Yuan climbed out of the rubble. He casually spat out a mouthful of blood mixed with organ fragments and remained standing.

Almost, but not quite the right moment.

BOOM!

This kick landed on Lu Yuan's left arm, which he managed to partially block.

Having forgone the defensive power of muscle tensing from Special Burst, his left arm was completely penetrated by the force and mysterious Qi imbued in the kick.

Lu Yuan heard the bones in his left arm snap.

Almost there, just a bit longer...

BOOM!

BANG—

The slick-haired middle-aged man kicked repeatedly, and Lu Yuan continued to take the blows.

His injuries grew more severe. He stood, swaying precariously, as if he might collapse at any moment.

Finally.

As another kick from the slick-haired middle-aged man arrived.

Now is the time!

Lu Yuan's eyes snapped open.

It was as if a switch had flipped in his mind, unleashing a torrent of inspiration.

Flash of Insight, triggered!

This time, before the slick-haired middle-aged man's kick could land, Lu Yuan seemed to possess foreknowledge.

His arms suddenly spread, and his muscles engorged with blood.

Thick Black Qi erupted from his body like flames.

His eyes turned pure black, and his hands shot out to firmly ensnare his opponent's right foot.

"Now… it's my turn."

His deep voice was like the howling of a fierce wind.

Lu Yuan tightened his grip, violently yanking the slick-haired middle-aged man towards him.

His right hand splayed open, seizing the man's head and slamming it down towards the ground.

BOOM!

The ground trembled violently, but this was only the beginning.

His enormous fist, wreathed in thick Death Qi, had already found its mark. He aimed for the crater beneath them and struck with savage force.

HOO—

Lu Yuan slowly opened his eyes, habitually exhaling a long, turbid breath.

He subconsciously touched his chest, as if to truly feel the vigorous beating of his heart.

Although he had "died" countless times in the Consciousness Space, such a hard-fought and brutal battle still left a deep impression on him.

However, I did finally win...

Lu Yuan felt a measure of relief.

The slick-haired middle-aged man surnamed Tang, in his judgment, was roughly on par with Lin Zhiquin and Qin Feng in strength.

His ability to kill the former meant he was qualified to formally challenge the latter two.

This wasn't a necessary prerequisite, but rather something Lu Yuan had been attempting ever since he started practicing martial arts.

He had attempted it so many times now that he'd lost count of his deaths at the hands of Lin Zhiquin and Qin Feng.

Although they were Imaginary Enemies in the Consciousness Space, these encounters had, to some extent, left a shadow in Lu Yuan's heart.

In Lu Yuan's mind, these two had long since become mountains that seemed insurmountable in the short term.

Now, however… he finally possessed the confidence to shatter these two mountains, waiting only for a chance to test himself.

But Lin Zhiquin's strength is nearly on par with the other two. Why are Qin Feng and the man surnamed Tang Direct Disciples, but Lin Zhiquin isn't?

Lu Yuan pondered.

Considering Lin Zhiquin's current predicament and the personality traits that had directly led to it, Lu Yuan had a faint inkling.

But he quickly put these guesses aside.

He wasn't particularly interested in such melodramatic secrets. Instead, he was more curious about the source of the mysterious Qi that all three of them exhibited when they fought.

Is it the core secret art of the Crane Sect?

Can I figure it out?

Lu Yuan had a strong premonition.

If he could master the power of this mysterious Qi, his combat power would undoubtedly soar to another level.

Since he had nothing better to do, he decided to focus entirely on studying it.

Lu Yuan repeatedly entered the Consciousness Space, alternately setting the three as Imaginary Enemies. He then attempted Consciousness Inhabitation, projecting his awareness into their bodies. This allowed him to feel firsthand how their organs and muscles operated when they utilized that mysterious Qi.

Gradually.

He seemed to be grasping something.

Constantly verifying his findings between dreams and reality, it felt as if something within his body—with its 17-point physique and tempered through skin and muscle training—was on the verge of breaking through its shell!

"Aside from this, this, and this... bring me three servings of everything else."

Lu Yuan lightly tapped a few items on the pale green, elegant menu before handing it back to the 'attendant' beside him.

To call him an attendant wasn't quite accurate.

The person who took the menu and nodded in agreement seemed more like a servant recruited by the Linghe Pavilion.

This was Lu Yuan's third day at the Linghe Pavilion.

He had almost completely adapted to life here.

Eating, sleeping, and fighting in the Consciousness Space—that was the entirety of his daily life. Simple, but not boring.

Firstly, his recent research into the mysterious Qi was progressing well, and the growth in his strength brought him a sense of fulfillment and joy.

Secondly...

The food at the Linghe Pavilion's restaurant was truly delicious!

Lu Yuan had never tasted such delicacies in his two lifetimes. Consequently, he couldn't help but feel a strong sense of envy towards the Crane Sect's Sect Master, whom he had yet to meet.

Damn it! Eating such delicious food every day, with so many people to wait on him... that old geezer is really living the life!

I wonder if becoming a Direct Disciple means I can enjoy this every day?

Probably not, since I'll have to return to Burnt Rock City eventually.

Lu Yuan sighed lightly, feeling a touch of regret.

It was mealtime.

While waiting for his food, Lu Yuan saw several people enter the restaurant one after another.

Among them was Wang Su, the young man who had once guided him for a short distance and had been following the middle-aged man surnamed Tang.

The young man apparently still remembered him, offering Lu Yuan a smile as he entered.

Lu Yuan gave a slight nod in acknowledgment, but Wang Su had already turned away, laughing and chatting as he sat down with several others.

Lu Yuan didn't much care.

The people with Wang Su were all candidates participating in the current Direct Disciple assessment.

Perhaps they had known each other for a long time, or perhaps they were 'kindred spirits'; they had clearly formed a small clique.

Lu Yuan couldn't fit in, nor did he want to.

Over the past two days, he had seen all the candidates for this assessment.

He had pulled each of them into the Consciousness Space to test their mettle.

Except for one fellow with dyed white hair who constantly postured and tried to act cool—his strength was passable—the rest were basically riffraff, utterly failing to pique Lu Yuan's interest.

His current aspirations were now focused on the senior Direct Disciples like Lin Zhiquin, Qin Feng, and the slick-haired middle-aged man surnamed Tang.

When I can effortlessly crush Qin Feng and the others... only then will I have some real confidence.

Just then, the meal he had ordered... arrived.

"Should we invite him over?"

At a small round table, a young man with short hair and a hint of stubble on his chin idly toyed with his bamboo chopsticks. He glanced towards a young man in the distance who was eating with gusto and casually suggested.

The other four at the table glanced in the direction he indicated, then quickly averted their gazes.

A girl with a ponytail, an oval face, and a somewhat aloof demeanor, said coolly, "Do you see any empty seats at our table?"

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.