Chapter 453: Third Level

In the mist-enshrouded mountain gorge.

Zhou Yuan sat cross-legged on the Water-Fire Dragon Forging Platform, his body drenched in sweat and trembling slightly. He had clearly just undergone a session of tempering by the water-fire Genesis Qi.

After his encounter with Wu Hai that day, Zhou Yuan immediately put it out of his mind. He paid no attention to the commotion it caused, instead burying himself back into arduous cultivation deep in the mountains.

The Chief Disciple competition was drawing closer, and he could no longer afford to relax.

"It hurts so much…"

Zhou Yuan groaned softly. With his Minor All-Encompassing Sacred Body reaching the Jade Skin stage, his physical body had strengthened considerably. The tempering effect of the first level water-fire Genesis Qi had also significantly diminished for him.

Therefore, Zhou Yuan now, gritting his teeth, firmly established the tempering level at the second stage.

While the physical tempering at that level was much stronger, the pain he had to endure was, naturally, far beyond what the first level water-fire Genesis Qi inflicted.

Zhou Yuan struggled to his feet, then moved swiftly to the edge of the cliff and sank into a sitting position.

He did not rest, however. Instead, he pulled a mottled tree scale from his pocket. A rich stream of Yimu Qi emanated from it, causing Zhou Yuan's spirits to lift slightly.

Just yesterday, with Elder Xuan's help, he had cut down over twenty more tree scales from the Dragon-Scale Locust Tree. Cultivating his physical body consumed a lot of blood Qi, and the "Great Yi Verdant Wood Mark" within Zhou Yuan had been significantly depleted by his recent physical training. Without replenishment, it might completely dissipate.

Without the "Great Yi Verdant Wood Mark," Zhou Yuan would obviously be unable to temper his body with such intensity daily, and his cultivation progress would slow down significantly.

Zhou Yuan closed his eyes. A tree scale floated between his palms, and wisps of verdant green Qi rose from it, continuously flowing into his body.

Within his flesh and blood, faint green light spots shimmered. An ancient, somewhat ethereal mark absorbed these light spots, gradually regaining its brilliance.

Gradually, a vibrant surge of blood Qi and vitality once again bloomed within Zhou Yuan's body.

His previously somewhat pale complexion gradually regained its color, and the sharp pain from the earlier water-fire Genesis Qi tempering quietly dissipated.

An hour later.

Zhou Yuan opened his eyes. The tree scale in his palm had turned to powder and fallen away, its Yimu Qi completely absorbed.

Feeling the abundant blood Qi within his body, Zhou Yuan exhaled.

"There are only over twenty days left until the Chief Disciple competition."

He narrowed his eyes, a thoughtful expression passing through them. With his current strength, he no longer feared opponents like Wu Hai, but that alone was clearly not enough.

Because the most troublesome opponent was Yuan Hong of the Lu Hong lineage.

From their brief encounter earlier, even Zhou Yuan sensed a dangerous aura from Yuan Hong. This person would undoubtedly be the strongest obstacle in this Chief Disciple competition.

Even though his Minor All-Encompassing Sacred Body had reached the Jade Skin stage, marking some minor achievement in physical cultivation, Zhou Yuan estimated that this was still not secure enough. He would need to make further progress in his Minor All-Encompassing Sacred Body and reach the second stage, the Silver Bone stage, before the Chief Disciple competition.

However, reaching the Silver Bone stage was clearly not a simple matter.

Achieving the Jade Skin stage in about a month was already a speed difficult for ordinary people to match, and the Silver Bone stage was evidently even harder to cultivate than the Jade Skin stage.

Even though he had elevated the water-fire Genesis Qi to the second level during this period, his bones still showed no signs of transformation.

"Kid, you've rested enough. Why aren't you going back to cultivate? What are you dawdling for?" As Zhou Yuan was lost in thought, Elder Xuan's voice came from the side.

In the dilapidated stone pavilion nearby, Elder Xuan crushed some tobacco leaves, put them into his pipe, lit it, and took a puff. As smoke billowed, his cloudy gaze lazily watched Zhou Yuan through the haze.

Zhou Yuan's eyes flickered slightly. He struggled for a moment, and then a look of determination and resolve emerged.

He looked up at Elder Xuan and said, "Senior, I plan to raise the water-fire Genesis Qi to the third level."

Elder Xuan's aged hand, holding his pipe, trembled slightly. A rare look of astonishment appeared in his eyes. "Are you out of your mind, kid? The second level water-fire Genesis Qi is already quite unbearable for you right now, and you dare to challenge the third level?"

He stared at Zhou Yuan, thinking the latter was just spouting nonsense, but then he saw Zhou Yuan's resolute gaze.

"You're serious?" Elder Xuan was somewhat moved.

Challenging that level required immense courage.

Zhou Yuan nodded slowly. Hadn't his arduous cultivation this past year been for the upcoming Chief Disciple competition? If he failed this time, he might have to wait until next year...

And he clearly didn't have much time to wait now.

Therefore, he had to force out his potential in the most extreme way... even if it seemed somewhat cruel.

But the path of cultivation inherently required unwavering courage.

He recalled that back in the Great Zhou, his eight meridians were unmanifest, making him unable to cultivate. If he had given up then, he probably wouldn't be where he was today.

And since he hadn't given up then, it was even more impossible for him to give up now.

Elder Xuan took a deep drag from his pipe, and smoke billowed. He stood up, looking at Zhou Yuan with a solemn expression. "Kid, the third level water-fire Genesis Qi is a bit too strong for you right now. If you insist, you'll have to be prepared for immense suffering."

He heavily emphasized the words "immense suffering," clearly indicating to Zhou Yuan that this was no laughing matter.

Zhou Yuan smiled, giving no verbal reply. With a swift movement, he appeared on the stone platform, his gaze fixed on Elder Xuan, clearly letting his actions speak for themselves.

Elder Xuan paused slightly, then nodded gently. Deep within his cloudy eyes, a strong sense of admiration seemed to emerge.

The path of cultivation was fraught with countless difficulties and obstacles; it was never a smooth road. Over the years, he had seen many astonishing and exceptional talents, but sometimes, perseverance and courage might be even more important than talent itself.

He also said no more. With a gentle sweep of the bamboo broom in his hand, a wave of Genesis Qi radiated outwards.

Immediately after, on the heads of the stone dragons coiled around the two mountain peaks, the third stone scale gradually brightened.

Boom! Boom!

The entire world seemed to tremble at this moment. High temperatures and icy cold silently spread, each dominating half of the sky.

Finally, the two stone dragons opened their massive mouths wide. The next moment, mighty torrents of water and fire erupted.

Zhou Yuan, sitting cross-legged on the stone platform, was almost instantly submerged by the two torrents of water and fire. The stone platform itself became half scorching red and half covered in ice crystals...

At the same time, a low, agonizing roar, somewhat hysterical, emanated from within the water-fire torrent.

After an incense stick's time passed.

When the water-fire torrent subsided, Elder Xuan hastily looked over. A figure, steaming all over, came into view. Zhou Yuan's entire body was flayed, as if skinned, a truly horrifying sight.

But his eyes were wide open, and faint breaths escaped his nostrils.

His mind had clearly been taut the entire time. Now that the water-fire torrent had dispersed, he finally reached his limit, and his body fell from the stone platform.

He had evidently fallen into a coma.

A wave of Genesis Qi surged forth, wrapped around Zhou Yuan's falling body, lifted him, and set him down by the cliff edge.

Elder Xuan looked at the unconscious Zhou Yuan. He could see verdant green light patterns flickering beneath his skin, emanating blood Qi and sustaining Zhou Yuan's vitality. His skin was also visibly healing at a rapid pace.

And faintly, it seemed possible to glimpse a trace of silver light flashing through his flesh and blood.

Elder Xuan clicked his tongue, sighed inwardly, and felt a hint of admiration.

"What a little madman..."

As Zhou Yuan embarked on his intense cultivation on the Water-Fire Dragon Forging Platform, time quietly flowed within the Cangxuan Sect. Unbeknownst to many, the Chief Disciple competition drew ever closer.

The atmosphere that had been brewing for a long time within the Cangxuan Sect became increasingly fervent. The eyes of the entire sect converged on this most important annual event.

The Chief Disciple competition was about to begin.