Chapter 647: Rebirth

The silver moon hung high, casting its brilliant light.

The vast swamp carried an earthy smell. Scattered large trees, lush with branches and leaves, were rooted in the muddy water, bathed in the moonlight, appearing as if veiled in a thin mist.

The chirping of cicadas in the swamp was somewhat ear-piercing. Further off, large crocodiles with green scales lurked in the muddy water, occasionally opening their gaping jaws under the moonlight to swallow free-floating energy particles.

Such areas were common in the western plateau region. Ever since the world underwent a great change and folded spaces appeared within the original reality, various unfamiliar terrains had emerged.

Chu Feng had long since established layers of force fields, isolating himself from the world so that no other creatures could perceive him.

In fact, this location was already thousands of miles away from the Kunlun battlefield, perfectly quiet and undisturbed.

He regulated his breathing, exhaling like thunder one moment and inhaling like a whirlwind the next. His body became crystalline as he elevated himself to his peak state.

With everything prepared, Chu Feng took a miraculous fruit from a jade container. It was a vibrant, glistening red, like a blood-red diamond, and about ten centimeters in diameter. Perfectly round, its surface was not entirely smooth, featuring protrusions that resembled miniature mountain ranges and valleys, making the whole fruit look like a tiny red planet.

A rich fragrance permeated the air. Under the moonlight, the fruit appeared even more vividly red, almost alluring, with strands of crimson light emanating and lingering around it.

The sweet scent filled Chu Feng with comfort, as if his flesh and internal organs were being nourished and purified by an unknown bio-active energy, making him feel as though youth was flowing back into him.

Filled with the exotic aroma, he felt lightheaded, as if bathed in a crimson glow and on the verge of ascending to immortality.

However, Chu Feng quickly grew serious again, his brows furrowed. He had consumed many exotic fruits, including ancient Peaches of Immortality and Vermilion Fruits whose medicinal properties had largely dissipated, let alone other varieties.

Months earlier, he had gathered fruits from various famous mountains, consuming these exotic fruits as if they were ordinary produce. Consequently, he had a clear understanding of their medicinal properties.

“This isn’t a fruit that enhances biological physique, is it?”

Chu Feng frowned deeply. If it were that type of fruit, he would feel its effects just by smelling the aroma, and his body’s metabolism would rapidly accelerate.

Currently, he wasn't experiencing the sensation of accelerated cell division.

Chu Feng sighed softly. Different divine medicines and sacred fruits possessed varying effects. Some could trigger intense physical evolution, causing one's strength to skyrocket, elevating them several major realms in a single go—undoubtedly a dream for many evolutionaries.

Of course, some powerful races, such as the ‘Top Ten’, had no need for such dramatic boosts. With various potent elixirs within their clans, they preferred their descendants to progress steadily, step by step. Instead, they favored divine medicines that could bestow supernatural abilities.

These heaven-bestowed divine abilities included terrifying powers, such as mastering the profound secret of life deprivation, which could steal a person's lifespan, granting terrifying combat prowess. Consuming certain potent elixirs might grant the ability to interact with spatial fragments—a forbidden art. Other fruits could enable one to open a 'heavenly eye'. Still others could bestow mastery over the essence of thunder, allowing one to summon divine retribution upon others—truly a divine art!

All these heaven-bestowed abilities were astonishing.

Furthermore, some divine medicines were even more potent, fundamentally altering a person's life essence or even changing their bloodline.

For instance, consuming a Primal Magnetic Sacred Fruit carried a high probability of transforming the consumer into a Primal Magnetic Sacred Body, thereafter allowing them to dominate the world, utterly invincible.

Another example was the Nine-Orifice Tribulation Flower, which emerged from thunder and was reborn amidst destruction. This exceptionally peculiar and formidable flower had appeared only once throughout history, capable of forging a supreme physique: the Nine-Orifice Heaven-Penetrating Tribulation Body.

Without a doubt, fruits that could create unparalleled physiques were considered far more valuable by many powerful races. The appearance of even a single one would lead to battles so fierce that the skies would darken, blood would flow like rivers, and corpses would pile up like mountains.

Even the ‘Top Ten’ were not exempt from this ruthless competition; they would fight fiercely, engaging in widespread slaughter.

For once an unbeatable physique was forged and allowed to mature, it was destined to produce a cosmic overlord, capable of revitalizing a major clan.

Chu Feng studied the fruit for a long time, even consulting the intergalactic network via his optical computer, but remained unable to identify this potent elixir.

However, he was certain that it was not one of the ancient, exceedingly rare, and legendary supreme herbs that Yao Yao required.

Thus, he no longer hesitated.

“Crunch!”

He took a big bite. He couldn't worry about it anymore; since he couldn't guess the fruit's medicinal properties, he decided to simply consume it.

Instantly, Chu Feng felt a profound warmth spread throughout his body, as if he were submerged in a hot spring—a comfort beyond description.

A delightful fragrance filled his mouth, and a sweet taste lingered between his lips and teeth. The fruit's pulp liquefied into streams of warm vapor, sliding down his throat and surging through his body.

Chu Feng lowered his gaze to the fruit in his hand. After taking a large bite, he discovered that its interior was surprisingly golden, completely unlike its outer appearance.

In his mouth, the golden juice shimmered brightly, occasionally accompanied by crimson hues from the outer flesh. It caused his entire body to instantly radiate a faint golden glow.

Chomp, chomp!

Chu Feng devoured it in just a few bites. Surprisingly, it had no core; it was a remarkably tender, sweet, and delicious berry, with an endlessly lingering aftertaste. He wished he had more.

“From now on, I don't want to eat meat anymore; I'll become a vegetarian. If I could consume one immortal medicine every day, I wouldn't hesitate to make enemies of the Top Ten!”

He murmured, as if in a dream. Such an idea was utterly unrealistic. How many divine fruits and sacred medicines could there possibly be across the entire star sea? Such treasures were extinct on most life-bearing planets, impossible to find.

“Alas, it truly isn't a fruit that promotes super evolution in the human body. It seems my hopes of taking a shortcut and rapidly boosting my strength are dashed.”

Chu Feng felt a pang of disappointment. Though he knew progressing step by step was generally better, he still wished to elevate his strength as quickly as possible.

Suddenly, his expression changed. A thunder-like sound erupted within him, and a burst of golden light exploded, surging through his entire body, integrating into every cell.

This divine medicine was beginning to exert its power; its effects were erupting.

Chu Feng instantly transformed, appearing like a golden god or demon, as if cast from pure gold. As he sat cross-legged, he shook violently, the changes within his body proving almost too intense to bear.

In that moment, several of his ribs shattered into fragments, and bone marrow flowed out.

Next, he collapsed onto the ground, lying on his back as his spine suddenly fractured into dozens of pieces.

The next moment, Chu Feng’s pelvis, limb bones, and other skeletal structures all fractured into fragments. He lay on the ground, drenched in sweat, enduring unbearable pain.

What was happening? Was this a divine medicine or a poison? It was completely eroding his bones, threatening to disintegrate him!

Though he could have used energy to force himself to sit up, he refrained. Instead, he lay there, calming his mind and confronting the unfolding changes with composure.

Subsequently, his hand bones, foot bones, and all other small bones shattered.

What Chu Feng found most unbearable was that his skull also cracked open. Blood trickled from his brow, his cheekbones burst, and even the top of his skull was torn away. The agony was excruciating and terrifying!

Chu Feng had never encountered such a terrifying elixir. This potent medicine could certainly torture a person to death; an ordinary individual, lacking sufficient life essence, would perish instantly.

Now, he lay completely flattened on the ground. Without the support of his energy, even his head would have been crushed, as all his bones had shattered.

At this point, even with his exceptionally resilient nerves, he couldn't help but let out muffled groans; the pain was unbearable.

Next, Chu Feng observed within his body that bone marrow flowed from the shattered bones. This appeared to be complete self-destruction, with no positive changes visible.

Yet, he endured. He refused to believe that an elixir from Kunlun could be harmful.

However, the current scene began to shake his resolve. It was one thing for his bones to shatter into fragments, but now it was his internal organs. His heart was ripped apart, his liver exploded, and his spleen and stomach tore into pieces.

“Ah…”

Chu Feng couldn't help but scream; this was inhuman torture, utterly unbearable.

Soon, his five internal organs and six viscera were ravaged by the golden radiance of the potent elixir, reducing them to a frightening, porridge-like consistency.

Chu Feng could no longer remain calm; he wanted to curse. What kind of damned immortal medicine was this? It was clearly a horrifying poison! He felt he had been deceived, and that his very being was about to be destroyed.

“Expel all the poison!”

Chu Feng attempted to circulate the Pilfered Dao Breathing Technique, but discovered that his internal organs and bones were so damaged that he couldn't even continue the breathing exercises.

He then used his mind to draw upon his spiritual power and finally succeeded, yet he found himself unable to expel the golden medicinal radiance from his body. This substance was inextricably intertwined with his bones and internal organs, having penetrated all his bone marrow and flesh cells.

Even his hair had turned golden. He was utterly unable to expel this medicinal property.

Puff, puff, puff…

Then, something even more horrifying occurred: it was Chu Feng's flesh. Patches of blood bloomed as his physical body disintegrated, breaking down, almost liquefying into a puddle of mud.

“Ah ah…”

Agonized cries emanated from the swamp. Chu Feng lay there, a bloody, amorphous human-like mass. The suffering was immense; his very being was hurtling towards destruction.

Eventually, he couldn't even utter a sound, as his vocal cords and other organs had been destroyed.

“This damned divine fruit!”

He whispered mentally, then felt his spirit itself being corroded, covered, and permeated by this golden radiance.

“Grind it away!”

Chu Feng's spiritual fluctuations intensified. He activated the small black-and-white millstone within his body—an artifact capable of purifying bloodlines and crushing and refining all energy substances.

This was something he deeply treasured. It was precisely because of this semi-material, semi-spiritual artifact that he wasn't fixated on pollen-based evolution and dared to consume exotic fruits.

However, when this small black-and-white millstone, forged from a miraculous substance that would make even saints envious, began to rotate, it neither expelled the golden medicinal substance from his body nor purified it.

This was because the golden substance was already pure essence, requiring no further refinement.

Moreover, the golden substance had now merged inextricably with Chu Feng, entering every cell and dismantling every part of his body.

Ultimately, the black-and-white millstone began to spin furiously, drawing in massive quantities of energy factors from the outside and injecting them into every part of his body.

The changes within his body accelerated. Chu Feng desperately wished he could pass out, but despite the tearing pain in both his spirit and flesh, he remained agonizingly lucid.

Puff! Puff! Puff...

Although his eyes were ruptured and disfigured, his spiritual perception remained intact. He could "see" all the changes, and the sight filled him with horror.

For some bone fragments were directly expelled from his body, squeezed out.

Then, portions of his shattered flesh and blood were also expelled. This was a terrifying and gruesome transformation, akin to a living dissection.

It was unknown how much time passed as Chu Feng transitioned from intense pain to numbness, and then to a profound stillness.

Finally, he began to perceive a distinct change: his body gradually swelled with renewed vitality.

Old bone marrow was expelled, and new marrow began to regenerate. Snow-white, crystalline bone material appeared, and his skeleton started to reform.

Concurrently, his five internal organs and six viscera were regrowing. His blood, needless to say, had been completely purged and was now being fully regenerated and replaced.

Much of his old flesh was also shed, leaving only a small portion. The black-and-white millstone spun, and external energy factors surged into his body, promoting the rapid division and growth of new cells, continuously strengthening and replenishing his needs.

From within to without, Chu Feng was undergoing the most astonishing transformation!

Chu Feng wanted to scream: *Did it have to be this intense?* This was a terrifying metamorphosis, truly a rebirth, but it was also incredibly brutal.

Furthermore, in a sense, this was no mere symbolic rebirth but a profoundly literal one. His bones and internal organs were actually shredded and expelled from his body, leaving behind only their essence to regrow anew—a process so violent it inspired terror.

It was unclear how much time had elapsed. When Chu Feng finally sat up again, it felt as though an eternity had passed. He felt as if he had died and been reborn. On the ground around him lay a pile of shattered bones, a puddle of bloody sludge, and his discarded hair and nails.

He had been reborn, feeling better than ever before. The vitality surging through his new body was so immense that he felt as if he had ascended, achieving eternal life.

He let out a long breath, muttering to himself: “It’s finally over!”

However, he immediately froze. Why did his voice sound so odd? It was too youthful.

Then, he touched his face and froze in bewilderment. His face felt smaller and incredibly smooth. He then examined his hands, which were long, slender, and flawlessly white—surpassing even the most delicate hands of many women. Why were they also smaller?

Chu Feng suddenly sprang to his feet, quickly pulled out a treasured mirror, and looked at his reflection. He immediately let out a strange cry!