Chapter 592: Peak of Perfection
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Translator: Dragon Boat Translation , Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
The Boundless Sea, with its rich natural aura, made cultivation in the Body Tempering realm much simpler compared to Immortal Cloud City. Moreover, due to the abundance of higher-level martial pract.i.tioners, acquiring ordinary martial arts techniques became exceedingly easy.
In the Boundless Sea, the focus of martial arts techniques, starting from the Body Tempering realm, was mainly on how to mobilize internal strength to enhance techniques. While research on actual maneuvers was conducted, it remained a secondary aspect.
After all, if the transformation of internal strength was not profound enough,
it led to a reduction in the overall power of techniques.
On the Immortal Cloud City side, slightly stronger Body Tempering realm techniques also followed this trend. Ultimately, internal strength was fundamental. Only by continuously enhancing one’s own internal strength could one’s realm progress.
When Chen Fei first arrived in this world, he was just a menial laborer in
Pingyin County.
Pingyin County was remote, simply an ordinary county town with very few martial arts experts. Slightly more profound techniques were all held by various prominent families, with no possibility of being pa.s.sed on outside.
In such circ.u.mstances, Chen Fei’s exposure was limited to very basic body refinement techniques. And the more basic they were, the more they tended towards the aspect of techniques.
By integrating dozens of basic techniques and refining them to perfection, Chen Fei had long been well-versed in various techniques of releasing and borrowing force, to the point where saying he had reached the pinnacle would not have been an exaggeration.
Compared to Xue Dongchuan and others, Chen Fei’s proficiency in techniques surpa.s.sed them by several measures. The so-called group attack appeared to Chen Fei as riddled with flaws.
Previously, perhaps Xue Dongchuan and the others hadn’t paid much attention to whether there were any flaws at all, after all, the strength in numbers prevailed. But now, after exchanging blows with Chen Fei, their gazes toward him had completely changed.
Though they had diligently cultivated step by step, their techniques used against Chen Fei at this moment seemed as feeble as a child wielding a sword, full of errors and inadequacies.
With just a simple stroke or two, Chen Fei could easily dismantle their techniques, regardless of what they attempted.
What was supposed to be a group attack against one person now seemed like
Chen Fei had encircled them alone.
A look of panic appeared on the faces of Ming Zhongjiang and his companions. As Chen Fei continued to strike, their s.p.a.ce to evade grew smaller, and their bodies acc.u.mulated more wounds.
“Ah!”
Suddenly, one person exclaimed, clutching his chest and staggering backward. He looked down at his chest, then glanced back at Chen Fei with eyes full of unwillingness before collapsing to the ground, his breath gradually fading
away.
His heart had been pierced, without the protection of elemental energy, he was as vulnerable as an ordinary person, succ.u.mbing to his severe injuries.
As one person fell, the pressure on the remaining three suddenly intensified. Another tall and thin individual clutched his neck, but no matter what, the blood couldn’t be stemmed. He, too, collapsed to the ground.
“I’ll fight you to the end!”
Xue Dongchuan roared, feigning a charge towards Chen Fei but actually darting away. Xue Dongchuan was frightened now; if he didn’t run, he feared he would perish right there.
Chen Fei watched Xue Dongchuan, and suddenly, the Qianyuan Sword in his hand flew out. Like a sharp arrow, it swiftly slashed across Xue Dongchuan’s
neck.
Xue Dongchuan staggered a few more steps before falling to the ground, full of unwillingness.
Who exactly was this person, and why had he cultivated basic martial arts techniques to such a level? Ming Zhongjiang should have attracted newcomers to the Black Divine Domain; why was there such a deviation?
Xue Dongchuan left with puzzlement and resentment.
Seeing Chen Fei release the sword, Ming Zhongjiang felt a surge of joy. Just as he was about to step forward to take advantage of the opportunity to injure or even kill Chen Fei, he suddenly saw Chen Fei’s body leap like a monkey, then his fist struck against Ming Zhongjiang’s sword blade.
The sword in Ming Zhongjiang’s hand, just like before, flew out of control to the side. He looked up at Chen Fei, only to find that the sword blade, which had been released moments ago, was now spinning in mid-air, returning to Chen
Fei’s hand.
Despair filled Ming Zhongjiang’s eyes. Just as he was about to say something, he saw a flash of the sword, and his arms were suddenly in excruciating pain. The sword blade in his hand could no longer be held, dropping to the ground with a loud clang.
The Qianyuan Sword pointed diagonally towards the ground, a drop of blood sliding down its edge and falling onto the ground.
“Why did you make me mine the black stone?” Chen Fei looked at Ming Zhongjiang.
“Is this really your first time in the Black Divine Domain?” Ming Zhongjiang stared at Chen Fei, eyes wide open.
Just like Xue Dongchuan and the others, who were puzzled by Chen Fei’s extraordinary proficiency in basic techniques, it seemed as if he had deliberately trained for them. There was only one explanation for this: Chen Fei had actually been to the Black Divine Domain before.
Understanding the rules of the Black Divine Domain, he deliberately honed his basic martial arts.
However, there were very few human warriors who had been to the Black Divine Domain more than once. To enter a second time, one not only had to meet various conditions, but even leaving was not as simple as the first time.
in the Black Divine Domain, only the demonic beasts were treated with more favor.
Ming Zhongjiang and his companions were not people who had been to the Black Divine Domain for the second time; they had only ascended and descended the mountain multiple times.
Carrying the black stone up the mountain allowed for the acc.u.mulation of quant.i.ties over multiple trips, rather than completing it all at once. However, with each ascent and descent, the additional requirements became increasingly stringent.
So they decided to take shortcuts, but the result was the deaths of Xue Dongchuan and the other two, and Ming Zhongjiang’s tendons in both arms were severed.
Chen Fei did not answer Ming Zhongjiang’s question, but Ming Zhongjiang understood the answer. Was there really someone who had trained basic techniques to such a level?
What was the point of this? No matter how strong one’s mastery of basic techniques was, it was of no benefit to one’s realm or breakthroughs. Even the enhancement of combat power was minimal because the profound changes in internal strength were the most crucial.
To attract a newcomer and end up with such a freak, it seemed as though they had brought it upon themselves.
“If I tell you, will you let me go?” Ming Zhongjiang stared at Chen Fei.
“No!” Chen Fei shook his head.
“Then why should I tell you anything? Either way, it’s death!” Ming Zhongjiang mocked loudly.
“At least you can die more quickly, or perhaps you’d like to experience the kind of punishment ordinary people would face?”
As Chen Fei’s words fell, the tip of the Qianyuan Sword had already found a spot on Ming Zhongjiang’s chest.
The tip of the sword didn’t penetrate deeply, not even causing much blood to flow. But Ming Zhongjiang’s expression suddenly changed, a fierce pain erupting from within his body.
Twisting like a wild beast’s bite, and gnawing like insects, Ming Zhongjiang’s cheek contorted in pain. He tried to jump up but found his feet powerless. Somewhere along the line, his tendons had been severed.
After a moment, the pain gradually subsided, disappearing completely. Ming Zhongjiang’s twisted expression gradually smoothed out.
“Why did you make me mine the black stone?” Chen Fei looked at Ming Zhongjiang, repeating the same question.
“For those mining the black stone for the first time, they can exchange fifty lifespans for a piece. This piece of black stone is weightless and can be easily carried up the mountain.”
Ming Zhongjiang spoke softly, no longer daring to conceal anything. He didn’t want to experience that pain again.
Hearing Ming Zhongjiang’s explanation, Chen Fei’s expression shifted slightly.
A weightless black stone.
Chen Fei looked into the distance, at those carrying the black stones. For ordinary people, carrying such huge stones up the mountain was definitely not an easy task.
The demonic beasts might find it easier, but their black stones would be much larger.
“With this fifty lifespans’ worth of black stone, can one leave the Black Divine Domain directly upon reaching the peak?” Chen Fei looked down at Ming Zhongjiang.
“Yes!” Ming Zhongjiang nodded.
This was equivalent to using one’s fifty lifespans for a chance to leave. Losing fifty lifespans for no apparent reason would be unbearable for anyone.
Chen Fei couldn’t help but find it ironic when he thought back to the few words he heard upon entering the Black Divine Domain. It turned out that this was the price one had to pay for the fairness that the Black Divine Domain offered. “Do you need to exchange lifespan to carry more black stones?” Chen Fei looked at the black stones carried by Xue Dongchuan and the others.
“Except for the first time, you can freely take any other black stones,” Ming Zhongjiang shook his head.
If every black stone required exchanging lifespans, the scene around them wouldn’t be like this. It would be chaotic, as these black stones represented lifespans.
Chen Fei began asking various questions, and Ming Zhongjiang answered them one by one.
It wasn’t that Ming Zhongjiang was particularly honest. If given the opportunity, he wouldn’t hesitate to mislead Chen Fei and let him perish in the Black Divine Domain.
But once standing before the climbing stone, many rules would automatically appear in one’s mind.
Therefore, to deceive newcomers, one had to do it before they reached the climbing stone.
Fifteen minutes later, Chen Fei’s sword pierced Ming Zhongjiang’s head. Ming Zhongjiang’s body stiffened slightly before collapsing to the ground.
Chen Fei collected the weapons and storage bags of Ming Zhongjiang and his companions, then turned around and circled the area. He saw the climbing stone and confirmed the authenticity of the information obtained from Ming
Zhongjiang.
After shouldering the black stone and beginning the ascent, one must reach the summit within a day.
If unable to do so, whether human or demonic beast, they would directly exhaust their strength and perish, without exception.
Because of this, knowing that with each descent and carrying of the black stone, the demands would increase, many people and demonic beasts dared not carry too many black stones.
If the quant.i.ty was too great, there would simply not be enough time to reach the summit. During the ascent, the black stone couldn’t be dropped or abandoned; otherwise, it would result in immediate death.
Chen Fei returned to the ravine where Ming Zhongjiang and the others had disappeared, their bodies seemingly absorbed by the rocks, leaving behind only their clothes.
As for the black stones the four of them had mined, they remained untouched. These exposed black stones actually had quite a few takers.
Chen Fei wouldn’t exchange his lifespan for a weightless black stone. Instead, he approached one of the black stones and lifted it with both hands. With the strength of an ordinary person, this black stone was quite heavy, similar in size to those carried by most individuals.
Chen Fei’s eyes flickered as he carried the black stone to another one and pressed them together.
The positions where the two black stones touched merged together, forming a larger black stone.
Chen Fei ran to another area, grabbed another black stone, and continued to merge it with the previous one. Eventually, a block of nearly half a cubic meter black stone appeared before him.
There was no way Chen Fei could carry it.
Chen Fei’s gaze shifted towards his spatial grid..