It would not be an exaggeration to say that Chen Feng was on the brink of death. Thankfully, though, the explosion from the tree spirit was of a smaller scale. If the scale of explosion from the tree spirit’s self-destruction process was larger, Chen Feng would have died instantly.

Even so, Chen Feng knew things were not looking good for him. Although the explosion had not immediately taken his life, he may not be so lucky the next time. Perhaps, the next one would instantly take his life. Not to mention, even if the tree spirit stopped its self-destruct process, given how grievously wounded Chen Feng was, he was likely not long for this world. The earlier explosion had torn a hole through his chest, tearing his heart. Forget Chen Feng, even a ninth layer Training Body and Energy stage cultivator would be incapable of surviving such a wound.

“Sigh! This time, I am really going to die.”

Despite saying that, there was still a strong desire to live beating within Chen Feng. He had been facing hardships since young. Only recently did he manage to find a trace of hope. However, just as he was about to turn his life around, he would end up dying like this? No matter how he looked at it, there was no way he could accept such an end. Even though he knew he would still die in the end, Chen Feng still gave it his all, mobilizing every last drop of his primary energy to protect his damaged internal organs. At the same time, he exerted control over his blood and closed his blood vessels to stop the bleeding on his chest.

“Ha ha ha ha, I failed to kill you with this explosion! Consider yourself lucky. However, I will soon self-destruct. I want to see how long you can endure!” the tree spirit screamed with a maddening fervour from within Chen Feng’s body.

“Tree spirit! You are the one who made a mistake in your cultivation practice! Yet, you want to drag someone else to die with you? You deserve to be struck by lightning!” Chen Feng could not stop himself from swearing.

“If it weren’t for you, would I practice this cultivation technique? If I did not practice this cultivation technique, would I end up in this state? Before this, you talked about karma. Now that I am dying, pulling you along is just karma. You cannot blame me for this, just die with me!” the tree spirit screamed back. At the same time, the tree spirit’s essence – the sphere of light – began swelling up. This was its final self-destruct explosion. This explosion would definitely destroy Chen Feng to the point where not even ashes would be left of him.

“Sigh, I’m dead.” An indescribable sense of peace suddenly appeared within Chen Feng’s heart. Since he was going to die anyways, thinking too much about it was useless. He may as well wait quietly for his death.

Suddenly, the shabby little tower hanging on Chen Feng’s chest, stained with blood, unleashed a suction force, which enveloped the tree spirit within Chen Feng’s body.

Swoosh!

The tree spirit disappeared from Chen Feng’s body to enter the little tower. The process had happened at an extremely quick and quiet manner that it appeared as though the tree spirit had simply and mysteriously disappeared.

“Eh?”

Although Chen Feng could not see the tree spirit getting sucked into the little tower, he could sense something amiss.

The tree spirit has disappeared. Just now, I think I felt the little tower on my chest move a little. Was I mistaken?

Although the tree spirit is gone, I am still in a bad shape. Unless I have an immortal reviving pill, I am still going to die.

Having sensed that the tree spirit was gone, Chen Feng felt somewhat shocked. However, he could not feel happy because he was still facing death.

It was then that the little tower on Chen Feng’s chest shook once more. Next, a green light shone out to envelop Chen Feng’s body. Following that, the fatal wounds on Chen Feng’s body began to heal at a rate visible to the naked eye. The effect of the light was practically the revival of the dead.

“Sii, what is going on here? The green light, it is coming from the little tower,” Chen Feng exclaimed.

What a powerful life force. This power seems to have the same origin as the primary energy that I am cultivating. However, it is tens of hundreds of times stronger. If this continues, the wounds on my body can quickly heal and I will no longer have to die.

As Chen Feng’s wounds recovered, the potent energy within him that was moving about chaotically slowly calmed down. It gathered up continuously before fusing with every part of Chen Feng’s body. This was the energy sent out by the tree spirit when it was self-destructing, the power of its essence. Although there was only a small amount there, it was like a vast ocean for someone like Chen Feng.

The tree spirit was an existence that had overcome Heavenly Tribulation before while Chen Feng was just a minor cultivator who had yet to even reach the Concealed stage. The essence power there was enough for Chen Feng to digest for a while. Besides, were it not for the assistance of the green light coming from the little tower, the powerful energy would have likely torn Chen Feng’s body apart.

After emitting the green light, the little tower made no other movements. As for Chen Feng, he had sat himself down cross-legged on the ground as he began absorbing and refining the essence within his body while circulating his primary energy to heal his wounds.

The green light that the little tower emitted was incredibly strong. It did not take long for nearly all of Chen Feng’s wounds to healed up. Even his damaged internal organs had been healed up. However, there was still a great deal of essence power that Chen Feng had yet to refine. Thus, he could only continue to sit quietly within the stone cave and cultivate himself.

This has been a blessing in disguise. After refining these essence power, I wonder to what level will my cultivation base grow to? Chen Feng speculated secretly as he sensed the ocean-like energy within his body.

As expected, without a windfall, humans cannot get rich. A horse cannot get fat without fodder. I have hit the jackpot this time. If I have to rely on my normal speed of cultivation, I wonder how long it would take for me to reach the Concealed stage? Chen Feng sighed.

As there was no indication of time within the stone cave, Chen Feng, who was practicing cultivation within the cave did not know how long had passed. One day, Chen Feng woke up. When he opened his eyes, two beams of light radiated from his eyes.

My cultivation base has improved greatly and my eyes could now form light. However, compared to the black tiger I encountered back then, I am still far lacking. Rather, it would be better to say I am simply no match for it. Chen Feng could still remember how the black tiger had nearly killed him with a simple gaze from its eyes.

With a thought, the blood in Chen Feng’s body gushed forth, roiling continuously while the primary energy within his body flowed like a great river. Surging rapidly and unceasingly, they contained a vast amount of vitality and a powerful force washed over his body, causing it to tremble.

Chen Feng extended his palms out and bluish-green primary energy seeped out to coat his whole palm. Next, he grasped out at the stone wall beside him.

Crack!

A large stone block was easily dug out from the wall. Then, with a casual grip, the block of stone was pulverized before flowing down like flour.

“This is astral energy.” Chen Feng nodded before grasping out at the stone wall before him once more. Under the might of Chen Feng’s hands, the stone wall became as soft as tofu. One after another, blocks of stone were dug out and tossed onto the ground. It did not take long before a one-zhang wide, two-zhang tall, squarish area opened up before Chen Feng (1 zhang = 3.333 m).

Next, Chen Feng stopped. The actions earlier had not consumed too much of Chen Feng’s primary energy.

“This is astral energy. It truly is capable of conquering everything. He he, if I am to face Liu Yuan now, one grasp from me will likely be enough to kill him. Though, I wonder if he has already condensed out his own astral energy,” said Chen Feng with a smile.

Next, Chen Feng mobilized all the primary energy within his body. The bluish-green energy coating his palm expanded before quickly twisting and changing within his palm. Soon enough, a one-chi long, bluish-green short sword was formed within Chen Feng’s hand (1 chi = 0.3 m).

“Primary energy takes form. This is the seventh layer of the Training Body and Energy stage. Although I have entered the seventh layer right now, I am only barely able to give my primary energy form.”

After saying that, Chen Feng mobilized all the primary energy within his body again. The primary energy flowed and surged like tidal waves, creating rumbling sounds. The short sword in his hand then grew longer by another inch.

“Phew, this is already my full power. I can only form a one-chi long sword. Still, I can be considered as having entered the primary energy takes form (7th) layer, capable of killing others with a wave of my hand without leaving a trace. I can be considered as someone of note in Black Origin City and no longer the minor character that everyone can bully around.”

Pu!

A soft sound rang out as the bluish-green short sword easily cut into the stone wall. Next, with a flick of his hand, Chen Feng sent a block of stone, weighing over a hundred jin, out (1 jin = 0.5 kg).

Next, Chen Feng continued to use the short sword, formed using his primary energy, to dig out the section of the wall before him. One by one, blocks of solid rocks were cut down. The rate at which he dug the stones far exceeded earlier, when he was using astral energy. Quickly, Chen Feng dug out a deep passage through the cave.

After digging through 30 metres, the primary energy-formed short sword abruptly shattered, transforming into strands of spiritual energy, which drifted within the air before dissipating away.

“Is this the limit?”

With a flick of his hand, another short sword was condensed out using his primary energy. This time, Chen Feng could only dig forward for 20 metres before the short sword in his grip shattered.

“Phew, as expected. Although condensing primary energy to let it take form gives a great deal of power, the amount of primary energy consumed is also big.”

Chen Feng stopped what he was doing and began adjusting his rate of breathing to recover his strength.

“I wonder, if I completely refine the remnant essence of the tree spirit inside my body, can I reach major success of the seventh layer?”

Chen Feng knew, after reaching major success in the seventh layer of Training Body and Energy stage, one could condense out various types of weapons. The primary energy could be condensed out in various forms. Having reached that stage, he could even form wings. Although that could not truly be considered as flying, he could still glide and soar through the air for a short period of time. Some of the more skilled cultivators could fly for tens of hundreds of li. It was nearly the equivalent of having gained true flight (1 li = 0.5 km).

The essence power that the tree spirit had unleashed into Chen Feng’s body back then had yet to be fully refined. There was still a portion left within his body. Chen Feng continued to refine them and they grew smaller in amount. Finally, Chen Feng concluded his absorption process.

After fully recovering the primary energy within his body, Chen Feng once again condensed out a weapon and began digging a passage out. Whenever he felt tired, he would rest for a bit. At times, Chen Feng would also coat his palm with astral energy to dig using his hands.

This was also a form of training. As the passage grew in length, Chen Feng became more proficient in the use of astral energy. Likewise, the weapons he condensed out became more solid.

Chen Feng dug a passage through the stone mountain for over a thousand metres before he finally broke out from the mountain.

Pu!

Chen Feng’s hand sensed the lightness of the space before him and realized that he had reached his goal. Next, he unleashed a mighty kick out. A rock, weighing up to 800 jins, was kicked out as a result. When the dazzling light shone into the passage, despite his cultivation base, Chen Feng had to squint his eyes.

“I finally made it out.”

Chen Feng took large strides out and breathed in the fresh air of the outside world. He felt a refreshing and indescribable sense of happiness.

Chen Feng stretched out his hand to condense out his primary energy. A short sword was quickly formed. However, it was no longer one chi in length. Rather, it was 1.2 chi in length. Additionally, it was more solid compared to the first one. This was the result of him digging all this time (1 chi = 0.333m).

The more a cultivator practiced a technique, the purer his or her primary energy would become. After all that, Chen Feng’s ability to utilize and understand astral energy had grown deeper.

[TL note: For those who are confused, “Sii” is the sound made when sucking in a breath of air through your teeth. Not sure if there is a better word for it. ]