Chapter 130: Decisiveness, the Joys of a Brat, and the Great Treasures of the Human Body

Soon, he arrived near the Zuo family manor.

Because this place had previously been a haunted house, the local residents rarely ventured out, even at dusk. Although there were no longer any ghosts within the manor, the outsiders were unaware of this. Consequently, the area was deserted as soon as the sun dipped below the horizon.

As Chen Yushu approached, he reached a corner. In an instant, he pressed his body against the wall and stood perfectly still.

One breath, two breaths, three breaths...

No sooner had the third breath passed than a burly man in black clothing quickly rounded the corner. His eyes darted about, searching for something. Upon catching sight of Chen Yushu, a look of clear surprise crossed his face. Then, his expression turned fierce; with a savage look, he raised his palm and struck viciously toward Chen Yushu’s head.

Chen Yushu’s expression remained unchanged. He drew his blade in a single horizontal motion, and a flash of steel met the palm head-on.

Seeing this, the man jerked his hand back, hunched his shoulders, and lunged forward, slamming his chest toward Chen Yushu with tremendous force.

"Fast reactions. This man has incredibly rich combat experience."

Chen Yushu raised his eyebrows. Though surprised, he showed nothing on his face. Such speed was indeed remarkably fast for an ordinary martial artist, and his ability to counter on the fly was excellent. However, to Chen Yushu—whose eyes had been honed by his master-level Throwing technique—this speed was far too slow. It was as if the entire sequence of movements had been broken down into a series of still pictures; while it seemed thunderous and overwhelming, to him, it was riddled with flaws.

He simply retracted his torso. Having undergone external tempering, his control over his own physical body had reached an incredibly profound level. With this contraction, even while standing against the wall, he managed to sink his chest inward by more than two inches, appearing as if he had been struck by a heavy object and his chest had collapsed inward.

He perfectly avoided the man’s ramming strike. The man’s surging force barely touched him. Then, Chen Yushu raised his leg from below and delivered a swift kick.

*Thud!*

Even though the man saw it coming and reacted in time, Chen Yushu’s move was far faster, landing squarely in the man’s stomach and knocking him backward.

However, a martial artist at the peak of internal refinement possesses great resilience. Despite the power of Chen Yushu's kick, the man quickly rushed forward again, a dagger now in his hand. The dagger was long and narrow, looking more like a short blade. The man lunged with a horizontal slash.

*Clang!*

Chen Yushu turned his blade and collided directly with it. Following this, he rotated his blade rapidly, unleashing an eighteen-strike combo in quick succession, merging six distinct bursts of force into one.

*Bang!*

The overwhelming force shattered the man’s dagger into two pieces. The next moment, Chen Yushu swept his blade horizontally, holding it against the man’s throat. "Who are you? Why were you following me?"

"My friend, I think you've mistaken me for someone else," the man said, his eyes flickering as he tried to explain. "I was just walking normally. How was I to know you were hiding here? If my skills are inferior, that is my own fault for lack of training, but I was simply passing by..."

"You've followed me for several streets. Did you think I wouldn't notice you?" Chen Yushu’s face turned cold. "Since you don't want to talk, then you won't have to speak ever again."

With that, he prepared to turn his blade and execute the man.

Seeing this, the man was terrified to his core and shouted, "Spare me! Spare me... I was only, only..."

He tried to stall with more lies, but seeing the coldness in Chen Yushu’s eyes, he blurted out, "It was Young Master Liu Qing from the second branch who sent me. He said that since both the first and third branches sent people for this assessment, how could the second branch be left out? So, I came."

"Then why were you following me?" Chen Yushu continued.

"Because your shopkeeper applied for the genius assessment. Originally, this spot belonged to our second branch, as we have two geniuses with exceptional talent and strength this time. But because of the third branch's interference, it was given to you. So, Young Master Liu Qing sent me to investigate and see if you are truly worthy of the title of genius."

The man dared not hide anything and continued.

"Is that all?" Chen Yushu asked expressionlessly.

"That is all," the man said, lowering his eyes. In his heart, however, he was filled with resentment.

He had not expected his opponent to be so incredibly powerful. He appeared to be at the external tempering stage, yet his true strength was far greater than his own, despite his status as a martial artist at the peak of internal refinement. He was no weakling at that level; unless he faced geniuses from major factions or seasoned experts with deep foundations, he was rarely defeated. Even against those from major factions, he could usually disengage and escape easily. Yet, when facing this youth, he not only had no power to fight back, he couldn't even escape.

Could it be that this boy was truly one of those reclusive geniuses? This news had to be reported to Young Master Liu Qing and the flag-bearer as soon as possible... He thought to himself, his gaze growing dark.

"I think not. Did he also tell you that if I truly proved to be a talented genius, you should strike in the shadows and destroy me?" Chen Yushu asked, looking into the man’s eyes.

"How did you kn—" He trembled, the words slipping out before he could catch himself.

Chen Yushu’s expression only grew calmer. He casually reached out and applied pressure.

*Pfft!*

He sliced the man’s throat. However, no blood spilled. It was as if an invisible pair of hands had clamped down on the man's neck. The man’s mouth opened and closed in a silent gasp, his eyes glazed over, and he died instantly.

Yet, his corpse did not collapse. It was as if held up by invisible hands; its heels lifted, and it began to walk away, step by step, into the distance.

At this moment, Little Red had acted. The Zuo family manor was her old home, and besides her and the Zuo family ancestor, there were many other spirits present. During the previous battle, these spirits had scattered, but as the turmoil subsided, they began to gather again. With the ancestor gone, these spirits deferred to Little Red. She had summoned a female spirit named Auntie Lin to block the man's throat, preventing the blood from flowing, and the moment the man’s life force dissipated, she possessed the body. Naturally, she was disposing of the evidence.

It is worth noting that Little Red’s help had been crucial in getting the man to talk. Her illusion techniques, while perhaps not as potent as those of a Corpse Demon, were still formidable. Guiding the mind of an already nervous internal-refinement martial artist was not a problem.

As for killing, Chen Yushu felt indifferent. His state of tranquility gave him a steady temperament, and he would not be shaken by such matters. The fact that the man had been stalking him with malicious intent was enough proof that he deserved his fate. Chen Yushu felt no hesitation.

He returned to his dwelling and lit two sticks of incense as a reward for Little Red. Although she had the spirit orb left by the ancestor—enough to sustain her for two or three years—she had gradually developed a fondness for incense, perhaps because of Little Yin.

Little Red and Little Yin each held a stick, taking turns inhaling the smoke as if they were competing, and they appeared to be having a wonderful time. In essence, they were still just children. Whether they were well-fed or not didn't matter; if a friend liked something, they would copy them. This "incense inhaling" had become their daily entertainment. It wasn't about the benefit to their spirits, but the fun of the game. They often raced to see who could inhale more and faster. The loser would have to crouch down and let the other ride on their back like a horse. Chen Yushu often saw them riding each other, slapping each other’s bottoms, and giggling incessantly. He was happy to let them be.

Afterwards, he took a medicine bottle from his robes.

"Pei Yuan Pill (Foundation-Building Pill). It can significantly boost vital energy, with effects far superior to the Yang Yuan Soup. And these are top-grade pills; their effect is more than twice that of an ordinary one."

Looking at the pill, Chen Yushu felt a surge of excitement and anticipation. Without hesitation, he opened the bottle and poured one out. It was greyish-black, yet smooth and delicate, with special patterns on the surface that looked quite extraordinary. As it emerged, a unique medicinal fragrance drifted out; just a light sniff made him feel his vital energy stirring.

Chen Yushu swallowed it.

*Boom!*

Almost instantly, he felt a terrifying surge of medicinal power erupt, transforming into waves of surging energy that swept through his entire body.

"The Pei Yuan Pill is truly worthy of its name, especially a top-grade one. The potency is fierce, far beyond the Red Cloud Ganoderma soup I brewed before. This power is too intense."

Not daring to delay, Chen Yushu immediately adopted the master-level Medicine King Stance and began circulating the Medicine King Power-Locking Technique. Only through the dual consumption and conversion of the stance and the technique did he feel the surging energy begin to be absorbed and refined.

He felt the power within him surging like a roaring river, continuous and endless. As he circulated the technique, this energy washed over and tempered his skin, flesh, tendons, bones, and marrow, gradually purging the impurities and blood toxins from his body.

"However, this efficiency is still too slow. While my body is absorbing part of it, much is still being wasted. Perhaps I can practice the Medicine King Thunder-Swallowing Sound while maintaining the stance and the locking technique?"

The thought crossed his mind in an instant. For others, this might be impossible, as it required not just multitasking, but three-tasking, all while ensuring the techniques didn't conflict. But for Chen Yushu, in his state of tranquility, he could handle two, three, or even ten tasks at once without error. His Medicine King Stance was already perfect, his Power-Locking Technique was at the Great Completion stage, and his Thunder-Swallowing Sound was nearing the Small Completion stage. He didn't even need to consciously control them; with a single thought, they would function in harmony.

He began the attempt.

While holding the Medicine King Stance and circulating the Power-Locking Technique, he parted his lips slightly.

*Boom! Rumble!*

A series of thunderous sounds emanated from him. Driven by the thunderous vibrations, his internal organs began to tremble slightly, further strengthening them.

"It works. Although there is some initial awkwardness, I can already achieve the integration of three techniques without interference."

Even though the "thunder" sound he produced was still faint—hardly audible even to someone standing next to him—the reaction within his body was already taking place. Driven by the vibrations, the internal energy surged into his organs, reinforcing them.

One sound, two sounds, three sounds...

After the Thunder-Swallowing Sound, Chen Yushu shifted to the Tiger Roar and Dragon Chant technique. Roaring sounds echoed from his abdomen as if a fierce tiger and a true dragon were hidden within him. His physical strength grew with his practice.

The human body is a great treasure trove. Every bit of cultivation is a process of unlocking it. Chen Yushu could truly feel this improvement. It wasn't just the accumulation of his internal strength and potential; the constant scouring and tempering of his flesh, bones, and organs were all elevating his state.

The most obvious sign was his raw power. The sharp crack of his knuckles when he clenched his fist, and the faint heat of vital energy that surged when he threw a punch—all indicated the strength of his physique. The stronger the body and the more resilient the internal organs, the greater his vital energy, strength, and resistance to damage would become.

An hour later, Chen Yushu slowly stopped his cultivation. Not only had the medicinal power been exhausted, but he also felt that his internal vital energy had reached an extreme density, as if some special power was brewing and about to be born within him.

"What is it?" A look of surprise crossed Chen Yushu’s face.

...

The work is finally finished. I will return to a normal update schedule tomorrow and gradually make up for the missed chapters. Thanks for your support! Please vote for next month!