Chapter 020: The Portly Man

  After observing for a while, Yang Tian still couldn't make sense of the ancient map fragment, so he stored it away and turned his attention to the herb garden.

  His eyes fell on the vibrant Tri-Colored Flower, and his joy was impossible to hide. Although the Tri-Colored Flower couldn't directly increase one's cultivation, its ability to strengthen the physical body was something that drove Blood Refinement cultivators to madness. It was essentially a ticket to becoming a true martial artist.

  Yang Tian plucked the flower and placed it in his mouth. The moment it touched his tongue, it dissolved, and before he could even savor its taste, a surge of heat, like a raging fire, spread through his body.

  Immediately, Yang Tian sat cross-legged in the cave, his entire body turning red as the medicinal energy surged into his skin. His chest felt as if it were about to split open, and his entire body itched and ached as if countless ants were crawling beneath his skin.

  Yang Tian shook his head vigorously. He had heard about the pain of marrow cleansing, but he hadn't expected it to be this unbearable. He steadied his breathing and focused his mind, allowing the medicinal energy of the Tri-Colored Flower to wash over his body.

  His skin began to strengthen at an alarming rate, while most of the medicinal energy seeped into his internal organs. The three-colored energy spread throughout his body, fiercely tempering his flesh. His organs alternately relaxed and tightened, and Yang Tian could clearly feel his physical strength increasing at a terrifying pace.

  His body was undergoing a transformation. His skin, now tempered, emitted a crystalline glow, and the hardness of his bones had increased several times over. Every inch of his muscles seemed to possess boundless explosive power, and with each contraction, the sound of air exploding could be heard.

  With every bit of medicinal energy consumed, Yang Tian felt his body grow stronger. Black impurities were expelled from his pores, and his flesh became increasingly translucent and pure.

  After a while, the three-colored energy began to diminish, and the remaining medicinal energy flowed into his muscles and bones. Yang Tian felt as if his blood was on fire, and beads of sweat formed on his forehead.

  His bones, under the influence of the medicinal energy, shone like jade. The energy gradually seeped into the depths of his marrow. Within his dantian, the blood pearls, now as clear as jade, were being refined, and the blood energy within his body became increasingly pure.

  A day later.

  Yang Tian opened his eyes. As he felt the transformation of his body, he rubbed his skin and felt a hardness that was almost angular.

  **Boom!**

  With a single punch, a thousand-pound boulder in front of him was reduced to dust. Yang Tian hadn't even used his blood energy—this was purely the strength of his physical body, which was now comparable to that of an ordinary eighth-level Blood Refinement cultivator.

  "Tsk tsk, the Tri-Colored Flower is truly a miraculous herb in the cultivation world. If I had relied solely on physical training, it would have taken me a long time to achieve this level of strength, not to mention the resources I would have consumed," Yang Tian murmured with a satisfied smile. His gaze then shifted to the hundreds of spiritual herbs in the garden, and a sly grin spread across his face.

  Inside the Ancestral Dragon Ring, the once barren landscape was now filled with the rich aroma of medicinal herbs. The ground was lush and green, with the newly transplanted herbs occupying most of the space. The Vermilion Fruit Tree was heavy with ripe, red fruits.

  Yang Tian stored the three spatial rings and prepared to leave.

  Outside the cave, Yang Tian dashed forward, his speed now twice as fast as before, and his movements were completely silent. His control over his body had reached a new level.

  **Boom!**

  Yang Tian's sprinting body came to an abrupt halt. He stomped his foot, and the ground beneath him cracked, the fissures spreading rapidly.

  **Boom!**

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  Without pausing, Yang Tian took advantage of the beast's momentary confusion and delivered a powerful punch to its abdomen. The sheer force of the blow caused the beast's body to rupture.

  **Crack, crack!**

  A wound the size of a bowl appeared, and blood gushed out. The beast twitched violently a few times before collapsing. Without even using his blood energy, Yang Tian had killed a first-tier, seventh-level beast in a single strike.

  After running through the night, Yang Tian finally found his way back. Once he had fully restored his blood energy, he headed straight for the fortress of Stormcloud City.

  A few miles from the fortress, several disciples from the Starry Sky Martial Hall were stationed, their strength far superior to before. However, the scene before Yang Tian made him roll his eyes.

  Several burly disciples were surrounding three beautiful women, spewing vulgarities. The women looked at the men with fear in their eyes.

  "Haha, who would have thought we'd find such beauties in this godforsaken place? We're truly blessed today," one of the men said, licking his lips as he ran a finger down one of the women's cheeks.

  "Hey, if you're satisfied, how about letting me go?" A skinny man, standing behind the disciples, rubbed his hands together ingratiatingly.

  "Zuo Quan, you traitor! I paid you to protect me, and now you're selling me out?" A portly man, lying on the ground with blood streaming from his nose and mouth, glared at the skinny man and shouted.

  "Qing Yuan, how is this my fault? You have no cultivation, yet you insisted on bringing these women into the Beast Mountain Range for a 'fun trip.' Now that things have gone south, you expect me to die with you?" The skinny man jumped up and sneered at the portly man.

  "Hahaha!" One of the burly men laughed heartily, but his tone suddenly turned cold. "Don't worry, neither of you will leave here alive."

  As soon as he finished speaking, the man's blood energy surged. He stomped his foot, and a powerful wave of energy erupted. At the same time, his fist, glowing with a green light, shot forward.

  **Thud, thud!**

  Blood splattered, and within moments, the skinny man was dead.

  "Ah—!" The three women screamed, their eyes filled with tears. They turned to the portly man and sobbed, "Young master, save us!"

  "Don't worry, I'll take good care of you," the burly man said, pinching one of the women's cheeks and laughing.

  "Bastards! Let them go!" Qing Yuan roared, his eyes fixed on the men. His teeth ground together, and a murderous intent radiated from his body.

  **Clap, clap...**

  Suddenly, the sound of clapping echoed through the air, each clap as loud as thunder, causing the men's eardrums to ache.

  "And what might you be doing? We're not to be trifled with. I suggest you mind your own business, or else..."

  The burly man's voice trailed off as his eyes fell on the approaching figure. His face froze, and a look of fear crept into his eyes. His hands began to tremble slightly.

  "You... you're Yang Tian? You're not dead?" the man stammered, pointing at Yang Tian. A chill ran down his spine.

  "Could it be that Qing Yuan's luck has turned, and he'll escape this disaster?" The portly man breathed a sigh of relief as he watched the newcomer approach. He wiped the sweat from his face.

  "What? Were you hoping I'd die?" Yang Tian rubbed his nose and walked over. He glanced at the three women and sneered, "Typical of your martial hall. As martial artists, you have no sense of shame."

  "Bastard, kill him!" The burly man's face flushed with anger. Looking at Yang Tian's slender frame, he refused to believe that Yang Tian could take on all five of them.

  "Be careful, brother!" Qing Yuan shouted, frustrated at his own helplessness. His dantian was empty, and he couldn't muster any blood energy.

  **Clang, clang!**

  The men drew their weapons and attacked simultaneously. Dozens of dazzling energy beams shot toward Yang Tian.

  **Whoosh!**

  Yang Tian's figure blurred. In the blink of an eye, he appeared beside one of the men. With a single punch, his fist pierced through the man's chest like an unstoppable iron sword.

  "So fast!" The remaining four men were shocked. They dropped their weapons and lunged at Yang Tian.

  **Clang, clang!**

  Yang Tian stomped his foot, sending a cloud of dust into the air. Sparks flew as metal clashed against metal.

  **Crack, crack!**

  The sound of breaking metal echoed as dozens of fragments fell to the ground.

  "Tsk tsk, what a strong body," Qing Yuan murmured, his eyes wide with surprise. "I don't recall any family in the Qingyang Empire specializing in physical cultivation."

  "Damn it, how is this kid's body so strong?" The remaining men trembled, fear gripping their hearts. Yang Tian had crushed their blood weapons with his bare hands!

  "Don't even think about running," Yang Tian sneered as the men turned to flee. His speed increased dramatically, and he launched several punches into the air. The force of his blows was so sharp that it was accompanied by screams and the splatter of blood and bone.

  "Ah—!" The women, witnessing the bloody scene, felt nauseous. However, seeing Yang Tian's calm expression, they managed to hold back their vomit and rushed to Qing Yuan's side.

  "Thank you for saving us, brother. I am Qing Yuan," the portly man said, bowing respectfully. Despite having no cultivation, he carried himself with an air of nobility.

  The three women also stepped forward and curtsied. "Thank you for saving us, young master."

  "Brother Qing, no need to be so formal. I have some personal grievances with them," Yang Tian said with a smile. He didn't look down on Qing Yuan, despite the man's lack of cultivation. There was an undeniable air of dignity about him.

  "Brother Yang, you're too kind. I will never forget your kindness. I will repay you in the future," Qing Yuan said with a smile. After a pause, he added, "If you don't mind, could you escort me and these ladies out of here?"

  "Of course," Yang Tian replied with a faint smile. He glanced at the portly man but didn't say much more. Together, they headed toward Stormcloud City.

  Fifteen minutes later, after bidding farewell to Qing Yuan, Yang Tian hurried toward the Dragon Star Martial Hall.