Chapter 43: Breakthrough

The half-year in Yunfeng Town passed even faster than imagined.

When Aikesi emerged from the cultivation chamber, the sunlight was just falling upon the courtyard.

The sunlight fell on his face, carrying the unique softness of early autumn. The old locust tree in the courtyard had already begun to shed its leaves, with golden-yellow leaves covering a thin layer. Heilu lay in his usual spot—the warm green stone slab in the southeast corner of the courtyard; hearing the noise, he lazily flicked his tail, not even opening his eyes.

Beibei darted out from somewhere, landing accurately on Heilu's back. Half a year had passed, yet this little creature was still the same: a body the size of a palm, fur sleek and glossy, with a pair of black-bean-like eyes rolling about. It chirped twice at Aikesi, clasped its front paws together in a bow as a greeting, then rolled over onto Heilu's back, exposing its fluffy belly to bask in the sun.

A slight smile tugged at the corners of Aikesi's mouth.

A dull thudding sound came from the courtyard.

Boom—Boom—Boom—

One after another, with a steady rhythm, as if someone were striking a huge leather drum.

He followed the sound and saw Bake, shirtless, punching a massive boulder again and again. That stone was half a person's height and as thick as two people could embrace; it had been rolled down from Hou Shan by Bake three months ago, said to be for his younger brother's practice. At that time, when Bake struck it once, the stone didn't budge, but his fist turned red.

Now, the stone was being smashed so that stone chips flew everywhere, its surface deeply concave, the depression smooth as a mirror, worn down by countless hammering blows. Bake's fists didn't even break the skin; with every punch that fell, a dull echo resonated, making the ground tremble slightly.

"Progressing again," Aikesi said as he walked over.

Bake stopped his movements, turned around, and grinned, revealing two rows of white teeth. He was covered in sweat, glistening under the sunlight; the contours of his pectoral and abdominal muscles were more distinct than half a year ago, yet the lines weren't as rough as a pure Warrior's, instead radiating a fluid sense of Strength Profound Mystery.

"Brother Aikesi!" He wiped the sweat from his face. "My big brother said my current physical body strength is nearly catching up to an Eighth-rank Magical Beast."

Hearing his own name, Heilu finally opened his eyes, glanced over in this direction, then disdainfully turned his head away. That expression clearly said: I just don't want to hurt you.

Bake took no offense, instead smiling even more broadly: "You've emerged from seclusion? This retreat was quite long, half a month?"

"Eighteen days," Aikesi said. "Where is your big brother?"

"At Hou Shan, sparring with Brother Linlei." Bake gestured toward the direction of Hou Shan. "He went there early this morning and hasn't returned yet. I went to deliver lunch at noon, took a look from afar, and that commotion... 啧啧..."

He made an exaggerated gesture: "The two of them were over ten zhang apart, you punch, I punch; the wind they generated could even knock trees askew. I didn't dare get close, just left the food there and ran back."

Aikesi nodded, turned around, and walked toward Hou Shan.

The back mountain of Yunfeng Town was a range of rolling hills with sparse trees and jagged rocks. Over the past half-year, Linlei had spent most of his time cultivating here; occasionally, Bake would come to spar with him. Aikesi had watched from afar a few times; each time he could feel Linlei's progress—that progress wasn't sudden and dramatic, but steady and solid, stronger day by day.

Before even getting close, he felt the ground vibrating.

Boom—Boom—

That wasn't ordinary vibration, but a rhythmic pulsation, like the heartbeat of the earth, or like the footsteps of some ancient giant beast. With every vibration, the ground beneath his feet trembled slightly, and the surrounding gravel jumped along, emitting a fine, grinding sound.

Aikesi quickened his pace, climbed over a small hill, and saw two figures in the distance.

It was an open area where originally more than ten massive boulders were scattered; now only a ground full of rubble remained. Linlei stood before a boulder that had not yet shattered, maintaining a punching stance. He wore only a thin cloth shirt on his upper body, soaked with sweat and clinging to his body, outlining muscle lines that were not exaggerated but full of power.

The fist he had just thrown struck the stone, and the massive boulder didn't budge.

But the ground behind the stone had exploded into a large pit—three zhang in diameter, half a person deep, with soil and gravel splashing out in a radial pattern, as if struck by a meteor. The fist energy had penetrated the entire massive boulder, condensed into a beam, and blasted the ground.

Bake stood ten zhang away, his whole body glowing with a bronze luster.

It was a very strange luster; unlike the cold hardness of metal, it instead carried a warm, smooth texture, like fine brass polished a thousand times, shimmering brilliantly under the sunlight. He stood there like a human-shaped bronze statue, even his hair and eyebrows dyed with a faint copper hue.

He had just taken a direct hit from Linlei's fist; a large hole was torn in the clothes on his chest, revealing his bronze skin. Aikesi, with sharp eyes, saw that on that skin there was only a faint white mark, like a scratch left by a fingernail, which was dissipating at a speed visible to the naked eye.

"Excellent!" Bake shouted loudly, his voice filled with barely suppressed excitement. "Brother Linlei, again!"

Linlei didn't stand on ceremony and threw another punch.

This punch looked no different from the previous one, but Aikesi keenly perceived that at the instant Linlei threw the punch, the surrounding air momentarily stagnated.

The fist energy blasted into Bake's chest.

Boom!

That sound was not like a fist hitting flesh, but rather like a large temple bell being struck, dull and long, echoing through the valley. Bake's entire body was shaken back three steps; each step left a deep footprint on the ground—the first footprint went over the ankle, the second over the calf, the third directly to the knee.

But he still stood firm.

Bake looked down at his chest; the white mark was slightly deeper than before, and the color more obvious, but that was all. He took a deep breath, the bronze luster on his body intensified a bit more, the white mark rapidly faded, and within a few breaths, it completely vanished.

He raised his head, a look of狂喜 on his face.

"Level 9!" he shouted, his voice echoing through the valley. "After my transformation, I can now reach the Saint Domain!"

Linlei retracted his fist and slowly exhaled a cloud of浊气。Fine beads of sweat seeped from his forehead, and his breathing was slightly more rapid than usual, but a smile also appeared on his face: "Congratulations."

Aikesi walked over, his gaze sweeping across Bake.

"When did you break through?" he asked.

Seeing Aikesi, Bake's eyes lit up, and he eagerly approached. As he walked, every step made the ground tremble slightly, like a human-shaped ferocious beast.

"Just yesterday!" He couldn't stop smiling. "Brother Aikesi, you didn't see it; when I transformed yesterday, my whole body was this color. That kid Bake punched me, and he was the one who hurt so much he kept shaking his hand; I felt nothing!"

He spoke while laughing, his eyes squinting into a single slit.

Aikesi nodded: "Congratulations."

Linlei walked over and said to Aikesi: "Since you're here, help me take a look."

He turned to face the massive boulder and took a deep breath.

Aikesi noticed that this time Linlei did not immediately throw a punch; instead, he stood there with his eyes closed, as if performing some adjustment. The surrounding air gradually grew heavy, and a faint pressure emanated from him.

Then, he opened his eyes and threw a punch.

This time, Aikesi saw clearly.

At the instant Linlei threw the punch, his fist seemed to vibrate slightly; the fist energy struck the stone, and the stone's surface showed no change, but inside the entire boulder, a dense series of cracking sounds arose.

Crack—Crack Crack Crack—

That sound was very fine, like countless beans exploding inside a bamboo tube, or like the sound of ice cracking merging into one. The massive boulder didn't budge, but fine cracks began to seep onto its surface.

Stone powder drifted out from those tiny fissures, shimmering faintly in the sunlight.

Then, the massive boulder collapsed with a boom.

It completely disintegrated, shattering into a ground full of fist-sized stones. Those stones were uniform in size with neat edges, as if carefully cut by someone. Even more miraculously, the base of the boulder remained intact, with a smooth plane on top, surrounded by piles of rubble.

"This is..."

"An advancement of the Triple Wave," Linlei said, his breath slightly more rapid than before. "I stacked the three layers of force into a hundred layers. At the instant of the punch, the force oscillated a hundred times within the body, stacked into a single stream, driven into the target's interior, and destroyed it from within."

Aikesi fell silent for a moment, then nodded.

With a single punch, the surface of the boulder remained intact, yet the interior was shattered into dust. This level of control, this power, far exceeded that of an ordinary Saint Domain novice. If such a punch struck a human body, the exterior might bear only a fist mark, while the internal organs would be pulverized into meat paste.

"Try hitting me," Bake stepped closer, patting his chest. "I want to see if I can withstand it."

Linlei glanced at him and did not refuse.

Bake took a deep breath, stepped back a few paces, and stood firm. The bronze luster on his body grew even more intense, the color deeper, the texture heavier, as if a layer of genuine copper armor covered his entire form. He assumed a horse stance, fists clenched tightly, every muscle in his body tensed, toes gripping the ground and sinking into the soil.

"Come on!"

Linlei showed no courtesy. He stepped forward and drove a punch straight into Bake's chest.

Thud!

A dull, massive boom, like a hammer striking a bronze bell. Bake was sent flying backward, like a stone projectile launched from a trebuchet. He crashed through a tree the thickness of a bowl's rim behind him, then rolled seven or eight zhang across the ground before stopping. Wherever he passed, the soil was overturned, stones flew in all directions, carving a deep furrow.

He lay prone on the ground, unable to rise for a long time.

Aikesi walked over and squatted down to take a look.

Bake lifted his head, spat out a mouthful of dirt, yet a smile remained on his face. "It's fine... it's fine... just a bit dizzy from the shock."

He rolled over and sat up, unbuttoning his clothes to inspect his chest. There, a faint fist mark lingered, slightly darker than the surrounding skin, like a red bruise left by someone pressing down hard. He pressed it with his hand and grinned.

"I really held it," he said, lifting his head, excitement gleaming in his eyes. "Though I was knocked flying, my skin didn't break, nor did my bones. Brother Linlei, your Hundred-fold Wave cannot kill me!"

Linlei approached, gazing at the fist mark, surprise also flashing in his eyes. Although he had not used his full strength with that punch, it still carried seven or eight tenths of his power, enough to shatter a massive boulder. Yet upon striking Bake, it left only a shallow mark.

The defensive power of an Undying Warrior was indeed terrifying.

Aikesi stood aside, watching the scene, a sense of realization stirring within his heart.

Linlei's Hundred-fold Wave was the ultimate accumulation of Strength Profound Mystery. The might of a single punch could cleave mountains and split stones, yet it could not break through Bake's physical defense. Bake's defense was the ultimate tempering of the flesh.

Just then, a familiar prompt sound suddenly rang in his mind.

Sign-in.

Aikesi was slightly startled, then silently accepted it.

A warm surge of power flooded his body, condensing into a tiny point of light at his dantian. He closed his eyes and gazed inward at his dantian—that light point was no larger than a grain of rice, its entire form a deep purple-black, with faint flames flickering on its surface. This was no ordinary flame, but one imbued with a certain vitality, pulsing with a strange rhythm as it danced.

Three Thousand Burning Flame Seed.

At the same time, a stream of information flowed into his mind—

Ranked ninth on the Exotic Flame Ranking, originating from the depths of the heavens, it took tens of millions of years to condense. It contains immense vitality and regenerative capabilities, capable of nourishing the flesh and repairing injuries. It requires long-term cultivation to mature; once matured, it can greatly enhance flame power and grant the holder extraordinary self-healing abilities. During the cultivation period, one must nurture it with one's own battle qi, tempering it daily with the flame, before it can take root and sprout.

Aikesi opened his eyes, lost in thought.

"What's wrong?" Linlei noticed his unusual demeanor.

Aikesi shook his head. "Nothing, just remembered something."

Linlei asked no further questions, merely nodding.

The three of them descended the mountain together.

Halfway down the slope, Bake suddenly stopped, turning back to look at that stretch of forest. The setting sun slanted low, gilding the woods in gold and crimson. The boulders they had shattered lay scattered everywhere, casting long shadows in the evening light.

He fell silent for a moment, then said, "Brother Linlei, Brother Aikesi, I have an idea."

"Speak."

Bake scratched his head, looking somewhat embarrassed. "I am an Undying Warrior; after transformation, I reach the Saint Domain. But I just broke through and still don't know how to properly wield this power. Currently, I can only endure and strike hard. Against true experts, thick skin alone won't suffice. Brother Linlei, could you teach me your Hundred-fold Wave? I don't need to master it completely; learning the basics will do. I want to train my fists as well."

Linlei pondered for a moment, then nodded. "We can try."

Bake was overjoyed, thanking him repeatedly.

Aikesi watched the scene, understanding clearly in his heart.

Bake wished to bring his power to its absolute peak. The Undying Warrior's physique was already strong enough; if he also learned the technique of stacking force, it would no longer be mere defense, but a unity of offense and defense. By then, standing there, he could withstand attacks from the Saint Domain, and with a single punch, he could injure opponents of the Saint Domain.

These five brothers were indeed growing rapidly.

Upon returning to the courtyard, Saisile stood at the entrance of his laboratory. The old man wore a gray robe, hands tucked into his sleeves, squinting as he sized up the three of them. Behind him was that stone house, always kept shut, from which strange odors and sounds occasionally emanated; no one knew what he was researching inside.

Seeing Bake, Saisile's eyes narrowed even further.

"I heard you broke through to the Saint Domain?"

Bake chuckled, puffing out his chest. "After transformation, I am Saint Domain; without transformation, I am still Level 9. Old Master Saisile, your vision is truly accurate. Yesterday you said I was just one step away from the threshold, and today I have broken through!"

Saisile nodded, stroking his beard. "Good, good. Of the five of you, finally one is presentable. Those boys like Gaici still need more training."

"Gaici is close too," Bake said. "He said in another two or three months, he could catch up to me. The day before yesterday, he told me he felt he had touched the threshold, needing only that little bit more."

Saisile hummed, then looked at Linlei. "Any recent movements from the Radiant Church?"

Linlei shook his head. "Nothing for now. Those we sent back reported that the Church is making some moves in the O'Brien Empire, but over here, it is strangely calm. Too calm."

"It won't last long," Saisile paused, then said. "I thought the same. You killed so many of them; they cannot simply let it go. This half-year of calm is them gathering strength. Next, either they won't come, or if they do, it will be a major operation."

Everyone fell silent.