Chương 319: Challenge

The pill melted into a thick liquid that flowed down his throat. It actually tasted like blood and it's smell was oddly similar to that of blood as well. Once he swallowed it, his body began to heat up slightly a few seconds later. His blood began to boil as his vitality began to surge. His blood continued to strengthen and increased untill blood actually began to seep out of his powers. But it was not painful at all. In fact, it was strangely satisfying. He closed his eyes and drowned in the feeling.

His blood became thicker, granting him increased force in his body. His bones, organs all became slightly stronger and his bone marrow also had some changes. Long Feng practically sweat blood for a while before the effects of the pill stabilized. Luckily, he took off his clothes before beginning. As this was his first time consuming such a pill, the effect was nearly doubled on his body. His body was originally comparable to rank two or three spirit realm warriors.

But it began to increase as he refined the blood essence pill. His skin was red, giving him a strange appearance. Body tempering path didn't actually have its own realms. Instead, it was measured in how many tons of force a person had. Normal cultivators relied on inner energy to do things, but body temperers were different. They relied on raw force. A fist to crumble buildings, shake mountains and overturn the sea. Long Feng's fists could previously only unleash about ten pounds of force.

That was comparable to weak spirit realm warriors. But that was slowly changing. He slowly refined the blood essence pill for an hour before he exhaled a red mist and opened his eyes. A smile appeared on his face as he clenched and unclenched his fists.

"I suppose I can unleash about thirty tons of force in by attacks using my raw body. But that's far from enough." That was just about rank six spirit realm. He stood up and prepared a tub filled with warm water. After testing the temperature, he poured all the freezing spirit powder into the water. The water changed color, turning into a dreamy blue liquid. Long Feng nodded and slowly submerged himself inside the tub. His body was instantly assaulted by a chilling cold that made him hiccup a few times.

He nearly leapt out of the water several times but he forced himself to endure and absorb the energy contained in it. His body strength slowly increased once again. A few minutes after he began, Long Feng reached out and grabbed the crimson jelly liquid.

"This isn't fast enough. I'll try this." He turned the bottle and swallowed the thick liquid into his stomach. A flame seemed to burn down his throat. The liquid was similar to a red hot coal. Long Feng's face turned red from heat as he immediately began to sweat. The inside of his body became unbelievably hot as the liquid spread to every inch of his body. His every cell was enduring great pain as they burned under the heat. His meridians began to burn, turning black as the liquid passed through.

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. But Long Feng gritted his teeth and didn't even groan. The pain which was equal to swallowing a slightly diluted drop of lava was beyond imagination. Yet he endured it silently. Moreover, outside his body was nearly freezing. This caused a strange balance outside and inside his body. The cold couldn't fully freeze his body while the fiery heat couldn't go out of control.

Long Feng was using the two to restrict each other. But the torture was similarly terrifying. His meridians were literally roasting from inside. Not even the pain of absorbing an Imperial crystal could compare to this. His body began to shake as the pain worsened. But the increase in his body strength was similarly great. Hours passed and the liquid in the tub slowly became a light murky liquid that contained some impurities from his body. The extreme cold was already more or less gone.

The heat had also faded away. He had fully absorbed the two resources without wasting them. Long Feng breathed a sigh of relief. His inside were practically twisting and revolting at this moment. His face twitched several times as he circulated his energy. Wherever the energy passed, the meridians would peel off and the burnt part would flow away, leaving soft and glimmering new skin. Although it looked tender, it's toughness was far beyond before.

Even if he absorbed another Imperial crystal, they wouldn't tear as much as they did before. Laughing, Long Feng rushed to the training room and punched at the puppet. The puppet immediately shook slightly. This made him to laugh harder.

"That's at least a hundred tons of force! Hahahaha! Even a weak Imperial wouldn't dare to receive that punch head on. In terms of body strength, I am perhaps equal to the Wolf Alliance overlord genius Jin Bao." After testing his strength to his heart's content, he left the training room. Pondering for a while, he put the mud dragon root pill aside.

"I've stressed my body enough for today. Everything needs to be gradual, especially as this is my first time." Besides, the mud dragon root pill was stronger than all the others. It's difficulty would be higher as well. It would be best to wait till he become an Imperial before he would refine it. After that, Long Feng took another bath to wash off the impurities on his body. He felt extremely lightheaded after that. With his current strength, he didn't fear anyone below rank nine Imperial realm!

He entered his room and went to sleep to revitalize his body. When he woke up, it was already the next day. Long Feng sat upright and stretched leisurely.

"I should use my last chance to enter the ancient sword legacy remnant today. I should also begin my preparations to become an imperial. If I want to become an Inner peak disciple in five months time, then he had to increase his strength. His cultivation, techniques and Daos were the core pillars he needed to focus on. Quickly cleaning himself and dressing up, he left his pavilion and rushed towards the Dao Heaven Hall.

Along the way, he paused at the Resources Hall and collected his resources for this month; ten low grade essence stones and a different pill, a yellow flower pill. He naturally didn't know what the pill was want for, but it was without doubt useful to him. As he left the resources hall, he was blocked by a few people again today. And he recognized all of them. A wide smile broke out on his face as he saw that group of five.

Xu kui, a rank eight Imperial realm youth glanced at Long Feng calmly, hiding the shock in his heart after sensing the latter's cultivation.

'how is this possible? Just last month, he was a rank six spirit realm warrior! How could he reach rank nine in a month? I thought his talent was the lowest mortal grade?'. He had already researched everything about Long Feng and knee about his entrance test and Lord Ao's recommendation. That had scared him a bit but he recalled his own backing and decided to man up. None of his thoughts appeared on his face. He stared at Long Feng and opened his mouth.

"Kid, hand over your protection fee for this month." Long Feng stared at him, them looked at the other four. They were all initially rank six Imperials, but one of them made a breakthrough and was now a rank seven Imperial. Their line up consisted of one rank eight, one rank seven and two rank six Imperial realm youths. Long Feng grinned.

"I'm not in need of your protection. Sorry." Hearing this, Xu Kui's expression changed slightly. Long Feng acted as though he didn't notice it and continued.

"Actually, I'm glad that you brought yourself to me. You took my essence stones last time. I want them back with interest. And if you don't agree…" Xu Kui stared at him darkly.

"What would you do? Fight me?" Long Feng smiled slowly.

"The rules may prevent me from killing you but keeping you bedridden for a few months isn't against the rules." He replied. Xu Kui's face turned black. If he could remember, these were the exact same words he had spoken to Long Feng the other day. To think Long Feng had the guts to use them back at him! That was a tremendous loss of face.

"Bastard! How dare you!" The rank seven Imperial shouted coldly.

"Elder brother Xu, allow me to break his knees and make him kneel before you!" Xu Kui stared at Long Feng silently without replying for a few minutes.

"I'm curious. Are you just pretending to be foolish or are you really so?" He asked. Long Feng laughed.

"What do you think? You asked me to pay you didn't you? Protection? What a joke. You're probably someone else's loyal dog yourself considering how you go around with barking dogs behind you. You really expect me to believe your dog shit? If I actually did, then I might've been a real fool. Unfortunately, you're the idiot here for thinking I take your bullshit. Are you going to hand my stones back to do I teach you how to actually protect yourself first?" Xu Kui's eyes turned grim.

He stared at Long Feng for a long minute before he smiled coldly.

"Good! Good! Very good! I am someone's dog? Wonderful." His voice turned frigid.

"Tomorrow by noon, I'll wait for you at the arena. If I fight you here, I won't be able to cripple you. And if you don't dare to come, then believe me, I have many ways to kill a trash like you. All I want is to cut off that tongue of yours and listen as you scream for me." He turned around and began to walk away.

"If you come, I'll spare your life. And if you don't, then I will kill you. Make no mistake." He left after saying that, his four dogs following behind him after glaring at Long Feng. No one would feel nice after being called a dog. Long Feng shrugged and continued on his way. He didn't see any reason to deny the challenge. That was exactly what he wanted. The arena was perfect. He wouldn't need to hold back.

Even death was allowed in the arena, and depending on how Xu Kui behaved, his life and death would be decided there. He quickly rushed to the Dao Heaven Hall and entered the ancient sword legacy remnant door once again. As he stood before it, he was swallowed into it and the next thing, he found himself standing at the peak of an indescribably tall mountain with a cave before him and a stone stele behind him. This was the exact place he stood before he was sent out of the remnant.

Smiling, he approached the cave and walked into it with no resistance. He wasn't sent back out this time.