Chapter 153: Chapter 150: Descent of Gloom! A Strand of Sword Qi Is Born
"Water..."
Han Feng’s voice was hoarse, as if it had been scraped with sandpaper.
He instinctively pulled a Middle Tier Qi Blood Recovery Potion from his waist pouch.
Normally, drinking a single vial would be enough to fully replenish his Qi Blood.
But now, downing one was like tossing a single drop of water into a steel furnace.
It evaporated in an instant, not even making a splash.
One vial, two vials, five vials...
In just half a minute, a pile of empty bottles had formed at Han Feng’s feet.
Not only did the crimson on his face not fade, but it deepened into a frightening dark red.
His eye sockets had even sunken in.
It was as if the essence of his flesh and blood was being frantically drained by something.
’Something’s not right!’
Zhang Hao, who had been watching him closely, had his expression change drastically.
He strode over to Han Feng in a single step and grabbed his wrist.
The next second, a searing pain shot through Zhang Hao’s fingertips.
It felt less like he was holding a human arm and more like a piece of iron just pulled from lava.
He tried to probe with a sliver of Inner Qi.
The moment the thought arose, that sliver of Inner Qi vanished.
No, it didn’t vanish.
It was instantly torn to shreds, mangled by an invisible yet incredibly sharp force.
’A Cultivation Technique mutation? Or... the awakening of a special Physique?’
Zhang Hao was experienced and knowledgeable, and he immediately determined that Han Feng was in the midst of both a great opportunity and a great crisis.
If he made it through, a vast new world would open up to him.
If he failed, he would be sucked dry on the spot.
’The Potions aren’t working. The Energy density is too low; it can’t keep up with the rate his body is consuming it!’
Zhang Hao watched as Han Feng’s skin shriveled before his very eyes.
He could even see a faint glow coming from the bones beneath the skin.
With a hardened look in his eyes, he made a decision.
He pulled out the Jade Bottle containing the heart’s blood of the Tier Two Demon Beast.
"Open your mouth!"
Zhang Hao barked.
Without caring whether Han Feng was conscious or not, he pried his jaw open.
He poured the entire half-bottle of dark red liquid, which reeked of blood, down his throat.
’The heart’s blood of a Tier Two Demon Beast is incredibly violent. Not even someone at the Meridian Passage Realm would dare to drink it like this!’
’Whether you can withstand it or not all depends on your own fortune now!’
BOOM!
That half-bottle of heart’s blood was like a small bomb detonating inside Han Feng’s body.
The most essential Life Energy of the Tier Two Demon Beast exploded forth.
A violent torrent of heat instantly overwhelmed his desiccated meridians.
Any other Body Tempering Realm cultivator would have had their meridians shattered, their body exploding to pieces.
But at this moment, Han Feng’s bones, like sharks that had caught the scent of blood, awakened.
VMMMMM—
The cry of a sword, originating from the depths of his soul, suddenly rang out along his spine.
Before that violent energy, powerful enough to destroy anything, could wreck his body...
...it was forcefully dragged in by a greedy suction from deep within his bones.
Deep within his bones, it was as if a furnace, dormant for ten thousand years, had just been lit.
Immediately after, a brand-new power was tempered from his marrow and nourished his entire body.
It was no longer the warm Qi Blood.
Nor was it the flowing Inner Qi.
It was a stream of silver-gray energy.
Pure.
Sharp.
Possessing a domineering quality that could sever all things.
—Sword Qi!
Han Feng’s originally empty Dantian was rapidly filled by these wisps of newborn Sword Qi.
As the Sword Qi proliferated, the frightening crimson on his skin receded like a tide.
His skin regained its luster, even becoming finer than before, with a faint, jade-like sheen.
Han Feng let out a long breath of white air.
That breath actually blasted a shallow mark onto the hard rock floor.
"He... He’s alive?"
Zhang Hao let out a heavy sigh of relief.
He looked at the empty Jade Bottle in his hand, his face a mask of heartache.
"Half a bottle of Tier Two heart’s blood... Only a monster like you could handle that."
"Anyone else would be pushing up daisies by now."
Han Feng opened his eyes.
A flash like cold lightning glinted in their depths.
He clenched his fist, feeling the brand-new power in his Dantian, a power that felt like it could pierce through anything.
Though the quantity was small, the "quality" was completely different.
"Thank you, Captain. I’ll remember this favor."
Han Feng’s tone was incredibly sincere.
"Remember what? The stuff was yours to begin with. I just helped you pour the medicine."
Zhang Hao waved his hand dismissively and tossed the empty bottle back to him.
"But you sure made a huge scene, kid. You just ate a Spirit Plant, but you made it look like you were ascending through a heavenly tribulation."
Just as Han Feng was about to speak, his stomach inappropriately started to rumble like thunder.
GRRROWL—
His Energy was replenished, but his stomach was still empty.
A pure, physical hunger instantly overwhelmed him.
His gaze immediately locked onto the cleaned slab of Iron-Backed Water Lizard meat nearby.
Especially that thick tail, all muscle and gleaming with fat.
"Brother Meng, let me borrow the furnace!"
Han Feng’s eyes were starting to turn green with hunger.
「Ten minutes later.」
A rich, savory aroma of meat filled the entire cave.
The Tier Two Demon Beast’s tail, weighing dozens of pounds, sizzled and dripped fat on the Smokeless Furnace, roasted to a crispy golden-brown.
Not even caring that it was scalding hot, Han Feng sprinkled on some salt, grabbed a half-cooked piece of meat, and stuffed it into his mouth.
The meat of a Tier Two Demon Beast was extremely tough; an ordinary person wouldn’t be able to chew it at all.
But for Han Feng’s current steel-like teeth, it was easier to handle than soft tofu.
"Slow down, slow down, no one’s gonna snatch it from you!"
Wang Meng frantically turned the meat on the side.
Watching Han Feng eat like a starving ghost reincarnated, his own Adam’s apple bobbed up and down.
"Leave a bite for me! I’ve never tasted the meat of a Tier Two Demon Beast before!"
Han Feng nodded indistinctly, but the speed at which he ate only increased.
As large amounts of flesh and blood, rich with pure energy, filled his stomach, a warmth spread through him.
That feeling of weakness, of being utterly drained, finally vanished completely.
Just then, the light outside the cave completely vanished.
It was as if a boundless black cloth had been suddenly thrown over the entire world.
Not even a single star could be seen.
A disquieting, oppressive feeling seeped in silently, even through the Array.
The Grayout Period had arrived.
"Stop eating."
Zhang Hao stood up, his expression more serious than ever before.
He walked to the stone monument, counted out twenty Spirit Coins from his pocket, and inserted them one by one into the slots.
As the Spirit Coins were inserted, the light of the Array at the cave’s entrance flared brightly.
The originally transparent wall of air became solid, completely sealing off the inside from the out.
"The sky has gone dark."
Zhang Hao turned around, his gaze sweeping over everyone in the cave.
"The *Survival Guide* says that right now, the ’Blood Sea’ outside will begin to boil."
"And those unseen ’filthy things’ should be coming out to stretch their legs."
He pointed to the glowing barrier at the cave entrance.
"This thing burns through money. Twenty Spirit Coins only last for six hours, but we can’t let that money go to waste."
Zhang Hao paused, his eyes sweeping over a few of the obviously nervous newcomers.
His gaze finally landed on Han Feng, who was wiping his mouth.
"Sleep is for the dead."
"Right now, we’re going to conduct a special training exercise."
"Will training?"
Han Feng raised an eyebrow, having already guessed a part of it.
"That’s right."
A cruel smile touched the corner of Zhang Hao’s mouth.
"This barrier is one-way. We are completely safe inside."
"But if you’re brave enough, you can stick your head, or your arm, outside."
"The air outside is now full of Spiritual Contamination and the whispers of Spirit Bodies."
"For those with weak Wills, it’s a gut-rotting poison."
"But for Martial Artists like us, who want to break through bottlenecks and temper our Will, it’s the best whetstone there is."
"There are three rules."
"First, pair up. One person trains while the other watches."
"If you see your teammate’s eyes lose focus or they start spouting nonsense, don’t hesitate—drag them back in and knock them out immediately!"
"Second, the time you spend outside must absolutely not exceed three minutes!"
"The corrosion from Spirit Bodies is a slow-acting poison. By the time you feel like you can still hold on, it’s often already too late!"
"Third, there must be at least a ninety-minute interval between each training session. If your mind is unstable, you are strictly forbidden from trying!"
After speaking, Zhang Hao looked at Han Feng with a playful glint in his eyes.
"So, how about it?"
"You just had a breakthrough. Care for a little excitement to celebrate?"
Han Feng looked at the pitch-black darkness outside the cave, a darkness so deep you couldn’t see your hand in front of your face, and grinned.
He bared a set of gleaming white teeth.
"I was thinking the exact same thing."
