Chapter 42: Chapter 42: Breaking Through 2 Levels! The 3rd Level of Transforming Force
The entire area was deathly still.
You could hear a pin drop.
All the experts were both shocked and enraged. Their fists were clenched, yet they subconsciously lowered their heads, seemingly having lost even the courage to meet Chen Xuan’s gaze.
’The Vajra Monk, Fakong, was actually killed with a single palm strike...’
’This level of power...’
’Something’s clearly not right.’
"You pieces of trash. And here I thought you might actually be capable of something. But now it seems all you can do is fly into a powerless rage. Even actual trash is better than you. You’re all a bunch of useless wastes!"
Chen Xuan’s tone was cold, sparing no courtesy.
"I’ll say it again. Is there anyone else who wants to step up?"
He swept his gaze over the entire area, his eyes as sharp as lightning.
Even Lu Yao’s face was grim. She gritted her teeth, her heart seething with hatred.
’Damn it...’
’To think he’d get to show off like this!’
’But his power... it’s truly terrifying, so terrifying!’
’He’s gotten so much bigger...’
’He’s improved so much since he fought me.’
"Lu Yao, not convinced? Then get your ass up here!"
Chen Xuan’s gaze locked onto Lu Yao as he bellowed, his voice like thunder.
"You... who said I’m not convinced? I am! How could I not be?"
Lu Yao took an involuntary step back, her voice a mixture of alarm and anger.
She knew Chen Xuan’s methods all too well. If she so much as uttered another word of nonsense today, she could very well end up kneeling at his feet, wailing and begging for forgiveness.
"Louder! I didn’t hear you!"
Chen Xuan suddenly barked.
"You!"
Lu Yao’s face flushed with humiliation. She clenched her fists tightly, but under the pressure of Chen Xuan’s gaze, she had no other choice. She choked out, "I’m convinced!"
The faces of those around her were grim, but they all lowered their heads, not daring to utter a word.
"You’d better mean it."
Chen Xuan gave a cold sneer. He shot Lu Yao a deep look, then glanced into the distance. Grabbing Song Ming’s corpse, he turned to leave. With a SPLASH, he leaped into the river and swiftly vanished from sight.
Lu Yao’s pretty face was ashen, her body trembling. She felt like she was going insane.
’One man, intimidating everyone here...’
’How humiliating and infuriating is this?!’
’But I have no power to resist him!’
’All these experts and prodigies around me... every last one has been struck dumb.’
’Leaving me, a lone, weak woman, to face his wrath all by myself...’
’This humiliation... it’s truly beyond words!’
...
[You have publicly slain an enemy member and intimidated the crowd, yielding immense satisfaction. Retribution points +3500!]
As Chen Xuan swam toward the shore, a line of text suddenly appeared before his eyes.
Chen Xuan’s eyes lit up.
’Excellent.’
’I’ve really struck it rich this time.’
He subconsciously glanced at his panel and saw that his retribution points had now reached a staggering 16,200.
He almost laughed out loud.
’As expected, high risk, high reward...’
Chen Xuan made his way back to the ruined temple, picked up Fan Tao’s corpse, and hurried toward the docks.
Back at the docks, the flames had already been extinguished.
Thick plumes of smoke still billowed into the air. Many buildings had been burned down to their frames, but a good number had been saved.
Jia Gui was directing the men in the cleanup effort.
"Jia Gui, get a carriage ready. I need to make a trip to headquarters!"
Chen Xuan called out, carrying the two corpses.
’The branch was attacked, so news must have already reached headquarters.’
’Rather than wait for the gang’s fury to descend upon me, it’s better to go give the Gang Leader an explanation myself.’
"Yes, Squad Leader!"
Jia Gui, who was nearby, quickly acknowledged the order and hurried off to prepare.
Nearby, Chief Qiu and his men turned at the sound of his voice, and their expressions soon changed.
They recognized the two corpses in Chen Xuan’s hands at a glance.
One was Song Ming, one of the main culprits who had escaped.
The other was Fan Tao, the leader of the river pirates.
Chief Qiu’s expression flickered. Propping up his injured body, he walked over and cupped his fist. "Squad Leader Chen, did you kill all of those criminals?"
"What are you trying to say?"
Chen Xuan asked coolly.
"Could... could you give the criminal’s body to me?"
Chief Qiu asked.
He desperately needed the body to atone for his failure.
"Why should I?"
Chen Xuan refused flatly. "I went through the trouble of killing them. Why should I give them to you? However, there are dozens more bodies thirty li from here. If you don’t mind the work, you can send your men to go get them."
"Thirty li away?"
Chief Qiu looked stunned. His breathing grew rapid. "Thank you, Squad Leader Chen!"
He hastily led his men and rushed off.
’With these bodies, I can avoid the death penalty!’
’I might even get another promotion.’
Before long, Jia Gui had the carriage ready. "Oh, right, Squad Leader. Someone found the corpse of a demon beast not far from the river. It’s thought to be the same green demon beast we ran into on the island. People from the Thirteen Golden Dragon Fortress carried it away."
"Oh?"
Chen Xuan glanced at him. "I see."
He tossed the two corpses into the carriage, took the reins, and headed straight for headquarters, his mind racing.
’Are those Bai family siblings connected to the Thirteen Golden Dragon Fortress... This is a mess. A total mess.’
’It’s a shame I killed those Bai family siblings so quickly.’
’I didn’t get a chance to question them for more information.’
But it doesn’t matter!
’I just need to keep getting stronger. Who cares about their plots and schemes? In the face of absolute power, all of it is meaningless!’
Chen Xuan broke into a wide grin.
He opened his panel again and, without a second’s hesitation, began dumping in retribution points.
’Retribution points, dump them into the Vajra Ardent Sun Art!’
[Ding! You have consumed 1,000 retribution points. Your Vajra Ardent Sun Art has successfully reached 10x Cultivation Speed. However, you discover that even 10x speed is far from enough to satisfy you. Perhaps this is a unique characteristic of the Transforming Force realm.]
[Without hesitation, you immediately pour in another 4,000 retribution points. Finally, you feel your Cultivation Speed skyrocket once more, reaching 50x.]
[Still unsatisfied, you feel you can improve even faster. You pour in another 2,000 retribution points. Your Vajra Ardent Sun Art erupts and surges through your body like boiling magma!]
[Your muscles are being reforged, your meridians widened, your body feels as if it has been tempered and refined a thousand times!]
[Finally, your Vajra Ardent Sun Art has broken through to the Second Layer!]
[Cultivation increased to Transforming Force Second Layer!]
[After reaching the Transforming Force Second Layer, you strike while the iron is hot, pouring in another 8,000 retribution points. Your Vajra Ardent Sun Art continues to advance by leaps and bounds...]
[Congratulations, Host! The Vajra Ardent Sun Art has reached the Third Layer!]
[Cultivation increased to Transforming Force Third Layer!]
BOOM!
A powerful and terrifying aura erupted from within Chen Xuan’s body, like a ferocious beast awakening from a deep slumber.
A scorching heat radiated from his muscles, blood vessels, and bones, as if every inch of his flesh was being submerged in a sacred forge.
He clenched his fist slightly, instantly producing a series of dull sonic booms.
’Transforming Force Third Layer!’
’I’ve broken through two layers in a row!!’
’With this level of power, where would I rank in the entire Red Sand Gang?’
...
「Two hours later.」
Chen Xuan finally arrived at headquarters and immediately requested an audience with the Gang Leader.
He quickly gave a simplified and somewhat redacted account of the events at the docks, presenting the bodies of Fan Tao and Song Ming as proof.
"What? The Thirteen Golden Dragon Fortress intercepted a wanted fugitive of the court and burned down the docks?"
Su Qingliu, who was at his side, exclaimed in surprise.
Hong Wentong, however, remained calm, as if he had already received a secret report. "That’s nothing," he said. "This Song Ming’s background is unusual. His father, Song Yi, was a sworn brother to Yue Village Chief Yue Kaishan of the Thirteen Golden Dragon Fortress. It’s perfectly normal that Yue Kaishan would take such a risk to save him. But more importantly, Chen Xuan, it seems your strength has improved once again."
"It is all thanks to the Qi and Blood Pills you gifted me last time, Gang Leader. Without those five pills, it would have been impossible for me to break through!"
Chen Xuan cupped his fist.
’I knew Hong Wentong would ask about this.’
’But not reporting to headquarters was out of the question; Hong Wentong was sure to know already.’
"Is that so?"
Hong Wentong smiled suddenly. "Chen Xuan, let me see how far you’ve progressed in your Vajra Fist."
