Chapter 4: Breaking Through a Major Realm

Just as Wang Chen returned to the vicinity of his residence, a voice suddenly called out to him.

“Wang Chen, where have you been? Why haven’t I seen you at Moon and Cloud Hall these past two days?”

As the words fell, an arm hooked around Wang Chen’s neck.

Wang Chen turned to look at the man, and memories in his mind surged up at once.

The man was named Li Qing, also a cultivator living in the outer quarters, with strength roughly the same as the original owner of the body, both at the second level of Qi Refinement.

It was this very fellow who had lured the original owner into the world of Moon and Cloud Hall.

Moon and Cloud Hall was not some house of pleasures, but a gambling den. Rumor had it that someone once made a fortune of over ten thousand spirit stones there in a single night.

Whether the story was true or false could not be known, but after the rumor spread, Moon and Cloud Hall’s business became more than ten times better than before.

The original owner had been drawn into that gambling den by Li Qing using precisely this rumor.

Recollecting the memories connected to Li Qing, Wang Chen realized that every time the original owner regretted his actions and resolved never to go back to Moon and Cloud Hall, this same fellow would appear at his side, comforting and encouraging him, saying that he had only been unlucky those past two days, and that this time he was certain to sweep the table.

Then he would drag the original owner back into the gambling den once more.

As the saying went, those in the midst are confused, while those on the side see clearly. In those days, the original owner had always treated Li Qing as a sworn friend.

But now, standing as the outsider looking back on those memories, Wang Chen could see it for what it was.

This Li Qing was nothing more than a man who had been steadily tempting the original owner into ruin.

In his former life, there had been a professional name for people like Li Qing: house shills.

Thinking of this, Wang Chen’s gaze turned cold, and he without the slightest hesitation shook off Li Qing’s left arm from his shoulder.

“Sorry, I’ve already quit gambling. Don’t come looking for me again.”

With that, Wang Chen turned to leave.

Seeing this, Li Qing panicked. “No, you’re just quitting like that? You’ve already lost nearly a thousand spirit stones in Moon and Cloud Hall. If you stop now, all those stones you lost before will be gone for good!”

“Are you really willing to accept that?”

Li Qing stared at Wang Chen in disbelief, as if indignant on his behalf.

Wang Chen looked at his performance with cold eyes, his heart full of sneering contempt.

A person has two hearts: one greedy, the other unwilling.

Once you fall into either of them, ruin is your final destination.

This fellow was truly trying to cost him his life.

Thinking of this, Wang Chen’s attitude grew even firmer. “It doesn’t matter. Lost is lost. I don’t want to lose spirit stones and then lose my life as well. Don’t come find me again.”

Wang Chen paid no further attention to Li Qing’s words and strode away.

He left Li Qing standing there alone, watching Wang Chen’s receding figure with a sour expression.

“Damn it! Damn it!”

“This bastard! Why is his attitude so firm this time!”

“He’s not gambling anymore. What am I supposed to do about the task given by Lord Qin?”

As he said this, Li Qing seemed to think of something, and an uncontrollable shiver ran through him. Then he hurriedly turned and left.

On the other side, Wang Chen hurried home while occasionally glancing back to make sure Li Qing had not followed. Only then did he let out a quiet breath of relief.

Although he was no longer the same helpless fool as before, and Li Qing was no match for him at all, he knew very well that a person like Li Qing was bound to have others behind him.

He was not afraid of Li Qing, but he did not have the confidence to deal with the people standing behind him.

What remained unclear was whether those people would be willing to let him go.

If they intended to cling to him without end, then he would have to make preparations early.

While silently mulling this over, Wang Chen returned home, put down his things, and then hurriedly left again, heading toward the Beast Mountain Range.

The Beast Mountain Range was vast, stretching for thousands of miles, and no one knew how many terrifying beasts lived within it.

However, the stretch of mountains near the market town had long since been cleared by the people of Golden Origin Sect in advance, so it was still safe.

Wang Chen found a secluded grove and looked up at the system panel.

[Host: Wang Chen]

[Realm: Fourth Level of Qi Refinement (56%)]

[Technique: Spirit Stream Art (Proficient 38%)]

[Spells: Light Body Technique (Beginner 89%), Fireball Technique (Beginner 69%)]

[Path of Immortal Arts: First-Rank Talismans (Proficient 1%)]

Although his realm had reached the fourth level of Qi Refinement, the spells he had mastered were still only at the beginner stage.

Realm was the foundation of longevity; spells were the arts that protected the path.

To avoid the prying eyes of the pack, only his own strength could truly carry the day.

That was why Wang Chen had deliberately chosen such a secluded place to practice the spells he had learned.

Soon, Wang Chen’s figure began darting wildly through the dense woods. As he continuously activated the Light Body Technique, he seemed like a bird in full flight, elusive and buoyed by the wind.

The reason ordinary people found spell cultivation so difficult was that, unlike realm advancement, one could not see any progress at all. It could only be built through diligent practice.

That was a severe test of one’s perseverance.

But Wang Chen was different. With the panel, he could clearly see every bit of progress he made.

This made his practice of spells far more efficient.

Like leveling up in a game, every tiny movement of the progress bar sent his spirits soaring a little higher.

Thus, practicing spells was not tedious in the slightest; on the contrary, it gave him a deep and satisfying sense of achievement.

And practicing spells could not only advance their proficiency, but also temper the spiritual energy within his body.

As his spiritual power was repeatedly depleted and restored, Wang Chen’s foundation, which had been somewhat unstable after breaking through two consecutive realms, gradually settled into place.

Before long, the sun slanted westward. Wang Chen once again exhausted his spiritual power, and then, suddenly, countless insights rose in his mind. His understanding of the Light Body Technique surged dramatically.

[Spell: Light Body Technique (Proficient 1%)]

Seeing that the technique had successfully broken into a new realm, a trace of delight appeared on Wang Chen’s face.

The original owner of this body had begun cultivating at sixteen. This year he was twenty-two, which meant he had cultivated for six years already.

Both the Light Body Technique and the Fireball Technique were spells the original owner had started practicing from the very beginning.

It had taken a full six years to reach the level of Beginner 89%.

And now, in just one afternoon, the Light Body Technique had successfully broken through a major realm.

This was not only due to his diligent practice, but even more crucially because of the panel.

Although the panel merely revealed his cultivation state and did not possess some heaven-defying ability to add points, it seemed able to let him ignore the difficulties of spell cultivation. As long as he kept cultivating, he could keep improving.

That feeling of growing stronger through effort alone made Wang Chen nearly lose himself in it.

Unfortunately, looking at the sky growing dim, he ultimately gave up the idea of continuing and turned back toward the market town.

After nightfall, the Beast Mountain Range became an entirely different world from the one it was by day.

He did not dare spend the night there, not even in the outskirts.

On the way back, Wang Chen instinctively activated the Light Body Technique, and instantly he felt the difference brought about by his breakthrough in realm.

After the technique broke through, not only had his speed increased, but the spiritual power it consumed had also decreased. In terms of speed alone, he feared even a fifth-level Qi Refinement expert might not be able to match him now.