Pain!! Unbridled, merciless pain. It was as if searing hot knives coated in molten lava pierced through every fiber of his being. Every cell screamed in agony, a relentless symphony of torment that threatened to shatter his mind. His body felt like a vessel about to explode, bloated beyond its limits, veins distending painfully under the pressure. The qi inside him roared like a wild beast, surging uncontrollably, desperately seeking an escape.
Duō Yī's vision blurred, red haze swallowing everything. His thoughts were a chaotic scramble—if he didn't find a way to release this excess qi soon, he would burst, ending his suffering in a single, final moment of annihilation. The pain was relentless, a white-hot white noise that drowned out reason. Seconds stretched into what felt like days, each moment a torment, each breath a struggle.
In the chaos of his mind, a fragment of will flickered remembering an ability he had not used in a while due to scarce resources. A flicker of hope amid the darkness. With trembling focus, he summoned the last reserves of his willpower and activated it: [All for One].
A sudden, explosive release of energy flooded through him. The pressure in his body dissipated in an instant, like a dam breaking and unleashing a torrent. His swelling flesh deflated, the unbearable tension easing as the excess qi was expelled in a violent burst. His body convulsed, then slowly relaxed, trembling with exhaustion.
From the shadows, the Gardener's shrill, maniacal laughter echoed through the cavern. It was a shriek that clawed into Duō Yī's skull, a sound both delighted and deranged.
"I knew it! I knew it!" the Gardener cackled, his voice ringing with madness. "This one is different! The last, the finest! Truly,"
"Surely the heavens favored me! The best was indeed saved for last! Hahahahaha!"
Without another word, he spun on his heel and dashed into the inner chambers, muttering incoherently to himself, words like 'refinement', 'essence', and 'immortal pill' tumbling from his mouth with anticipation. His eyes gleamed with cruel delight as he eyed the trembling figure of Duō Yī, who was now gasping, battered but alive.
The cavern was silent once more, save for Duō Yī's ragged breaths and the distant, haunting laughter of the Gardener, echoing like a curse.
-
Back at the white crane sect Hei Lóng sat cross-legged in his modest chamber, the air thickening suddenly with an almost tangible tension. Without warning, an intense surge of qi erupted from within him, causing the entire space to tremble. His breath hitched as a torrent of energy flooded into his realm, shattering the previous limitations of his body.
In that moment, Hei Lóng felt a violent ripple ripple through his flesh—an unmistakable sign of a breakthrough. His realm, which had been at the second stage of qi gathering, cracked open like a dam bursting as the qi influx surged into him. The wave was relentless, unstoppable.
His eyes snapped open, glowing fiercely as the energy poured into his body. His flesh—already hardened and strengthened from his rigorous training in the Body Refinement Division—greedily absorbed every drop of qi. Muscles bulged and expanded, veins coursed with newfound vitality, and a primal energy radiated outward, illuminating the room like a miniature sun.
Hei Lóng immediately entered a meditative state, focusing his will on digesting this sudden flood. His body trembled under the assault of rampant qi, but he refused to falter. He knew that this surge was the key to survival, or else they both die.
The influx was relentless, like a tidal wave crashing against the shore. His meridians, strained but resilient from his body refinement training, stretched to their limits as they circulated the surging qi. His flesh, bones, and veins drank greedily, fueling his rapid ascent.
Within moments, his realm soared from the second stage into the third—Mortal Flesh III. The explosion of power was so intense it seemed to ripple through his entire being, smashing through previous boundaries. His entire body thrummed with raw vitality, a testament to the strength he had built from relentless discipline.
Back in the cavern, Duō Yī's ordeal was far from over. Though he had managed to release the excess qi thanks to a risky activation of [All for One], he was not out of danger yet. The Gardener's laughter still echoed in his ears, a reminder that the true torture had only just started.