Translator: Zen Translations Editor: Zen Translations
His meridian channels engorged with Heavenly Energy, Zhou Weiqing was currently in a disheveled state, his hair had grown so long that it spread messily down his shoulders and back. Although it was in a dark room, one could still spot his eerily bloodshot eyes.
As one’s cultivation level grew, each and every level of Heavenly Energy was undoubtedly tougher to reach, and the next level would always take a greater amount of Heavenly Energy. Zhou Weiqing’s original estimation of ten days was not fulfilled, and it took him an additional twenty three days on top of the thirty seven days spent with the three Masters, before he finally reached the breakthrough point once more.
Without hesitation, Zhou Weiqing immediately began his final burst towards breaking through.
At this moment, despite his ‘mistreatment’ of himself, his body and physique was not weak at all. After all, Heavenly Energy was the atmospheric energy that all Heavenly Jewel Masters needed and absorbed, and was in itself extremely good for the human body. Just this energy alone was able to sustain a Heavenly Jewel Master for a long period of time without much problems; although it wasn’t the same as Tian’er being able to live without food and drink, it was still able to keep one alive for some time without issues.
Zhou Weiqing continued cultivating non-stop; although this type of cultivation would place a large toll on his body, at the same time, as the saying goes, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. As long as he managed the get through this without any long term damage, it would actually have a sort of tempering effect on his body as well.
The twenty three days had passed, and currently Zhou Weiqing’s body was actually stronger and tougher than before, and his Heavenly Energy much thicker. However, he was facing with another huge problem – his spirit.
After twenty three days without sleep and rest, furthermore with full concentration on cultivating, it had already exhausted his spirit to the point of breakdown.
Normally, over twenty days of cultivation was nothing for a Heavenly Jewel Master; after all, cultivating was a sort of rest in itself. However, Zhou Weiqing was different. He was making use of the Devour Skill to its maximum before cleansing and absorbing the Heavenly Energy gained. Under such a circumstance, with his body at the risk of having problems at any time, he had to fully concentrate on not just the Skill, but also in the cleansing and absorption process. Only then could he ensure that he could properly absorb all the Heavenly Energy without future issues.
At the same time, this also took a large toll on his spirit, with only a slight rest at the ending part of each cultivation cycle, which was definitely not sufficient considering how much he expended. If not for that stubborn conviction in his mind supporting him, he would have collapsed long ago.
Even so, under such a circumstance, when Zhou Weiqing felt that his Heavenly Energy was already sufficient, he steeled his resolve and chose to breakthrough the next Death Acupuncture Point.
*BANG*– The sixteenth Death Acupuncture Point broke instantly. Under the tremendous pain, Zhou Weiqing lost control of his body almost immediately due to the resulting involuntary violent shaking. However, he still managed to force himself to focus his spirit in full concentration. Currently, his mind was fixated with the faces of his mother, father, and all the kinsmen, friends, and teachers in the Heavenly Bow Empire.
Tears flowed down his face once more. In his mind, he vowed. Mother, father, you must stay alive, you must! Wait for me please, I will definitely take revenge for all of you, and revive the Heavenly Bow Empire!
Although Zhou Weiqing knew that the possibility of survival for his parents were almost zero, unless he actually heard reports of their demise, he would hold that hope deep in his heart.
That day, when he had sat there in his room alone, he had been filled with despair. He understood his father’s character all too well. With his father’s cultivation level, it would have been extremely easy for him to escape… if he wanted to. However, he knew that his father would not do such a thing. His father’s temperament was such that he would stay til his last drop of blood, never leaving such a battlefield, and would rather choose to die with his soldiers.
What about his mother? What would his mother do? Zhou Weiqing was also clear that his mother would definitely stay by his father’s side, no matter how much protection she got, as soon as his father died, his mother would soon follow suit.
At that moment, Zhou Weiqing’s heart had only one wish, that his father was in front of him, even if he were beating him like he was young, no matter how hard, or scolding him… All he wanted to see was his father’s old fashioned, stubborn and strict face.
Alas, all of that was just too far from his… perhaps for forever.
Father, mother, if both of you are dead, I will definitely let the Kalise Empire and the Bai Da Empire pay a hundred, a thousand times! Please, father, mother, wait for your Little Fatty to come back!
It was just because he had already the worst possibility in mind, Zhou Weiqing had decided to stay back. At a mere three-Jeweled cultivation level, he knew that he would be useless against an army. The only thing he could do was the seize this opportunity in the Heavenly Jewel Island, to boost his cultivation level as much as he could in a short period of time, and gain some extra Skills in their Skill Storing Palace, before returning to the Fei Li Empire to plan his next step. That was the best thing he could do.
Having forced himself to calm down and live with that despair, Zhou Weiqing could make that best choice. He had already thought about his next few possible steps – naturally, it would not be possible for him to continue staying at the Fei Li Military Academy until graduation. As soon as he returned to the Fei Li Empire, he would have to find out exactly what happened to the Heavenly Bow Empire and the current status. After that, he would have to find a path to tread; perhaps a path that had not been in any of his previous plans, or perhaps one that he had not planned to step on just so soon.
As the saying goes, an oppressed army fighting with desperate courage is sure to win. When one is pushed to the edge, even a rat will fight with an immeasurable courage. Even though Zhou Weiqing’s spirit was at the verge of breaking down, his sheer stubborn will, that infinite yearning for his family and friends, allowed him to somehow persevere through everything. Gritting his teeth through everything, it was only until that broken through sixteenth Death Acupuncture Point had finally been sealed back and the energy whirlpool formed, and the fourth Jewel forming around his wrists, signalling his success… only then did he finally faint, fully exhausted.
…
Zhou Weiqing remained fully unconscious for three days and three nights, and by the time he awoke once more, he found that he was in his room in the inn.
Tian’er was sitting there silently by his bed, and when she saw him rouse from his sleep, she stroke his face softly and said gently: “Wait here, I will get something for you to eat.”
She did not try to persuade him; at this point, it was useless to say anything. Tian’er knew that the only thing she could do was to accompany him and to support him. That would be the best help she could offer. At least, until he fully calmed down.
Zhou Weiqing’s spirit and consciousness slowly recovered, and with a quick thought, started circulating his Heavenly Energy around his body, and the sixteen energy whirlpools started spinning faster. A layer of shimmering white light seemed to seep out from his body; it was the newly improved Immortal Deity Shield.
With his sixteenth Death Acupuncture Point broken through, both his wrists showed the fresh new Jewel each. Under normal circumstances, Zhou Weiqing would need at least three months more to breakthrough to this stage, but he had forcibly accomplished it by risking his health and life.
Four Jewels. That was also stepping up from the Shi Stage to the Zun Stage, from the Upper Level Shi Stage to the Lower Level Zun Stage. This was not an extremely tough bottleneck, but to someone like Zhou Weiqing who used such a method of cultivation, it was indeed another life and death trial.
Tian’er returned to the room, carrying a bowl of meat porridge. Receiving the bowl from her, Zhou Weiqing gulped it down swiftly with large mouthfuls. He was an intelligent person after all, and even though he had suffered such a massive blow, this nigh-suicidal training to him was also a sort of venting. That did not mean he would relax or feel happy, but at least it aided in stabilizing his emotions.
Swiftly gobbling up the entire bowl of porridge, Zhou Weiqing turned to Tian’er and said: “Thank you, Tian’er.” Seeing her rather haggard, exhausted face, a look of apology appeared on his face.
Tian’er shook her head slightly and said: “There is no need to thank me. Congratulations on breaking through to the four-Jewel Stage.”
Zhou Weiqing smiled bitterly and said: “There is still a long way to go.”
Tian’er kept silent for a while, before finally asking him: “When do you plan to leave?”
A sorrowful light flashed in Zhou Weiqing’s eyes, and he said: “Alas, by now, the dust has already settled in the Heavenly Bow Empire… and it is too late to just react foolishly. I will take a few more days to complete my fourth Jewel’s Skills, then I will leave for the Fei Li City.”
Tian’er nodded silently, then said: “Rest a while before you go. If anything happens to you, there will be no more chances left for the Heavenly Bow Empire.”
Zhou Weiqing forced a smile onto his face and said reassuringly: “I am fine, the earlier I return, the earlier I can arrange other things as well. Do not worry, I will be alright.”
As he said that, he stood up to leave, planning to head once more to the Skill Storing Palace to complete Skill Storing on his Fourth Jewel.
However, this time, Tian’er did not let him do as he wished. Standing up abruptly, she grabbed hold of Zhou Weiqing’s arm. As he started in surprise, Tian’er had already wrapped both arms around his neck, standing on tiptoe as she kissed him on the lips suddenly.
As their lips met, Zhou Weiqing’s eyes widened as they lost focus in shock. Tian’er pressed her body closer, her voluptuous, fiery hot body seemed like a body of molten lava, melting Zhou Weiqing down.
Tian’er exerted some pressure on her feet, and Zhou Weiqing lost his balance. Almost instantly, both of them fell onto the bed, with Tian’er on top.
Currently, her face was totally red, her entire person like a beautiful ripe peach as she pressed down against Zhou Weiqing.
Their lips parted, and Zhou Weiqing stared in shock at her. Tian’er’s breathing was urgent, and she murmured softly: “I said that I would give you a reward for saving that dragon family… And I’ll give it now…”
“Tian’er…” Zhou Weiqing only had time to cry out once, before his lips were once again sealed with another kiss.
Zhou Weiqing stared at her with wide eyes. Currently, all he could see in her eyes was a deep purple, and in a flash, he felt a sense of relaxation, and the sensations of his body felt magnified.
Tian’er’s kisses were very clumsy, but searing hot. In terms of her figure, amongst all the girls that Zhou Weiqing knew, she was definitely the most voluptuous, and perhaps only Principal Cai Cai could come close. However, in terms of the wild nature of the Divine Heavenly Spirit Tiger, none could compare.
A wild, ferocious aura overwhelmed him, and Zhou Weiqing felt as if his entire body was being melted down by Tian’er. However, he was no longer a virgin, and after a short moment of stunned shock, a violent desire mixed with pain rose within, and he hugged Tian’er hard. A red light rose within his eyes again, and the temperature of his body rose rapidly, as if ignited by Tian’er.
Tian’er’s eyes closed slowly. Currently, she was both excited and afraid, almost flustered. Although she knew what she wanted, in truth she did not know what she was doing. Towards the relations between men and women, she did not know much, with most of her knowledged learned from her peeking at Zhou Weiqing and Shangguan Bing’er’s intimate relations.
