CHAPTER 2

     When the medicinal liquid entered his stomach, Long Chen hastily used his will to guide the medicinal liquid into his limbs and bones.

Normally when martial artists absorbed medicinal ingredients, they would merge them into their Dantian and then spread them throughout their entire body. But Long Chen didn't have a Spirit Root, so his Dantian was completely empty.

He could only disperse the medicinal energy into every single cell. Although these medicinal ingredients were just ordinary medicinal herbs, after Long Chen's coordination, they were able to unleash an extremely powerful medicinal effect.

As the medicinal energy entered his body, countless pores slowly opened. Each cell was like a person who was about to suffocate, crazily absorbing the spiritual qi of heaven and earth.

BOOM!

A muffled sound came from within Long Chen's body as his originally sealed meridians were instantly opened. Long Chen couldn't help groaning.

When other people cultivated, they would use their Dantian's qi to slowly open their meridians step by step without any pain.

But Long Chen couldn't do that. He needed to borrow the energy of the outside world. It was like drawing seawater into a river. That fierce energy wasn't something just anyone could endure.

"So painful, good, I'll remember this pain." Long Chen clenched his teeth. If someone hadn't stolen his Spirit Root, why would he use such a crazy method?

BANG, BANG, BANG …

Explosive sounds continuously rang out from within Long Chen's body as his meridians opened one after another. Each time they opened, Long Chen would experience intense pain.

When all his meridians had been opened, Long Chen almost fainted. It took him a full two hours to recover.

Now that the pain had passed, Long Chen felt all his pores open. As he breathed, the invisible spiritual qi of heaven and earth was also slowly being absorbed by him.

"Very good, my meridians have been opened. I can finally cultivate."

Long Chen checked his body. Now that his meridians had been opened, he could naturally absorb the spiritual qi of heaven and earth through his pores, nourishing his body and making it stronger.

Although he had only just opened his meridians, after the spiritual qi's transformation, Long Chen's body was full of energy.

"Hu!"

His fist whistled through the air. Long Chen smiled. This pain hadn't been for nothing.

When ordinary people cultivated, they had to first enter the Qi Sense realm. Only after they could sense spiritual qi could they enter the Qi Condensation realm.

But Long Chen had taken a different path. Using medicinal energy to open his pores, he could forcibly draw in the spiritual qi of heaven and earth to open his meridians. That was equivalent to entering the Qi Condensation realm in one go.

But this Qi Condensation realm referred to Long Chen's body being nourished to the point of entering the Qi Condensation realm. Because he didn't have a Dantian, he was unable to condense a cyclone. So he wasn't really in the Qi Condensation realm.

"Although I've forcefully opened my meridians, my Dantian is unable to store true qi. When fighting with others, I won't be able to last long."

Long Chen searched through his memories for a long time. Amidst countless alchemy techniques, he suddenly found a single martial art: the Nine Star Hegemon Body Art.

What delighted Long Chen was that the Nine Star Hegemon Body Art was practically tailor-made for him. It was a kind of secret art that could open the hidden treasures of the human body. What it cultivated wasn't the Dantian, but the nine stars.

The nine stars were the nine secret treasures of the human body. Opening nine secret treasures was equivalent to opening nine Dantians. Seeing that, Long Chen almost jumped.

But when he reached the end, Long Chen's heart turned ice cold. That was to cultivate the Nine Star Hegemon Body Art. It required countless medicinal pills.

Just condensing the first star, the FengFu Star, required an enormous amount of energy. That energy was something that could only be absorbed by external forces. Even a hundred years wouldn't be enough to condense it.

If he wanted to condense the first star, he had to use medicinal pills. Furthermore, he had to use a shocking amount of medicinal pills. Otherwise, he wouldn't be able to cultivate it.

But the current Long family was in dire straits. They didn't have that kind of wealth to buy medicinal pills. Furthermore, those medicinal pills he had eaten couldn't even be considered medicinal pills.

"I have to think of a way to earn some money."

Long Chen muttered to himself for a moment. Changing his clothes, he walked out of his room. It was already past noon, but there weren't many people in the huge marquis' estate. It was extremely desolate.

Long Chen's father, the Zhenyuan Marquis, had always been on the desolate border. During these years, Long Chen and his mother had been looked down upon by everyone in the imperial capital. Although they had a noble title, their lives were still extremely poor. In the entire marquis' estate, there were only a dozen maids and workers. That was because they couldn't afford to raise so many people.

It could be said that amongst all the nobles, the Long family was the most impoverished family. And Long Chen was the most impoverished of all the noble heirs.

The Phoenix Cry Empire's martial culture was at its peak. Everyone practiced martial arts. But Long Chen's constitution was special and he was unable to practice martial arts. That made him the target of everyone's ridicule.

But in contrast to Long Chen's father, Long Tianxiao, was an unrivalled expert who guarded the desolate border. Even the savage barbarians were unable to take even half a step into the Phoenix Cry Empire.

Long Tianxiao was the Phoenix Cry Empire's military god, while Long Chen was a piece of trash who couldn't even sense qi. It was impossible for people to not feel like a tiger father and a dog son.

Countless people ridiculed him, but Long Chen didn't care. But a few days ago, Manhuang Marquis's heir, Zhou Yaoyang, had ridiculed Long Chen for not being Long Tianxiao's son.

At that time Long Chen's fury had soared to the heavens. That was clearly insulting his mother for being unfaithful. At that time Long Chen had already lost his mind from his fury and brazenly challenged his opponent to a duel.

But his opponent was an expert at the seventh Heavenstage of Qi Condensation, while he was just an ordinary person who couldn't even sense qi. That was just asking to be humiliated.

That was why later on Long Chen had been beaten unconscious and sent back to the Long family. For a time Long Chen had become the laughingstock of the entire capital.

Leaving the Marquis's estate, Long Chen went straight to the Hundred Grasses Market. That place sold all sorts of precious medicinal ingredients. He needed to understand the market for medicinal ingredients.

Along the way there were quite a few people who pointed at Long Chen when he came out. Long Chen was already used to that.

At the same time he sneered inside. His father had suppressed the desolate border, establishing a miraculous merit for the entire Phoenix Cry Empire.

But what had he obtained? His mother and son had been bullied and humiliated in the capital, and he had almost been beaten to death. Was that his repayment? A group of people who had been protected by his father had actually rolled their eyes at him. Was that repayment?

Long Chen quickened his footsteps. Although he wasn't afraid of those kinds of gazes, he was still a bit irritated. But at this moment his path was blocked by someone.

"Aiya, isn't this young master Long Chen? I heard he was beaten to the point where he couldn't even recognize his own mother. How come he's still alive and kicking today? "

In front of Long Chen was a sixteen or seventeen-year-old youth dressed in luxurious clothing. He was accompanied by two guards who were currently looking at Long Chen with ridicule.

This person was also a young master from a noble family. His name was Li Hao. But his rank wasn't high and his status couldn't compare to Long Chen's. But in the Phoenix Cry Empire, rank and status were secondary. The most important thing was still strength.

Li Hao was currently standing in the middle of the road. If Long Chen wanted to go over, he would have to go around him.

If it was in the past, Long Chen would have just turned around and left. But today Long Chen looked at Li Hao and shook his head, sighing:

"People say good dogs don't block the road. Looks like you're not a good dog."

"Long Chen, looks like you haven't been taught enough last time. Do you want to be beaten half dead and thrown off the martial arena again?" Li Hao's expression first changed before he sneered.

"That's why I say you're just a dog. You're only fit to eat shit next to Zhou Yaoyang." Long Chen shook his head. He didn't want to waste time with this kind of person. He needed to do proper business, so he had to walk past him.

"Long Chen, you're courting death!"

Li Hao's expression couldn't help but become furious. He hadn't expected the normally cowardly Long Chen to be so unyielding. He didn't even place him in his eyes. He extended his hand to block Long Chen.

Long Chen slightly frowned. He was just about to say something when suddenly a figure walked over and loudly cursed at Li Hao, "Li Hao, you're the one courting death! Who do you think you are to dare threaten my brother?!"

The person who came was an extremely tall man. He looked to be around eighteen or nineteen years old, but he was nine feet tall, more than a head taller than the two of them. His aura was extremely frightening.

"Shi Feng, this has nothing to do with you. It's best if you don't meddle in other people's business."

Seeing Shi Feng, Li Hao couldn't help but put on a fierce front. Shi Feng was also a noble heir with a similar status as him. But Shi Feng was an expert at the eighth Heavenstage of Qi Condensation, while he was only at the third Heavenstage of Qi Condensation.

Other than that, Shi Feng had innate divine strength. Within the same realm, there were very few people who were his match. Li Hao didn't have the guts to challenge Shi Feng.

"Brother Long Chen, I heard you were beaten up by that bastard Zhou Yaoyang. Let me help you vent your anger." Shi Feng looked at Long Chen with an angry expression.

Long Chen looked at this big fellow in front of him and a trace of warmth appeared in his heart. Shi Feng was the only person in the entire imperial capital who treated him like a brother.

"It's fine. My enmity, I will take revenge myself. Don't worry." Long Chen smiled slightly and patted Shi Feng's shoulder.

Hearing Long Chen say this, Shi Feng felt that Long Chen was a bit too embarrassed and didn't mention it again.

"Let's go for a stroll." Long Chen smiled and turned to leave with Shi Feng.

Li Hao saw that the two of them were actually treating him like air and couldn't help but angrily cursed, "Long Chen, you bastard, if you have guts then come and challenge me."

Long Chen had only taken a few steps when his expression suddenly sank and killing intent surged in his eyes. He slowly turned his head.

"You want to challenge me?" Long Chen's voice was extremely cold, just like shards of ice, causing people to feel a chill in their bones.

Li Hao couldn't help but shiver. He felt that today's Long Chen was a bit strange, but he had already said those big words. If he cowered now, then he would become the laughingstock of the entire imperial capital.

Furthermore, he had bullied Long Chen many times before and had completely relied on his experience. He didn't care in the slightest about the trace of fear in his heart.

"Correct, do you dare accept my challenge?" Li Hao loudly asked.

"No problem, but I want to raise the stakes." Long Chen thought for a moment.

"Raise the stakes? Haha, your Long family is already running out of food. What are you going to use to bet with me? Use your family's residence, or if you lose you'll become my slave? "Li Hao coldly laughed.

But he didn't notice that Long Chen's mouth was curling into a cold smile. That smile was a bit sinister.

"Brother Shi, how about you lend me your treasured saber?" asked Long Chen.

"Take it."

Although Shi Feng was a bit reluctant, he still handed it over.

Long Chen nodded, inwardly remembering this favor in his heart. He said to Li Hao, "Although this treasured saber isn't top quality, it's still worth eight thousand gold coins. Right now I'll treat it as worth five thousand gold coins. If you win, you can take the saber, but if you lose, you have to give me five thousand gold coins. How about it?"

Li Hao's heart trembled. The saber in Shi Feng's hand was made of steel and came from the hands of a famous expert. Eight thousand gold coins was definitely worth it.

Now that this idiot Long Chen actually dared to use such a thing as a bet, he had long since been overjoyed.

But on the outside he ridiculed, "I wonder if there'll be people who won't admit it after you lose?"

"Don't worry, I, Shi Feng, always keep my word." Shi Feng coldly laughed.

"Ok, then let's go to the martial arena and sign the contract. Today if I don't beat you until you're looking for your teeth all over the floor, I won't be called Li Hao." Li Hao couldn't help being delighted and said in high spirits.

Long Chen's expression was calm, but within his eyes appeared a bit gloomy. Li Hao was just a dog by Zhou Yaoyang's side and wasn't even worth Long Chen's attention. But for them to target him like this, just what kind of scheme did they have?