The Power of Body Refinement

As the day was nearing its end, the elixir store was about to close, and there were no customers. Two groups confronted each other in the main hall, creating a tense atmosphere.

Leading one side was Liu Wanfeng, surrounded by nearly ten shop assistants. Liu Wanfeng had an ice-cold expression on her face, and her countenance was serious. The surrounding assistants were grinding their teeth, seething with anger.

On the other side, a man in his thirties wearing fine clothes stood with two strong, martial-looking subordinates behind him, sneering in a sinister manner.

Thump, thump, thump! A young man burst into the room like a tiger descending from the mountains.

"Wang Changkong, it's you again, you shameless old scoundrel!"

Dan Chen entered the main hall, standing directly in front of Liu Wanfeng, keeping a watchful eye on the man in fine clothing while his eyes sparkled with determination.

"Oh? So, it's you, the useless brat who can't gather Qi."

Wang Changkong showed a look of contempt, clearly not taking Dan Chen seriously.

In the boundless land, martial prowess was highly respected. The path of martial arts was divided into eight major stages from low to high: Initial Martial Realm, High Martial Realm, Supreme Martial Realm, and Profound Martial Realm. Ordinary people who successfully gathered Qi would be considered to have entered the world of martial arts and become true martial artists at the Initial Martial Realm.

Dan Chen had been diligently practicing the foundational techniques passed down in his family since childhood, but many years had passed, and he still couldn't successfully gather Qi. He had no choice but to take a different path, embarking on the road of body refinement.

In the Infinite Continent, everyone had a passion for martial arts. If someone in their teens was still at the stage of body refinement and couldn't advance to the Initial Martial Realm, they would be looked down upon. Moreover, they might never see any improvement in their lifetime.

"Spit!" Dan Chen spat heavily on the ground. "You're a man in your prime and yet only at the Initial Martial Realm. If we're talking about being useless, you, Wang Changkong, self-proclaimed as the second most useless in Tianyun City, probably have no right to call himself the first."

"You..." Wang Changkong was furious and speechless, unable to refute Dan Chen.

As the most cherished son of Wang Zhenshan, the patriarch of the Wang family, he had decent innate talent. However, he had been spoiled since childhood. After reaching the Initial Martial Realm, he never seriously practiced martial arts again. In recent years, despite having the cultivation of the Initial Martial Realm, he had regressed to the first level. As a result, he became a laughingstock in Tianyun City.

Even though Dan Chen hadn't successfully gathered Qi and was still in the Body Tempering Stage, he was young and had a glimmer of hope.

Liu Wanfeng was slightly surprised and urgently whispered, "Chen, don't act rashly!"

"This old guy just won't let go, and it's infuriating." Dan Chen's eyes displayed a sense of disdain.

Wang Changkong was left speechless, and he suddenly felt humiliated and furious. He sneered, "You little brat, once I take your mother as my concubine, I'll be your stepfather. When the time comes, you'll see how I deal with you."

Martial artists didn't shy away from confrontation, and occasional verbal clashes could lead to a physical duel. Moreover, the current situation involved publicly insulting a person's parents. Dan Chen was in the prime of his youth, and he couldn't tolerate such humiliation.

"You're asking for death!"

Dan Chen roared, pouncing like a cheetah. His fists swung like full moons, launching a fierce attack.

Wang Changkong's cold smile hadn't even faded from his face, and he was taken aback by the sudden assault. He had never expected the "useless" boy in front of him to dare to strike.

Although he had a higher cultivation level and was a genuine martial artist, he had spent years indulging in worldly pleasures and had no combat experience. In the heat of the moment, he couldn't react in time.

"Stop!"

"Kid, how dare you...?"

Two attendants reacted swiftly but were too far away to intervene.

With a muffled sound, Wang Changkong was sent flying, but luckily, one of the attendants used an exquisite footwork technique to catch him in time.

Wang Changkong clutched his chest and took several deep breaths, managing to calm his roiling energy and blood. He still felt a pain in his chest and realized he had taken quite a blow.

"Little brat, you've successfully enraged me," he stared at Dan Chen with murderous intent, speaking in a cold voice, "Take him down for me!"

Another one of Wang's underlings revealed a cruel smile as he advanced toward Dan Chen, sneering, "Kid, even if you're a Dan, no one can save you now."

In the elixir store, there should be high-level members of the Dan family guarding it, but they were nowhere to be seen. Inside the hall was the shopkeeper and attendants who had no combat abilities. Dan Chen furrowed his brow, sensing that something was amiss, but this was not the time to inquire about it.

Deep in thought, Liu Wanfeng took a step forward, positioning herself in front of Dan Chen, and said in a stern voice, "Wang Changkong, it's been more than a decade, and you still haven't made any progress. You're still worthless!"

"You…" Wang Changkong appeared to have been struck where it hurt, and his handsome face reddened with anger. He looked at Liu Wanfeng with hatred and said while his teeth gritted, "It's all because of you, if you had married me back then, I wouldn't have ended up like this, and become the laughingstock of the entire Tianyun City!"

Liu Wanfeng's expression was filled with disdain, "You're weak-willed yourself, but you blame others. You have nothing going for you except your good looks, in both character and martial strength, you're far behind! Let me ask you, if Brother Dan Hao were here, would you dare to come here and cause trouble?"

Wang Changkong's expression stiffened, and he suddenly burst into laughter, "In this world, there's no room for 'ifs,' Dan Hao isn't coming back, and he'll never return. Even if he had better aptitude and greater strength, what difference would it make? Wench, you can't escape from my grasp."

He carefully scrutinized Dan Chen and his mother from head to toe, dismissed his subordinates, and nodded slowly, "Just now was an unexpected attack. Did you really think I couldn't handle you? Come on, kid, I'll give you one chance. See how I deal with you. What that man once did to me, I'll repay you twofold today. Hahaha, you wench, you'll be begging me!"

Liu Wanfeng, as if she had realized something, paled and trembled as she spoke, "Wang Changkong, do you have no shame left? Don't forget, this is the Dan family's store. Aren't you afraid of provoking a conflict between the Dan and Wang families?"

Wang Changkong looked at her with a pitying gaze, "The Dan family is already struggling to survive on its own. Do you think I'd be afaid? Soon, you'll realize how foolish your choices were back then."

Afterward, he gestured for Dan Chen, and Liu Wanfeng was still attempting to obstruct him. Dan Chen waved her off, his tone serious, "Mom, this is a matter between two men. Let me handle it."

Dan Chen's expression remained resolute, showing no signs of hesitation. Instead, his spirit was high, and he spoke with unwavering confidence, "Wang Changkong, my father could beat you back in the day, and his son can do the same. Come on!"

Liu Wanfeng initially wanted to say something but shook her head slightly. Yet in her heart, she felt a sense of peculiarity. Ah, her husband Dan Hao was like this before. Dan Chen had the same extraordinary courage as his father.

Dan Chen didn't underestimate his opponent. Instead, he took him serious. This was the first formal confrontation he'd experienced in his martial training. Moreover, he was facing a true martial practitioner. He felt a bit nervous, but more than that, he was filled with anticipation.

He bent down, his gaze fixed on Wang Changkong, waiting for an opportunity to strike.

Wang Changkong's emotions were complex, especially when he saw the slightly immature face of Dan Chen. It was as if he was seeing the person he wished he could erase from his memories.

The year they first met, they were of the same age...

An opportunity! In the very moment that Wang Changkong became distracted, Dan Chen's eyes brightened, and his aura instantly surged to its peak. He attacked with a ferocious charge, like an enraged dragon. His fists pounded like furious waves, creating an extraordinary momentum as he aimed directly at his opponent's face.

Double Dragon Breaking the Sea!

This was the most powerful move in the Jade-Shattered Fist, and it was used at the perfect moment.

Wang Changkong snapped back from his momentary daze and quickly activated his spiritual energy. With a swipe of his right palm, he created a dark yellow energy flow to block Dan Chen's attack.

True Qi Palm, a mid-grade martial technique of the Wang family. It was said to have three stages, and when cultivated to the highest level, it could approach the pinnacle of high-grade martial techniques. The Wang family relied on this martial technique to maintain their position as the leading family among the five in Tianyun City.

"Good job!"

"Jade-Shattered Fist, Dragon Rising from The Sea!"

Dan Chen's eyes flashed with a hint of fierceness. When his fist was about to collide with Wang’s palm, his right fist suddenly twisted in a strange curve, bypassing the defense, and continued to head straight for that handsome face.

Wang Changkong took in a sharp breath, feeling the punch coming at him, and hastily adjusted his steps. With a dangerous sidestep, he narrowly avoided the attack, leaving a fiery sensation on his cheek. Those unaware might think he had dodged it expertly, but he knew it was mostly luck. He felt a sense of embarrassment and decided to take this fight more seriously.

True Qi Palm, combined with the spirit elements of an Initial Martial First-Rank practitioner, indeed possessed an extraordinary force, something not easily dealt with by a person of ordinary Body Tempering Stage. While Wang Changkong might be incompetent, he came from a martial family and understood the concept of using power to suppress the enemy. Every move was infused with spirit elements, and there was an inexplicable attraction force between his techniques, making it feel like the surrounding air was solidifying.

Dan Chen keenly felt the power of Wang Changkong's attacks and couldn't help but be amazed. Was this the strength of a Qi Gathering practitioner? He sneered inwardly, thinking, "My Jade-Shattered Fist is not weak either."

"Great skill without effort, Fist Shattering the Heaven!"

Dan Chen adjusted his fist technique and utilized the method he had comprehended under the waterfall. His punches became ancient and rustic, carrying an air of vast power, and they resisted the oppressive force of the True Qi Palm.

"Young Master Chen is truly formidable. He can match a real martial artist even in the Body Tempering Stage. Madame, you don't need to worry. Young Master can handle this." Although the assistant shopkeeper had limited strength, he had a keen eye.

Liu Wanfeng, hearing this, eased her worries, watching Dan Chen's agile figure and feeling a sense of déjà vu. How similar this was to Dan Hao back then.

Liu Wanfeng wasn't from Tianyun City. She had moved here twenty years ago with her father, Liu Zhongming, an alchemist. Their arrival had sparked a conflict between the major families of Tianyun City, the Wangs and the Dans. Dan Hao had won her favor, leading to her father joining the Dan family. With the newfound strength, the Dan family quickly rose from the bottom of the aristocratic hierarchy, challenging the Wang family's dominance.

However, their prosperity was short-lived. A few years later, Liu Zhongming passed away, and the Dan family's growth was curtailed. The Wang family had been suppressing them relentlessly over the past decade. What’s worse, ten years ago, a Dan family convoy was robbed, resulting in significant losses of both wealth and elite fighters. Dan Hao had gone missing in that encounter, and they hadn't heard from him since.

"Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!" There was a series of loud, dull collisions inside the room.

Liu Wanfeng was abruptly pulled out of her memories, and she hurriedly looked up. She saw both combatants being thrown backward.

Dan Chen took a few steps back, his body trembling slightly, and his face paling.

Wang Changkong was even worse. He flew out of the store and crashed heavily to the ground, raising a cloud of rust. "Wow!" A stream of blood spurted from his mouth, indicating severe injuries.

"Ninth City Lord!" His two attendants were shocked and rushed over to help him.

Wang Changkong, with traces of blood at the corners of his mouth and lifeless eyes, muttered, "Impossible! This is impossible! I'm an Initial Martial First-Rank practitioner. How could I be defeated by Dan Hao's son, by an ant at the Body Tempering Stage?"

Not only Wang Changkong, but the onlookers were also in utter shock. Was Dan Chen was truly a waste that couldn’t gather his spiritual energy? How could a waste be capable of challenging higher-level martial artists? If this was what a "waste" could do, then what about the others?

While the crowd remained dumbfounded, Dan Chen was clear-headed. There was no better time to leave than now. He discreetly retreat with Liu Wanfeng through the back door of the store.

By the time Wang Changkong regained his senses, the mother and son had already disappeared without a trace.