Chapter 16: Awakening

After listening to Elder Yuan's introduction, Luo Jun furrowed his brows for a couple of seconds and asked, "Senior, since you're a cultivator, can you see the mission objective and relay it to me?"

Elder Yuan shook his head. "There are many ways to release information about chaotic tasks. Some are made public, like the rules on the door. Sometimes, they are given privately to individuals. This mission's objective is clearly the latter."

"Even though I can harness vital energy, I'm considered an outsider for this task, so I can't see private mission information. Even if I did see it and told you, the chaotic world's tasks can change at any time based on progress. By the time I leave, you still wouldn't know the latest updates."

"What's the success rate for breaking through? How severe are the damages?" Luo Jun asked.

"This method of breaking through with external force is my unique research, and there haven't been many opportunities to test it," Elder Yuan replied honestly. "Based on limited experience, the success rate is about one-third. For an average person, the backlash could be life-threatening, but you have exceptional talent and a strong physique, so your endurance should be greater than most."

After saying this, he stared into Luo Jun's eyes. "So, what do you say? Want to take on the challenge?"

Luo Jun took a deep breath and made his decision: "Let's do it! I'm in!"

Elder Yuan's eyes lit up, and he praised, "Good! You've got guts!" His opinion of Luo Jun rose even higher.

But little did he know, Luo Jun had his own confidence.

With the Heavenly Dice in hand, he had an edge in matters of probability, and even if he failed, he had the lead dice to fall back on. After a series of experiences in the hotel, he had gained quite a bit of knowledge, and he was close to leveling up. Even if he had terrible luck and failed twice in a row, as long as the damage didn't take his life on the spot, he could fully recover after gaining more experience.

It was worth a shot!

Under Elder Yuan's guidance, Luo Jun took off his outer clothing, sat cross-legged on the edge of the bed, and leaned against the headboard.

Elder Yuan stood behind him, hands pressed together.

"Relax your whole body. Next, you'll feel a surge of energy entering your body. Don't resist it, but focus your attention on it, especially remember the direction it flows. You might feel some pain during this process, so be sure to endure and don't move or shout." Saying this, he handed over a towel.

"Got it!" Luo Jun nodded and bit down on the towel.

After taking a few deep breaths to gather enough strength, Elder Yuan suddenly clapped his hands and pressed them against Luo Jun's back.

In an instant, Luo Jun felt a warm and powerful force pouring into his body from his back.

"This is vital energy?"

Before Luo Jun could fully experience it, Elder Yuan's voice came from behind, reminding him, "Grind your teeth and hold on!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the force began to circulate within him, but it didn't go far before it seemed to hit some kind of barrier. The energy suddenly concentrated and launched a fierce attack against the obstruction!

This attack was no joke; Luo Jun immediately felt a piercing pain radiating from within, sweat beading on his forehead, his facial muscles contorting, and the edges of the towel in his mouth curling up!

Why does it hurt so much? This is a bit more than I expected!

But he remembered Elder Yuan's words and tried to accept the force while focusing on it, feeling it break through the barrier.

Just as he thought he could relax, another barrier came!

This pain was even worse than the last!

Luo Jun gritted his teeth again!

What they wrote about in martial arts novels, about breaking through the Ren and Du meridians, must be nothing compared to this.

He had to hold on!

Under Elder Yuan's guidance, Luo Jun felt the energy breaking through barrier after barrier in his body. Some were excruciating, while others were relatively mild; with each successful breakthrough, the energy grew stronger. Finally, after making a full circuit inside him, it returned to its starting point, completing one cycle!

Is this it? Luo Jun thought. Although it was painful, it seemed to be going smoothly…

"Don't relax..." Elder Yuan reminded him from behind. "What just happened was only the preparatory work; now the final challenge begins!"

Luo Jun was taken aback, then felt the force accelerating after completing its cycle, and as it moved, it seemed to spread out, merging into his limbs and bones!

Then came an unbearable wave of pain!

This pain was worse than all the previous ones combined, and it had no specific location, covering him from head to toe, indiscriminately.

So this is the real deal!

Luo Jun immediately summoned the Heavenly Dice and set the goal for a successful breakthrough!

The black and white dice rolled and came to a stop…

"Event difficulty 68, final score 18+5, event failed!"

Hearing this message, Luo Jun's heart sank.

Then, a small die appeared in his consciousness!

Lead Dice!

At a critical moment, Luo Jun used this one-time item he got for 300 chips!

"Event difficulty 38, final score 96+5, congratulations, event a great success!"

Hearing this, Luo Jun felt relieved, focusing his attention to prepare for the final challenge!

Pain crashed over him like waves, tightening his entire body, making him tremble, his head thrown back high, eyes bloodshot.

He even felt on the verge of death!

The energy in his body quickly depleted, his meridians felt empty, but for some reason, the pain didn't fade away; his body felt like cracked earth craving the nourishing rain.

"Uh, uh, uh..." Luo Jun's body arched, his dried-up meridians unable to satisfy his flesh, turning outward for strength, drawing from Yuan Lao's body!

"Huh?" A puzzled voice came from behind—Yuan Lao: "This state..."

He felt his energy flowing through his palms into Luo Jun's body, but it wasn't his conscious input; it was being sucked in!

"Not enough?" Yuan Lao's expression turned to shock, then his eyes lit up, the corners of his mouth involuntarily rising: "Could it be..."

"Good kid! Take as much as you need!"

Yuan Lao's energy started accelerating inside, flowing into Luo Jun!

As soon as this energy entered, it barely had time to fill the meridians before it was greedily absorbed by his limbs and organs, overwhelming demand!

This state lasted for about a quarter of an hour before Luo Jun's body finally stopped changing, and the pain finally subsided.

Luo Jun let out a sigh of relief, the towel in his mouth fell away, revealing a row of teeth marks that nearly went through.

A tentative inquiry came from behind: "How do you feel?"

Luo Jun was silent for a few seconds before gently lifting his hands, stretching out in a big yawn.

As he moved, his joints popped and cracked.

"I feel like I just crawled out of a hot tub after half an hour and chugged a bottle of ice-cold Coke..."

In short, he felt great!

"Looks like it worked!" Yuan Lao sounded unusually excited, "Come on, kid, hit me once!"

"Just finished my training and you're asking me to hit my master?" Luo Jun turned around, looking at the balding old man with a strange expression. "I've never heard such a request in my life."

"Stop talking nonsense, just do it!" Yuan Lao urged, "Use all your strength!"

Knowing how powerful Yuan Lao was, Luo Jun didn't hold back, got into position, and threw a punch with all his might!

Smack!

Luo Jun's fist was firmly caught by Yuan Lao.

"Still not that impressive…" Luo Jun felt a bit dejected.

"No, it's completely different!" After experiencing Luo Jun's strength, Yuan Lao was overjoyed, laughing excitedly: "It worked! I finally succeeded!"

This left Luo Jun sweating nervously: "Didn't you say there was only a one-third chance of success? Were you lying to me? Am I the first to succeed?"

"That's not what I meant!" Yuan Lao couldn't contain the smile on his face, grinning as he explained: "The Fundamental Establishment stage is the foundation of energy cultivation. At this level, the main role of energy is to strengthen the body, refine the spirit, and lay the groundwork for future training. Normally, breaking through each level in the Fundamental Establishment stage enhances bodily functions by about 50%."

At this point, Yuan Lao looked at Luo Jun, his eyes gleaming like he was staring at a cherished treasure:

"But your punch's power has increased by 100%!"