chapter 4: The Golden Breakthrough

At the tranquil pool in Cool Breeze Gorge, Yang Ye's laughter echoed through the gorge, startling birds from the trees. But as the sensation on his body grew stranger, his laughter abruptly stopped. He felt something wriggling across his skin, as though countless tiny insects were crawling over him.

"What's happening now?" Yang Ye muttered, his expression shifting to alarm.

Without hesitation, he tore off his shirt and looked down. His eyes widened in shock.

His skin was peeling—no, shedding—at a visible speed! It was as if his old flesh was being replaced, giving way to a new, radiant layer of skin beneath.

"This..." Yang Ye's shock quickly gave way to realization.

This phenomenon wasn't foreign to him. It was one of the unmistakable signs of reaching the fourth level of the Body Refinement Technique! Achieving this milestone meant he had officially stepped into the fourth rank of the Mortal Realm, becoming a true Profounder of considerable strength.

"Haha!" Yang Ye couldn't hold back his excitement. He leapt into the air and roared with laughter, his voice brimming with exhilaration.

However, his joy was short-lived as he realized his body was shedding more skin than he expected. The sensation grew unbearable. Without wasting time, Yang Ye stripped down completely and dove into the pool.

---

The cool water enveloped him, soothing the itchiness and discomfort. As he floated, his old skin completely detached, leaving him with a new, resilient layer. Emerging from the water, Yang Ye rubbed his hand over his chest, marveling at the transformation.

The texture of his skin was unlike anything he had felt before—smooth yet firm, like polished stone. It radiated an aura of unyielding strength.

"This… this is incredible!"

---

Yang Ye's excitement surged further as he grabbed a nearby tree branch. Holding it like a sword, he executed the Basic Sword Technique he had been practicing for years.

As he swung, the air itself seemed to respond. A sharp whistling sound accompanied his strikes, and the force of his movements stirred dirt and debris from the ground. The power and precision of his strikes had reached a level he had never thought possible.

Pop! Pop! Pop!

The sound of his strikes echoed in the gorge, a testament to his newfound strength. Yang Ye stopped, panting slightly, his face lit with exhilaration.

"This… this is the power of a fourth-rank Profounder!"

---

Sitting cross-legged by the pool, Yang Ye closed his eyes and immersed his consciousness within his body.

He felt it immediately. The transformation was undeniable. The golden Profound Energy that had coursed through his body had vanished from his Dantian, but its effects remained. His meridians were stronger, his muscles brimming with vitality, and his entire body felt like it had been reborn.

Yang Ye chuckled softly to himself, his thoughts drifting back to his journey.

For two long years, he had cultivated the Body Refinement Technique with unmatched diligence. Despite being looked down upon as a Labor Disciple, he had pushed his body to its limits day after day, honing it into a weapon. Now, all that effort had finally borne fruit.

"It's like I've been storing wealth in a locked chest this entire time," Yang Ye mused. "And today, I finally found the key."

His smile faded slightly as another thought crossed his mind.

The golden hue of his Profound Energy—was it normal?

Profound Energy was supposed to be transparent or faintly white, at least for cultivators at his level. But his energy was light gold. Was it a unique trait? Or did it signify something deeper?

Yang Ye shook his head. "No use overthinking it now. When I enter the Outer Court and meet other Profounders, I'll figure it out then."

---

With that, Yang Ye turned his focus back to his body. His normal Dantian was completely empty, devoid of any Profound Energy. The mysterious vortex, however, remained at the depths of his core, spinning steadily as always.

Yang Ye smiled wryly at the vortex. "You took it all back again, didn't you? But fine, I'll let you have it. As long as you keep sharing a little, we'll get along just fine."

The bond between him and the vortex was still an enigma, but Yang Ye no longer felt as frustrated by it. Whatever this mysterious force was, it had granted him power beyond his imagination.

Standing by the pool, Yang Ye clenched his fists, feeling the strength coursing through his body.

"The Sword Sect… the Outer Court… everything that seemed so out of reach before," Yang Ye muttered, his eyes blazing with determination. "I'll claim it all. Just you wait!"

With that declaration, Yang Ye plunged back into his training, his strikes sharper, his movements faster, and his resolve unshakable.

The outcast of the Sword Sect had begun his rise.

Yang Ye stood in the clearing, his gaze fixed on the tiny vortex within him. With a deep breath, he began his unusual negotiation.

"Brother, I presume you understand me. Let's strike a deal. From now on, we'll equally split the Profound Energy I absorb. I'll give you all the Profound Energy I gather, but in return, you have to share with me that light golden Profound Energy of yours. It's not a bad deal, right? After all, if I grow stronger, I'll absorb more energy, which means more for both of us. But if I stay weak, we both lose out. So, let me grow first, and we'll both benefit later. Deal?"

Yang Ye felt absurd even voicing this idea. The thought that the vortex could understand him seemed ridiculous—yet, deep within, he was certain it could.

Moments passed in silence, and Yang Ye began to grow impatient. Just as he was about to give up, the tiny vortex within him started to spin slowly. It revolved a few times before settling down.

Yang Ye's lips curled into a smile. His intuition told him the vortex had agreed. It seemed the vortex had made its own calculation: allowing Yang Ye to grow stronger was an investment that would eventually pay off.

After donning his clothes and strapping on the iron weights hidden nearby, Yang Ye marveled at how light they now felt. The transformation was proof of his growing strength.

With no cultivation technique at hand, Yang Ye relied solely on the Body Refinement Technique. It was simple but effective—hard training allowed him to absorb more Profound Energy, and the light golden Profound Energy from the vortex enhanced both his body and his cultivation.

Yang Ye's plans for rigorous training were interrupted by a sharp, frantic cry.

"Ah!!! Help me!! Stop chasing Bao'er!! Grandpa! Save me!!"

His head snapped toward the source of the voice, the distant forest. Out from the trees burst a young girl, her pale face etched with terror. She couldn't have been more than 13 or 14, her white dress with floral patterns now streaked with dirt. A long braided ponytail bounced behind her as she stumbled forward, her small hands clawing at the ground in desperation.

When she saw Yang Ye, her already pale face drained of what little color remained. "You there! Run! The little snake's gone mad!"

Yang Ye blinked in confusion. "Little snake?"

RUMBLE!

The ground trembled beneath his feet, cutting off any further thoughts. The forest behind the girl erupted as a massive creature barreled through the trees, its enormous form crashing into the clearing with earth-shaking force.

Yang Ye's eyes narrowed. This isn't a 'little snake.'

It was a massive serpent, its scales shimmering with an eerie metallic sheen under the sunlight. The creature's slit-like eyes locked onto the girl, its forked tongue flickering in and out menacingly.

The girl, panting and frantic, screamed again, "Run, you fool!"

Yang Ye, however, did not move. His fists clenched, his body tensing. This wasn't just an ordinary beast. The aura it emitted carried a faint trace of Profound Energy.

Perfect timing, he thought. A fierce grin spread across his face.

With a battle on his doorstep, Yang Ye knew one thing for certain: this serpent would provide the perfect opportunity to test his newfound strength—and the power of the tiny vortex.

Yang Ye's confident grin froze the moment he saw the creature emerge fully from the forest. His face turned as pale as the terrified little girl's.

"That's a little snake?" His voice trembled as his gaze swept over the beast. "That's a Colossal Python King!"

The enormous serpent loomed before him, its massive body coiled with an aura of raw power. A fifth-rank Darkbeast, the Colossal Python King was the stuff of nightmares. Its body was as thick as three grown men, stretching over ten meters in length. Its scales shimmered under the sunlight, each one glinting like polished metal.

But it wasn't just its size that struck fear into Yang Ye's heart. Its eyes—large and piercing, each the size of a clenched fist—radiated cold, predatory intelligence.

What terrified Yang Ye the most, however, was its defense. The Colossal Python King's scales weren't just for show; they were as strong as the finest armor. Even with a sword skill, slashing through those scales might be an impossible task.

The girl, still running, glanced back at Yang Ye, her voice shrill with panic. "What are you doing standing there? Run!"

Yang Ye's feet felt rooted to the ground. A part of him screamed to flee, but another part—the part that knew he had no chance of outrunning a Darkbeast of this caliber—urged him to stand and fight.

The python's tongue flickered as it zeroed in on the girl. Its massive body began to uncoil, readying itself to strike.

Yang Ye took a deep breath, forcing himself to steady his trembling hands. He clenched his fists, channeling what little Profound Energy he had into his body. The tiny vortex within him stirred, as if sensing his resolve.

If I don't act now, she's dead—and I might be next.

His eyes sharpened as he made his decision. With a roar, Yang Ye charged forward, putting himself between the girl and the Colossal Python King.

"Hey, you overgrown worm!" he bellowed, his voice filled with defiance. "Come at me instead!"

The Colossal Python King paused, its massive head swiveling toward Yang Ye. Its cold, calculating eyes locked onto him, and for a brief moment, the forest fell eerily silent.

The girl stumbled to a halt, staring at Yang Ye in disbelief. "Are you insane?!"

Yang Ye didn't respond. He knew he was outmatched, but he also knew there was no turning back now. If he could buy even a little time for the girl to escape, it would be worth it.

As the Colossal Python King hissed and lunged, Yang Ye braced himself. The battle for survival had begun.

The little girl, despite her young age, ran with remarkable speed and agility. However, to Yang Ye's surprise, she suddenly changed direction, darting away from him and toward another path.

Her decision was baffling—and dangerous. By doing so, she had unwittingly closed the gap between herself and the Colossal Python King.

Yang Ye realized he now had a chance to escape. If he turned and fled, the beast would likely remain focused on the girl, giving him a clear path to safety.

He hesitated, his mind torn between survival and responsibility. The girl's terrified face flashed before his eyes. Gritting his teeth, Yang Ye made his choice.

If I run now, I'll never forgive myself.

He took a deep breath, steeling his nerves, and grabbed a massive rock from the ground. Without sparing another moment, he sprinted toward the Colossal Python King.

When he was just over ten meters away, he summoned every ounce of strength in his body and hurled the rock at the beast's head.

Bang!

The rock smashed into the Colossal Python King's massive skull with a deafening crack, only to shatter into countless fragments.

Yang Ye's heart sank. "This level of defense... isn't that a bit too much?!"

The python king's reaction was immediate and furious. The impact did little to harm it but greatly enraged the creature. Its cold, golden eyes snapped toward Yang Ye, its forked tongue flickering with murderous intent.

Abandoning its pursuit of the little girl, the beast twisted its colossal body and lunged toward him with terrifying speed.

The ground trembled with its approach. Trees splintered, and the earth itself seemed to groan under the python's weight. Anything in its path was reduced to rubble. The sheer force of its movements was enough to send chills down anyone's spine.

"Get away quickly!" Yang Ye roared at the girl, who had paused a short distance away and was now staring at him with wide, curious eyes.

Her lack of urgency infuriated him. "What are you looking at? Run!"

Ignoring his own advice, Yang Ye grabbed another rock from the ground and charged straight at the python king. His legs moved on instinct, his mind focused on one thing: buying time.

As he closed the distance, the vortex within him stirred once again, its faint golden energy flowing through his veins. A surge of warmth spread through his body, calming his nerves and giving him strength.

If this is where I fall, I'll at least go down fighting.

With a fierce determination burning in his eyes, Yang Ye prepared to face the beast head-on.