A New Path Unfold

Li Wei barely had time to react as the scarred man swung his palm forward, sending a wave of dark Qi at him.

Instinct took over.

Li Wei raised his hand, summoning his golden energy. A shield of Celestial Energy formed in front of him.

Just in time to block the attack. The impact sent him skidding backward, but he remained standing.

The scarred man's eyes widened slightly. "Interesting."

Li Wei clenched his fists. His Celestial Energy surged. He wasn't about to run.

He was going to fight.

In a burst of speed, he launched forward, golden energy trailing behind him like a comet. His fist shot out—

The scarred man dodged at the last second, but not before Li Wei's attack grazed his shoulder.

RIP!

The man's robe tore, revealing the strange, glowing mark on his skin. It looked almost… corrupt.

The man growled, stepping back. "What kind of power is that?"

Li Wei didn't answer. He didn't need to.

He dashed forward again.

While Li Wei fought, Jinhai continued to hold off the two Core Formation experts.

Except—he wasn't just holding them off.

He was winning.

One of the attackers threw a barrage of punches, but Jinhai barely moved.

His body shifted just enough to dodge, and when the moment was right—

BOOM!

He delivered a single counterstrike, sending the enemy flying into a tree, snapping it in half.

The other attacker hesitated, realizing just how outmatched they were.

Jinhai grinned. "What's wrong? Thought you had an easy target?"

The remaining attacker cursed under his breath before suddenly retreating. "Master! This man—he's—"

But before he could finish, Li Wei's fight had already escalated.

The scarred man had had enough.

His hands moved in a blur, forming a series of ancient hand seals.

The air around him darkened, and a powerful wave of Qi exploded outward.

"Soul-Shattering Palm!"

The attack was aimed straight at Li Wei's heart.

For a split second, Li Wei saw his death.

But then—

Something inside him shifted.

The Celestial Seal on his chest glowed with divine light.

His eyes widened as his body moved on its own, as if guided by an unseen force.

He raised his hand, and instead of blocking—

He caught the attack.

BOOM!

A shockwave erupted from the impact. The ground beneath him cracked. The trees around them bent from the force.

The scarred man's eyes widened in disbelief.

"You… what the hell are you?"

Li Wei looked down at his own hand, his golden aura burning brighter than ever.

He was leveling up.

And the battle had only just begun.

Li Wei's entire body radiated with Celestial Energy. The scarred man stumbled back, his once-arrogant smirk fading into a grimace.

"This… this energy… it shouldn't exist!"

Li Wei wasn't listening.

Something within him had awakened.

His meridians, which had previously struggled to contain the Celestial Energy, now expanded effortlessly.

It was as if his body had adjusted in an instant.

He had broken through.

His aura surged—his cultivation had jumped from Foundation Establishment to Core Formation in mere seconds.

But that wasn't all.

His opponent could sense it.

This wasn't just Core Formation.

This was something greater.

Jinhai, who had been dominating his own fight, turned to glance at Li Wei. His expression, usually relaxed and cocky, hardened.

"That brat… he's already reached this level?"

The scarred man gritted his teeth. "I don't care what you are—" He roared, gathering dark Qi into his palms. "I'll end you right here!"

"Blood Devouring Claw!"

A monstrous black claw of energy shot toward Li Wei, tearing through the air like a beast lunging for its prey.

But Li Wei didn't flinch.

His Celestial Seal pulsed, and without thinking, he raised his hand.

Golden light erupted.

The black claw was instantly obliterated.

The scarred man barely had time to react before Li Wei vanished.

And then—

BOOM!

A fist wreathed in Celestial Energy slammed into his gut.

The scarred man's eyes bulged as blood spewed from his mouth.

The impact sent him hurtling backward, smashing through three trees before finally stopping.

Silence.

The other two attackers who had barely managed to stay conscious from Jinhai's assault—stared in horror.

Their leader, a Core Formation expert, had been defeated in a single strike.

Jinhai let out a low whistle. "Damn, kid. You really don't know how to hold back, huh?"

Li Wei exhaled, his golden aura still flickering around him. Something had changed within him.

He wasn't just leveling up.

He was evolving.

The scarred man coughed violently, struggling to stand. His body trembled, his Qi erratic. He knew he had no chance.

With a shaky breath, he forced himself to smirk. "This isn't over."

And with a final burst of black smoke, he vanished.

The other two attackers didn't hesitate. They turned and fled, disappearing into the forest.

Jinhai sighed, stretching his arms. "Well, that's annoying. They'll definitely report this to someone stronger."

Li Wei didn't respond. His hands were still trembling. Not from exhaustion—but from exhilaration.

The power he had felt in that moment… it was addictive.

Jinhai noticed his expression and grinned. "Feels good, doesn't it?"

Li Wei clenched his fists. "Too good."

Jinhai patted him on the shoulder. "Careful, kid. Power like that can either make you a legend or destroy you."

Li Wei met his gaze. "Then I'll make sure it doesn't destroy me."

Jinhai chuckled. "We'll see about that."

The battle was over.

Maybe.