A Cultivation Speed Beyond Reason

Qin Chen sat cross-legged in his room, his golden eyes flickering with determination.

He had three days before the sect trial.

But before he could dominate that trial, he needed to reclaim his strength—and surpass it.

His gaze fell on the floating System Interface, where his cultivation realm still showed None.

It was time to change that.

Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes and activated the Crimson Star Flame Manual for the first time.

The moment he circulated the technique, the air around him ignited.

Fwoosh!

A blazing crimson aura burst from his skin as his Fire Sovereign Dao Body awakened, hungrily absorbing the surrounding fire Qi like a raging inferno.

Unlike ordinary cultivators who had to painstakingly guide spiritual energy into their bodies, Qin Chen's physique devoured it effortlessly.

The fire Qi didn't resist—it flowed into him like it had found its rightful master.

Instead of having to purify the Qi manually, his body refined it instantly, condensing it into pulsating streaks of liquid fire within his meridians.

Every breath pulled in massive torrents of energy, far beyond what any normal Qi Refinement cultivator could handle.

Inside his body, his cultivation furnace roared to life.

Qin Chen felt his dantian tremble as the first traces of fire Qi pooled inside, forming the foundation of his new cultivation base.

Then—

Boom!

A sudden explosion of energy rushed through him.

The instant his dantian filled, it compressed, refined, and expanded all at once, forcefully elevating him straight to Qi Refinement Stage 1.

And yet, his absorption speed didn't slow.

The Qi in his body condensed perfectly, forming refined flame-essence Qi, leagues above what an ordinary cultivator could produce.

His Fire Sovereign Dao Body ensured his foundation was unshakable, preventing any risk of instability or bottlenecks.

The moment he reached Stage 1, his body pushed forward, breaking into Stage 2 almost instantly.

Then Stage 3.

Qin Chen's eyes snapped open, blazing like molten gold.

Three minor breakthroughs in a matter of minutes.

His chest heaved as he clenched his fists, feeling the overwhelming heat surging through his veins.

"This… is insane."

But he wasn't done.

He closed his eyes again, forcing himself to continue.

With every breath, fire Qi flooded his body, merging seamlessly with his refined meridians.

His Crimson Star Flame Manual worked in perfect harmony with his Dao Body, ensuring that his cultivation speed remained monstrous.

His dantian, already overflowing with energy, expanded further, allowing him to instantly step into Qi Refinement Stage 4.

Then Stage 5.

Then Stage 6.

In his past life, reaching Qi Refinement Stage 6 had taken him years of grueling effort.

Now, he had done it in one sitting.

His body yearned for more flame energy, however, no matter how hard he tried to use his Fire Sovereign Dao Body and Crimson Flame Manual, he couldn't change the fact that he had absorbed all of the flame energy in the surrounding area.

The Northern Wilderness was scarce in flame energy to begin with, and with the consumption of his body, and his limited range due to his current level, he had gone as far as he could for now. 

Qin Chen opened his eyes, his entire body radiating golden firelight.

He had expected fast progress, but not this fast.

His breath was unsteady as he stared at his own hands, feeling the sheer power coursing through his body.

"This… this took me years before."

The difference was staggering.

Back then, each breakthrough had been a slow, painful climb. He had needed months just to push past bottlenecks, enduring setbacks, near-fatal failures, and constant refinement.

Now?

It had been effortless.

His Fire Sovereign Dao Body had eliminated all bottlenecks, purifying his Qi perfectly as he advanced.

His Crimson Star Flame Manual had supercharged his absorption, providing him with more energy than he could have ever dreamed of.

He had returned to Qi Refinement Stage 6 in less than an hour.

He clenched his fists.

"I'm already back where I was before…"

"System, I changed my mind, you're the best!"

Ding!

Thank you for the compliment host, but the system is aware of its own superiority!

Qin Chen rolled his eyes.

He was still immersed in the shock of his cultivation speed.

Then his eyes narrowed.

"…But am I stronger than before?"

Qin Chen rose to his feet and took a deep breath.

His body felt lighter, stronger, sharper.

He needed to know how much stronger he was compared to his past self at the same stage.

His gaze fell on a solid ironwood training pillar in the corner of his room.

Back when he had been Qi Refinement Stage 6, it had taken three fully-powered strikes for him to crack its surface.

Now, he wanted to see how many it would take.

Additionally, he was extremely eager to test out his new battle technique.

He raised his fist—

His Qi surged.

Boom!

His fist ignited, golden flames spiraling around it like a miniature sun. The moment his knuckles touched the pillar—

CRACK!

The entire pillar exploded.

Not cracked. Not splintered.

It disintegrated into burning fragments, the intense heat turning the remains into molten cinders.

Qin Chen stared.

Then he laughed.

His strength wasn't just greater than his past self—it was on an entirely different level.

"Unbelievable…" he muttered.

This Hell Flame Fist technique only costs 150 SP, yet its power is so great!

No, that should be wrong. It's my Dao body.

Same level. Completely different power.

This was the power of a supreme Dao Body.

This was the power of a true genius.

And this was just the beginning.

Qin Chen took a deep breath, his golden eyes burning with new resolve.

I can't get arrogant. My level is nowhere close to enough yet. Not for the trial, or to reach the top in this world. I must find a way to increase my cultivation more. I need flame energy.

He had reclaimed his previous cultivation level.

He had surpassed his past strength.

And now, he had two full days left before the trial.

His next objective?

Push even further.

This trial wouldn't just be a test to enter the inner sect.

It would be the moment where he announced his arrival.

The moment where the world took notice of Qin Chen.

With fire blazing in his heart, he stepped out of his room.