Chapter 127 – A Weight Upon the Waist (1) (1/2)

He really wasn’t hurt. This shocked Chen Chang Sheng, as he couldn’t understand why; even if he had surmised correctly that the Star Brilliance’s transition into True Essence had also helped to complete his Purification once, it shouldn’t have strengthened his body to this shocking extent, the power behind that stone fragment was considerable.

He extended his hand out of the window, and under the snow-reflected daylight, he carefully examined everything; even though he had maintained a calm demeanour previously, the fact that he had True Essence flowing within his body had managed to captivate all of his attention, only at this moment, had he started to seriously examine his own body.

After a moment, his brow lightly twitched; apart from his physique becoming better toned, and his skin becoming clearer, there were no other discernible differences, but with the entirety of his attention being focused upon examining his body, he could faintly sense that it now possessed something it didn’t before, something akin to a different presence.

He walked before the mirror and found a hairpin; the hairpin was probably left behind by Mo Yu from a few days ago. He picked up the hairpin and looked at its sharp tip, considered for a moment, then proceeded to stab his arm with the tip. He could feel the sensation of the hairpin’s tip coming into contact with his skin and its sharpness, but the sensation was far duller than usual and it didn’t penetrate his skin; the sharp tip hadn’t managed to leave any mark.

He increased the strength with which he stabbed his arm and the pain appropriately increased, but it still couldn’t penetrate his skin; it was as if his skin had undergone some incredible transformation and no matter how much farther in the tip was pushed, he didn’t get the feeling that his skin would be penetrated, akin to a lotus leaf that was sustaining the weight of some dew.

Chen Chang Sheng put down the hairpin and took out his small sword for a test.

After a moment, looking at the thin bloody line upon his left arm, he was certain that his body had undergone some incredible transformation without his knowledge, which increased its strength and toughness immensely; even the most perfect of Purifications recorded within the Scripture of The Way would not have had the same capability as his current state.

What had happened? That question could probably only be answered by Venerable Elder Black Dragon. Chen Chang Sheng felt the faint flow of energy, or presence, that was within his body; he no longer suppressed the feelings of uncertainty he had, nor could he continue supressing the sudden feeling of vigour that beset him, he quickly dressed himself and leapt out of the window.

His shoes touched upon the snow and flattened the underlying foliage, he steadied himself, his expression a little vacuous. His room was on the second floor, and even though the height wasn’t overly tall, and with the body that had been tempered by his Master and Senior, he wouldn’t have hurt himself; but jumping down wasn’t usually this easy or smooth.

He silently considered for a while, through the mist of his breath, he gazed towards the frosty lake within the wintry woods; he wanted to have another test.

Gently bending the knees, exerting strength from the waist, a single step.

A rushing sound abounded.

Upon the snow in front of the dorm, a small furrow appeared; snow and grass scattered into the air.

Chen Chang Sheng’s body disappeared on the spot.

In the next moment, he reappeared besides the lake, a distance of about 30 metres (~100 feet).

Shed leaves started fluttering as the cold wind stirred.

He had a vacant look upon his face that was slightly pale.

He had never expected to possess such a fast speed.

This was all due to the sudden dramatic increase to his strength and toughening of his body.

Where did this energy come from?

Was this really the effect of Purification?

Purification seemed to be the only explanation, but it wasn’t one he could readily accept.

Thinking back upon his earlier bathing, while washing away the coagulated blood into the water, he had felt an odd feeling, this prompted him to suddenly feel uncomfortable.

He traversed the academy walls and left Orthodox Academy, under the cover of snow, he once again arrived at New North Bridge.

The snow was falling as heavily as ever, piling upon the ground in layers.

The two trails of footsteps alongside snow mastiff paw marks that had been left behind near the abandoned well, had long been covered up by the snow.

He observed the surroundings; upon confirming that no one was paying any attention to him and that the palace guards were changing shifts, he leapt into the well.

A thud could be heard as his feet touched ground, surprising him.

He had prepared himself for a long descent and didn’t expect to reach the bottom so shortly after jumping.

The abandoned well was previously bottomless, the chasm-like darkness below led straight into that underground space, to the Black Dragon.

But now, it had a bottom; a bottom composed of soil (loess), covered with a thin layer of snow.

He raised his head to look outside of the well; snowflakes drifting in caused him to squint his eyes.

Squatting down, he gauged the thickness of the accumulated snow, estimating that the well had been sealed for less than half a day.

…..

“You wouldn’t?”

Tang Thirty-Six took the kitchen knife from Chen Chang Sheng’s hand before staring at him and questioning.