Chapter 24 - Breakthrough Again (1/2)

Whoosh!

A red light streaked in the dead of night, passing through doors and entering Zhuo Fan’s body.

Letting out a breath, Zhuo Fan opened his eyes as he rejoiced. Fortunately, the Blood Infant was quick to escape or it would’ve been ruined by the bald elder.

He never imagined he’d bump into such a strong opponent in the Cai clan. Even if he couldn’t recognize the elder’s cultivation, he was certain the elder was no less powerful than Godeye Long Jiu.

And once Blood Infant was destroyed, because of Zhuo Fan’s connection with it, it would spell doom for him too. But the opposite was also true. Even if his heart exploded, he wouldn’t die as long as the Blood Infant lived; because the moment he bound with the Blood Infant, it became his heart.

“I need to work harder on improving my strength.”

His vast experience told him danger was looming. For now, it looked like Hell Valley and Veiled Dragon Pavilion were silent, but the Blackwind Mountain might be the fuse to a disaster with the Luo clan smack in the middle.

His fate rested on strengthening the Blood Infant to Bone Tempering Stage. This was the only way to ensure some semblance of control when he met an expert like Long Jiu.

Zhuo Fan closed his eyes and refined the Yuan Qi and blood essence the Blood Infant collected.

In the next moment, red flashes came from his chest as red energy coursed through his veins to his heart. As the energy gathered the whole in his chest began to heal. His weak heartbeat soon started pounding with greater force.

In but an hour, his chest healed, with not even a scar left behind. If one didn’t witness his heart exploding, they wouldn’t believe the events of this morning occurred.

He continued refining Blood Infant’s gathered Yuan Qi and turning into black energy. One part flowed into his Dantian and another back to the Blood Infant.

No less than 50 Qi Condensation experts’ Yuan Qi were refined and propelled Zhuo Fan through the 3rd layer of Qi Condensation and to the brink of entering the 4th layer.

With a faint boom, Zhuo Fan and Blood Infant broke through to the 4th layer.

Zhuo Fan was happy. It was so easy to increase one’s strength. It was only ten days ago that he entered the 2nd layer and here he was now in the 4th.

But when he wanted to work towards the 5th layer, he found Blood Infant’s Yuan Qi reserves had been spent.

He wanted to keep going, but he was satisfied he at least advanced two layers in one go.

He looked out the window at the clearing sky and walked out to stretch his legs. Now that Blackwind Mountain was coming, he had to find a safe haven for the Luo clan.

Zhuo Fan opened the door to his room but before he could take a step, a thump resounded and something fell at his feet. He looked to see a drowsy Luo Yunchang getting back up in embarrassment.

“What are you doing?” Zhuo Fan frowned.

He poured all his focus on controlling the Blood Infant last night and then cultivating, so he didn’t pay attention to what happened outside his room to the point he didn’t detect her.

[Damn it! How could I become so careless? If it were an enemy instead, I would’ve been dead.]

Seeing his angry look, Luo Yunchang was apologetic as she mumbled, “I was worried about your wounds worsening and waited outside. Now that you’re alright, I’ll be going. “

“Wait, you stood guard all night?” Zhuo Fan was shocked.

Luo Yunchang blushed and turned to leave with a hurried pace than before.

Captain Pang took this moment to appear and saw Zhuo safe and sound and shouted in joy, “Brother Zhuo, you’ve recovered. That wound of yours scared all of us to death. Young miss always stayed at your door, worried for your life. Eh, where is she?”

“She left.”

Zhuo Fan rubbed his nose and said calmly, yet warmth grew in his heart.

[Damn this heart demon!]

Zhuo Fan cursed. How could the glorious Demonic Emperor feel anything for a mere woman? [This must be the work of the kid’s heart demon.]

“Right, old Pang, you came right on time. Come with me to the Veiled Dragon Pavilion.”

“But what about young miss and…”

“Relax, after yesterday’s event, no one would dare touch them, if not for fear of offending Veiled Dragon Pavilion…” Zhuo Fan snickered.

Captain Pang had to take a moment to recover and reacted by giving thumbs up as his eyes glittered with worship. He didn’t get Zhuo Fan’s plan but he was clear Zhuo Fan made others misunderstand Veiled Dragon Pavilion was backing Luo clan.

“Steward Zhuo, I am now thoroughly convinced. If the Luo clan doesn’t have you as a steward, we would have been doomed. It was a waste of your talents to have left you sweeping the courtyard back in the day.”

Laughing, Zhuo Fan patted Captain Pang’s shoulder and shook his head.

[That person wasn’t me…]