C26 Advance

With a thunderous boom, a monstrous beast hit the ground. Aotian gazed at the black snake before him. This was the second demonic creature he had slain today, and the third black snake he had encountered in the forest. After extracting the snake gall and skinning the hide, Aotian swiftly located a spot to refine the gall. Glancing back at Little White, Aotian grinned and said, "Little buddy, I'm going to refine this snake gall now. You go ahead and play on your own, but remember! Don't interrupt me, okay?"

Aotian soon found a tranquil spot, sat down with some effort, and began the challenging process of refining the snake gall.

Before long, Aotian experienced a familiar sensation. He concentrated intently, guiding the power to temper his muscles. Slowly but surely, it purified his entire being.

Roughly two hours later, just as Aotian was about to wrap up, having nearly assimilated all the energy, the unforeseen occurred.

As Aotian was finishing up, a potent force burst forth within him, coursing rapidly through every corner of his body. It felt as though he was being scorched by fierce flames, the heat penetrating deep into his bones, almost melting him from the inside out. Overwhelmed by the intense pain, Aotian collapsed and writhed on the ground.

"Kid, get up, fast! Use your cultivation technique to channel this heat and let it refine your body! Seize this chance! You're on the verge of a breakthrough!" Dark Night Zhan urged, his voice laced with urgency. He hadn't anticipated Aotian's rapid advancement at this juncture; it had taken him completely by surprise.

But Aotian, tormented by agony, was drained of all strength. The thought of cultivating was far from his mind.

"Come on, snap out of it! This is your chance. If you let it slip by, you'll be stuck at the second tier for life!" Dark Night Zhan pressed, growing more anxious by the second.

Motivated by his master's words, Aotian mustered the last ounce of his energy to rise from the ground, struggling to contain the pain.

Aotian poured every ounce of his will into controlling the scorching heat, hoping to harness it successfully. In that critical moment, the ring unleashed a surge of cold air, more potent than any before, which coursed into Aotian's body. It clung to the heat, soothing his pain with its icy touch.

With the cold air's aid, Aotian, after an immense struggle, finally began to rein in the heat, guiding it with painstaking care.

His body was wracked with pain, a relentless assault that seared from skin to bone marrow. Clenching his teeth, Aotian fought to maintain control as the heat baptized his entire being.

As he endured, he felt his flesh burning away at an alarming rate, from the tiniest cells to whole swathes of tissue, as if his very body was disintegrating and reconstituting itself.

Through this cycle of separation and reformation, Aotian's body underwent rapid tempering, and he faced the agony of rebirth time and again.

Finally, after six grueling hours, the heat within began to wane, and his body swiftly reassembled itself. Gradually, at last, Aotian completed the arduous journey of advancement, stepping beyond the Second Order and officially entering the Third.

"Phew," he exhaled deeply, expelling the stale air from his lungs and slowly opened his eyes. Wiping the cold sweat from his brow, he collapsed onto the ground, gasping for breath.

"Kid, congratulations, you've finally broken through to the Third Order! Your advancement was flawless," Matt praised, witnessing Aotian's struggle and sharing in his pain.

"Yeah, hehe, I'm exhausted!" Aotian replied, lacking the strength for further celebration. He lay there, easing the pain that still echoed through him, and managed a weary smile. Despite his fatigue, he felt a surge of joy at his progress. But his body was in no state for festivities.

"Alright, take some time to rest now," Matt advised, seeing that Aotian was spent.

With a sigh, Aotian closed his eyes, ready to surrender to a well-deserved sleep. But just as he drifted off, he felt a warm, damp sensation rubbing against his face, persistent and unsettling.

Upon opening his eyes, Aotian couldn't help but smile wryly—it was Little White who had found him lying there and was now affectionately licking his face with its tongue.

"Little White, that's enough, go play over there. I need to rest up properly now," Aotian told the devoted pet.

Seemingly understanding Aotian's request, Little White obediently moved aside, settling down nearby and keeping a watchful eye on him.

Time passed, and Aotian, deep in slumber, felt a warm breath on his face once more. Realizing it was Little White's tongue again, he felt a surge of energy and slowly opened his eyes. Sure enough, Little White was there, caring for him. Aotian stroked the animal with affection. Noticing the night sky, he surmised that Little White must be hungry. With effort, he rose to his feet, ready to prepare some dinner.

But then, a foul odor hit him. He scanned the area but found nothing, leaving him shaking his head in confusion.

"Did I imagine that smell?" he wondered.

"Kid, it's coming from you! Today's advancement process purged all the impurities and toxins from your body, so naturally, you reek. Go take a bath, pronto!" Matt chimed in, noticing Aotian's search for the offending scent.

Looking down, Aotian realized his master was right. His cheeks flushed with embarrassment, he dashed to the riverbank.

Immersing himself in the river, Aotian scrubbed away the dark impurities, revealing his bronze skin and the perfect contours of his muscles beneath.

Refreshed, he climbed out, dressed in his clothes, which now hung looser than before—a surprising development. Confused, Aotian checked his reflection in the water, and the sight left him astonished.

Reflected back was a young man with fiery red hair, a face of chiseled features, bright, piercing eyes, a prominent nose, and perfect lips. The combination was strikingly perfect. Aotian found himself captivated by his new appearance. His body, while appearing average at a glance, now boasted bronze skin, robust muscles, an ideal physique, and graceful lines—all in perfect harmony. Moreover, Aotian could feel a significant leap in both his physical strength and resilience.

"Hey kid, quit admiring yourself and get dressed already!" Matt grumbled as he watched Aotian preening. He couldn't help but wonder why he never noticed Aotian's vanity before. Matt sighed inwardly.

"Master, how come I've changed so much?" Aotian, puzzled by his transformation from his original physique to his current form, questioned.

"It's because of your progression. During your last purification, you expelled all the impurities from your body. Now, your body is incredibly pure, and what's left is the essence. Naturally, your body shape would change after shedding those impurities. Plus, from now on, your body will perform a minor purification every day to eliminate daily impurities. So, no need for further purifications. Your main focus should be on bone refinement now," Matt explained in response to Aotian's query.

"Oh, I see. But that means I'll need to buy a bunch of new clothes!" Aotian lamented.

"Come on, kid, are you really that tight-fisted? It's just a few pieces of clothing!"

"Heh, I'm just messing with you. I've got to go make dinner; the little tyke is waiting for my cooking!"

"Right, kid, make sure you tame it quickly. Remember, we're leaving in two days. Don't miss your chance," Matt reminded Aotian as he was about to start preparing dinner.

"I know, but it's not like I can just rush it and expect success."

"That's true. Just do your best," Matt replied, resigned to the situation.

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