C1 The Holy Body Youth(1)

In the Human Clan Empire, nestled within the No-falling Forest, lay a small, serene forest with fresh air and a pleasant environment. It was a stark contrast to its formidable predecessor, the No-falling Forest, known for its abundant resources and formidable Devil Beasts.

Due to the need for better access, the Human Clan Empire constructed a road that bisected the forest. This development left over 90% of the land as the No-falling Forest, with the remainder now known as the No-falling Forest.

On the border between these two areas, a young man named Yeh Yulin was diligently practicing his cultivation in a secluded cave.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

With his eyes closed, Yeh Yulin focused on channeling his Spiritual Force, his body occasionally emitting deep, muffled sounds. Inside him, an invisible flame roared to life, fueled by the Spiritual Force flowing through his meridians, growing more intense with each passing moment.

Eventually, the flame peaked, unable to intensify further, and began to transfer its energy to an adjacent point. Surrounding the flame were nine points scattered like stars, forming a circle with the flame at its center. The flame's goal was the nearest point, which quivered and sparked as it received the flame's energy, struggling to ignite but falling just short.

The flame's origin was a point itself, and igniting it signified a promotion to the next level—the Battle Soldier rank.

Battle Soldiers were categorized into ten levels, with each Spirit Flame representing one level, and Level Ten being the pinnacle.

"Sigh..."

After numerous attempts, Yeh Yulin's recently cultivated Spiritual Force was depleted, and he could no longer sustain the effort. Disheartened, he opened his eyes, which revealed a sense of bewilderment and defeat as he slumped to the ground, utterly dispirited.

Once again, he had failed.

"I failed again. How many times is it now? Why can't I ignite the second of the ten Spirit Flames and ascend to a Level Two Battle Soldier? Am I destined to remain a Level One Battle Soldier for my entire life?"

"No! Impossible!"

With a sudden burst of determination, Yeh Yulin leaped to his feet, his eyes blazing with an unyielding fervor.

The Holy Body shall not be my shackle. Currently, my Spiritual Force is insufficient, but I am determined to amass enough to ignite the second Spirit Flame and ascend to a Level Two Battle Soldier."

"I will succeed!"

"I am not worthless!"

"Absolutely not!"

Yeh Yulin slammed his fist against the nearby mountain wall, a piercing pain surging through him, halting his breath momentarily. Clenching his teeth, he furiously pounded the wall with his fists.

Yeh Yulin belonged to the Ye Clan, a family with a storied reputation in the realm of cultivation. Nearly every member of the clan could cultivate, and it had produced numerous formidable experts who had made their mark across the Human Clan Empire. Unfortunately, Yeh Yulin was burdened with a mutated physique: the Holy Body.

This physique boasted remarkable defensive and regenerative capabilities, and its vitality was incredibly robust. The Spiritual Force he cultivated was exceptionally pure, considered one of the three purest among the human race.

Yet there was a despairing downside: the cultivation speed was excruciatingly slow, nearly nonexistent.

In cultivation, most would channel all their Spiritual Force into their Spirit Flame, intensifying its power. But Yeh Yulin's Holy Body automatically filtered the Spiritual Force, stripping away impurities and retaining only the purest essence, with a frighteningly high degree of refinement.

This process siphoned off eighty percent of the absorbed Spiritual Force, leaving him unable to apply the remainder to his Spirit Flame.

The residual Spiritual Force was automatically distributed, some reinforcing his body, some bolstering his vitality. Consequently, only a meager amount was left to fuel the Spirit Flame. As a result, after over a decade of cultivation, Yeh Yulin remained a mere First Grade Battle Soldier—an initiate in the world of cultivation.

If his cultivation pace was just slightly slower than others, or even several times slower, it might be bearable.

But when it takes ten years to achieve what others accomplish in half a year, no one would regard you with optimism.

A person's life is finite, and even dedicating an entire lifetime to cultivation may not guarantee reaching a high level of mastery.

Yeh Yulin was deemed worthless by his family, enduring endless humiliation and torture.

He grew up as the Yeh Family's punching bag.

Yet, Yeh Yulin never gave up.

He transformed his rage into drive.

He saw revenge as his purpose.

He wielded his power as his resolve.

He fought to remain unbroken, bearing his trials in silence, like a viper lying in wait, all for the sake of vengeance and... vindication!

He sought power to clear the name of someone dear to him.

"Time's up!"

Only after his fists were battered and bloody did Yeh Yulin pause to catch his breath. Glancing at the sky, he quickly bandaged his hands with two strips of gauze and snatched up a nearby bundle, making a beeline for the woods.

He had a significant 'challenge' to face today, and the timing was perfect.

Little did he know, as he neared his objective, a harrowing scream pierced the air.

"Help!"

Yeh Yulin's face contorted with concern, his brow furrowing deeply. "What's happening? In this direction... Could someone have provoked the Single-horn Wolf? Damn!"

The Single-horn Wolf, a formidable Devil Beast, matched a Level Two Battle Soldier with human Spirit Flame. But Devil Beasts naturally possessed immense strength and mastery over various elements like earth, wind, water, and fire, making them more powerful than their human counterparts. Even a Level Three Battle Soldier would hesitate to engage, risking defeat. This beast was Yeh Yulin's quarry.

As he edged closer, his suspicions were confirmed...

A cold fury settled in Yeh Yulin's eyes.

A short distance away, a young girl, likely seventeen or eighteen, sat shivering on the ground. Her delicate face was streaked with tears, evoking deep sympathy. Before her loomed a massive black wolf, snarling with bared fangs, clearly ready to make her its next meal.

The wolf, over two meters in length and standing 1.5 meters tall, was marred with scars. To Yeh Yulin, these wounds were a welcome sight.

Looking back, there was a scattering of corpses clad in guard uniforms.

"Damn it!"

Yeh Yulin muttered a curse under his breath.

The No-falling Forest wasn't supposed to harbor a Devil Beast like the Single-horn Wolf; the area was mostly populated by wild animals. Not long ago, while Yeh Yulin was gathering herbs here, he had stumbled upon this very Single-horn Wolf, already bearing numerous wounds.

From this, Yeh Yulin deduced there were only two plausible reasons for the Single-horn Wolf's presence.

It had either been ostracized by its own kind or had encountered a hunter in pursuit of Devil Beasts and fled here.

Whichever the case, it was clear that the wolf had sought refuge in the No-falling Forest to heal.

As for the current situation, it wasn't hard to surmise. Devil Beasts were walking treasure troves, so undoubtedly, this team had chanced upon the wounded Single-horn Wolf and saw an opportunity for easy gain. Unfortunately for them, they ended up being the ones slain.

Now came the dilemma for Yeh Yulin: what should he do?

Should he rescue the girl?

Though part of him felt they got what they deserved...

"Hmph, fine. Considering you've worsened the Single-horn Wolf's injuries, which significantly increases my chances, I'll save you!"