C9 Breaking Through to Become a Bright Strength Martial Cultivator

At nine o'clock sharp in the evening, Hwa Xin strolled over, having finished his meal. He observed Mu Chenyu, eyes closed in meditation, and remained silent.

Moments later, Mu Chenyu's eyes fluttered open, revealing a purity devoid of any blemish—deep and profound, they mirrored the infinite expanse of the night sky.

"Fatty, I'll need you to guard me soon. Don't let anyone near, got it?" Mu Chenyu didn't need to look to know Hwa Xin was there and gave his command.

"Got it, boss. You can count on me. I'd lay down my life before letting anyone disturb you," Hwa Xin replied, his voice carrying the weight of the situation. He didn't ask questions or seek details; he simply accepted the task.

"Good," Mu Chenyu acknowledged with a nod, then fell silent.

He cast a brief smile at Lin Qingyu, who sat quietly nearby, choosing to leave his thoughts unspoken.

Rising to his feet, Mu Chenyu unfurled the bag he held. It was filled with evolution beads—around two hundred, including his own stash. He grabbed handfuls and popped them into his mouth until every last bead was consumed. Then, with deliberate movement, he settled into the horse stance, his body anchored and ready.

The swallowed beads became a raging river of energy, coursing through his body's meridians with unbridled force.

Mu Chenyu's face turned a fiery red as the power took hold, his entire body glowing like a lobster fresh from the boil—an alarming sight to behold.

Hwa Xin and Lin Qingyu watched from the sidelines, their bodies shaking at the sight of Mu Chenyu's reckless endeavor. They held back their words, understanding the gravity of consuming all the evolution beads.

Their worry was palpable; they clenched their fists so tightly that their nails pierced their skin, yet they were oblivious to the pain. They knew the evolution beads were potent aids to the body, but they were also potent concentrations of energy.

With nearly two hundred beads now unleashing their power within him, the energy was overwhelming, and the danger to Mu Chenyu was clear. Helpless, they could only watch, their concern growing as they witnessed Mu Chenyu's body quiver under the strain.

In this crucial moment, Mu Chenyu was wholly absorbed in his breakthrough, his formidable spirit shielding him from the intense pain that could have clouded his judgment.

Assuming the Horse Stance, he shook his entire body, forcibly steadying himself to prevent any further trembling.

His body heaved up and down as his breaths grew short and quickened. The frequency of his movements accelerated, matching the pace of his increasingly rapid breaths.

The sheer force of the energy made the Horse Stance a challenge to withstand, and he could only maintain stability through repeated efforts.

Despite this, Mu Chenyu was acutely aware of the severe damage to his body's meridians. The surging energy had a restorative effect, but its overwhelming power made true repair difficult to achieve.

As the situation deteriorated, Mu Chenyu's clarity of mind was sharper than ever. The Heavenly Tome within his sea of consciousness stirred faintly, as if it too perceived something amiss.

He silently opened the tome, and the two newly formed pages of the cultivation method secret manual were obliterated by an unseen force, transforming into a sphere of light that infused his sea of consciousness.

Meanwhile, Mu Chenyu, who was striving to grasp the third level of the Horse Stance, aimed to elevate his realm to the fourth.

Should he succeed, his cultivation method would leap by at least two levels, granting him sufficient mastery over the energy within.

Yet, having only just begun to grasp the third level of the Horse Stance, and barely reaching the initial stage, the prospect of a swift advancement seemed daunting.

Just then, a burst of white light appeared in his sea of consciousness, dissolving into filaments of luminescence that his sea of consciousness eagerly absorbed.

Mu Chenyu, previously at a loss, now experienced a grandmaster's enlightenment, as the essence of the Horse Stance unfolded before him. Each character sparkled, revealing its secrets with apparent ease.

He minutely adjusted his hands, feet, knees, and torso, achieving a more harmonious and flawless alignment.

Simultaneously, his realm, which seemed so difficult to advance in such a short time, was now soaring wildly:

The initial stage of pure refinement,

The middle stage of pure refinement,

The late stage of pure refinement.

The Great Perfection had been achieved in its most sublime form.

A deafening boom resonated, and his mind felt as though it had detonated with the force of a million kilograms of explosives. What was once the unyielding fourth level of the Horse Stance now seemed as fragile as a sheet of paper, easily torn asunder.

The fourth realm of the Horse Stance was known as the Perfection Realm. Upon attaining this level, the challenges that once vexed Mu Chenyu became effortlessly surmountable.

His muscles quivered, bones crackled, and like undulating waves, his muscles rose and fell in an unending rhythm. The bones snapped with a sound akin to the popping of fried beans, emitting a mysterious and oddly satisfying noise.

In the presence of his enhanced Horse Stance, the energy within his body paled into insignificance.

With rapid tremors, his muscles voraciously absorbed the wild surge of energy coursing through him, transforming it into vital Qi and blood.

Time lost all meaning.

It wasn't until the vast energy had completely dissipated that Mu Chenyu slowly regained his bearings. He had been wholly immersed in experiencing the fourth realm of the Horse Stance, seeking to unlock its esoteric secrets.

He was acutely aware that this state was ephemeral, a temporary gift from the Heavenly Tome within his sea of consciousness, which had leveraged the wisdom of two secret manuals to forcibly elevate the Horse Stance realm.

Such a state was not meant to last.

As he regained his focus, he noticed the light circle in his sea of consciousness, once approximately 1.4 meters in diameter, had now contracted to a mere 60 to 70 centimeters—a testament to the steep cost paid.

The cultivation methods of the Monkey Fist and the Six Joint Spear Technique had vanished from the Heavenly Tome, leaving only the Horse Stance and the Eight Trigrams Saber.

A twinge of regret filled his heart, not for the loss of the cultivation methods, but for the diminished brilliance of the light of wisdom. His mind, once crystal clear, now felt as though a luminous pearl had been dulled by dust, its once-bright wisdom dimmed.

With a heavy sigh, he let go of his hesitation. The hurdle before him had been cleared.

Under his keen awareness, his body brimmed with explosive strength. The harmonious and natural lines of his muscles embodied the perfect golden ratio.

And as for his wounds, they appeared to have healed entirely.

Mu Chenyu could feel a marked difference in his body; his muscles and skin had toughened considerably, resembling the resilience of cowhide. What stood out most was the palpable, robust force within his muscles. This force, intertwined with the power of Qi and blood, flowed slowly through his body.

Each cycle of circulation seemed to bolster his strength incrementally. The vigorous muscle force stimulated contractions, enhancing the absorption of Qi and blood, and in turn, fortifying his muscles further.

This force continued to develop and sharpen as it moved through him. With ongoing cultivation, he could foresee a rapid increase in muscular strength and the swift growth of this force.

Yet, such continuous cultivation was unsustainable. After about a dozen cycles, the Qi and blood within him depleted rapidly, visible to the naked eye. Despite his newfound strength, a sense of weakness crept in.

A profound hunger emanated from his muscle cells, signaling that the current levels of Qi and blood were insufficient for his body's needs.

Driven by this hunger, Mu Chenyu reluctantly ceased his cultivation practice and unfolded from his Horse Stance.

With a minor shift, he stepped down, leaving a distinct footprint on the ground, which silently fractured around him.

"Sigh, I'm not fully healed yet," he lamented, despite having made a breakthrough. "Bright Strength Initial Stage, not bad at all. Quite powerful."

Mu Chenyu was acutely aware that he still couldn't fully control his leg movements, particularly the left one, which had unintentionally exerted force upon landing, damaging the floor beneath.

Despite exerting little effort, he could feel a significant surge in his power compared to before.

"Boss, are you okay?" Hwa Xin's voice, laced with concern, reached Mu Chenyu.

"I'm fine, no need to worry. Go get some food ready; I'm starving. Make it a good spread," he replied with a reassuring smile, noticing the evident concern on the face of his approaching friend.

"Okay, boss."

Relief washed over Hwa Xin's face as he heard Mu Chenyu was unharmed. With a twist of his plump body, he hurried off to prepare food with surprising speed.

"Are you okay?"

A voice rich with concern broke the silence. A pair of deep, beautiful black eyes fixed on Mu Chenyu, the question hanging in the air as if it had been held back for ages.

Once Hwa Xin had departed, Mu Chenyu turned to the woman in black beside him, her face marked by recent tears, transforming her worry into a greeting.

His slender fingers, smeared with traces of blood, stood out starkly against his skin. Small cuts marred the softness of his hands.

"I'm fine," Mu Chenyu reassured, his heart twinging at the sight of Lin Qingyu's bloodied hands and tear-stained cheeks. He moved to embrace her but hesitated, his arms retreating as he whispered softly.

"Wuwu!"

"I care about you."

"You blockhead."

"Blockhead…"

Before he could finish, Lin Qingyu launched herself into Mu Chenyu's arms like a swallow returning to its nest, sobbing loudly and peppering him with complaints while her small hands patted him gently.

"Uh..."

Feeling her vulnerability and the depth of her concern, Mu Chenyu realized that even if he was dense, he wasn't heartless. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her close, feeling her worry and knowing he had frightened her.

Yet, he was at a loss for comforting words, silently absorbing her grievances until she quieted down.

Lin Qingyu eventually looked up, her eyes red and swollen, a tear-streaked face that made Mu Chenyu's heart race.

"Hmph!"

After releasing her emotions, Lin Qingyu recalled her earlier behavior, her cheeks flushing as she huffed and pushed Mu Chenyu away, standing aside and avoiding his gaze. The blush on her face betrayed her inner turmoil.

"Um, is your hand okay?" Mu Chenyu stammered after a long pause.

Lin Qingyu rolled her eyes, offering no reply.

Mu Chenyu was well aware of his own obtuseness by now. Even with her feelings laid bare, he remained as wooden as ever.

"Hmph, just a block of wood."

Lin Qingyu silently mused.