C4 Body Refining

The CEO of Phoenix Group, Su Qingxue, paced anxiously within the opulent mansion of the Su family. When she heard that Lin Chen was off to tackle his own issues, concern washed over her.

"Do you think I can just stand by without worrying? Do you realize what today's events mean to me?" she asked with an icy detachment.

"Qingxue, I'm sorry!" Lin Chen's voice was laced with regret.

Su Qingxue was taken aback. Since meeting Lin Chen, he had scarcely spoken to her, and they had always seemed like strangers. Yet today, he was apologizing to her. She was unaware of the depth of Lin Chen's apology; it was laden with remorse for the past and a vow for the future.

Lin Chen's return to the Lin family was merely for show. In truth, he hadn't even set foot in Lin's Group before marrying Su Qingxue. He was nothing more than a discarded pawn of the Lin family, a mere tool. But he embraced this role willingly, driven by his own ambitions.

"From now on, whether you're involved with drugs or not, stay away from nightclubs. You are my man, Su Qingxue's man, and it reflects poorly on us both," she implored with a hint of compassion. She had been compelled into marriage by her family's pressures, indifferent to Lin Chen's past but resolved to care about their shared future.

Lin Chen harbored his own inner turmoil. His nightclub visits were innocent gatherings with classmates, not sordid affairs. "Regardless, we are married now. Whether or not you love me is irrelevant. I have failed you, but I promise to strive for whatever you desire in the future," he thought, confident that with his growing power, nothing would be out of reach.

"Do you truly believe that?" Su Qingxue was utterly astounded, sensing a transformation in Lin Chen. He exuded a weathered resilience and a newfound, robust confidence.

Yet she wondered if it was all just a fleeting impression. As a daughter of privilege, she was naturally haughty. She would never have married if not for the alliance between their families, nor would she now be enduring the mockery of friends and family.

"After you've finished your investigation tonight, come to my room. It is, after all, our first day as a married couple!" Su Qingxue said suddenly.

Lin Chen was taken aback. He and Su Qingxue had never been close; her inherent pride and aloofness were well-known. How could she even entertain the idea of being intimate with him?

Had marriage changed her perspective?

A thought crossed Lin Chen's mind, but he brushed it aside. Emotional bonds could be nurtured over time, but perhaps it was best to start by closing the physical distance.

Yet, as the saying goes, the higher the expectations, the greater the disappointment. As Lin Chen gazed at his bride, ready to swallow his nervousness, her next words felt like a bucket of ice water had been dumped over him.

"Don't get any ideas about that sort of thing. Nanny Liu Ranmong is a watchdog my grandfather planted by my side. We have to cohabit, but we're not at that stage yet. When you stop being so disagreeable to me, then maybe I'll give it some thought."

Su Qingxue's demeanor, which had softened for a moment, turned icy once more. Lin Chen could only wryly smile to himself. It seemed there were no feelings there after all, and her dissatisfaction with him was, perhaps, justified.

"I need to rest for a bit. I have things to take care of later tonight," Lin Chen said, lying down on the bed and closing his eyes.

Watching the man sprawl out on her bridal bed with the abandon of a carefree swine left Su Qingxue speechless. She knew he had plans for the evening and wanted to inquire further, but given his current state, she had no choice but to leave the room.

Once Lin Chen was alone, he opened his eyes and tuned into the changes within his body, eager to discern the unique aspects of his inheritance from the Netherlord compared to the well-known paths of cultivation.

In the Cultivation World, every cultivator with an immortal physique strives to reach the pinnacle of their practice. Having received the Netherlord's legacy, Lin Chen's own journey in cultivation had begun. Yet, he pondered what set his practice apart from the rest.

"Being reborn is a chance for me, and encountering the Netherlord to gain the cultivation inheritance is a stroke of luck. Regardless of the method, I am determined to cultivate my body to its utmost potential," Lin Chen murmured to himself.

At that moment, he began to circulate his energy, closing his eyes and sitting cross-legged on the bed. He immersed himself in the essence of the universe around him, embarking on the Body Refining stage of his cultivation journey.

Two hours later, he opened his eyes to discover the room was permeated with a pungent odor. Inspecting his body, he saw his once-white shirt had turned a dingy black and yellow. The Body Refining process had purged all the toxins and impurities from his body. In just two hours, he had ascended to the first level of Body Refining — the Dao Initiation!

Entering the Dao signified the official start of his cultivation. Initially, the focus was on refining the body, followed by Qi Training. Only after mastering Qi Training could he utilize cultivation techniques. This transformation was a journey from nonexistence to existence, requiring patience and gradual progression.

Naturally, relying solely on the world's essence for advancement was a slow endeavor. At times, a copious amount of medicinal herbs and jade, all infused with spiritual energy, were necessary. The paths to power were numerous and varied, with many unconventional methods available.

"Currently, a single bullet could end my life; I'm not yet strong enough. But with swift enough reflexes, what is there to fear from a bullet?" Lin Chen mused with a light chuckle, though his eyes soon darkened with resolve.

Tonight, he would make his way to Zhou Mansion. The time had come to confront the deceitful Zhou Cheng and reclaim his honor. Without clearing his name, he could not secure his place within the Lin family or the Su family.

Reborn and determined, his conquest would begin with Zhou Cheng.

Zhou Cheng's father, Zhou Haide, was a prominent figure in Agosmouth City. Starting as a minor gang leader, he rose to become the right-hand man and eventually the boss, transforming himself into a successful entrepreneur.

Zhou Cheng's brazenness in framing Lin Chen was largely due to his father's expansion of their territory over the years, establishing a formidable power in the Agosmouth region.

"The old man is quite the hawk, but it's unfortunate he raised such a foolish son," Lin Chen remarked as he drove straight to Zhou Mansion.

The apple doesn't fall far from the tree; a formidable father begets a son who flouts all laws and martial codes. With that in mind, extraordinary measures were the only recourse to deal with them.

The suburban landscape offered a striking contrast to the bustling city center. After a half-hour drive, Lin Chen pulled his Lexus over to the side of the road near Zhonghai International, surrounded by gardens with the private villa of the Zhou Mansion just across the way.

Dressed in snug athletic wear, Lin Chen stepped out of the car and bounced on his feet a couple of times, his bones popping rhythmically. It took a full minute before he finally stilled.

"Phew!" He exhaled deeply, gazing at the solitary crescent moon in the midnight sky, a wry smile of ease on his face. "Entering the Body Refining Stage really does feel better than before!"

No sooner had he spoken than he vanished from the spot, reappearing moments later atop a four-story building, dozens of meters away. His movements were as fluid as a darting black cat, leaping across rooftops without a sound, save for the whooshing of the wind.

In under a minute, he dropped silently in front of a well-lit grand mansion. Twenty meters ahead stood the main house of the Zhou Mansion, a massive five-story western-style building sprawling nearly a kilometer.

Eight men in bodyguard uniforms stood imposingly at the gate. Though few in number, they presented a challenge for Lin Chen. He needed to neutralize them without alerting Zhou Haide and his son inside.

Infiltrating from the rooftop would be simple, but Lin Chen needed to pinpoint the exact location of the Zhou father and son. Unsure if Zhou Cheng was even home, he decided to apprehend someone for interrogation.

With that in mind, Lin Chen approached the entrance of the Zhou Mansion, his face set in a mocking sneer as he eyed the menacing security guards.