C2 The Power of One Python

In Rosehaven

At Lin Xi's home.

Ke'er was seated in front of the stove, where the firewood crackled and the water in the pot was boiling fiercely.

The flickering flames cast alternating light and shadows on Ke'er's small, worried face.

"Brother should have been back by now, but it started raining earlier. I hope he didn't get caught in it..."

As she rose to fetch a dry set of clothes for her brother, a shadow flashed at the doorway.

"Ah!"

Ke'er let out a startled scream, her body shaking with fear.

Upon closer inspection, she realized it was her brother, Lin Xi.

Lin Xi had stealthily returned home, changed into clean clothes, and hurried over to the kitchen.

He was determined to grow stronger, yet he couldn't resist his appetite.

He wondered if there was anything left to eat in the kitchen.

"Brother... You scared me half to death. When did you get back?"

Ke'er clutched at her heart, her petite frame shivering slightly.

Uh...

Lin Xi's eyes grew moist.

His little sister, whom he had taken in, had always been his protector since they were young.

Whenever trouble came knocking at the Lin family's door, she would stand guard with her frail body, shielding her brother.

Back then, Ke'er was like a mother cat defending her kittens, fierce and ready to bite or scratch anyone who posed a threat.

He instinctively reached for his chest.

Uh... The Demonic Beast meat he had was all gone, eaten by him...

"About that... I forgot to bring meat home today..."

Ke'er's smile shone brightly as she took Lin Xi's arm.

"Brother, we have meat, lots and lots of meat!"

Lin Xi, surprised, asked, "How do we have meat?"

With a proud tilt of her head, Ke'er patted Lin Xi's arm.

"Brother, just wait. I'll conjure up a pile of Demonic Beast meat for you."

She then turned and headed towards the pantry where the food was stored.

The sound of bustling activity filled the kitchen as Ke'er hurried back to the stove, struggling to carry a large basket inside.

Lin Xi, illuminated by the stove fire, saw that the basket was filled with slices of dried Demonic Beast meat.

Ke'er set the large basket down and turned to Lin Xi,

"Bro, check it out, there's so much meat. How do you want it? Steamed, boiled, or fried?"

Lin Xi's throat tightened with a touch of anger.

"Have you been... stashing away all the demon beast meat I bring home? No wonder you're as thin as a reed. You're driving me crazy..."

His hand was raised high, yet he couldn't bring it down.

Ke'er giggled.

"When you were growing, I was just a kid, not eating much, so I saved it for you..."

Lin Xi's eyes welled up, leaving him at a loss for words.

Gurgle...

His rebellious stomach growled again, and Lin Xi felt a wave of embarrassment.

Ke'er took a piece of demon beast meat, ready to wash and prepare it.

"Brother, how about we stew a pot first? You look famished..."

Lin Xi snatched the demon beast meat from Ke'er's hands.

"Today, I'm cooking the meat for you. You stay put and wait, okay?"

Ke'er obediently released her grip and sat on the stool, her hands propping up her chin as she watched Lin Xi busily chop, slice, and stir-fry. Her eyes brimmed with contentment and joy.

Once the meal was ready, they each had a hearty bowl. Ke'er savored it, remarking between bites,

"This is heavenly. You've outdone yourself, big bro..."

Lin Xi averted his gaze from Ke'er, tears mingling with his hearty bites of meat. His thoughts then shifted to the three flying eaves in his mind.

As his consciousness delved into his sea of consciousness, he saw the purple light beginning to twinkle on the leftmost eave.

Recalling the transformation that a single drop of Green Dew had brought him, Lin Xi was eager for more, to become as formidable as a demon beast, and then to take down his foes one by one.

But the flickering purple light on the flying eaves, as Lin Xi awaited the condensation of Green Dew, led to disappointment.

This time, the flickering lasted much longer than when the first drop of Green Dew had formed. The Green Dew was still condensing, but it was nowhere near as swift as before.

It seemed that after the first drop of Green Dew had healed his wounded body, the challenge of condensing it anew had grown. This realization sent a jolt of anxiety through Lin Xi.

Ke'er thought her brother was acting oddly. As she watched him eat, he suddenly became lost in thought. Puckering her lips, she grumbled, "Lucky Mug is so stingy. Can't believe a restaurant wouldn't feed its workers..."

Lin Xi was feeling anxious. For some reason, the Green Dew was condensing much slower than before.

Having consumed five large bowls, he noticed the purple light on the eaves flickering intensely.

When the purple light on the eaves shimmered, a drop of Green Dew finally fell.

As the Green Dew soaked in, a powerful life force pervaded his entire body. Lin Xi could even hear the strange sounds of his flesh, blood, tendons, and bones, and his hair, which had regrown after a lightning strike, was shining in the dim kitchen.

Lin Xi felt as if his body was brimming with power, like a giant python was coiling and uncoiling within his veins.

The Lin family of Rosehaven was a martial arts lineage, with all members training from a young age. Lin Xi was well-versed in the martial arts system of the Shattered Lands.

In the Azure Expanse of the Shattered Lands, martial arts cultivation was categorized into four major realms: Realm of Might, Realm of Essence, Primordial Chaos, and Empyrean Crucible.

The Realm of Might was for Warriors, the Realm of Essence for Martial Masters, Primordial Chaos for Martial Kings, and the Empyrean Crucible for Martial Emperors.

The Realm of Might was ranked by physical strength and was divided into nine levels. The first level possessed the strength of one python, while the ninth level had the strength of nine pythons.

In the secluded Rosehaven, the most powerful practitioner was merely an early-stage Martial Master from the Realm of Essence.

For the Lin family, the most formidable former patriarch and current Grand Elder had only reached the second level of the Realm of Essence, an existence of incredible power.

Lin Xi's father, Lin Batian, was just a Martial Master at the first level of the Realm of Essence.

Yet now, after eating five large bowls of Demonic Beast meat, Lin Xi had achieved the initial level of a Warrior.

Frozen in place, bowl in hand, Lin Xi finally accepted the truth.

Not only had his damaged meridians been restored, but he had also attained the first level of a Warrior, the strength of one python, simply by consuming meat.

Could anything be more bizarre than this?

As a drop of green dew fell, it was as if an unseen will was reminding him that to advance further, he would need to consume fifty large bowls of meat in one sitting to gain the strength of two pythons and ascend to the second level of a Warrior.

Fifty large bowls!

Eating meat wasn't usually a challenge, but could he really fit fifty large bowls in his stomach?

From that point on, Lin Xi knew that with each level he attained, he would have to consume ten times more meat than the last.

The first level required five large bowls of meat, the second fifty, the third five hundred, and the fourth... five thousand... Heavens!

Lin Xi swore inwardly.

Five thousand large bowls in one go—could even a Martial Master manage that?

Yet with only the strength of a single python, Lin Xi's thirst for power was insatiable. Under Ke'er's increasingly fearful gaze, he continued to cook and devour meat voraciously, unable to stop, as if possessed by a ravenous spirit.

"Brother, please stop eating. You're going to burst..."

Lin Xi was oblivious to everything around him, his entire focus on the half-formed gate within his mind.

The meat he consumed transformed into a torrent of vital essence, surging into the eaves of his mind, utterly beyond his capacity to contain.

Above the eaves, a purple glow twinkled as another drop of Green Dew slowly formed.

Lin Xi felt an uncontrollable urge to burst into laughter.

Damn it!

This was merely the flesh of a level one demon beast.

What if it were from a level two or even a higher-tier beast?

What if it were a Strengthening Dan?

Lin Xi felt as if the clouds had parted and the moon shone brightly, the sweet taste of strength was just within reach.

"Hahaha! Hahahahaha! Hahahahahahaha!"

His wild laughter filled the damp courtyard.

Ke'er froze, her hand resting on Lin Xi's chest, petrified.

"Brother, what's happening to you?"

...

Silence settled over the yard. A bewildered Ke'er went to bed.

Lin Xi sat on the bed, his attention fixed on the half-visible doorway.

"Three flying eaves. The one on the lower left drips with Green Dew. As long as I keep eating and drinking, Green Dew will continue to form. The benefits of Green Dew for the body are clear. But the top and bottom right eaves remain still. What could they be?"

Lin Xi decided not to dwell on it.

Struck by lightning, the half-doorway had settled in his sea of consciousness, with one of the three flying eaves already active.

The day when the other two would unlock and become usable was something Lin Xi eagerly anticipated.

Having a strong body was no longer just a dream. With constant nourishment, he could attain the strength of three or even nine pythons.

Lin Xi was confident that this day was fast approaching.

Yet, even with a powerful body, he lacked martial skills. With the strength of nine pythons, could he really defeat Lin Dong and Lin Huan?

The Lin family's martial arts, such as "Falling Leaf Finger," "Flying Flower Blade," "Green Dragon Fist," and "Falling Leaf Flying Flower," all stemmed from the yellow-level "Nine Leaf Profound Technique." Lin Xi, once considered useless, had never even touched upon these skills.

Now, Lin Xi found himself with an unprecedented desire to master a cultivation technique.

He suddenly remembered how Lin Huan and his gang had fled when the lightning struck.

Perhaps by tomorrow morning, some lackey would come snooping for information.

Even the least competent lackey would be at the early stages of the Warrior Realm.

"Surely these lackeys must have received some early yellow-level cultivation techniques..."

With this thought, Lin Xi was brimming with anticipation.

He clenched his fists, testing his newfound strength.

He was still a ways off from the power of two pythons.