C6 Second Level of Initial Transcendent!

"Yikes!"

The moment Chu Feng opened the door, a piercing scream erupted from the other side.

Chu Feng was startled. Had it not been for his quick reflexes, he might have thrown a punch.

"Lingling, what's going on?"

He couldn't help but be amused at the sight of Lingling, frozen like a statue before him.

Did she know he was coming out of seclusion today and decide to scare him on purpose?

"Why are you... How did you come out?!"

Confronted with Chu Feng's question, Lingling seemed at a loss for words. She had just prepared breakfast as usual and was about to stand up when the door burst open, scaring her out of her wits.

"Uh, am I not allowed to come out?"

Chu Feng chuckled as he looked at Lingling's flustered expression and the steaming porridge at his feet.

"Um... No, no, no, that's not it. I just didn't expect you to come out all of a sudden today..."

Lingling nodded instinctively, then quickly shook her head as she stammered out her response.

"Hehe, I've finished a phase of my training and ended my seclusion," Chu Feng explained with a grin.

It had been quite some time since Chu Feng had ventured outside, and he was just realizing how wonderful the world could be...

But just then, Lingling took off running.

"Hey, hey, hey, where are you off to?"

Chu Feng called out, watching Lingling dash away. Had he scared her? But he had checked his reflection before leaving his room. Apart from looking rather dashing, he didn't see anything frightening about his appearance.

Why was Lingling running?

"I must go tell the Lady the good news right away..."

Chu Feng heard Lingling's voice in the distance.

"That girl..."

With a smile, Chu Feng closed the door behind him and headed towards his mother's residence.

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"Mom, that's enough. I can't fit any more in my bowl..."

At the dining table, Chu Feng watched as his bowl overflowed with food and spoke to Su Yun.

"Eat up. You haven't been out in over a month, and you've lost a lot of weight..." Su Yun seemed oblivious to Chu Feng's protest, continuing to add another helping to his already full bowl.

Chu Feng resided in Nimbus Palace, the smallest and most secluded of all the palaces. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it a forgotten place. Since Chu Feng turned eight, the Duke of Ralens hadn't set foot in Nimbus Palace for eight long years.

The situation was made worse by Lady Shuyu and others who continuously stripped Nimbus Palace of its resources, making life quite challenging for Chu Feng and his companions. The three of them had six dishes to share, none of which contained meat, yet they still enjoyed their meal.

"By the way, how many meridians have you managed to open?" Lingling, the maid, inquired, looking up at Chu Feng. Normally, maids did not dine with their masters, but Lingling, who had always been by Chu Feng and his mother's side, was permitted by Su Yun to join them.

"Yes, how did you make a bottle of Meridian Surge Elixir last over a month?" Su Yun asked, her curiosity evident.

Chu Feng had been sneaking out to purchase Meridian Surge Elixir and Essence Pills, so Su Yun hadn't noticed how often he had been away in the past month.

"Mother, there's no need to worry about me. I've had the assistance of a master, and I've now opened thirty meridians."

"Thirty meridians! My goodness, that's incredible!" Lingling gasped in astonishment at Chu Feng's revelation. It was a feat that seemed impossible.

Opening thirty meridians was a mark of true genius. The Fourth Prince had only managed to open twenty-eight, the Third Prince twenty-nine, and the Second Prince, celebrated as the foremost among the royal heirs, had made headlines throughout the Ralens duchy by opening thirty-two. Chu Feng's achievement of thirty meridians was nothing short of extraordinary.

"What expert are you talking about?" Su Yun asked, still in shock, yet puzzled by the mention of this mysterious figure.

"Mother, the master has asked me not to reveal his identity," Chu Feng replied, his voice tinged with reluctance.

The so-called master was both real and imagined. The imagined part was that there was no actual person guiding him or helping him unlock his meridians. The reality was that Chu Feng himself, with the knowledge from his past life, was the true expert.

"So that's how it is. I still want to thank that expert..."

Su Yun's face was etched with disappointment.

Had Su Yun been a warrior, she would have immediately called out Chu Feng's lie. A warrior's meridians can only be opened by oneself; no one else has ever aided in this process.

Should an expert attempt to forcibly open their meridians, the result would be dire — either death or severe disability.

"Mother, I've become an Initial Transcendent warrior now, but my cultivation level is far too low. I'm planning to go train tomorrow to enhance it."

After dinner, Chu Feng shared his plans with Su Yun.

"This..."

"Don't worry, Mother. I'll take good care of myself. Plus, with the support of an expert, I'm sure to be safe."

Noticing Su Yun's hesitation, Chu Feng quickly reassured her.

"Alright, that's good."

It was perhaps Chu Feng's mention of the expert that led Su Yun to slowly give her consent.

"Your Highness, I've heard that without enduring hardships, a warrior finds it hard to advance. With your dedication, you're bound to stand out at the Ralens Tournament in four months."

Lingling looked at Chu Feng with hopeful eyes.

"Ralens Tournament..."

Su Yun repeated the words softly, pondering.

The Ralens Tournament is an annual martial arts competition hosted by the Ralens duchy. Outstanding participants earn the honor of representing Ralens at the Slegeon Empire's martial competition.

As a duchy within the Slegeon Empire, a strong performance at the Empire's martial competition would allow Ralens to contribute fewer resources the following year.

For this reason, the Ralens Tournament was highly esteemed.

"Mother, rest assured. I promise to return with results that will astonish you."

Chu Feng said with a gentle smile.

The words 'Ralens Tournament' resonated with him, and he clenched his fists with determination.

After bidding farewell to Su Yun and Lingling, Chu Feng ventured into the Aethelwood alone.

Despite its name suggesting a modest size, the Aethelwood was actually boundless, rumored to be home to formidable War Beasts. Even the mightiest Dream-Seeking warriors of Ralens dared not tread too deeply into its depths.

Chu Feng had no intention of venturing deep into the Aethelwood to meet his demise. He wisely chose to stay on the outskirts, which was a more suitable place for someone of his cultivation level.

The mountain was alive with vibrant flowers and the chorus of birdsong. By the side of a crystal-clear stream, a Galehoof Deer bent down to drink. Unbeknownst to the deer, a pair of eyes in the nearby grass was fixated on its throat.

"Hah!"

Out of nowhere, a shout erupted from the grass, and a figure burst forth, charging straight at the Galehoof Deer. The deer had no time to react before a dagger pierced its throat.

"Thud!"

The Galehoof Deer collapsed heavily to the ground, legs thrashing briefly before it lay still in death.

"It seems this body is still too weak; the reaction time is a bit slow," Chu Feng remarked as he cleaned the dagger, gazing at the fallen Galehoof Deer at his feet.

"I wonder if my master's teachings will hold true."

Chu Feng eyed the Galehoof Deer beneath him and slowly retrieved an object resembling a jade token — the Rune of Power. He crouched down, placed the rune atop the deer's carcass, and began to chant the incantation.

As the chant concluded, Chu Feng watched in astonishment as a beam of light burst from the deer's body and into his own. The Rune of Power then radiated light, transforming into a golden beam that instantly merged with him.

What just happened?

Chu Feng was startled and immediately examined his body.

Transcendent second level!

To his amazement, his cultivation had ascended to the Transcendent second level.

This was beyond belief. His cultivation had advanced an entire level just by slaying a Galehoof Deer? In his past life, even a prodigious individual like Chu Feng would have needed three days for such a feat.

"Could it be... the power of the Rune of Power?"

The legend of the Rune of Power flashed through his mind — whoever possessed the Rune of Power could connect with the Divine Dao.

With this thought, Chu Feng hurriedly began to search for the rune's whereabouts. It had transformed into a golden light and entered his body before vanishing without a trace, leaving him to wonder where the Rune of Power had gone.

After a thorough inspection, Chu Feng breathed a sigh of relief when he spotted the Rune of Power serenely hovering above his elixir field.

"With the Rune of Power, my cultivation speed is no longer a concern!"

Chu Feng looked up, his fists clenched tightly, as his eyes sparkled with bursts of light.