Chapter 14: The Growth Spurt: A Terrifying Transformation
After exiting the Cultivation Technique Hall, Duan Liyang quickly rushed towards his hut, clutching the yellowed 'Ocean Blast' scroll tightly in his hand.
A whirlwind of excitement and curiosity churned in his mind. He was desperate to know what this technique was, and how it would help him face Wang Xiao.
Upon reaching his hut, he closed the door and immediately sat on his cot. He carefully unrolled the scroll. As he opened it, an ancient, faint scent permeated the air, bearing witness to centuries of history.
The illustrations and words on the scroll were incredibly complex, but they held a strange depth that drew Duan Liyang in. He felt that this technique was truly very, very old.
Duan Liyang began to read the scroll, and he became completely engrossed in it. As he read, a new understanding awakened within him.
This technique was about compressing air in one's fist and then releasing it as a concentrated blast – it was the very principle his own unique 'pop' punch was based on! But 'Ocean Blast' was teaching him how to execute this process on an unimaginable scale.
It taught him how to 'package' the wind in such a way that it would become as powerful as ocean waves, capable of unleashing immense force in a single strike.
He didn't even realize when day turned to evening. The sunlight faded, and darkness filled his hut. Duan Liyang lifted his eyes from the scroll, his gaze still blurred, his mind filled with new information. One thing he immediately understood: this was not merely an Earth-Rank Medium-Level technique as commonly believed. This technique was far, far more.
It was merely a small part of a vast and more powerful main technique, a fragment that held incredible power in itself.
The very next morning, Duan Liyang headed to his secluded spot in the forest to practice 'Ocean Blast'. He was determined to utilize every single moment of the twenty days remaining until his challenge against Wang Xiao.
He began practicing by attacking trees and stones. He compressed air in his fist, following the principles of 'Ocean Blast'. As he punched, the 'pop!' sound now seemed even more powerful, and his strikes were creating deeper indentations on stones, tearing the bark off trees.
This was far more effective than his previous 'pop' punch. 'Ocean Blast' had multiplied his offensive power.
Duan Liyang continued to practice, pushing his limits every time. His body ached, and his head throbbed, but the 'Nectar Wind Pellet' helped him recover quickly, allowing him to continue his practice without fear.
The blue particles in his eyes continued to glow, as if absorbing energy and granting him a deeper understanding of 'Ocean Blast'.
One time, while he was engrossed in his practice in the forest, he felt a rustle in the nearby bushes. His heightened senses immediately warned him of danger.
A large, brown beast appeared, heading towards him. Its eyes were red, and its cultivation aura was incredibly powerful – it was a Level 3 Furry Bear, considered one of the most dangerous beasts in the outer parts of the Xiao family forest.
Duan Liyang panicked for a moment, but then he calmed his mind. This was a chance to test the true power of 'Ocean Blast'.
The bear pounced on him, its massive claws swinging through the air. Duan Liyang reacted. His speed was still incredible, and he easily evaded the bear's initial attacks.
But this time, he wasn't just defending. Duan Liyang compressed the air and his internal energy into his right fist, pouring the full power of 'Ocean Blast' into it. The blue particles in his eyes glowed.
When the bear delivered another ferocious claw strike, Duan Liyang swiftly dodged and reached its side. He delivered a powerful punch, directly to the side of the bear's head.
'Boom!'
A fierce, echoing sound resonated, and this time, the air blast was so powerful that the bear was sent flying several feet away with a high-pitched shriek, then crashed to the ground. Its massive body trembled erratically, and blood flowed faintly from its ear.
The animal was still alive, but severely wounded.
Duan Liyang looked at his fist, a mix of surprise and terrifying satisfaction on his face. 'Ocean Blast' had injured a Level 3 beast so badly! This was incredible.
The bear was trying to get up, groaning in pain. Duan Liyang took a deep breath and stepped forward. He once again compressed the full power of 'Ocean Blast' into his fist, with greater resolve than before.
This time, he punched the center of the bear's head.
Another fierce 'Boom!' echoed, and this time, the Furry Bear let out a final growl and went completely still. Its eyes remained open, but there was no life left in them. It was dead.
Duan Liyang looked at the bear's corpse. He had used his power to kill a Level 3 beast.
This was an incredible achievement, especially for someone who was still an outer disciple and whose cultivation level was not yet clear.
As Duan Liyang approached the bear's corpse, his gaze fell upon a bright, green plant hidden beneath the bear's paw. It was a small herbal medicine, glowing with a peculiar energy.
Duan Liyang's heightened vision told him that this was a cultivation-enhancing medicine, capable of helping him increase his cultivation level. It was a rare treasure hidden in the bear's den.
Duan Liyang carefully picked up the medicine. A new hope illuminated his face.
Duan Liyang immediately took the herbal medicine back to his hut. He closed the door and instantly sat on his cot. This medicine, which he had found near the bear's corpse, was an invaluable treasure for him, especially considering his upcoming challenge against Wang Xiao.
Without hesitation, he placed the medicine in his mouth and swallowed it. A sweet, forest-like taste spread in his mouth, followed by a surge of warm, intense energy that descended his throat and began spreading throughout his body. Duan Liyang immediately closed his eyes and sat in a meditative posture, focusing on his internal energy, trying to absorb it.
The medicine's power surged through his veins like a flood, rapidly increasing his internal energy.
He felt as if his 'cultivation foundation' was growing stronger than ever, and his meridians were filling with energy. Day and night merged as Duan Liyang remained completely immersed in cultivation.
He lost all sense of time, only aware of the growing energy within him.
Two days passed, Duan Liyang was still in meditation. An intense flow of energy could be felt emanating from his hut. Then, suddenly, a sharp, unbearable pain erupted in his head.
It was the same familiar pain he had experienced before, but this time it was more intense than ever, as if every cell within him was under immense pressure.
The pain spread to his eyes, and he felt as if every nerve in his brain was being stretched. The pain was so severe that Duan Liyang felt as if he would lose consciousness. A deep, dark abyss pulled him in, and he fell unconscious.
The next day, the sun's rays had already entered his hut when Duan Liyang's eyes opened. He slowly got up, his body still feeling a little heavy, as if he had just woken from a very deep sleep. The headache was now completely gone, replaced by a strange tranquility.
He opened his eyes. His vision was still as clear as before, and the blue particles swirling in his eyes were unchanged. There was no new external alteration. But when he felt his body, he noticed a new sensation.
He rose from his cot, and he felt as if he had grown taller.
His clothes, which used to fit him well, now seemed a little too short. His arms and legs felt significantly stronger, his body possessing a new robustness. His voice, when he whispered, sounded slightly deeper. His body had physically grown.
Duan Liyang looked around his hut for a mirror, but there was none. He raised his palm before his eyes, trying to examine his own body with his enhanced vision. He could clearly see the energy flowing beneath his skin, and it appeared denser and more powerful than before.
"Did... did this happen because of that dream?" he whispered, the memory of his 'world-destroying' dream fresh in his mind.
He was now taller and stronger than before, and this transformation was beyond his control. For a moment, he felt a strange fear.
Humans always fear the unknown the most, and Duan Liyang didn't know what was happening to him, or when it would stop. His power was growing, but it was growing along a path he couldn't fully comprehend, and it terrified him.
End of Chapter 14