When Chen Xuantian woke up, he found himself lying on a hospital bed in the intensive care unit, his whole body wrapped like a mummy, unable to move even his toes.
Then, as his consciousness gradually awakened, memories began to emerge like a rising tide.
Pain, fatigue, soreness, and itchiness swept from every nerve in his body.
Oh... help, help... Iâm dying...
"Welcome back, Chen Xuantian. Your genes have been recombined, your body has recovered, current memory overlap progress is seven percent."
A pleasant female voice came from the speaker by the bedside.
Is this called recovery? Are you kidding me...
And only seven percent? This time I stayed there for a long time, how come it only progressed by two points?
But with pain, soreness, and itchiness throughout his body, Chen Xuantian felt so uncomfortable that he wanted to die. He couldnât even think carefully or move, even the liquid nutritional paste was fed through a mechanical arm into his mouth, he could only whimper lying on the bed. Except for the drone nurses who came into the ICU to change his dressings and assist with his metabolism, no one came to visit him, to bring him some oranges or anything.
He had been lying there for about a week before a living person made a video call to check on him.
"Chen Xuantian cadet, due to your heroism and determination in battle, executing orders firmly, being proactive and brave in overcoming difficulties, you have made outstanding achievements and significant contributions in this major scientific research project. Upon approval from higher authorities, it has been decided to award you a third-class merit..."
The living personâs face was heavily censored and the voice was altered, but judging by the military uniform, they were probably a field-grade officer.
Chen Xuantian didnât say thanks nor salute, after all, it was hard for him to even move his lips because the objective circumstances didnât permit it. Presumably, the higher-ups could understand the sacrifices of those below...
"...However, given the extremely severe current international conflict situation, the construction of the quantum communication network project cannot be delayed. We appreciate your sacrifice but hope you can continue to redouble your efforts to further advance the project..."
Uh, uh? No, hey! Youâve got to be kidding! Iâm like this, and still have to continue!?
"Iâm very sorry, but every minute and every second weâre falling behind, there really isnât much time left."
Hey hey, donât be so outrageous! Working all day and night like this, youâll get me killed sooner or later!
Though it was indeed Chen Xuantianâs application, and he voluntarily joined this military research project, he thought he would just be copying data, writing reports, living in the mountains for a few years, at most participating in some drug tests, double-blind tests.
No one told him that the molecular chains of all his cells would be broken by radiation! His entire body, inside and out, melted into a paste-like meat porridge! Plus, he wouldnât even die! Would be pumped with kilograms of drugs! Until his organs were as soft as jelly! Then molded and re-solidified, finally baked in an oven to set like clay pottery!
Yes, lying on the hospital bed these days, his whole body hurt so much he couldnât sleep, watching the drones change his dressings, under the gauze was gelatinous flesh, all the pain and suffering during these days, Chen Xuantian remembered everything!
Are you kidding me, hey! What kind of torture project is this!
And whatâs this about not having much time?! If this continues, he doesnât have much time left either, hey! Help!
However, objections were ineffective, and even now Chen Xuantian couldnât clearly express any objections.
With one order from above, the nursing drone pushed him out of the ICU, into the quantum communication laboratory next door, getting ready for connection...
God, this real world, itâs as cold as a dream, surrounded by unfeeling machines, without even a single bio-human to answer Chen Xuantianâs doubts or ease his anxiety.
He couldnât speak now, couldnât move, could only roll his eyes, watching the mechanical arm remove the bandages from him, fitting his own body, barely solidified into a block, bit by bit into that kind of tight suit, and then into the quantum virtual storage, and then an orange-red juice-like solution being poured in, gradually flooding over his throat.
No.
This canât go on.
Chen Xuantian held his breath, maintaining his consciousness, trying to think.
This canât continue! I have to think of a way! The people outside are unreliable! I can only rely on myself now!
Whether itâs a dream, or quantum communication, or crossing to another world, which is âthe butterflyâ and which is âIâ doesnât matter at all!
Now the primary issue for Chen Xuantian to consider is,
The âTie Danâ in the dream, every reckless act! Every life-threatening heavy injury! Would directly feedback to this âChen Xuantianâ here!
Before, his arm fracture was the same, later when Qiu Niu swallowed and blew him up too, and later every time he was chopped to pieces, all battered and bloodied, it would affect this side as well!
Now his whole body is injured! Isnât it all caused by that Tie Dan kid!
But Tie Dan doesnât care!
This guy relies on that thing called Proud Blood Jade Technique and Catfish Rescue! Heâs not afraid of getting hurt at all!
Mad, but he doesnât have any of those!
He, Chen Xuantian, has no Divine Skills, no flying sword, no Catfish Rescue!
Who can bear playing like Tie Dan for long!
He must find a way to remind him!
He must let âthe waking Tie Danâ!
Know about the existence of âdream Chen Xuantianâ!
Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!
Then Chen Xuantian took a deep breath, letting the LCL solution enter his alveoli.
The next second,
Tie Dan opened his eyes.
He was lying in a dimly lit, sealed stone chamber, in front of him was a copper mirror, hanging on the stone wall, reflecting his face.
A bloody-faced youth, with faint and unhealed sword scars on his face, his eyes rare as glaze.
As Dao Breath circulated, the green light swirled in the dimness, like the eyes of a wolf in the night, staring straight at himself, as if it had something to say.
...
The face was really dirty.
Then Tie Dan wiped his face, turning his eyes towards the shopkeeper cowering in the corner.
"Senior, senior, you woke up in only half an hour, recovering too quickly..."
The shopkeeper swallowed his saliva,
"This place is a fake tomb I dug up before, cleaned out and used as a hiding place. Donât worry, above us is Kun Countryâs Royal Mausoleum, no one will come to search, itâs very safe."
Tie Dan turned over and sat up, only then realizing he had been lying in a stone coffin, and there were also some jade stalactites containing Dao Breath in the coffin, clear like a spring, seeping into his body through the holes made by the Blood Gun and Blood Sword. It was thanks to these spiritual materials that the Blood Jade Technique could quickly repair his badly damaged Dao Body.
Moreover, he even gained something...
Yes, the Essence Blood running through the Qi Meridian, was obviously much more abundant than before. No, not much, several times!
If it used to be a trickling stream in a mountain brook, now it was a rushing river in a downpour!
It even gave Tie Dan a feeling that âIâm about to establish my Foundation again!â
Honestly, itâs just that Tie Dan doesnât know the Blood Jade Technique needs to focus on Foundation Establishment next, if he knew he could just do it directly!
Undoubtedly, this sudden surge in Blood Breath, thereâs no second possibility. It must have been the Blood Gun and Blood Sword of the Blood Godâs Son stabbed into his body, directly absorbed and transformed into Cultivation by the Blood Jade Technique!
Yes, it didnât even need refining, completely of the same root and origin, ready to use! Directly taking the Cultivation of the Blood Godâs Son for his own, this was way faster than refining demon cores one by one!
Looks like this Blood Jade Technique is really a secret technique of the Divine Sect...
Unable to figure it out for the time being, Tie Dan temporarily put away his thoughts, picked up the Qingshuang placed outside the coffin, and looked at the shopkeeper,
"Why."
Seeing that Tie Dan didnât pierce a sword through him, the shopkeeper also breathed a sigh of relief, grinning awkwardly,
"Nothing, just an easy effort, not worth mentioning..."
Tie Dan just stared at him.
The shopkeeper knew he couldnât out-stare him, so he sighed, hugging his knees as he sat in the corner.
"He insulted me, so I... acted on impulse... I kind of regret it..."
Tie Dan was expressionless.
The shopkeeper grabbed his hair,
"But, actually thinking about it now, I donât owe them, even if there were transactions before, everything was settled.
Besides, though everything belongs to them, Iâm still ostensibly the shopkeeper of Treasure Jade Hall, they didnât consult me at all before doing such major things, never considered my aftermath.
Now those magic items are scattered all over the city, the matter of me stealing from the Royal Mausoleum and looting Netherworld Artifacts has surely erupted, not to mention the burden of rescuing the Demon Sect, I have to bear it anyway.
In short, I canât survive in Kun Country anymore, I can only escape.
Senior Liu, since youâre also alright, why donât we part ways here, after all, I still need to transfer my private hoard out of the country, and besides, I donât dare to get too deeply entangled with your esteemed sect..."
Tie Dan nodded, sheathing his sword.
"Thanks."
The shopkeeper laughed slyly,
"I should be thanking you... Iâve been cultivating for so many years, enduring all sorts of difficulties, having to wrangle, and spend heavily for anything I want.
The cultivators, canât say there arenât good people, but theyâre really all selfish, always only caring about their own interests, never budging an inch, not willing to provoke irrelevant causes and effects, demanding huge prices for any agreement.
Only you, without a word, were willing to draw your sword to help me. Thank you."
Tie Dan,
"Just repaying a debt."
The shopkeeper smiled ruefully,
"Repaying a debt... Who would offend Ziwei Immortal Palace for mere twenty coins... At that time, I thought Iâd have to cry it out, haggle a bit, and spend a little before I could ask for your help.
Who knew you agreed to help with the sword right away, truly a rare heroic man in the world!"
Tie Dan, "..."
The shopkeeper handed over a small booklet,
"I should remunerate you with valuable treasures, but I know you arenât after wealth, and I donât have anything good at hand, afraid it would just annoy you.
This booklet contains the Mountain Moving Earth Technique Iâve compiled, itâs the only skill I have, if you donât mind, keep it as a memento."
Tie Dan had to accept the booklet.
His Sword Sect doesnât lack the Sword Escape Technique, getting some money would have been more practical...
The shopkeeper was about to take his leave when he suddenly remembered,
"Oh by the way, I also picked up your Daoist companion, placed in the next chamber to accompany you..."
You sure mind your business, huh...