Chapter 4: Divine Core!

Chapter 4: Divine Core!

Second Brother Jiang’s apparent simplicity masked genuine reliability. Patting his sister’s shoulder, he reassured her, “Don’t worry—Xiao Zhe’s nowhere near breaking through yet.”

“He’s too slow. Speed doesn’t improve easily. That 25m/s barrier will stall him for a while.”

“Even with our guidance, conservative estimates say it’ll take one or two weeks to see results. By then, Grandfather and the others should be back. Let them handle Xiao Zhe’s training headaches.”

Jiang Sisi nodded, finding logic in his words and relaxing slightly.

Their concerns weren’t unfounded.

They feared Jiang Zhe’s cultivation of Genetic Primordial Energy might trigger a catastrophic awakening of his Mental Energy. Failure could leave him brain-damaged, comatose, or worse—dead, bleeding from every orifice. If that happened, they’d carry the guilt forever.

Unaware of their worries, Jiang Zhe stood by the punching dummy, eavesdropping with perked ears. Muttering to himself, he quipped, “Sometimes being slow isn’t so bad…”

“Xiao Zhe, come test your speed!” Second Brother Jiang beckoned, slapping the newly activated speedometer beside him.

“Coming! Who knows—I might become a Pre-Warrior tonight!”

Grinning, Jiang Zhe strode to the sixty-meter track. At his cousin’s signal, he exploded forward like a hunting cheetah.

The speed-testing zone occupied the track’s final stretch. Jiang Zhe accelerated to his limit, legs pistoning, body slicing through the air with a sharp hiss.

After crossing the finish line, he decelerated naturally and halted.

“Brother, what’s the readout?” Jiang Zhe asked, catching his breath.

“24.5m/s!”

Second Brother Jiang gave a thumbs-up. “Great job! Just a bit more push and you’ll clear it!”

“That doesn’t make sense…” Jiang Zhe muttered, checking the screen himself. The number matched his cousin’s report.

He wasn’t upset about missing the Pre-Warrior threshold—that was inevitable. What bothered him was the paltry improvement since morning.

After all, Luo Feng’s final headache before becoming a Pre-Warrior had boosted his speed by 5m/s.

Jiang Sisi joined them, offering comfort. “Xiao Zhe, you’re still young—your physical potential is peaking. Focus on refining your Striking Art during sprints. A week or two of training should do it.”

Her words struck a chord.

Right! Technique gaps!

He’d relied solely on brute force, never mastering proper form to maximize his physical prowess.

“I get it now, Second Brother. Let me try again.”

Jiang Zhe marched back to the starting line, mentally dissecting his cousin’s footwork and Striking Art.

The siblings exchanged glances. Second Brother Jiang shrugged. “You couldn’t help lecturing again, could you?”

Sighing, Jiang Sisi muttered, “That horrible habit of mine…”

This time, Jiang Zhe’s sprint faltered—22m/s, worse than his morning run. Undeterred, he repeated the drill: third, fourth, fifth attempts…

“21.2m/s!”

“22.6m/s!”

“20.3m/s!”

“23.4m/s!”

The numbers stagnated below his earlier mark, but his eyes gleamed with dawning clarity.

He sensed an elusive “tail” of understanding—his legs felt lighter, movements smoother.

“23.8m/s!”

…

“24.9m/s!”

“25.6m/s!”

The barrier shattered! Pre-Warrior speed achieved!

Jiang Sisi opened her mouth, hesitated, then stayed silent.

Second Brother Jiang read her mind. “Enough waiting. Let’s give him the Genetic Energy Cultivation Method. We must believe in Xiao Zhe—he’ll awaken successfully. He’ll become Earth’s greatest Mentalist!”

“…But only if he asks. We don’t offer first,” he added firmly.

“…Fine.” After a pause, Jiang Sisi relented.

Unaware of their decision, Jiang Zhe immersed himself in sprint after sprint.

The cousins gawked at the speedometer’s escalating numbers—25.9m/s, 26.7m/s, 27.3m/s…

Final readout: 29.9m/s!

He stopped voluntarily, not from inability.

Collapsing on the cool alloy floor, gasping for breath, Jiang Zhe laughed in exhilaration.

Second Brother Jiang chuckled nervously. “Uh-oh… Could he actually be a prodigy?”

Jiang Sisi rolled her eyes. “Stealing old jokes from past generations now?”

“Heh. Good wine only improves with age.” Grabbing Jiang Zhe’s arm, he hauled him up. “Still got juice left? Want to test your neural reflexes next?”

“A real man never says die! Let’s go, Brother!” The two strode toward the “Neural Response Testing Room” connected to the Martial Practice Hall, shoulders bumping.

Watching them leave, Jiang Sisi murmured, “No more suspense…” She turned to find a butler to prepare a surprise for Xiao Zhe.

…

“42 hits in 60 seconds, no red light contact. Excellent!”

“Exceeding ‘Passing’ standards, you’ve met Pre-Warrior requirements. Congratulations, Xiao Zhe—you’re officially a Pre-Warrior!”

Second Brother Jiang announced proudly, feeling he’d witnessed history.

Jiang Zhe’s achievement was unprecedented: from Intermediate Student to Pre-Warrior in a single day. Most people spent decades stuck at this threshold, many never clearing it even by age thirty.

“Want another round?” he asked, grinning.

Jiang Zhe shook his head. “Nah. I need to refine my techniques. My current results relied entirely on my Mentalist-caliber calculations and that Chicken Step I half-imitated from Sisi.”

Self-aware, he acknowledged his technical naivety. Sixteen years spent studying classical texts and cultivating inner peace left no time for physical training. This world’s martial arts focused on biomechanics—better learned after becoming a Martial Artist.

“Got it. Start training with us tomorrow. We’ll teach you everything.” Second Brother Jiang clapped his shoulder.

Jiang Zhe nodded. Privileges of noble lineage—guidance never in short supply.

“Oh, Brother… Can I see the Genetic Energy Cultivation Method now?”

“Now?”

“Can’t wait!”

“Haha! Follow me to the ninth floor. Master it quick—let’s shock Grandfather when he returns!”

…

Inside the Alloy Tower’s ninth-floor AV Chamber, Jiang Zhe beheld Earth’s sole Genetic Primordial Energy method: Five-Palm Heavenward Cultivation!

Memorizing its core principles, he listened as Second Brother Jiang explained cultivation nuances—optimizing “Slag,” Guiding Art, and Gravity Cultivation Method.

“Hey, Brother… How about giving me the Guiding Art too?”

“No way!” His cousin shook his head. “Our family has two Guiding Arts, paired with five primary cultivation manuals—three offensive, one footwork, one special. Your path requires Grandfather’s guidance. I won’t overstep.”

Jiang Zhe pleaded twice more, but Second Brother Jiang held firm.

“Xiao Zhe, to officially register as a Martial Artist, you still need to pass the practical combat assessment. You must engage in a life-or-death battle with a Beast. Even members of our Jiang Clan can’t be exempt from this. If you can’t pass this stage, you won’t qualify as a Martial Artist.”

“I understand. I’ll register for the August 1st session now.”

Second Brother Jiang hesitated. “Hmm… Maybe wait for the half-year session instead? Five days feels too rushed.”

“No problem. As long as I succeed in cultivating Genetic Primordial Energy, I’ll use heavy weaponry. Killing a few low-level Beast Soldier-class Beasts won’t be difficult.”

Jiang Zhe spoke confidently about his progress, though his words were deliberately humble.

“Besides, I’ve got Second Brother and Sisi helping me, right? You’ll teach me martial techniques, and she’ll train me in weapon use. I trust both of you—your instruction will definitely prepare me to become a qualified Martial Artist within five days.”

“If it weren’t for Sisi’s guidance earlier, I might’ve taken much longer to break through the Pre-Warrior threshold.”

If Jiang Sisi had still been there, she’d have groaned in frustration. When it came to creating trouble for herself, she truly was a master.

Second Brother Jiang pondered and found Jiang Zhe’s reasoning sound.

“Then I’ll sign you up tomorrow.”

“But only if you successfully cultivate Genetic Primordial Energy. If you fail within five days, I’ll withdraw your application. You’ll take the next practical assessment.”

Second Brother Jiang walked to a corner cabinet by the wall, opened the drawer, and pulled out a Usb drive, tossing it to Jiang Zhe.

“There are some video recordings inside—included striking arts, footwork, and attack techniques. Study them carefully and pick what suits you.”

……

After leaving the Traditional Martial Arts Hall with his second brother, Jiang Zhe received the day’s surprise: his cousin had arranged a celebratory banquet.

His aunt, second aunt, and mother dropped by briefly, praised him, then regrouped for a mahjong session.

His young aunt and the four third-generation clan members partied until the early hours. By the end, Jiang Zhe looked like he’d bathed in champagne and cream, needing a long cleanup after returning to his courtyard.

July 27, 2:30 AM. Jiang Zhe sat cross-legged on his bed, wearing a loose robe.

At his age, sleep was elusive—prime time for cultivation.

“To cultivate Genetic Primordial Energy, I must first sense Cosmic Energy. The first ‘sensing’ is the hardest.”

“Those with talent might sense it on day one. Those less gifted might spend a year or more stuck here. Regardless of my talent, I’ll use every aid available.”

Jiang Zhe retrieved a porcelain box the size of a table-tennis ball, opened it, and dabbed crystalline ointment onto his palms, soles, and the Baihui acupoint on his crown. Following the method, he assumed the Five-Heart-to-Heaven Posture.

“Breathe in… breathe out…”

Maintaining steady breaths, he calmed his mind. With sixteen years of cultivation practice and exposure to Confucianism-Buddhism-Taoism, stilling his thoughts came easily. Meditation had long been routine, his mind settling like a windless lake.

Silence reigned. His breath grew imperceptible.

One minute, two, five… ten, fifteen…

In a drowsy trance, warmth spread across his five hearts, a tingling sensation as faint streams of energy seeped through them like trickling water.

“What the hell? This fast?!?!”

It felt as though mercury had poured into his palms, soles, and crown—completely saturating his body.

And this was just passive absorption!

Startled but maintaining his state, Jiang Zhe focused his consciousness on his “five hearts,” consciously directing them to attract Cosmic Energy.

The surge intensified a hundredfold.

If initially the Cosmic Energy flowed like water through a pipe, now the pipe had burst, unleashing pressurized torrents.

Jiang Zhe feared he’d drown in Cosmic Energy.

He realized the Furnace Slag Ointment had accelerated his cultivation—its melted form was dense Cosmic Energy.

“The energy flooding in is mostly from the ointment. Is this ointment solidified Cosmic Energy?”

“I don’t know how to condense ordinary Cosmic Energy, but I know solidified cosmic essence forms Cosmic Crystals—something only Realm Lord-level experts can create.”

“Our family must’ve used an ancient relic to produce this ‘slag.’ What artifact could it be? Curious!”

Suppressing his catlike curiosity, Jiang Zhe focused on his body’s transformation.

“Ahhh—”

A bone-deep tremor forced a groan from him.

The Cosmic Energy entered his cells, absorbed by mitochondria, radiating strange energy. Cells absorbed it rapidly, undergoing Dna-level changes.

Cell division accelerated.

Skin firmed, muscles optimized, bones densified, cells shrank but multiplied, his weight increasing steadily.

This was metamorphosis—a leap in life’s essence!

Since birth, his body had starved for Cosmic Energy. The first absorption was the most voracious, yielding the greatest power surge.

At dawn, the northern sun rose high. Jiang Zhe opened his eyes, smiling at his night’s gains.

“It took two full hours to saturate… and those two hours eclipse what other Martial Artists experience in their first cultivation.”

“That torrential surge lasted until the ‘slag’ depleted, then slowed to a normal cultivator’s pace.”

“I’ve confirmed it—‘slag’ is semi-solidified Cosmic Energy, like a nutrient solution.”

“No wonder our Jiang Clan produced four War Gods. External aid was inevitable. But ‘slag’ must be rare…”

Shaking his head, Jiang Zhe rose, practiced a boxing set to test his new body.

“Estimate two tons per punch? Maybe more!”

He’d need to test it at the Traditional Martial Arts Hall.

“More importantly, my inner space changed. I’ve gained another tree-chopping chance.”

The Primordial Core’s subtle shifts were clear to him.

“Do I need to ascend a realm to gain more chances?”

Locking the door and drawing the curtains, he re-entered the Primordial Core.

The mist-shrouded clearing had expanded to 20 meters across. The central tree, now over two meters thick, twisted into the fog, its canopy still obscured.

The wound from yesterday had healed, leaving a fist-sized scar.

Circling the tree, Jiang Zhe found a smooth spot and swung the Woodcutter’s Axe, carving a wound that spat out a golden light orb.

The axe’s weight spiked, flying back to the stone table.

Unbothered, Jiang Zhe picked up the orb. Contact dissipated the light, revealing a two-fist-sized, crystal-clear gemstone.

Touching it, a surge of information stunned him, freezing him in shock.

After a long pause, he snapped back.

Circling the tree, searching frantically, he muttered, “There should be more… Where’s my Thousand Forms Codex?”

“Second Brother wouldn’t take it. He can’t cultivate it—the technique’s strength is limited. Though ‘Thousand Forms’ sounds mighty, it offers no help for a Life-Death Dao Monarch’s ascension. At best, it boosts combat power.”

“In other realms, splitting into a thousand forms grants no law-attunement bonuses. Divine bodies stay small without divine power. Its only strengths are survival and post-merger combat potential.”

“This divine scripture serves another purpose. Its effects will surpass the Thousand Forms Codex’s fleeting advantages.”

……

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end