Chapter 70: Endurance

The moment the Golden Core powder entered Wang Li’s body, it transformed into three immense streams of spiritual energy that rampaged within him. Fierce fire-attributed power scorched his flesh and meridians, while the piercing force of thunder energy bored straight into his very bones. The spiritual force, targeting the mind, bypassed the defenses of his soul and surged into his sea of consciousness, wreaking havoc on its structure.

The sudden triple assault nearly made Wang Li cry out in agony. He gritted his teeth, enduring the pain that wracked both his body and spirit, and asked Master Sheng, “I feel like I’m about to die. What’s happening to me?”

“Calm yourself,” Master Sheng replied serenely. “What you swallowed is equivalent to consuming thousands of pills in one go. It’s normal to feel uncomfortable. But don’t worry, your innate Chaotic Physique is resilient. Hang in there, and you’ll be fine.”

Master Sheng spoke as if it were nothing, but the torment was no trivial matter for Wang Li. The searing pain, the agony of his soul being torn apart—it left him without even the strength to curse. Still, Master Sheng was right: Wang Li’s constitution was exceptionally tough. Any other cultivator would have likely exploded on the spot if thousands of pills’ worth of force erupted inside them. Yet, for Wang Li, the surging energies could not break through the limits of his body. Instead, he rapidly absorbed and digested them. Apart from the spiritual force still battering his sea of consciousness, the fire and thunder energies made his flesh and bones denser, his meridians instantly doubling in width. The immense power caused the fragment of the Golden Core in his dantian to visibly grow, soon reaching the size of a longan fruit.

He had no idea how long he endured the endless torment, but with the full operation of his three cultivation techniques, the wild energies within him gradually subsided.

At last, Wang Li felt as if he’d been reborn. His body was no longer frail; powerful muscles now rippled beneath his skin, making him look much sturdier. His sea of consciousness, after being restored, was broader and more fortified than before. If there had been any hint of his past sickly state, it was now completely gone. After chewing the Golden Core fragments, there was no trace left of the once feeble little Daoist boy.

Wang Li admired his new physique in the mirror. The muscles were defined but not exaggerated—he was slim in clothes, robust without. His features, too, had matured; the once youthful face now bore the strength of a young man, with thick brows and a broad forehead, radiating determination.

“They say suffering makes one grow up fast. You’ve truly benefited from disaster—now you’re quite the handsome young man. Not bad, not bad…” Master Sheng teased.

Wang Li couldn’t help but roll his eyes. “Master Sheng, if something like this happens again, at least give me a warning first. I really don’t want to go through that again.”

“Alright, alright…” Master Sheng replied perfunctorily, but Wang Li didn’t take it to heart.

After this ordeal, Wang Li realized that his path of cultivation was unlike others; his journey was anything but ordinary. Though Master Sheng had urged him to follow the rules of the Celestial Profound World, every advancement of his had been unique. He no longer naively believed that Master Sheng’s plans were so straightforward.

From Master Sheng’s words and actions, Wang Li saw he was mostly fond of banter and not lacking in courage. He only nagged Wang Li about the ‘true meaning of survival’ because Wang Li was still too weak and at risk of dying young.

Testing his full strength in simulated combat scenarios brought Wang Li much satisfaction. Despite only just stepping into the Golden Core stage, the energy he could unleash far surpassed Luo Heng, who was at the third level of the same realm. If not for Luo Heng’s overwhelming combat experience, Wang Li would have defeated his simulated image in their first battle.

With newfound power and cultivation, Wang Li brimmed with confidence. Sensing his surge in fighting spirit, Master Sheng immediately poured cold water on his enthusiasm, but Wang Li turned a deaf ear. Upon leaving seclusion, he gathered everyone to assign battle tasks.

Only then did Wang Li realize how long he’d spent in agony—half a month. In those two weeks, New Vengeance City had changed dramatically.

The entire city was now fully constructed, with functional districts organized around the Chosen Ranking. If it weren’t for the energy fluctuations from cultivators breaking through, New Vengeance City would be indistinguishable from any human settlement. Not only had a complete suite of living facilities been established, but even a trade market for exchanging cultivation resources was in place.

Of course, the greatest transformation was that nearly everyone had advanced in their cultivation. In just half a month, Golden Core cultivators in the city increased to twenty-one, those at the Foundation Establishment stage to nearly four thousand, and all Body Refinement stage cultivators had advanced—the lowest now at the second level of Qi Refinement.

The Chosen Trials were perilous, but also a rare opportunity. The countless fierce beasts threatening the city also provided abundant cultivation resources, accelerating everyone’s progress. Within the sects, though safer, the lack of pressure and real combat meant breakthroughs were much slower.

Compared to the advancement of tens of thousands, the city’s rapid rise was nothing remarkable.

With his forces greatly strengthened, Wang Li grew bolder, accepting two group missions and sending everyone out. The surge in power emboldened not just Wang Li, but the others as well. When Wang Li announced his plans—even though it meant temporarily abandoning New Vengeance City—no one objected.

They believed that by completing a few more group missions, their strength would grow further, increasing their chances of surviving the first phase of the Chosen Trials.

Most importantly, everyone had benefited greatly from the previous missions; no one was about to give up the chance to become even stronger.

Thus, in less than a month, New Vengeance City once again became a ghost town.

Wang Li led by example, actively teaming up with other experts to seek high-value targets. While Master Sheng disapproved of his eagerness, he still offered guidance, pointing out the locations and weaknesses of many valuable targets.

With Master Sheng’s “cheat codes,” Wang Li’s group completed four group missions in just five days.

At this point, Wang Li temporarily halted all missions. The reason was simple: Vengeance City needed time to absorb the rewards of the three group missions, converting them into strength to better face new challenges.

So, with this rhythm of action and rest, Vengeance City’s power grew steadily. Three months later, they had completed all the group missions in the surrounding area.