After a moment, the boy lying on the ground began to breathe lightly, the powerful beating of his heart audible. With each inhale and exhale, a faint airflow arose around him, seeping from the rocks, wild grass, and droplets of water, slowly entering his body.

Immediately, Edward Carter's body emitted a faint luster. His restored dantian began to generate true qi, which, following his breath, naturally circulated throughout his body, forming a perfect cycle.

Gradually, the airflow in the cave grew denser, until it resembled a thin mist, filling the entire space.

Edward Carter lay on the cold ground, yet felt no chill at all. Instead, it was as if he were bathing in a warm ocean, a sensation akin to that of a newborn infant.

The true qi within his body became increasingly abundant, and though Edward Carter had not yet regained consciousness, his body instinctively absorbed the airflow in the cave, causing the radiance emanating from him to grow ever brighter.

At the same time, the swirling airflow in the cave became thinner and thinner, gradually dissipating as it was completely drawn into the boy's body.

Time passed in this silent transformation. The moonlight streaming through the cave's ceiling slowly faded, replaced by sunlight. The sun rose and set, night fell once more, and the silvery glow of the moon returned.

Crack!

On the cold ground, Edward Carter absorbed the last wisp of airflow in the cave. His body gave a light sound, and pieces of congealed blood scab fell away, revealing fair skin beneath.

Between his muscles and tendons, the luster of true qi flowed, emitting a faint purple aura.

Purple true qi!

After a moment, Edward Carter opened his eyes. His ink-black pupils were deep, like a tranquil pool, tinged with a faint purple hue.

Silently gazing at the top of the cave, Edward Carter was momentarily dazed. Suddenly, he sat up, stretched his arms, and the crisp sound of his bones extending rang out—a sound as melodious as music to his ears.

“All my meridians have fully recovered, and even my injuries have healed,” Edward Carter murmured to himself, feeling the true qi flowing through his meridians and assessing its strength within his body.

The true qi cultivation system of the Guyou Continent has developed from ancient times to the present, becoming extremely refined.

From lowest to highest, the five major realms are Martial Disciple, Martial Warrior, Martial Master, Grand Martial Master, and Innate Martial Master. Each major realm is divided into nine stages, used to distinguish strength. Anyone who reaches the Grand Martial Master realm is considered a powerhouse on the continent.

Of course, having lived two lifetimes, Edward Carter knew well that above these five realms, there were even higher levels.

However, for the vast majority of martial artists on the continent, the Innate Martial Master realm was already the highest goal of a lifetime.

At this moment, the strength of true qi within Edward Carter was at the ninth stage of Martial Disciple, and unlocking the first layer of the Battle Saint Body had not allowed him to break through the long-standing barrier to reach the Martial Warrior realm.

Even so, the sensation of his body brimming with true qi was something he had not experienced in a long time. At the same time, a surge of joy welled up in his heart.

With a movement, Edward Carter sprang to his feet, his body agile and lively. He crossed his fists and began to practice a basic fist technique of the Qin family.

For a while, the force of his punches stirred the air in the cave. The boy moved with his fists, growing more exhilarated with each strike. The wild joy in his heart gradually settled as he practiced the technique.

“Shattering Stone, Breaking Rain!”

He threw a punch from a distance, shattering a droplet of water falling from the cave ceiling. The fine spray scattered—this was the final move of the basic fist technique.

Slowly withdrawing his fists, Edward Carter felt the true qi in his meridians surging toward a certain point in his body. This was a sign of overflowing true qi, indicating an imminent breakthrough. It meant that his current realm could be surpassed at any moment, lacking only an opportunity.

Such a sign, in both his past and present lives, Edward Carter had waited eight long years for after the age of six, never expecting it to appear like this.

“Heh heh...”

Edward Carter shook his head and chuckled. If he were still just a boy, he would surely be overjoyed at this moment. However, after all his experiences in both lives, with the world ever-changing, his heart was now as calm as still water, rarely stirred by great joy or sorrow.

Standing in the cave, Edward Carter pondered for a long time, then walked to the pool, washing the blood and grime from his face and body, and looked at his reflection in the water.

It was the face of a handsome youth, with sword-like brows, red lips, and white teeth, radiating youthful vigor. Only his eyes were a bit too deep, like two gems, shining with a captivating light.

He habitually touched his neck, where a jade pendant once hung—his mother's keepsake. Now, it was gone.

“I suppose the Grand Elder and the Deputy Clan Leader must be very disappointed to see me safe and sound,” Edward Carter said quietly to himself.

After tidying up, Edward Carter leapt up, his movements as nimble as an ape, and in a moment, he climbed out of the cave and headed off into the distance.

……

At the same time.

Far away, ten thousand meters from this cave, a row of torches appeared on a mountain path. A team was rushing quickly in this direction.

Chapter 3: Strange Skill Reveals Its Ferocity

Rustle, rustle, rustle...

A group of people, holding torches, moved swiftly along a frost-covered path, their steps making crisp sounds.

“Are you sure it's here?” The leader was a middle-aged man in a brown robe, with thick eyebrows and eyes as sharp as blades.