Chapter 14 Fusion
That sword thrust was exceptionally deep.
Lu Li didn't even have time to react, only feeling a coldness in his abdomen, followed by an overwhelming pain.
He staggered backward, then fell to the ground, his longsword slipping from his grasp as blood gushed from the wound.
The short sword in Wang Meng's hand dripped with blood, yet her eyes flickered with an indescribable struggle and delight.
Lin Yue approached, her expression cold, looking at Lu Li, who lay motionless on the ground. With a blank face, she leaned down and, with another swift and decisive dagger thrust, stabbed him again in the abdomen.
"Pfft."
Blood splattered once more.
Lin Yue turned and left, not even sparing him another glance.
Wang Meng timidly followed, asking softly, "Sister Lin Yue… can I join your group now?"
Lin Yue nodded faintly.
Wang Meng immediately rejoiced, thanking her repeatedly. The two then met up with another youth and turned to look for the next lone target.
The battlefield raged like fire.
Blood, screams, escapes, and slaughter—like a boiling quagmire, people fell every moment.
And Lu Li lay in a corner, a pool of blood already forming around him.
No one paid him any mind.
His consciousness blurred, and countless fragments appeared before his eyes—his grandfather's gaunt back, his elder brother's loving smile, his second brother's pierced body…
And also, that woman, still breathtakingly beautiful, hanging on the blood-soaked wall.
Qiuyue.
"You are going to die."
Suddenly, a cold whisper sounded in his ear.
Familiar and intimate—it was Fairy Qiuyue's voice, carrying a hint of disdain and calmness:
"If you want to live, embed the strange bone into your Physical Body."
"It can preserve a trace of your life force."
"It was this bone that allowed me to survive ten years as blood food in the hands of the Earth Ghost."
Lu Li's fingers twitched as he struggled to reach into his embrace.
—That strange bone was still burning hot.
He clenched his teeth, blood gushing from the corner of his lips.
"I cannot die…"
He gritted his teeth, supporting himself with one hand on the ground, and with a trembling hand, tore open the opening at his waist. Enduring the intense pain, he embedded the strange bone, inch by inch, into his Physical Body.
Blood surged, yet he did not utter a sound.
The moment the strange bone entered, Lu Li's Physical Body violently trembled!
Inside him, it was as if a fire had ignited.
That bone began to faintly vibrate in his Dantian, as if awakened by some mysterious power.
A hot current surged, like blood flowing backward, flushing through his limbs and bones. His shattered Meridians were forcibly wrapped, and his damaged Qi was re-stitched.
He was not a Cultivator and could not perform internal vision, but the images that appeared in his mind at this moment were incredibly clear!
Within his Physical Body, an incredible scene was unfolding—
The aura of the strange bone was slowly intertwining and fusing with the Yellow Bone in his Physical Body!
"How… how is this possible?!"
Deep within his Sea of Consciousness, Fairy Qiuyue's voice was uncharacteristically panicked!
"This… impossible!"
"How could this strange bone… fuse with your Spiritual Bone?!"
"I tried for ten years, at most I could barely embed it into my Physical Body. It doesn't recognize a master at all!"
"You are merely a Yellow Bone… the lowest and most humble Aptitude. How can you do what I could not?!"
Her voice began to grow hoarse, with a trembling disbelief:
"Or rather—"
"Only the most garbage bones, those without the shackles of destiny, can fuse with this item?"
"My Heavenly Bone is too strong; instead… I am unworthy?"
Her voice abruptly ceased, falling into a deathly silence.
Lu Li lay in a pool of blood, teeth clenched, his entire Physical Body convulsing.
That strange bone was slowly sinking into the core of his Spiritual Bone, intertwining, wrapping, and tearing—
It was as if it was forcibly annexing, yet also quietly fusing.
At the same time, an intense pain, spreading from the depths of his Soul, like a knife, an axe, fire, and frost, swept through all his Meridians!
He had never experienced such pain; it felt as if every inch of his flesh, every bone, every wisp of his Divine Soul, was being torn apart and reshaped.
He trembled with pain, yet inexplicably, a sense of pleasure arose—
Because the life force that had been rapidly draining away had actually stopped!
Not only had it stopped, but it was slowly flowing back.
His shattered Meridians began to squirm and stitch themselves together, and the flesh at the edges of his wounds showed faint signs of new growth.
Those were… signs of life.
"Ah—!"
Lu Li finally couldn't hold back and let out a low roar, his face contorted.
But just as he was about to faint, an unprecedented aura suddenly emerged within his Physical Body.
It was not blood, not flesh, not bone.
But a wisp of… a faint, almost imperceptible, yet soft and gentle, clear current, like morning dew.
Lu Li's eyes suddenly changed.
He noticed that his senses… had undergone a drastic transformation.
In his ears, the sound of distant fighting footsteps was as clear as if they were beside him;
Through his nose, the scent of blood and sweat from a hundred meters away assailed him;
He could even hear—
The children who had surrounded and attacked him, believing him dead, were now whispering, their heartbeats distinct.
Lu Li could hardly believe everything he was experiencing.
"What… what is happening to me?"
He whispered tremblingly, his voice hoarse with an indescribable bewilderment and excitement.
In the Sea of Consciousness, Fairy Qiuyue, who had been silent for a long time, finally recovered and let out a cold snort:
"Hmph… you have already stepped into the threshold of Cultivation."
"This is the first Realm of Cultivation—Qi Condensation."
Her voice was cold, barely concealing her jealousy:
"That wisp of new Qi in your Physical Body is Spiritual Qi."
"Its Fusion with the strange bone caused a change in your Yellow Bone, forcibly opening up Qi Meridians."
Her tone grew even colder and more subdued:
"From today onward, you have embarked on the path of Cultivation."
"You… lucky brat."
Lu Li closed his eyes, sensing that subtle yet real wisp of Spiritual Qi within his Physical Body.
At this moment, even if no one in the entire arena noticed, even if he was still the most inconspicuous speck of dust.
…
In the center of the trial ground, the earth cracked, the wind stirred, and the cries of battle shook the heavens.
That slender, ruthless figure had already entered an uninhabited land.
Stone Wasteland.
His figure was not tall, yet each step he took caused the ground to collapse and cracks to spread like a spiderweb.
His silver spear was like a Dragon, its power immense!
With each sweep, three or four people would be sent flying, crashing to the ground, bones cracking and blood splattering.
Within his Physical Body, wisps of golden light like flames moved, gathering in his Dantian and surging towards his limbs—
That was the Origin Spiritual Qi of his Heavenly Bone Awakening.
No one could stop him.
Even if three people joined forces to attack him, they would be torn apart by a single spear thrust.
He was cold and ruthless, his eyes like stagnant water, like a Heavenly God executing judgment, without a trace of emotion.
Like a wolf entering a flock of sheep, blood flowed like a river.
High above the arena, Qi Guanzhi flicked his long sleeve, a smile appearing:
"Not bad, truly worthy of a Heavenly Bone."
"In this chaotic life-and-death situation, he naturally sensed Spiritual Qi and stepped into the Dao—Qi Condensation Layer One."
"Indeed, the strongest Aptitude."
His voice was not loud, but it was enough to reach the ears of the yellow-robed Disciples.
Everyone watching showed respect.
"So this is the potential of a Heavenly Bone… born to Cultivate, one in ten thousand!"
"Too strong."
But just then, Qi Guanzhi's brows twitched slightly.
His gaze shifted, suddenly looking towards the furthest corner of the trial ground.
In that most inconspicuous blood-soaked area, a figure—
Was slowly rising from the ground.
It was a small, thin youth, covered in blood, his body swaying, as if he had salvaged a life from a pile of corpses.
But even more astonishingly—
On his Physical Body, there was an extremely faint wisp of Spiritual Qi, flickering in and out of existence, like cooking smoke in the morning mist, so light it was almost invisible, yet truly and clearly present!
Qi Guanzhi narrowed his eyes and muttered to himself:
"Hmm?… Is that…?"
He extended his Divine Sense, slightly startled, revealing a hint of surprise.
"A Yellow Bone?… It actually sensed Qi Sensing and entered Qi Condensation?"
He couldn't help but let out a soft exclamation, seemingly showing a momentary interest.
But, it was only for a moment.
The next instant, his expression was indifferent, and he gave a cold smile:
"Hmph, just a stroke of luck."
"Even if he steps into Cultivation, what then? A Yellow Bone is ultimately an ant."
He did not look a second time, his gaze returning to Stone Wasteland, who was freely slaughtering in the arena.
At the same time—
Lu Li stood in the corner, his face pale, blood staining the corner of his mouth, and the wound in his abdomen still throbbing.
But his gaze was completely different from before.
He felt that thread-like wisp of Spiritual Qi within his Physical Body, condensed and unwavering, gentle yet real.
He knew he had embarked on the path of Cultivation.
But no one would exclaim for him.
He was not a Heavenly Bone.
He was just a Yellow Bone Physical Body—crawling out of the blood.
But at this moment, he looked into the distance—
Those three figures were laughing as they approached a new target, as if the stab that had just pierced him was merely a game.
Wang Meng, Lin Yue, and that male child holding a sword.
The light in Lu Li's eyes completely turned cold.
He was not a Saint.
He was not someone who would repay evil with kindness.
Wang Meng's dagger, it pierced not his abdomen, but his last shred of illusion about humanity.
Lin Yue's knife was the nail that buried him in the mud.
He whispered to himself:
"You… must die."
His tone was extremely light, yet every word was etched with killing intent.
That wisp of Spiritual Qi within his Physical Body, as if sensing the desire in his heart, subtly circulated, transforming into a dark red glow.
Lu Li slowly walked towards the weapon rack not far away.
He walked very slowly, each step treading in the blood, his footprints continuous like a sacrifice.
He walked to a great saber.
That saber, which should have been taller than his shoulder and extremely heavy, was a low-quality iron battle weapon.
Previously, he had tried to lift it but couldn't move it at all.
But this time—
He reached out, gripped the hilt, and lifted it.
"Buzz!"
The blade emitted a low hum, like some kind of response.
Spiritual Qi surged into his arm, his bones made soft cracking sounds, and his formerly gaunt arm actually showed faint bulging veins, his flesh firm as steel.
And Lu Li, at this moment, had already fixed his gaze on the three figures.
The sound of the wind, footsteps, heartbeats, he heard them all clearly.
Wang Meng was still cautiously talking to Lin Yue.
That face, which had once shown tears and called him "Brother" endearingly.
Now, she smiled so innocently, as if nothing had happened.
Lu Li slowly raised the great saber, its edge forward, his figure swayed, and killing intent spread out like the night.
He was not fleeing; instead—he was going to hunt.