Chapter 42: Reaching The Marrow Refining Level
“Zen is awesome. Since he is only at the organ refining level, it's not easy for him to withstand Leo's fist for so long. Besides, he has been at Drizzle Peak for a short time,” claimed a disciple who was standing outside the combat ring.
“Would you like to tell Master Su, Sean? He may be good for Drizzle Peak in the future. At least, we won't be so passive at the annual tournament of the thirty-three peaks. Apparently, Leo wants to kill him. Zen will die if no one stops this fight,” said another concerned disciple.
“No need to disturb Master Su. She is watching from over there,” another disciple said as he pointed to a distant pavilion.
When the disciples looked in the direction of the pavilion, they saw a beautiful young woman. Even from a distance, it was easy to recognize Master Su of Drizzle Peak.
Although she had not reacted when Sean had first told her about the duel, Master Su had been very concerned about the fight between Zen and Leo.
Master Su had taken great pains to ensure that Zen would join Drizzle Peak. She wouldn't give him up easily.
According to the rules of Cloud Sect, disciples were allowed to resolve personal grudges by competing in the ring. Even if they killed each other, they were not held responsible.
That was what worried Sean.
However, not many people wanted to kill their opponents in the fight.
Grudges were resolved when the opponent was defeated or humiliated. However, Leo seemed determined to kill Zen.
Master Su didn't know for how long Zen would be able to defend against Leo's assault.
She had hoped that Zen had gained sufficient experience through the extreme challenges that he had already faced. After all, she didn't want him to die.
At that moment, she was in a very conflicted mood. Despite how the fight was going, she persuaded herself to calm down and see how Zen would cope with his strong rival.
She gazed at Zen and frowned when she saw that burns covered his body. The skin on his arms, legs, chest, and neck had turned black! Zen looked miserable and embarrassed.
The power of the Raging Thunder Fist was beyond Zen's expectation. While he had been able to mutate most of the pressure into warm currents that would rejuvenate his body, yet a portion of the thunder and lightning had hurt him a lot.
At present, Zen was afraid that his body would fall apart under Leo's continuous fists.
The Spiritual Thorn cultivation method that he had previously practiced couldn't take effect because Zen kept failing to catch Leo's figure as Leo moved as fast as lightning.
Wham! Again, a heavy punch hit Zen in the chest.
Carrying the astounding power of thunder and lightning, Leo's fist gnawed every inch of Zen's body.
There were black stripes appearing on his skin and the scorched smell of roast meat emanating in the air.
Finally, unable to bear his internal injuries, Zen spat out a mouthful of blood.
Watching Zen with a sneering expression, Leo said, “I thought you were immortal. But, look at you now. Oh, poor kid!”
“What are you babbling about? Just bring it on,” gasped Zen as he got up from the ground despite the pain. “Well, well. I'm not going to let you live to see tomorrow,” stated Leo as he rubbed his hands impatiently.
Several flashes of lightning flickering in his hands, obviously he decided to end this game of cat and mouse at once.
At the same time, Zen felt something strange happening in his body. The warm currents generated by the external forces were changing their flow direction.
The warm currents had been washing his organs, but now they seemed to be pouring into his bones.
'Are the warm currents cleansing my marrow?
What's going on?
Isn't it the symptom of marrow refining?
Am I already at marrow refining level?' Zen was totally confused.
Streaks of green impurities leaked out of his burned skin.
Those were contaminants in his marrow, the most obstinate, deeply hidden impurities in the human body.
And one could only clean them at the marrow refining level.
A refreshing coolness spread rapidly from Zen's tail bone to his lumbar and then upward to his neck. Then it spread into his eyes, ears, brain... every part of his body.
He couldn't help closing his eyes to enjoy this marvelous feeling.
At this peculiar sight, Leo paused. He squinted as he wondered why Zen was behaving like this. 'What is he doing? Does he plan to fight me with his eyes closed?'
Before Leo could figure it out, Zen opened his eyes. A smile grew on his face when Zen realized that his eyes were brighter than ever.
He felt as though a new world had unfolded! Everything seemed clearer and magnified.
He could see the veins in each tree leaf clearly and could also hear the distant whispers.
It was absolutely impressive!
Be it his eyesight, hearing or smelling, all his senses were greatly promoted.
“Don't be so mysterious! Do you intend to confuse me?” Leo smiled coldly and said before he pounced at Zen again.
Zen could easily see Leo's swift movement now. Leo had been circling Zen at high speed trying to confuse him. Then Leo attacked from the side all of a sudden.
To counter the attack, Zen swiftly turned and grabbed Leo's arm firmly. A strong power burst out of his body as the two dragon scales in his mind radiated green light. Now that he was a marrow refiner, it was not difficult for Zen to block Leo's blow.
By the time Leo was aware of the danger, Zen had locked his body tightly. Then following a heavy suplex, Leo was thrown to the ground. A loud thump echoed through the combat ring.
The onlookers screamed in awe.
The combat rings in Cloud Sect were made of hard iron to prevent being damaged by fighting disciples.
However, Zen had tossed Leo with such force that a hollow appeared on the iron floor. Leo lay in the center of the hollow, motionless.
Everyone watching the battle was astonished at how quickly the situation had turned. They had never imagined that after all his injuries Zen would be able to defeat Leo. Nory and Sean both breathed a long sigh of relief.
Zen gasped in air and looked at Leo, who was still motionless.
'What a close call!' Zen thought, still in shock. He had underestimated the skills of a refiner who was half-step into the nature level.
If he had not broken through at the critical moment, he would have been in grave danger.
Just when everyone thought the fight was over, a thunderbolt shot out from Leo and pierced the sky.
To everyone's surprise, Leo managed to get up from the pit. His expression was grim, and his hair stood on end. Thousands of bolts of snakelike lightning entwined on his body. The crowd gasped as Leo looked like the God of thunder.
“Good for you. I never expected to be defeated by a junior who is only at the organ refining level. So, I reluctantly decide to use my Raging Holy Thunder.” Clearly, Leo had pushed his life energy to the extreme. Many flashes accompanied his every movement.
“Raging Holy Thunder!” shouted Leo with pride.
“I don't yet know he has successfully practiced Raging Holy Thunder,” someone in the audience said. The other onlookers began whispering when they heard the comment.
“Raging Holy Thunder is indeed powerful, but it comes at the expense of a cultivator's life energy.”
“Fabulous! The Raging Holy Thunder will help reinforce Leo's strength to the level of nature refining. Zen did a good job, but he is just at the organ refining level. He's screwed today.”
Hearing the crowd talking like that Nory became nervous. He clenched his hands and began pacing. Zen was now at the marrow refining level, so he could hear the remarks of the crowd.
He was frightened by what he had heard. Raging Holy Thunder was harder to deal with.
“Zen, I will tear you to pieces.” Carrying thunder and lightning, Leo rushed toward Zen.
'Just so so? The Raging Holy Thunder greatly strengthened his vital life energy. But his speed has not improved essentially, ' thought Zen. Zen kept his eyes on Leo. He knew there would be new challenges and Zen wanted to observe Leo closely.
Although Leo's Raging Holy Thunder was formidable, Zen wasn't flustered at all.
Because he still had a special cultivation method that hadn't been used. All he needed to do was calm down and concentrate.
“Spiritual Thorn!” shouted Zen.
Just before Leo approached Zen, a sharp thorn condensed from soul shot out of the middle of Zen's brows and stabbed Leo's head instantly.
Leo had hoped to quickly kill Zen with the help of the Raging Holy Thunder. Because the Raging Holy Thunder came at the expense of his life energy. It was powerful but it couldn't last long.
He was shocked by Zen's invisible attack.
A fierce twinge reached into Leo's soul. He couldn't help screaming. Then he stumbled and fell.
“Fantastic!”
Before, Zen thought he had only got a smattering knowledge of the Spiritual Thorn. Hence, he didn't expect his attack to be so effective. The result of the attack on Leo's soul pleased Zen.
“What did you do to me?” Leo stood up weakly. His body swayed with the effort to stand. He was in great pain, as though a long needle had punctured his head.
Zen didn't answer. He stood in his spot and vigilantly watched Leo.
After the severe headache slowly dissipated, Leo looked at Zen with awe. He didn't want to suffer from that kind of pain again, but he had to kill Zen today.
Leo gritted his teeth and decided to use the Raging Holy Thunder once again.
Seeing Leo rushing toward him, Zen prepared to reuse his Spiritual Thorn.
Just like the last time, a grey, sharp thorn silently stabbed Leo's brain.
“Bang!” Leo fell after the attack. He rolled on the floor with his head in his arms.
This time, Zen decided not to give Leo any chance to resist. A purple light enveloped his body. Then Zen kicked Leo with all his power.
Leo was thrown out of the ring, like a heavy sandbag.
He never got up again.