Chapter 786

Chapter 786: The City Lord Seeks Help

Looking at Wang Chen standing before him, Shao Hongcheng felt a wave of confusion.

He couldn’t comprehend why Wang Chen had ambushed him, nor what had transpired while he was unconscious. Hearing Wang Chen’s congratulatory words only added to his bewilderment.

However, in the next instant, Shao Hongcheng’s expression changed dramatically.

He suddenly sensed a peculiar energy within his body, circulating ceaselessly through his five organs.

This energy both originated and culminated in his lower abdomen!

True energy, the dantian!

Shao Hongcheng instantly realized that he had broken through the Peak of Marrow Refinement and entered the Post-natal Great Realm.

How could this be possible?!

He stammered, “Junior Brother, what exactly did you do?”

Wang Chen smiled lightly, “It’s nothing much. I simply assisted Senior Brother in advancing to the next realm.”

Though Wang Chen spoke nonchalantly, Shao Hongcheng felt as though he had been struck by lightning, his mind reeling.

It was true!

Shao Hongcheng was no ordinary man. Gradually regaining his composure amidst the shock and disbelief, he asked, “Junior Brother, how did you manage this?”

It was said that those who had entered the path could aid martial artists in cleansing their marrow and renewing their blood to enhance their strength, but Wang Chen was merely an innate martial artist!

He had never heard of an innate martial artist achieving such a feat.

“Senior Brother, there’s no need for you to concern yourself with that.”

Wang Chen couldn’t reveal Elder Yao’s secret to Shao Hongcheng, as it would serve no purpose: “What you must focus on now is cultivating diligently and solidifying your realm, striving to break through to the innate level in the future.”

Elder Yao had expended tremendous effort, opening the secret vault and intervening personally. To assist a mere post-natal martial artist would hardly do justice to the efforts of a Nascent Soul true immortal.

In truth, Shao Hongcheng had undergone a profound transformation, having already laid the foundation for the innate level.

However, since this was achieved through external assistance, the innate level would be his limit, with no possibility of reaching the extraordinary state.

But that mattered little.

For Shao Hongcheng, ascending to the post-natal realm was already a dream come true; the chance to break into the innate level was beyond imagination.

Without hesitation, he nodded firmly, “Understood!”

Wang Chen had provided such immense assistance; it would be foolish to obsess over uncovering the truth.

The key was to firmly grasp the benefits he had gained.

In this world, strength reigns supreme. If he could advance to the innate level, he would have the opportunity to govern a city and perhaps even restore Wujimen to its former glory.

Wang Chen produced a bottle of elixirs, “Senior Brother, take this bottle of Innate Pills.”

Innate Pills!

And an entire bottle at that!

Shao Hongcheng was once again struck by profound astonishment.

Innate Pills were exceedingly rare; even a single pill was worth more than his entire fortune, let alone an entire bottle!

With this bottle of Innate Pills, he truly had the potential to break through to the innate level.

Shao Hongcheng grasped the pill bottle that Wang Chen had handed him, feeling overwhelmed with emotions. He wanted to say something, but the words caught in his throat.

He felt indebted to Wang Chen, as if he could never repay it in this lifetime.

However, Wang Chen had merely come to settle the past matters of Wujimen on behalf of Elder Yao, while also repaying the favor he owed to Shao Hongcheng.

It was a win-win situation.

In the following days, Wang Chen secluded himself in his residence to cultivate, patiently waiting.

During the martial arts competition in Chibi City, Wang Chen had drawn all the attention, and everyone knew a sixteen-year-old innate strong fighter had emerged in the city.

Due to the existence of the Sacred Ancestor Path, Chibi City was not an isolated island; traveling merchants wandering between different cities would naturally spread his name far and wide.

Wang Chen hoped that Hu Jiao Jiao would rush to Chibi City upon hearing the news to reunite with him.

To this end, Wang Chen had specifically instructed Shao Hongcheng that if someone named Hu Jiao Jiao came looking for him at the martial arts school, he must bring her over.

However, spreading a reputation and allowing it to grow would take time, and all he could do now was wait.

After entering the innate level, Wang Chen’s cultivation speed had suddenly slowed down.

The innate level was the pinnacle of martial arts; the depth and thickness he could accumulate were completely beyond what the post-natal level could compare to.

Although he could attempt to tread the extraordinary path after ascending to the innate level, being overly eager would only result in an unstable foundation. Even if he lucked into a breakthrough into the ranks of cultivators, the strength he could exert would often be mediocre at best.

According to Elder Yao, cultivators at the extraordinary level were only equivalent to those at the initial stage of Qi Training. Furthermore, without spiritual energy, they could only practice and cast techniques enhanced by vital energy.

However, when these techniques were combined with fighting moves, they could act like adding wings to a tiger.

But a pinnacle innate strong fighter was not much worse than a newly entered extraordinary cultivator.

So there was no need to rush.

And so the days passed, one month, two months, three months…

Wang Chen still had not waited for Hu Jiao Jiao!

Even with his strong will, he could not help but feel a tinge of anxiety.

Wang Chen had already spent a considerable amount of time in the Bell World, and now that Hu Jiao Jiao was nowhere to be found, the Mysterious Fox Order offered no clues, and as for finding the world’s source…

What Elder Yao, who had reincarnated twelve times as a Nascent Soul true immortal, could not achieve, how could Wang Chen harbor any illusions?

He feared he would end up like Elder Yao, trapped in this world without escape.

Wang Chen did not have the chance to reincarnate!

He had asked Elder Yao for help, but to no avail.

After all, the Misty Mountains Realm, though a small world, could not be fully explored by one person — not even after twelve lifetimes.

With no other choice, Wang Chen could only continue to cultivate behind closed doors and keep waiting.

Then, out of the blue, the city lord Zhao Zhenxuan suddenly sought him out.

This surprised Wang Chen a bit.

Since their last meeting when everything was laid bare, they had not seen each other again, and it felt somewhat like kings not meeting.

Wang Chen had never sought any power or benefits from Zhao Zhenxuan, nor had he meddled in the internal affairs of Chibi City, strictly adhering to his promise.

“Wang Xiaoyou.”

As soon as they sat down, Zhao Zhenxuan spoke straightforwardly, “I have come this time with a matter I hope you can help with, and I assure you that I will repay you generously!”

Wang Chen was taken aback: “City Lord Zhao, you flatter me. What is the matter?”

In terms of strength and prestige, no one in Chibi City could match Zhao Zhenxuan, so Wang Chen could not think of why he would need his assistance.

Zhao Zhenxuan’s answer was succinct: “To kill.”

To be precise, to kill bandits.

In a city like Chibi, the primary threat was powerful fierce beasts, followed by the groups of bandits lurking in the underground and roaming on the Sacred Ancestor Path!

These bandits were typically martial artists who had committed crimes, most of whom had blood on their hands. They hid in secret underground caverns and survived by attacking merchants and travelers passing along the Sacred Ancestor Path.

Recently, a gang of bandits had frequently ambushed several main routes leading to Chibi City, causing significant losses.

Currently, the people in Chibi City were anxious, with external trade and transportation nearly cut off!