Chapter 890

Chapter 890: Cultivation in the Mountains (Part 2)

The sudden increase in his potential value sparked a strong curiosity in Wang Chen.

This potential value could directly enhance his techniques, serving as the ultimate advantage for rapidly advancing his realm. Even if he couldn’t boost it all at once, he could gradually accumulate it, point by point.

For instance, if he practiced and gained one point of experience, he could add another point, saving half the time and effort.

Currently, Wang Chen had only practiced one technique, but he would undoubtedly master more skills in the future. Unraveling the secret of this potential value now would undoubtedly save him a lot of detours.

He carefully recalled the journey since his arrival and quickly figured out some clues.

Wang Chen suspected that this potential value might be related to what he had eaten.

He had consumed two military rations and then grilled a large snake.

So, could this potential value be derived from food?

With this idea, testing it would be simple, but Wang Chen wasn’t in a hurry. He wanted to first secure a place to stay.

He started clearing the area not far from the cave entrance, moving aside the stones and dirt to build a simple stone bed and a stone table.

Next, Wang Chen returned to the small valley and gathered a large amount of dry grass and firewood, bringing it back to the cave for storage.

He also made a fire pit to keep the flame alive.

Fortunately, he had a very sharp short knife in hand; otherwise, he would have been in trouble.

He worked tirelessly until the evening, and by then, this "wild dwelling cave" had taken shape, providing a place to stay without issue.

He even crafted two wooden bowls.

However, after all this busyness, the grilled snake he had eaten was already digested, and Wang Chen’s stomach began to protest loudly.

Reluctantly, Wang Chen stopped his finishing touches and found a sturdy branch, removing the leaves and knots, then binding the short knife to one end with vines.

A rudimentary spear was complete.

Holding the spear, Wang Chen climbed onto a large rock by the pool to observe the water’s surface from above.

When he first arrived in this little valley, he had noticed that the pool had fish, and they were quite sizable.

However, the pool was deep, and after waiting patiently, he still hadn’t seen any fish rise to the shallow waters.

Clearly, this strategy wasn’t working.

Thinking it over, he decided to use the remaining daylight to quickly search the nearby grass.

He caught a number of grasshoppers.

Wang Chen crushed these insects to a state of being almost dead and then scattered them on the surface of the pool.

This baiting method proved effective; only a moment later, dark fish shadows began to appear below the surface.

One of them was over two feet long!

In the next moment, splashes erupted, creating ripples as the fish quickly devoured the insects Wang Chen had scattered.

These fish were clearly unprepared; some even leaped out of the water, twisting in the air to flaunt their silver scales.

At that instant, Wang Chen thrust the spear forward!

This strike had been building for a long time; he focused entirely on the task, and with a swift motion, he pierced through a big fish that measured a foot long.

Wang Chen flipped his wrist, raising his spear high, and the unlucky fish was immediately flung away from the short knife, soaring through the air.

Wang Chen paid no attention to the fish already tossed onto the shore and seized the moment to strike again.

This time, his target was the fish in the water!

The fish, which had been frenziedly feeding, scattered in panic, but one was swiftly pierced through the head.

Crimson blood gushed out.

Wang Chen retracted his spear and thrust again, only to miss this time.

The frightened fish all dove into the depths, leaving Wang Chen with no further opportunities.

Nevertheless, he was quite satisfied.

He first retrieved the dead fish floating in the water and then picked up the one he had thrown ashore earlier. After unfastening the short knife, he began to clean them.

After scaling and gutting them, Wang Chen carried the two fish back to the cave.

He skewered them with sticks and placed them over the fire pit to roast.

The fish meat was fragrant and sweet, though the lack of salt diminished much of its flavor. Still, it sufficed to fill his stomach.

After eating and drinking his fill, Wang Chen moved a large stone to block the cave entrance, leaving a small gap for ventilation.

Then he lay down beside the warm fire pit and soon fell into a deep slumber.

Wang Chen had never felt so utterly exhausted before. He wasn’t sure if it was a side effect of his arrival, but he had relied on sheer willpower to push through until he felt safe, and now his weariness overwhelmed him.

That night, Wang Chen slept soundly, without dreams or interruptions. If someone had burst in and killed him on the spot, he wouldn’t have noticed.

The next morning, Wang Chen awoke to the cheerful chirping of birds.

The firewood in the pit had burned out, leaving only a faint wisp of blue smoke, and his stomach began to growl once more.

Wang Chen was at a loss for words.

The memories Ling Zhiyuan had left him contained no experience of hunger or gluttony!

Could it be because of his soul’s crossing?

Wang Chen shook his head, got up, and moved the stone blocking the cave entrance to venture out for breakfast.

Just like the day before, he used the baiting method to catch fish.

The fish in the pool seemed to have no memory of the previous day, and Wang Chen took advantage of the opportunity to swiftly spear three more.

Breakfast was secured.

Now it was time to focus on the real task—cultivation!

Wang Chen had set a ten-year limit for his first exploration of the Cangqing realm. Though ten years seemed like a long time, he couldn’t predict what dangers he might face, especially in his current vulnerable state.

Every second was precious!

Since cultivating methods in this realm was exceedingly difficult, and the Heavenly Dragon Vajra True Method was also inaccessible, Wang Chen had no choice but to concentrate on the Bloodshed Wheel, which his original body had mastered.

He carefully reviewed the contents of the first layer of the Bloodshed Wheel’s technique.

Ling Zhiyuan’s martial arts mentor was Dai Peng, but this third-grade martial master had only taught him basic body strengthening techniques and martial arts knowledge related to “life energy.”

Life energy was the foundation of martial arts in the Cangqing realm, akin to true energy and magical power.

However, life energy originated from the flesh, muscles, blood, and bones of the martial artist, residing within the five organs and every part of the body. There was no concept of a dantian—or rather, the entire body was considered the Qi Sea.

The stronger and purer the life energy within, the higher the martial artist’s cultivation level.

But to wield life energy in combat, one needed to practice techniques and fighting moves!

Currently, the Bloodshed Wheel that Wang Chen had mastered used life energy to condense the seven wheels: Corpse Dog, Hidden Arrow, Sparrow Shade, Thief Swallowing, Non-Poison, Purification, and Stinking Lung. Each wheel, when layered, unleashed formidable power.

Ling Zhiyuan had already completed the first wheel, the Corpse Dog Wheel, making him a first-level martial novice.

However, he had little interest in martial arts, so even now, he hadn’t even half-formed the second wheel, the Hidden Arrow. Compared to his father, Ling Hongyun, a fourth-level martial general, it was truly a case of a tiger father and a dog son!

Still, all of Ling Zhiyuan’s Bloodshed Wheel techniques had been meticulously taught by Ling Hongyun himself.

It was as if he had spoon-fed the lessons to his son!

Countless memories surged through Wang Chen’s mind, and for a moment, he couldn’t tell whether he was Wang Chen or Ling Zhiyuan.