At the foot of the mountain, a small courtyard.
Chen Ben stood in the Nirvana Fist stance, his posture slightly low, his entire body exuding wisps of martial aura. He seemed to be in an extremely subtle state, only one step away from the Rebirth Realm, yet this step was like a chasm that he couldn't cross.
"Settle your mind and steady your breath!"
Beside him, Mu Ba gritted his teeth. Although his master could no longer teach Chen Ben anything, he still stayed by his side. Now, seeing Chen Ben's condition, Mu Ba was also powerless to help.
At this moment, Chen Ben's body trembled slightly, drenched in sweat.
Just then, a fiery red glow descended from the sky into the courtyard, transforming into Lin Zhao. He glanced at Chen Ben's situation and frowned, "Chen Ben, there's no need to force it. It's okay if you don't enter the Rebirth Realm this time."
"Hoo..."
Hearing Lin Zhao's voice, Chen Ben finally calmed down. He let out a sigh of relief and opened his eyes. The martial aura around him gradually dissipated, and he withdrew from that subtle state, his face filled with guilt. "Brother Lin Zhao, even though I'm only one step away, I..."
"It's alright."
Lin Zhao smiled and shook his head. "It's not your fault. The Rebirth Realm is the ultimate realm for martial artists in the mortal world. There are only a handful of Rebirth Realm martial artists in the entire lower realm. If it were that easy to enter, wouldn't the Rebirth Realm be common everywhere?"
Chen Ben scratched his head and smiled, "That seems to be true..."
Lin Zhao looked at Mu Ba and said, "Mu Ba, you should go back to sleep. I'll chat with Chen Ben for a while and help him clear his mind."
"Yes, sir!"
Mu Ba cupped his fists and exited the courtyard.
Chen Ben immediately said goodbye to his master, then flicked his sleeve, sweeping away the fallen leaves and dust on the courtyard floor. He spun around and sat cross-legged on the corridor, saying, "Brother Lin Zhao, let's begin."
"Ah?"
Lin Zhao blinked. "Begin what?"
"Clearing my mind!"
Chen Ben's eyes widened. "Didn't you say... you'd help me clear my martial mind? Honestly, Chen Ben knows himself well. Although my martial artist realm is higher than Brother Lin Zhao's, in terms of martial foundation, martial insights, martial virtue, and so on, I'm far behind. I know this."
"..."
Lin Zhao put his hand to his forehead and sat down, smiling, "There's nothing to clear. In martial arts, you've long surpassed me."
"Ah?"
Chen Ben felt as if struck by lightning. He had never dared to imagine such a thing.
Lin Zhao asked, "Chen Ben, what is martial arts to you?"
"Unwavering determination, to die without regret!"
Chen Ben said, "Brother Lin Zhao, the boxing principles I've learned from the Nine Farmer's Fists are like this. Even if a god were before me, I could be unwavering. With one punch, I'd give my all. Success is within my control, and victory or defeat lies with fate."
"Mm."
Lin Zhao nodded and said, "This is your boxing principle and martial way, Chen Ben. There's no problem. The biggest issue might be your rapid progress. If you had broken through just now, a seventeen-year-old Rebirth Realm martial artist would shame all martial artists in the world."
"But..."
Chen Ben frowned. "I can feel that my state of mind is still not stable enough. The space in Chen Ben's heart is very small, containing only my mother, Brother Lin Zhao, Master, and everyone at the Mountain Peak Villa. As for the country, the world, Chen Ben has walked little and read little. Honestly... I don't really understand."
"It's alright."
Lin Zhao said, "It's enough that you care about everyone. Your boxing, Chen Ben, relies on a pure heart. You don't necessarily have to understand the meaning of the country."
"But..."
Chen Ben was worried. "With such a small space in my heart, such a narrow state of mind, can it truly accommodate the vast cultivation of the Rebirth Realm? It seems difficult..."
"Don't rush."
Lin Zhao smiled slightly and said, "I suddenly thought of a fortuitous encounter, perhaps destined by heaven, that should fall upon you, Chen Ben."
"Oh?"
Chen Ben blinked. "What fortuitous encounter?"
Lin Zhao took out an exquisite medicine box from his bag and placed it on the wooden board between himself and Chen Ben. When he opened the box, a strong medicinal fragrance emanated from it. It was truly an immortal pill.
"Time-Brings-Fortune Pill."
Lin Zhao said, "When the residual souls of Medicine Sage Sun Bai Gui and his wife visited Snow Region Heavenly Pond, they gave it to me. This Time-Brings-Fortune Pill is Sun Bai Gui's masterpiece. I don't know its exact use, but it will definitely be very useful to you, Chen Ben."
"Ah?"
Chen Ben stared blankly at the Time-Brings-Fortune Pill and frowned. "Time-Brings-Fortune Pill... what a strange name. Brother Lin Zhao, is this medicine for healing or for increasing cultivation? It's actually useless to Chen Ben, because the strength of my dantian's true qi has already reached the limit of the Celestial Origin Realm, and it cannot be further improved."
"That's not its use."
Lin Zhao said, "Chen Ben, have you heard the saying 'When time is favorable, heaven and earth conspire to assist; when fortune turns, heroes are helpless'?"
"I have heard of it..."
"The name of the Time-Brings-Fortune Pill comes from this saying." Lin Zhao took a deep breath. "Many people live mediocre lives their entire lives. Even if they try their best, they achieve nothing. Why? It's because the 'fortune' is not with them."
He frowned and said, "We cultivators on the mountains understand this even more. Many things cannot be solved by effort and diligence alone; they also depend on timing and luck. This Time-Brings-Fortune Pill is the Medicine Sage's masterpiece. It can defy heaven and change destiny, so I intend to give it to you. After taking the Time-Brings-Fortune Pill, reaching the Rebirth Realm should not be difficult for you."
"But..."
Chen Ben gritted his teeth. "This immortal pill was given to Brother Lin Zhao by Lord Sun Bai Gui. How can I, Chen Ben, accept it?"
"It's the same."
Lin Zhao said, "Think about it, what use does the Time-Brings-Fortune Pill have in my hands? Even if I took it and broke through, could an eleventh-level sword cultivator and a mid-fifth-level martial artist bring about earth-shattering changes to Snow Region Heavenly Pond?"
He said earnestly, "But you are different. You are an eleventh-level peak martial artist and already have the conditions to break through. Once you, Chen Ben, break through, our Mountain Peak Villa will have a Rebirth Realm martial artist for the first time. You don't want Old Huang and Sister Xue Zhi to be the ones who risk their lives in every charge, do you? The future battles will depend on you, Chen Ben."
"I understand."
The boy's eyes gradually became firm. "Brother Lin Zhao, I will accept the immortal pill."
"Mm, eat it."
Lin Zhao smiled. "One hour after your meal, take it with warm water."
Before he finished speaking, Chen Ben had already swallowed the Time-Brings-Fortune Pill with a gulp, without needing any warm water.
"..."
Afterward, Chen Ben continued to practice his fists, while Lin Zhao sat cross-legged on the corridor, cultivating the Eternal Sword Scripture and practicing his sword. He kept an eye on Chen Ben, waiting to see if there were any changes.
As a result, by the dead of night, there was no change in Chen Ben at all. Lin Zhao was somewhat speechless. He should have asked Sun Bai Gui about the activation time of the Time-Brings-Fortune Pill. It seemed that this Time-Brings-Fortune Pill was actually a slow-acting medicine.
Never mind. He patted his butt and stood up. "Get some sleep early. Early to bed, early to rise, for good health."
Chen Ben nodded in agreement.
Then, one returned to Natural Residence, the other took a shower and went to sleep.
...
Deep night, Gu Xiao Pass.
After Lin Ruo led the ten thousand Rock Army south, only 5,000 old and weak soldiers remained at Gu Xiao Pass. These soldiers were originally cooks and laborers from the army, recruited by Li Chunyang from Yan Prefecture and sent to Gu Xiao Pass. Now, clad in the armor of the Great Shang Dynasty, they had become soldiers.
In Li Chunyang's opinion, with these 5,000 troops flying the banner of the Rock Army to defend Gu Xiao Pass, the northern demon cavalry would surely not dare to act rashly. After all, the demon cavalry had deeply experienced the exquisite swordsmanship, sharp spears, and solid shield formations of the Rock Army.
However, on the third night after Lin Ruo led the army away, in the snowy night, the heavy sound of hooves approached Gu Xiao Pass. Countless demon cavalry, led by a martial artist of the Celestial Origin Realm, charged forward with their sabers. Coupled with the fierce assault of a group of cultivators from the Rainbow Garment Heavenly Realm, Gu Xiao Pass's protective formation was broken in less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.
Immediately after, the army swept through like a broken-bamboo. The 5,000 defenders left by Li Chunyang at Gu Xiao Pass became spoils of war for the demons. The heads of the old and weak soldiers quickly became military achievements hung around the necks of the demon cavalry.
At dawn, two hundred thousand demon cavalry passed through Gu Xiao Pass and headed south. Instead of going straight south to confront the hundred thousand human soldiers near Bronze Mirror Lake, they turned southeast. Their forces spread out, forming units of 5,000 cavalry each, moving south continuously and sweeping through dozens of human villages.
This time, the demons were very unusual. They did not engage in large-scale slaughter. In fact, they did not harm the villagers at all. They only sent one or two demon cavalry to each village to supervise, asking the villagers to contribute their surplus grain and fodder to the Divine Race, in addition to their daily provisions.
Upon hearing that their lives would be spared, the villagers naturally had no objections. They kept their daily provisions and contributed all the remaining grain and fodder. By daylight, piles of haystacks and granaries had been built in the villages along the southeast line.
The pattern that the human race had just regained in the northern region for a short time was slowly changing again. With the scattered infiltration of the demons, the human race seemed to be powerless to cope.
...
In the afternoon.
After Lin Zhao cultivated the Eternal Sword Scripture, he continued to practice his fists. As he circulated the Nine Farmer's Fists, his martial aura, along with the continuous growth in proficiency, quickly filled the progress bar for a seventh-level martial artist. With a sound of a porcelain bottle being stretched and broken within his body, he broke through to another realm.
"Ding!"
System notification: Congratulations on successfully entering the martial artist's [Flourishing Realm] and obtaining the following effects: Agility +80, Stamina +160, Resilience +80, Health Recovery +70%, Crit Resistance +30%, Physical Damage Effect +35%. When attacked, 35% of the damage taken will be converted into health. There is a 15% chance to trigger true damage when attacking!
"Ding!"
System notification: Congratulations on breaking through to the [Flourishing Realm] and successfully awakening the fifth stance of the Nirvana Fist - [Cloud Hanging Sea Standing Stance]!