Heaven rewards diligence, but there are always fairies plotting against me.

At the same time, Lin Yuan and Xu Wenzhong, an elder of the Law Enforcement Hall, walked on the bluestone path of the sect.

With no one around, Lin Yuan could no longer suppress his resentment and suspicion, and reported everything that had happened in the Black Wind Forest restricted area to Xu Wenzhong in detail.

Of course, he tried his best to hide his embarrassing state of only wearing underwear, and instead focused on Chu Chang's unusual behavior.

Upon hearing this, Xu Wenzhong paused slightly, a glint of light flashing in his cloudy eyes: "Oh? You mean, that disciple named Chu Chang was the first to awaken from the illusion and escape, causing the illusion to collapse and release you?"

"Indeed, Elder Xu!" Lin Yuan stepped forward eagerly, lowering his voice, "You once said in class that every forbidden zone in the world is actually formed by a specific evil spirit or magical artifact as its core. The rules exhibited by each forbidden zone are also different. If someone can decipher and complete the core rules of a forbidden zone, they can not only break through the forbidden zone, but even... perhaps subdue the magical artifact that serves as its core?"

"Indeed, I did say that." Xu Wenzhong nodded slowly, his hands behind his back.

"Then do you think that Chu Chang might have also subdued the strange artifact in the Black Wind Forest, which caused the illusion to disappear instantly?" Lin Yuan's eyes flashed with a cold light mixed with jealousy and hatred.

Xu Wenzhong's eyes flashed suddenly, and his expression became unfathomable.

"This kid has exceptionally good luck. He already possessed a Corrosive Blade, and although that other artifact was just an ordinary weapon, it proved that he indeed has a precedent and the luck to subdue artifacts! If it were him, perhaps he could really do it again..."

At this point, Xu Wenzhong took a deep breath, his eyes filled with greed, and said in a deep voice, "From now on, you keep a close eye on him!"

"Yes! This disciple understands!" Lin Yuan revealed a smug sneer.

…………

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The next day, as the morning sun pierced through the thin mist, Chu Chang, along with Zhang Erniu and Yu Xiaoxiao, met Xu Shuang alone in a secluded pavilion within the sect.

"Chu Chang, why are you in such a hurry to find me? What happened?" Xu Shuang asked, looking at the three men who looked somewhat serious.

Chu Chang didn't say much, but solemnly took out a stack of yellowed papers from his pocket and handed them over: "Senior Sister Xu, take a look at this. We found this among Huang Shigui's belongings."

Xu Shuang took the paper and looked at it closely. It was densely covered with names, birth dates, talents, and corresponding net worths!

After each name, a striking checkmark was drawn with a vermilion pen.

As Xu Shuang looked at it, his face darkened completely, his brows furrowing: "This...this is a human trafficking list? That Huang Shigui actually secretly trafficked so many disciples from various sects?!"

"Senior Sister Xu, you may not know this," Chu Chang sighed, explaining, "After Huang Shigui was bitten to death by a monster in the forbidden area that day, we were lucky enough to find his storage bag. When we checked it back home, we discovered this list. Considering the frequent mysterious disappearances of disciples near Black Wind Forest, I suspect this guy was behind it all! Moreover, he definitely has a well-organized, specialized human trafficking network targeting sect disciples. Our sect must crack down hard on this cancer; we cannot tolerate it!"

Zhang Erniu and Yu Xiaoxiao, who were standing to the side, nodded in agreement.

Yu Xiaoxiao gritted her teeth and said, "Yes, senior sister, if Chu Chang hadn't discovered it, who knows how many junior brothers and sisters would have suffered."

"Yes, Chu Chang, this clue you provided is absolutely crucial!" Xu Shuang took a deep breath, carefully putting away the roster as if it were a precious treasure, her pretty face tense. "This is of great importance. I'll go report to the Grand Elder of the Enforcement Hall right now. You all go back first, and remember not to make a fuss!"

After saying that, Xu Shuang rushed off towards the main peak.

The sect's higher-ups will handle the rest swiftly and decisively, so they don't need to worry about it.

…………

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Three days later, at midnight.

Chu Chang, who was inside the room, suddenly opened his eyes and exhaled a breath of turbid air, which turned into a white streak.

After three days of consolidation, the extreme Yang True Essence within his body had been compressed to its limit, like a volcano poised to erupt, just a spark away from completely exploding.

Just then, the door was gently pushed open, and Lin Ruoxue, dressed in white and looking like a fairy under the moon, stepped in.

"Chu Chang, here are the spirit stones you requested."

As soon as Lin Ruoxue entered the house, she placed a heavy cloth bag on the table. With a crisp clinking sound, a rich spiritual energy immediately filled the simple wooden house.

Chu Chang glanced at them and was slightly taken aback: "Senior Sister, so many? A total of thirty?"

A few days ago, he estimated the amount of spirit stones needed to break through his bottleneck and tentatively asked Lin Ruoxue for more than ten spirit stones. Unexpectedly, she immediately doubled the amount.

Seeing Chu Chang's surprised expression, Lin Ruoxue's lips curled up slightly, revealing a rare gentle smile: "This extra portion was specially brought to you by Senior Sister Xu Shuang. She said that the list you gave me before was of great merit. The sect followed the clues and not only caught the traitor, but also uncovered many scumbags involved in trafficking disciples. They were all apprehended this afternoon. These spirit stones are a reward specially approved for you by the sect's higher-ups."

"Thank you, senior sister."

Chu Chang happily put away the spirit stones, his heart overflowing with joy.

According to the precise calculations of the Mirror of Mystery in his mind, he would need the spiritual energy of about a dozen spirit stones to break through the bottleneck and enter the Qi Refining Realm.

Now that we have a full thirty spirit stones in hand, this abundant wealth will make our foundation after the breakthrough even stronger than we imagined!

Seeing Chu Chang's delighted expression, Lin Ruoxue's eyes sparkled, and she took a step closer with a mischievous glint in her eye: "Chu Chang, Senior Sister Xu Shuang has been praising you to me quite a bit these past few days, saying that you're not only incredibly quick-witted but also have a strong sense of justice. Would you like to cultivate with her...?"

"Huh? You want me to help her?" Chu Chang's mind instantly conjured up Xu Shuang's serious, unsmiling face!

She immediately shuddered and shook her head like a rattle drum. "No, no, no, Senior Sister Lin, don't joke with me. My little arms and legs can't withstand Senior Sister Xu's decisive temper."

"Giggle giggle..."

Seeing his honest and unassuming demeanor, Lin Ruoxue, unusually, abandoned her usual aloofness and laughed heartily. Her beautiful face appeared exceptionally charming in the candlelight.

"I was just kidding, look how scared you are." Lin Ruoxue rolled her eyes at him, her tone tinged with gossip. "Senior Sister Xu already has someone in her heart. The one she likes is her former genius senior brother. I just thought you were acting quite honest, so I wanted to tease you."

As she spoke, Lin Ruoxue moved gracefully and slowly approached Chu Chang, a delicate fragrance, like orchids and musk, immediately wafting towards him.

"I'm not going home tonight..."

Chu Chang immediately looked helpless and secretly groaned in his heart.

Good heavens, he had everything prepared and planned to use these thirty spirit stones to break through and advance to the next level tonight.

As it turned out, this beautiful woman offered herself up, so it seems my breakthrough plan will have to be postponed for now...

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The next morning, golden sunlight bathed the earth.

Lin Ruoxue blushed and tiptoed out of the hut.

As soon as she left, Chu Chang immediately locked the door and jumped out of bed.

"Finally gone, they delayed my progress!" Chu Chang muttered, but a satisfied smile was on his face.

He took a deep breath, calmed his mind, and then laid out thirty crystal-clear spirit stones, radiating rich spiritual energy, in a row on the bed.

"Stop dawdling and get started! I'll protect you and guide the extreme yang energy!" In the sea of ​​consciousness, the spirit of the Ghost Mirror reminded him solemnly, "Also, although you have an extreme yang constitution, you still need to be careful."

"Notice?"

"Yeah, your senior sister is amazing. She seems so proper on the surface, I never expected this..."

The Mirror recalled everything from last night and said speechlessly.

What Chu Chang didn't know was that the Ghost Mirror had recorded everything.

"I'll be more careful next time!"

Chu Chang sat cross-legged, his hands forming hand seals, and the Nine Revolutions of Blazing Sun Heaven-Seizing Hand technique began to circulate rapidly within his body.

In an instant, a terrifying suction force erupted from his palm.

The thirty spirit stones lined up in front of him trembled violently at the same time, and the pure spiritual energy contained within them transformed into thirty visible white streams of energy, which surged wildly into Chu Chang's body like rivers flowing into the sea!

boom!!!

The already critically flared Yang spiritual energy, upon receiving this massive infusion of spiritual energy, instantly boiled over like hot oil being doused with cold water.

"Calm your mind and focus! Compress all your spiritual energy into your dantian. Those with an extremely Yang constitution have meridians that differ from ordinary people; you must condense the purest true essence vortex in one go!!"

The voice of the strange mirror resounded like a great bell in Chu Chang's mind, helping him to maintain his clarity.

Chu Chang gritted his teeth, and the thirty-six newly opened meridians in his body swelled slightly under the influence of the massive spiritual energy.

He guided this almost violent power, causing it to rotate and compress wildly in his dantian.

Ten laps, a hundred laps, a thousand laps!

As the spiritual energy was continuously compressed, the white, misty spiritual power began to liquefy.

Finally, at the very center of his dantian, a drop of dark golden true essence liquid, radiating terrifying heat, condensed.

"Now! Break through!" Chu Chang roared inwardly.

hum!

With the birth of this drop of dark golden true essence, the spiritual energy of heaven and earth within a radius of several miles seemed to tremble slightly.

A crisp sound of the barrier shattering came from Chu Chang's body, and a brand new aura, several times stronger, surged out of him like a tidal wave.

All the spirit stones turned to ashes in an instant.

Chu Chang opened his eyes, a flash of dark golden flame appearing in them. His aura was incredibly refined, and every movement he made carried the sound of air being cut.

First level of Qi Refining Realm, achieved!

With his current strength, combined with his extreme Yang physique and unorthodox weapon, he could easily sweep away even someone like Lin Yuan if they faced each other head-on.

Opening the door, Chu Chang planned to head to the Hall of Law Enforcement.

Come to think of it, I haven't done any work properly since becoming a trainee disciple of the Enforcement Hall.

This is probably the advantage of having connections.

They get the benefits but don't have to do any work.

Just as Chu Chang closed the door and turned around, he saw Zhang Erniu walking towards him with a limp.

"Erniu, what a coincidence!"

Chu Chang greeted him with a smile, but as soon as he finished speaking, he realized something was wrong.

Zhang Erniu had a large, shocking bruise on his right cheek, and there was still blood on the corner of his mouth.

Was he beaten up?

Chu Chang's eyes suddenly turned cold, a barely perceptible glint of icy glint flashing across his honest face. He asked with concern, "Erniu, what happened to you? Who did this?"