On the brink of despair, with death merely a hair's breadth away, Wang Xuan could already smell the scent of death. In this dire situation, his heightened perception reached an astonishing level, yet he still felt he would be hit, unable to evade this catastrophe. However, since his perception surged in such dire straits and he glimpsed the inner realm, he had no choice but to rush in.
His entry wasn't to enhance his strength; he sought to draw in mysterious substances to quickly restore his severely injured and exhausted body. The Void remained as it always was, suffocated by stagnant energy and silence. Unless one triggered heightened perception, no amount of time would allow entry here; outside, minutes could equate to years.
Wang Xuan stood firm, hesitating not for a moment, operating the ancient techniques recorded in pre-Qin bamboo slips. Though time flowed slowly here, his life hung by a thread outside, and he couldn't linger for years as usual. He sighed; while it was a pity, he had no regrets. The priority this time was survival.
Standing in the void, he drew in the mysterious substance, which silently settled in the inner realm, invigorating his spirit. Simultaneously, outside, his body was flooded with this potent essence, rapidly rejuvenating his flesh and blood. Yet, in the inner realm, Wang Xuan frowned. Was it possible to exit before time was up? He had never attempted it.
After all, entering this place was a rare opportunity; he had never considered leaving prematurely.
Boom!
Ultimately, through his active attempt, he discovered that exiting wasn't difficult. His spirit withdrew, returning to his body.
In the inner realm, the brief pause felt as if time hadn't moved outside; he sensed the vital points of his body were still targeted, like blood-dripping spears poised against him. The difference was, his body was no longer weary but revitalized, and he made a quick decision to roll in a certain direction.
Yet, he felt it was a bit late; some bullets were unavoidable. In this critical moment, he made choices: his head, heart, and other vital areas had to be dodged. Additionally, he intentionally evaded the spots that ached sharply, sensing they might be specialized bullets, capable of destroying the chest in a single shot.
Earth and stones shattered, mud splattered, and bushes exploded around him.
At the same time, as he rolled out, Wang Xuan was struck by two bullets, the force causing his body to shake violently. His shirt shredded, followed by three layers of body armor collapsing one after another. One bullet was blocked, but the other pierced into his flesh.
Yet, he managed to stop it; a trickle of blood oozed from his surface. With a slight exertion, the bullet was dislodged, falling to the ground, accompanied by a surge of blood shooting far away.
Indeed, it was a specialized bullet, highly powerful. Recently, he had worn three layers of body armor, complemented by the fourth layer of Golden Body Technique, which finally held it off.
Not far away, some bullets boasted even greater power, and energy beams from guns shattered the ground where Wang Xuan had lain.
With a whoosh, he dashed out, using rocks and a massive black hound for cover. His eyes glinted coldly as he noticed six seasoned snipers, whose timing was alarmingly precise, ready to shoot as he reached his limit.
A man in black fell to the ground, not yet dead, incredulous as he witnessed this scene. That young man, in such dire condition, nearly exhausted, yet miraculously escaped the snipers and withstood two bullets—truly shocking.
He spat out a significant amount of blood from his mouth and nose, his breathing momentarily became easier, but his body was wracked with pain. The gaping hole in his chest forced him to lie on the ground, gasping heavily. Wang Xuan ignored him, fully determined to re-enter the inner realm, realizing his heightened perception was fading quickly.
Even in the ancient era of dazzling techniques, this was a rare opportunity. If someone triggered it, even master-level figures would personally assist, guiding them into the inner realm. Wang Xuan had previously exited due to a lack of choice; now, he seized the chance to return, quickly calming his mind to practice the Golden Body Technique repeatedly, reinforcing himself with every iteration.
He didn't practice the five pages of scriptures left by Zhang Daoling; those illustrations were too profound, and just the first image would require extensive study. At his current level, he could only use the first image from the scriptures, which had nearly exhausted him during the life-and-death battle not long ago, causing pain to his internal organs.
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He feared that if he continued, his organs might shatter; this physical technique was too tyrannical, beyond his full grasp at this stage. However, he acknowledged the brilliance and power of that image, as it unleashed a novel secret force, dramatically enhancing his strength and severely wounding the man in black.
It was crucial to note that the man in black was in an almost superhuman state at that time, utilizing a secret technique of immense power that was terrifyingly potent. Without mastering the initial moves of Zhang Daoling's scriptures, Wang Xuan would have perished today; even the fourth layer of the Golden Body Technique would not have been enough to withstand the man's blows.
Unfortunately, the man in black had only skimmed the first page of that scripture, his knowledge limited, hinting at how profound the text truly was. In the inner realm, Wang Xuan continually practiced the Golden Body Technique to improve himself.
Here, time was abundant. He estimated that the six snipers would not be able to harm him as they blasted the massive black hound nearby; several large rocks shielded him. Unless they moved closer or ascended to higher ground, it would be difficult for them to shoot him down.
Simultaneously, Wang Xuan understood that if he exited the inner realm again, his heightened perception would likely dissipate, making it challenging to return today. This time, his efficiency seemed exceptionally high. Standing in the void of time, nearly forgetting himself, he practiced the Golden Body Technique until fatigue compelled him to pause, shifting to the root technique to draw in the mysterious substance from the void.
Each time he paused, he carefully sensed the outside world, racing against time to gain speed. Not far away, the man in black trembled at the sight of Wang Xuan, enveloped in a radiant aura and moving slowly. He immediately realized what was happening.
"Entering the inner realm; he's in the highest meditative state now?" The man in black, being a master in ancient techniques with deep convictions, was well-informed. He understood how Wang Xuan reached such heights at his age.
Yet, he had one question: where could one find pre-Qin sorcerers in this era? The absence of master figures meant no one could guide Wang Xuan into the inner realm for a prolonged stay. Previously, he had been puzzled by this, realizing the current conditions made it nearly impossible for anyone to access the inner realm.
Moments later, he sighed, realizing that Wang Xuan had entered by his own merit! "Such a person cannot die; perhaps he really can pave a path for ancient techniques in this era!" His eyes shone with unusual light.
While coughing up blood, he struggled to shout, "Stop... don't kill him!" However, he was too weak, his voice unable to carry, his face reddening with exertion and frustration.
At that moment, in the inner realm, Wang Xuan made progress, stepping into the fifth layer of the Golden Body Technique—not because he had practiced there for many years, but mainly because he was already near the late stages of the fourth layer, so this leap felt natural.
Though he had just entered the fifth layer, it was sufficient; breaking through resulted in a comprehensive enhancement of his physique and a significant boost in his mental energy. He didn't become greedy, opting to exit immediately. While there was some regret, the environment was perilous, and he could be targeted at any moment.
He felt that in a normal state, the fifth layer of the Golden Body Technique would be enough for survival. Still, if caught unaware and shot in the head, he knew he would perish.
When Wang Xuan exited, he felt unprecedentedly good. He shed a layer of skin; the bullet wounds expelled some tainted blood, nearly healed, with no trace left in a couple of days. Moreover, his hands, previously ruptured by the man in black, had also stopped bleeding, the wounds closed, and even the shattered nails had mended.
Wang Xuan estimated that in another one or two nights, he would bear no signs of injury. His rapid healing was due to his recent entry into the inner realm and the breakthrough in the Golden Body Technique, facilitating a transformation in his body, coupled with the vitality within.
Hearing the man in black's hoarse voice, Wang Xuan paused. The man wanted the snipers to halt their attack on him? Instantly, he understood the man's intent; he was someone deeply connected to ancient techniques, once passionate about revitalizing that path, and perhaps he saw hope in Wang Xuan, prompting him to protect him in this critical moment.
"The ones wanting to kill me are..." Wang Xuan began.
"Run! They have... energy cannons!" The man in black shook his head, anxiously roaring at him, spitting out more blood.
Almost simultaneously, Wang Xuan felt the shadow of death loom closer, the area around him shrouded in danger. Yet, in his most powerful state, he sensed the imminent threat, quickly dashing into the depths of the forest.
In the distance, the group had indeed assembled a small energy cannon and activated it. They lamented that had it not rained, misjudging that Wang Xuan wouldn't come, they would never have disassembled the cannon, wasting precious time.
Boom!
The black hound was obliterated, its demise catastrophic, as the terrifying energy upheaved rocks, one of which smashed into the man in black's chest. He groaned, tumbling far away, his previous injuries worsened, visibly near death.
Soon, his eyes dimmed, and he breathed his last. Had it not been for that strike, given today's medical technology, he might have survived if taken to a hospital—though he would likely need artificial organs.
Wang Xuan raced through the woods, closing in on the energy cannon's location, constantly altering his path, his agility reaching its peak. Now a practitioner of the fifth layer of the Golden Body Technique, he felt unafraid of thorns and obstacles, bursting through with terrifying strength, quickly nearing the target.
"He... is coming!" someone trembled, their voice quaking. Although equipped with advanced instruments that could track Wang Xuan's rapid approach, they couldn't lock onto him as he continuously shifted positions.
The hunt transformed into a counter-hunt!
Half an hour later, Wang Xuan left the Great Black Mountain, his feelings complex, for all those men had perished. It was his first time ruthlessly killing his own kind.