When he finished stabilizing the newfound power, he continued his training and because he reached Earthen Realm, he can now execute the second stage up to 20 times!

Unfortunately, his execution still takes 2-3 minutes before he finished casting the second stage, but all in all it greatly helped him.

After 20th execution of the second stage, his elemental energy reserve was almost drained and he can’t cast another cycle. Then he rested in his room. There’s a big difference between the Mortal Realm and Earth Realm when its elemental energy was drained from the dantian. The Mortal Realm elemental energy when exhausted, the dantian will be devoid of any elemental energy whereas the Earthen Realm’s earth-like elemental energy will still remain but the light it emitted will turn to dull. If the earth-like elemental energy inside its dantian was full, it emits bright light like the bright sun in the sky.

When he was about to channel his Minor Gathering Technique, he suddenly stopped by the pair of gloves he was wearing. Affection flashed in his eyes and had an impulse to repair it but Shamo Huangye recommended that to head towards the Blazing Spear City and look for the famous blacksmith shop for better quality.

Though he has urges, but it was not time for him to think about that because he needs to train more like a mad man who chasing the fast moving time. He then continued channeling the Minor Gathering Technique when he sets aside the worries and plans in the back of his head.

His training continued within a week giving him a boost and understanding towards the second stage. He can now cast the second stage in just 30 seconds and because of the ability of his gauntlets which gives 10% of his comprehension, his one week of frantic training was like a month on a person who don’t have the pair of gloves he has and with his high-leveled ability to comprehend martial techniques.

Today was the day that he planned to head towards the Blazing Spear City; walking towards his mother’s courtyard, asking for her permission to have a journey towards the Blazing Spear City.

When he arrived at the door, a gentle voice suddenly echoed from inside.

“It’s open dear, come”

Chen Yun didn’t dally and opened the door and proceeded towards his mother who was sitting on a chair in the middle of her courtyard while sewing some cloth. The courtyard was still so beautiful and attractive to look, with its forest theme courtyard where four trees were standing tall in each corner, different colors of flowers growing on a flowerbed which connects the pillar-like trees. The moss walkway which leads towards the central area of the courtyard and the chirping sounds of birds like a melody added the serene atmosphere in the courtyard. There are four chairs placed in the courtyard, occupying one of it by his mother, and a round table at the middle of the chairs. The furniture of the tables and chairs were simple and unadorned but it gives a feeling as if it was crafted by nature itself.

He was mesmerized every time he visits this place he was like entering another world, but he didn’t paused a bit longer and walked his way towards his mother.

“Why are you so early today son?” His mother asked gently.

He didn’t choose a chair to sit by and just smiled as he replied, “Mother, I was planning to head over the Blazing Spear City, can I have the permission to have a journey?”

“Oh” Surprised answered from his mother.

“You were already fifteen, so it’s natural to be curious on the outside world. Before I gave my permission to you, I knew that you will be alone in this journey. So, I will ask you, is your resolve strong enough to face all the hurdles in your journey?” His mother seriously asked him.

“Yes!” Chen Yun quickly said with his clear black eyes as flames were flickering inside his eyes.

“Very well, take the City Lord’s Symbol and make some preparation. Anyway, will you not wait for your father’s return? He will arrive in the next ten days.”

“Nah, I will not wait for him any longer. He can wait for my return and not me hehehe” Chen Yun half jokingly replied.

“Tsk, this silly child” His mother mumbled as she smiled gently.

Chen Yun receives the City Lord’s Symbol and heading back to his room and prepared all the things towards his journey. He found the tall box which was kept aside and it was specifically prepared for this journey.

He retrieved all the things inside the tall box and put it into his custom made brown leather bag. This bag was imitated from his real world, making it convenient for him and would not feel clumsy because he has his leather bag than just a pouch. The brown leather bag was made up of hard and sturdy animal hide of the Earthen Bear demonic beast. When he was at the city, other than buying, he came up of making this custom made leather bag by a tailoring shop which made the tailors puzzled when they heard the description of Chen Yun.

When he’s done, he quickly headed towards the gate of the mansion but he stopped by his mother’s courtyard telling her that he will be leaving now. As he was walking he felt a bit puzzled of his mysterious mother; as if she was assured that there will be no problem will occur on his journey.

If you come across this story on Amazon, it's taken without permission from the author. Report it.

Though he was a puzzled, he still continued his journey and headed to the south gate of the city and the starting point heading to the Blazing Spear City.

…

When he reached the south gate, he saw an enormous opened gate! Its height was 100 meters with the thickness of 50 meters looking mighty and resilient that gives safety for the people from the external attacks.

Along the road, many people were passing to and fro, some people were carrying big loads of products from carriage, and others were walking even running. The jumbled voices around the place make the south gate into a lively place, a conversation which was filled with laughter, a mumbling person for their loss on their trades or the excited merchant who had profited his trades. The city guards look imposing with their silver colored armors that shine resplendently making the onlookers be blinded by the light. Their serious expression making the people not make any mess within the gates.

It was already the 7th month of the year and he was left 5 months time to return home. Chen Yun who looked around was agitated in excitement of the crowded roads, without further ado he hurriedly walks towards the exit of the city gate and the start of his first journey outside the city!

…

It was already one week after he came outside the city, but instead of smooth sailing journey he was running in perspiration as if he was chased by someone. Beads of cold sweat were pouring down on his face and his back.

Behind his back ten meters away from him five black clothed bandits were chasing him carrying with them their bandit swords. The aura they exuded was peak of the mortal realm and even one was at the first rank of the Earthen Realm!

“Poop, why did I meet these crazy people on the first day of my journey?” Chen Yun gritted his teeth as he thought to himself.

As he was running for his life, he saw a gorge ahead of him. He saw hope, hoping that he can shake the bandits inside the gorge and leave on the other side and continued headed towards the Blazing Spear City. In his map it was called the Sword Cleaving Gorge, a gorge that was cleaved by a sword when two legendary figures where fighting in this location.

The Sword Cleaving Gorge has a narrow path that only one person can enter at a time, inside the narrow path was a bit dark if a person cannot see the sky above and darkness enshrouded this narrow path, they would feel that it was a sinister place because of the squawking of the crows inside the valley.

Sinister or not, alarming or not, Chen Yun has no time to think about the place for it was his only hope to survive. If he learned the first stance of the Clouded Hands Art he may have a chance to fight them head on, unfortunately he had not learnt it.

He quickly enters the entrance of the narrow gorge and frantically executed the first stage then the second stage and cast towards the entrance. The Forming Stage which was cast at the entrance suddenly turned into a wall covering the entrance through the illusion of the forming stage. Unfortunately, the pursuers saw what he did if not they may have tricked him by now.

“Let’s break the barrier” A cold voice sounded out from one of the black clothed bandits, appearing to be the leader of the bandits with his cultivation base at the first level of the Earthen Realm.

There’s no answers that came from the four other bandits, only replying through their actions as they quickly make hand seals and form fireballs in their hands that shoots towards the illusory walls.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

Like attacking an empty air the four fireballs suddenly passed through the illusionary walls and the four consecutive booming sounds resonated inside the gorge. The bandit leader was shocked but quickly returned into a sneer.

“It’s an ethereal illusion, it has no physical substance. We can bypass it without much force.” The bandit leader assuredly said.

When he finished speaking they went inside and bypassed the illusory walls.

The five bandits arrived inside the gorge and a total darkness has awaited them turning them into a blind man.

A frown suddenly appeared at the face of the bandit leader and felt that something was amiss, as if they were in an illusion but when he looked towards the skies he can see only a flickering light from above because of the high walls of the gorge firming his belief that they have not entered any illusion. The forming of the illusory wall recently was naturally a feint, making them turn their attention towards the illusory wall instead the interior of the gorge.

Typically, the height of the gorge was only around ten meters and it was just only a dim place, but with the first stage of the Cloud Hands Technique which filled the narrow path turning it into an illusory darkness. Giving Chen Yun an opportunity to reap their lives, it was better to kill them than leaving them around giving another problem when he returned home.

Though they couldn’t see anything, they still continued walking straight towards where Chen Yun who was preparing for an ambush towards his pursuers. With the narrow sides of the gorge which gives him the chance to fight them one by one other than five versus one.

The first bandit who was the first one to enter the gorge was slowly diminished the distance between him and Chen Yun.

Crack!

Crackling sounds echoed as he clenched his hands into a fist, wearing his dilapidated gauntlet readying himself for upcoming battle.

The distance between Chen Yun and the heading bandit was cut short into four meters…

3 meters…

2 meters...

1 meter…

Humph!

A snort sounded ahead of the bandit alarming him quickly.

Suddenly, a whistling sound of wind was coming towards the heading bandit’s head.

Thwack!

A punch directly planted on the first bandit’s face stunning him but before he could react another whistling sound was coming again and jabbed towards his stomach with ‘puchi’.

Chen Yun’s right hand was imbedded inside the bandit’s stomach, shock was written on the bandit’s face. The abrupt attacks of Chen Yun made him unprepared. The bandit was not the only one who was shocked, because Chen Yun himself was also flabbergasted!

He didn’t think that with just two consecutive attacks the bandit was easily slain, he thought that the enemy could last a bit longer. Though he was shocked, it was quickly returned into a dignified expression because there are still four bandits remaining...