As a result, Chu Feng was ostracized and bullied from childhood; if not for Chu Yuan's staunch protection, he would have been cast out of the Chu family long ago. Consequently, Chu Feng feels deep gratitude toward Chu Yuan and vows to bring honor to him.
Five years ago, Chu Feng was exactly ten years old—the prime age to begin martial cultivation.
At that time, he eagerly anticipated cultivation, believing the moment to prove himself had arrived.
Yet he never imagined that, a month before joining the Azure Dragon Sect, a bolt of divine thunder would strike his body and enter his dantian.
Initially, Chu Feng thought it was a blessing, for after he began cultivating, his progress was meteoric—reaching the second level of Spirit Martial in just two months.
Such speed defied reason, so Chu Feng dared not tell anyone, instead concealing his strength and training in silence.
But the good times did not last; just as Chu Feng believed he had become a cultivation prodigy, his body underwent a change.
This very change caused his cultivation to stagnate, leading others to deem him talentless.
“Hum.” At this moment, the spirit herb in Chu Feng's hand was being refined and absorbed by his dantian.
The refinement proceeded rapidly, far beyond normal expectations; under ordinary circumstances, given Chu Feng's ability, this spirit herb would require at least a month to fully refine.
Yet only a moment had passed, and already more than half of the herb had been refined; moreover, Chu Feng's dantian, which felt like a bottomless pit, finally sensed it was being filled.
“Hum.” Suddenly, a light flared from Chu Feng's hand, and the half‑stalk spirit herb vanished instantly.
At the same moment, his dantian underwent a tremendous transformation.
Nine thunder‑beast entities intertwined, surged rapidly, coalesced, and ultimately formed a pellet‑shaped object.
Once the pellet formed, an endless stream of spiritual energy poured forth from it, washing over Chu Feng's body like a tide and quickly permeating his entire form.
“Swish.” Chu Feng flung his eyes open; faint lightning flickered in his gaze, and an indescribable joy spread across his face.
“Success! After five long years, I, Chu Feng, have finally succeeded!” Chu Feng exulted, leaping from his bed and pacing back and forth while examining his body.
On the path of martial cultivation, the known realms are: Spirit Martial, Yuan Martial, Xuan Martial, and Heaven Martial—the four great realms, each divided into nine levels.
The first level of Spirit Martial chiefly involves special methods to temper the flesh, thereby increasing strength.
However, upon reaching the second level of Spirit Martial, one must employ techniques to condense spiritual energy; only those who succeed in gathering that energy in the dantian are considered to have truly embarked on the martial path.
Chu Feng's bodily change stems precisely from his inability to condense spiritual energy, for the divine thunder sealed in his dantian behaves like nine ravenous beasts, devouring any energy he tries to gather.
Yet he did not lose hope, having realized that while the thunder consumes spiritual energy, it has a limit; by continually infusing his dantian with energy, one day it will be filled.
And today, he finally succeeded.
“This feeling is intense—an endless torrent of spiritual energy surges within me, as if it might burst forth from my body.”
Chu Feng felt astonished; he never expected the divine thunder to condense directly into a pellet, lodging in his dantian, and the spiritual energy it radiated to be extraordinarily dense, beyond imagination.
He knew that even five years of relentless, sleepless training could not have produced such formidable spiritual energy; the reason lay precisely in that divine thunder.
“Hum.” At that very instant, Chu Feng's body stiffened and his expression shifted dramatically.
The divine thunder was transforming; his power instantly multiplied severalfold, and he broke through again, entering the fourth level of Spirit Martial.
“Has the bitterness given way to sweetness?”
Chu Feng clenched his fists, feeling the explosive power within, and believed that all the suffering he had endured over the past five years was worth it.
Having broken through two successive levels, this astonishing method of growth had returned at last.
Suddenly, he turned a fierce gaze toward the inner sect and whispered low, “
The Azure Dragon Sect recruits disciples only once a year, each enrollment lasting ten days.
Ten days later, the annual inner‑sect examination will commence; and this time, after five years of obscurity, Chu Feng finally participates.