Chapter 2382 — This Isn't Realistic

Wei Zhao nodded, then left the casino together with Gu Mengyao, Shen Yushu, Old Master Pi, and the others. Brother Gambling finally let out a breath of relief—though what gave him a splitting headache was how to deal with the corpses of Pu Huotai and Pu Laoliu, and how he was supposed to explain it to the Right Miao Sect, to which Pu Huotai belonged.

At that thought, Brother Gambling's head swelled to bursting. Truly, this was an unlucky year!

After Wei Zhao got home, he shut himself in his room. Once inside the jade pendant's space, he began rapidly healing the remaining injuries within his body. Pure, refined heaven-and-earth spiritual energy poured into him, and through the transformation of the second layer of the Xuanyuan Dragon-Taming Art, it swiftly nourished the damaged meridians and internal organs inside his body.

This time the injuries were truly severe—even more severe than when he had fought the Grand Protector. Back then, when Wei Zhao had been hurt so badly he could barely stand, he had not been forcibly pulled into the jade pendant's space; but this time, he was injured beyond any further injury, and the jade pendant's space had dragged him in by force.

It was just like when he had saved Guan Xin—this sort of thing happened beyond his own control.

Fortunately, after being injured, the Xuanyuan Dragon-Taming Art could swiftly repair the meridians, which kept Wei Zhao from worrying too much…

Meanwhile, outside in the villa's living room, Gu Mengyao and Shen Yushu were listening with rapt attention as Wu Chengtian recounted what had happened earlier in the private room. Much of it, of course, had been told to him by Brother Gambling and Old Master Pi—he had not witnessed it with his own eyes. Nor had he seen the perilous battle between Wei Zhao and Pu Huotai and Pu Laoliu; Brother Gambling did not know the details either, knowing only the cause and the result, while the course of events remained unknown.

Even so, Gu Mengyao and Shen Yushu listened with their hearts in their throats. They had never expected that a casual trip to the casino would turn out to be exactly the right move—they had actually brought Chen Xi back! As for Chen Xi, Gu Mengyao and Shen Yushu were not especially close to her, but neither were they strangers. Yet when they heard that she had been given to Pu Huotai by the Hidden Zhao Family as a hostage to lure Wei Zhao, both of them were furious!

"Sister Yaoyao, the Hidden Zhao Family is really too wicked, trying to kill with a borrowed knife. Xiaoshu curses that Zhao Guangyin and Zhao Qibing get struck dead by lightning," Shen Yushu said angrily.

"It's all over now, Xiaoshu. You don't need to fret about it—Wei Zhao will deal with it," Gu Mengyao said, comparatively calm. Sooner or later Wei Zhao would have to move against the Hidden Zhao Family, but certainly not now.

In the room, Wei Zhao had already healed most of his injuries, and was now replenishing the true qi he had expended in his body. Very quickly, under the transformation of the Xuanyuan Dragon-Taming Art, the pure and refined heaven-and-earth spiritual energy in the jade pendant's space became true qi that entered Wei Zhao's meridians and finally surged into his dantian!

Gradually, the true qi within Wei Zhao's body grew fuller and fuller, yet it showed no sign of stopping—the true qi kept on growing. That sensation instantly delighted Wei Zhao!

He knew this sensation all too well: it was the prelude to every breakthrough! It was the sign of having touched the barrier of his rank. Wei Zhao did not dare be negligent now; he reined in his mind, focused his spirit once more, and quickened his pace in circulating the second layer of the Xuanyuan Dragon-Taming Art, using this as the opportunity for a breakthrough!

That pure, refined heaven-and-earth spiritual energy poured through Wei Zhao's acupoints into his meridians, and under the transformation of the second layer of the Xuanyuan Dragon-Taming Art, it became streams of true qi that coursed back and forth through his meridians, on the verge of filling his entire body!

Wei Zhao clenched his teeth and continued circulating the second layer of the Xuanyuan Dragon-Taming Art, continuing to absorb the pure, refined heaven-and-earth spiritual energy, wanting to break through the rank barrier in one sustained effort!

But the good times did not last. Wei Zhao gritted his teeth and held on for only about a quarter of an hour before the energy would no longer be drawn into his body. No matter how he circulated the mental incantation, he could not draw in the slightest bit more true qi!

"Alas!" Wei Zhao sighed. He knew it was no use and could only pause, letting out a light breath, somewhat regretful.

This injury, the healing, the recovery of true qi—it had been a fine opportunity to level up and break through the barrier. Wei Zhao had waited a long time for such an opportunity, yet in the end his assault on the barrier had still failed!

Still, Wei Zhao did not want to give up this rare and golden chance. After a brief rest, he began circulating the second layer of the Xuanyuan Dragon-Taming Art once more, attempting a second assault on the barrier! This time, Wei Zhao adopted the rather extreme method he had used before: assaulting the barrier by absorbing and compressing energy!

Since the normal way of assaulting the barrier did not work, Wei Zhao could only try forcing his way through! So he activated the Xuanyuan Dragon-Taming Art, gathered all the energy elements in the jade pendant's space around himself, and began compressing the energy surrounding his body!

This was a method of last resort. Wei Zhao did not want to give up just like that, so he could only attempt this kind of forceful breakthrough…

Not far away, Elder Jiao glanced at Wei Zhao and shook his head. He had grown somewhat inured to Wei Zhao's brand of madness! In his view, so long as Wei Zhao did not die, it was fine; the pain was of his own seeking, and Elder Jiao had long since grown used to it.

"Whoosh—" Wei Zhao drew a deep breath and sucked the compressed energy into his body!

In an instant, Wei Zhao's face turned abruptly red, taking on an unhealthy flush! The compressed energy was released within his body in an instant, and Wei Zhao felt as though he were a balloon about to burst—his whole body like a gasbag, swollen and thoroughly uncomfortable! His internal organs seemed to have been crushed together, squeezed until there was no room left at all.

"Ah!" Wei Zhao let out a miserable scream. Beads of sweat the size of beans rolled down his resolute face; the agony, as though he were about to explode, wrung an involuntary scream from him!

At last, Wei Zhao could bear it no longer. "Pff"—he spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, and his whole body seemed to explode as well, a "boom" going off in his head…

What Wei Zhao could not accept was this: he could endure the pain, but there had been no breakthrough—and that was what left him utterly dejected!

"So close, I was so close!" Wei Zhao gave a bitter smile and complained in great frustration, "Elder Jiao, I was just a little short of breaking through!"

"Above the Earth Rank, forcing a breakthrough with compressed true qi is already ineffective. Continuing to try only adds to your suffering, doesn't it?" Jiao Yazi glanced at Wei Zhao and shook his head. "There's a saying: haste makes waste. You're still just a tiny bit short—forcing a breakthrough is probably out of the question."

"Then… there's no breaking through today?" Wei Zhao asked, somewhat unwilling to accept it.

"Breaking through today—that isn't realistic," Jiao Yazi said.

"Alas. Once this chance passes, I'm afraid another opportunity like it will be hard to come by," Wei Zhao said with a bitter smile. At this moment his injuries were fully healed—it was the perfect opportunity!

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