Wang Cheng didn't immediately enter an epiphany state to cultivate. After all, that wasn't his normal state. Only by training under normal conditions, discovering problems, and then solving them during moments of enlightenment, would he gain insights that were truly useful.
"Right now, both my physical fitness and mental strength have reached the peak of the apprentice level. So, there's no longer a need to improve my body. What I need to do now is create my own secret technique. Even if it's the most basic and unremarkable kind, it can still help me break through to the planetary level."
Inside the secret chamber, Wang Cheng was training without using much strength. If he went all out, the entire room wouldn't be able to withstand the damage.
With a "whoosh," Wang Cheng furrowed his brows and sheathed his long blade again.
"Something's off. My explosive power has definitely reached more than ninefold, but I can't get to tenfold no matter what. It seems that if I want to fully develop the Mountain-Splitting Slash, I need to master tenfold explosive power first."
He casually stabbed the long blade into the ground, stood up, and began to practice the Martial Artist's Foundational 256 Forms move by move in the secret chamber — this was the revised version he had corrected himself.
Compared to training under the epiphany state, Wang Cheng's comprehension of the 256 Forms and his micro-level control over muscle cells were both clearly at a lower level when training in his normal state.
But Wang Cheng endured it and resisted entering an epiphany. Instead, he practiced the basic techniques over and over again.
Gradually, the methods of explosive power from the first four layers to the ninth layer began to connect together seamlessly.
Wang Cheng suddenly punched forward, and the explosive sound of the air echoed throughout the training room. A shallow fist imprint appeared on the wall in front of him.
"No... this is infinitely close to tenfold, but not perfect. What's wrong? I need to sort this all out again. I refuse to believe I can't find the reason!"
Finally, Wang Cheng went back to square one, slowly training in the 256 Forms again, layer by layer, from shallow to deep.
A week quickly passed.
Wang Hao and Leng Yan had been enjoying their time together as a couple, but suddenly remembered — they had a son.
Realizing it had been a long time since their son contacted them, Leng Yan frowned and tried calling Wang Cheng's number.
But though the call rang, no one answered.
Seeing his wife's worried expression, Wang Hao asked, "What's wrong, honey? He didn't pick up?"
"Don't worry, let me try." He also dialed Wang Cheng's contact number through his watch.
Still, only the dialing tone sounded. The call disconnected without ever being picked up. Wang Hao's face grew serious.
"Honey, could something have happened to Ah Cheng? No, that's impossible. He's so smart, how could anything happen to him?"
Trying to reassure herself, Leng Yan's face grew pale.
Wang Hao tapped a few commands on his watch, and a virtual map appeared showing three light dots.
Two light dots were close together, while the third was stationary at the edge of the wilderness.
Wang Hao was slightly relieved and told Leng Yan, "Stay home for now. I'm heading out to check. If that brat is just ignoring our calls on purpose, I'll teach him a lesson."
Leng Yan wanted to go too, but Wang Hao refused. He quickly packed his things and rushed to the fortress.
Exiting the fortress's artificial tunnel gate, Wang Hao instantly pushed his speed to the limit and raced toward the map's light point.
Someone exiting the tunnel with him gave a stunned expression.
"Damn! That's a high-level apprentice warrior?! I can't believe I came out of the tunnel with someone like that! I'm definitely bragging to my parents when I get home..."
When Wang Hao arrived at the light point, he discovered it was in a bush by You Shui Lake. His heart skipped a beat.
As he approached the light point, he didn't see any sign of his son. His face turned pale with disbelief as he stepped forward.
When he got close, he found that the light point was actually coming from a pile of beast dung.
Wang Hao's mind buzzed — his body wavered as sorrow flooded his eyes.
Just then, a shadow burst toward Wang Hao from the tree above.
His eyes immediately erupted with fierce killing intent. He twisted around and punched the beast's head.
Boom!
In that instant, the attacking beast was shrouded in death. With a thunderous sound, its head exploded like a watermelon — smashed by Wang Hao's fist.
As the beast's body flew, Wang Hao didn't stop. He charged forward and hammered the beast's body with fist after fist like a sledgehammer.
"You beast! You deserve to die!" As his fists roared, surrounding monsters scattered in fear.
When Wang Hao finally stopped, gasping for breath, blood and tears fell from his eyes. The beast before him had been pounded into meat paste, blending into the dirt.
Staggering to the pile of dung, he didn't hesitate at the stench. He dug out a watch covered in feces.
In that instant, he recognized it — it was his son's watch. He had personally taken his son to pick it out.
Clutching the foul-smelling watch, Wang Hao slumped to the ground, tears streaming down into the soil.
"This can't be... it's impossible…"
After a long time, Wang Hao stood up and walked to the lake to clean the filth off the watch. It was now a memento of his son. Then he made his way back toward the fortress.
At home, Leng Yan paced uneasily, regretting not following her husband into the wild.
As time crawled by, the door suddenly opened. Wang Hao walked in.
Seeing her husband's swollen, red eyes, Leng Yan turned pale and felt dizzy. Her voice trembled:
"Honey… Ah Cheng, did he—?"
Wang Hao just shook his head silently, and with a buzz in her brain, Leng Yan fainted on the spot.
Wang Hao rushed to catch her, and seeing she didn't regain consciousness, carried her to the family medical pod.
A beam of light scanned over her, and a mechanical voice spoke:
"Patient's emotions overly agitated. Mental trauma detected. Three days pregnant. Qi and blood unstable. Will awaken in one hour…"
Hearing the voice, Wang Hao's expression froze. A complex mix of sorrow and joy washed over his face.
He had lost a son, but the heavens had given them another child. Sadly, their son would never see his younger sibling grow up.
Taking Leng Yan out of the medical pod and laying her on the bed, Wang Hao stared at her pale face in a daze.
(End of Chapter)