Immortal and Martial Dual Cultivation Chapter 4 - Adventure, Seven Horn Mountain

Over the last four hours, Xiao Chen meticulously mended his wounded internal organs. From this harsh lesson, he vowed never again to rashly force Spiritual Energy into the Dantian.

Once his wounds steadied, he gradually reactivated the flow of the Purple Thunder Divine Incantation, drawing in endless strands of Spiritual Energy without pause. As it circulated through his meridians, the Spiritual Energy seeped deeply into Xiao Chen’s bones, skin, and muscles.

He had resolved himself. Unable to form his Martial Spirit for now, he would harden his body until it turned incredibly resilient.

Lost in cultivation, Xiao Chen completed 36 full cycles before he knew it. When he opened his eyes, twin specks of purple light flickered within them. Daylight now filled the sky, leaving him stunned—he had spent the whole night practicing inside the room.

Even without a wink of sleep, Xiao Chen’s spirit buzzed with vigor, utterly free of weariness. Moments later, a strange odor caught his attention. Looking down, he saw a heavy coating of viscous black muck clinging to his skin, reeking with a foul, fishy stench.

This grime consisted of the toxins and refuse purged from Xiao Chen’s body. Previously, cultivation left him merely sweaty at worst. But last night’s nonstop session tripled his usual absorption rate. This led to the dramatic filth now—and unaware onlookers might think he’d tumbled into a cesspit.

Xiao Chen gave a wry smile and hurried off for a bath. Heading out covered like that would spark endless misconceptions. Cleaned up and in fresh garb, he stepped into the yard, assumed his stance, and started drilling the Xiao Clan’s basic fist forms.

The Xiao Clan’s fist art followed a simple chain of rises, drops, steps forward, and pulls back, appearing utterly mundane. Xiao Chen executed it with fluid ease, whipping up gusts from his punches. Unbeknownst to him, the Purple Thunder Divine Incantation surged in sync with his motions.

What was once a dull fist art now brimmed with savage power. Alternating strikes and withdrawals boomed like thunder echoing everywhere. Thrilled beyond measure, Xiao Chen marveled at this unexpected boon from the Purple Thunder Divine Incantation.

Each punch fueled his excitement further. His strikes accelerated wildly, thunderous roars blasting nonstop. In his fervor, soft cries escaped as electric arcs danced wildly over his knuckles. Scorching heat flooded his right arm, filling it with boundless might.

With a mighty yell, Xiao Chen vaulted forward. Landing hard, he slammed his fist into the earth, channeling every ounce of his power.

“Boom!”

Countless stones shattered apart. Amid the web of fissures lay a pit roughly half a meter across. Xiao Chen stared in awe at the rubble and sighed.

This punch looked brutal enough, yet he knew it fell short. True Martial Cultivators wielding this Martial Technique could blast a crater over a meter wide, smooth-edged, with all debris pulverized to dust.

Still, Xiao Chen felt deeply pleased. Progress came gradually. Just one night with the Purple Thunder Divine Incantation had yielded such startling power. A few more days, and his physique might rival Martial Disciple Realm warriors. Plus, those crackling fists promised nasty shocks to foes.

After a brief pause, Xiao Chen geared up to resume training. The bedroom wouldn’t do anymore—he needed richer Spiritual Energy. The Xiao Clan’s rear peak, Seven Horn Mountain, fit perfectly.

Seven Horn Mountain served as the very foundation of the Xiao Clan’s presence. It teemed with Spirit Beasts and precious herbs. Best of all, its Spiritual Energy density exceeded the current spot by more than double.

From this body’s recollections, the Xiao Clan once ranked as a colossal power long ago—not only in the Great Qin Nation but across the entire Tianwu Continent. They relocated to Mohe City only after their fall from grace.

The Xiao Clan's ancestors leveraged their formidable martial might to claim this mountain. With the vast riches harvested from Seven Horn Mountain, the Xiao Clan gradually carved out a solid base in Mohe City, rising to become the supreme clan in the region.

Yet, the glaring flaw lay in how such a bountiful treasure land inevitably stirred burning envy in the gazes of outsiders. Over Seven Horn Mountain, ceaseless clashes and skirmishes erupted endlessly. Back then, Mohe City's native clans waged fierce, large-scale wars against the Xiao Clan, inflicting devastating casualties on each side.

Eventually, thanks to the Mohe City Lord's mediation, every clan in the city struck a deal. Once every ten years, a grand tournament would unfold, drawing in all clan youths under twenty. The champion's clan would seize the mining rights to Seven Horn Mountain.

The factions compromised mutually, and the Xiao Clan, unwilling to provoke all neighboring clans, accepted the terms.

Even as the Xiao Clan's influence waned, they had snatched triumphs in the previous three martial gatherings. The next Promise of Ten Years loomed just half a year ahead. For this pivotal contest, the Xiao Clan pinned every aspiration on Xiao Jian and the First Elder's enigmatic granddaughter.

As memories of Seven Horn Mountain's turbulent history swirled in his mind, Xiao Chen reached the mountain's base. A sturdy checkpoint stood there, manned by the Xiao Clan's elite guards. Non-clan members desiring entry first submitted applications and then forked over a toll fee.

As the Clan Head's son, Xiao Chen faced no such trivial hurdles for accessing Seven Horn Mountain. Still, upon discovering his plan to enter, a Xiao Clan guard deliberately threw obstacles in his path.

Who in the city hadn't heard tales of the second young master, mired at 9th Grade of Spirit Refinement—the infamous trash of Mohe City? Stepping into Seven Horn Mountain spelled doom for him alone. When the Clan Head inevitably hunted for scapegoats afterward, the guard would face severe repercussions.

“Second young master, the Spirit Beasts inside the mountain are incredibly ferocious. It's no place for amusement. It's wiser if the second young master stays out.” One guard warned. Truth be told, he bit back further words, holding off on mentioning how the Misty Rain Pavilion within the city's secure bounds suited him far better than, to put it bluntly, chasing an untimely demise here.

Hearing this, Xiao Chen smiled faintly, unperturbed by the guard's tone. “Who said I'm heading up the mountain for fun? I'm here to cultivate. Does the Clan Head's son lack the privilege to enter this mountain for cultivation?”

The guard appeared ready to protest further, but his companion behind him restrained him, offered a smile, and interjected. “Since the second young master intends to cultivate, we won't stand in your way. We only urge young master to avoid straying too far and steer clear of the inner regions.”

“That's a given.” With those words, Xiao Chen strode forward without a backward glance.

“Why let him through? That's practically shoving him toward death.” The earlier guard grumbled.

“Your intel is lagging—haven't you caught wind of his deathmatch with Xiao Jian? A true duel to the death! Let him go in. Even if a spirit beast claims him, it's preferable to falling under Xiao Jian's blade.”