Invincible Starts From Dao Fruit-Chapter 44 - 26 Dark Strength!

The years passed in a blink.

A decade had gone by.

On this very day.

In the dense forest of Taiqing Mountain, Chen Jichuan lay prone on the ground, supporting his body with his hands and the tips of his toes. The entire posture resembled a tiger resting, and with each breath, faintly, the sound of a tiger’s roar could be heard.

On his back.

A millstone weighing thousands of pounds moved up and down as he inhaled and exhaled, as though it were weightless.

Beside him.

Stood the former Four Great Vajra of Chen Sect—Wang Mingzhang, Lu Qing, Sun Hanjiu, and Zhou Dasheng—each wielding small hammers as they took turns striking Chen Jichuan’s chest and ribs.

With every strike.

A booming sound resounded.

His dantian tightened, his chest and ribs expanded, and air sprayed forcefully from his nostrils.

Each instance carried the resonance of a tiger’s roar.

"Lying Tiger Divine Skill is little known, arms and palms hold firm without distortion. Muscles, bones, all strengthened true, millstone weighing thousands presses atop, hardship within hardship treated lightly. Training muscle force and heart alike, forging the body of an unbreakable vajra."

This was the ’Lying Tiger Skill.’

Also called the ’Sleeping Skill.’

It had already been cultivated by Chen Jichuan to an extraordinary level, where his entire body could endure any form of attack, earning him the moniker of ’Indestructible Vajra.’

Wang Mingzhang and the other three, once collectively known as the ’Reckless Vajra,’ had followed Chen Jichuan in martial training for over forty years and were now renowned figures in Jianghu.

Yet, they were all over sixty years old.

At this moment, however, they acted like apprentices, doing hard physical labor to aid Chen Jichuan in his practice.

These four spirited elders performed the task with palpable enthusiasm, their eyes fixed on this ’ever-youthful Grandmaster.’ They observed his muscle tremors, watched him breathe in and out, their hearts silently pondering and reflecting.

For them to carve out a name in Jianghu, none were simple men.

The strength of their skills.

Was no less than that of the late ’Southern Fist’ Lul Changshou from ten years prior. Now, observing their Grandmaster practicing his craft brought each a new understanding.

In the past.

One hour of cultivation would suffice to complete an exercise.

But today was different.

One hour.

Two hours.

Three hours.

A full three hours passed, exhausting even these elders, leaving them panting and soaked in sweat. Though the hammer strikes seemed simple, for a master of Chen Jichuan’s caliber, only the Four Great Vajra with their grandmaster strength and precision possessed the skill required to assist him in cultivation.

Controlling the intensity.

Was not only laborious but also mentally taxing.

Fortunately.

With three hours completed, the cultivation exercise finally drew to a close.

"Disperse."

With a sudden shout from Chen Jichuan, the Four Great Vajra stepped back in surprise. Immediately after, his eyes sharpened, and his spine and tailbone simultaneously engaged—

Bam!

A loud noise followed.

The millstone weighing thousands of pounds was abruptly flung into the air, with dust scattering from its surface, leaving countless tiny pits. Chen Jichuan flipped his body mid-motion and gracefully stood. As the millstone approached its descent, he thrust his palms forward with a sharp push.

Boom!

With one strike, the millstone shattered into pieces on the spot and exploded in all directions.

"Oh no!"

The pitiful Four Great Vajra stared wide-eyed, caught off guard by the flying debris. Scrambling backward, they dodged awkwardly. Yet in their eyes, as they gazed upon their Grandmaster standing proudly amidst the dust and rubble, they were filled with both astonishment and jubilation.

Chen Jichuan stood in place.

For a brief moment, he sensed deeply within himself.

He felt an incomparable clarity throughout his body. Moments ago, the two strikes he delivered carried a quiet yet overwhelming force.

Turning his body side to side, twisting and pivoting, every joint and muscle’s energy twisted into a singular flow, and his entire being exuded a heightened sense of interconnectedness.

Reaching the limit.

Crack, crack, crack.

Without throwing a punch, his body emitted the sound of explosions.

"Dark strength released externally."

"Bone joints thunder."

"So this is the ’Dark Force’ stage."

A sudden realization dawned upon Chen Jichuan’s heart, filling it with indescribable joy.

Through one hundred and twenty years.

And tens of years of arduous training.

From Ming to Dark.

He had finally stepped across this vital threshold.

From this point forward.

He was a practitioner of Dark Strength!

...

Name: Chen Jichuan [First]

Age: 139

Immortal-order: None

Official position: None

Level: 6

Talent: Creation · Insight

Skills: Chen’s 72 Skills (Sixth Layer), Divine Pouncing Saber (Fourth Layer), Fire Control Technique (Fourth Layer), Ghost Fall Sword (Third Layer)

Immortal Salary: 1

Source Power: 6628

...

"Grandmaster."

"Success?"

The eldest of the Four Great Vajra, Wang Mingzhang, couldn’t resist asking when he saw Chen Jichuan exhaling deeply before revealing a smile moments later.

Lu Qing and the other two also looked toward Chen Jichuan.

"Indeed."

"It’s done."

Chen Jichuan laughed heartily, his joy overflowing from achieving success in cultivation. Seeing Wang Mingzhang and the others staring with wide eyes, he generously took three unhurried steps across the Qingshi-paved ground—

The four men looked on.

Only to see, within the soundless motion, the Qingshi tiles display three indentations of roughly four to five inches deep.

Were it they in his position, kicking apart the tiles with brute force would be child’s play. But possessing such effortless command, leaving indents invisibly, was a power far beyond their reach.

"Hiss!"

"So this is Dark Strength?"

Lu Qing’s face glimmered with awe, his eyes lighting up with fascination.

"Indeed, it is Dark Strength."

Chen Jichuan, in high spirits and surrounded by his four disciples who owed their skills all to him, explained further, "I have just achieved Dark Strength. At present, I can only manage three steps, which is my limit. Additionally, Dark Strength can only be controlled in the hands and feet. I am far from reaching the level where it can be uniformly applied throughout the entire body, with energy spraying out from every corner like needles."

To gain enlightenment in one lifetime.

He could die content.

Having attained Dark Strength, Chen Jichuan had a clear view of the once-mysterious realm now laid bare before him: "Ming Strength relies on muscles and bones to strike, while Dark Strength uses intent to attack. The disparity in power between the two cannot be compared. To wield Dark Strength requires precision, as its failure would result in significant self-depletion. The surge of intent depletes physical energy tenfold compared to muscle-driven movement."

He stretched his limbs, savoring the sensation of Dark Strength.

A smile inadvertently spread across his face.

Dark Strength in combat.

Far surpassed the limits of mere physical blows fueled by muscles and bones.

Even from his brief experiments, its potency was evident. The ’Immortal Record’ confirmed as much, showing him breaking past Level 5, where he had long been confined, and instantly advancing to Level 6 alongside his mastery of Dark Strength.

"Elevating external skills and Ming Strength to their peak maxes out at Level 5."

"But the moment Dark Strength is realized, one leaps to Level 6."

"Just one level apart."

"But it’s a difference as vast as heaven and earth."

As Chen Jichuan looked at the ’Immortal Record’ interface, his joy grew even deeper.

Having only just achieved mastery of Dark Strength, he already understood the path ahead. All that remained was to refine his skill, spreading Dark Strength from fists and feet to engulf his entire body. Once activated, the absolute unity of his being and the pervasive, needle-like emanation of power would represent an even higher stage.

To see the road ahead.

For Chen Jichuan, it was akin to having it within his grasp. He had ample time to reflect and train; if one lifetime wasn’t sufficient, he’d achieve it in the next. Whether over decades or centuries, through relentless practice and contemplation, what hurdle could possibly stop him?

"Congratulations, Grandmaster!"

Wang Mingzhang, Lu Qing, and the others were elated upon hearing Chen Jichuan had truly reached mastery of Dark Strength. They effusively expressed their congratulations to him.

All four had spent a lifetime immersed in martial arts.

They had long exhausted the boundaries of Ming Strength.

Like Lul Changshou before them, they remained barred from the realm of Dark Strength despite relentless years of effort. They had resigned themselves to share the Old Sect Master’s fate, lamenting their inability at life’s end. Yet today, fortune smiled upon them, allowing these martial artists to witness the tangible achievements of Dark Strength.

"In this life."

"It’s been worth it!"

Zhou Dasheng threw his head back in a cry of exhilaration.

Beside him, Sun Hanjiu, equally thrilled, his white beard trembling with emotion, exclaimed, "Our Grandmaster has attained Dark Strength. This is a cause for celebration for our Chen Sect and for martial artists everywhere. I propose we select an auspicious day to host a grand feast for heroes from all over, proclaiming this great event to Jianghu. First, to exalt the unmatched name of our Grandmaster; second, to raise the prestige of our Chen Sect; and third, to inform martial artists far and wide that there is a road beyond Ming Strength, thereby inspiring practitioners across Jianghu!"

He had always been one for lively occasions.

The last grand gathering atop Taiqing Mountain was a decade ago, during Old Sect Master Lul Changshou’s funeral, when martial artists from across Jianghu had come to pay their respects.

"..."

Chen Jichuan looked at the excited Sun Hanjiu, his smile stiffening.

Lu Qing noticed and promptly tugged at his overly exuberant third brother.

"Uh——"

Sun Hanjiu, pulled aside by Lu Qing, froze for a moment. Then, seeing the complex expression of their Grandmaster, he internally scolded himself twice over.

In his excitement, he had entirely forgotten how their Grandmaster despised mundane, worldly affairs.

His throat turned dry, and hastily, he plastered on a sheepish grin and offered an apology to his Grandmaster, saying, "It was merely a suggestion. Just a suggestion, Grandmaster."

"It is worth celebrating."

"But hosting a feast for heroes across the land is unnecessary. It’s not as if we’re convening a martial arts alliance. We’ll keep it private amongst ourselves for a simple meal; there’s no need to make a grand show of it."

Chen Jichuan’s heart indeed brimmed with joy.

Typically, he refrained from indulging in such ceremonies, but today marked an exception.

Sun Hanjiu lit up with a wide smile, quickly replying, "As Grandmaster commands. Leave this matter to me, and I’ll ensure every old comrade is invited!"

...