He pulled himself up, took a deep breath and began to practice.

Slash!

Slash!

Instantly, pain seared thorough his body as if thunder tearing him.

His blood sped up its circulation like fire burning. Although his meridians were resilient, a trace of tremendous energy rolling among them forced him to bellow.

"Dragon Kang." He stepped forward and threw out his palm.

Howl!

As a snarl sounded, a dragon shadow emerged and swept away the trees and gravels around.

Boom!

Boom!

Solid rock walls were crushed by Ye Chen's palm.

He nearly fell on the ground after applying the mystique.

"My energy drains." Astonished, he gulped down several mouthfuls of spirit liquid.

The mystique really needed the practitioner to have a strong body. Give his cultivation level, practicing once reached his energy limit.

He energized after taking the spirit liquid, but still had ache.

"I cannot avoid hurting myself." He sighed, "I merely practice the mystique reluctantly."

At dawn, he swallowed a mouthful of spirit liquid and slipped away from the mountains behind the sect.

The sun rose when he returned to the Spirit Core Pavilion.

Xu Fu sat in lotus position and waited for him.

"Morning, sect elder." Ye Chen greeted Xu Fu.

"Come here." Xu Fu waved to Ye Chen and whispered, "You met Qi Yue last night?"

Ye Chen nodded.

"What do you think of her?" Xu Fu grinned.

Ye Chen was stunned, "Beautiful, like a fairy."

"Do you have a crush on her?"

Startled, Ye Chen realized Xu Fu wanted to introduce Qi Yue to be his girl friend.

"Master!" A grating female voice spread from the side hall.

Qi Yue in white dress entered the great hall angrily.

"You…you finish close training?" Xu Fu tittered.

Qi Yue glared at him and cast a cold look at Ye Chen, "I'm concentrated on cultivation practice, and have no interest in finding a boy friend. Besides, I want one stronger than me! HE? A cultivator at the Qi condensation stage! You worry I'm going to be a spinster?"

Qi Yue's curse embarrassed both Xu Fu and Ye Chen.

"Listen to me…He…" Xu Fu uttered.

"I don't want to listen!" She interrupted Xu Fu, flicked a gruff glimpse at Ye Chen and left the great hall with a flick of her sleeves.

Ye Chen twitched his mouth, and turned around to Xu Fu, "Sect elder, her temper is so bad…"

"Alas! I spoil her too much."

"Sect elder Xu, who cleans the stove every day?" Ye Chen transferred the topic and wanted to test whether Xu Fu knew the mystique inside the stove or not.

"It's my treasure. Qi Yue and I clean it usually, besides you."

"Haven't you found anything…in it?"

"What thing?" Xu Fu stared at Ye Chen in surprise.

Xu Fu's expression told Ye Chen the answer: neither Xu Fu nor Qi Yue knew the mystique, which might only emerge when true fire showed up.

"What thing?" Xu Fu still gazed at Ye Chen.

"Nothing, just some ashes of spirit herbs." Ye Chen left the hall, "I go to refine cores."

"What a fuss!" Xu Fu answered in wrath.