Prison cell.
Mu Feng's eyes burst open violently, his gaze sharp as a knife.
He struggled to twist his head, his brows knotted tightly.
Pain, a pain so intense it seemed to drill into his marrow!
Two cold and fearsome iron hooks had been driven through the scapulae of Mu Feng's shoulders, suspending him in mid-air.
His dark red blood descended along his body, its drip-drop sound echoing as it fell to the ground.
His limbs dangled powerlessly. Upon careful observation, one could easily see a frightful sight - his wrists, elbows, and knees were all pierced by iron nails about a foot long.
"As death approaches, the memories buried in the depths of my soul finally awake completely!
I am both Mu Feng, the abandoned child of the Li family from the capital;
And also the Forever Emperor Mu Feng, respected by all, ruling in all directions."
In Mu Feng's eyes gleamed an extraordinarily bright light, his body exuding a domineering aura of supremacy.
Bang!
The heavy iron door careened open, and a girl dressed in pale blue slowly walked in.
The girl was in the prime of her youth, her skin whiter than snow, and her face exquisitely beautiful, the embodiment of a stunning beauty.
However, her eyes were cold as ice, frighteningly so.
"Xia Bingxuan, why did you betray us?"
Mu Feng's gaze fell on the young lady dressed in green.
His eyes were filled with complex emotions, including anger, shock, and confusion.
Xia Bingxuan was the adopted daughter of his mother, Li Wenshu. She was his childhood friend.
Although they were not related by blood, their bond was closer than that of many blood relatives.
Li Wenshu regarded Xia Bingxuan like her own, investing time and resources to cultivate her skills.
However, after Mu Feng and Li Wenshu were expelled from the capital, Xia Bingxuan turned her back on them.
When they came to Tongyang City, intending to seek refuge with Xia Bingxuan, they were instead ambushed by her poison and assault.
In the end, they were gravely injured and imprisoned.
"Mu Feng, you're still so naive. You and your mother are nothing more than homeless dogs now, with no value to exploit. Why should I maintain a relationship with you? 'Every man for himself,' isn't it just survival of the fittest?"
Xia Bingxuan's face was devoid of any expression, yet the words she spoke were hard for Mu Feng to believe.
"So, you became my mother's adopted daughter only because we were of use to you?" Mu Feng questioned her in a low voice.
"Otherwise?"
Xia Bingxuan's eyes were cold as she continued, "Without taking Li Wenshu into account, who would regard a failure like you as an older brother?"
"You're calling me a failure?"
Mu Feng's gaze gradually turned cold. He had spent many years with Xia Bingxuan, who was always gentle and submissive, never daring to insult him in such a way before.
Now, Xia Bingxuan labeled him a "worthless", a term so foreign to him.
"You're worthless to begin with. Can't accept it yet? Now that you guys are like homeless dogs, you can’t drag me down! Only worthy of being worthless!"
Xia Bingxuan sneered repeatedly, her eyes filled with mockery.
Mu Feng was utterly agape, never having thought that someone could be shameless to such extent.
Xia Bingxuan's life and future were given by his mother.
Yet, she returned kindness with enmity, and acted as if it were expected. Truly ungrateful and heartless.
"Bring in the pill furnace!"
Xia Bingxuan turned around and demanded to the cell door.
Outside the cell, four burly men carried a pill furnace that was about one meter high.
Following behind the pill furnace was an old man in a black robe, his eyes cloudy and sinister, trailing along slowly.
Boom!
With a sound like a large bell, the pill furnace landed, causing the ground to tremble violently.
Mu Feng noticed that the pill furnace was directly beneath him.
"Xia Bingxuan, what is the meaning of this?"
Mu Feng coldly looked at Xia Bingxuan, a sense of uneasiness brewing in his heart.
"As the ancient texts say, those born with the King's Body are like the greatest of medicines; their flesh akin to precious herbs, and their blood like a rare, divine sept.
Even though your King's Body was taken away, it still retains a spiritual essence. If formulated into a potion, it would be highly beneficial."
Xia Bingxuan stared at Mu Feng, the corners of her mouth curling into a smile, and with fiery enthusiasm in her eyes, she continued.
In an instant, Mu Feng felt his blood rush to his forehead, as if a volcanic eruption seethed within his chest.
Clang!
Struggling violently, the black chains shackling him resonated with his movements.
"Xia Bingxuan! Where is your conscience?"
Mu Feng glared at Xia Bingxuan, with a voice hoarse due to fury.
For more than a decade, he had always treated her as his dear sister.
When she was ill, Mu Feng kept watch by her bedside day and night for three days straight.
Whenever she would cause trouble, he would step in and take the blame.
When others bullied her, Mu Feng defended her and was bruised all over.
But now, Xia Bingxuan disregards their past and wants to refine him into a potion?
Does she really have a heart as venomous as a scorpion or a serpent?
Xia Bingxuan’s face showed no expression as she ordered the two burly men to open the alchemy furnace.
"Mu Feng, you're nothing but a waste! Living in this world is a waste of food, but being my supplement, your death makes you valuable!"
Sneering at Mu Feng, Xia Bingxuan continued, "Remember, it's you who needs to die! Not because of my doing. The fault lies in you being useless!"
With a yell from her, the chain locked around Mu Feng's rib was let go.
Mu Feng dropped straight into the alchemy furnace.
"Mr. Li, the matter of refining medicine still depends on you!"
Looking at the black-robed elder behind the furnace, Xia Bingxuan revealed a rare smile on her face.
"Miss Xia, it's my pleasure. With flesh and blood of natural born king condition, we are bound to succeed!" Old Mr. Li said arrogantly.
Xia Bingxuan nodded in satisfaction, instructed for a few more times, and then left the prison cell.
Clang!
The furnace cover was closed. Mu Feng, submerged in the crystalline medicine fluid, gradually calmed down his thoughts.
"Wishing to refine me as medicine? Ridiculous! This furnace of medicinal materials is just what I need."
There was a sudden glint in Mu Feng's eyes. After awakening his memory, his experience and vision were far from ordinary.
In the previous life, not only was he extraordinary in martial arts, but he had also reached the pinnacle in many side professions such as medicine, artifact refinement, array method, etc.
Otherwise, how could he have made all the emperors bow down to him?
Such inferior concocting certainly doesn't catch his discerning eye.
Inside the furnace, the temperature rapidly soars; the crystal-clear medicine liquid starts boiling.
Mu Feng is seated in the center, starting to operate the "Eternal Sutra", crazily absorbing the medicinal strength from the medicine liquid.
The "Eternal Sutra" was the most powerful mantra of Mu Feng's previous life, outstanding throughout ancient times and dazzling in the present, unparalleled by anyone.
Under the combined effect of the surging medicinal power and the mighty mantra, Mu Feng's injuries are visibly healing at a noticeable speed.
The medicinal ingredients within the medicine furnace are quite unique, basically all being aged prescriptions over thirty years, their medicinal effects are profound.
After Mu Feng's injuries fully healed, the rolling medicinal strength poured into the first dim life meridian in his body.
Boom!
With the first life meridian unclogged, a bright golden pattern emerged on Mu Feng's brow.
He successfully advanced to the first level of the life meridian!
The beginning of martial arts consists of three basic realms, namely life meridian realm, life wheel realm and life sea realm.
The life meridian realm is about unclogging the body's life meridians, stimulating the human body's potential.
It is said that there are twelve life meridians in the human body, thus divided into twelve levels.
Boom, boom, boom!
In just half a day, Mu Feng unclogged four life meridians in succession, advancing to the fourth level of the life meridian realm.
On Mu Feng's forehead, four bright golden patterns gleamed in a radiant interplay.
Inside his body, spiritual energy moved like a dragon, coursing through his entire being.
Clang, Clang, Clang!
Wherever the spiritual energy journeyed, iron nails from all around the joints flew out one after the other, striking the furnace walls and causing a continuous tinkling sound.
"Break, the fifth life vein!"
Mu Feng clasped his hands in a seal, running the 'Eternal Scripture' to its utmost extent.
The medicine liquid in the pill furnace fully boiled, flowing into his acupoints like rivers rushing into the sea.
The five-fold life vein is the first transformation stage within the life vein realm.
Once broken through, muscles would be as strong as iron, bones as tough as steel.
Boom!
The sounds like thunder rumbled from within Mu Feng's body, a fifth life vein appearing on his surface, its golden glow swirling.
He had stepped into the realm of the five-fold life vein.
At this moment, Mu Feng's body glittered like gold, shining as brilliantly as the sun.
Suddenly, he opened his eyes wide and gave a little shudder. The iron hook pierced through his shoulder bones was thrown out.
Crack!
The heavy iron hook crashed against the furnace wall, causing an ear-splitting noise that induced countless cracks to spread across the wall.
"Huh? What's that noise?"
In front of the alchemical furnace stood Li Lao, with his eyes hidden in shadow. His hands were folded behind his back as he directed four strong, burly men to control the heat at the bottom of the furnace.
Suddenly, a terrifyingly loud impact echoed from within the furnace.
Then, Li Lao was horrified to find that innumerable cracks had formed on the vast furnace.
Boom!
With a deafening explosion, the furnace shattered into countless pieces scattered in every direction, engulfed in flames.
Ah!
Ah!
Ah!
The four burly men, being the closest to the explosion, let out anguished cries as the immense shockwave sent them flying.
Once they landed, their bodies were riddled with wounds from the shattered furnace fragments, their eyes open even in death.
Li Lao acted quickly, retreating just in time, but not without injuries. The shockwave hit him, causing multiple wounds from which blood poured out profusely.
He fiercely looked towards the center of the furnace explosion, where a shocking sight unfolded before his eyes.
There...
Fragments of the furnace were swirling, and the flames raged like a tempestuous sea.
A figure bathed in golden brilliance stepped out of the inferno...
