Chapter 943: The Struggle Before 12 o’Clock

As her understanding of the “Yijin Jing” deepened, Kai Xin increasingly noticed its similarities to the “Jiuyang Shen Gong.” Although she had lost the ability to replicate or simulate it, the “Yijin Jing,” like the “Jiuyang Shen Gong,” allowed for rapid progress in internal energy cultivation. Moreover, both were extraordinary martial arts techniques that provided automatic protection to reduce damage—one by creating a layer of Jiuyang protection over the internal organs and body, while the other added a layer of airflow over the muscles and bones, forming an unformed periosteum. The “Yijin Jing” also enhanced its own defense without consuming internal energy. There was another similar aspect: while the “Jiuyang Shen Gong” helped speed up the progress of martial arts training, the “Yijin Jing” performed even better. When under attack, it gradually raised its level, ascending like a protective technique—quite peculiarly, allowing for much faster breakthroughs and advancements compared to ordinary techniques. Each level-up expanded the meridians, meaning increased strength and greater control over internal energy—enabling faster attacks and counters with exceptional ease. It even made Kai Xin feel as though she hadn’t died at all, remaining at her peak while gradually growing stronger!

As they fought their way through the three courtyards of the Myriad Beasts Villa, the progress of the “Immortal Body” technique was extremely slow—taking three hours to reach the second level—while the “Yijin Jing” directly reached the fourth level. Her internal energy surged to 653 points, and her innate foundation surpassed 300 points!

…
As the members of the Hunter Family said, the courtyards of medium difficulty in the “Middle Three Courtyards” were home to even more ferocious beasts. The beast tamer transformed into a burly man from the northern regions, making him a formidable opponent. Yet Kai Xin still excelled at dodging and maneuvering, creating opportunities for the Hunter Family’s trap masters to deal heavy blows to the beasts before confronting them again. She skillfully used her dragon-shaped evasion techniques to distract the beasts while cultivating the “Immortal Body” and advancing the “Yijin Jing.” Although the time taken to kill the beasts increased, the Hunter Family reaped greater benefits. These beast tamer, who were nearly at the peak of the Wuwei realm or even at the beginning of the mythic realm, occasionally produced magical weapons or high-grade, top-tier martial arts secrets, yielding even greater rewards than dealing with ordinary beast tamers.

…
With Kai Xin, who wasn’t afraid to engage head-on with the beast packs, the group rampaged wildly through the “Middle Three Courtyards,” each of them wearing expressions of excitement and joy.

It lasted until night!
……
After logging off at night, he came back once more before reluctantly parting from the Hunter Family. By then, Happy had earned nearly seventy million taels of silver from his day’s efforts. Although he hadn’t exchanged it for real silver, Yu Long said these items could be sold quickly, and the money would arrive the next day. Happy took some of the cash and logged off.
It was already close to 12 o’clock.
“I wonder how Chen Kaixin is doing today.”
Lying in bed, Happy couldn’t help but look melancholic…
Although things here were getting on track, the emotions and everything he had left behind over those one and a half years made it hard for him to let go. Xu Xin, the Three Lonely Wolves, Silver Fox, and others—though he couldn’t contact them in this world—their faces would occasionally appear in his mind.
“Sigh…”
Under the dim light of the hospital room, Happy closed his eyes helplessly.
……
“Why is the ‘Qi Jin Jing’ so hard to practice?”
In the gang’s prison cell, Chen Kaixin’s day wasn’t going well. Although he had obtained the ‘Qi Jin Jing’ and also got a decent swordsmanship manual from the gang’s warehouse, for some reason, using the ‘Qi Jin Jing’ to activate the new swordsmanship manual felt extremely difficult, as if his internal energy wasn’t flowing smoothly. It was as hard as wielding something weighing dozens of kilograms.
Moreover…
In front of the Wuyi Realm NPC prisoners, Chen Kaixin couldn’t block even a few attacks. If it weren’t for his extraordinary equipment and the automatic protection of the ‘Jiuyang Shen Gong,’ he would have been completely crushed by them.
After most of the day, Chen Kaixin realized he had barely moved in practicing the ‘Qi Jin Jing,’ and his swordsmanship progress was painfully slow—he had only broken through to the second level…
After all, earlier levels were easy to break through. From the memories he had read before, when Happy practiced the Jietu Realm’s ‘Cangqiong Mielei Shi,’ he broke through six levels in just one day, and later advanced rapidly through level-skipping challenges. Unlike him, who was moving as slowly as a snail.
Looking around the gloomy prison cell, Chen Kaixin felt like he was the one being imprisoned for years…
“It must be because of the wrong method!”
……
Chen Kaixin stopped practicing until night and sat in silence, depressed, thinking:
“Don’t rush! What would he do?”
“The ‘Qi Jin Jing’…”
“If it were him…”
Chen Kaixin closed his eyes tightly, constantly recalling what that consciousness had done.
……
“Hm?”
“It seems it’s not yet 12 o’clock?”
“What urgent matter came up?”

Lying in bed, Happy suddenly sensed a strong swirling force approaching. Curiously, she quickly glanced at the clock beside her. It was only 11 o’clock! Her heart tightened inexplicably… She had agreed with Chen Kaixin that 12 o’clock would be the time to bring her over—something must have gone wrong if he brought her here now! But just as her consciousness was about to be pulled in, Happy felt that this time was different… It wasn’t a strong pull, but rather… it seemed like both sides were attracting each other. … “What’s going on?” The moment Happy entered the other world, she immediately sensed something unusual. She found herself in a prison, with prisoners from the Wuwei Realm looking at her with scornful mockery, sipping the daily reward—wine—from a pouch leisurely. Chen Kaixin didn’t speak right away. It shouldn’t have been like this! “What urgent matter happened?” Happy thought to herself. “…” “…” Only then did Happy realize she was sitting cross-legged in the cell, practicing her cultivation techniques. If something serious had happened, given Chen Kaixin’s temperament, he wouldn’t have remained so calm. After calling out several times, she was sure something was wrong. Frowning, she quickly checked the daily log! It included all the system logs from today’s cultivation, messages sent via carrier pigeons, task logs, and some battle information. Since she couldn’t get any clues from Chen Kaixin, she had to search on her own… Soon, Happy went through the contents of today’s carrier pigeon messages in detail. Aside from the news from Bai Xiaosheng that he had obtained the “Tianmo Ce,” she also learned that several members of the Wild Wolf Organization had appeared in the Central Plains. Seeing this, Happy didn’t show much surprise or excitement… The Wild Wolf Organization still hadn’t developed much! Since they were in the Central Plains, with just his word, those people would be trapped there forever. What Happy wanted most urgently was to find out what was wrong with Chen Kaixin—why had he suddenly brought her over and then fallen silent? After reading all the carrier pigeon messages, she went through the other contents as well, then frowned slightly. Her online time wasn’t short, but her progress in practicing the “Yijin Jing” was far from satisfactory. Her progress over there was almost on par with this side’s, but she had wasted several hours on rehabilitation treatment and money transfers, leaving her at the fourth level so far.

It’s still at the beginner stage of the second level here…
“The Wind Singing Sword Art” has also just reached the second level of progress.
“What the hell?”
Kai Xin’s happy brows furrowed so tightly that it seemed they might fall out.
Even for a newcomer, this shouldn’t be the progress level.
“Could this kid be hiding because of low self-esteem?” After checking the battle log again, Kai Xin somewhat understood.
Although he couldn’t comprehend why Chen Kaixin had pulled him along in advance, the fact that this kid had been struggling here for hours without practicing suggested he must be experiencing significant emotional turmoil.
Kai Xin stopped calling out to Chen Kaixin and silently searched through the battle log’s reminders to find the reason for the slow progress in his cultivation.
“Fighting against a Wuyi Realm NPC while wearing top-tier Class 4 demonic equipment—how afraid of death are you…?”
“I am, after all, a master at the ultimate stage of both the ‘Arhat Body’ and the ‘Nine Yang Divine Skill.’ With such divine equipment that boosts defense by ten thousand, how could a Wuyi Realm prisoner even touch me? Brother! The ‘Tendon Strengthening Scripture’ probably can’t even sense any pressure.”
At this thought, Kai Xin’s eyes lit up:
“Right!”
He suddenly stood up, strode confidently toward the Wuyi Realm prisoner, and ordered him to attack.
The prisoner obeyed promptly, putting away his wine bag and slashing with his sword…
After activating the Arhat Body, Kai Xin braced the attack with his shoulder. Suddenly, a red glow erupted from within him, reducing much of the damage.
“Back off!” Kai Xin ordered, muttering to himself, “So that’s how it is.”
The prisoner suddenly dropped his mocking expression, staring at Kai Xin in confusion, unable to believe how bold he had become all of a sudden—after previously fleeing in panic from his attacks.
Under the prisoner’s astonished gaze, Kai Xin had already figured out why the progress in the “Tendon Strengthening Scripture” was so slow…
The “Nine Yang Divine Skill” provided automatic protection, making his defense extremely high. Since the “Tendon Strengthening Scripture” wasn’t the main focus, it couldn’t sense any pressure, hence it remained dormant.
Though this was the first time Kai Xin had seen such a situation, it was indeed the case.
Kai Xin removed all his equipment and, dressed in plain clothes, ordered the prisoner to attack again…
This time, the problem was solved.
The “Tendon Strengthening Scripture” finally showed some activity!
“The problem with the ‘Tendon Strengthening Scripture’ is solved, but martial arts progress shouldn’t be this slow.” Frowning, Kai Xin drew a regular first-class long sword, not even bothering to activate his cultivation realm. He challenged the prisoner using the “Wind Singing Sword Art.”
His sword techniques were erratic and elusive!

Xiao Kai quickly grasped the essence of it. His sword techniques were continuous, leaving wounds on the prisoner in an instant, turning the prisoner’s suspicious gaze into one of awe and fear. Upon receiving orders, the prisoner hid in a corner with his wine bag, no longer daring to be as carefree as before. Xiao Kai paid no attention to the prisoner’s change at all, his brows furrowed in concern: “No problem… the speed of my sword techniques is normal.” He began to find it hard to understand.