Chapter 199: Awakening

He didn’t know how long he had slept; it felt like a dream—starting with boredom and confusion, then progressing to practicing in his own mental sea. Now, he had learned the seventh sword technique! It was a huge improvement, and this period could be considered a successful retreat.

One day, Rod finally felt that control over his body had returned to him. The icy sensation within him, along with that energy, vanished as he regained control, as if it had never existed. Only Rod knew that energy had indeed been there and had brought him unimaginable benefits—pulling him back from the brink of death, strengthening his meridians, enhancing every cell, and thoroughly transforming and strengthening his internal organs as well.

Rod didn’t know what precious herbs were needed to achieve such results. All he knew was that he owed the person who saved him an immense debt of gratitude.

He slowly opened his eyes. The faint sunlight outside made him close them again; having been in darkness for so long, he was somewhat unaccustomed. His whole body was still numb, unable to move. But as his consciousness returned, he began trying to take control of his limbs and joints.

Snap, snap, snap… Like firecrackers, every movement of his body produced a noisy sound. Gradually, through his efforts, full control over his body returned.

His injuries had healed, and he felt no discomfort. If anything, it was just a bit rusty from not moving for so long. Rod believed that after a day or half a day to adjust, he would be even stronger than before. He could clearly feel the changes in his body—it had become tougher, more robust, and stronger, allowing his already extraordinary physique to grow even more powerful. Rod was overjoyed. His body’s toughness had reached the fourth stage! That was what excited him the most.

The Void Space had propelled him to the second stage, the God-Destroying Thunder Tribulation had taken him to the third stage, and this near-death experience just a month later had brought him to the fourth stage. Rod knew full well that that pill had played an indelible and tremendous role. Without it, he could never have reached this level so quickly.

He had already reached the fourth stage of the six-body levels. At this point, Rod was confident that his current physique could reach the strength of a peak-level martial expert among the demon race, even surpassing it. In terms of physical confrontation and combat, there were no rivals within the divine realm. Now, he was quite eager to see what would happen once he entered the fifth stage! The body is the foundation of revolution, the foundation of everything. Without a strong physique, how can one accommodate a powerful soul? Without a powerful soul, how can one cultivate formidable skills, dominate the world, or harness the energy of heaven and earth to develop terrifying combat energy? Once the physique improves, everything will fall into place. All that’s missing is time. Many strong warriors remain stuck at a certain level because their physical limitations hinder their progress. Delighted, Rod glanced around. He was inside a cave—a rather shallow one; calling it a cave was even an exaggeration, as it was merely a room carved out, simple and unadorned. There was a stone table, several stone chairs, a bed made of an unknown material that differed slightly from stone, and a few extremely simple daily necessities. Nothing else was there, indicating that the owner of this room lived a simple life. Slowly walking forward, he stepped outside. The sunlight was blinding, casting a golden glow over the land. The scorching sun sent waves of heat, making the cave seem like a cool paradise compared to this. He didn’t know where he was—just a small hill with a cave carved beneath it. It was warm in winter and cool in summer, a nice place. In front was a small river, which Rod recognized as being in the forest he was in; Minghu might be nearby. There was a grassy area ahead, but it was trampled beyond recognition. The open space ahead was full of pits and mess, likely the result of the owner practicing there frequently. Birds sang, a gentle breeze blew, the sun shone brightly, and the river flowed softly—what a idyllic scene. “Kid! Are you awake?” A voice suddenly came from behind, pulling Rod out of his thoughts. He quickly turned around. A middle-aged man in a simple linen vest and shorts, wearing slippers made of hemp rope, stood behind him. Around forty years old, he still gave off a youthful and cheerful vibe.

His body was covered with bulging muscles, full of explosive power. With short hair and rugged features, one could instantly sense his bold and heroic spirit.
“Thank you for saving my life!” Rod bowed slightly and spoke from the heart. He recognized this man as the one he had seen before losing consciousness—that mysterious figure who had easily defeated him in three consecutive battles some time ago. It was this man who had saved him!
“No need to be polite. I, Melon, have no other hobbies but to stand up for justice! I hate those show-off guys the most! I just happened to pass by and saw those people were annoying!” Melon waved his hand and said bravely.
“By the way, was it you who caused the trouble in Dark Moon City that day?” he asked, seemingly recalling something.
“Yeah!” Rod smiled apologetically. Though their conversation had only lasted a few words, it felt very pleasant. Talking to such a person didn’t require any scheming—it was easy.
“Not bad. That energy was quite strong; I could feel it. There must have been quite a few people surrounding you. It’s already great that you managed to escape. If it weren’t for me showing up, those guys who chased after you would have killed you! You’re lucky, kid!” Melon nodded, stepped next to Rod, put an arm around his shoulder, and led the way forward.
He had no airs about him and was very kind. If it weren’t for his impressive muscles, he would have given anyone a great impression.
“Enough about that. Are you feeling better?” Sensing that Rod wasn’t very happy talking about this topic, he continued asking.
“Pretty much. Thank you, senior. I’ll never forget your life-saving kindness. If needed in the future, I, Rod, am willing to go through any hardship for you!” Rod nodded sincerely. This time it was genuine—not just because he had been saved from certain death by so many people, but also because that extraordinary pill alone was enough to fill him with gratitude.
There are some people and some things that must not be forgotten. To forget them is worse than being an animal!
“It’s okay. You don’t need to go through any hardships! Just remember that! It’s a shame about that Dragon Yang Pill. I didn’t see anything special about you. It’s a loss. I hope its power can help you in the future. As for payment, since the dragons seem to get along well with you, I’ll ask those old guys for it later!” Melon pouted and glanced at Rod. Not seeing any significant changes after he took the Dragon Yang Pill, he felt somewhat disappointed. Then he waved his hand nonchalantly.

He muttered to himself, but Rod overheard him: “That doesn’t make sense. Where’s the Longyang Dan? How could it have no effect?”
He didn’t know what the Longyang Dan was, but it was definitely something that could drive ordinary people crazy, even driving people like Sognar insane as well. According to Melon, he had only reaped a small benefit, but if even that little benefit could produce such an effect, one could imagine just how monstrous the full power of the Longyang Dan must be. Rod kept this kindness in mind while smiling bitterly inwardly. An elder of the dragon race? Probably at least at the level of an elder, right? Those people were in for a tough time!
If necessary in the future, he would make amends! Thinking this to himself, Rod didn’t intend to tell Melon that he wasn’t very familiar with the dragon race. In his view, perhaps only the dragon race could produce something comparable to the Longyang Dan. For now, he would let them repay Melon first, and then he would repay the dragon race later.
“How long have I been asleep?” Suddenly remembering this, Rod quickly turned to Melon, who still looked puzzled and muttering to himself, and asked.
“Not long. Your body has recovered well. Although your injuries were severe, thanks to your abnormal recovery ability and the Longyang Dan, it only took ten days!” Melon replied, turning to look at Rod.
“Damn it! So long?” Rod cried out in pain. Ten days? That meant there was less than two months left until the competition started. Although his body had recovered successfully thanks to the Longyang Dan, raising him to a higher level, his combat energy had only improved slightly, still a bit short of the intermediate divine level. Ten days was enough time to do many things, but now it had been wasted like this. Of course, he was heartbroken.
“Do you have something to do? Are you going to participate in that qualification selection competition?” As if able to see through everything, Melon asked without any surprise, hitting the nail on the head.
Seeing Rod’s surprised and dazed expression, Melon said, “It’s not surprising. I know about this matter, and I also know a bit about your goals. Don’t ask me how I know; you’ll understand when the time comes!”
Shrugging his shoulders, he dismissed Rod’s question and continued, “Well, the initial divine level. It’s quite good to reach this level at your age. You’re much stronger than me!”
After praising him, he frowned and said, “But with such strength, it’s still not enough to compete in the selection competition. Those old guys are all eyeing those spots, and there will be fierce competition. Your body is good, and your combat energy is unusual—these are advantages. But to have a chance, you need to reach at least the intermediate divine level!”

The analysis was thorough, but Rod looked distressed; he knew all this too, yet there really wasn’t much time left.