Li Shen's hair was filled with dirt and grime, and he hadn’t showered for an unknown period so he stank so much he could be smelled from a mile away.
Li Shen willed it and the realistic-looking saber transformed to Metal Qi before disseminating into the surroundings. Afterward, Li Shen jumped into the pond. Immediately as he, did a patch of dirt spread in the pond water.
After a couple of minutes, Li Shen resurfaced in a clear area of the pond.
He had returned to his regular size of just under six feet. His golden hair glisten as the sun above shone down on him.
Li Shen swept it back from his face and looked up at the sky.
“I wonder how long it’s been since I was conscious.”
After mumbling that he looked down at his clothed-less figure and frowned at the many scars on his body.
Letting out a sigh, he couldn’t be bothered so he didn’t think about it and simply fall back into the water. His figure soon rose once again and he allowed the pond’s current to carry him about while he floated on his back.
Li Shen could hardly remember anything after he left the Guardian tree, just scattered memories of his various battles against Spirit Beasts.
But that was only because he regained consciousness during those times.
“Ugh.”
Li Shen groaned as he held his head.
“I know this is bad that I don’t even know how long I’ve been fighting for, but for some reason, I couldn’t care less.”
Li Shen had only regained his sanity when he met Mu Fan a week ago. But if he was really to try and guess the amount of time that he and the others were in here, it might be a year at most.
“So I’ve been fighting non-stop for a year? No wonder I feel like my body is like a damaged carriage that went through repairs numerous times.”
Li Shen raised his hand and looked at it as he spoke.
Even though Li Shen didn’t remember his battles, they still had a profound effect on him. Even as he relaxed his sense were still on high alert. It was hard for him to turn off his sense of danger now.
His physical body was different as well, it felt like he could jump over a tall mountain in one leap or destroy said mountain with a few punches.
Li Shen didn’t know it but he had been living like a war monger beast. His ferociousness as he charge head-on without a single fear of getting hurt struck fear in the Spirit Beasts' hearts.
For an entire year and a half, he didn’t think about the best way to train his martial art or Daoist Magic, but rather how to use them to survive.
Li Shen’s instincts for battle were now terrifying, and he could feel it.
As he closed his eyes his ears were hearing everything clearly, and his sense of touch as the water washed over him was amplified to the max.
All of his senses were heightened, like a natural predator that was always on guard to protect its territory.
“Just how much danger had I faced and battles have I fought for me feel like this? No, first of all, I should be asking what happened to me to fall into such a state that I feel nothing more than to fight regardless of anything.”
Li Shen felt worried in his heart. If it was in another situation than this he might have been in a lot more danger.
But the most significant change, aside from his manipulation of his Time Qi on a micro level becoming more precise, or his combat instincts for using his martial arts amplifying.
That change was the ever-growing unease he felt by just relaxing. His body had become so used to battle that he had to mentally and physically try to hold himself back from jumping up to go find some Spirit Beasts to fight.
His urge for battle was pounding against his senses and was trying to drown and make him sink into that crazed state where he thought of nothing more than to fight.
“I need to release this urge somehow.”
Li Shen's fingers and toes started to itch and he looked at Mu Fan to see that his breakthrough hadn’t yet been completed. He couldn’t leave either since he was supposed to watch over him.
Li Shen closed his eyes and tried very hard to calm down, but no matter what the urge only increased bit by bit.
If Li Shen truly wanted to curb this growing urge he could. He could squash this feeling that was coming from his Heavenly Physique. But he didn’t want to, it felt like if he did he would go back to a place mentally where he didn’t want to be.
He needed this urge, he found it important going forward.
So he remained in the floating water with closed eyes as he waited for Mu Fan to finish his breakthrough.
After a couple of hours, the build-up of energy around Mu Fan popped like a bubble. His aura of a peak Foundation Realm cultivator flowed out.
However, even then it felt like he could go further and break into the Core Formation Realm. But he had to open his eyes. As he did, he came face to face with Li Shen who was only in his pants. He was squatting in front of him with his face a couple of inches away from his own.
“Are done now? Let’s continue our fight.”
Li Shen asked as he raised his head from resting on his hand.
Mu Fan cracked a bitter smile and said.
“I..uh... need to clean myself.”
Li Shen hearing that clicked his tongue as Mu Fan got up and walked around him towards the pond.
He stood and waited by the pond side as Mu Fan scrubbed to rid himself of the dirt caking onto his skin.
Mu Fan then awkwardly exited the pond under Li Shen’s impatient stare.
“Might as well stay the same because your just going to return to be covered in filth.”
Mu Fan forced a smile and asked.
“Faction Leader, what about the others, have you heard anything?”
Li Shen shook his head.
“No, I haven’t. But they should be fine right? They’re the ones who went ahead and decided to destroy their trackers, you and everyone should take responsibility for your actions.”
Mu Fan felt that Li Shen’s words were laced with unhappiness, and his heart shuddered. As if nothing had changed his fight-of-flight instincts kicked in and he felt the desire to run.
Li Shen glared at him and said.
“What are you doing? Let’s start our battle, we’ll look for them afterwards.”
At that command, Mu Fan could only swallow his fear and prepare for a fight.
Li Shen flipped over his palm, and the Metal Qi in the surroundings quickly condense into a saber once again.
With a stomp, his figure rebounded off the ground and dash towards Mu Fan.
Clang!
Clang!
Clang!
The Spirit Beasts in the surroundings were once again horrified as these two resume their battle.
**
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