The crimson light pulsing through the floorboards flared into a searing brilliance as Ye Chen clamped down on his swirling dantian.
Instead of allowing the massive influx of energy to tear through his flesh, he focused his intent inward, dragging the raging river of refined Qi into the absolute center of his core. The volatile gaseous vortex collapsed under the pressure, condensing into a single, shimmering liquid drop that fell into his spiritual sea with the heavy ring of an iron bell.
BOOM!
A shockwave of azure and gold force exploded outward from his body, blowing the splintered oak door off its leather hinges and shattering the remaining glass panes of the inner chamber.
Ye Chen stood up slowly from the cracked flagstones, his spine popping with a sound like rolling thunder.
The
