C2 Body Refining Layer Six

Lu Chen's instincts kicked in, halting his departing steps abruptly.

"Young man, can I help you find something?"

The vendor, noticing Lu Chen's return, quickly mustered a warm smile on his weathered face.

"I'm just browsing for now."

Lu Chen responded nonchalantly and crouched down, feigning interest as he sifted through the items on the stall.

Suddenly, his eye was caught by a small bronze fragment, no larger than a fingernail.

Intricate patterns were etched into the metal, which glinted with a faint, eerie light in the sunset.

Curiosity piqued, Lu Chen picked it up, noting its solid, icy feel and surprising heft.

As he examined it closely, he sensed a profound power emanating from within.

The Artifact Spirit within the Heaven Splitting Axe he carried seemed to pulse more eagerly as he held the fragment.

Lu Chen focused his mind and could almost taste the longing that the Artifact Spirit was projecting.

"Have you taken a liking to that piece, young man?"

The vendor's face bloomed into a chrysanthemum-like smile when he saw that Lu Chen hadn't put the fragment down.

The bronze piece was a random find during a herb-gathering trip in the mountains; selling it would be a delightful bonus.

Lu Chen, snapping out of his reverie, let out a soft breath and, without pretense, inquired, "Boss, I'm interested in this bronze fragment."

He opened his hand, showing the vendor the fragment clearly.

The vendor peered into Lu Chen's palm, then put on a show of pondering, shaking his head as he said, "This bronze fragment is..."

Lu Chen inwardly scoffed. Having lived two lifetimes, he could easily see through the vendor's attempt to jack up the price. Without hesitation, he asked, "How much?"

"A hundred copper coins!" The vendor revealed a sly grin, a glint of cunning in his eyes.

Lu Chen's brow furrowed slightly. A hundred copper coins might not seem much, but it was enough to sustain a family of four for a month.

Facing the vendor's crafty smile, Lu Chen realized he was being sized up as an easy mark.

"A hundred copper coins is a bit steep. I've only got thirty on me." With that, he pulled out all the copper coins from his jacket pocket and counted them, confirming there were exactly thirty.

"And that's all there is," he concluded, indicating he had no more to offer.

"Thirty it is, then!" The vendor's eyes gleamed as he snatched the coins from Lu Chen's hand and cheerfully pocketed them.

"Oh, one more thing, where did you find this fragment?" Lu Chen inquired, struck by a sudden thought as he prepared to leave.

"I stumbled upon it while gathering herbs," the vendor replied without much thought.

"And where exactly were you picking these herbs?" Lu Chen pressed on.

"Just around the edges of the Deep Blue Mountain Range."

"Could you sketch out a detailed map of your herb-picking route for me?"

"Absolutely!" The vendor, pleased with the thirty copper coins, eagerly agreed. He grabbed a dried twig and quickly sketched a rudimentary map on the ground.

Lu Chen's gaze sharpened as he committed the simple map to memory.

After a short while, having cross-referenced the mental image with the map on the ground and finding no discrepancies, Lu Chen stood up to leave.

As he rose, he felt a lightness in his hand—the fragment had vanished.

Refocusing inward, he inspected his third eye area and saw the missing fragment inside his body, enveloped in a radiant glow. It was being pulled towards the Artifact Spirit of the Heaven Splitting Axe, accompanied by a distinct chewing noise.

"*Buzz!*"

Out of nowhere, the fragment disintegrated into tiny luminescent points and merged into the Artifact Spirit of the Heaven Splitting Axe.

Simultaneously, a stream of pure energy burst forth, flooding his body like a tidal wave and seamlessly integrating into his system.

Lu Chen could sense the energy was exceptionally pure, requiring no refinement for absorption, and it was incredibly dense, surpassing all expectations.

"Crack! Crack! Crack!"

The sounds of three objects breaking emanated from within him.

"This... This can't be happening, can it? I've actually broken through, and not just one, but three realms in succession, advancing to Layer Six of the Body Tempering Realm."

Regaining his composure, Lu Chen could hardly believe it, but the surge in Origin Energy within him was undeniable – it had increased several-fold.

"Is this the edge that the Artifact Spirit of the Heaven Splitting Axe has granted me? It seems almost otherworldly."

With the wisdom of two lifetimes, Lu Chen's mind was far beyond the ordinary. He quickly shook off the shock of his breakthrough and a slow smile spread across his face.

Peering inward at his glabella once more, Lu Chen sensed that the Artifact Spirit of the Heaven Splitting Axe had become slightly more tangible after consuming the fragment.

Having roamed the market to no avail, Lu Chen decided it was time to head home.

Just then, a commotion rippled through the crowd ahead, which parted to reveal a group approaching. Leading them was a young man with a long face, clad in blue, exuding a chilly presence.

As the crowd split, Lu Yu caught sight of Lu Chen. He was taken aback at first, but his expression quickly turned sour. "Trash, you're still alive despite such severe injuries. You must have a really worthless life."

A surge of anger welled up inside Lu Chen at the sight of him, and he barked, "Scram!"

The bustling market crowd, witnessing the verbal clash, turned their curious gazes towards the two.

Lu Yu was momentarily taken aback, not expecting the usually timid Lu Chen to openly defy him.

His lips twisted into a cruel smirk, "Quite the temper, trash. It seems the lesson I gave you last time wasn't harsh enough."

At those words, Lu Chen's gaze grew steely.

Three days prior, Lu Chen had been rushing through the streets and accidentally collided with Lu Yu. The haughty Lu Yu demanded that Lu Chen kneel and apologize. Despite his average abilities, Lu Chen's stubborn pride made such humiliation unthinkable. He flatly refused and was brutally beaten by Lu Yu as a result.

The outcome was the death of the original Lu Chen, whose body was now inhabited by the soul of a transmigrator.

When Lu Yu brought up the events of that day, a mysterious force seemed to stir in the depths of Lu Chen's heart.

A surge of intense resentment welled up within him, invisible and intangible, yet it turned Lu Chen's aura bone-chillingly cold in an instant.

He locked eyes with Lu Yu, his black pupils roiling with resentment that transformed into an icy blade, thrusting towards Han Yu.

Thud!

Caught in Lu Chen's piercing stare, Lu Yu felt an inexplicable chill. His legs weakened, causing him to stagger backward.

"Wow!"

The onlookers were visibly astonished, murmuring amongst themselves in disbelief at the sight.

No one but Lu Yu could sense the icy blade emanating from Lu Chen's gaze.

Lu Chen let out a derisive scoff. He then furrowed his brow, aware of the relentless resentment coursing through him, a manifestation of the former owner's lingering spirit.

With fists clenched, Lu Chen addressed the remnant soul that lingered, "Rest assured, now that I inhabit your body, I will avenge you."

As if in response to Lu Chen's assurance, the overwhelming resentment paused, then began to fade away slowly.