Inside a natural cave on Embercrest Hill, Dustin hovered in midair, legs crossed, eyes closed in deep meditation.
Five glowing orbs circled him in a steady, rhythmic orbit. With every pass, they released thin streams of white energy that flowed directly into his body.
Gradually, a soft glow began to radiate from Dustin’s skin. Bathed in the light, he looked almost translucent. His body revealed a web of energy pathways crisscrossing beneath the surface.
The currents surged like streams of silver marrow, flowing again and again through his energy pathways. With each pass, the current grew stronger-its flow widening, its pressure mounting.
His muscles, flesh, and bones were changing too. Each part reshaped itself in subtle but undeniable ways. At that moment, he was undergoing a profound transformation.
As time passed, sweat began to bead on Dustin’s skin, and his face twisted in pain. A fine crack appeared on his crystal-clear skin, no thicker than a strand of hair.
At first, it was barely noticeable. But as he absorbed more of the Dracan essence, the fractures multiplied, spreading wider and deeper across his body.
Half an hour later, the cracks covered every inch of his body. He looked like a porcelain statue held together by glue-fragile and horrifying. Even the slightest touch might have shattered him.
Dustin frowned as he drew in a slow, careful breath. He knew he had reached his limit.
As expected, the Dracan essence wasn’t something he could absorb easily. Forcing it into his body in hopes of breaking through was a deadly gamble. One misstep, and he’d explode from the inside out and be reduced to dust.
But there was no turning back now. Either he broke through, or he died. There was no third option.
“Come on. Just a little more,” Dustin muttered through gritted teeth.
He kept the cultivation flow going at full force, pushing himself to absorb as much of the Dracan essence as he could.
But there was just too much of it. No matter how fast he refined it, more kept flooding in an endless, unstoppable wave.
Dustin put aside his distracting thoughts, centered his mind, and braced himself for the final push. He was so close, just half a step from breaking through.
He hadn’t mastered the energy, hadn’t reached full refinement, but he couldn’t hold on anymore. His body was already coming apart. If he didn’t risk everything now, he’d die anyway.
He drew in a sharp breath and forced the torrent of Dracan essence into his body, compressing it with everything he had. The moment he did, the cracks across his skin deepened. Blood burst from every fracture, soaking him from head to toe.
But Dustin had no time to worry about the pain. Gritting his teeth, he channeled every last ounce of strength, driving the raging Dracan essence into every pressure point and through all eight extraordinary meridians.
A deep rumble echoed through the cave, like thunder splitting the earth.
Blood sprayed from Dustin’s body as his skin ruptured in violent bursts. It didn’t drip but gushed out from every wound.
He blocked out the pain and forced the Dracan essence through every channel and pressure point, no matter the cost.
Another blast ripped through him as fresh wounds exploded across his limbs, chest, and back as bloody blooms spreading over every inch of him.
He was on the brink. Each breath was shallow, his life hanging by a thread. Still, he clenched his teeth and threw himself into one final charge.
He would break through or die trying.
