Chapter 56 Reduced to a Cripple

After Lu Qingyun opened his eyes, he was immediately struck by an intense, all-over pain, accompanied by a very foul and pungent odor emanating from his body.

Looking at Elder Hong and the black-robed elder standing before him, Lu Qingyun asked with a face full of confusion.

"What has happened to me? My body hurts so much, it feels as though I've been severely beaten..."

Lu Qingyun could not quite make sense of his current situation, as this was a sensation he had never experienced before. Even when he had endured countless hardships and navigated through the deepest valleys of his life, he had never felt like this.

He did not feel lighter in the slightest; in fact, he was completely unable to circulate the spiritual energy within his meridians.

At this moment, he had no idea what had transpired, nor could he fathom the cause. Naturally, he did not recognize the black-robed elder either, but he could clearly sense that the aura emanating from this figure belonged to the person who had spoken earlier.

Elder Hong slowly stepped forward, his eyes filled with deep concern as he asked.

"Do you feel any discomfort anywhere? Are you injured?"

Lu Qingyun slowly shook his head, looking at him with utter incomprehension, almost baffled as to why Elder Hong would ask such a question.

He began to speak in a measured tone.

"I don't feel any specific discomfort, and overall, I actually feel quite all right. Can either of you sense my realm and cultivation level? Why can't I feel the power inside my body anymore?"

Lu Qingyun was not merely exaggerating; this was precisely his current state—he was entirely unable to perceive the fluctuations of spiritual power within himself!

This was a profoundly baffling dilemma. For a cultivator, losing the ability to sense one's own inner spiritual energy was a tragedy of the highest order!

As a gifted prodigy aided by a unique system, combined with formidable martial arts techniques, Lu Qingyun's cultivation speed should have soared exponentially. Moreover, he possessed supreme self-confidence, ensuring he had a clear grasp of his own condition. Furthermore, he had just accomplished a monumental feat, hoping to leverage that impact to shield them all from impending crisis.

After all, having offended the Cui family—a terrifying existence in Hanhai City—finding a way to neutralize the threat through that event would have been an exceptional outcome!

Yet, if he were to be reduced to a cripple, the consequences would be catastrophic.

Elder Hong hurriedly stepped closer to examine him. After a careful check, his brow furrowed deeply, and he cast a glance toward the black-robed elder.

"His pulse is exceptionally bizarre, conveying a very peculiar sensation. I cannot even define what kind of feeling this is. Take a look yourself..."

Elder Hong's eyes were filled with astonishment; he found the situation so unusual that even he could not make a definitive judgment!

The black-robed elder turned his gaze toward him and slowly walked over. Evidently, he had initially been reluctant to get involved, yet he held a deep fondness—or rather, a profound fascination—for this young man.

After all, who could remain indifferent to such a remarkably unusual youth?

Lu Qingyun felt as though he had caught hold of a straw in a drowning sea, recognizing that this enigmatic figure was indeed extraordinary. Encountering someone of his caliber was a once-in-a-century occurrence. If one were to extend a helping hand, it might well yield unforeseen benefits in the future.

Given that everyone here possessed unusual backgrounds, the black-robed elder would hardly have chosen to remain on this massive ship working in seclusion unless he harbored his own hidden reasons.

Approaching Lu Qingyun, the elder looked him up and down, pondered for a moment, and slowly spoke.

"Young man, your current state is exceedingly peculiar. It is safe to say that very few people in this world can compare to you."

"Your spiritual energy has not vanished, nor have you been reduced to a cripple. It is simply that your present condition is exceptionally unique—your spiritual energy is currently being obstructed!"

Lu Qingyun remained thoroughly perplexed. He could not understand why such a situation had arisen, but realization suddenly dawned upon him shortly after.

Just as he was about to speak, a sudden thought struck him: this must have been the doing of the Azure Dragon.

While he was recalling these events, Elder Hong slowly chimed in.

"During the time you lost consciousness, you absorbed a massive, overwhelming amount of spiritual power. It is highly likely that your body simply could not digest it all at once, though it remains stored within you."

"Your martial soul is immensely powerful—arguably the most enviable existence in existence. Even I am deeply intrigued by it. The fact that you are currently unable to circulate your spiritual energy is likely a protective mechanism of that very martial soul."

Lu Qingyun shared the exact same thought, though he kept it to himself.

Right at that moment, the cold, mechanical voice of the system rang out once more.

[Ding! The reward for a weakling has arrived!]

Lu Qingyun stared wide-eyed ahead, utterly in disbelief at the unfolding reality.

The spiritual power of the Sea Emperor Beast within him was still undigested, and now an even greater influx of rewards had been bestowed upon him. In an instant, Lu Qingyun fully understood the meaning of biting off more than one could chew.

Previously, he had felt that his spiritual energy was utterly insufficient, desperately craving more to grow stronger. But now, the situation had shifted dramatically; the sheer volume poured into him was something his current vessel simply could not withstand.

Meanwhile, the black-robed elder's eyes were filled with utter shock.

Having just examined Lu Qingyun's pulse, he had gained some insight into his condition. Otherwise, he would never have made the assessment he did moments ago!

The sudden, violent surge of spiritual power within the youth stripped the black-robed elder of his usual enigmatic composure. Aside from sheer astonishment, all other color drained from his expression!

The black-robed elder slowly shook his head, his eyes wide with disbelief as he said.

"This is nothing short of miraculous! I have never encountered such a situation before. Do you feel any discomfort anywhere in your body right now? If so, speak of it immediately."

"Your current condition is perilous to the extreme. If this continues unchecked, you run the very real risk of your body bursting from the sheer pressure. Therefore, it would be wise not to conceal anything from me now, wouldn't it?"

Hearing the elder's words, Lu Qingyun hesitated for a moment.

After all, the black-robed elder had already perceived the crux of the matter. Even if he harbored doubts about the man, keeping secrets now felt unwise, especially since they were ultimately attempting to help him.

After pondering for a brief moment, Lu Qingyun spoke with utmost sincerity.

"I did indeed lose consciousness at that time, and my entire being fell into a deeply bizarre state, as though someone else was controlling my body."

"Or rather, it felt as though my martial soul had taken command of my physical form. I had no idea how to resist it, for my own strength seemed entirely incapable of contending with it..."

Everything Lu Qingyun said was the absolute truth, though he omitted certain details. What use would it have been to reveal everything?

Lu Qingyun had always maintained a degree of vigilance, making his own preparations for any eventuality. He reasoned that withholding a few details was hardly a bad thing.

Naturally, the black-robed elder knew nothing of the system, but he harbored an intense curiosity regarding the youth's Azure Dragon martial soul.

The black-robed elder spoke slowly.

"You are currently only at the Body Refining Realm, yet the spiritual energy dormant within your body is more than enough to propel you into the Qi Gathering Realm. The problem is that too much energy flooded in at once. Fortunately, your Azure Dragon martial soul preserved your life."

"You are currently in an extremely passive position. Unless you find a way to absorb the spiritual power trapped within you and convert it into your own cultivation base, you will likely be unable to continue practicing martial arts for quite some time..."

Lu Qingyun naturally understood the elder's train of thought, and his expression turned deeply grim as the implications sank in.

Right now, he was akin to a wooden bucket filled to the brim with water, with the excess already spilling over the edges.

The power of the Azure Dragon was like a sudden, freezing gale that instantly turned that overflowing water into ice, preventing it from spilling out entirely.

Yet, an accident was bound to happen eventually, and Lu Qingyun detested this feeling of helplessness.

Furthermore, he had woken up abruptly without receiving any explicit guidance from the Azure Dragon. However, he remembered one thing the dragon had mentioned: it could plunge back into a deep slumber at any given moment.

If the seals holding back that spiritual energy failed when that happened, it would spell certain death.

With a heavy frown, Lu Qingyun looked at the two elders, his expression deeply troubled as he asked.

"Then... what should I do now?"

For the first time, Lu Qingyun was truly at his wits' end. Normally, he would eagerly welcome more spiritual energy to advance his cultivation. But this current predicament left him utterly helpless. He had no way to consume the pent-up energy, yet releasing the seal would cause a catastrophic flood of power to erupt instantly.

He had no control over the seal; the day it broke might well deliver a fatal blow to his very existence.

Elder Hong looked at the black-robed elder, realizing that even the senior possessed no immediate solution. Since the black-robed elder's cultivation far surpassed his own, Elder Hong prompted him to speak.

"Hanhai City possesses countless celestial treasures and gathers the most formidable talents across the entire continent. Perhaps once you are there, you can inquire about a method to resolve this."

"However, your current state is exceptionally delicate. I hear you have offended powerful figures who will likely seek bloody revenge. If that happens, I truly do not know how you will survive..."

Lu Qingyun considered the black-robed elder to be a relatively free-spirited individual, yet even he had grown cautious given the current circumstances.

It was clear this problem was exceptionally thorny, and Lu Qingyun saw no point in pressing them further. After all, had they known an easy solution, they wouldn't have looked so troubled!

Lu Qingyun slowly rose to his feet and spoke in a steady voice.

"My deepest thanks to both seniors for your assistance. Without your help, I might have fallen victim to other dangers. Since matters stand thus, I have nothing more to say. If I manage to survive this, I will surely repay the kindness of you both."

"I am well aware that my situation is extraordinary. For the two of you to step forward and aid me meant taking a massive risk. After all, not everyone is willing to play the hero..."

Lu Qingyun harbored no ulterior motives, and the two elders readily understood his sentiment.

Elder Hong smiled faintly and said.

"There is no need for such formalities of gratitude between us. We merely did what we could, though in truth, we accomplished very little."

"Since there is nothing more to attend to here, let us depart. This old fellow prefers peace and quiet. If you have anything else to discuss, come speak with me at my quarters."

With that, the two elders turned and left. Lu Qingyun bowed once more in gratitude to the black-robed elder, who simply retreated to his bed and closed his eyes. Though resting, he appeared deep in thought, though Lu Qingyun had no desire to guess what occupied the elder's mind.

When the two of them finally stepped back out onto the deck, all those waiting anxiously rushed forward. Seeing that Lu Qingyun was still alive, they collectively breathed a sigh of relief.

Fatty Wang, ever the cheerful one, was the first to speak.

"Aiyo! You really made us wait long enough! We thought something terrible had happened to you. It's just good to see you're still in one piece..."

Han Man chimed in from the side, with a mock expression of disgust.

"What kind of unlucky talk is that? He is blessed with great fortune and has always turned danger into safety. Nothing bad will ever happen to him!"

Meng Li remained silent this time, though her eyes were brimming with quiet concern.

At that moment, Xu Feng furrowed his brow, speaking with a perplexed tone.

"What's going on? Why can't I sense any spiritual energy circulating within you at all?"

As soon as those words left his mouth, the atmosphere plunged back into anxiety as everyone hastily tested Lu Qingyun's physical state.

Upon probing his meridians, the expressions of everyone present twisted into profound dismay.

For a moment, they were utterly speechless. Their brows locked tightly together, realizing that any words of comfort would now be utterly meaningless.

A person devoid of spiritual energy was nothing more than a cripple. No matter how brilliant their past achievements or how many legends they had forged, once reduced to a廢人 (廢人/cripple), everything would fade into empty smoke!

Seeing their heartbroken expressions, Lu Qingyun hurriedly stepped forward to explain.

"You don't need to worry so much. Am I not still standing here alive and well? I'll explain everything to you once we go back. I haven't turned into what you're imagining..."

After all, the deck was not an appropriate place to talk, and disturbing the black-robed elder could bring unnecessary trouble upon them all.

Leading his companions upward, Lu Qingyun had just stepped onto the main deck when he laid eyes on a person he least wanted to see.

Cui Jue was currently walking toward them, flanked by an elder.

Lu Qingyun's brow furrowed tightly. With his spiritual energy currently sealed and unusable, confronting Cui Jue head-on would prove immensely difficult.

In a cold voice, Lu Qingyun demanded.

"What do you want?"