Chen Wei forced himself to remain still, keeping his breathing steady. He did not reach out to grasp the energy, nor did he push it away. He simply waited, allowing it to move as it wished. He knew that if he showed fear or tried to force it, the energy would reject him entirely.
Seconds passed. Then minutes.
The energy drifted closer again, this ti brushing against his consciousness. A cold, tingling sensation ran down his spine as it probed at his very being, searching, assessing. Then, it pulled back once more, hesitant.
Chen Wei did not react. He kept his mind completely blank, allowing the energy to decide on its own. He was patient. He did not rush. He did not demand.
And then, finally, the energy accepted him.
A sudden rush of power surged forward, no longer hesitating. It flooded into his body, seeping into his veins, into his bones, into every fiber of his being. His body trembled violently as the energy poured into him, overwhelming his senses.
The once-glowing crystal in his palm slowly dimd and beca almost transparent like a glass ball before finally shattering. It had been drained of all its power.
Chen Wei barely had ti to process this before a sharp pain erupted from deep within him.
His entire body started burning, like soone had thrown molten lava on him.
A cold sweat broke out on his forehead as his muscles clenched uncontrollably. His insides twisted, feeling as if they were being torn apart and rebuilt all at once. He gritted his teeth, his nails digging into his palms as he tried to endure the unbearable sensation.
The foreign energy inside him had gone on a rampage, unstable. It was unable to find a suitable place for itself, leading to chaos inside his body.
It rampaged through him, colliding violently with the energy that had already existed within him. The new force was too strong, overwhelming his old power and drowning it completely. His very cells felt as if they were shattering and reforming, his blood boiling with the surge of newfound strength.
For what felt like an eternity, he was trapped in this endless cycle of destruction and rebirth.
His breath ca in ragged gasps as his vision swam, the darkness around him pulsing with each beat of his heart. He could barely think, barely hold himself together. He feared that if he lost control for even a second, the energy would tear him apart from the inside.
Then, just when he thought he could take no more—
The storm settled.
The violent energy that had raged inside him finally cald, spreading evenly throughout his body. It no longer felt foreign. It no longer felt overwhelming.
It was his now.
His breath ca in deep, slow gulps as he finally opened his eyes. The darkness faded from his vision, the void disappearing as reality ca rushing back. The dimly lit room, the tense faces of his friends, the feeling of the solid floor beneath him—it all returned at the sa ti.
And yet, everything felt different.
His body felt lighter, stronger. Every movent, every breath, felt effortless, as if he had shed an invisible weight that had been holding him down all his life.
He clenched his fist and felt power coursing through his veins.
His level has jumped not by one, but by two.
Now, he was on Level 4.
He looked at his friends’ faces, especially Liora, who was looking at him with a sowhat guilty expression, probably blaming herself for his situation.
But he could not tell her just how grateful he was for this. He felt like kowtowing to her. He could not describe the feelings inside him. He was just too grateful to even express it.
If only his body did not start feeling pain, and if only his vision did not start blurring. He could only give her a beautiful smile before collapsing on the floor.
His body needed rest, and the energy inside him had to beco more familiar with him.
So, finally, he allowed himself to succumb to darkness, knowing that he had succeeded and not wasted the efforts of his friends and their trust in him.
But what he did not know was that while he was sleeping in blissfulness, the look of horror was plastered on everyone’s face.
"Chen Wei!"
Liang Zihan dashed forward just in ti, catching Chen Wei’s limp body before it could hit the ground. His arms trembled slightly as he held Chen Wei’s unconscious body, his heart pounding.
Zhou Yinuo and Liora also rushed over, their faces pale as they stared at Chen Wei’s unconscious form. His expression was peaceful—too peaceful.
A faint, almost blissful smile still lingered on his lips, but his body was burning up like a furnace.
Liora placed her palm against his forehead and imdiately withdrew it in alarm. "He’s burning up!" she exclaid in a tense voice.
Zhou Yinuo did not wait for instructions. She spun around and hurried toward the kitchen. "I’ll get cold water and a towel!"
Liora turned to Liang Zihan. "Lay him on the bed. We need to cool him down before his body overheats."
Liang Zihan nodded and swiftly carried Chen Wei toward the nearest mattress, his movents careful but urgent. His usual joking nature was nowhere to be seen. Right now, there was only worry in his eyes.
After placing Chen Wei down, he took a step back, watching anxiously as Liora sat beside him, her hand hovering over his wrist. She hesitated for a mont before taking his pulse.
It was steady.
Too steady, which set off alarms in her head.
Despite the alarming heat radiating from his body, there were no irregularities. His breathing was even. His heartbeat was strong. If not for the unnatural fever, he would seem completely fine.
Zhou Yinuo rushed back with a bowl of cold water and a towel. She handed them to Liora, who quickly dipped the cloth in the water and began wiping Chen Wei’s forehead.
But the fever was not subsiding.
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