The Qi Refinement Stage is a very profound and difficult stage to break through.
At this stage, practitioners no longer need to refine the impurities within their bodies or resist harmful rays; their main focus is to absorb the Aura from the environment.
However, in an Atmospheric Environment severely polluted by Toxic Vapor, Ancient Spiritual Energy is extremely sparse, making absorption very challenging. This is the greatest obstacle for Advanced Warriors to progress further.
Nevertheless, there is still a significant amount of Aura in the deep sea.
There exists a class of high-level Deep Sea Beasts that absorb the Aura from the depths of the ocean and refine it into magical high-grade Energy Cores infused with Aura.
Advanced Warriors primarily rely on consuming Advanced Beast Oil, which contains Aura from these high-level deep-sea creatures, to assist in absorbing the Aura from the environment and further enhance their strength.
Due to the scarcity of Aura in the post-apocalyptic world and the limited availability of Advanced Beast Oil, even diligent Advanced Warriors cannot compare to Divine-Level Cultivators who can soar through ancient environments.
For ancient cultivators, Qi Refinement is merely a beginning, but for practitioners in the post-apocalyptic world, it has become an endpoint.
Although Aura is exceedingly rare in this era, as long as enough Aura is absorbed to support their genes exploding towards a divine or demonic direction, Advanced Warriors can still manifest various incredible powers and abilities.
Take Zhai Director Ren Dong from Luohan Slope as an example; he is not considered a particularly powerful Advanced Warrior but rather an average one among them. Yet he possesses terrifying capabilities, able to kill within a hundred meters with bullets and has True Qi Protection that renders him impervious to blades and guns.
With Ren Changdong's strength, he would not be at a disadvantage against a Mutated Scaled Corpse King and is regarded as a formidable figure in Luohan Slope.
However, in Six Forts, ordinary Advanced Warriors like Ren Changdong, who lack genetic mutations, are completely outclassed.
Chief Lei Dongshan from Panlong Stronghold represents the pinnacle of genetically mutated Advanced Warriors.
In his Frenzied State, this Coiling Dragon Giant can crush several-meter-high boulders from a distance. His Vital Energy can repel enemies dozens of meters away; his combat power alone rivals that of an entire heavy armored regiment, easily handling dozens of Mutated Scaled Corpse Kings.
Compared to these individuals, Chen Zao has not yet fully mastered the Lightning Qilin Arm and is still far from their level of strength.
Take Lei Dongshan for example; even if Chen Zao were to confront Ren Changdong head-on, the outcome would certainly be a Narrow Escape.
Unless he uses the powerful weapon, the Time-Space Dragon Ring, to seal these individuals in an alternate space, Chen Zao cannot compete with the Advanced Warriors who have generated strong Vital Energy based solely on his true abilities.
However, compared to his combat power before consuming the Mutated Crystal, Chen Zao's strength has undergone a qualitative leap.
Before taking a shower, he tested his athletic ability in the wilderness.
In the past, he could run a hundred meters in just under six seconds at most.
Now that his body is charged with electricity, he can shorten that time to under two seconds—faster than the wind! Comparable to a luxury sports car!
His strength has increased to a level that even frightens him.
He is now cautious about exerting too much effort for fear that the electrical current might push him into an uncontrollably violent mental state.
If he were to recklessly strike that tree with all his might, which was over half a meter thick, a single punch could snap it in half or even uproot it entirely!
Such divine strength has multiplied beyond what he previously knew and far surpasses that of an average Intermediate Warrior.
His senses have also advanced significantly.
His control over his own body has become more sensitive and refined.
The so-called Body Control means that he can exert exactly the amount of strength he wants to use.
Without this kind of precise Body Control, with his current terrifying strength, even putting on clothes could be a struggle.
If he pulls on his clothes lightly, they might tear apart; if he tenses up, his underwear could get a hole poked through, turning it into open-crotch pants, which would be quite frightening and embarrassing.
Fortunately, with the enhancement of his senses, Chen Zao's control over his own body has become extremely precise and sensitive, allowing him to continue living like an ordinary person without worrying about becoming a monster that destroys everything around him with every move.
"Looking at the incomplete remnants of yesterday's city walls, I shout a line from Qin opera, tears streaming down my face..."
Not long after turning on his phone, the ringtone of "Chang'an Chang'an" rang out.
It was a call from Fat Jin.
Chen Zao put on a shirt and answered Jindeli's call with his right hand, which was wrapped in bandages but still very sensitive and agile: "Hello?"
"Brother Zao, you finally turned your phone on! I thought something happened to you!"
"What could happen to me? I'm just wandering around the Mountain. I'll be back this afternoon."
"Back this afternoon? Isn't that a bit too soon?" Jindeli's tone sounded a bit strange.
"What's wrong? Don't you want me to come back? Did something happen?"
"Nothing. I'm just a little worried about you. Recently, there have been strangers coming to the shop looking for you. Those people look like they're from the underworld, and I thought you got into some trouble again." Jindeli lowered his voice and said, "Brother Zao, if you really got into trouble, don't come back for these few days. I feel like someone is looking for you."
"Dammit, if I don't cause trouble for others, they should be grateful. Who dares to come looking for trouble with me?"
"Brother Zao, you should stay at the Mountain a bit longer. I just feel uneasy. I couldn't reach you for the past two days, it really stressed me out. Now that I can contact you, I feel relieved. Wait until this storm passes before you come back."
"What storm? I'm the storm! If anyone wants to find me, just let them wait in the shop; I'll be there this afternoon!"
After hanging up with Fat Jin, Chen Zao set off back to Gubei Town.
With lightning speed, he arrived at the food street by twelve-thirty in the afternoon.
This time he didn't smell bad anymore, but the local shop owners were still whispering and pointing at him, making Chen Zao feel uneasy; he sensed something was wrong.
Arriving at the entrance of Braised Meat Sandwich, Chen Zao noticed that his shop sign was gone and a few workers were renovating inside.
Hey? Fat Jin is quite thoughtful; now that he has money, he knows to renovate the shop.
As Chen Zao was happily thinking about this, he saw Jindeli, with his head wrapped in thick bandages, coming out of the shop.
Coincidentally, this fat guy's right arm was also in a cast and bandaged.
It seemed that he didn't wrap it himself; someone else did it for him!
Looking at the renovation situation inside the shop, Chen Zao suddenly realized something: they weren't renovating; their shop had been smashed!
Comment 0 Comment Count