16: Chapter 16 After taking the Body Tempering Pill, his whole body felt unbearably hot.

The pressure-resistant shell of the deep-sea submersible emitted a teeth-grinding "creak." Chen Wu stared at the flickering numbers on the dashboard—depth 9,842 meters, water pressure 1,012 standard atmospheres.

The temperature inside the cabin plummeted to 12°C, but cold sweat beaded on his forehead like pearls with broken strings, dripping down his chin onto his specialized pressure suit, blooming into a small, dark water stain.

"Brother Wu, the fluctuations in the 'Qi Energy Node' are becoming more and more intense!" Xu Hao's voice, distorted with panic, came through the headset, mixed with the rapid discussions of Professor Li's team in the background.

"Professor Li says you must complete the initial guidance of 'Qi' within half an hour; otherwise, the energy vortex at the bottom of the trench will trigger a global tsunami!"

Chen Wu did not reply, simply fishing a small jade bottle from his backpack.

The words "body tempering pill" were carved into the bottle's body. It was an emergency item unlocked by the System when the livestream started, with a redemption price of 500,000 points.

The description stated, "Can rapidly strengthen the Physical Body in extreme environments to resist energy impacts," but the small text in parentheses read, "Side effect: short-term sudden rise in body temperature."

He unscrewed the bottle cap, and a pungent, spicy medicinal aroma instantly filled the air.

The Medicinal Pill was dark red, resembling a solidified blood bead, with fine light patterns floating on its surface—a sign of high-concentration "Qi" energy.

The deep-sea submersible suddenly shook violently, and the needles on the dashboard swung wildly.

The deep sea outside the window was no longer dead, silent pitch-black, but glowing with an eerie green light—the precursor to the energy vortex forming.

"There are 20 minutes left!" Zhao Mengmeng's voice was laced with tears, and the alarm on her rabbit doll emitted a sharp screech.

"Grandpa says the frequency of this vortex is about to synchronize with the resonance of the bronze tripod, and it will explode!"

Chen Wu hesitated no longer, tossing the body tempering pill into his mouth.

The Medicinal Pill dissolved the moment it entered his mouth. Instead of the bitterness he had imagined, it slid down his throat like a ball of molten lava, instantly surging into his stomach.

He had expected to feel a gentle, warm current like when he last took the Body Tempering fluid, but he had not anticipated that this power would be so violent—

"Ugh!" He arched his back sharply, feeling as if his internal organs had been thrown into a furnace.

The "lava" in his stomach exploded, turning into countless scorching thin threads that crazily darted along his blood vessels toward his limbs and bones.

The skin on his fingertips first flushed red, then became scorching hot, and even the alloy fibers of his specialized pressure suit began to heat up, emitting a faint burnt smell.

The livestream feed shook violently, and the screen was instantly flooded with barrage comments:

"Holy crap! What's wrong with Chen Wu? His face is completely flushed!"

"That's a body tempering pill, right? I've redeemed the basic version before, and it wasn't this exaggerated!"

"The deep-sea pressure is too high; the power of the Medicinal Pill has been magnified!"

"Look at his hands! They seem to be smoking!"

Chen Wu was indeed "smoking." The sweat on his skin surface was instantly evaporated, condensing into white mist in the low-temperature cabin.

Meanwhile, the "Qi" inside him was like ignited gasoline; the energy field that had originally flowed steadily became violently chaotic, crashing recklessly through his Meridians.

He could clearly "hear" the sound of his blood vessels expanding, like countless water pipes bursting simultaneously.

"I must guide this power!" He gritted his teeth, sat cross-legged, and forced himself to circulate the "Macrocosmic Circulation Technique."

According to the records of his Cultivation Technique, the energy of the body tempering pill needed to be channeled through specific meridian routes and finally gathered into the Dantian to be converted into the strength of the Physical Body.

But at this moment, those scorching threads would not obey his commands at all; instead, they were like living things, assaulting the weak points of his Meridians, causing him such pain that his vision went black.

The lights of the deep-sea submersible suddenly flickered, and the green light outside the window grew brighter.

He could vaguely see a massive water vortex forming, with countless deep-sea creatures being swept into it, turning into fleeting specks of light.

All the alarm lights on the dashboard lit up, and the red "Danger" text stung his eyes.

"There are 10 minutes left!" Professor Li's voice was filled with despair. "The energy readings have exceeded the critical threshold!"

Chen Wu's consciousness gradually blurred amidst the excruciating pain.

He felt like a piece of iron thrown into a steel furnace; every inch of his muscle was screaming, and every bone was burning.

Just then, the rabbit doll in his pocket suddenly lit up with red light, and Zhao Mengmeng's voice pierced through the fog of pain: "Brother Wu! Grandpa says to use 'Listening Energy' and follow your heartbeat! The heartbeat is the password the Earth has given you!"

Heartbeat? Chen Wu seized this lifeline desperately.

He gave up on forcing the energy to be guided and instead concentrated his mind to "listen" to his own heartbeat—thump, thump, thump, steady and powerful, like the drumbeats of ancient times.

Curiously, when he focused his attention on his heartbeat, those violent threads of energy actually slowed down and began to vibrate slightly in rhythm with his heartbeat.

"Yes! That's it!" A painful smile pulled at the corners of Chen Wu's mouth.

He remembered the words in the "Outline of Martial Dao History": "Heaven and Earth have rhythms, the human body has its own macrocosm; compliance rather than forceful resistance is the ultimate principle of the Martial Dao."

The power of the body tempering pill finally stopped rampaging and, like a tamed wild horse, began to gallop through his Meridians in rhythm with his heartbeat.

But this did not mean the end of the pain—on the contrary, an even more intense burning sensation struck, as if countless small branding irons were ironing his flesh and blood simultaneously.

Chen Wu's skin flushed an eerie dark red, and his blood vessels were clearly visible beneath his skin, like swimming red Dragons.

He could "see" his muscle fibers tearing and restructuring, and a faint white frost seeping out from the surface of his bones—a sign of calcium recrystallizing under high temperatures.

This excruciating pain of rebirth was a hundred times more intense than when he had fought the nanorobots at the sports center.

"Host's Physical Body strength detected to be rapidly increasing: current muscle density 1.2g/cm³ (average person 0.9), bone density 3.8g/cm³ (average person 1.8), blood oxygen levels have broken through human limits!"

The System's mechanical voice was uncharacteristically fluctuating. "Warning: body temperature has reached 43°C; continuing for more than 10 minutes will cause irreversible damage!"

He gritted his teeth and opened his eyes; the porthole of the deep-sea submersible was completely covered by green light.

The energy vortex was right before him, the massive water flow forming a funnel about a hundred meters in diameter.

In the center of the funnel, he could vaguely see a piece of black reef—that was the "Qi Energy Node" Professor Li had spoken of, the core of Earth's "Dantian."

"Now!" Chen Wu stood up abruptly.

Although every movement felt like countless needles pricking his flesh, the surging power within him filled him with an unprecedented urge.

He walked to the cabin door and pressed the emergency decompression button.

"Brother Wu, are you crazy?!" Xu Hao's scream pierced his eardrums. "It's over 1,000 atmospheres outside; you'll be crushed into a meat patty if you go out!"

Chen Wu did not explain.

He could "hear" that black reef calling to him, just as the bronze tripod called to its master.

The power of the body tempering pill was still continuing to transform his body; although he was in pain, he was stronger than ever before—he had a premonition that he could survive in that extreme environment.

The decompression device hissed, and the air pressure inside the cabin gradually balanced with the outside.

As the cabin door slowly opened, a bone-chilling cold current of water rushed in, only to turn into steam the moment it touched Chen Wu's body.

He took a deep breath, and the violent "Qi" energy contained in the seawater surged into his body through his respiratory tract, colliding and merging with the power of the body tempering pill.

"Global livestream perspective switched: underwater infrared mode." The System prompt sounded.

The viewers in the livestream saw a scene they would never forget—in the bottomless, pitch-black trench, Chen Wu's body radiated red light like a star that had sunk to the bottom of the sea.

He was shirtless (the upper half of his pressure suit had been burned away by the high temperature), walking step by step toward the center of the energy vortex.

Each step left deep footprints on the seabed, and the surrounding seawater was evaporated into white mist by the high temperature on his skin.

"Is this a human? This is Ultraman, right!"

"Who said just now that the Martial Dao was a scam? Stand up and take a look!"

"He can still walk in the deep sea with a body temperature of 43°C... My worldview has collapsed."

"Where is Professor Wang Hai? Come out and debunk this!"

Chen Wu drew closer and closer to the black reef.

He could clearly "hear" the sound inside the reef—it was the roar of energy flowing deep within the Earth, like countless giant Dragons roaring.

The surface of the reef was covered in fine cracks, and green energy was seeping out from the cracks, forming an unstable vortex.

"So that's how it is..." He suddenly realized.

This "Qi Energy Node" was aging; just as people age, Earth's "Dantian" could also lose its vitality. And the formation of the energy vortex was a sign that it was "sick."

The power of the body tempering pill reached its Peak within his body. Chen Wu felt his blood was about to boil; the temperature of his skin even caused the surrounding seawater to bubble. He extended his right hand, palm facing the black reef, and the "Qi" within his body surged out along his arm—it was no longer a pale golden glimmer, but a dark red torrent mixed with the medicinal power of the body tempering pill and his own vitality.

"With my blood, I mend the deficiencies of Heaven And Earth." Chen Wu shouted in a low voice; this was an ancient incantation he had seen on the bronze tripod.

The dark red current of "Qi" surged into the cracks of the reef, and the originally violent green energy suddenly quieted down, like a child finding its home. Chen Wu could "hear" the reef "breathing"; every contraction and expansion resonated with the energy field of the entire Mariana Trench.

Just when Chen Wu thought everything was improving, a new crisis arrived quietly.

The side effects of the body tempering pill suddenly erupted. The originally surging and orderly energy suddenly spiraled out of control, exploding within his body like a poked hornet's nest. Chen Wu's body temperature instantly soared from 43°C to 45°C, burning blisters began to appear on his skin, and his vision became blurred—this was a sign that his brain was beginning to shut down due to the high temperature.

"System Warning: Energy overload! The host is about to fall into a coma!"

"Reef resonance interrupted! The energy vortex is active again!"

His vision went black, and he nearly collapsed onto the reef. In his daze, he seemed to see his father's face—the man who taught him Horse Stance and said, "To practice martial arts, one must first train the heart," was shaking his head at him: "If the heart is not settled, the power will inevitably be chaotic."

If the heart is not settled... Chen Wu bit the tip of his tongue hard, and the sharp pain helped him regain a sliver of clarity. He thought of Zhao Mengmeng's rabbit doll, thought of Xu Hao's exasperated face, and thought of the comments in the global live stream cheering him on—he was not fighting alone.

"Must cool down..." He muttered to himself, his gaze sweeping over the surrounding seawater. But ordinary seawater could not cool his body at this moment; instead, it would be instantly evaporated. He needed a more powerful "refrigerant," he needed negative energy that could contend with the power of the body tempering pill.

The reef suddenly began to vibrate, and a pale blue light seeped out from the cracks on its surface. Chen Wu's "Listening Energy" captured a brand-new vibration frequency—that was the negative energy contained deep within the reef, the "Cold Qi" accumulated by the Earth over hundreds of millions of years of cooling.

"Got it!" Enduring the intense pain, he pressed his right hand onto the reef while simultaneously reversing the route of the "Heavenly Circuit Circulation Technique." This was an extremely dangerous attempt, equivalent to suddenly shifting into reverse while driving at high speed, but at this moment, he had no other choice.

The positive energy within his body was forcibly guided outward to collide with the negative energy seeping from the reef. The two forces formed a rotating Taiji diagram in his palm; white hot air and blue cold air intertwined and annihilated each other, generating a massive energy shockwave. The surrounding seawater was instantly frozen, only to melt in the next second, forming a peculiar ice mist.

The live stream feed shook violently. In infrared mode, Chen Wu's body appeared in an eerie red and blue pattern—half was high-temperature red, and half was low-temperature blue.

"What is he doing? Self-destruction?"

"It looks like he's balancing the energy... A Taiji diagram! That's a Taiji diagram!"

"As a medical student, I say this is impossible! The human body cannot withstand 45°C and 0°C at the same time!"

"Is this the Dao of Martial Arts? I love it!"

Chen Wu's consciousness was repeatedly pulled between cold and heat. He felt like a branding iron thrown into ice water, making a "sizzling" sound. But miraculously, that burning pain was diminishing, and his body temperature began to slowly drop, from 45°C down to 43°C, then to 41°C...

When his body temperature stabilized at 39°C, he finally breathed a sigh of relief. The positive energy within his body and the negative energy of the reef had reached a delicate balance; the power of the body tempering pill was no longer violent, but instead nourished his entire body like warm water. He could clearly feel that his body had become unprecedentedly strong and light, and his five senses had become extremely sharp—he could even "hear" the sound of schools of fish swimming on the sea surface ten thousand meters above.

"Qi energy node stable!" Professor Li's cheers came through the headset, "The global abnormal energy field is beginning to recede! The torch in New York has gone out! Tokyo Tower has stopped twisting!"

Chen Wu looked up toward the direction of the submersible. The hatch was still open, and Xu Hao was holding a camera filming him; in the lens, he could see Zhao Mengmeng holding the rabbit doll and cheering. The energy vortex in the distance had disappeared, and the seawater had returned to calm, with only a faint green light remaining on the surface of the reef, like a gentle star.

He looked down at his hands. His skin had returned to its normal color, but when he clenched his fist, he could feel unprecedented power, and the skin on his knuckles shone with a healthy luster—that was proof of a successful Body Tempering.

"System Notification: The effect of the body tempering pill has been fully absorbed." The mechanical voice rang out again, but with a hint of imperceptible approval, "The host's Physical Body strength has reached the Peak of the 'Body Tempering Realm,' unlocking the new ability 'Qi Armor'—can condense 'Qi' on the body surface to form a defensive layer."

"Live stream mission completion: 100%. Reward: 10 million points, unlocking the System Mall 'Heaven And Earth Treasure Area'."

Chen Wu smiled, his laughter echoing in the silent deep sea. He turned and walked toward the submersible, every step steady and powerful. The seawater no longer made him feel cold; the "breathing" of the reef resonated with his heartbeat, and the entire Earth seemed to be conversing with him.

When the submersible began to ascend, Chen Wu leaned against the cabin wall and fell asleep. He was too tired, not just physically exhausted, but also mentally drained. Xu Hao carefully covered him with a blanket, and looking at the lingering flush on his face, his eyes couldn't help but turn red—that scene just now was enough for anyone to understand the weight of the two words "Dao of Martial Arts."

Zhao Mengmeng's rabbit doll was placed by Chen Wu's pillow; the doll's eyes were flickering with a soft blue light, which was monitoring his vital signs. "Grandpa said Brother Wu is like a piece of red-hot iron right now and needs to cool down slowly," the little girl whispered, holding a jade pendant she had brought from home, "This is warm jade, it can absorb heat."

The number of viewers in the live stream was still rising, having already broken through 100 million. The comments were no longer the wild celebration from before, but filled with warm discussions:

"Suddenly feel that mocking traditional martial arts before was ridiculous."

"This is the real national martial arts, right? Not just flowery movements, but a skill that can save lives."

"Did anyone notice the Taiji diagram Chen Wu made at the end? It was so shocking."

"Asking where I can learn basic Stance Training? I also want to strengthen my body."

Professor Li's team was busy organizing the data. On the screen, the global "Qi" field distribution map presented a perfect symmetry, and the "Qi energy node" in the Mariana Trench was like a beating heart, sending stable energy to all parts of the world. "This will rewrite the understanding of the entire physics community." The old professor rubbed his hands excitedly, "'Qi' is not metaphysics, it is a planetary-level energy that we have not yet understood!"

The moment the submersible broke through the sea surface, the sunlight was blinding. Chen Wu slowly opened his eyes, watching the azure sky and circling seabirds outside the window, when he suddenly felt a lingering heat within his body—that was not a side effect of the body tempering pill, but a brand-new desire.

He knew that this live stream was not the end, but a new beginning. The "Heaven And Earth Treasure Area" in the System Mall seemed to be beckoning him, the expectations of the world's Awakened ones pushed him forward like an invisible force, and the undeciphered seal characters on the bronze tripod still held more secrets about the Dao of Martial Arts, about Earth, and even about the Universe.

"How much longer until we reach the port?" Chen Wu sat up, feeling filled with endless energy throughout his body.

"Two more hours." Xu Hao handed him a bottle of water, "What's wrong, Brother Wu?"

Chen Wu took the water but didn't drink it, just held it in his hand, feeling the vibration of the water molecules. He smiled, his eyes flashing with excitement: "I'm thinking about what Cultivation Technique I should practice in the next live stream."

Sunlight shone on his face through the porthole, stretching his shadow long. On this vast azure sea, under the gaze of hundreds of millions of viewers, a new era belonging to the Dao of Martial Arts was slowly unfolding, accompanied by the lingering warmth of the body tempering pill. And Chen Wu knew that his footsteps would never stop.