As Cheng Xiaofan was nearing the bamboo villa, he spotted Ye Shisan in a nearby grove, digging a hole with a rake.
"Old Ye, what are you doing?" Cheng Xiaofan walked into the grove and asked.
Ye Shisan was engrossed in his task and replied casually, "Digging a hole to bury myself!"
"..." Cheng Xiaofan was stunned.
He wanted to dig a hole and bury himself alive?
Had Old Ye woken up, found himself missing a head, and been overcome with grief, unable to go on, thus deciding to bury himself alive?
Cheng Xiaofan's heart was immediately in turmoil.
Was he saving this person, or harming him?
"Old Ye, please don't do anything rash!"
Cheng Xiaofan rushed forward, snatched the rake from Ye Shisan's hand, and said, "You have to remember, this rake is for clearing land, not for burying yourself!"
When Ye Shisan saw that it was Cheng Xiaofan who had taken the rake from him, he immediately dropped to his knees.
"Thank you, Mr. Cheng. You've saved me again. Thank you, Mr. Cheng!" Ye Shisan prostrated himself on the ground, repeatedly kowtowing to Cheng Xiaofan.
Seeing this, Cheng Xiaofan quickly pulled him up and said, "Old Ye, we're friends, don't be like this. Get up, let's talk properly!"
Ye Shisan wiped away the tears rolling down his weathered face and said, "Mr. Cheng, I'm really going to break through. I will definitely break through this time!"
After a long while, Cheng Xiaofan finally understood.
Just as Cheng Xiaofan had said, the main reason hindering Ye Shisan's breakthrough was his psychological barrier.
Because Ye Shisan was born conjoined, he was considered an ill omen, abandoned by his parents.
If it hadn't been for the old Taoist's adoption, he would have died long ago.
After the old Taoist died, he was hunted by others. Due to his ugly and peculiar appearance, he dared not show himself to the world.
Living under constant psychological pressure for a long time had also led Ye Shisan to despair about life.
Even though Cheng Xiaofan had taken him in at White Python Lake, the lingering shadow in his heart made him feel deeply inferior.
This time, when Ye Shisan woke up, he found himself completely normal. His hunchback had also been healed by Cheng Xiaofan, and his back was straight.
What surprised him even more was that his appearance had become much younger.
Because he had drunk too much wine today, he felt extremely thirsty and brewed himself a pot of Golden Tea.
To his surprise, after drinking a cup of Golden Tea, his blood and energy surged, and a mysterious power generated within his body roamed unrestlessly.
At that moment, he knew he was finally about to break through, so he rushed to the nearby woods.
After understanding the situation, Cheng Xiaofan asked curiously, "Old Ye, why are you digging a hole here to break through?"
Ye Shisan smiled and said, "The breakthrough for Earth element cultivators is different. I must first dig a hole, then sit cross-legged in the pit, and then be buried up to my neck in soil to absorb the essence of the earth and integrate it with my own vital energy. Only then can my power be perfectly enhanced!"
Hearing this, Cheng Xiaofan couldn't help but be a little dumbfounded.
There was such a way to break through!
"Old Ye, let me help you dig the hole!" Cheng Xiaofan motioned Ye Shisan aside and waved his right hand forcefully into the pit. A golden light flashed, and a dragon scale covered his entire right arm.
With a thrust of his dragon claw forward, with a bang, a deep pit was instantly created.
"Ah, Mr. Cheng, you are so powerful!" Ye Shisan hadn't clearly seen the change in Cheng Xiaofan's right hand, but he saw him wave his hand and a deep pit was blasted open.
He thought, he is truly an unfathomable master!
With just a wave of his hand, he could blast such a large deep pit.
With his skill, no matter how many enemies attacked, he could blow them to pieces with a single wave.
If only he could possess such ability one day.
Ye Shisan had been afraid of being hunted and always wished to become stronger.
"Sorry, Old Ye, this pit is too deep. I'll fill it with some more soil!" Cheng Xiaofan glanced into the pit and shook his head. If Ye Shisan sat cross-legged inside, it would perfectly fill the bottom of the pit.
If he filled it with soil, he would end up burying him alive.
Unexpectedly, Ye Shisan smiled and said, "Mr. Cheng, no need!"
"I feel that this breakthrough will be very powerful. If I am buried to the bottom of the pit, the earth energy I gain will be even stronger!"
"Mr. Cheng, I'll go into the pit, and please help me fill it with soil!"
He jumped directly into the pit, sat cross-legged at the bottom, and looked up at Cheng Xiaofan, saying, "Mr. Cheng, let's begin!"
Seeing Ye Shisan's confident demeanor, Cheng Xiaofan nodded and said, "Alright, Old Ye, I'll start filling the soil. Be careful!"
In fact, filling the soil was very simple for Cheng Xiaofan.
He pushed his hands forward, and the dragon power erupting from his palms instantly formed a small tornado. The soil piled beside them was instantly swept up.
Cheng Xiaofan slowly moved his palms horizontally, and the soil swept up by the tornado was moved in mid-air to the location of the deep pit.
At this moment, Ye Shisan had closed his eyes and was sitting at the bottom of the pit in a state of concentration.
Cheng Xiaofan noticed that the aura surrounding Ye Shisan was like clouds stirred by a strong wind, rolling layer after layer.
With these strong auras covering him, Cheng Xiaofan had no worries about the soil hurting Ye Shisan when it was piled on.
He withdrew his palms, and with a whoosh, the soil piled in mid-air instantly covered the deep pit.
After the tornado dissipated, white gas could be seen continuously emerging from the soil covering the deep pit.
It seemed that Ye Shisan was truly about to break through.
Boom!
Just as Cheng Xiaofan retreated tens of meters, a thunderous sound came from underground.
Immediately followed by another thunderclap-like roar, which stirred up tens of feet of soil, rocks, and surrounding destroyed trees, shooting skyward.
For a moment, it was dark and sunless.
Ye Shisan's breakthrough this time was indeed extraordinary.
Whoosh!
The soil, rocks, and destroyed trees, blown into the air by the shockwave, began to descend from the sky.
Thump!
"Ouch—"
At the same time, Ye Shisan fell to the ground from the air, letting out a world-shattering scream.
The clothes he was wearing were long gone. His body was covered in thick dirt, and a foul odor permeated the air.
"Old Ye, how much toxin have you accumulated in your body normally? It stinks so bad!"
Cheng Xiaofan almost fainted from the stench, quickly covered his nose with his hand, and said, "Hurry and wash up by the lake!"
"Thank you, Mr. Cheng. I'll go wash immediately!" Ye Shisan said quickly.
Fortunately, he had prepared a change of clothes when he came to the woods.
Ye Shisan fumbled for his clothes and immediately turned into an afterimage, rushing towards White Python Lake at the foot of the mountain.