As Duan Chongfeng showed a shocked expression, Wu Ming, who had been observing the situation from the side, tensed up. "Boss Duan, what's wrong?" he asked, thinking something had gone awry.

Realizing Wu Ming had misunderstood, Duan Chongfeng quickly forced a dry laugh. "It's nothing. It's just that this situation is a bit beyond my expectations."

Zhou Hongsheng's eyes widened. "What happened?"

Duan Chongfeng, keeping his hand pressed against Xu Ke's back, explained, "After my True Qi entered Xu Ke's body, he took control of it."

Zhou Hongsheng, who didn't practice martial arts, was stunned. He didn't understand what that meant.

But Wu Ming's body trembled. "Are you serious?"

A Postnatal martial artist controlling Innate True Qi? Is Boss Duan telling a blatant lie?

But Duan Chongfeng nodded very seriously. "It's true."

Wu Ming gasped. This Doctor Xu was truly hiding his power!

***

With Duan Chongfeng's True Qi joining the fight, Xu Ke was clearly much more relaxed. Duan Chongfeng's True Qi acted like a restraint, preventing the Dragon Essence from rampaging so recklessly. Xu Ke seized the opportunity to start absorbing the Dragon Essence. Gradually, his Postnatal Middle Stage strength progressed towards the Postnatal Late Stage.

As Xu Ke advanced his strength, he thought to himself.

Leveraging Duan Chongfeng's external force has certainly made things easier, but it has also consumed a great deal of my mental energy. If my strength hadn't once reached the Innate Realm a year ago on the mountain, I wouldn't have been able to control Duan Chongfeng's True Qi so quickly. Even so, the mental strain is far too severe. After absorbing the Dragon Essence this time, on top of overdrawing my potential to treat Zhou Hongsheng with acupuncture, I'm going to need another long rest.

Thinking of this, Xu Ke couldn't help but smile bitterly. He had just recovered, only for another mishap to occur.

If Wong Qifu finds out, she'd probably want to forbid me from leaving the house.

However, there was still good news. It was now a certainty that he could break through to the Postnatal Late Stage. This was enough to make Xu Ke joyful. The enhancement of his strength was his greatest security.

***

By nine o'clock that evening, Xu Ke had finally absorbed all the Dragon Essence. The moment he finished, he turned to Duan Chongfeng and said, "Thank you, Brother Duan. Please step back now. I'm about to break through."

The key to breaking through to the Postnatal Late Stage lay in opening the governor and conception vessels. The lingering effect of the Oath of the Medical Path was that Xu Ke's True Qi couldn't even make a dent in the governor and conception vessels; it was like a toothpick trying to pierce an iron wall. But after incorporating the Dragon Essence, Xu Ke could finally feel that iron wall start to loosen. At this point, he could no longer allow Duan Chongfeng's True Qi to remain inside his body.

"Alright." Duan Chongfeng immediately withdrew his energy, looking at Xu Ke with concern. "You're in such a serious condition. Can you really break through?"

Xu Ke was bleeding from his mouth and nose, and his skin was as red as if it had been scalded. How could he possibly break through in such a state? Who didn't first rest quietly for more than ten days, striving to be in peak condition before attempting a breakthrough? Who would try to break through in such a bedraggled state?

Xu Ke shook his head. "I know breaking through now isn't ideal, but the arrow is already on the bowstring, and I have to let it fly."

"Fine." Duan Chongfeng didn't try to persuade him further and stepped back.

Meanwhile, Wu Ming stepped forward to help Zhou Hongsheng up. "Elder Master, let's move further away from Doctor Xu."

Anything could happen during a martial artist's breakthrough. What if Xu Ke's True Qi were to erupt and injure someone?

Zhou Hongsheng nodded cautiously.

***

As everyone retreated, Xu Ke began to circulate his True Qi, giving his all to break through the barrier. This was his second time attempting the Postnatal Late Stage, so he seemed somewhat experienced. His True Qi surged, impacting the governor and conception vessels. Even with the help of the Dragon Essence and the weakened constraints of the Oath of the Medical Path, the process was still agonizing. With each collision, Xu Ke felt as if his internal organs were being churned by a tumultuous sea.

As time went on, Xu Ke's breakthrough was proceeding more and more smoothly. However, his complexion grew increasingly pale, and his body swayed unsteadily from time to time.

Standing to the side, Duan Chongfeng watched as Xu Ke's face alternated between shades of green and white, a flash of worry crossing his own.

Can my little brother really hold on?

"Is Doctor Xu really breaking through to the Postnatal Late Stage? Why does this commotion seem even more exaggerated than breaking through to the Innate Realm?" Wu Ming asked hesitantly.

Looking at the torment on Xu Ke's face, anyone who didn't know better would think he was breaking through a life-or-death barrier...

Hearing this, Duan Chongfeng was at a loss for words. "Uh... maybe our little brother is just stronger."

But since I got to know Xu Ke, I've learned that you can't judge him by common sense.

"That's... also true," Wu Ming nodded.

Just then, they suddenly felt the aura around Xu Ke's body erupt, catapulting him to the Postnatal Late Stage.

Feeling the shift in his aura, Duan Chongfeng's face lit up with joy. "He did it?!"

"He must have succeeded!" Wu Ming laughed heartily.

Zhou Hongsheng was just about to ask a question, but unexpectedly, after completing his breakthrough, Xu Ke's body suddenly went limp, and he toppled straight to the ground.

BANG!

The sound of his body hitting the floor echoed as Xu Ke fell unconscious. Seeing this, the color drained from everyone's faces once again.

***

Just moments before, Xu Ke had drawn on his experience. After several rounds of impacts, he had gathered his True Qi into two streams and charged them directly at the governor and conception vessels. The True Qi surged through his meridians like a flood, assailing the two final blockades. This time, perhaps because the heavens pitied him for the torment he had just endured from the Dragon Essence, they did not make things difficult for him.

He broke through the final barrier with ease. From that moment on, his cultivation had advanced!

However, before Xu Ke could even enjoy his new Postnatal Late Stage cultivation, a wave of dizziness overwhelmed him. After the night's ordeal, he was completely exhausted and fainted.

***

"It's merely exhaustion, don't worry," Zhou Hongsheng said, breathing a sigh of relief after checking on Xu Ke.

"That's a relief." Duan Chongfeng patted his chest.

By now, everyone else had entered the room. After all, Wu Ming's earlier announcement that something was wrong with Xu Ke had already put them on edge. The commotion from his subsequent collapse naturally hadn't escaped their notice.

Wang Qiya stepped forward. "Elder Zhou, are you sure my brother-in-law is okay?"

"He's fine, he's fine," Zhou Hongsheng said, waving his hand and glancing at Xu Ke, who lay on the bed with his eyes closed. The blood on his face had already been wiped clean. "It's quite normal for him to fall into unconsciousness after expending so much mental energy tonight. He'll wake up tomorrow, rest assured."

Hearing Zhou Hongsheng's reassurance, Wang Qiya nodded. "Then I'll go let Uncle Wu know." She had already called Wang Wu. Now that Elder Master Zhou had declared Xu Ke was fine, Wang Qiya could finally breathe a sigh of relief.

"Okay," Zhou Hongsheng responded, then turned to the others. "Let's allow Doctor Xu to rest alone for a while. We'll step out for now."

"Yes!"

***

After everyone left, only a dim light remained in Xu Ke's room. And at that moment, the phone in his pocket began to vibrate. But since he had set it to silent mode before treating Zhou Hongsheng, no one knew a call was coming in.

The caller ID displayed a name: Xu Zhenmin.

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