The Apocalypse Shelter System

Thinking about the previous experience of upgrading made Di Ping anxious. The pain he had endured during his last level-up still caused him to shudder, but for the sake of strength, he had no choice but to endure it again. No matter how painful, he had to level up! With a sense of dread, he confirmed the upgrade.

He closed his eyes tightly, preparing himself for the pain. After a few seconds, a warm surge of energy began to rise from deep within his body.

This gentle energy flowed like water, swiftly rising and circulating throughout his body, creating a wave of warmth. Each time it passed through his body, he felt a heat build up, accompanied by a tingling and itching sensation. The energy moved through his meridians, creating a slight, sharp prickling sensation, like the sting of needles, but it wasn't unbearable—just a mild discomfort.

As the energy reached his bones, they made a cracking sound, seemingly becoming stronger and more resilient. When the energy spread to his muscles, they tightened, and it felt as though every cell was vibrating with satisfaction, rapidly becoming denser and tougher.

To Di Ping's surprise, this time the pain was not as intense as before. Though slightly uncomfortable, it was entirely bearable. In fact, the sensation was somewhat pleasurable, and he found himself almost lost in it—it felt wonderful!

However, the energy didn't last long. Half a minute later, instead of dissipating into nothingness, it gathered at the governing vessel, sinking into the dantian. Di Ping felt his dantian grow warm and swollen, as though it were expanding. A sharp, needle-like pain radiated from his lower abdomen, making him feel as if his insides were being pierced. The pain was intense, and it made him uncomfortable.

With a muffled groan, Di Ping broke out in a sweat. Fortunately, the pain only lasted for a few seconds before it subsided, and the energy slowly settled down.

"Master, how are you?"

Di Ping exhaled deeply and wiped the sweat from his forehead. Those few seconds of pain had felt like an eternity. At this point, Gina had already noticed his condition and had left the bed to stand before him, concerned.

"I'm fine!"

Di Ping slumped in the chair, breathing heavily, still recovering from the pain he had just endured.

"Master, the first time energy returns to the dantian can be quite painful!"

Gina carefully took out a handkerchief and wiped the sweat from Di Ping's forehead as she spoke.

"How do you know that?"

Di Ping was surprised and immediately grabbed Gina's hand, his tone full of concern. How could she know about energy returning to the dantian? Did she somehow see it? Di Ping was astonished.

"Master, you're hurting me!"

Gina's face suddenly twisted in pain, and she frowned as she looked at him.

"Oh, I'm sorry! I was too surprised!"

Di Ping quickly released her hand, realizing that his strength had inadvertently hurt her. He knew his own strength, but he hadn't considered how fragile Gina was.

"I saw some senior warriors in the academy practicing energy return to the dantian. The teachers explained that warriors at Tier 1 use this process to strengthen their bodies, and when they reach Tier 1, Level 4, they start focusing on reinforcing their dantian, preparing for Tier 2 and the energy realm," Gina explained, carefully rubbing her sore wrist.

"Ah, I see now!"

Di Ping finally understood. He had been too careless. Since he knew that Gina's world followed a magic and martial system, he should have asked more questions about these matters. Instead, he had acted like a complete novice, unaware of the specifics. He couldn't continue blindly stumbling through like this, as cultivation required precision. A single mistake could lead to disastrous consequences.

Excitedly, Di Ping began asking Gina more questions, but his hopes were dashed.

He realized he had been expecting too much. Gina had only been at the academy for six months and hadn't learned much beyond what the system taught her. Her knowledge of the warrior path was limited, and the system mainly taught magic. She had only guessed about the process of energy returning to the dantian because she had seen a senior student advance and heard the teacher explain it. Her guess had been based on Di Ping's similar reaction.

"Well, that's disappointing…"

Di Ping sighed, feeling a little deflated.

He collected himself and then checked his upgrade. His strength had increased by another 600 pounds, bringing his total to 5,000 pounds.

Feeling the newfound power coursing through him, Di Ping felt as though he had boundless energy. He imagined he could lift anything, even the most impossible objects. He felt a rush, much like the legendary warriors of the Sui and Tang dynasties—such raw power felt unstoppable.

Strength was a strange thing. It could transform a weak person into a strong one, and even make a strong person even more formidable. It made Di Ping feel as though he could challenge heaven and earth. He felt like he could take on any challenge and overcome any obstacle in his way.

At that moment, he understood why ancient warriors could fight their way through the most dangerous battlefields. It was strength that gave them the courage to fight against the heavens and earth itself.

He was now experiencing the same surge of confidence and aggression. A bloodthirsty impulse stirred within him, and he couldn't help but imagine smashing everything that stood in his way.

Taking a few deep breaths to calm himself, he suddenly felt an alarming sense of unease. He realized that this rapid growth in strength could be dangerous. If he continued to increase his power without learning to control it properly, not only would he fail to manage it effectively, but his mentality could spiral out of control as well. This bloodthirsty feeling made him feel uneasy. He began to wonder if this was what people meant when they spoke of cultivating too quickly, risking the loss of control and the emergence of a dangerous, uncontrollable mindset.

Di Ping thought back to the impulsive urges he had experienced over the past few days. They were completely out of character for him, as he had always prided himself on his self-control. But lately, he had come close to losing that control on several occasions. He needed to be more careful from now on. Although he couldn't be sure if his suspicions were correct, he felt that this might be the cause.

He opened a bottle of water and took a few sips, trying to calm the unsettling thoughts in his mind. Gina, standing before him, had been watching him with concern. She noticed the fluctuations in his mood but didn't know what had caused them. She was deeply worried about him.

"I'm fine now. You should rest for a while. We'll leave soon," Di Ping said, finally calming down and smiling gently at Gina.

"Okay, master," she nodded obediently, returning to the bed and sitting cross-legged to meditate and calm herself.