Building Iron Bones and Tempering!
Gu Qingfeng summoned his qi and blood, fiercely absorbing the medicinal power from the bath, then guided the force of the Fiery Sun Palm to methodically temper his bones. Under the power of the Fiery Sun Palm, a portion of his bones had already been tempered. Now, he needed to finish tempering the rest.
However—
Halfway through the process, Gu Qingfeng had to stop. It wasn't by choice, but because his body had reached its limit, and the medicinal power was spent.
Breaking through to the Bone Refining Realm isn't something done in one go. Every warrior who achieves this stage takes time to gradually refine and temper their bones.
After stepping out of the now murky bath, Gu Qingfeng dressed and stepped outside to practice his swordsmanship.
He unsheathed his sword, the blade gleaming fiercely in the sunlight. With each swing, sword energy crackled in the air, leaving faint white trails that lingered for moments.
Boom!
A thunderous roar echoed as sword shadows merged into a single strike, releasing a terrifying force.
At last.
Gu Qingfeng had mastered the basics of the Heavenly Thunder Sword Technique.
"I've finally entered the first stage of this middle-grade martial art!" A faint smile crept across Gu Qingfeng's face. It had been several months since he had acquired the technique, but he had only now managed to fully grasp it.
The initial mastery of the Heavenly Thunder Sword Technique was just a first glimpse into its mysteries, but it marked true progress.
At the same time, Gu Qingfeng's Iron Leg Skill had reached the realm of Great Success.
Satisfied, he used some of his accumulated improvement points to perfect the Iron Leg Skill. The moment he did, he felt the muscles and skin of his legs tighten as though they had turned to steel. His vitality and energy slightly increased, though the change wasn't overwhelming.
"It seems ordinary low-grade martial arts are no longer enough to benefit me. Only when they're perfected can they provide a meaningful enhancement. But even then, the improvement is limited."
Gu Qingfeng understood that his cultivation had reached a level where lower-grade martial arts offered diminishing returns. Still, if he mastered ten or even a hundred such techniques, the cumulative effect would be significant.
At that point, he believed he could defeat Bone Refining experts, even if he hadn't reached that stage himself yet.
Of course, it wouldn't happen overnight. Martial arts perfection required time, and with few remaining improvement points, Gu Qingfeng used them wisely to refine techniques that could still aid his progress.
Days passed.
Gu Qingfeng spent most of his time tempering his body, inching closer to breaking through the Bone Refining Realm.
A month later, on his 36th birthday, the moment finally arrived.
Boom!
All 365 bones in his body had been tempered to perfection. A surge of raw power exploded within him, and he felt as if he could crush a Half-Step Bone Refining master with a single punch.
No—it wasn't just a feeling!
The completion of his bone tempering was like breaking free from a shackle, elevating his power to a whole new level. Compared to before, his strength had more than doubled.
If he faced his old self, Gu Qingfeng was certain he could finish the fight in three moves. Against an ordinary Half-Step Bone Refining warrior, one punch would be enough.
Boom!
With a single punch, Gu Qingfeng reduced a large rock formation to rubble. Then, with a slight squeeze of his hand, a stone crumbled to dust.
"So this is the power of the Bone Refining Realm!" He grinned. "I've been underestimating this realm all along."
Before the breakthrough, Gu Qingfeng hadn't fully grasped the Bone Refining Realm's true strength. But now, he realized just how powerful it was.
Looking at his attribute panel, he saw the following:
Name: Gu Qingfeng
Age: 36/150
Realm: Bone Refining - Beginner
Martial Arts:
Gu Family Fist (Indestructible - Level 1)Iron Body Skill (Body as Hard as Iron - Level 1)Big Stone Smashing Hand (Minor Success)Iron Leg Skill (Perfect)Iron Refining Finger (Minor Success)Fiery Sun Palm (Perfect - Level 4)Heavenly Thunder Sword Technique (Entry Level)
Improvement Points: 0
"Bone Refining Beginner," he mused, "and a lifespan of 150 years!"
A flicker of excitement gleamed in his eyes. Warriors at the Blood Refining Realm only lived to about 100 years, but breaking into the Bone Refining Realm extended one's life by 50 years. This wasn't a small matter.
The higher his cultivation grew, the longer his lifespan might become. If he reached even higher realms, the possibility of immortality through martial arts could become reality.
The idea of immortality stirred something deep within Gu Qingfeng.
"No one can resist the allure of immortality," he thought, smiling faintly. Though the dream was distant, his unique advantages gave him hope that one day he might attain it.
For now, however, he focused on the present. The Bone Refining Realm might be powerful, but there were still many greater forces in the world. Nevertheless, on Baishi Road, a Bone Refining Realm expert like him would be unmatched.
The Next Day
Gu Qingfeng visited Yun Pavilion. With the rising reputation of the Gu family, the manager was quick to greet him.
In a private wing, the maid served tea.
The manager, a new face named Chai Hong, had an elegant appearance with a subtle charm.
"I am Chai Hong, the current manager of Yun Pavilion. How may I assist you, Master Gu?" she asked with a graceful smile.
"I've heard Yun Pavilion deals in rare martial arts. I came to see if you have any high-grade techniques available for purchase," Gu Qingfeng replied, unmoved by her charm. He got straight to the point.
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