Superior Martial Arts!
Chai Hong's expression shifted slightly, but then she smiled.
"Martial arts of this caliber are of immense value and not sold lightly. Sometimes, however, declining families or sects may be forced to sell them due to circumstances. If Patriarch Gu is truly interested, I can keep an eye out for you."
"Alright," Gu Qingfeng nodded.
He paused for a moment before adding, "Baishi Dao's martial arts offerings are weak. I'm curious about general martial arts knowledge. Can Yun Pavilion provide that?"
"These are minor matters. Yun Pavilion has a manual, compiled by former masters, that covers all levels of martial arts. It costs only ten taels of silver."
"Then I'll take one."
"Master Gu, please wait a moment."
Chai Hong quickly instructed someone to retrieve the martial arts manual and handed it to Gu Qingfeng. After settling the transaction, the two completed the deal.
Gu Qingfeng did not linger long at Yun Pavilion and left shortly after. As she watched him go, Chai Hong's eyes sparkled with intrigue.
"Such a refined presence… It seems this man may have already entered the Bone Refining Realm. I didn't expect another Bone Refining master to appear in Baishi Dao after all these years, and he's still quite young. If he has a complete inheritance, there's a chance for him to go even further. But without access to higher-tier martial arts, his limit may remain at the Bone Refining Realm."
With the martial arts manual in hand, Gu Qingfeng returned to the Gu family estate and began studying its contents.
The manual detailed that martial arts begin with skin refinement, progressing to blood, bones, marrow, and finally internal organs. When a warrior reaches the peak of organ refinement, their body becomes perfected, making further advancements nearly impossible.
At this stage, when one's qi and blood are brimming, they become an innate master. A prodigy can further refine their qi, blood, and body to break beyond limitations and reach sainthood as a Master of Qi and Blood.
An Innate Grandmaster can live up to 300 years.A Master of Qi and Blood can live for 500 years, and their body remains in its prime even on the verge of death.
"Innate Grandmaster... Qi and Blood Master… The martial arts of this world are indeed remarkable," Gu Qingfeng mused. "According to this manual, a Grandmaster is nearly saintly. However, the Qi and Blood Master is clearly superior, though achieving that level is far more difficult."
Gu Qingfeng pondered this for a moment.
He wasn't surprised by the existence of higher realms beyond Bone Refining. Although he possessed tremendous power in the Bone Refining stage, he understood he was not yet considered a top-tier martial artist.
"If there are grandmasters in this world, there must be others of even higher caliber. I'm also curious—how does a Grandmaster compare to a sorcerer? And what of evil spirits?"
Gu Qingfeng was certain that Yun Pavilion possessed knowledge of sorcerers and evil spirits, but these topics were delicate. He wisely chose not to inquire further, understanding that such information could bring unwanted trouble.
The most pressing matter for him was to continue breaking through his cultivation. The manual outlined that the Bone Refining Realm was divided into four phases:
Iron BonesBronze BonesSilver BonesGolden Bones
Gu Qingfeng had now tempered all 365 of his bones to iron, marking the initial stage of the Bone Refining Realm. Once he strengthened his bones to bronze, he would enter the mid-stage. Silver bones would mark the late stage, and golden bones would signify perfection—at which point he could push for the next level.
For most, even perfecting iron bones was a formidable challenge. Cultivating golden bones was a near-impossible feat, with such bones retaining their brilliance even a century after death.
"True golden bones are incredibly rare. For someone like the Qin family's ancestor, who has remained stuck in the Blood Refining stage for many years, cultivating iron bones alone is a difficult task, let alone reaching higher stages."
Gu Qingfeng put the manual away. While it provided valuable insights, he understood that most high-grade martial arts were kept closely guarded by their respective sects or families. Mid-grade techniques occasionally circulated, but advanced techniques were exceedingly rare.
If he wished to obtain superior martial arts, he would likely need to rely on his improvement points.
"For now, I'll focus on training Xuan'er and Xiu'er. If they can break through like Yang'er, they might be of use to me."
Gu Qingfeng had been conditioning his children's bodies and honing their bones from a young age in preparation for this.
Moreover, the further a warrior progresses in their cultivation, the harder it becomes to conceive offspring. Since entering the Bone Refining Realm, Gu Qingfeng's essence had become highly refined, making it significantly more challenging for him to father children.
When Xu Yulan became pregnant, Gu Qingfeng had not yet advanced far in his cultivation, which was likely why they succeeded. Now, things would be different.
Once a cultivator enters the Blood Refining stage, the likelihood of conceiving naturally decreases dramatically.
The timing in Lin County was ideal for starting a family, but at that point, Gu Qingfeng was constantly in danger. Bringing his family along would have been far too risky.
Now that he was settled in Baishi Dao, Gu Qingfeng could focus on his next steps.
He pushed aside distractions and continued training diligently, enhancing his muscles and refining his martial techniques.
As he progressed, he realized that low-grade martial arts were no longer of much use to him. To refine his qi and blood and increase his strength, he needed to master mid-grade martial arts at the very least.
A few years ago, acquiring mid-grade techniques would have been challenging. But now, after dismantling the Qin Family, Tiegu Gang, and Tianyun Sect, he had several mid-grade martial arts at his disposal.
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