[The new book by the tribal chief has been published. Those who have been disappointed by the old book should give this a try. Titled 'Rise of Human Dao', it mends the various defects of the old book and portays a different Great Wasteland!]
Whoosh! Whoosh!
A swarm of moths hurled themselves towards the flickering oil lamp, progressing towards the light in their hearts! Three figures kept swaying under the unsteady glow.
Xiao Chen's words made the two men chuckle bitterly. They had come to persuade Xiao Chen and anticipated several possible scenarios. Regrettably, they only predicted the process correctly but failed to guess the outcome. They didn't expect such a result. Yet, they still held trust in Xiao Chen. If not, after the disappearance of the old tribal chief, they wouldn't have supported Xiao Chen to succeed him. Although part of the reason was because Xiao Chen was the old chief's son, Xiao's capabilities also played a significant role. After all, the lives of tens of thousands of tribesmen were not a matter to be trifled with. They couldn't lightly entrust it to an irresponsible young man.
The two exchanged a look and still chose to trust Xiao Chen. After all, the crisis of the tribe won't get any worse in a few days. They might as well pray for miracles. Even if no turnabout occurs in a few days, they could still teach Xiao Chen a lesson and move onto other strategies, putting an end to his persistent hopes.
"We're also aware that there are some traitorous elements within our tribe that need to be eliminated. They thought their little actions were very covert. But now, as the tribe's crisis hasn't been resolved, it's not the time for settlement. However, once the tribal chief breaks through the Blood Refining Realm, everything will fall into place," said Lin Shan through clenched teeth. His originally brutal face looked even more ferocious.
The three continued their secret talks, deciding not to stir up more trouble. They left everything in the tribe as it was. After discussing their strategies, TieShi and Lin Shan hurriedly left.
...
Watching the two men leave, Xiao Chen moved a big bronze container from the corner of the wall to the middle of the stone house. He took out the medicinal materials in the container and laid them out on the stone table.
In order to avoid exposing his identity as a Northwest Goods, Xiao Chen, since he came to this world, arranged for the maids and servants serving him to take up other positions in the tribe. This prevented information leaks. The only downside was that he had to handle everything by himself.
The formula of Yi Jing bone refining medicine that Xiao Chen had obtained was composed of seven medicinal materials. These components could all be found in the tribe.
"Blood-purple grass, Rehmannia root, Blood Ginseng....."
Xiao Chen had grown quite familiar with the prescription from the continuous bone refining over the past few months. He picked out the necessary medicinal materials, crushed them, threw them into the large container, and kindled a roaring fire beneath it. Soon, the hot water in the cauldron was boiling, rolling up dense fog and mist.
"After so many medicinal baths, I've accumulated substantial medicinal powers within my body. It's time for me, Xiao Chen, to break through to the Blood Refining Realm."
For over six months in this world, Xiao Chen bathed in medicinal concoctions every few days. He had done this more than ten times. However, at every critical moment when he tried to unblock his meridians, he would always feel powerless, leaving his efforts fruitless. Therefore, he had been accumulating strength over these days, hoping to break through the Blood Refining Realm all at once.
After heaping enough firewood beneath the container, Xiao Chen took off his armor, leaving only his underwear, and quickly jumped into the container.
Ahh!
Despite undergoing this many times, the robust medicinal power triggered by the boiling hot water made Xiao Chen scream uncontrollably.
Bearing the severe pain, he sat down in the container, letting the water reach his shoulders, calming his mind, and operating the Barbaric Bull Roaring Sky Technique. A surge of heat flowed from within his body. The accumulated medicinal power from these few days erupted all at once, running wild in his body.
Sss!
Prickling pain surged all over his body as if being gnawed by thousands of ants. Every sinew, muscle, and marrow seemed to be bitten by ten thousand ants.
Large beads of sweat dripped from his forehead into the container, evaporating the next moment. Xiao Chen strove to control his body, operating his technique to control the heat. He guided the heat flow to attack the loosened meridians within his body.
The martial realm of this world includes Bone Tempering, Blood Refining, and Zhong Lou levels. Both the Bone Tempering and Blood Refining realms are divided into early, middle, late, and perfect stages.
It's challenging to cultivate martial arts, as difficult as climbing up to the heavens. Perhaps everyone could get started, and children even younger than ten could have hundred pounds of strength. However, to achieve any accomplishment is incredibly tough.
Take the Gu Yuan Clan for instance, out of over ten thousand population, only around 800 people became War Soldiers. The prerequisite to become a War Soldier is to break through to the Bone Tempering Realm.
As its name suggests, Bone Tempering refers to tempering the whole body's bones. It's the first level of the martial realm. Generally, at initial Bone Tempering, one can exert thousands of pounds of strength after their whole body goes through preliminary tempering. For every little breakthrough in a realm, one can add thousands of pounds to their strength.
Once one completes the entire body tempering, their body becomes as hard as refined iron, with their strength approximately ten thousand pounds. Of course, some with exceptional talent or those who cultivate high-level techniques might have the strength exceeding ten thousand pounds at the Perfect Bone-Tempering Realm. But they belong to the elite warriors, and Xiao Chen was one of them.
When one perfects the Bone Tempering Realm, the bones throughout their body are tempered, and then they can advance to the next level - the Blood Refining Realm. There are twelve meridians in the human body, and if they are penetrated and form a major cycle, the True Qi can circulate within this cycle indefinitely.
Then it's possible to absorb the essence that's freely flowing between heaven and earth.
Boom, boom, boom!
Successive resonating sounds came from within Xiao Chen who was sitting in the huge cauldron. At this moment, he was using the medicinal power to impact his loose meridians. Continuous impacts gradually caused the somewhat relaxed meridians to form cracks.
Bang!
After countless impacts, the first meridian finally unblocked and a surging airflow flooded the meridian like a raging river.
The green color airflow continuously circulated within it. At the same time, a hint of green light emerged on Xiao Chen's skin, faintly revealing a boundless and wild aura.
Blood Refining Realm! Successful breakthrough!
So, this is the Blood Refining Realm?"
Regardless of his naked state, Xiao Chen excitedly clenched his fist. He could feel a trembling power hidden within his body, this power was somewhat mesmerizing for him.
Having broken through to the Blood Refining Realm, a huge weight was lifted off Xiao Chen's heart. Now, he was capable of confronting the covetous tribes around them, giving the imperiled Gu Yuan Tribe some self-defense capabilities.
......
Xiao Chen's breakthrough into the Blood Refining Realm remained a secret. After all, he had just broken through and his foundation was unstable. Announcing it rashly, would risk provoking other tribes into desperate actions and collectively attacking the Gu Yuan Tribe, which would spell trouble.
Two days had passed since Xiao Chen broke through to the Blood Refining Realm. Everything was as usual for the Gu Yuan Tribe. Xiao Chen constantly consolidated his cultivation, practicing his martial art techniques. Meanwhile, he had ordered Tie Shi and Wang Lin to secretly strengthen the surveillance on those who were betraying the tribe from within, waiting for an opportunity to capture them all at once.
Clang!
Sparks flew as a piece of steel stone near Xiao Chen shattered and scattered everywhere. Xiao Chen retracted his steps, withdrew his spear, and stood upright. Regarding the spear strike just now, he wasn't satisfied. Perhaps it was because he hadn't used a spear for a long time and had become somewhat unfamiliar with it.
His right hand held the spear, and he closed his eyes. The three forms of the Barbaric Bull Roaring Sky Technique emerged in his mind, the countless spear strikes of the past becoming familiar once again.
First form, second form, third form... first form, second form...
Gradually the spear technique became smoother, stripped of the past clumsiness. The spear move became more fluid, without any estrangement. In Xiao Chen's hands, the thousand-jin spear felt as light as a feather.
Swoosh!
Dust flew around, but Xiao Chen remained oblivious, continuously brandishing his spear.
The Barbaric Bull Roaring Sky Technique includes three spear techniques. The first two don't have names, and only the third one is called the Barbaric Bull Strike. This spear technique originated from the Barbaric Bull, so it's characterized by being open and straightforward with brutal collisions.
"Chief Brother, Chief Brother, it's terrible! A big thing happened! Sister Mu Qing and many sister tribeswomen were captured by Xiong Yu from the Black Mountain Tribe."
Just as Xiao Chen was engrossed in his spear technique, a hurried shout came over. A pretty-faced, petite girl rushed in disheveled, running and yelling, with her small face turning flushed red, and her long hair disheveled and pasted to her cheeks by the wind.
Bang!
Just as the girl's words fell, the long spear in Xiao Chen's hand instantly shot out of his palm towards a massive rock in the distance. The giant rock exploded upon impact, but the spear didn't stop and continued to fly out several feet before deeply plunging into the ground. The tail-end trembled ceaselessly as if demonstrating the anger raging in its master's heart at this moment.