Chapter 31: The Shura Divine Jade
Mu Kuang clenched his teeth tightly as the blood energy coursed through his body, burning and tempering his flesh. His pores expelled a dark, foul-smelling sweat mixed with impurities, the result of his body's purification.
The excruciating process lasted for half an hour until the essence from the Great Strength Boar was completely refined. Finally, the searing pain vanished. As his mind relaxed, Mu Kuang collapsed into unconsciousness.
"Kuang! Wake up!" Mu Feng rushed to his friend's side, cradling his limp body. A pungent stench emanated from Mu Kuang—evidence of the impurities expelled from his system.
"Calm down, boy. He's just passed out. Your friend has strong willpower—perfect for the path of body cultivation," the voice from the jade pendant remarked.
Mu Feng sighed in relief before asking, "Body cultivation? What's that?"
"Seriously? You've never heard of it?" The jade's voice sounded incredulous. "Then again, considering how backward the cultivation practices in this corner of the world are, I'm not surprised."
The voice softened before explaining: "Body cultivation is another path of cultivation, focusing on the refinement of the physical body. Practitioners temper their flesh using Yuan Qi, eventually achieving a physique as tough as divine weapons. But body cultivation demands extraordinary willpower. In major sects, disciples with poor spiritual talent often choose this path. It's harsher, more painful, and requires greater perseverance than energy cultivation. Yet, a successful body cultivator can dominate their peers in the same realm."
"Earlier, I transmitted a technique from the Shura Sutra—a method called Blood Refinement Physique. The principle is simple: treat the heavens as a furnace, the body as a vessel, and blood as the hammer. By burning blood essence, one tempers the body."
The voice paused, growing stern. "Your friend doesn't have blood spiritual meridians, so he can't convert blood essence into Yuan energy. Instead, he can only use the blood energy to fortify his body. Let this be a lesson: advanced techniques have requirements, and passing them to unqualified individuals can be fatal."
Mu Feng's face reddened with embarrassment. "I nearly killed him," he muttered.
"Indeed, you did," the voice retorted sharply.
Regaining composure, Mu Feng asked, "Who are you? And how did you end up inside my pendant?"
The jade shimmered faintly. "I am Xi Yue. Consider me the spirit of the Shura Divine Jade."
"Shura Divine Jade? Is that the name of my pendant? And what's a spirit?"
"Your ignorance astounds me," Xi Yue said with a sigh. "Do you know anything about the classifications of weapons and artifacts?"
"I know about Yuan weapons and spirit weapons, but beyond that… no," Mu Feng admitted. His father's Fire Yuan Spear, a lower-grade spirit weapon, was one of the Mu family's treasures. Unfortunately, it was lost in battle.
"Spirit weapons are just the beginning," Xi Yue explained. "Above them are treasure weapons, and beyond those are divine weapons. Spirit weapons develop a consciousness—a spirit. I am such a spirit."
Mu Feng's eyes widened. "Then you're saying… this pendant is a spirit weapon?"
"No," Xi Yue replied calmly. "It's a divine weapon."
"A divine weapon?" Mu Feng was stunned, his mouth agape as he stared at the heart-shaped jade.
He recalled the power of his father's Fire Yuan Spear, capable of unleashing devastating flames when infused with Yuan power. To think that the pendant his mother had left him surpassed that by an unimaginable margin was both exhilarating and terrifying.
"This jade is a divine weapon?" Mu Feng whispered, awestruck.
"Yes," Xi Yue confirmed. "However, keep this to yourself. If word spreads, your tiny kingdom will face annihilation. You can't even protect a Yuan weapon, let alone a divine one."
Mu Feng nodded solemnly. "I understand. But why does my mother have a divine weapon? Do you know anything about her?"
Xi Yue hesitated. "I don't know who your mother is or why she had the Shura Divine Jade. I only awakened recently. Moreover, this jade has suffered severe damage; otherwise, it wouldn't have recognized you as its master."
Mu Feng's brows furrowed, sensing Xi Yue's evasiveness. Despite her explanations, her phrasing hinted at deeper secrets she wasn't sharing. Still, the appearance of a sentient jade was extraordinary enough—he decided not to press the issue for now.
"Can I cultivate the Blood Refinement Physique technique as well?" he asked, eager for strength.
"You can," Xi Yue said. "But the pain is unbearable for most. Your natural energy cultivation talent is excellent; pursuing body cultivation might distract you. That said, with the jade's help, you won't waste time. Just be prepared for the agony—it's not something anyone can endure."
Mu Feng's expression hardened. "Pain means nothing to me," he said, his voice steady. "If it can make me stronger, avenge my father and the twenty thousand fallen Mu soldiers, and protect the people I care about, then I'll endure any torment this world throws at me."
For a brief moment, Xi Yue was silent. She had observed Mu Feng since her awakening and had been impressed by his resilience, optimism, and unyielding sense of loyalty. These qualities had earned her respect—and her willingness to intervene when Mu Kuang was in danger.
"The path of a strong cultivator isn't merely about enduring pain," Xi Yue finally said. "It requires wisdom, adaptability, and sometimes ruthlessness. This world is far larger and crueler than you can imagine. Keep your resolve, but don't lose sight of the bigger picture."