"The secret of this treasure must be kept safe."
"If the outside cultivators were to discover this, the consequences would be unimaginable..."
Surveying the surroundings of the small courtyard, Arius cautiously closed the wooden gate. He then drew a long sword, and the power of his mid-stage Blood Tempering realm exploded outward.
Sword strike after sword strike, each one carrying the weight of ten thousand pounds, Arius tirelessly worked through the night. Over time, he carved out an underground chamber within one of the courtyard's rooms.
Next, Arius placed the Heaven-Seeking Treasure Mirror in the newly constructed chamber and set up a basic illusory array around the courtyard to act as a warning system.
The population of Nezier Town, including the entire De Molinos family, was only around forty thousand. The town was seldom visited by cultivators, making it relatively safer than being within a sect.
Even so, Arius did not dare to lower his guard.
The world of cultivation was rife with dangers. A single moment of carelessness could lead to death.
With the Heaven-Seeking Treasure Mirror in hand, Arius resolved not to join any other factions. Doing so would risk exposing the invaluable artifact.
Instead, he decided to remain within the De Molinos family, quietly building his strength. His plan was to develop the family into his personal power base, beginning by amassing mundane wealth—gold and silver—and using it to methodically strengthen himself.
As long as he could maintain a low profile, Arius believed that one day, he would stand at the pinnacle of the immortal path.
After completing the modifications to the courtyard, the long night finally came to an end.
The moon set, and the sun rose.
Despite the night of work, Arius, as a cultivator, felt no fatigue.
Sitting cross-legged within the secret chamber, Arius gazed at the Body Tempering Pill in his hand. He decided to consume it and use its power to enhance his cultivation.
If he succeeded in advancing to the Bone Tempering Realm, he would become a force to be reckoned with among bottom-tier rogue cultivators. If he could go a step further and break into the Organ Tempering Realm, he would have the confidence to face even the Ashfell family of Purple River City.
The Ashfell family maintained dominance over the city of Purple River, which boasted a population of 150,000, due to their possession of a cultivator in the Organ Tempering Realm.
Although that Organ Tempering cultivator spent most of their time in secluded training and rarely interfered with family affairs, the Ashfell family still had dozens of cultivators under their command.
Over the years, the Ashfell family had steadily expanded their influence, encroaching upon the territories surrounding Nezier Town.
The only reason they hadn't directly annexed Nezier Town was Arius's presence in the Albigensians Sect.
As long as Arius remained a disciple of the Albigensians Sect, even as a low-ranking Outer Sect member, the Ashfell family refrained from taking action. After all, openly targeting the family of a Albigensians Sect disciple could provoke the sect's ire.
Against the Albigensians Sect, even a family with Level 1 Realm cultivators would be insignificant.
But now, Arius had left the sect. His status as an Outer Sect disciple had been revoked.
Without that title, there was nothing stopping the Ashfell family from targeting Nezier Town. All they needed was a pretext to descend upon the town, force the De Molinos family to submit—or worse, wipe them out entirely.
Compared to life within the sect, the conflicts in the outside world were far more brutal and blood-soaked.
If Arius failed to quickly improve his strength, the De Molinos family would be left with two grim options:
Submit completely to the Ashfell family, surrendering all control and influence in Nezier Town.Face extinction.
The strong prey on the weak; the fittest survive. This has always been the unchanging law of the world.
If not for the Heaven-Seeking Treasure Mirror, Arius, with only ten years of life left, would have no choice but to lead the De Molinos family into submission.
But now, he was determined to defy the odds, seize his last chance, and rekindle his pursuit of the immortal path.
"Hah…"
Exhaling a turbid breath, Arius calmed his mind and let go of his stray thoughts.
Cultivation was an extraordinarily profound process.
The four Body Tempering stages involved absorbing spiritual energy and refining the body using the essence of heaven and earth: tempering the skin, blood, bones, and organs.
When the body was refined to its peak, the cultivator could redirect energy to open spiritual meridians, breaking through to the Level 1 Realm.
Compared to the Body Tempering stages, Level 1 cultivators had lifespans exceeding 200 years. At this stage, they could begin manipulating spiritual energy and casting basic spells.
As Arius swallowed the Body Tempering Pill, a surge of energy spread through his body.
The power coursed through his bloodstream, refining his entire being from the inside out.
Under the pill's effects, Arius's cultivation advanced rapidly:
Mid-stage Blood Tempering…
Late-stage Blood Tempering…
Peak Blood Tempering…
Crack!
At the peak of Blood Tempering, his body began to nourish and strengthen his bones—marking the transition into the Bone Tempering Realm.
Each advancement in the four Body Tempering stages—skin, blood, bones, and organs—was accompanied by extraordinary pain.
Advancing to the Skin Tempering Realm felt like being cut apart by a thousand blades—nearly unbearable!
Advancing to the Blood Tempering Realm was akin to having one's veins and arteries rupture, an excruciating agony beyond description!
Advancing to the Bone Tempering Realm, however, felt like one's bones were being broken and reformed. The pain and itchiness combined to create a torment so intense that only those with unwavering determination could endure. Failing to withstand it would lead to a failed breakthrough.
As for advancing to the Organ Tempering Realm, it was said that all five internal organs would shatter before being reconstituted. The process was akin to enduring the worst tortures of the mortal realm.
The world often extolled the beauty of immortality, yet how many people could endure the sheer suffering required just to tread the path of cultivation?
For mortals pursuing longevity, the path was inherently one of defiance against the natural order. The Four Body Tempering Realms demanded that the body endure the agony of being reforged. Beyond that, the Level 2 stage brought with it the Three Calamities and Nine Tribulations, culminating in either death and the dissipation of one's soul—or ascension into immortality!
The excruciating pain surged through Arius's entire body. However, his weathered face remained astonishingly composed.
What is pain?
If he could achieve the grand path, Arius was willing to risk his very life.
To seek immortality and achieve the Dao required not just determination, but a touch of madness!
In this world of cultivation, there was never a place for the weak.
Even if he could not become immortal, Arius would still strive to grow stronger.
Dignity, status, power, wealth—all these intoxicating pursuits were inseparable from personal strength.
Time passed slowly.
Arius sat cross-legged within the secret chamber.
When hunger struck, he swallowed a Fasting Pill obtained from the sect.
When exhaustion crept in, he forced himself to stay vigilant.
He didn't have much time left.
Outside the De Molinos family, there was the ambitious Ashfell family of Purple River City, relentlessly expanding their influence.
Arius's lifespan was already limited to ten years.
Even if he successfully advanced to the Bone Tempering Realm and extended his life by another twenty years, he would still only have thirty years to live.
Crack… crack!
Within Arius's body, every inch of his bones emitted sharp cracking sounds.
The process was both grueling and prolonged.
But he had no choice but to endure.
Only by fully tempering every bone in his body could he truly ascend to the Bone Tempering Realm.
During this process, any thought of giving up or failure to persevere would lead to inevitable failure.
A failed attempt to temper the bones could result in one of two outcomes:
In the mildest case, a regression in cultivation.In the worst case, instant death.
Either result was unacceptable to Arius.
At 110 years old, if he failed this breakthrough, even if he survived, it would be impossible for him to advance further in this lifetime.
The searing pain lasted for a full seven days.
At the brink of his limits, with sheer willpower keeping him upright, the pain finally began to subside.
When the agony completely dissipated, a gentle and nourishing force enveloped Arius's body.
Under the embrace of this energy, Arius felt an unprecedented sense of comfort. His vitality, blood energy, and strength all surged wildly.
The path of cultivation was one of enduring hardships before reaping rewards.