Eighteen Forging Golden Body Technique, Pure Blood Body Refining

Riding his horse, Wang Yue quickly returned to Changyun County. He reached into his robes and felt the heavy cloth pouch. The sixty-five taels of silver still carried his body heat, giving him a little more peace of mind.

As Wang Hu had instructed, thirty-three taels were the principal he had to hand over. The remaining thirty-two taels were what he had earned through today's hard work. From dawn until afternoon, he had endured the guards' harassment, fought at the Sun Estate, and escaped the authorities' encirclement. This silver had not come easily.

"I've been in this world for four months already, yet I haven't properly looked around the city."

Wang Yue reined in his horse and looked at the pedestrians coming and going along the street, a spark of interest rising within him.

More importantly, the Ox-like Physique talent effect granted by Black Cloud Fist had far exceeded his expectations. He wanted to see whether there were similar items that could trigger Martial Soul extraction. If he could obtain another technique or talent, his strength would surely rise another level.

He followed the street inward, gradually drawing closer to the Wang Clan Estate in the inner city. Before him appeared a bustling street, with a wooden sign at its entrance that read "Peaceful Enterprise Ward."

Wang Yue knew full well that Peaceful Enterprise Ward was Wang Hu's territory. The merchants who did business here had to pay Wang Hu a sum of money every month. It was also a key place for spreading Wang Hu's reputation. Warriors sought nothing more than wealth and fame, and this marketplace happened to satisfy both. Its importance to Wang Hu went without saying.

Leading his horse through Peaceful Enterprise Ward, he looked around as his gaze swept over the roadside stalls. Most belonged to common folk selling firewood, rice, oil, salt, and the like. Some vendors sold farming tools and cloth, but there was nothing particularly noteworthy.

"Young master, have a look at this jade pendant! I just bought it from outside the city. I'll sell it to you cheap!"

"Fresh fruit! Just picked, sweet as can be!"

Seeing him, the stallholders eagerly called out one after another. Wang Yue merely frowned. These assorted odds and ends were clearly not what he needed.

Just as he was preparing to leave, the corner of his eye suddenly caught a faint flash of golden light from a stall at the street corner. The golden gleam vanished in an instant, yet it precisely caught his attention.

Wang Yue strode over and saw scattered stones and old bronze vessels laid out on the stall. The source of that golden gleam was a thumb-sized red fragment, its surface pitted and uneven, as though it had broken off from something.

He reached out and picked up the red fragment. The instant his fingertips touched it, the Martial Soul within his consciousness activated, and a clear interface appeared:

Item: Tier-Two Damaged Item · Blood Cloud Bead

Martial Soul extractable: High-grade body-forging technique · Beginner "Eighteen Forging Golden Body Technique" (middle volume)
(Note: The upper volume forges the body, the middle volume refines the blood, and the lower volume contains the general outline for condensing the Golden Body. It is a profound martial art of a sect.)

Talent extractable: Tier-Two Talent · Pure Blood Body Refining (damaged)
(Note: Completing the Blood Cloud Bead can restore the talent, strengthening the purity of one's qi and blood and the resilience of the flesh.)

Wang Yue's breath caught abruptly, and his hand tightened around the fragment despite himself. The Eighteen Forging Golden Body Technique—a sect inheritance! Even in Hanshan Dao, such a thing was exceedingly rare!

It was said that if such a technique circulated in secret and the sect it belonged to found out, they would hunt down an entire household!

Not to mention the Tier-Two talent, Pure Blood Body Refining. Even though it was currently incomplete, once restored, it would surely be a top-tier body-forging talent, even more formidable than Ox-like Physique.

"Where did you get this red bead?" Wang Yue suppressed the excitement in his heart, raised his head, and looked at the stallholder, keeping his tone as calm as possible.

The stallholder was an old man in his fifties. Upon hearing this, his eyes flickered. He hemmed and hawed, talking around the subject. "I... I picked it up outside the city. I forget exactly where. If you like it, young master, half a tael of silver will do."

Wang Yue's expression darkened. The old man was clearly hiding something. He made his tone heavier. "Tell me where it really came from, and I'll give you one tael of silver."

The stallholder looked around. Seeing that no one was paying attention, he leaned close to Wang Yue and lowered his voice. "I... I found it on a dead man covered in blood. Outside the city."

He hurriedly added, "Please don't spread this around, young master. If the authorities find out, I'm afraid I'll be dragged into a lawsuit!"

Wang Yue pursed his lips, already reaching a conclusion. The original owner of this Blood Cloud Bead had most likely been a warrior, and it might even be tied to some conflict in the martial world. But none of that had anything to do with him. All he wanted was the fragment itself.

Without asking further, Wang Yue took out one tael of silver from his robes and handed it to the stallholder. "The silver is yours. I'm taking the bead."

The stallholder took the silver and bit it, confirming it was genuine. A smile immediately spread across his face. "Many thanks, young master! Take care!"

Wang Yue carefully tucked the Blood Cloud Bead into his robes, mounted his horse, and headed straight for the Wang Clan Estate. His fingertips were still rubbing the fragment, and his heart burned hot—now that he had this Blood Cloud Bead, another shortcut had opened on his martial path.

Before long, he arrived at the entrance of the Wang Clan Estate. Wang Yue led his horse into the courtyard and went straight to Tiger Roar Residence, lightly knocking on the door.

"Enter." Wang Hu's deep voice came from within.

Wang Yue pushed the door open and entered. Wang Hu and Steward Hu were seated at a table with a map spread before them, apparently discussing something. Wang Yue caught the words, "The Zhao Kingdom has crossed the border and sent many capable fighters into Hanshan Dao."

Wang Yue's pupils contracted. He quickly lowered his head and silently committed those words to memory. The Zhao Kingdom was a force he had never heard of before.

Seeing him enter, Wang Hu immediately stopped speaking and looked up at him. "Is the matter settled?"

"Yes. There were some twists along the way, but it was handled." Wang Yue replied respectfully.

Wang Hu gave a soft laugh, his eyes carrying a trace of understanding. "I heard you caused quite a stir in Lihe Town."

He paused, and a hint of praise entered his voice. "But you handled it fairly well. You did not disgrace the Wang Clan, nor did you let yourself suffer a loss. I originally meant for you to gain some experience, but I did not expect you, boy, to strike without the slightest hesitation. You have a bit of a warrior's ruthlessness in you."

A chill of fear ran through Wang Yue's heart. What had happened in Lihe Town that morning had reached Wang Hu by the afternoon. The Wang Clan's intelligence network was truly that powerful.

Not daring to dwell on it, Wang Yue took two cloth pouches from his robes and handed one to Wang Hu. "Martial Uncle, these are the thirty-three taels of silver you requested."

He then offered the other pouch, which contained thirty-one taels of silver, and said respectfully, "These thirty-one taels—I would like to exchange them with Martial Uncle for daily meat and provisions for cultivation. I hope Martial Uncle will grant this request."

Though he dearly wanted to keep those thirty-one taels of silver, facing Wang Hu's gaze still made his heart pound uneasily.

Wang Hu accepted the silver and opened the pouch for a glance. Then he burst into laughter, took twenty taels from it, and handed them back to Wang Yue. "Keep twenty taels. From now on, have Hu Jing arrange your meals separately. Add meat every day—there will be plenty."

He added, "Also, I had the pharmacy prepare ten portions of Blood Nourishing Soup for you. You can collect them from Hu Jing whenever you wish. They will be just right for replenishing your qi and blood."

Wang Yue accepted the silver, his face full of delight. He quickly cupped his hands. "Thank you, Martial Uncle Hu!"

"All right, don't thank me too soon." Wang Hu waved a hand, his tone growing more serious. "Your matter of entering the Martial Academy will have to wait. Do not take the recommendation route."

He paused before delivering an important piece of news. "At the beginning of next month, the clan will arrange martial demonstrations for everyone. Even the direct-clan disciples of the Martial Academy must participate. The rule is simple: the capable rise, the weak fall. If you have the ability, enter the Martial Academy through your own strength."

"Yes, this disciple understands!" Wang Yue promptly agreed. A martial competition was more reliable to him than a recommendation. With Harmonious Flow Fist at Great Accomplishment and the Ox-like Physique talent, he was confident he could stand out from the crowd.

"Go, then. Train well." Wang Hu waved him away.

After Wang Yue bowed and took his leave, he had just reached the doorway when he heard Wang Hu instruct Steward Hu inside, "Go to Wang Yue's home. Send ten taels of silver to his mother, and tell her that her son has made something of himself. Tell her not to worry."

Steward Hu's expression shifted in surprise as he looked up at Wang Hu. "Brother Hu, you... think highly of this child?"

Wang Hu replied blandly, "What the Wang Clan needs are people who can get things done. So long as they have ability, I treat them all equally."

Steward Hu said nothing more aloud, but inwardly, he was already certain. Wang Yue had caught Wang Hu's eye. His path in the Wang Clan would likely be much smoother from now on.

Wang Yue walked out of Tiger Roar Residence, clutching the twenty taels of silver and the Blood Cloud Bead in his robes.