The True Worth of Sect Martial Arts

Five days later, before the first rays of morning sunlight had pierced the clouds, Wang Yue was already awake. His fingers instinctively reached for the Blood Cloud Bead in his robe. At last, Martial Soul extraction had finished cooling down.

His consciousness sank into the Martial Soul interface, where two extractable options appeared clearly:

Black Cloud Fist: Minor Accomplishment Harmonious Flow Fist Breathing Method (can overwrite current proficiency level)

Blood Cloud Bead: superior body-tempering martial art, "Eighteen Forging Golden Body Technique" (middle volume); second-rank talent, Pure Blood Body Refining (incomplete)

Wang Yue sat at the edge of his bed, lightly tapping the bedframe with his fingers as he fell into thought.

The proficiency-level Harmonious Flow Fist Breathing Method was sufficient for now. Though the Minor Accomplishment level could improve efficiency, it was not urgent.

The two options from the Blood Cloud Bead were the true key.

Pure Blood Body Refining could strengthen the purity of Blood Qi, but the "Eighteen Forging Golden Body Technique" was a profound sect martial art. The middle volume alone contained methods for refining blood. In the long run, the improvements brought by a martial art were far beyond those of a talent.

"Let's gamble!" Wang Yue gritted his teeth and made his decision, his eyes turning resolute. "Compared to a talent, I want to see the power of high-level martial arts even more! Extract the 'Eighteen Forging Golden Body Technique'—middle volume!"

The moment his words fell, the Blood Cloud Bead in his robe suddenly radiated scorching red light. A massive torrent of information, like floodwaters bursting through a collapsed dam, surged through his fingertips and into his mind.

The next second, countless complex figures practicing martial arts exploded before Wang Yue's eyes. Some twisted like coiling dragons, some smashed their fists and feet against boulders, and some condensed chains within blood mist. Every movement carried the sensation of tearing power.

The torrent of information was too immense. Wang Yue felt his temples throb, darkness repeatedly cloud his vision, and a great boulder seem to press upon his chest, making even breathing difficult.

He clenched his teeth tightly, enduring the dizziness and discomfort as he forced himself to memorize every figure and every detail. Only after the final figure faded did the torrent of information in his mind gradually stabilize.

Wang Yue collapsed onto the bed, gasping heavily. Cold sweat instantly soaked his back, and only after resting for a long while did he dare examine the contents of his mind closely.

But the moment he did, he felt some regret—not because the martial art was unworthy, but because it was too difficult!

The core of the middle volume of the "Eighteen Forging Golden Body Technique" was a blood-refining method called the "Blood Dragon Secret Method." It had six levels, and every level required the condensation of a Dragon Lock.

When condensing a Dragon Lock, it would frantically devour the Blood Qi within the body, compressing and tempering it until it transformed into crimson chains winding around the meridians.

Even more astonishingly, after each level of Dragon Lock was condensed, the upper limit of one's Blood Qi would double in a stacking manner.

"One level, one barrier. Nine forms per level, and one hundred and eight variations per form..." Wang Yue's expression darkened as he looked over the contents in his mind. The basic variations of merely the first variation in the first form of the first level were more complex than the entire set of Harmonious Flow Fist moves, not to mention the compounded difficulty that followed.

But when he reached the end, his eyes suddenly lit up. Once a Dragon Lock was condensed, one could use the Raging Dragon Secret Method, temporarily shattering the chains and causing the sealed Blood Qi to erupt in an instant, creating crushing combat power.

Yet beneath it was a cold warning: if the Dragon Locks were repeatedly shattered within a short period, it would cause Blood Qi to be overdrawn, eventually drying up and leading to death.

Wang Yue finally let out a breath of stale air, his heart full of shock. Compared to the Wang Clan's Harmonious Flow Fist, this sect secret method was simply martial arts from a different era! And this was only the middle volume. If someone could master the complete volume, they would likely be hailed as one of the supreme masters under heaven!

"No matter how difficult it is, I have to practice it!" Wang Yue clenched his fists, blazing light burning in his eyes. This was his thirst for high-level martial arts. He absolutely could not give up.

Over the following days, Wang Yue deliberately restrained his strength at the training grounds during the day, practicing only Harmonious Flow Fist to stabilize his foundation. At night, he secretly remained in the rear courtyard, preparing to try cultivating the Blood Dragon Secret Method.

Late one night, seeing that Wang Yue had not returned to his room for a long time, Xu Li came specifically to persuade him. "Wang Yue, it's already so late. Practice again tomorrow. Don't wear yourself out."

Wang Yue waved his hand. "Go back first. I'll practice a little longer, then I'll return."

Seeing his resolute attitude, Xu Li did not try to persuade him further. He merely reminded him, "Don't push yourself too hard," before turning and leaving.

After Xu Li had gone far away, Wang Yue quickly walked to a patch of shadow in the rear courtyard untouched by moonlight. It was secluded and deserted here, perfect for practicing a secret method.

He drew a deep breath. The first variation of the first form of the first level of the Blood Dragon Secret Method surfaced in his mind, and his body slowly began to move. His arms bent like dragon claws, his waist and back twisted like a drawn bow, and his feet stepped through strange footwork. He resembled a fierce beast lying in wait, every movement carrying the sluggish sensation of tearing through the air.

Before long, dense beads of cold sweat seeped across Wang Yue's forehead. The three streams of Blood Qi within him began racing wildly through his meridians beyond his control. Specks of red gradually appeared across his skin, glowing faintly in the darkness, while his eyes alone shone with startling brilliance.

"Hah!" Wang Yue gave a low shout, trying to guide his Blood Qi into his arms. But the instant he exerted force, stabbing pain came from his meridians. This martial art consumed far more Blood Qi than he had imagined.

Who knew how much time passed? When Wang Yue completed the first variation of the first form, he suddenly felt his body lighten. The three full streams of Blood Qi within him had already been completely exhausted.

Yet what followed was a strange sense of smoothness. The meridians in his arms seemed to have widened slightly. Though subtle, it was real.

"It worked!" Wang Yue was delighted, but the moment he stood, his vision abruptly went black. A powerful emptiness surged through his limbs and bones, and his stomach growled fiercely with hunger.

"It actually consumes this much Blood Qi..." Wang Yue was secretly shocked. This was only the first variation of the first form, yet it had drained all three streams of Blood Qi. If he cultivated further, he would never be able to sustain it without vast resources to replenish his Blood Qi.

What he did not know was that if anyone else had obtained this secret method, they would not have dared attempt it lightly. Without guidance, a single mistake in one variation would make the Blood Qi devoured during Dragon Lock condensation enough to burn a martial artist's Blood Qi dry and kill them. Only because Wang Yue had directly grasped the fundamental essentials through his Martial Soul did he dare risk cultivating it.

Supporting his weak body, Wang Yue staggered back to his room. Seeing the two corn buns and half a pot of water Xu Li had left on the table, he wolfed them down.

Lying on the bed, Wang Yue stroked his still-flat stomach, but his mind was filled with visions of the future. If he could cultivate the Blood Dragon Secret Method to the sixth level, then even while roaming the world, he could be called a reclusive master.

Its very difficulty proved that its power far surpassed Harmonious Flow Fist.

Wang Yue then opened the panel.

Martial Path: Blood Condensation Realm
Martial Soul: Great Accomplishment Harmonious Flow Fist, Beginner Eighteen Forging Golden Body Technique
Talent: Ox-like Physique
Cooldown: One month

Wang Yue stared at the one-month cooldown in slight surprise. It seemed extraction cooldowns were determined by some unknown classification. Before he had begun practicing martial arts, extracting Great Accomplishment Harmonious Flow Fist had required a seven-day cooldown, while extracting the Beginner Eighteen Forging Golden Body Technique required one month.

Then if he wanted to extract Pure Blood Body Refining, he would have to wait a very long time—until after the training grounds' martial exhibition.