Entering Wushan, Blood Replacement Complete!

"Hiss."

The sword's edge pierced the woman's fair neck.

But Lu Changsheng stopped.

A drop of blood seeped from the fair skin of the woman's neck and fell to the ground.

Lu Changsheng asked calmly, "Who is she?"

Seeing this, Long Fei let out a long breath.

He explained, "She is... Liu Hongluan."

"Hongluan, why are you here?"

Liu Hongluan seemed truly frightened and remained silent.

Lu Changsheng seemed to understand something.

He sheathed his sword and stepped aside.

Liu Hongluan suddenly threw herself into Long Fei's arms, choking back sobs as she said, "I... I heard you were injured and being hunted down, so I came to Wushan City to find you."

"Just now, I saw you return. I wanted to give you a surprise, but I never expected..."

Liu Hongluan did not continue.

She was truly terrified in hindsight. Even thinking about it now made her heart pound.

That razor-sharp sword edge had made her feel as though she had walked once between life and death.

Long Fei hurriedly comforted her. "It was all a misunderstanding just now."

"Come, let me introduce you. This is Brother Lu. Lin Tan and Shen Lun had hunted me down one after another, and I was in mortal danger."

"Fortunately, Brother Lu stepped in, allowing me to escape disaster. He even took the trouble to escort me back. I never expected you to be in the courtyard, which led to this misunderstanding."

Liu Hongluan understood the whole sequence of events.

Moreover, she was not an unreasonable person. Though she had nearly died beneath Lu Changsheng's sword just now, she still gave him a deep, respectful bow. "Thank you, Hero Lu, for saving Brother Fei."

Lu Changsheng nodded but said nothing.

He could naturally tell at a glance what sort of relationship Long Fei had with Liu Hongluan.

Still, he was somewhat puzzled. Had Long Fei not already had a wife and daughter?

Was Liu Hongluan his confidante?

Long Fei seemed to know what Lu Changsheng was thinking. He gave a light cough and said, "Brother Lu, Hongluan has treated me well and never abandoned me. As for my first wife, she actually fell ill and passed away years ago..."

Lu Changsheng understood.

But the men and women of the martial world did not stand on petty formalities. Such matters were not important.

Soon afterward, the group entered the house.

Long Fei's injuries were not particularly severe, but he still needed a long period of rest and recuperation.

Lu Changsheng had come to Wushan City to train in martial arts. He needed to find a cold place—ice would be even better.

When it came to cold, the depths of Wushan were undoubtedly the coldest.

Lu Changsheng recalled that Long Fei had once pursued the You Brothers into the depths of Wushan, so he asked, "Brother Long, is there an extremely cold place deep in Wushan? Preferably somewhere frozen with ice."

Long Fei thought carefully for a moment, then nodded. "I pursued the You Brothers all the way into the depths of Wushan."

"Deep within Wushan, there is a river. Because the weather is so cold, the river has frozen over. Not only the river—even the surrounding area is covered in a layer of ice crystals. From afar, it looks just like an Ice Mountain."

Lu Changsheng's spirits lifted.

A place like that would surely be highly effective for cultivating the Ice Bone Forging Technique.

"Time waits for no one. I will take my leave first and head for the Ice Mountain Brother Long mentioned."

Lu Changsheng rose to say farewell.

"Brother Lu, why the hurry? We hit it off at first sight. Why not stay a few more days?"

Lu Changsheng shook his head. "I came solely to train in martial arts. That Ice Mountain happens to be the perfect environment for my cultivation. And with Miss Hongluan taking care of Brother Long, I can rest assured."

At those words, Liu Hongluan's face flushed faintly.

Still, she spoke up. "Brother Fei, Wushan is vast. It will not be easy for Hero Lu to find the Ice Mountain. Your health is weak right now, so you cannot go into Wushan. Why not draw a map?"

"With a map, Hero Lu won't have to take needless detours."

Lu Changsheng and Long Fei's eyes both lit up.

"A map? That really is a good idea."

"But I have always had a headache over writing and ink, let alone painting. I can't draw this map..."

Long Fei was rather helpless.

Liu Hongluan smiled faintly. "Brother Fei, if you cannot draw it, I can help you."

"Tell me carefully, and I'll draw it."

Long Fei was half-convinced, half-dubious, but he slowly described the terrain deep within Wushan.

As Long Fei spoke, Liu Hongluan swiftly drew a map.

The map was lifelike and vivid at a glance; she had clearly studied under a renowned master, and her drawing skills were exceptional.

About an hour later, Liu Hongluan blew on the ink and said with a smile, "I have fulfilled my mission without disgrace. The map is complete. Hero Lu, take a look—if anything seems questionable, we can make adjustments."

Lu Changsheng took the map and looked it over. It was exceedingly detailed.

With this map, he would be able to find the location of Ice Mountain with ease.

Lu Changsheng put away the map.

"Thank you for your trouble, Miss Hongluan. There is no need for further adjustments."

"Brother Long Fei, farewell."

With that, Lu Changsheng turned and left the small courtyard.

However, Lu Changsheng did not set out immediately. Instead, he went into the city and began making large-scale purchases.

He knew that this trip deep into Wushan to find Ice Mountain and cultivate the Ice Bone Forging Technique would keep him there for quite some time.

He needed to prepare a large quantity of supplies.

Lu Changsheng bought up a great deal, loaded it onto a horse, and then slowly left Wushan City.

Wushan was only twenty li from Wushan City—not too far away.

From afar, Lu Changsheng could already see the endless chain of Wushan mountains.

He encountered no trouble along the way and arrived safely outside Wushan.

Though he was only at the outskirts of Wushan, the temperature was already noticeably lower.

Lu Changsheng took the large pile of supplies off the horse. Gently stroking its mane, he said with a smile, "Horse, it's too cold deep in Wushan. You can't go any farther."

"You've worked hard along the way, so I might as well set you free."

Lu Changsheng gave the horse's back a firm pat.

The horse immediately galloped away in delight, soon vanishing from Lu Changsheng's sight.

Though the horse had been rented, it was not expensive to Lu Changsheng.

Then, carrying the heavy supplies himself, Lu Changsheng entered Wushan.

Wushan rose and fell in endless ridges, and the deeper he went, the colder it became.

Relying on the map Liu Hongluan had drawn, Lu Changsheng took almost no wrong turns along the way.

Even so, it was only after nightfall that he vaguely spotted an Ice Mountain ahead.

"Finally, I'm here!"

Looking at the Ice Mountain before him, Lu Changsheng found it truly magnificent.

It had originally been an ordinary mountain, gradually transformed into an ice mountain beneath accumulated snow.

Lu Changsheng searched around and actually found a cave.

He then moved in. With the supplies he had purchased in advance, he had no fear of the cold.

This time, Lu Changsheng had brought plenty of dried rations.

Even within this Ice Mountain, they would sustain him for a long time.

Lu Changsheng's heart gradually settled, and he began tempering his bones within Ice Mountain.

Previously, whenever Lu Changsheng cultivated the Ice Bone Forging Technique, he had always felt that something was missing.

It seemed he had been unable to grasp the true essence of the Ice Bone Forging Technique.

Now, surrounded by Ice Mountain's bitter cold and ice everywhere he looked, Lu Changsheng felt as though blessings had descended upon his heart. He immediately comprehended the true meaning of the Ice Bone Forging Technique.

From then on, the technique's Bone Tempering efficiency doubled.

In the blink of an eye, a month passed.

"Thump, thump, thump."

Lu Changsheng's heart pounded violently.

The blood within his body surged at high speed, even producing a rushing "whoosh" like a river charging onward.

Lu Changsheng's entire body seemed shrouded in dense vitality and blood.

The strength of that vitality and blood was simply inconceivable.

Even the vitality and blood of a top-tier Organ Refining martial artist paled into insignificance beside Lu Changsheng's at this moment.

"Whoosh."

Lu Changsheng opened his eyes.

"The Blood Replacement is complete!"

A strange glint flashed through Lu Changsheng's eyes.

The "Blood Replacement" was complete, but "Marrow Cleansing" had not yet begun.

Then what was he now? Half-step Divine Strength Realm?