Dragon's Roar Physique

He Manlou

The Founding Ancestor of the Qingyang He Clan, a body cultivator at the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage, a Second-grade low-tier Artifact Refiner, and an Elder of the Artifact Alliance.

He enjoyed considerable prestige in Fenghua City.

Chen Sheng's acquaintance with him dated back five years.

That year.

He Manlou had come to recruit Chen Sheng, hoping he would become the He Clan's alchemist.

Ever since Chen Sheng had made a name for himself in the Pill Alliance, he had received many such offers, most of them invitations from Foundation Establishment Families.

Among all those offers.

He Manlou's terms had been the most generous.

As long as he agreed, he would receive a Foundation Establishment Pill on the spot, along with a Second-grade low-tier Pill Condensation Inheritance.

Chen Sheng hesitated for a moment before politely declining.

He only needed to cultivate steadily in the Alchemy Hall for twenty years.

Whether it was a Foundation Establishment Pill or a second-grade inheritance, both would come naturally when the time was right.

He truly had no desire to involve himself in the struggles between Foundation Establishment Forces for petty gains.

Once he lost his freedom, who knew what day might bring body death Dao annihilation?

Though rejected by Chen Sheng, He Manlou did not get angry.

After all, he was a first-generation founder. With a smile, he exchanged pleasantries with Chen Sheng and said that even if business failed, goodwill remained—they could simply be friends.

A Foundation Establishment senior had lowered himself to befriend him.

Chen Sheng could only greet him with a smile.

A few days later.

He Manlou returned, bringing along his grandson, He Ping'an, to formally take a master.

Chen Sheng knew He Ping'an. He looked unusually mature for his age and had quite distinctive features.

He was a registered low-tier alchemist with the Pill Alliance and often attended Chen Sheng's lectures there. Quiet and reserved by nature, he was a dependable youth.

Chen Sheng had a favorable impression of He Ping'an.

He simply had not expected the boy to have a grandfather who was a Second-grade Artifact Refiner.

Logically speaking, with such resources available, why not study artifact refinement instead of alchemy?

Was that not taking the long way around when the near road was right before him?

Of course, considering that He Manlou was the Founding Ancestor of the family, it also made sense for him to encourage his descendants to learn different crafts and strengthen the clan's foundation.

He Manlou placed a broad hand on the youth's shoulder and spoke with a smile.

"Alchemist Chen, our Ping'an doesn't like artifact refinement. He's loved alchemy since he was little."

"Our family has hired several alchemy masters for him before, but the results were all mediocre, and his progress was slow."

"Then last year, several clan alchemists said his alchemy skills had advanced by leaps and bounds. Only after asking did we learn that he had encountered a fine master."

"This child was too embarrassed to say it himself. Alchemist Chen, please be sure to accept him."

As he spoke, He Manlou presented a gift for apprenticeship that Chen Sheng could not refuse.

It was precisely the Second-grade low-tier Pill Condensation Inheritance he had used to recruit Chen Sheng a few days earlier.

In the end, Chen Sheng nodded lightly.

And so.

Chen Sheng took in the first formal Disciple of his life—He Ping'an.

He also obtained that second-grade Pill Condensation Inheritance.

This inheritance was excellent and complete. It covered the foundational contents of second-grade inheritances and included many Pill Condensation Techniques and Hand Seals.

With Chen Sheng's foundation and talent in the Way of Alchemy.

He mastered it extremely quickly.

In just a few short years, Chen Sheng absorbed its essence.

He raised his Pill Condensation skills to another level, laying a deep foundation for the moat that would later protect the Fine-grade Pill Hall.

In the time that followed.

He Manlou still did not abandon his intention of recruiting Chen Sheng into the clan.

Using He Ping'an as the connection.

He often came calling, and their friendship gradually deepened.

Year's end.

A Foundation Establishment Elder from the Lanri Chen Clan also came to his door. They had somehow learned that Chen Sheng had been born into a branch of Great Jing and wanted him to "return to the clan register."

After Chen Sheng politely declined.

This Chen Clan Elder flew into a rage from embarrassment, cursing Chen Sheng for not knowing what was good for him, calling him an ungrateful wretch who had forgotten his ancestors.

In the end.

He Manlou was the one who helped him out, fending off the waves of trouble that followed.

Chen Sheng was deeply grateful.

He became even more diligent in teaching He Ping'an.

Fourth year.

Under Chen Sheng's meticulous instruction, He Ping'an successfully advanced to become a first-tier Mid-grade Alchemist.

He Manlou was overjoyed.

He had heard that Chen Sheng was also practicing a Body Refining Method.

He specially sent over secret medicine and shared his experience in body refinement.

During this guidance.

He Manlou discovered a problem.

He found that Chen Sheng's talent for body refinement was no less than his own.

But the He Clan's ancestors possessed the bloodline of a great demon.

He Manlou himself had undergone a Bloodline Ancestral Return and possessed the Cloud Elephant Body.

For Chen Sheng to have such exceptional talent in body refinement, along with the two traits of "great strength" and "boundless vigor," he had to possess a special physique!

He Manlou immediately and excitedly told Chen Sheng of his discovery, boasting that the He Clan were true experts in such matters.

They would certainly be able to trace the origin of his physique.

He Manlou took the matter entirely upon himself:

"Then you can focus on body refinement."

"After all, your Qi Refining aptitude is merely a Low-grade Spiritual Root—not even as good as mine. Even if you can reach Foundation Establishment, you'll most likely be stuck at Foundation Establishment Early Stage for the rest of your life."

"On the other hand, this special physique is no weaker than mine. Paired with the right Body Tempering Cultivation Method, it can at least rival a High-grade Spiritual Root."

"I won't say Golden Core Formation is certain, but Foundation Establishment Middle Stage and Foundation Establishment Late Stage are very much within reach."

Hearing He Manlou put it this way.

Chen Sheng's heart stirred. For the first time, he realized that Dragon's Vigor Tiger's Might was a cultivation talent comparable to a High-grade Spiritual Root.

He hurriedly cupped his fists.

"Then I'll have to trouble you, old brother."

He Manlou waved with a cheerful smile.

"Rest easy."

After He Manlou returned home, he searched through all the clan records concerning common physiques, yet found nothing that matched.

Just as he stood there utterly baffled.

Still unwilling to give up, he began consulting records of all manner of rare and precious special bodies.

At last, He Manlou found a physique that bore some resemblance.

Dragon's Roar Physique

This physique belongs to the blood descendants of the Dragon Vein. It possesses a dragon's strength and essence, comparable to the offspring of a Flood Dragon.

It naturally forms a spirit body, and its Qi Refining speed rivals an Earth-grade Spiritual Root.

This physique rather closely matched Chen Sheng's "abundant essence," "divine strength," and "increased Qi Refining speed."

It was only that every one of Chen Sheng's traits was a weakened version.

He Manlou's eyes immediately lit up.

During the process of Bloodline Ancestral Return.

He had personally witnessed many He Clan members possessing weakened versions of the Cloud Elephant Body.

That was a sign of diluted bloodline.

In his view, Chen Sheng's situation resembled that of those clansmen.

He Manlou did not hide it from him.

"Brother Chen, you are most likely in this situation..."

"Dragon Vein Constitution has a strong affinity for body-tempering methods. There's no need to deliberately switch to another one."

"True Dragon cultivation methods are rare."

"After you reach Foundation Establishment, try to choose a Flood Dragon Body Tempering Method. It may give you a little extra help."

Chen Sheng nodded lightly at those words.

"Many thanks, brother."

After speaking, He Manlou stared straight at him.

"Brother Chen, do you want women? My He Clan will let you choose from any of them..."

Chen Sheng smiled and declined.

There were plenty of Rosy Fairies in the Immortal City. Whenever the need arose, it could be settled quickly enough.

Cultivating while dragging a whole family along was far too exhausting!

Chen Sheng truly did not want to go through that again.

He Manlou refused to give up. The upper limit of his clan's Cloud Elephant Body lay right here.

Chen Sheng's Dragon Vein talent, even in its incomplete form, could rival a complete Cloud Elephant Body.

And if one day, his bloodline underwent Bloodline Ancestral Return...

The image was too beautiful. He Manlou did not even dare imagine it.

He wanted far too badly to bring Chen Sheng's talent into his clan.

Over the following days, he visited Chen Sheng many times.

He carefully asked about Chen Sheng's concerns.

They could roughly be summed up in two key points.

He would not refuse beauties.

He did not want to raise children.

After hearing Chen Sheng's thoughts, He Manlou was overjoyed.

The He Clan would raise all the children!

And so it was.

He Manlou blocked Chen Sheng's path once again and proposed "borrowing seed"!