The Fire Mane Wolf was powerful, far beyond the realm of ordinary beasts.
Xu Yan felt the pressure. At that moment, he only felt his Vital Energy boiling, his entire body entering a state of sublimation.
The Vital Energy throughout his body circulated, and his strength continued to grow.
Boom!
He charged forward again and began battling the Fire Mane Wolf.
As the battle continued, his Vital Energy boiled more and more fiercely. At one point, he grappled with the Fire Mane Wolf, rolling across the ground together with it.
He had no idea how many times the Fire Mane Wolf had kicked him with its hind legs. He gripped the Fire Mane Wolf's snapping jaws with both hands while kicking its body with his own legs.
Man and beast rolled across the ground, kicking and struggling against each other.
Bang!
Suddenly, Xu Yan slammed into a great tree. With a furious roar, he seized the Fire Mane Wolf's two fangs, heaved it up with all his might, and smashed it against the tree.
The battle had reached its fiercest point. Just then, Xu Yan felt that as his Vital Energy was constantly being stimulated, expended, and squeezed from his body, the barrier to the Jade Bone had begun to loosen.
At one moment, it seemed as though he heard a crack, and the barrier shattered.
His Vital Energy surged instantly, while his bones continued to be tempered.
"Are you the only one who can bite?"
Xu Yan grabbed the Fire Mane Wolf by its fangs and threw it onto the ground. Letting its four limbs pound against his body, his eyes bloodshot, he opened his mouth and bit down on the exposed neck of the Fire Mane Wolf.
Pfft!
A mouthful of fur filled his mouth.
Xu Yan spat out the fur and continued biting.
The Fire Mane Wolf panicked a little and struggled violently. Its four limbs beat Xu Yan with all their might, the bang bang of the impacts ringing without end. Xu Yan could even feel the bones throughout his body seeming to tremble beneath the blows.
He pressed the Fire Mane Wolf down firmly, shifted his position, and used both legs to pin down its forelegs. Then he opened his mouth again and bit into the Fire Mane Wolf's throat.
Bite after bite, at one moment, with a pfft, he tore open the skin at the Fire Mane Wolf's throat, and blood gushed out.
A thread of blood flowed into Xu Yan's stomach. In an instant, he felt his Vital Energy boil, as though he had swallowed a great tonic, and his entire body became incomparably refreshed.
The speed at which his bones were tempered increased at that moment.
Xu Yan's eyes lit up. He sprawled over the Fire Mane Wolf, pinning it firmly to the ground, and repeatedly tore at its throat with his teeth.
At that moment, the Fire Mane Wolf's four limbs pointed skyward as it twisted and struggled, letting out terrified howls, but it was all in vain.
As Bone Refining began, Xu Yan's Vital Energy grew even stronger, and his strength became greater.
After he had bitten it an unknown number of times, the Fire Mane Wolf's throat suddenly burst with a pfft, blood spraying out as he bit through its main artery.
Xu Yan greedily swallowed the Fire Mane Wolf's blood. It was like sweet dew, and excitement appeared in his eyes.
Once the blood entered his mouth, it rapidly transformed into Vital Energy, and the speed at which his bones were tempered continued to accelerate.
The bones throughout his body became increasingly translucent, bringing him another step closer to flawless Jade Bone.
The Fire Mane Wolf erupted with the last of its strength as it neared death, suddenly breaking free of Xu Yan's control and attempting to flee.
How could Xu Yan allow prey already in his grasp to escape? He pounced on it, punching and kicking, tearing and biting. In the end, the Fire Mane Wolf collapsed onto the ground, barely alive and covered in wounds.
"I can't waste this. This is a treasure for Bone Refining!"
Xu Yan pounced on it and continued greedily drinking the Fire Mane Wolf's blood. The Vital Energy throughout his body boiled, and the speed of Bone Refining increased dramatically.
The blood had almost been drained dry, while Xu Yan had entered a stage of transformation.
He hurriedly rose to his feet and began cultivating.
His Vital Energy coiled around his bones like a dragon. Even his bone marrow became translucent, and his bones underwent a certain transformation.
It was as though they had become one seamless whole, without the slightest gap.
Boom!
His Vital Energy surged. Xu Yan felt layer after layer of sticky old blood seep from his entire body, covering him in filth.
A crystalline radiance shone from within him, and strange phenomena appeared around his body.
The Jade Bone was complete!
The bones throughout Xu Yan's body were as crystalline as jade, without the slightest flaw. Lustrous and smooth, his flawless Jade Bone seemed to bear naturally formed, delicate patterns, profound and extraordinary.
His Vital Energy surged, and it became even purer—pure Vital Energy, one could say.
Moreover, new Vital Energy was born every moment, continually growing stronger. The losses from the battle had long since been restored.
If Xu Yan encountered the Fire Mane Wolf again now, he would not have to fight so fiercely or laboriously. Three punches and two kicks might be enough to kill it.
"I feel like I've sublimated, as though I've already broken free from the realm of ordinary people!"
Xu Yan clenched both fists, his face filled with excitement.
Only after forming the Jade Bone did he truly experience its power and profundity.
"My martial foundation has surpassed the Ancient Prodigies. I've formed the Jade Bone!"
Flawless Jade Bone, unchanged throughout the ages!
Even if he died now, after enduring countless years, the bones in his body would not decay. Instead, they would become increasingly crystalline and could even turn into a treasure of heaven and earth.
That was the power of the Jade Bone—the true transcendence of the realm of ordinary people.
And now that he had tempered his Jade Bone, his martial path lay open before him, and he was invincible among those of the same realm!
After his excitement faded, Xu Yan looked at the Fire Mane Wolf's corpse, which he had torn and bitten beyond recognition, and his face immediately twisted with distress.
"I tore and shredded the Fire Mane Wolf's hide. It's ruined. I can't peel it off and give it to Master anymore."
"Master must have known long ago where my opportunity to break through to the Jade Bone lay. It was on the Fire Mane Wolf. Master had already paved the way for my martial path!"
The more Xu Yan thought about it, the more deeply moved he became.
After glancing at the blood and grime covering his body, Xu Yan decided not to return to the small mountain village. He would go home instead, and while he was at it, find another fine-grade Jade Ruyi for his master.
Xu Yan lifted the Fire Mane Wolf's mangled corpse with one hand, found the horse, and placed the corpse on its back.
As a result, the horse was so frightened by the Fire Mane Wolf's aura that all four of its legs went limp. Only after Xu Yan released his Vital Energy to conceal the Fire Mane Wolf's aura did the horse manage to walk under his intimidation.
"The Fire Mane Wolf's flesh and blood are a great tonic. They'll be perfect for Organ Refining. Now that I've formed the Jade Bone, Organ Refining will soon be complete."
"I'll strive to complete Organ Refining within three months!"
Xu Yan was filled with fighting spirit. He was not far from entering the martial path!
He would eventually become a true martial cultivator, and all the ridicule and contempt would be swept away.
He would make those people understand: how could frogs at the bottom of a well know the vastness of the sky and earth?
He had already stepped into that vast world, while they remained at the bottom of the well, congratulating themselves on their own ignorance!
Li Xuan stood on the hillside, gazing toward the route Xu Yan had taken, and sighed. That foolish disciple had left and had not returned for five whole days.
He had no idea whether Xu Yan had failed to cross Evil Fiend Forest safely and been eaten by a Fierce Beast.
Although he had fabricated a cultivation method to deceive Xu Yan, after spending so much time together, it was impossible for him not to have developed some feelings.
Li Xuan was still quite satisfied with Xu Yan as a disciple.
Unfortunately, he was not a Reclusive Master.
This was a deception, and it was destined not to end well. Even though Xu Yan had remained completely in the dark, Li Xuan did not dare to keep deceiving him forever.
There was no deception in this world that would never be exposed.
His only hope was that after the one-year period ended, there would be no complications, and they could part on good terms.
Perhaps he could leave Xu Yan with the regret of once having encountered an opportunity but being unable to seize it because of inadequate talent.
And Li Xuan would remain the master he revered in his heart.
That would be the best ending for this bond between master and disciple.
Before you continue