Viscera Refining Perfection

Ten days later, Xu Yan returned, bringing Li Xuan a Jade Ruyi and several jade ornaments.

"Good, good, my disciple truly understands my heart."

Li Xuan was overjoyed.

This disciple was truly excellent!

Look at this jade, it's incredibly valuable!

So beautiful!

As for the Fierce Beasts in the Evil Fiend Forest, since Xu Yan had returned, they were naturally dealt with. Li Xuan didn't ask.

However, Xu Yan seemed different upon his return this time.

Li Xuan couldn't quite pinpoint how he was different, only feeling a flicker of confusion before dismissing it.

After Xu Yan's return, he resumed his usual cultivation rhythm, but with a difference: he began Viscera Refining.

"The internal organs are fragile. The beginning of Viscera Refining must be done with utmost care, not rushed, or it can easily harm oneself."

While refining his viscera, Xu Yan channeled his Blood Essence, first nourishing his heart. As the tempering began, his heartbeats grew stronger, and with each beat, the surrounding Blood Essence would increase.

"I aim to complete Viscera Refining within three months."

After tempering out his Jade Bone, Xu Yan's confidence soared. Completing Viscera Refining in three months was already a conservative estimate.

Three days later.

With the tempering, his heart grew stronger, and his Blood Essence had increased by more than half. The subsequent tempering could be more intense without fear of damaging his heart.

However, as his heart strengthened, Xu Yan also discovered some issues.

"There's a feeling of imbalance. I can't just temper the heart; I must temper the other organs as well."

Xu Yan began tempering his lungs.

He kept in mind his Master's words on Viscera Refining: the five organs correspond to the five elements, Blood Essence circulates through the five organs, forming a unified whole. When the five elements merge, Viscera Refining is complete.

After the initial tempering and strengthening of his internal organs, Xu Yan proceeded to temper all five simultaneously. Blood Essence circulated between the organs, and with each tempering, he could feel himself improving.

His Blood Essence was also constantly growing.

After Xu Yan's return, life returned to its usual pace, and Li Xuan found himself completely at leisure.

He couldn't help but sigh at Xu Yan's persistence.

This foolish disciple was truly dedicated.

"Half of the one-year term has passed. Another six months, and I'll be free."

Li Xuan mused with a sigh.

Once another six months passed, their master-disciple relationship would be dissolved, and he could retreat to the Wu Kingdom.

With Xu Yan's generous betrothal gifts, living a life of wealth would be no problem. He could even marry two or three beautiful wives, and his life would be wonderfully spent.

After all, from the current situation, there was no such thing as an overwhelmingly powerful Martial Dao.

Moreover, even if such a thing existed, if Xu Yan, with his background, couldn't access it, how could he?

Viscera Refining proceeded without any complications, smoothly and without a hitch.

Perhaps it was due to tempering out his Jade Bone and having a solid Martial Dao foundation, but Viscera Refining was going very smoothly, methodically, and continuously improving.

After more than two months of arduous training, Xu Yan was nearing the completion of Viscera Refining.

His internal organs were so strong they had almost transcended their fleshy state.

Xu Yan's current strength had increased by two to three times compared to the beginning of his Viscera Refining.

Especially his Blood Essence, which was incredibly powerful, with significant improvements in both quality and quantity.

Vaguely, his robust Blood Essence felt like it could erupt from his body at any moment, forming a protective shield.

"In three to five days, I will complete Viscera Refining."

Xu Yan sensed the changes within himself, his heart filled with excitement.

With Viscera Refining complete, Martial Dao entry was also within reach.

"According to Master's teachings, upon completing Viscera Refining, one merges the foundational stages of Skin Tempering, Bone Refining, and Viscera Refining into a unified whole, consolidating it within the body, and then one can enter Martial Dao.

"Upon entering Martial Dao, one's bones and sinews will thunder, and their Blood Essence will be like a steel aura."

Xu Yan's mind immersed itself in contemplation, carefully pondering how to achieve this merging and consolidation, how to step into Martial Dao.

It seemed simple and easy, yet achieving this integration and consolidation was not straightforward.

"Skin, bone, and viscera are already part of my body. How can they merge? How can they consolidate? This is my body, it belongs to me."

Xu Yan fell into deep thought.

"No, I'm misunderstanding the direction.

"Master said it lies in 'comprehension,' in 'intent,' not in form. Is this merging and consolidation about intent? Or Blood Essence?"

"I have some vague understanding, but it's not enough.

"No rush. Once I complete Viscera Refining, I'll carefully comprehend how to integrate everything and consolidate my entire being."

Xu Yan settled his mind and continued with Viscera Refining.

Three days later, Xu Yan completed Viscera Refining.

However, he still had no clue on how to integrate everything and consolidate his entire being.

His bones and muscles thundered, and his Blood Essence surged like steel aura, but he couldn't achieve it.

"I feel like I'm just a step away from entering the Martial Dao, just a step away from having Blood Essence like steel aura, yet I can't find the way in.

"It seems I haven't gained complete control over myself, which is why I can't enter."

Xu Yan carefully felt his own body. Vaguely, he felt he was on the verge of entering.

It was just the final push.

Yet, this final push felt like a step he couldn't take.

He clenched his fists, and as Blood Essence surged, a faint layer of Blood Essence appeared on his fists. It was crimson like fire, with an intense heat, but it lacked solidity, far from reaching the level of Blood Essence like steel aura.

Let alone Blood Essence like steel aura enveloping his entire body.

"It's just this final push left. No need to worry, I'll get there eventually.

"What I need to do now is relax myself, to ease out of the state of intense cultivation. Only with a relaxed mind can I easily grasp the essence of it."

Xu Yan began to relax, reducing his cultivation time. He fed the chickens, weeded the garden, planted vegetables, and occasionally rode his horse around.

"This silly disciple, why isn't he cultivating diligently anymore? It feels like he's just playing around?"

Li Xuan looked puzzled. Xu Yan hadn't been cultivating diligently these past few days; instead, he seemed to be in a state of leisure and play.

"Could he suspect I lied to him?"

Li Xuan fell into thought.

He observed Xu Yan in secret for two days and found that apart from not cultivating as diligently as before, the young man was still doing everything else he normally did; nothing had changed.

His attitude towards him remained extremely respectful.

Since he wasn't suspected, Li Xuan breathed a sigh of relief and didn't rush to motivate Xu Yan or urge him to cultivate harder.

"I have some insight."

That day, after dinner, Xu Yan began to cultivate.

The relaxation of the past few days, combined with his self-reflection, suddenly gave him insight into how to integrate everything and consolidate his entire being.

Blood Essence circulated, from the skin to the bones, then to the organs, making his entire body one. In that instant, the Blood Essence was no longer in a dispersed state but was consolidated within his being.

The moment the Blood Essence consolidated and integrated, Xu Yan's control over his own Blood Essence increased dramatically. As the Blood Essence continued to consolidate and integrate.

Skin Tempering, Bone Refining, and Viscera Refining formed a complete cycle. The Blood Essence throughout his body surged, and began to emanate outwards.

His overall strength also continued to skyrocket.

Xu Yan entered a mystical state, completely forgetting everything around him.

After an unknown amount of time, the Blood Essence emanating from his body grew more and more intense. It transitioned from a misty state, continuously solidifying and expanding outwards.

It stopped only after expanding to about ten feet around him. The Blood Essence began to churn, undergoing a transformation, constantly solidifying.

Seeking collections, seeking votes, seeking everything^_^