True Force Enters Marrow (Seeking Recommendations)

The shantytown.

Inside the cellar.

Huff... inhale...

Terrifying waves of air battered the walls back and forth, rippling outward... as if they were about to form a current and sweep across everything.

Fang Xi was bare-chested, his chest rising and falling like a bellows.

With every breath, his qi and blood seemed to grow stronger, while the muscles throughout his body became rubber-like, full of elasticity.

"The principle behind Iron Cloth Skill is recoil!"

"Once trained to the Great Accomplishment Realm, even if a Martial Artist wielded a blunt weapon, it wouldn't be able to inflict much damage!"

Fang Xi took a vicious bite of Taisui Meat, then closed his eyes and meditated on the Divine Intent Diagram of Iron Cloth Skill.

No one knew how much time had passed.

He suddenly opened his eyes. "Done!"

Iron Cloth Skill had reached the Great Accomplishment Realm, and True Energy had broken through once again!

This time, he felt as though his entire body had been draped in a layer of transparent gauze. His defensive power had increased greatly, especially around his chest and back!

Those two areas were precisely where White Cloud Palm and Red Snake Leg were lacking!

"Just as I expected... With the Spiritual Energy of the Cultivation World and the nourishment of Taisui Meat, my progress in Martial Arts has been astonishingly fast! Breaking through is as simple as eating or drinking."

A faint light gleamed in Fang Xi's eyes.

Of course, this was also because he was already a True Energy Martial Artist. Training another Martial Art to this level naturally came much more easily.

Not to mention that he had Spiritual Awareness to aid his comprehension of the Divine Intent Diagram.

"But... Iron Cloth Skill's boost to my overall True Energy is already very small."

After inspecting his body for a while, Fang Xi felt somewhat helpless.

The stacking of True Energy Martial Arts was not as simple and crude as one plus one.

If the first breakthrough, Red Snake Leg, had increased his True Energy by ten, then the second breakthrough, White Cloud Palm, had increased it by only four or five at most.

Of course, a forty- to fifty-percent increase in True Energy had already doubled his strength.

But... after that, Fang Xi searched for Martial Arts and chose a skill called Heavenly Sight Earthly Hearing Skill. After mastering it, his True Energy increased by only about two.

Now that Iron Cloth Skill had broken through, its increase to his overall True Energy was probably less than one...

"Actually, this is how it should be. A person's total qi and blood is limited, so there must inevitably be a limit... Otherwise, if Martial Artists kept stacking Martial Arts endlessly, wouldn't they become invincible?"

"But in truth, this practice of mixing Martial Arts brings lower and lower returns, eventually approaching zero... On the contrary, the conflict between the qi and blood within a Martial Artist's body will continue to intensify!"

All of a sudden, several unnatural flushes appeared on Fang Xi's face, but he quickly suppressed them.

"With Spiritual Awareness to inspect my body, I've already done my best to choose Martial Arts that don't conflict with one another, but I've reached the limit... If I continue like this, the losses will outweigh the gains."

Not only that, Fang Xi had also relied on the terrifying ability of internal inspection to finely adjust the four cultivation methods, making the circulation of their qi and blood more harmonious and reducing their conflicts.

If he had been a Martial Artist from the Great Liang World and trained to his current level, he would most likely already have been plagued by every illness under the sun...

"Fortunately... after stacking four Martial Arts, True Energy can already cover most parts of my body."

In Great Liang Martial Arts, the Three Changes of Qi and Blood were all foundational stages, collectively known as Martial Disciples!

Comprehending a Divine Intent Diagram and integrating True Energy made one a Martial Artist! This was comparable to Body Refining First Level, which was equivalent to a cultivator in the early Qi Refining stage!

After True Energy came the stage of covering the entire body with True Energy and tempering the internal organs, limbs, and bones... while waiting for True Energy to give birth to True Force! This was a True Force Martial Master!

A True Force Martial Master was already comparable to a Body Refining Second Level body cultivator, in other words, a cultivator in the middle Qi Refining stage!

Fang Xi was currently using stacked Martial Arts to cover his entire body with True Energy as much as possible, tempering it as a whole.

White Cloud Palm primarily trained the palms and arms, Red Snake Leg trained the legs, Iron Cloth Skill covered the main torso, while Heavenly Sight Earthly Hearing Skill was more unorthodox, being a specialized method for enhancing eyesight and hearing, with the additional effect of tempering the head.

"Unfortunately... I'm still missing a True Force cultivation method. Mu Canglong was only a True Energy Martial Artist, so most of what he said about the specific methods afterward was speculation..."

Fang Xi lowered his eyelids. "The Yuan He Mountain branch has been fattened up enough. It's time to butcher it."

Although he had known for a long time that Yuan He Mountain was in the southern city gate district, he had never made a move.

This was mainly because Linghu Yang's Martial Arts had already reached the True Force Martial Master level, comparable to a Body Refining Second Level cultivator.

Although he lacked the diverse methods of a cultivator, he was still not easy to kill.

To be safe, Fang Xi still needed to raise his own strength to the current limit before making plans.

Besides... Black Stone City was currently a huge prison, and Linghu Yang could not escape! There was no need to hurry.

In any case, as time passed, the person whose strength would grow the fastest was bound to be Fang Xi!

Green Bamboo Mountain Market.

Pill Cauldron Pavilion.

"Is Fellow Daoist here to purchase pills?"

When Zhuo Luting saw a customer with his face covered enter, she smiled and approached him, her expression not changing in the slightest.

Cultivators generally liked to keep their wealth hidden, and there were plenty of people who concealed their appearance.

"I wish to purchase a type of pill, mainly to resolve several problems with the circulation of qi and blood within my body..."

Fang Xi roughened his voice and explained his requirements.

After several breakthroughs in Martial Arts, his physique had been strengthened again and was already vastly different from before.

Combined with his covered face, unless Zhuo Luting was a Foundation Establishment Great Cultivator, there was absolutely no way she could recognize him.

Though even if she did recognize him, it seemed there would be no great problem...

After hearing his request, Zhuo Luting's smile remained unchanged. "The guest wishes to purchase pills that resolve different qi-and-blood conflicts? Our pavilion does not have such pills..."

"You don't?" Fang Xi felt a faint disappointment in his heart.

At this moment, Zhuo Luting continued smiling. "Although we don't, if you only wish to resolve conflicts between the qi and blood of a body cultivator in the Qi Refining stage, Fellow Daoist can invite our pavilion's alchemist to create pills tailored specifically for you... It's just that the price..."

"I don't have that many spirit stones."

Fang Xi sighed.

In truth, he had known about this solution for a long time. For example, he could have a Pill Cauldron Pavilion physician examine his body, diagnose him personally, prescribe a formula, and then have an alchemist refine medicine according to the diagnosis. A mere qi-and-blood conflict could be resolved with the wave of a hand.

But first, he was not a direct descendant of a Foundation Establishment Household, so he did not have the status or the many spirit stones required.

Second, having someone carefully examine his body would inevitably expose his special circumstances. He might even have to hand over his cultivation methods. That was absolutely unacceptable.

Thus, he stopped hesitating and turned to leave.

At this moment, he heard Zhuo Luting say, "If Fellow Daoist does not seek a complete cure, I happen to have a method that treats the symptoms but not the root cause!"

"Oh? What do you mean by treating the symptoms but not the root cause?"

Fang Xi stopped and turned his eyes bright, staring fixedly at Zhuo Luting.

"According to Fellow Daoist's description, the qi-and-blood conflict is only a minor problem. As long as your foundation is deep enough, it will not cause much trouble. It is like how water may overcome fire, but a drop of water cannot possibly extinguish a mountain fire..." Zhuo Luting introduced it. "Our pavilion has Qi and Blood Pills, classified as First-grade Mid-rank. They are primarily meant for body cultivators and can increase the essence blood within a cultivator's body, strengthening their foundation... If one's foundation is solid and profound, then even with minor problems, it will not affect future progress. However, this only conceals the problem rather than treating its root. Once you reach the next major realm, the problem will inevitably become even more severe..."

"Qi and Blood Pill?"

Fang Xi's voice remained steady, but his thoughts raced.

This Qi and Blood Pill could actually increase a person's upper limit of total qi and blood. In the Great Liang World, it would be an unparalleled divine medicine for improving Martial Arts aptitude!

In other words, if Fang Xi had taken a Qi and Blood Pill back then, perhaps he would not have been branded a Martial Arts good-for-nothing...

This female cultivator makes sense...

If my total qi and blood increases, I can at least train in several more Martial Arts...

As long as my physical foundation is deep enough, even if the qi and blood within my body conflict, it won't matter much as long as I can suppress it...

Maybe I'll break through to Martial Master before the hidden danger erupts?

After weighing the matter from every angle, Fang Xi nodded in agreement. "How much does this Qi and Blood Pill cost?"

A First-grade Mid-rank pill would certainly cost more than a Clear Spirit Pill.

He already had a bad feeling.

Sure enough, in the next moment, a trace of excitement surfaced on Zhuo Luting's face. Her red lips parted slightly. "Five spirit stones per pill."

"Damn that Pill Cauldron Pavilion... They're robbing me blind..."

In the shantytown, Fang Xi stared at the blood-red pill in his hand, his entire face collapsing.

For this single Qi and Blood Pill, he had not only gone completely bankrupt and sold all the spirit rice he had stored for food, he had also borrowed four spirit stones from Chen Ping, Di Qi, and the others!

They had agreed that he would repay it in one month—and repay five spirit stones!

"Just wait until I have spirit stones. I'll swallow Qi and Blood Pills one after another and throw them away as I go..."

Fang Xi swore viciously under his breath, then swallowed the Qi and Blood Pill in one gulp and closed his eyes to refine it with his magical power.

Very soon, he felt the pill's power take effect, warming his entire body.

The previous tautness in his limbs and bones vanished, replaced by a feeling of relief.

"Sure enough, the Qi and Blood Pill works!"

A trace of delight appeared in Fang Xi's eyes.

"Take the so-called qi-and-blood conflict: if we compare the human body to a house, then there are several ferocious beasts inside it right now. The territory is too small, so conflicts and friction are inevitable. They attack one another, and then they bring the house crashing down..."

"The principle behind the Qi and Blood Pill is to reinforce and enlarge the rooms... Although the ferocious beasts are still there, the house is less likely to collapse..."

"Since the ferocious beasts still exist, that is why it only treats the symptoms and not the root cause."

After a long while.

Fang Xi rose and looked at the black filth seeping from his body, mixed with blood. He could not help giving a bitter laugh before going outside to fetch water and wash himself clean.

Once both his body and mind felt refreshed, he changed into clean clothes and lay on a bamboo chair, gazing up at the night sky. "How long has it been... since I let go of everything and truly looked at this starry sky?"

With the Spiritual Awareness and pills of a cultivator, having no road forward was nothing but a joke to him.

But only now did Fang Xi feel a genuine, settled sense of relief.

Amid this tranquil silence, he seemed to hear a rushing sound beside his ear, like a stream flowing.

Only after Fang Xi focused did he realize that the sound of the stream came from within his own body. It was... the sound of his qi and blood flowing.

Crackling explosions rang out from his body in rapid succession. Every joint sounded like popping beans, and his sinews and bones resonated as one!

"This is... True Energy entering the bones, beginning to temper the marrow?"

Fang Xi's eyes lit up.

True Energy had now entered an extremely high realm. He was only one step away from True Force being born on its own!