Shadow Blood, Shadow Bone, Life Codex

Shadow Blood, Shadow Bone, Life Codex

"To begin learning any method, there are only two paths: comprehension and practice.

Comprehension means figuring it out yourself.

All cultivation arts were created by people.

If others can create them, why can't you?

Only by holding fast to this mindset can you advance. Do not become a puppet of cultivation arts; become their master.

Even peddlers and laborers, if they do something often enough and become skilled at it, can hone their own methods.

Once, in a bustling market, I saw an old oil seller drip oil through the hole in a coin without wetting the coin at all.

I also once saw a butcher dismember an ox with his blade. The sounds came in a flowing rhythm like music; the blade was undamaged, yet the ox came apart on its own.

In their daily lives, these people had comprehended their own methods."

"But most people will never have such an opportunity. Even if they do and comprehend the entry point, they cannot comprehend what comes after, much less reach the pinnacle.

That is why we need inheritances. We need to master the powers created by those brilliant talents of the past.

These powers are divided into cultivation arts and skills.

Cultivation arts are foundational methods. Only by breaking through in your cultivation art can you enter a higher realm.

Skills are methods of application. Only by improving your skills can you truly mobilize your own strength.

Besides those two, weapons are also important.

Only a good weapon can bear the power you unleash, and even help you wield strength beyond your own.

There are rumors in the world of demon weapons and divine armaments. When held in one's hand, such weapons are naturally incomparable to ordinary arms.

But if your realm is insufficient, you will not be able to use them even if you hold them. Instead, they may devour you."

Lord Li sat in his reclining chair, speaking eloquently.

Around Nameless Pavilion, people came and went like rising and falling tides.

The little pavilion was like an isolated island.

Yet on that island, Lord Li could not hear the respectful cries of "Lord Li" from the passersby. He was focused solely on explaining these basic matters to his inheriting disciple.

From Li Yuan's attentive gaze, Lord Li knew that this young man from the countryside truly had never learned martial arts, nor had anyone ever told him these things.

He was deeply pleased. Though his eyes were narrowed, the sense of closeness between them grew a little stronger.

The relationship between master and disciple was sometimes like that between a man and a woman.

If it was the first time for a man and woman, the feeling would be different.

It was the same for a master and disciple.

The two continued their exchange of questions and answers.

"Teacher, Yuan wishes to ask about the realms."

"Everyone knows that the realms can be divided into nine ranks.

But how many truly know what these nine ranks are?"

"Do not speak of ice to summer insects, nor of spring and autumn to mayflies.

We have no way of knowing what the upper three ranks are like.

We can only glimpse fragments of the middle three ranks.

As for the lower three ranks, they can be pursued. Let me explain these lower three ranks to you."

"The Ninth Rank is Flesh Refinement.

Use a cultivation art to temper your body. When you cultivate a stream of heat that moves through your muscles as you will, you have succeeded.

But this heat is not qi. It is a special power of the blood.

This blood is superior to the blood already in your body.

As it flows, it nourishes the body's limbs and bones, increasing both your bodily strength and toughness.

There is a saying in the martial world.

Dog blood nourishes dogs, pig blood nourishes pigs, tiger blood nourishes tigers, dragon blood nourishes dragons.

Once the blood changes, the person changes as well. This change first manifests in the muscles.

That is why it is called the realm of Flesh Refinement.

Once you enter this realm, you will be strong and robust, beyond the comparison of ordinary people. Even if illness arises, you need only direct this special blood to cover the afflicted area, and you will recover quickly.

You should have felt this deeply."

"Yes. After Yuan entered the ranks, the difference from before was indeed immense."

"Mm. Your changes all came from this blood.

In the martial world, everyone calls this blood Shadow Blood."

"Shadow Blood? What does that mean?"

"It is simply a name for this special blood.

As for why it became widespread, it likely came from high-ranked experts or great sects and powers. By common convention, it came to be called that."

"This student understands."

"The Eighth Rank is Skin Refinement.

As you circulate an Eighth Rank cultivation art, the Shadow Blood accumulated within your body will become orderly, like countless rivers spread across the land. In the end, it will cover your body's surface with a Blood Shirt.

After that, blades and spears cannot harm you. Even if you stood still and allowed ordinary people to strike you, you would remain unharmed.

Unless you become exhausted, the blades of ordinary people cannot break your defenses at all. At most, they will leave faint white marks on your skin.

Although attacks from the Ninth Rank may cause some trouble for the Eighth Rank, because of this skin, it is extremely difficult for a Ninth Rank to truly injure an Eighth Rank. Only by repeatedly striking vital points can they inflict real harm.

Ordinary people cannot contend with the Ninth Rank, and the Ninth Rank struggles to contend with the Eighth Rank."

"The Seventh Rank is Tendon and Bone Refinement.

In this realm, the Shadow Blood accumulated in your body reaches its limit, and none of your former ordinary blood remains. Thus, a qualitative transformation occurs.

Do you remember how, at the Ninth Rank, Shadow Blood nourished the body?

Now that the Shadow Blood is full, it is time for the body to truly transform.

That transformation lies in the tendons and bones.

Bones are the source of blood.

Shadow Blood nurtures Shadow Bone.

Shadow Bone, in turn, produces Shadow Blood.

From then on, all the blood generated in your body will be Shadow Blood, with no connection to ordinary blood.

The power of this Shadow Blood will remain in your body, ceaseless and inexhaustible.

If the Ninth and Eighth Ranks still carried the possibility of dying through depletion, then at the Seventh Rank, there would no longer be such a danger."

After saying that, Lord Li fell silent for a moment before continuing, "The Sixth Rank is the entry into the middle three ranks.

The first realm of the middle three ranks is called—Change Fate.

Bones produce Shadow Blood endlessly.

Yet your level of life still remains that of an ordinary person.

At that time, what you need is no longer a cultivation art, but the Life Codex.

It is said that the Life Codex records extraordinary truths. Once you comprehend it and break through, you will completely shed your mortal form, step into an entirely new level of life, become a higher form of 'human,' and gain a greatly extended lifespan.

Once one becomes a higher form of 'human,' mortal women can no longer bear their children. Likewise, mortal men cannot impregnate women above the Sixth Rank.

However, beings who reach such a stage generally lose much of their desire to reproduce. They may indulge in lust, but they will not think of bearing a burden.

Therefore, if you wish to leave behind descendants, it is best to do so before entering the Sixth Rank."

The day passed swiftly. As evening had only just fallen, Lord Li hurriedly sent Li Yuan home.

Lord Li definitely knew something, Li Yuan thought.

But he would not ask.

The long boat cut through the heart of the lake, leaving a trail of crimson red behind it.

Li Yuan suddenly recalled what Lord Li had said when he first arrived: "You deserve the empty title of Little Lord Li, but whether you can keep it depends on yourself."

So that was what he meant. Li Yuan understood.

Lord Li wanted to see whether he would die.

If he died, then he was someone without fortune, and the empty title of Little Lord Li would vanish like smoke.

Fortunately, he had taken sick leave.

Not long after returning home, Cai Ze came calling with a jar of wine. It was even better than the Rice Wine he had given Li Yuan last time.

"Brother Li, I never expected Lord Li to take you as his disciple. In the future, I may have to rely on you."

He had directly changed the way he addressed him.

From "Brother Li" to "Brother Li."

And from calling himself "this older brother" to simply "I."

Li Yuan smiled. "What are you saying, Brother Cai?

Was I not able to enter the Blood Saber Sect because of Brother Cai's help?

No matter when it is, I, Li Yuan, will always be grateful to Brother Cai."

Seeing his sincere expression, Cai Ze felt a little moved and closer to him. He only felt that Li Yuan truly knew how to conduct himself.

He did not ask about Li Yuan's injuries. Instead, he smiled and said, "Today, I'm treating. Shall we go to Heavenly Fragrance Pavilion and drink a couple of pots?"

Li Yuan gave a bitter smile. "I have a wife at home."

Cai Ze froze for a moment. "What does a martial artist need a wife for?"

The outrageous words were spoken with such conviction that Li Yuan did not know how to respond for a moment.

Cai Ze continued, "Brother Li, perhaps you still do not know.

Cultivators must remain free of attachments. Taking a wife is like tying a rope around yourself.

Only those with no hope of breaking through take wives and peacefully live out the rest of their lives.

Not that I should say it, but is that wife of yours worthy of you?"

Li Yuan's expression immediately darkened. "Brother Cai, watch your words. My wife and I love each other. Do not speak of such things again."

Only then did Cai Ze apologize. The two chatted for a while longer before he left.

After leaving Li Yuan's home, Cai Ze did not return directly. Instead, he came before a residence deep within Silver Stream Village.

Before long, a guard led him to a pavilion within the residence.

In the courtyard, Black Face Elder sat alone drinking. Four women of differing appearances and temperaments surrounded him, clinging to him as they kneaded his shoulders and thighs.

Cai Ze did not dare look. He merely lowered his head as he entered and said, "Greetings, Elder."

Black Face Elder asked, "How is the disciple Li Yu took in?"

Cai Ze repeated Li Yuan's exact words.

Black Face Elder stroked his chin with some amusement. Casually pulling a beauty into his arms and pressing her onto his thigh, he lifted her chin with one hand and sneered. "A woman needs to be married?"

Cai Ze said, "He said that he and his wife love each other."

"Heh." Black Face Elder could not help laughing. "Hahaha."

Cai Ze laughed along with him.

The woman on Black Face Elder's thigh laughed as well.

They were all laughing.

Laughing happily, as though they had heard something amusing.

After laughing, Black Face Elder said, "It seems the Vice Sect Leader has a reason for looking down on him.

But that is fine. Someone like him belongs on the fringes.

Li Yu, that retainer, was already on the fringes. His disciple is also on the fringes. It is a perfect inheritance. Let them be.

Still, since a retainer has taken a disciple, that disciple can no longer remain on the outer periphery.

As for whether he can rise into the outer sect or Inner Sect, that still depends on the Vice Sect Leader's wishes."

Cai Ze said, "It would be best if the Vice Sect Leader did not change his status."

Black Face Elder said, "He merely looks down on mud-legged peasants. He will not refuse to give Li Yu face.

He is arrogant, but he is not foolish.

Forget it. Let this matter end here. Do not keep watching that youth named Li Yuan.

Though you brought him into the sect, he will have nothing to do with our branch from now on.

Li Yu will not be used by anyone, nor will he involve himself in other matters. Do not provoke them."

"Yes, Elder."

"Cai Ze, you have done quite a few things for me over the years. Once the corpse-dumping case at the Central Market of the Black Market is resolved, I will accept you as my disciple. Keep a close watch on this matter."

"Yes, Elder!" A flash of delight crossed Cai Ze's eyes.

He was someone without talent, yet he still yearned to advance further.

And the status, position, and connections of a Blood Saber Sect Inner Sect Disciple would allow him to enter a higher stratum.