A Solitary Journey Afar, First Steps in Body Tempering

After parting ways with Tang Chen and Qian Daoliu, Yu Yuanchen did not linger long in Stone Spring Town. He purchased some necessary supplies, disposed of some of the less easily stored soul beast materials he had obtained from the Savage Beast Hills, exchanging them for Gold Soul Coins and practical herbs, then set out alone once more.

His destination was clear: a hidden place deep within the towering mountains along the northwestern border of the Star Luo Empire, where it bordered the Heaven Dou Empire. According to ancient maps and notes left behind by his family's ancestors, there was a natural treasure ground known as Thunderclap Ravine. One ancestor had discovered it after being pursued by enemies and, in his panic, accidentally falling into a fissure in a deep valley. The place was extremely well concealed, hidden behind jagged rocks and dense ancient forests. Its entrance was only wide enough for one person to squeeze through sideways, and some kind of natural magnetic field seemed to interfere with perception. Without a stroke of luck, it would be nearly impossible to find.

The ravine contained exceptionally pure and dense lightning-attribute Heaven and Earth Origin Qi. For a Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Martial Soul Master, it was a top-tier Simulated Training Ground. However, this treasure ground had its limits. The energy gathered there was not inexhaustible. According to that ancestor's estimate, its total amount was only enough to support a Soul Sage-level lightning-attribute Soul Master's full cultivation for three years. Once the energy was depleted, the place would fall silent and would need to slowly gather Heaven and Earth Origin Qi again through its unique terrain, a process that would take roughly twenty years.

The journey was long, nearly spanning half the Star Luo Empire. Yu Yuanchen was in no rush. He remained low-profile, dressed in gray with a bamboo hat concealing his face, like an ordinary wandering Soul Master. He traveled by day and rested by night, avoiding bustling towns and major Soul Master activity areas, choosing deserted paths and mountain forests instead.

More than a month later, he had entered a vast, rolling mountain range. The peaks here were not as steep and perilous as the Thunder Mountain Range, nor were they shrouded in Thunder Clouds year-round. Instead, they felt older and quieter. Towering ancient trees blotted out the sky, while the forest was filled with the damp scent of rotting leaves and the faint fragrance of plants. Vines coiled around thick trunks like horned dragons, and the ground was covered in thick moss and unknown ferns.

Just as the family records had stated, soul beasts were scarce in these mountains, and most were only ten-year or hundred-year level. Thousand-year soul beasts were already overlords of their territories, let alone Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts. Occasionally, soul beasts such as Shadow Wolves and Sharp-Clawed Lynxes darted through the woods. Even with Yu Yuanchen suppressing his presence, they could still sense the faint pressure surrounding him and fled far away in alarm. This place was indeed rarely visited by people. Apart from the occasional trace of old hunter trails long eroded by wind and rain, there was almost no sign of human habitation.

He walked alone through the silent mountains and forests, accompanied only by his footsteps, the wind, and the occasional calls of birds and insects. Yu Yuanchen's heart gradually settled, and he began systematically sorting through what he had learned as he considered the path ahead.

His battle with Tang Chen and Qian Daoliu had shown him his strengths and weaknesses clearly. His advantages lay in the higher-order nature of Thunder God Power and his flexible use of Soul Skills and domains. His shortcomings were the absolute gap in Soul Power Level, as well as his body's still-insufficient toughness when faced with the extreme force of the Clear Sky Hammer.

The core of my current cultivation ultimately lies in strengthening essence, qi, and spirit. As Yu Yuanchen moved nimbly through the forest, he silently worked through his thoughts. Qi is Soul Power, the foundation of this world. I have never neglected it, and I have built a strong foundation through Level-Crossing absorption of Soul Rings. I only need to accumulate it step by step. Spirit is Spiritual Power. Though it is naturally strong because I have lived two lives, and has been tempered by Thunder God Power and nourished by Spiritual Materials, allowing me to develop a move like Thunder Dragon Shatters Void that incorporates spiritual attacks, how to actively and efficiently cultivate and strengthen it remains a problem.

He recalled the common knowledge of the Soul Master World and the records in his family's library, only to find that Soul Masters' understanding of Spiritual Power was indeed shallow. The vast majority relied entirely on the passive enhancement brought by rising Soul Power Levels, along with the slight tempering and improvement from enduring Soul Shock when Absorbing Soul Rings. A few exceptionally gifted Soul Masters, or those with special spiritual-type Martial Souls, might possess unique Meditation Methods, but such methods were all exceedingly precious, closely guarded, and rarely passed down. At present, he had no systematic direction for Spiritual Power cultivation to reference.

Spiritual Power cultivation can only be set aside for now. I will wait for an opportunity, or explore it after my Cultivation Level grows deeper and my knowledge broader. Yu Yuanchen made a rational judgment. Since it could not be forced, it was better to put it aside for now.

Then the only thing I can actively and rapidly improve right now is essence—Qi and Blood, the foundation of this body! His gaze sharpened.

Powerful Qi and Blood could not only bring greater strength, speed, defense, and Recovery Power, but also support the use of high-burden Soul Skills and withstand the impact of Level-Crossing Soul Rings. It was also an important part of his fusion with Thunder God Power. His battle with Tang Chen had made him deeply realize that, without sufficiently vigorous Qi and Blood, he could never have endured exchanges of that level.

The most direct methods of strengthening Qi and Blood are nothing more than replenishing and refining. Yu Yuanchen's thoughts were clear. Replenishing means consuming high-energy food, especially soul beast meat.

He touched the Storage Soul Tool on his finger. It held a large amount of soul beast meat collected from the Savage Beast Hills, most of it from thousand-year soul beasts and even a small number of Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts. It had undergone basic processing and retained its energy well. This high-quality blood food would last him half a year even if he ate soul beast meat at every meal, and if he conserved it, it could last more than half a year. Therefore, he had no immediate concerns regarding replenishment.

Then the focus lies in refining! How can I use this energy more efficiently to temper my body and stimulate the potential of my Qi and Blood?

Scattered fragments of memories from his previous life surfaced once again, especially the descriptions of the Qi and Blood cultivation system in a novel called XX High Martial. Although the details were vague, its general early-stage method—first tempering the bones, then the internal organs, then reshaping the flesh and Meridians throughout the body outside the skull, and finally tempering the skull to forge a Golden Body—inspired him greatly.

Combined with the realities of this world, perhaps I can attempt a path of Body Tempering. Yu Yuanchen's eyes glimmered with contemplation. No, I cannot copy it blindly. Tempering the bones first is too dangerous. I have no inheritance from predecessors. The least risky method should proceed from the outside inward, layer by layer: first temper the skin and muscle to strengthen external defense and explosive power; then temper the sinews and bones to support greater strength and connect the entire body; then temper the internal organs to strengthen Life Force and endurance, allowing them to bear more violent energy circulation. If I can reach the Bone Marrow and achieve Blood Replacement Rebirth, I can transform from the root, making my Qi and Blood surge like a rainbow, endless and unceasing. Finally, I can temper the skull, open the Qi and Blood throughout my body, let Life Force circulate everywhere, and then forge a Golden Body. This Golden Body is not the Golden Body from XX High Martial, but merely a term for a perfected body-refining state. Perhaps tempering the skull will also improve my Spiritual Power.

This was a grand conception, far more active and systematic than relying solely on Soul Power nourishment and Soul Ring enhancement. Yet precisely because it was only a conception, it was filled with unknowns and risks. The human body held endless mysteries. One small mistake could damage his foundation.

Yu Yuanchen did not attempt it rashly. While traveling, he devoted most of his attention to deducing this path of Body Tempering.

He recalled the process by which Thunder Power stimulated and strengthened his body when he cultivated the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Martial Soul. He recalled the sensation of violent energy washing through his Meridians, tearing apart and then rebuilding his flesh when he absorbed high-year Soul Rings. He recalled the subtle yet profound cleansing of his blood and flesh cells whenever Thunder God Power circulated within him.

He compared these personal experiences with the vague theory, constantly adjusting and refining his ideas on Body Tempering.

For Skin Quenching, perhaps Soul Power can imitate vibrations, working in coordination with Qi and Blood to repeatedly hammer the body from the surface inward? I could also draw in trace amounts of lightning to stimulate vitality, but the force must be controlled. Too much is as bad as too little...

Marrow and Bone Quenching requires deeper penetration of power. Perhaps I can combine it with the penetrating properties of Thunder God Power? But bones are hard. How can I guide power to penetrate evenly without damaging their foundation?

The internal organs are the most fragile, so tempering them must be done with extreme caution. Perhaps I should wait until the skin, muscle, sinews, and bones have taken initial form and my Qi and Blood is vigorous enough. Then I can focus on nourishment, supplemented by a special breathing method or an internal Soul Power circulation, proceeding gradually...

The Bone Marrow and skull... those two stages are even more distant, involving Life Origin and the brain. They require long-term planning.

He traveled and thought at the same time. Whenever he encountered a suitable clearing, he would stop to conduct simple experiments. For example, he tried controlling Soul Power to create high-frequency micro-vibrations beneath his skin, simulating the process of Skin Quenching. At first, he could only feel a faint numbness and warmth in his skin. He found it difficult to precisely control the force and range; sometimes nothing happened, while at other times he overdid it and caused swelling and redness.

But he was not discouraged. He adjusted again and again, gradually finding the way through his powerful Spiritual Power and precise control over his Soul Power. At the same time, he began consciously guiding that faint strand of Thunder God Power within him, blending in the slightest trace while his Qi and Blood circulated and carefully observing its effect on the vitality of his Qi and Blood. He found that this higher power did indeed have an extremely strong stimulating effect on Qi and Blood, but its domineering nature could just as easily cause damage. It had to be used with caution.

During the day, he traveled, experimented, and thought. At night, he sought safe places to meditate and cultivate his Soul Power, consuming soul beast meat to replenish his depleted Qi and Blood. His life became exceedingly regular and fulfilling.

The soul beast meat in his Storage Soul Tool was gradually being consumed, while his concept of a Body Tempering method slowly changed through practice and deduction along the journey from a vague notion into a relatively clear framework with preliminary feasibility. It was still crude and filled with aspects requiring verification and correction, but at least the direction was now clear.

He knew this was by no means something that could be accomplished overnight. It required a great deal of time, resources, and... a safe, stable environment for deeper cultivation and experimentation.

And Thunderclap Ravine was precisely such an ideal place.

Following the map's guidance, he was getting closer and closer to the treasure ground discovered by his family ancestor. Feeling the lightning element in the air gradually becoming more active, even carrying a faint numbness, Yu Yuanchen knew he was not far from his destination.

He took a deep breath. The familiar lightning aura in the air refreshed his spirit. Raising his head toward the depths of the mountains, his gaze seemed to pierce through layer upon layer of peaks and see the lightning-element-rich place hidden within the ravine.

There, he would not only use that precious lightning-element energy to break through the Soul Emperor bottleneck, but also use those two peaceful years to put his initially conceived Body Tempering method into practice and take the crucial step of solidifying his foundation and surpassing his limits!

He quickened his pace. His figure flashed several times through the lush mountain forest before vanishing into the thick mist and the end of the winding mountain path. Thunderclap Ravine ahead would be the next stop in his secluded cultivation and transformation.