Dedicated Cultivation to Break Through, Finally Achieving Blood Refinement

Chapter 47: Dedicated Breakthrough, Finally Achieving Blood Refining

The next morning, before dawn, Zhao Kuang led his team, escorting the bodies of fallen comrades and the wounded, to quietly depart Fuchang County. There was no grand send-off, only a solemn and heavy silence from the county magistrate and a few others at the city gate.

The team marched in silence on the official road, the sound of hooves monotonous and oppressive. Li Yifan rode his horse, positioned in the middle of the formation, his expression calm and his gaze inward. He had already learned of the subsequent arrangements from Zhao Kuang. The detailed account of Nie Wuya's demise would be deliberately downplayed in the official report to the garrison, emphasizing that Zhao Kuang, the Patrol Envoy, led a small team that, through formation coordination and counteracting cultivation attributes, managed to defeat the demon after a tough battle. He, Li Yifan, was merely one of the standout members.

To this, Li Yifan had no objections; in fact, he felt relieved. "The tallest tree in the forest will be destroyed by the wind." What he needed most now was time for quiet growth, not empty fame. The true gains lay in the insights from practical combat, the understanding of his own strength, and the hidden Nine Yang True Fire.

Several days later, the team returned to Qingzhou Prefecture City. Their entry into the city did not attract much attention. The bodies of the fallen soldiers were properly interred, and the wounded received timely treatment. Zhao Kuang and Li Yifan proceeded directly to Commander Wang's office to report.

Commander Wang had been waiting for some time. Upon seeing them, a look of relief appeared on his face, but it was tinged with more gravity. He listened carefully to Zhao Kuang's report (which was, naturally, a "polished" version), his gaze occasionally sweeping over Li Yifan, who stood silently to the side.

"You've worked hard," Commander Wang sighed deeply after listening. "With Nie Wuya eliminated, Qing Province has rid itself of a great menace. You two have made invaluable contributions. It's just... a pity about those three brothers." His tone was heavy.

"They died for their country, a worthy end," Zhao Kuang said solemnly.

Commander Wang nodded and looked at Li Yifan. "Yi Fan, you performed bravely in this mission, holding steady under pressure at critical moments. Very good. Although the official report needs to consider various factors, both I and Envoy Zhao remember your contributions."

Li Yifan cupped his hands. "Commander Wang, you flatter me. It was merely my duty."

"Merit is merit, and fault is fault," Commander Wang waved his hand. "This mission to 'Slay the Corpse Demon Old Monster' has been classified as Grade C-Lower. The total reward contribution points are two thousand."

He paused and continued, "Based on Envoy Zhao's assessment of your achievements, you two were instrumental in this mission and will each receive six hundred contribution points. The remaining eight hundred points will be distributed among the other participating team members according to their contributions. Additionally, the thousand contribution points you earned from your previous solo mission, 'Pursue and Kill Shadow Demon Li Heng,' have already been issued. Thus, you currently possess a total of one thousand six hundred contribution points."

One thousand six hundred contribution points! This was a considerable fortune. Li Yifan quickly calculated in his mind. He was only a step away from the peak of Tendon Refining, and his most urgent priority was to cross that threshold and then charge towards the Blood Refining Realm!

"Thank you, Commander," Li Yifan thanked him calmly.

Commander Wang looked at Li Yifan's steady demeanor with growing admiration. He leaned forward slightly and lowered his voice, "Yi Fan, your repeated extraordinary achievements have not gone unnoticed by the upper echelons of the Heavenly Patrol Bureau. I can promise you this: as long as you cultivate diligently and successfully break through to the Blood Refining Realm, you will be directly promoted to 'Patrol Envoy' without further assessment. I will personally recommend you!"

Patrol Envoy! Li Yifan's heart leaped. This was the goal he had always dreamed of! The Blood Refining Realm was the final stage of the Body Tempering realm. Once entered, one's strength and status would undergo a seismic shift.

"Thank you for your guidance, Commander Wang! I will certainly cultivate diligently and break through soon, living up to your expectations!" Li Yifan bowed solemnly, his goal crystal clear in his mind.

"Good! I look forward to your good news!" Commander Wang nodded with satisfaction.

After leaving Commander Wang's office, Li Yifan headed straight for the logistics exchange. His objective was clear, and he went directly to the pill counter. His gaze swept over the dazzling array of pills, and he quickly locked onto two types.

The first type was five bottles of Tiger Leopard Thunder Sound Pill. This pill had a potent effect, specifically for refining tendons and bones and stimulating blood circulation. It was the most suitable pill for cultivation at the peak of Tendon Refining, costing one hundred and fifty contribution points per bottle. His current realm was at the late stage, nearing perfection, and he only needed one final push to reach the peak of Tendon Refining. Five bottles of this pill would be enough to help him cultivate to the perfected peak of Tendon Refining.

The second type was a pill called Blood Exchange Pill. This pill was dark red in color, about the size of a dragon's eye, with natural cloud patterns on its surface and a subtle medicinal aroma. It was a precious pill specifically designed to aid in breaking through to the Blood Refining Realm. It could greatly increase the success rate of condensing vital blood and forming blood essence. Its price was extremely high, costing eight hundred contribution points for a single pill! He had seen this medicine at the Liu Family's business before, sold in bottles of one, costing two taels of silver.

Li Yifan did not hesitate. He exchanged for five bottles of Tiger Leopard Thunder Sound Pill (750 contribution points) and one Blood Exchange Pill (800 contribution points), exactly exhausting his one thousand six hundred contribution points. For the remaining 50 points, he purchased some basic healing and qi-restoring pills.

Carrying these crucial resources for his next step on the path, Li Yifan returned to his secluded courtyard. He knew that what lay ahead was a critical period of closed-door cultivation.

Closing the courtyard gate and activating the simple warning formations, Li Yifan entered the quiet room directly. He spent two days adjusting his state to its absolute peak. Then, he took out a Tiger Leopard Thunder Sound Pill and swallowed it.

As the pill entered his stomach, its immense medicinal power dissolved, resonating like the thunder of tigers and leopards within his body. Li Yifan circulated the Nine Yang Burning Heaven Technique, guiding the medicinal power to cleanse his limbs and bones. He had already reached the limit of the late stage of Tendon Refining, and under the fierce impact of the medicinal power, that thin barrier almost shattered at the first impact!

Three days later, Li Yifan's qi and blood surged like a tide, his tendons and bones chimed in unison, and he formally entered the peak of the Tendon Refining realm!

[Realm]: Body Tempering · Tendon Refining (Peak: 601/800)

He felt no joy or pause. He immediately began to consolidate his realm and took the remaining Tiger Leopard Thunder Sound Pills, further tempering his tendons and bones to completely stabilize his peak state. This process took another ten days.

When he felt his qi and blood filled to the extreme, his tendons and bones incredibly resilient, and his state reaching an unprecedented peak, Li Yifan knew the time to attempt the Blood Refining Realm had arrived!

He took out the precious Blood Exchange Pill. The pill felt warm in his hand, yet he could feel the immense vitality contained within. He took a deep breath and swallowed the pill.

"Boom!"

The moment the pill entered his mouth, it was as if a volcano had erupted within his body! The medicinal power, several times more ferocious than the Tiger Leopard Thunder Sound Pill, exploded forth, transforming into an intensely hot, blood-red torrent that instantly surged through his limbs, his meridians, and his extraordinary channels! Intense pain coursed through him, as if all his blood was being burned, purified, and compressed!

Li Yifan held his mind steady, circulating the Nine Yang Burning Heaven Technique with all his might, guiding this terrifying energy to assault the gateway to the Blood Refining Realm!

The Blood Refining Realm required one to refine and condense the body's abundant qi and blood from the outside in, ultimately forming a wisp of vital blood essence, known as "blood essence," within the Dantian's sea of qi! This process was extremely perilous. Failure could result in severe damage to qi and blood and a regression in cultivation, or worse, damaged meridians and destroyed foundations.

The medicinal power of the Blood Exchange Pill acted like the most ferocious catalyst and booster, forcibly compressing and refining Li Yifan's qi and blood. His skin turned crimson, and fine blood beads seeped from his pores, making him appear like a burning furnace.

At the critical moment, Li Yifan's mind moved, and he activated the nascent Nine Yang True Fire in his Dantian! He did not use it to directly attack but integrated its supremely yang and pure intent into the process of refining qi and blood, like adding a fierce flame during iron forging, further purifying impurities in the qi and blood and guiding them towards a more refined and hotter direction!

The intent of the True Fire and the medicinal power of the breakthrough pill complemented each other, producing wondrous changes. The pain intensified manifold, but the effect also far surpassed the ordinary!

Days turned into weeks. Inside the quiet room, Li Y Yifan sat like an old monk in meditation, his aura fluctuating like the tide, sometimes qi and blood surging to the heavens, sometimes withdrawn like an abyss. His body underwent a transformation akin to shedding its mortal coil.

A full month later.

In the quiet room, Li Yifan, seated in meditation, suddenly opened his eyes! Two condensed, substantial beams of blood-red light flashed in his pupils before returning to their deep hue. The surging qi and blood around him had subsided, but a deeper, more restrained, yet more powerful sense of strength emanated from the depths of his body.

Within his Dantian, a thread thinner than a strand of hair, yet incredibly condensed and containing astonishing vitality and power, a crimson-gold stream of energy slowly swirled. This was the mark of a Blood Refining Realm martial artist – blood essence!

[Realm]: Body Tempering · Blood Refining (Initial: 1/1200)

Blood Refining Realm, achieved!

Feeling the new perception of power brought by the wisp of blood essence within him, and the leap in his overall life level, Li Yifan exhaled a long breath of stale air. This breath was scorching, causing the air in front of him to subtly distort.

One month of closed-door cultivation, consuming all his contribution points for resources, had finally paid off. He had successfully stepped into the Blood Refining Realm!

He slowly stood up and stretched his limbs, a low rumble of thunder echoing within his body. Strength, speed, reaction, perception... a comprehensive improvement! Compared to the Tendon Refining Realm, it was like a world of difference.

"Patrol Envoy..." Li Yifan's lips curved into a faint smile. It was time to collect on Commander Wang's promise.

He pushed open the door of the quiet room, and sunlight streamed in. A powerful self-confidence surged within him.