Boiling Blood Realm Achieved, Morning Mist Blade Rings

"As expected, it's difficult." Qin Meng knew this clearly in his heart.

The blood and energy he had accumulated in his body while previously practicing the diamond body had been completely exhausted.

Without special opportunities or resources, if he were to practice this technique step-by-step, it would likely take more than ten days of grueling effort—even with his current physical foundation—to accumulate enough blood and energy, smooth out the circulation pathways, and finally trigger the boiling of his blood to achieve entry-level mastery.

"But... I have a cheat, and I am prepared."

The rising proficiency on his panel allowed his understanding of the technique to deepen continuously.

He swallowed the entire jar of clear-stewed demon salamander heart he had been keeping warm on the stove, meat and broth alike. The heart of a second-rank demon salamander was highly nourishing, containing a vast amount of blood essence. Once it entered his stomach, it transformed into a scorching torrent that exploded outward!

His blood boiled instantly, his veins bulged slightly, his skin turned red, and steam rose from his entire body!

Qin Meng immediately turned back to his room, resumed the bear-grizzly stance, and channeled the mystic fiend bear demon art breathing technique with all his might.

At the same time, he focused his mind, drawing upon the life source stored within his body. The life source merged into the boiling torrent of blood, like pouring oil onto a raging fire.

"Haa--!"

A low, suppressed roar escaped Qin Meng's throat, and the veins on his forehead became slightly visible. The blood inside his body was no longer just flowing; it was roaring.

Wisps of blood and energy were frantically squeezed, refined, and transformed into a surging torrent, rushing toward his heart along the pathways of the technique with an unstoppable momentum.

His heart became the center of the storm, like a scorching furnace. The violent blood and energy pouring in were repeatedly hammered, compressed, and smelted by the heart's incredibly powerful pulsations, transforming into even purer blood and energy.

The proficiency on his panel began to jump wildly.

[Mystic fiend bear demon art - Not yet entered, 5/100... 7/100... 9/100...]

Over two hours passed in extreme agony and focus.

Outside the window, the night was deep.

Suddenly—

"Thump!"

A heartbeat, far heavier and louder than usual, like a war drum, exploded from Qin Meng's chest.

All the blood and energy that had surged into his heart were completely forged into one during this final and most powerful contraction.

It gradually condensed into a wisp of pure blood and energy, as thick as a chopstick, shimmering with golden light amidst a deep crimson, establishing an indescribable, profound connection with his heart.

[Mystic fiend bear demon art - Boiling blood realm (1/100)]

[Trait: Bear-grizzly stance (Initial manifestation)]

"Hoo—" Qin Meng exhaled a breath of stale air and opened his eyes, a sharp glint flashing through his pupils. He could vaguely sense the changes in himself; the first wisp of blood and energy condensed by his heart left him somewhat stunned.

A single strand of blood energy in the boiling blood realm is usually as thin as a hair.

What the hell is this strand as thick as a chopstick? This isn't right.

After Qin Meng regained his composure, his brows furrowed tightly, realizing something was off. The reason for such an unexpected situation lay in his solid foundation. Only with this could he strengthen his body during the boiling blood and blood changing realms.

He would only hit a bottleneck after condensing ninety-nine strands; this potential far exceeded that of ordinary martial artists. However, the difficulty of cultivation and the resources required would also be immeasurable.

The benefits were also significant. After feeling the changes in his own body, a brand-new, explosive sense of power filled his limbs and bones.

His muscles bulged, his lines became sharper, his skin and flesh felt as firm as iron, and his bones rang out like metal clashing against metal.

Unlike the defense granted by the diamond body, the mystic fiend bear demon art brought the purest, most savage increase in strength, along with a robust vitality stemming from the origin of life itself.

He felt his energy surging, as if he could go three days without sleep and still not feel tired.

More importantly, there was that naturally exuded "posture." He didn't need to try; just standing normally, he felt like a deep pool or a towering mountain, his presence heavy and majestic, as if he were an ancient bear resting, causing fear in those who looked upon him.

Hunger surged like a tide once again. He walked into the kitchen and swept away the remaining cooked meat and salamander soup, the essence of the food being absorbed with high efficiency.

Returning to his room, he naturally began to cultivate again. His feet seemed rooted, his waist and back coiled like a bow, his breathing alternating between long and short.

Inside his body, the pale gold vortex at his danzhong acupoint rotated slowly, and the dark gold essence blood at his heart pulsed steadily.

Two streams of blood energy, homologous yet distinct in quality, flowed and circulated within him, faintly forming a complementary trend that nourished his body to become increasingly formidable.

At the same time, on a level he hadn't noticed, a cold, heavy, ancient, and fierce strange aura seemed to be drawn from the depths of the distant void, pulled by a mysterious connection...

In the next room, Shen Qiuyue had long since fallen asleep from exhaustion, a satisfied curve on her lips. In the corner, the little fox curled up, its ears twitching...

At the first light of dawn, Qin Meng got up early. Despite having slept for only a little over two hours, he was still in high spirits, his eyes bright and sharp.

However, his body felt sticky and uncomfortable. Looking down, he saw a layer of black-red grime covering his wrists and neck, emitting a strange odor mixed with the scent of blood.

Blood energy tempering the body, expelling impurities. Qin Meng understood. Last night, cultivating the diamond body and the mystic fiend bear demon art, the pure blood energy had not only strengthened his physique but had also deeply cleansed the accumulated waste.

Without a word, he pushed open the door and sprinted to the well.

The autumn morning wind was biting, but he didn't feel it at all. He tore off his shirt in a few quick motions, revealing a robust upper body that looked like it was cast from iron. His muscle lines were well-defined, his shoulders and back were as broad as a bear's, and his bronze skin shimmered with a metallic luster.

He drew well water, and as the icy water poured over him, wisps of white steam rose. He activated his water control talent, and the well water surged like a living creature, washing away the grime on his body, leaving not a single drop of water clinging to him.

The surface of the water rippled, reflecting Qin Meng's sharp-featured face—his facial contours were like knife-carved stone, his eyes sharp, and a hint of ferocity lingered between his brows.

Just standing there, he was like a deep pool or a towering mountain, resembling a bear ready to pounce on its prey at any moment.

What an overbearing cultivation art; even my temperament is changing. Qin Meng felt a secret tremor in his heart. He increasingly felt that Elder Wang's identity was not simple.

With a thought, a panel appeared before his eyes:

[Name: Qin Meng]

[Realm: Boiling Blood (Life Source: 191%)]

[Innate Talent: Divine Valor]

[Talents: Wild Instinct-High Tier (13%), Environmental Integration-Mid Tier (16%), Self-healing-Mid Tier (19%), Iron Back-Mid Tier (9%), Thick Skin and Fleshy-Mid Tier (18%), Water Control-Low Tier (2%), Blood Shadow-Low Tier (3%)]

[Core Martial Arts: Mystic Fiend Bear Demon Art-Boiling Blood (3/100), Diamond Body-First Layer (5/100)]

[Martial Skills: Black Dragon Eighteen Hands-Minor Accomplishment, Evil-slaying Blade-breaking Saber-Proficient (478/500), Chain Arrow-Minor Accomplishment, Berserker Spear Technique-Minor Accomplishment]

Having officially stepped into cultivation, the life source value was now revealed.

After one night of cultivation, about twenty percent of his life source had been consumed, all of it converted into primal qi and blood to nourish his body, which was how he managed to break through the barrier so rapidly.

At this moment, two warm currents of qi and blood were circulating through his meridians:

One resided in his heart, scorching and vigorous;

The other was coiled at his danzhong acupoint, heavy and dense.

As his feet touched the ground, Qin Meng felt an endless stream of power surging up from the earth. His entire body was filled with immense strength; every gesture and movement carried the force of ten thousand jin.

--This was the strength possessed by a martial artist in the body forging realm.

Just as joy welled up, a thunderous "rumble" erupted from his stomach, pulling him back to reality.

Refining qi and blood consumed a massive amount of energy; the essence of the demon salamander heart he had consumed last night had been completely drained.

Qin Meng walked quickly into the kitchen and sliced several thick pieces from the hanging demon salamander meat. The meat was snow-white, with a faint glow flowing between its fibers.

He dipped it directly into some soy sauce and shoved it into his mouth to chew. The meat was tough yet exceptionally delicious; once it entered his stomach, it turned into a rising warm current, and his hunger eased slightly.

Afterward, he washed the rice, cleaned the iron pot on the stove, and steamed a pot of premium rice. Taking advantage of the time while the rice was cooking, Qin Meng picked up his zhanma dao and went out into the courtyard.

The morning mist had not yet dispersed, and the distant mountains looked like dark eyebrows.

He took a deep breath of the crisp air and gripped the black-wrapped hilt of the saber with both hands.

"Clang--"

The zhanma dao left its sheath. The blade was dark as ink, and a line of cold light along the edge flickered in and out of view in the morning mist.

Qin Meng's mind sank completely into focus. Having experienced the life-and-death battles against the demon salamander and the ambush on his way back, he had gained new insights into his saber technique.

As he swung the blade, his wild instinct unfolded naturally. The changes in the surrounding air currents, the slight tremors of the ground, and even the trajectory of the mist were all clearly reflected in his mind.

The profound meaning of the evil-slaying blade-breaking saber flowed through his thoughts.

"Kill!" With a low shout, the momentum of the blade shifted abruptly. A layer of interwoven black and red light suddenly surged over the zhanma dao, more solid and dazzling than it had been yesterday.

Wherever the blade passed, the air emitted a sharp, tearing sound. The mist in the courtyard was cleaved in two, leaving a clear void that refused to close for a long time.

Qin Meng's figure spun rapidly like a top, transforming into a continuous blur of black light. The ground hissed as it was plowed with blade marks an inch deep.

On the panel, the proficiency of the evil-slaying blade-breaking saber jumped frantically:

[Proficient (479/500)(480/500)...]

Just as Qin Meng was practicing his blade, the sound of urgent hoofbeats shattered the tranquility of the morning. Several fast horses coming from the direction of Heishui City burst into Luming Fort.

The riders were clad in iron-studded leather armor, carrying crossbows on their backs and sabers at their waists, their bodies exuding a murderous aura. Without slowing down, they headed straight for the militia station within the fort.