Two days later.
Li Qiming and the others trudged to the foot of a mountain, weary from their journey.
They looked up at the towering mountain, its peak reaching into the clouds.
"This mountain... looks hard to cross!"
someone said, intimidated by the sight.
"Don't worry. Once we cross this mountain and walk another twenty li, we'll reach Zhennan Prefecture City!"
Of all of them, Murong Canghai was the happiest to see the mountain. Once they crossed it, the mission would be almost perfectly complete!
The unease that had been gnawing at Li Qiming's heart also eased considerably over the past two days of travel.
Murong Canghai truly deserved his title as chief escort. He knew people everywhere along the way, from tiny villages to large towns, and could talk to anyone. He had also chosen the most comfortable and safest route.
For the past two days, they had traveled by day and always reached somewhere they could stay for the night. The arrangements had been sensible, and everyone had rested well.
They had encountered no danger along the way. They had spotted two groups of bandits in the distance, but Murong Canghai and the others had scared them off long before they came close.
"There's a footpath through the mountain, but the carriage can't get through..." Murong Canghai said thoughtfully, glancing at the carriage in the middle of the group.
After a long moment.
An irritated woman's voice came from inside the carriage:
"What do you mean? Are you expecting our young lady to walk?"
"I don't care what you do. Our Miss Xia is precious! How can she cross the mountain with a bunch of rough martial artists like you? Figure something out. Even if you have to carry her, you'd better get our young lady's sedan chair up that mountain!"
In the past two days, nobody had seen the mysterious woman inside the sedan chair. This was the first time they had heard its occupants speak. The moment the woman opened her mouth, everyone's anger flared.
What kind of person was that?
Shen Changsheng was the first to take offense. He opened his mouth to say something, but Murong Canghai stopped him with a raised hand. "Brother, it's fine. I'll have them carry it."
Shen Changsheng looked at him in surprise, but he couldn't slight Murong Canghai, so in the end he swallowed his anger and let it go.
At Murong Canghai's signal, four Blood Refining Realm martial artists from the escort company stepped forward, their faces full of resentment. They detached the carriage from the horses, then carefully lifted the sedan chair.
The weight was nothing to four Blood Refining Realm martial artists, especially since the two women inside weren't heavy.
But everyone felt utterly aggrieved.
At this rate, they could hardly make any progress. The mountain path was already rugged, and some stretches were so narrow that getting through them was difficult even without carrying a sedan chair.
Everyone had no choice but to slow their pace to a crawl.
In the blink of an eye, five hours had passed, and night had fallen completely.
"Ugh, if we'd walked normally, we might have reached Zhennan Prefecture City by now! Instead, we've only made it halfway!"
Shen Changsheng could no longer hold back. He spoke up, his voice edged with anger and complaint.
"What's that supposed to mean? Are you blaming my young lady? You're responsible for keeping her safe! Otherwise, you'll ruin your own reputation!"
The personal maid inside the sedan chair was just as sharp-tongued, her words hard as nails.
"Let's not argue. When we're away from home, harmony keeps us safe..." Murong Canghai hurried to smooth things over. He held Shen Changsheng by the arm and continued consoling him.
"Brother Changsheng, look, there's an old temple not far ahead. It's been abandoned for years, but we can rest there tonight. The mountain path is dangerous after dark, so let's wait until dawn to set out."
Murong Canghai changed the subject.
Shen Changsheng sighed softly, feeling exhausted. In the end, he could only nod and agree.
At the back of the group, Li Qiming watched in astonishment. On his first mission, he'd run into two odd women in that sedan chair. He didn't know what to make of it.
He turned to look at the mountain, its slopes gradually swallowed by darkness.
In the distance, the mountain's outline loomed in the dark like a giant beast waiting to devour people, stirring a sense of unease.
Torches flared to life among the group, and they slowly made their way to the ruined ancient temple.
The temple was surprisingly clean, without the layers of dust and cobwebs they had expected. There were, however, some remnants of burnt charcoal.
Clearly,
travelers often stopped at this old temple to spend the night.
After setting down the sedan chair with the two women inside, everyone began making a fire.
As soon as a bonfire sprang to life, the sky rumbled with thunder and flashed with lightning!
Then, pattering down in a torrent, raindrops as big as ox eyes poured from the heavens.
A torrential downpour!
"What rotten timing! If we'd been even a little later, we'd be drenched!" Qin Yu said, looking outside the temple with relief.
"Everyone's been traveling all day. Have some dried provisions, then get some rest," Murong Canghai said, organizing the group.
Everyone was indeed exhausted. They found places to sit and took out dried provisions to fill their stomachs.
Li Qiming sat with Qin Yu, Wang Liang, Mo Su, and the others.
"Senior Brother Qin, could you tell us about the Bone Refining Realm?"
As Mo Su ate his provisions, he suddenly turned to Qin Yu with eager eyes.
Although he was only in the early stage of the Blood Refining Realm, he was confident he wouldn't have to wait long to enter the Bone Refining Realm!
Three years? Five years?
Li Qiming and the others perked up too, all turning their attention to Qin Yu.
Qin Yu paused, then smiled. "I've been an Entry Level disciple for three whole years, and I've only reached the peak of the Blood Refining Realm... As for the Bone Refining Realm, an ordinary martial artist usually needs around ten years before getting the chance to enter it."
"Of course, most martial artists with ordinary talent will probably never make it into the Bone Refining Realm in their entire lives!"
"Don't be fooled into thinking the Blood Refining and Bone Refining Realms aren't far apart. The difference between them is like heaven and earth!"
"Once you enter the Bone Refining Realm, your blood qi flows freely through your entire body, and your strength increases several times over!"
"In the Blood Refining Realm, all you do is circulate your blood qi and make it abundant. But the Bone Refining Realm is about casting off mortal bones and forging iron bones!"
Li Qiming and the others rarely heard about such things. At these words, their hearts tightened.
Iron bones?
Did that mean turning every bone in your body into a chunk of iron?
Seeming to notice their confusion, Qin Yu chuckled. "It's not what you're imagining. 'Iron bones' is just a figure of speech."
"Once a martial artist enters the Bone Refining Realm, their blood qi nourishes their bones, and the bones give rise to a kind of bone qi... We usually call this bone qi Gang!"
"After reaching the peak of the Bone Refining Realm, Gang Qi fills the entire body. You could stand still and let them hit you without fighting back, and they still wouldn't be able to hurt you in the slightest!"
Li Qiming's eyes narrowed sharply. The difference was this enormous? It completely exceeded his imagination!
He understood now. To martial artists in the Blood Refining Realm, those in the Bone Refining Realm could simply crush them through an overwhelming difference in power!
Mo Su, Wang Liang, and the others exchanged glances, all drawing in sharp breaths.
"So, once you enter the Bone Refining Realm, you're a true expert! Out in the world, you can take on disciples and open a small Martial Hall. If you join a town's forces, you'll be treated like an honorary elder!"
Qin Yu spoke slowly.
After hearing this, Li Qiming gained a clearer understanding of Dragon Roar Martial Hall's strength.
With eight direct disciples, all of them in the Bone Refining Realm, its strength was already considered quite formidable.
Just then.
Boom!
The wooden door of the ruined temple was suddenly flung open with tremendous force.
As the wind and rain swept inside, a group of black-clad martial artists wielding steel sabers stormed in!
Before you continue