Iron Dragon Hand

"Look at you, your face has gone pale from fright."

Zhu Qiniang's face remained expressionless, though a hint of mockery flickered in her emerald eyes.

While evil spirits were indeed dangerous, Gao Xian's reaction had been far too extreme.

Gao Xian regained his composure, feeling slightly embarrassed. He wasn't truly that cowardly; it was just that the evil spirit with half a head was clearly the dead Old Wang!

Zhou Ye really hadn't lied to him—no wonder the evil spirit had been staring at him!

Everything clicked into place.

He couldn't help but ask, "Qiniang, how did you know those two were killed by an evil spirit?"

"After killing, evil spirits absorb essence and blood. The corpses turn black as charcoal and carry a strange, malevolent aura. These traits are hard to fake and very easy to identify."

Zhu Qiniang didn't know Gao Xian had a guilty conscience. She comforted him, "Don't worry, this evil spirit isn't particularly powerful; it can only trouble rogue cultivators."

"If those rogue cultivators had even two One Yang Talismans, they wouldn't have been killed."

She pulled out a stack of talismans and shoved them at Gao Xian. "Twenty One Yang Talismans. Stick a few on your doors and windows, and the evil spirit won't dare to come near."

"Thank you, Qiniang."

Gao Xian felt a touch of emotion. Zhu Qiniang was truly good to him; knowing about the evil spirit, she had bought him warding talismans directly.

Zhu Qiniang said sternly, "Flying Horse Market is not safe. You still need to cultivate diligently."

"Alchemy is fine, but it is not the righteous path after all. If you want longevity, improving your cultivation base is the foundation."

"I do my homework every day," Gao Xian argued.

"Your training is not quite right."

The muscles on Zhu Qiniang's face were somewhat stiff, unable to display subtle expressions, but the disapproval in her eyes was very clear.

"Ah?" Gao Xian didn't quite understand. His knowledge of cultivation was based entirely on the original owner's memories, and truth be told, he didn't really understand it well.

He also didn't quite grasp what Zhu Qiniang meant.

Seeing Gao Xian's blank expression, Zhu Qiniang knew he didn't understand anything.

This was normal; after all, most cultivators knew the 'what' but not the 'why,' and Gao Xian's primary profession was alchemy.

She explained, "Generating a sense of qi is the first layer of Qi Refining. Condensing qi apertures in the dantian is the second layer. Guiding spiritual qi to circulate through the body to temper the tendons and bones, condensing them into bone apertures, brings you to the third layer."

"Regardless of the technique, from Qi Refining to Foundation Establishment, it is all about guiding spiritual qi to cleanse the entire body, eventually shedding the mortal shell and condensing a point of true spirit to complete the Foundation Establishment."

"The second layer of Qi Refining is about guiding qi to strengthen tendons and bones. Your tendons and bones are too weak!"

As she spoke, Zhu Qiniang moved behind Gao Xian and used her fingertips to press down along his spine, vertebra by vertebra.

Zhu Qiniang's fingertips were as sharp and hard as awls. A casual press made Gao Xian's face twist in pain, but for the sake of his pride, he bit his teeth together and didn't cry out.

"The physical body is the foundation of a cultivator's practice. Only when the body is strong can one walk further on the path of cultivation. You need to take corresponding pills to strengthen your tendons and bones, and combine them with external training methods."

"At the Qi Refining stage, cultivating both internally and externally is the righteous path..."

Zhu Qiniang was at the ninth layer of Qi Refining and followed the path of body refinement, possessing a profound understanding of cultivation.

Seeing Gao Xian's physical state, she knew he lacked a master's guidance. While his step-by-step practice wasn't wrong, it was far too slow.

On the path of cultivation, being slow by one step means being slow in every step.

Especially during the Qi Refining stage, every step lays the foundation for Foundation Establishment.

The reason rogue cultivators find it hard to reach Foundation Establishment is that they took too many detours during Qi Refining.

Even if they struggle to the ninth layer, their physical foundation is ruined, making Foundation Establishment impossible.

After checking Gao Xian's bone structure, Zhu Qiniang shook her head. "The spine is the most important bone in the human body, the 'Great Dragon.' The second layer must start from the spine. Combine it with pills and external training methods..."

Zhu Qiniang said, "I have a technique here called the Iron Dragon Hand; it is very suitable for you."

"Ah? Wouldn't that be inappropriate?"

Gao Xian hesitated. Zhu Qiniang was being too good to him—suspiciously good.

Her seriousness made Gao Xian feel a bit afraid.

Zhu Qiniang was displeased, her eyes turning sharper. "The Iron Dragon Hand is a top-tier body refinement technique. I wouldn't teach it to anyone else for any amount of spirit stones. And you're refusing?!"

Among the four requirements for cultivation—dharma, companions, wealth, and land—the cultivation method is the most important. She was only making an exception to pass on her secret technique because she valued Gao Xian.

Gao Xian wasn't ungrateful. He hurriedly explained, "Qiniang, that's not what I meant. It's just that one shouldn't accept rewards without merit. I am unworthy of such an important secret technique."

Zhu Qiniang understood. She was silent for a moment before saying, "Your massage technique is exquisite and very useful to me. You help me, I help you."

Zhu Qiniang knew very well that she and Gao Xian were just playing around.

However, the last time Gao Xian massaged her, it had triggered a strange sensation in her mutated body.

In the past, she had consumed a spiritual item called a Azure Gold Fruit during her cultivation, which greatly enhanced her physical strength but also caused her body to mutate, gradually causing her to lose the sensations of a normal person.

This mutation destroyed her control over her body, preventing her from integrating her body and mind to condense her true spirit, effectively cutting off her path to Foundation Establishment.

Through Gao Xian's massage, she saw the possibility of returning to normal and a glimmer of hope for Foundation Establishment, so naturally, she became more invested in him.

Gao Xian breathed a sigh of relief. He wasn't afraid of what Zhu Qiniang might want from him; he was only afraid that she wanted nothing at all...

Zhu Qiniang was a woman of few words but swift action; once she decided on something, she executed it with incredible efficiency.

She taught Gao Xian the Iron Dragon Hand on the spot. This body-tempering method consisted of only nine movements, resembling a set of boxing forms.

Through these nine movements, one would temper the body from the outside in.

The Iron Dragon Hand looked simple, but performing it correctly was far from easy. Every bone and muscle in the body had to be coordinated, all while maintaining the proper breathing techniques and visualization.

Zhu Qiniang guided Gao Xian through the movements hand-in-hand a few times, and soon, his muscles were aching, his limbs felt weak, and he was on the verge of collapse.

"You are too frail," Zhu Qiniang commented.

A man could never tolerate such an assessment, so Gao Xian retorted stubbornly, "I am not frail!"

"Forget it, cultivation must be done step by step."

Zhu Qiniang told Gao Xian to get some rest while she went out for a while.

Once Zhu Qiniang left, Gao Xian plopped down on the threshold of the pill room and let out a long sigh.

After practicing the nine movements of the Iron Dragon Hand, every muscle in his body felt as if it had been torn apart; the soreness was indescribable.

Even the battle against Old Wang that day hadn't been this exhausting. If he had pushed any harder, he would have truly made a fool of himself.

Before long, Zhu Qiniang returned, bringing a box of pills for Gao Xian.

"Dragon Bone Pill. Take one every day."

Zhu Qiniang instructed Gao Xian that body-tempering arts like the Iron Dragon Hand were extremely taxing on the body, so practicing once in the morning, afternoon, and evening was enough for now.

As his cultivation improved, he could gradually increase the frequency of his practice.

"Remember, the spine is the great dragon that is of utmost importance. The Iron Dragon Hand must first temper this great dragon of the spine. Once your vertebrae are connected and condensed into a spiritual aperture, the second layer is truly complete..."

Knowing that Gao Xian knew nothing about body tempering, Zhu Qiniang patiently explained the key points of the Iron Dragon Hand in detail, while also thoroughly explaining the second layer of Qi refinement.

Under Zhu Qiniang's guidance, Gao Xian took a Dragon Bone Pill. A surge of heat radiated from his stomach, spreading through his blood and finally into his bones. His whole body felt as if it were being burned by fire—a scorching sensation that was, strangely, incredibly comfortable.

By the time the medicinal power of the Dragon Bone Pill was fully digested, he felt his muscles brimming with strength, and the previous exhaustion had been swept away.

The potent effect of the Dragon Bone Pill left Gao Xian deeply moved: "I really do need to pop pills to level up."

The original owner of this body had died from taking a Crimson Blood Pill, and although Gao Xian was an alchemist, he had an instinctive aversion to pills.

After trying the Dragon Bone Pill today, he realized that popping pills was truly addictive!

With his current level of alchemy, he could roughly identify the main ingredients of the Dragon Bone Pill. If he had the formula, he would have a high chance of refining it himself.

However, such body-tempering pills were usually exclusive secret recipes. Zhu Qiniang certainly wouldn't have the formula either.

To repay Zhu Qiniang, Gao Xian diligently gave her a full-body massage, kneading her steel-hard muscles until they were soft as mud.

Zhu Qiniang had high cheekbones, deep-set eyes, a sharp nose, and full lips. She was tall and slender with incredible long legs, and her wheat-colored skin was beautiful enough to glow.

In Gao Xian's view, Zhu Qiniang was a top-tier beauty with a Western aesthetic. It was just that her muscles were as hard as iron, and her face, stiff as if she had received too much filler, couldn't make subtle expressions, making her look exceptionally cold, stern, and lacking in feminine charm.

Now, as Zhu Qiniang lay limp on the bed resting, her beautiful body relaxed, revealing a touch of feminine softness that was a delight to behold.

However, Gao Xian was a decent man; no matter what he thought in his heart, he wouldn't act out of line...