Breaking Through the Flesh-Refining Realm

Lu Li picked up the Black Mountain Ginseng and took a sniff; the medicinal fragrance was not as intense as that of a Flesh-Regenerating Pill.

However, it was refreshing and had a unique quality to it.

The aroma flowed through his nasal cavity and gathered in his dantian.

It made Lu Li's dantian feel as if it were soaking in a hot spring—warm and cozy, without any scorching heat.

Through this, Lu Li judged that the medicinal efficacy of this Black Mountain Ginseng was definitely inferior to the Flesh-Regenerating Pill.

Lu Li looked at his panel.

[Martial Arts: Tiger-Subduing Fist (Skin-Refining Realm 160/200)]

Although he had been killing and plundering these past few days, he had not been slack in his martial path.

Through his own efforts, only forty points of proficiency remained before he could break through to the Flesh-Refining Realm.

"Forty points; this Black Mountain Ginseng should be enough."

After weighing it up, Lu Li shoved the Black Mountain Ginseng into his mouth and chewed it like a candy bean before swallowing.

It did not taste bitter; instead, it carried a hint of sweetness.

Immediately after, a cool sensation permeated his mouth.

His mind felt much clearer in an instant, which was quite miraculous.

As soon as the medicinal power entered his body, it sank into his dantian, forming a pool like a main river that instantly circulated through his limbs and bones, branching out into tributaries that connected to every part of his body.

Lu Li felt warm all over and exceptionally comfortable, causing him to let out a soft groan.

Feeling the immense medicinal power within, Lu Li dared not slacken. He hurriedly set his stance for the Tiger-Subduing Fist and began to practice it move by move.

The sound of his fists whistled like a tiger roaring in the mountains, his momentum as grand as a rainbow.

Under the infusion of the medicinal power, this surging momentum increased in intensity by another three parts.

Lu Li's movements never ceased, and his body was changing at a rate visible to the naked eye.

His muscles rose and fell, bulging out to stretch his hempen clothes taut, casting Lu Li in a very robust light.

His blood and qi pumped like a bellows, circulating repeatedly to constantly scour his flesh and blood.

If one listened carefully, they could hear the blood and qi within his body roaring like a surging river, crashing violently against his flesh.

With every cycle, Lu Li's flesh and blood became more solid.

Time passed gradually, and the sky turned bright once more.

After a night of heavy snowfall, snow had piled up to calf-depth in the corridors.

However, not a single snowflake could be found on Lu Li; with him at the center, the snowflakes had long since been blown away by his fist wind to pile up elsewhere.

Feeling the medicinal effect weaken and finally disappear completely, Lu Li slowly withdrew his technique, suppressing the surging blood and qi.

He suddenly felt a sense of lightness throughout his body, as if he had broken through some bottleneck.

Looking at his body again, he mobilized his blood and qi; his muscles bulged under the scouring force, with blue veins clearly standing out like coiled dragons, full of a sense of immense power.

When he suppressed his blood and qi, his body returned to its original state.

He could not help but look at his panel.

He saw that the column for his martial arts had already changed.

[Life Master: Lu Li]

[Life Fate: Heaven Rewards Diligence]

[Attributes: Ten-Horse Carriage, Diligence Never Ceasing]

[Martial Arts: Tiger-Subduing Fist (Flesh-Refining Realm 1/400) - Practice once a day, success in forty years.]

He had broken through!

Just as the medicinal effect faded, he had broken through at the perfect moment!

Lu Li's expression was excited, his heart filled with joy, and he hurried to the stone mill to test his strength.

Holding the stone mill with one hand, he gave a light lift and raised it high above his head.

Moreover, Lu Li felt light all over, as if the stone mill were as weightless as a feather, requiring not the slightest bit of effort.

The Flesh-Refining Realm—refining flesh and blood until they are like stubborn stone, indestructible, with strength capable of reaching two thousand jin!

This small stone mill was no longer enough for him to exert his full strength.

Lu Li smiled slightly and gently set the stone mill down.

"I am now in the Flesh-Refining Realm. I wonder if I can be considered an expert in this county?"

"I remember that some martial arts hall masters seem to be only at this level as well."

"However, this is only the outer city. I don't know what the situation is like in the Inner City. If I have time, I must go and find out."

"If I am truly considered an expert, can I walk sideways through Changfeng County?"

Thinking of this, Lu Li felt a momentary sense of bewilderment.

How long had he been practicing martial arts?

Counting it all up, it hadn't even been ten days!

Yet in these ten days, he had already stepped into the realm of martial artists, reaching a height that many found difficult to attain.

If this were exposed, his status as a Flesh-Refining Realm martial artist would certainly lead many factions to vie for his allegiance!

Not only that, he had also solved his livelihood problems; now he had no worries about food or clothing, and his life was flourishing.

Lu Li suppressed the joy in his heart, then looked at the panel and muttered, "The difficulty has increased by another two times? The path of martial arts is truly arduous."

"But, to me, this is nothing!"

At the hour of the Monkey.

Lu Li carried a basket of medicinal herbs to the Huang Mansion for delivery, and upon meeting Uncle Zhao, he saw him wearing a face full of smiles.

"Lu Li, I have some good news for you!"

Lu Li set the herbs on the ground and put on a puzzled expression: "What good news?"

"It seems you don't know yet, this is huge news—your crisis has been resolved!" Uncle Zhao clapped his hands and said excitedly.

Lu Li pondered for a moment, then suddenly widened his eyes, putting on a look of disbelief: "Could it be..."

Uncle Zhao chuckled and whispered: "Zhang Hu is dead. He was killed in his home yesterday. I heard it was the work of the Blood Wolf Gang."

"Zhang Hu is dead? What does Master Wang have to say about it?"

Lu Li shook his head: "I never even met Master Wang; he doesn't know me at all. It was all that dog bastard Zhang Hu's fault."

"Now, he has finally received his retribution!"

Uncle Zhao's smile grew even wider: "That's good, that's good. Lu Li, you are safe and worry-free now."

Uncle Zhao was genuinely happy for Lu Li. If he didn't already have a family and couldn't look after Lu Li wholeheartedly, he would have considered adopting him as his own son.

If Zhang Hu had dared to come and snatch people, he would have dared to pick up a blade and fight him to the death!

Brother Lu had entrusted Lu Li to him, so he could not let Brother Lu down.

Otherwise, if he went to the underworld, he would have no face to meet Brother Lu!

Afterward, Uncle Zhao began to chat idly with Lu Li.

Uncle Zhao was a veteran herb gatherer who knew many people and often chatted with others, so his information was relatively well-informed.

"You wouldn't know, but after Zhang Hu died, the Black Wolf Gang leader Zhao Heihu was furious."

"That Zhang Hu was someone he intended to cultivate personally. He had already promoted him to hall master and even provided him with that precious medicinal concoction, hoping to add another martial artist to the Black Wolf Gang."

"But now, the man is gone, and the medicine is gone too."

"In his rage, he personally took the field and seized a branch territory from the Blood Wolf Gang."

"Since he had made a move himself, the Blood Wolf Gang naturally couldn't just sit there and wait to die."

"The Blood Wolf Gang leader Lin Batian also stepped out, and the two fought a great battle. They fought until the sky turned dark and the sun and moon lost their light!"

"It is said—I don't know why—that the moment they met, they began cursing each other. Then they became so bloodthirsty that they fought until they were covered in wounds, refusing to give up. It was as if they were determined to fight to the death; this doesn't fit the usual style of gangs."

"Tell me, what do you think is going on with them?"

Lu Li knew the truth, but on the surface, he acted just as confused.

Uncle Zhao simply stopped thinking about it: "Forget it. Regardless, it's good that Zhang Hu is dead. That thing was a true scourge; he deserved to die. It's truly gratifying, and I don't know how many families are cheering behind his back."

Lu Li quickly nodded in agreement.

Soon, the sky grew slightly dim, and the two began to think of heading home.

Lu Li carried the string of copper coins Uncle Zhao had given him, intending to return them.

But as soon as he saw the coins, Uncle Zhao's expression turned stern, and his eyes grew severe.

Before Lu Li could speak, he solemnly pushed the coins back.

"Take them and buy some meat to eat; look at how weak your frame has become."

Unable to decline further, Lu Li had no choice but to take them back.