Chapter 8

The air suddenly congealed.

The cave fell into a brief silence.

But Zhang Dashan quickly withdrew his hand and said with a beaming smile, "The water really has gone cold. Junior Brother Luo, shall I add some hot water for you? With your body, taking a cold bath wouldn't be good."

His smile was warm and his tone solicitous, as though they were blood brothers.

"Thank you, Senior Brother."

Luo Qingchen's expression remained calm. "But there's no need. I think it's just right."

"Just right?"

Zhang Dashan shrugged and said no more. "All right, then take your time bathing. I'm going to cultivate."

With that, he smiled faintly, turned, and left the cave.

When he reached the darkness outside, he raised his fingers to his nose and sniffed the water stains on them. A cold, mocking sneer tugged at his lips.

Silence returned to the cave.

Luo Qingchen remained immersed in the medicinal water inside the wooden barrel, motionless and making no move.

Only after half a quarter-hour did he secretly use a stone shard underwater to cut open the wound on his wrist from last night. Enduring the pain, he began squeezing blood into the water.

His gaze remained fixed on the cave entrance from beginning to end.

Inside his body, the vital blood in the first Blood Bar began draining rapidly.

95%, 90%, 85%, 80%...

Only when it reached 70% did he slowly release the wound.

At once, his vision darkened and dizziness washed over him.

"Restore blood!"

He did not dare delay and immediately activated the second reserve Blood Bar.

The blood in the second reserve Blood Bar rapidly fell from 120% to 100%, while the blood in the first life Blood Bar instantly rose from 70% to 90%.

The dizziness in his head immediately vanished, and his vision became clear again.

Other than his pale complexion not recovering at once, the vitality within his body had returned in the blink of an eye!

He took a deep breath and began sensing the changes in the medicinal water.

Twenty-five percent of his blood quickly dispersed through the medicinal water. As his arm stirred the water, the blood rapidly dissolved into every part of it.

At first, everything was calm.

But soon, the pale, murky color of the medicinal water began to change.

The medicinal water began turning red, then became dark brown.

At that moment, Luo Qingchen immediately felt streams of icy-cold energy, like threads of living creatures, scrambling to burrow into his body through every pore.

The soreness in his muscles was instantly relieved.

Those cool, silken currents began swimming and chasing one another joyfully through the muscles all over his body.

"Hiss—"

Luo Qingchen shuddered all over in comfort despite himself.

The process continued for a full half hour.

When he lowered his head to look at the medicinal water in the barrel again, the water that had been dark brown half an hour ago had returned to its original pale, murky color.

The soreness throughout his muscles had completely vanished.

At the same time, he could clearly feel his muscles brimming with strength, with threads of coolness hidden within them, still flowing slowly.

The medicinal efficacy in the water had all been absorbed.

But it had not all been refined.

Over the next few days, he had to seize the time to cultivate using the medicinal efficacy hidden in his muscles in order to achieve the best results!

He looked within himself again.

Sure enough, the number behind the first life Blood Bar had changed: [Flesh Refinement: 10/100]

After cultivating for an entire day and suffering until he wished he were dead, he had only reached 1/100. Yet after merely half an hour of medicinal bathing, it had already risen to 10/100. For cultivation, medicinal baths truly were of vital importance!

Splash!

He did not dare waste time. He immediately rose from the wooden barrel, put on his clothes, and prepared to continue cultivating without delay.

Of course, before that, he first had to pour out the medicinal water in the barrel.

He gripped the upper rim of the barrel with both hands and slowly tipped it over. The medicinal water immediately began flowing out, falling into the corner, running along the wall, and quickly sinking into the soil.

Only then did he realize that his strength seemed to have increased considerably.

After emptying the medicinal water, he placed the barrel by the cave entrance. Then he carefully inspected the corner again and found that all the medicinal water had seeped underground and no other scent lingered in the air. Only then did he leave in relief.

After leaving the main cave, he glanced at the rock cave not far to the right.

Weeds concealed it, making the situation inside impossible to see, and no sound could be heard. But he knew Zhang Dashan was cultivating inside.

The other man was about to break through.

Once he broke through to the Bone Strengthening Realm, the power contained in the muscles all over his body would become terrifyingly great.

He could probably kill an ordinary person with a single punch.

So he had to hurry as well!

He immediately headed toward the rock cave on the left, preparing to cultivate while racing against every second.

"Caw—"

A night crow flew through the woods.

The dim silver moon in the night sky quietly hid behind the clouds.

The entire mountain forest was black as ink.

Luo Qingchen gathered some dead branches and leaves, then quietly scattered them along the path leading outside the cave entrance before entering the rock cave to cultivate.

He first assumed the Rock Stance.

After the medicinal bath, his body had returned to its peak condition.

The pain and exhaustion from the day had all disappeared.

He felt his body overflowing with vitality and strength!

This time, he held the Rock Stance for longer before beginning to practice the Mountain Embracing Fist.

The night outside quietly faded away.

Before he knew it, dawn had arrived outside.

After completing the final set of Mountain Embracing Fist, Luo Qingchen sat on the ground, drenched in sweat.

His muscles were still sore all over, but they were much better than yesterday.

His body after the medicinal bath had clearly become far stronger in both endurance and stamina.

Unable to wait, he checked his cultivation progress within his body.

The original 10/100 had actually risen to 25/100!

"What a fast rate!"

His heart surged with excitement. He could clearly feel the flesh over his entire body becoming firmer, and the tempering effect was extremely obvious.

At the same time, he could sense that the medicinal efficacy hidden in his muscles had yet to be completely refined.

He had to keep cultivating!

However, before that, he had to make sure it was safe.

After resting briefly, he rose and left the rock cave. He first entered the main cave and went to the innermost chamber, where he respectfully called from the entrance, "Master, do you have any instructions?"

After a moment, Tian Feng's somewhat impatient voice came from inside. "I told you already, I will be in secluded cultivation these next few days. If there is anything, I will call for you myself."

"Yes."

Luo Qingchen did not dare say more and immediately withdrew.

That was for the best!

This way, he would have even more time to cultivate!

He left the main cave, paused, then came to the rock cave on the right. Stopping at its entrance, he said inside, "Senior Brother, Master is in secluded cultivation and says not to disturb him. Do you have anything you need me to do?"

Zhang Dashan's somewhat cold voice came from the cave. "No. I'm also in secluded cultivation. Don't come disturb me these next few days! Just go attend to Master properly!"

"Understood, Senior Brother."

Luo Qingchen agreed and immediately withdrew, returning to his own rock cave.

After resting for another half hour, the soreness in his body had eased.

He resumed cultivating.

Night soon fell, and his cultivation progress had risen from 25/100 to 35/100!

This time, he truly could not hold on any longer.

After returning to the main cave and eating some dry rations, he lay down exhausted in the corner. The moment he closed his eyes, he quickly fell asleep.

The next day.

After dawn, he immediately rose, left the cave, went to his rock cave, and continued cultivating.

After five consecutive days like this, the cultivation progress inside his body had risen to 70/100!

By then, the medicinal efficacy within his body had been completely exhausted.

His cultivation progress slowed, and the pain throughout his muscles could no longer be quickly relieved.

He had to take a second medicinal bath!

The book said that at the beginning of cultivation, one should take a small bath every three days and a large bath every five days.

He did not have the means to bathe once every three days, but if he could not even manage a bath once every five days, then he definitely would not be able to continue cultivating.

That night, dragging his weary, aching body, he returned to the main cave, intending to get a good night's rest.

Just as he lay down in the corner, Tian Feng's voice suddenly came from the depths of the cave. "Is anyone outside?"

Suppressing the pain, Luo Qingchen immediately got up and came to the inner cave entrance. "What are your orders, Master?"

Tian Feng said blandly, "Come in."

Luo Qingchen's expression tightened as he had already guessed what this was about.

Yet not only was he not afraid, his heartbeat quickened and he became secretly excited.

"Come over. I still need some blood."

When Tian Feng saw him enter, he directly took out the dagger and the large bowl used for collecting blood, without asking a single question about how his body had recovered.

Luo Qingchen walked over on trembling legs, knelt on the ground, and extended his arm.

Tian Feng said nothing more. He raised the dagger, cut open Luo Qingchen's wrist, and began squeezing out blood.

"Drip, drip..."

The blood went from slow to fast, flowing into the bowl.

Luo Qingchen's arm trembled, but he kept his head lowered and made no sound.

At that moment, hurried footsteps suddenly sounded outside the cave.

Zhang Dashan appeared at the entrance, his face full of excitement. "Master! I broke through! I broke through!"

Tian Feng raised his head and looked at him. There was still little change in his expression as he said blandly, "It is good that you broke through. You must still consolidate it properly over the next few days."

After a pause, he added, "Use all your strength and punch the stone wall beside you. Let me see the effect."

"Yes!"

Zhang Dashan immediately clenched his fist, took a deep breath, and smashed it into the wall beside him.

Bang!

A dull thud rang out!

The hard stone wall was actually smashed open by his fist, cracks spreading across it!

The excitement and joy on Zhang Dashan's face nearly overflowed. Drawing back his fist, he said, "Master, I feel several times stronger, and I can barely feel any pain!"

Tian Feng nodded slightly. "Once Flesh Refinement is achieved, both your explosive strength and the defense of your flesh will surpass that of ordinary people."

Zhang Dashan was beside himself with joy as he looked at his fist.

By then, the large bowl on the ground had already been filled with blood.

Tian Feng released his hand, tossed out a piece of Ginseng Deer Meat, and said to Luo Qingchen before him, "Go out and rest properly."

"Yes, Master."

Luo Qingchen picked up the chunk of meat from the ground and shakily stood.

After taking only two steps, his legs suddenly gave way and he nearly fell. Staggering to the wall, he supported himself against it and slowly made his way out.

Zhang Dashan stood at the cave entrance, the joyful smile still on his face, but his gaze was cold as he watched him.

Luo Qingchen slowly passed by him without saying anything.

After he left, Zhang Dashan entered the cave and respectfully asked, "Master, are you taking another medicinal bath?"

Tian Feng lifted the large bowl of blood from the ground and carefully poured it into the boiling cauldron before him. "Only the final step remains. I estimate that after the medicinal bath tonight, I will be able to break through in another three days. Then we can return to the sect."

Zhang Dashan hurriedly congratulated him. "Congratulations, Master!"

Tian Feng picked up a wooden stick and slowly stirred the medicinal broth in the cauldron. "I can only take one person back to the sect."

Zhang Dashan froze upon hearing that.

Without looking at him, Tian Feng kept his eyes fixed on the cauldron and said blandly, "At that time, I will also need a fresh corpse."

A gleam flashed through Zhang Dashan's eyes. Lowering his head, he said, "This disciple understands."

Tian Feng said nothing more. He closed his eyes and gently inhaled the bloody scent rising from the cauldron, an expression of enjoyment appearing on his face.

Outside in the darkness, Luo Qingchen lay in the corner, still awake.

He was waiting for his second medicinal bath.