Each to Their Own, Hidden Dragon Bone Tempering

The celebration banquet came to an end amid lively, peaceful festivities.

Early the next morning, the seven members of the Seven Luminaries Team were summoned to the conference room once more. This time, however, the atmosphere was clearly much more relaxed, without the previous sense of drawn swords and urgent tension.

Leng Zhaoran sat at the head of the table, looking at the seven vibrant young faces before him with a satisfied smile.

"Last night's celebration banquet is over," he said bluntly. "But I called you here today to discuss the arrangements going forward."

The seven exchanged glances and listened attentively.

"The Seven Luminaries Team has been established for some time now. The Tower Master and I have watched your performances closely, and we are very satisfied," Leng Zhaoran said. "However, your foremost task right now is still to improve your own strength. After all, there are still several years before the All-Federation Youth Soul Master Competition, and you have plenty of room to grow."

He paused before continuing, "So, after discussing it with the Tower Master, we've decided to temporarily disband the Seven Luminaries Team and let each of you return home for your next stage of cultivation. Every family has its own unique training methods and resources. While centralized training helps build teamwork, it can also limit your individual development."

"Disband?" Zhang Geyang froze for a moment. "Does that mean we won't train together anymore?"

"Not disbanding—temporarily separating," Leng Zhaoran corrected. "We'll still organize several training camps every year to maintain your coordination and teamwork. But for most of the time, you'll cultivate within your respective families, make full use of your family resources, and raise your strength as quickly as possible."

Hearing this, everyone nodded thoughtfully.

"Alright, that's all I have to say." Leng Zhaoran rose to his feet. "Go back and make your preparations. Starting tomorrow, it's every man back to his own family, every child back to their own mother."

His joke drew a round of laughter.

After leaving the conference room, the seven stopped at the entrance and bid one another farewell.

"I'm off. In a few days, my father will take Yu Lai and me to one of our family's secret realms. When we get back, we'll catch up again. Don't let me surpass you, alright?" Leng Yaozhu said with a radiant smile. She waved at Xiao Cheng, then left with Leng Yulai.

Qiangu Dongfeng walked over and cupped his hands toward Xiao Cheng. "Brother Xiao Cheng, it's been a pleasure working together these past days. I hope that when we meet again, your strength will have risen to another level."

"Likewise." Xiao Cheng returned the salute.

Although Qiangu Qingfeng said nothing, he nodded at Xiao Cheng as a farewell.

Zhang Geyang and Xia Zhengleng also said their goodbyes. Then the seven went their separate ways, each heading off in a different direction.

Upon returning home to Shrek City, Xiao Cheng felt his entire body relax.

Xiao Cheng changed his shoes and sat down on the sofa. "Dad, Uncle Leng said the Seven Luminaries Team will be temporarily disbanded, and we're to return home to cultivate on our own. I plan to use this time to properly improve myself."

"Mm, that arrangement is very reasonable." Xiao Ran nodded. "Centralized training can build teamwork, but it also limits individual development. You've built a solid foundation. It's time to deepen it further."

He paused and asked, "So how do you plan to cultivate next?"

Xiao Cheng had long considered this question. Without hesitation, he said, "I want to continue cultivating the Dragon Transformation Sutra and proceed to the next stage of Bone Tempering. Also, I want to learn a secondary profession."

A good secondary profession could also aid cultivation. So long as one managed their time properly, studying one could even provide insights that benefited cultivation.

"A secondary profession?" Xiao Ran raised a brow. "What do you want to learn?"

"Forging," Xiao Cheng said. "I want to become a blacksmith."

Given Xiao Cheng's conditions and thoughts, mecha design and mecha manufacturing were both suitable choices. But his energy was limited. His primary focus still had to be his cultivation, and his remaining energy was only enough for him to specialize in one secondary profession. Perhaps once his cultivation had reached a certain level in the future, he could turn back and study the others in earnest. Mecha repair, that muddling profession, need not even be mentioned. Mecha design and manufacturing were not irreplaceable, but forging alone was indispensable.

A trace of surprise flashed through Xiao Ran's eyes before he revealed an approving smile. "Good judgment. Among the four major secondary professions, blacksmithing indeed has the highest value. Across the entire Douluo Continent, there are double-digit numbers of Level Nine mecha designers and Level Nine mecha manufacturers. But a Level Nine blacksmith—a Divine Craftsman—appears only once in an era.

It could be said that this one Divine Craftsman controlled the production volume of Four-Word Battle Armor across the entire Douluo Plane. Without Heavenly Refinement metals forged by a Divine Craftsman, it would be extraordinarily difficult for Four-Word Battle Armor to come into existence. Although certain special methods could upgrade Three-Word Battle Armor into Four-Word Battle Armor, those methods were either extremely difficult or harmful to the natural order, and their power still could not compare to orthodox Four-Word Battle Armor."

"That's what I thought too," Xiao Cheng said. "Besides, my spiritual power, control, and blood vitality are all fairly good. I should be quite suited to the path of forging."

"Indeed." Xiao Ran nodded. "A blacksmith needs powerful blood vitality to sustain long periods of forging, precise control to manipulate hammer techniques and shape metal, and strong spiritual power to sense a metal's internal structure and spirituality. You meet all three requirements."

After some thought, he said, "How about this? I know a Level Six Forging Grandmaster named Ouye Feng. While he hasn't reached the level of a Saint Craftsman yet, his attainments in forging are profound, and he has extensive teaching experience. I'll ask him to serve as your introductory teacher and teach you the basics of forging."

"A Level Six Grandmaster?" Xiao Cheng's eyes lit up. "That would be great! Thanks, Dad!"

"What are you thanking me for? You're my son. If I don't help you, who will I help?" Xiao Ran smiled, then turned serious. "But remember this: forging is a craft that requires a great deal of time and effort to master. Your primary task right now is still cultivating Soul Power. Forging can only serve as support; it cannot become the priority."

"I understand, Dad." Xiao Cheng nodded solemnly.

Early the next morning, Xiao Cheng began his Bone Tempering cultivation.

Bone Tempering was an important component of Martial Dao. He had already completed the initial stage of Blood Exchange. After a comprehensive purification and strengthening, the blood within his body had become purer and more vital. What he would undergo next was Bone Tempering.

As the name implied, Bone Tempering meant refining all the bones in one's body, making them tougher and stronger.

Like Blood Exchange, Bone Tempering was also a process that had to be carried through from beginning to end. After all, a person was a whole. Excessively strengthening one aspect could affect the others.

Therefore, when strengthening one part reached the endurance limit of the rest of the body, one had to switch to another part. Once that part reached its limit, one switched again, until every part of the body had reached a limit. Only then could one return to the first part for a second round of strengthening, cycling through the process again and again.

It was like building a house—you could not reinforce only the pillars while neglecting the walls and foundation. Only when every part was strengthened in tandem could the house stand firm.

It was a long and tedious process, but it was also the key to consolidating one's foundation.

Xiao Cheng went to the backyard and chose a flat patch of open ground, preparing to begin cultivation.

He removed his shirt and stood bare-chested in the open space, closing his eyes as he adjusted his breathing.

A moment later, he slowly opened his eyes. His feet spread shoulder-width apart, his knees bent slightly, and his hands slowly lifted before him into the posture of holding a ball.

This was the exclusive stance of the Dragon Transformation Sutra—the Hidden Dragon Stance!

As its name suggested, the Hidden Dragon Stance represented a sleeping dragon. While standing in the stance, the body appeared still, but the blood vitality within was like a lurking dragon, quietly gathering strength.

This stance looked simple, but it contained exceptionally profound principles. It required the cultivator to seek movement within stillness and nurture explosive force within calm. Through specific postures and breathing methods, it guided the blood vitality and True Dragon Qi within the body to continuously wash over and refine the bones.

Xiao Cheng maintained the Hidden Dragon Stance without moving.

Xiao Cheng closed his eyes and adjusted his breathing, allowing his mind to settle into calm.

As his breathing deepened, the blood vitality and True Dragon Qi in his body began to flow slowly. It was a wonderful sensation, as though a warm river were flowing through his body along a predetermined course.

Gradually, that current of blood vitality accelerated, becoming increasingly surging and fierce. Xiao Cheng could feel his blood racing through his veins, his heart beating powerfully, each beat sending a wave of warm strength throughout his body.

He began guiding the blood vitality and True Dragon Qi with his mind, making them seep toward his bones.

"Click... click..."

Faint sounds came from within his body. Under the washing of his blood vitality, his bones had begun to undergo subtle changes.

The process of Bone Tempering was far more painful than Blood Exchange.

Blood Exchange merely made the blood purer and more vital, whereas Bone Tempering directly refined the bones themselves, making them harder and tougher.

Xiao Cheng could feel the blood vitality like countless tiny hammers endlessly striking and tempering his bones. Every strike brought a deep, bone-piercing ache, itch, and pain that made him want to twist his body.

Xiao Cheng knew that the True Dragon Qi was refining his bones.

He continued holding the stance without moving.

Time passed second by second.

Fine beads of sweat began forming on Xiao Cheng's body, sliding down his back and dripping onto the ground, where they quickly evaporated into mist. His skin turned red, as though the blood inside him were about to ignite. He could feel subtle changes taking place in his bones—they were becoming denser, harder, and more resilient.

After an unknown amount of time—

Xiao Cheng slowly opened his eyes and exhaled a breath of turbid air.

That breath lingered in the air without dispersing, like a white arrow that shot more than three feet away before gradually fading.

"The first round of Bone Tempering is about one percent complete." Xiao Cheng sensed the changes in his body and thought to himself, At this rate, it'll probably take around three months to finish the first round. And this is only the first round. It's a little slow. I need to find a way to speed it up.

He moved his body, and his bones crackled like popping beans. He could feel that his bones had indeed become somewhat harder. Though the change was tiny, it was genuine progress.

"Bone Tempering is still such a hassle." Xiao Cheng sighed. "But the effects are more obvious too." Xiao Cheng from his previous life had already suffered through Bone Tempering once. He had not expected to go through it again in this life.

He put on his clothes, went inside, and drank a large glass of water to replenish the moisture he had lost.

"How do you feel?" Mu Wan came over and asked with concern.

"I'm fine. Just a little tired." Xiao Cheng smiled. "Mom, don't worry. I know my limits."

Though Mu Wan's heart ached for him, she said nothing more and merely reminded him to rest properly.

That afternoon, Xiao Ran brought Xiao Cheng to a forging workshop in Shrek City.

The workshop was located in a small alley in the western part of the city. Its storefront was small and inconspicuous. But the moment Xiao Cheng stepped inside, a blast of scorching heat rushed toward him.

Inside the shop, a bare-chested middle-aged man was swinging a large hammer, striking a glowing-red piece of metal with rhythmic clangs. The man looked to be in his early forties. He was broad and powerfully built, with knotted muscles and dark, gleaming skin roasted by the furnace flames. Every swing of his hammer carried a unique rhythm, as though he were not hammering metal but performing a piece of music.

"Old Zheng, I've brought him," Xiao Ran called out.

The burly man stopped working and used tongs to place the metal into water. With a sharp hiss, a cloud of white steam rose. He turned around, first greeting Xiao Ran with a measure of respect, then shifting his gaze to Xiao Cheng and examining him from head to toe.

"So this is the son of the Xiao Spirit Envoy." The burly man's voice was as loud as a great bell, and he did not beat around the bush. "He looks sturdy enough, but I don't know whether he can endure hardship."

"Hello, Master Zheng." Xiao Cheng gave him a polite salute and did not take offense at his words.

This burly man was the forging instructor Xiao Ran had hired for him—Zheng Tie, a Level Six Forging Grandmaster who was not far from reaching the Level Seven Saint Craftsman rank. He and Xiao Ran could also be considered fairly close acquaintances.

Xiao Ran knew that Zheng Tie was straightforward by nature and poor at socializing, so he did not mind his somewhat doubtful tone.

Zheng Tie nodded and got straight to the point. "Since you want to learn forging, I'll teach you the most basic things first. Forging looks simple, but there are many tricks to it. First, you need to learn how to hold a hammer."

As he spoke, he picked up a forging hammer and demonstrated the proper grip. "Your grip needs to be steady, but you can't clutch it too tightly. Your wrist must stay flexible. The force should travel from your waist to your arm, then from your arm into the hammerhead. Every strike must be steady, accurate, and ruthless."

He handed the hammer to Xiao Cheng. "Give it a try."

Xiao Cheng took the hammer, copied Zheng Tie's grip, and brought it down onto a piece of scrap iron on the anvil—

Clang!

The hammer bounced back with a crisp ring, jolting Xiao Cheng's arm numb.

"Too much force, and you're applying it incorrectly." Zheng Tie pointed out the problem without mercy. "You're using the strength of your arm instead of your waist. If you forge like that, your arm will turn sore and weak after only a few strikes. Again."

Xiao Cheng nodded, adjusted his posture, and swung the hammer again—

Clang!

This time, the sound was steadier than before, but it was still far from ideal.

"Still wrong." Zheng Tie shook his head. "Your waist isn't generating force. You're just swinging the hammer with your arm. That won't do. Again."

Clang!

"Again."

Clang!

"Again."

Clang clang clang clang clang—

The ringing sounds of forging continued in the blacksmith shop for the entire afternoon.

Even with Xiao Cheng's physique, his arms became unbearably sore, though he could still endure it. Yet his eyes grew brighter and brighter—he could feel himself gradually mastering the technique of swinging the hammer, and under Zheng Tie's guidance, he seemed to be grasping a hammer technique.

"That's enough for today." Zheng Tie finally called a halt. "Go back and rest well. We'll continue tomorrow."

Xiao Cheng set down the hammer and bowed to Zheng Tie. "Thank you, Master Zheng."

"Don't thank me. I have to carry out the Xiao Spirit Envoy's request. I'm only teaching you forging." Zheng Tie waved a hand. "Whether you can make something of yourself depends on you."

After Xiao Ran bid Zheng Tie farewell, he took Xiao Cheng and left the blacksmith shop.