True Cultivation

Chapter 21: True Cultivation

A tall figure stood proudly between Chu Xiaotian and the brothers Cheng Dahu and Cheng Erhu. Seeing this figure, both Xia Xue and Chu Xiaotian were overjoyed. "Hall Master Ba Dao, why have you come?" The man was none other than Ba Dao. Having heard from his disciples that Xia Xue and Chu Xiaotian were in a conflict with the Greenwood Three Tigers, he had flown over without a second thought, saving Chu Xiaotian's life at the most critical moment.

Ba Dao did not answer their questions; instead, his gaze fell upon Cheng Yuhu, who lay on the ground, a flash of surprise crossing his eyes. He knew exactly who the Greenwood Three Tigers were. All three were at the eighth stage of Body Refining, and they always acted in unison. If not for their habit of working alone without subordinates, they would have been the third-largest power in all of Greenwood Town, second only to his Mad Blade Martial Hall and the Hundred Herb Pavilion. Even as it was, they were a presence that neither of the two major powers would easily provoke. He truly could not fathom how a kid like Chu Xiaotian had managed to cross them. More importantly, he couldn't understand how a boy of only the fourth stage of Body Refining had beaten a master like Cheng Yuhu into the state of a dead pig.

"Kid, what is going on here?" After failing to find an answer for a long while, Ba Dao stopped thinking about it. He turned his gaze to Chu Xiaotian and asked calmly. Xia Xue and Chu Xiaotian had a good relationship with his Mad Blade Martial Hall, and he needed to determine who had instigated this.

Chu Xiaotian glanced at the Greenwood Three Tigers, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly as he recounted the events to Ba Dao. He did not embellish the story, stating only the facts, though he described the Corpse Poison as a toxin he had happened to find.

"You three scoundrels! To use such heavy hands against a friend of Lady Xia—apologize to them at once, and this matter will be settled. Otherwise, don't blame me for being impolite." After hearing Chu Xiaotian's account, Ba Dao's expression turned cold. He looked at Cheng Dahu and his brother and shouted coldly. Xia Xue was the source of their martial hall's medicinal pills and had an excellent relationship with them; naturally, he had to stand up for her when she was being bullied on his turf.

"Bah! He hurt our third brother like this, and you want us to apologize to him? Ba Dao, this is a grudge between us three brothers and this brat. You had best not interfere, or it will be of no benefit to you." Looking at Cheng Yuhu, who lay on the ground with his life hanging in the balance, Cheng Dahu and his brother were already blinded by rage, ignoring even Ba Dao's strength.

"Fine, fine, fine. I'd like to see how you intend to make things difficult for me!" Ba Dao let out a cold snort. The moment his voice fell, his figure vanished from where he stood. Then, two loud thuds rang out as the bodies of Cheng Dahu and Cheng Erhu were sent flying like tattered sacks, landing beside Cheng Yuhu and rolling across the ground. With Ba Dao's cultivation, killing them would have been as easy as turning over his hand. However, this was clearly not the time for killing, so he merely inflicted severe injuries upon them without taking their lives.

"Consider this a lesson. Do not let me see you in Greenwood Town again. Get out! Let's go." Glancing at the three men lying like dead dogs, Ba Dao waved his hand and left with Chu Xiaotian and Xia Xue.

Behind them, Cheng Dahu and his brother stared at the trio's retreating backs with eyes burning with intense hatred. After a long while, they struggled to their feet and helped the unconscious Cheng Yuhu up. Cheng Yuhu's palms were completely red and swollen, at least twice their normal size, and yellow pus oozed from the wounds, emitting a foul stench.

Cheng Dahu and his brother exchanged a look, their eyes filled with agony and hatred. After a moment, they nodded with difficulty. Cheng Dahu gripped his greatsword and, closing his eyes, swung it down toward Cheng Yuhu.

"Ah..." A painful howl echoed through half the street. To prevent the poison in the palms from spreading further, Cheng Dahu severed Cheng Yuhu's hands at the elbows. The excruciating pain jolted the unconscious Cheng Yuhu awake, only for him to faint again immediately.

After nimbly applying styptic medicine and bandaging the wounds, the three of them didn't look back or utter a single threat, limping away toward the outskirts of Greenwood Town. Yet, had anyone seen their eyes, they would have glimpsed an endless, burning resentment—proof that they were not resigned to this fate.

Ba Dao had long since guessed what they would do; to save his life, Cheng Yuhu's hands had to go. Thus, he didn't even turn his head at the scream. Xia Xue didn't look back either, as she had no desire to witness such carnage. Only Chu Xiaotian glanced back, a flicker of worry in his eyes. He couldn't help but sigh inwardly: If you don't pull out the weeds by the roots, they will grow again with the spring breeze. Since Ba Dao hadn't killed these three, he would have to live in fear for a while. After all, Ba Dao's strength meant he didn't fear their revenge, but Chu Xiaotian did. They wouldn't strike now, but once their injuries healed, they would come for him. With his current strength, he was no match for these three lunatics. But it was too late for regrets; the only thing he could do was raise his strength before they recovered.

Having caused such a scene upon entering Greenwood Town, Chu Xiaotian and Xia Xue did not linger. After thanking Ba Dao, they headed straight for the Hundred Herb Pavilion. Xia Xue exchanged pills for the herbs she needed and bought Chu Xiaotian a new set of clothes, after which they returned to the valley where they lived. Xia Xue retreated into the alchemy room to refine pills, while Chu Xiaotian, after roasting a few fish for dinner, left the valley before dark and headed deep into the forest.

For the past few days, Chu Xiaotian's cultivation had been limited to controlling the Corpse Poison within his body; he had never truly used it to strengthen his physique. Now that he could control the poison, he could finally begin the true stage of Body Refining.

Sitting cross-legged in the valley, which was filled with masculine energy, Chu Xiaotian began to cultivate according to the techniques in the Heavenly Corpse Art. He drew out the Corpse Poison he had hidden in his body during the day, letting it course through every fiber of his flesh and blood. Wherever the cold, yin energy within the poison passed, his cells grew stronger. While using the poison to refine his body, the Heavenly Corpse Art also continuously absorbed the yin energy from heaven and earth, slowly augmenting the poison within him.

This was cultivation in the truest sense, and the formidable power of the Heavenly Corpse Art revealed itself to Chu Xiaotian at this very moment.