Thousand Refinement Treasure Record

Chapter 23: Thousand Refinement Treasure Record

"Pfft!"

Suddenly, a pair of fleshy, fan-shaped wings burst forth from Chen Lin's back!

These wings were only the size of a palm, blood-red and glistening. A layer of thin, jade-like downy feathers faintly covered them, resembling the wings of a newborn chick. Intricate, mysterious patterns crisscrossed the surface, forming strange and complex runes.

"Huff, huff~"

Chen Lin gasped for air, feeling the blood in his veins boiling with excitement. Every inch of his blood craved immense power, and without hesitation, he poured the second bottle of Gene Optimization Serum into his mouth.

The medicine took effect rapidly. Before his eyes, the palm-sized wings on Chen Lin's back grew at a visible rate, covering half his back in just half a cup of tea's time. Simultaneously, the originally emerald-green wings were gradually encased in a layer of black scales, resembling the tough hide of a crocodile. They clung tightly to his body, merging into a single, seemingly impenetrable whole.

After a long while, the effects of the Gene Optimization Serum finally faded away.

Chen Lin reverted to his human form and retrieved a set of clothes from his Storage Bag to put on.

"A pity, my bloodline potential is still at the Earth Grade. It seems only a High-Grade Gene Optimization Serum could possibly push it to the Heaven Grade... Unfortunately, High-Grade serums are ridiculously expensive, costing 45,000 Death Energy points per bottle—three times the price of the Mid-Grade."

After checking his current status, Chen Lin shook his head with a look of regret. If other Demon Race disciples knew he was still unsatisfied, they would likely be so enraged they'd cough up blood; for ordinary members of the Demon Race, unless they encountered a heaven-sent opportunity, their bloodline potential was essentially fixed and would never increase.

Calming his mind, Chen Lin took the Hundred Refinement Art jade slip he had obtained from the Immortal Treasury Pavilion out of his Storage Bag.

"The Hundred Refinement Art: fusing the physical body with the true fire of a pill furnace, breathing to preserve essence, solidifying the body and easing the tendons, washing the marrow and clearing the meridians... a thousand hammerings and a hundred refinements, forging the body with true fire."

Chen Lin slowly lowered the jade slip from his forehead, opened his eyes, and fell into deep thought.

This Hundred Refinement Art took a unique approach, treating the body as a magical treasure to be tempered inside a furnace. One only needed to draw a wisp of the furnace's true fire into the body, guide it through the meridians as directed, and endure the agony of the fire burning the flesh to slowly strengthen the physique.

However, Chen Lin couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed. While the Hundred Refinement Art shared some similarities with Dao Heaven, Dao Heaven was clearly superior. Instead of absorbing the true fire of a furnace, it drew directly upon the Essence of Li Fire from the sun, which was far more potent.

Still, he hadn't come away empty-handed. The Hundred Refinement Art also recorded a set of techniques; by practicing these movements, one could stimulate the body's vital energy and clear the meridians, which was highly beneficial for body tempering.

"Notification: The system has detected that the Hundred Refinement Art is a simplified modification of the Thousand Refinement Treasure Record (Body Tempering Chapter). The contractor may pay Death Energy points to restore the original technique. Death Energy points required for restoration: 1,500. Do you wish to proceed with the restoration? Yes/No."

The Guide's cold voice rang out suddenly. Chen Lin froze, his expression turning strange. He hadn't expected the Hundred Refinement Art to be derived from an immortal technique of unknown grade called the Thousand Refinement Treasure Record, and only a single chapter at that.

"Yes!"

After a moment of hesitation, Chen Lin gritted his teeth and chose yes.

"Restoring technique... Restoration successful."

"Thousand Refinement Treasure Record (Body Tempering Chapter): The heaven and earth spiritual energy breeds wonders, containing the energy of strange fires, divine lightning, weak water, thick earth, Geng metal, poisonous miasma... Execute the ten moves and ten forms to connect all the body's acupoints and draw energy into the body..."

Chen Lin carefully pondered the immortal technique, his eyes growing brighter as a flash of insight dawned upon him. He stepped out of his room, stood in the center of the courtyard, and closed his eyes. With the ten moves and ten forms of the Thousand Refinement Treasure Record etched in his mind, he assumed a strange posture, one hand reaching for the sky, the other brushing the earth, and began to move slowly.

Soon, Chen Lin transitioned through one posture after another. Though clumsy at first, he grew increasingly familiar and swift. His movements became fluid and continuous, like flowing water; at times he moved like a rushing river, at others he stood as still as a mountain. Each move was as elusive and untraceable as an antelope hanging its horns by its hooves.

Spiritual energy from heaven and earth gathered rapidly, mixed with exotic energies—fire, water, lightning, miasma... Chen Lin's heart stirred, and he simultaneously activated Dao Heaven.

The violent Essence of Li Fire from the sun surged toward him. Since breaking through to the Early Xiantian stage, his absorption of the Essence of Li Fire had become faster and more domineering. This fierce energy burned intensely, crushing, tempering, and solidifying the various spiritual energies he had drawn into his body, forcing them to fuse rapidly with his bones, meridians, and vital energy.

This technique was so compatible with Dao Heaven that it boosted his cultivation speed by several times over!

After completing the set of moves, Chen Lin suddenly stopped. He spat out a mouthful of dark, black blood. As soon as it touched the ground, it hissed and emitted wisps of white smoke.

These were the harmful impurities within the exotic spiritual energies. Had they remained in his body, they would have caused hidden dangers, but the Essence of Li Fire had purged them, condensing them to be expelled with the blood.

"Clap, clap, clap."

Just then, the sound of applause drifted from the courtyard entrance.

"Good, it seems this Junior Brother is practicing a remarkable immortal technique. Even from outside the courtyard, I could feel the turbulence of the spiritual energy. No wonder you, with your Early Xiantian cultivation, were able to take down those three pieces of trash, Jiang Hong and his lot."

An effeminate voice rang out. A tall, slender man in purple robes walked in slowly, a faint smile on his lips, though his eyes were as piercing and venomous as a viper's. Behind him followed the three men, including Senior Brother Jiang, who had tried to extort Chen Lin only to be extorted in return.

Jiang Hong and the others were clearly still suffering from their injuries; their faces were swollen and their wrists shattered. They looked miserable. When the effeminate man called them "trash," they didn't dare say a word, merely glaring at Chen Lin with venomous resentment.

Chen Lin spat out the remaining blood in his mouth and turned around, eyeing the newcomer with an expressionless face.

"You are the new disciple? You were the one who beat them up?"

The effeminate man walked unhurriedly to a spot not far from Chen Lin, smiling as he gestured toward the three men behind him. His narrow eyes squinted, flashing with a lethal chill.

"I am indeed the one who beat them."

Chen Lin ignored the hateful glares of Jiang Hong and his cohorts. With his arms crossed, he focused all his attention on the effeminate man, asking coldly, "Are you the Senior Brother Situ that these three pieces of trash mentioned?"

"Audacious! How dare you speak to Senior Brother Situ like that!"

"Senior Brother Situ, there's no need to waste words on this trash-physique fellow. Teach him an unforgettable lesson!"

With a powerful backer, the two men behind Jiang Hong grew arrogant again.

Chen Lin ignored their insults and quietly activated his innate ability, Advanced Perception.

Unable to query target information.

Chen Lin felt a jolt of alarm. He knew this person must have reached the Peak Xiantian stage—three minor realms above him. This was a formidable opponent, and he grew inwardly vigilant, though his face remained calm.

"Junior Brother, you beat my men and took my things. You don't think you should pay a price? That wouldn't be right, would it?"

Senior Brother Situ kept the smile on his lips, but his expression grew cold, his eyes filled with extreme, icy malice. "How about this: hand over everything you took from them, offer some spiritual pills and stones as compensation, and finally, let them break your wrists and ankles. That will be the price."

As he spoke, a faint pressure radiated from his body, weighing down on Chen Lin like a mountain and making it difficult for him to breathe.

"If you dare to extort me, you should be prepared to be extorted in return. Your subordinates didn't have eyes and provoked me. I didn't even go looking for you, their master, yet you've come knocking on my door yourself."

Chen Lin secretly activated the Dragon-Elephant Nirvana Art, his muscles surging with power to shatter and dissipate the oppressive aura. He flicked the dust off his robes, his tone calm and his gaze steady as he stared at Situ Kong, refusing to yield an inch. "Things that have reached my hands are not meant to be given back. As for breaking my wrists and ankles—if you have the ability, feel free to try."

This Senior Brother Situ was indeed a powerhouse; his aura was extremely restrained, flickering in and out of existence, clearly showing he could manipulate his internal spiritual energy with ease. This made Chen Lin even more cautious, but if the man thought he could make him bow his head, he was sorely mistaken.