Body Tempering Triple Layer, Blood Spirit Qi (Seeking Collection and Follow-up Reads)

After taking a little time in his room to adjust to his third level of Qi Refinement cultivation, Xu Yuan could feel that the greatest change was the increase in the distance at which he could control objects.

At the second level of Qi Refinement, it had only been three chi; at the third level, it was now one zhang.

Furthermore, the spiritual qi he projected could now form a thin membrane over the surface of his body, shielding him from water, fire, wind, and cold, while also warding off miasma and blades.

"At the middle stage of Qi Refinement, spiritual power forms a protective aura. Now that I'm at the third level of Qi Refinement, is this the budding form of a spiritual aura?"

Xu Yuan tested the protective spiritual qi membrane and found that blocking an ordinary mortal's arrows should not be much of a problem. But if he wanted it to withstand an attack from someone at the same level, that would be sheer wishful thinking.

After testing the mysteries of the third level of Qi Refinement, Xu Yuan followed his usual routine, circulating his qi and blood to complete a session of cultivation with the <Little Cangshan Essence-Refining Qi-Transformation Art>.

Watching that wisp of utterly insignificant spiritual qi arise within his body, Xu Yuan smiled bitterly. At this pace, if he wished to accumulate enough cultivation to break through to the fourth level of Qi Refinement and enter the middle stage, he would need to do nothing but cultivate painstakingly for at least two or even three years.

What was more, while cultivating, he vaguely sensed an invisible barrier within his body. This barrier stood between him and the middle stage of Qi Refinement.

According to Daoist texts, for those with mixed spiritual roots, the middle stage of Qi Refinement was a great hurdle. Without great fortune and great perseverance, it was exceedingly difficult to cross.

However, Xu Yuan glanced at the next entry he could light up. For him, could this really be considered a threshold?

It probably still counted. After all, the difficulty of gathering that set of materials had already far surpassed that of a cultivator with mixed spiritual roots advancing into the middle stage of Qi Refinement.

Over the next few days, because he had used a secret technique to advance to the third level of Qi Refinement, Xu Yuan did not go down into the mine. Instead, he focused wholeheartedly on consolidating his foundations at home.

During this time, Bi Qiong did not return. Yesterday, someone from the house rental and sales office came by, tidied up the interior, and hung up a For Sale sign again.

Knowing that his friend had gone far away, Xu Yuan devoted himself even more deeply to cultivation. In his spare time, he also began studying the body-tempering method his instructor had given him.

This body-tempering method was called the Bright Thunder Body-Refining Method. It viewed one's body as heaven and earth, with qi and blood coursing like thunder. Through repeated shocks of qi and blood, it strengthened the fleshly body while tempering the qi and blood.

When Xu Yuan attempted to cultivate this method with the Martial Dao Sacred Embryo, he encountered no obstacles whatsoever. Though it was not as effortless as when he had previously cultivated the <Little Cangshan Essence-Refining Qi-Transformation Art>, he still mastered the method within just three or four days.

With both hands thrust toward the sky and his legs spread apart, Xu Yuan attempted to stimulate his qi and blood as the method described. With a rumble, he suddenly heard an explosive boom erupt from the inside of his body outward, truly like thunder falling from the Ninth Heaven and shaking the mortal world.

The thunderous blasts rose one after another, growing louder each time. Only after half a quarter-hour did Xu Yuan slowly finish his exercise, a strange look appearing in his eyes.

"Why does it seem like... I'm already at the first level of body tempering?"

After stirring his qi and blood, Xu Yuan did not feel that this breakthrough had brought him any great improvement. His qi and blood had become roughly twenty percent stronger, while his physique itself had only gained considerably tougher skin and sinews.

However, when he slightly closed his eyes and extended a palm forward, the qi and blood within him surged and roiled. Suddenly, it refined a blood-red, spiritual-qi-like substance, as light as willow fluff drifting in the wind.

This was the mark of successful body tempering, and also the blood spiritual qi that distinguished body refiners from qi refiners.

The instant he saw the blood spiritual qi, Xu Yuan was certain that he had succeeded in body tempering.

But why...? After giving it some thought, Xu Yuan suddenly understood. The moment he had obtained the Martial Dao Sacred Embryo entry, his fleshly body had likely already undergone the transformation of body tempering.

His current cultivation of the Bright Thunder Body-Tempering Art was merely filling in the missing realm.

Thus, after spending another five days cultivating at home, Xu Yuan directly advanced the Bright Thunder Body-Tempering Art to the third level of body tempering.

After establishing himself in this realm, the light and floating sensation Xu Yuan had previously felt in his body vanished completely. The immense strength granted by the entry was now fully under his command.

Compared to before he had cultivated a body-tempering method, the qi and blood within him had grown by roughly sixty percent. There had been no qualitative leap.

But his body's surface defenses had become increasingly terrifying. Xu Yuan had tried attacking himself with all his strength using that damaged mid-grade magic artifact. In the end, it left behind nothing but a white mark.

The blessing of the Martial Dao Sacred Embryo entry had begun to reveal its formidable edge as his body-tempering realm rose.

Now, even if he stood still, cultivators at the third level of Qi Refinement, or even ordinary newly advanced middle-stage Qi Refinement cultivators, would find it nearly impossible to injure him without powerful trump cards—such as particularly potent talismans or an intact mid-grade magic artifact.

Carrying a refined iron staff he had casually bought at the market, Xu Yuan arrived in the wilderness outside Biyou Market.

The first time he had come here, he had been terrified and on edge. But now, as he returned, there was not the slightest fear in his heart. Xu Yuan was even wondering whether he might encounter a weaker demonic beast and use it to replenish his shriveled coin purse.

Entering an area thick with strange, towering rocks, Xu Yuan untied his long staff and held it in his hand. The next instant, two forces—one red and one white—suddenly flowed from his hand and enveloped the iron staff.

It was still Spirit-Martial Unity, except that what merged with his spiritual qi now was no longer qi and blood, but the blood spiritual qi Xu Yuan had refined.

The refined iron staff trembled violently, as though it could not bear such power at all. Then Xu Yuan suddenly took a step forward and swung the staff, smashing it with a bang against a massive boulder two zhang tall before him.

Where the staff struck, the enormous boulder shattered like tofu. As Xu Yuan exerted more force, the entire boulder turned into a shower of fine powder in an instant.

Next, whether wielding the staff, throwing punches, kicking, or even ramming with his head, Xu Yuan freely vented his strength throughout the area.

Only after half a quarter-hour, when the dust finally dispersed, did it become clear that every strange rock standing there for who knew how long, hardened by endless wind and sun, had been ground completely into powder.

Xu Yuan stood in the middle of the area in his gray Daoist robe. The ribbon binding his hair had long since disappeared somewhere, and his long hair streamed wildly behind him. Together with the two forces still surging around him, he was a fearsome sight to behold.

Two more days passed. Early that morning, outside the Merit Hall, a great crowd of outer mountain disciples in gray Daoist robes surrounded the entrance.

Today was the day the Merit Hall issued sect missions. If they missed it, they would have to wait another half month. Thus, everyone had arrived early in the morning, all seeking a favorable position for the coming scramble.

At a quarter past the hour of the dragon, the doors opened, and two young attendants emerged. One carried a wooden box, while the other pushed a wooden board.

The two attendants hung the ebony plaques from the box onto the board one by one. Then they turned toward the crowd and announced in unison, "Today, the Merit Hall is issuing sect missions: one upper C-rank mission, seven middle C-rank missions, forty-one lower C-rank missions, and several others. Fellow Daoists who are interested, please step forward."

After saying this, the two attendants stepped back. In the very next instant, the outer mountain disciples who had long been poised to act erupted with spiritual radiance of every color and rushed toward the wooden board.

Too many monks, too little gruel. If you wanted a mission, then naturally, your fists did the talking!