Golden Bell Shield

At this level, inner strength and protective qi cultivation gradually took shape. His physique strengthened while his internal organs became less prone to injury.

After about half an hour, the second level was complete.

Chen Wu had no intention of stopping there. "To be safe, I should cultivate to the third level before switching back to Tempering Origin."

At the third level, both inner strength and protective qi arts were further enhanced, granting the muscles formidable resistance. Blades could cut into the flesh but would go no deeper, and the initial force of rebounding shock would emerge.

It took Chen Wu a full hour and a half to finally complete the breakthrough.

Having reached this stage in body refinement, he had also hit his limit. He needed time to adapt to his current body and regulate his true qi.

Then, Chen Wu turned his attention to breaking through in qi cultivation.

As cyclone true qi poured in, the entire breakthrough process was incomparably smooth and satisfying.

After two more rounds of enhancement, the tearing sensation in his dantian did not reappear.

The seventh turn of Tempering Origin was complete.

After breaking through, Chen Wu could not help sighing. "It required a full ten times the total true qi of all my previous Tempering Origin stages combined. No wonder the vast majority of people stop before the sixth turn."

As he spoke, he recalled another important matter.

He needed to name the body-refinement technique he had newly created.

"In my previous life, I often heard of 'Dragon-Chanting Iron Shirt, Tiger-Roaring Golden Bell Shield.' Since this world already has the Iron Shirt, how can it lack the Golden Bell Shield? I'll call this technique the Golden Bell Shield."

After naming the technique he had created the Golden Bell Shield, Chen Wu weighed the strengths and weaknesses of the different versions in his memories and envisioned its future development. He changed its levels into stages and estimated there would be twelve stages.

In his vision, the Golden Bell Shield was a gradual art that cultivated both inside and out, focused primarily on body refinement, supplemented qi cultivation, and tempered intent and spirit.

While possessing the ability to rebound force when attacked, the higher the stage, the stronger its protective power and the greater the rebounding force against an enemy's attacks.

Once all twelve stages were complete, one would achieve an indestructible vajra body, immunity to water and fire, fearlessness toward a hundred poisons, sleeplessness and tirelessness, and an inexhaustible supply of power.

Unfortunately, limited by his own martial knowledge and foundation, even though the Three Souls' deduction ability was powerful, it could only derive the techniques for the first six stages. The latter six remained castles in the air for now. He would need other body-refinement techniques as references before he could continue the deductions.

"The initial simultaneous cultivation of qi, essence, and spirit is complete. I've finally officially embarked on the martial path."

A glance at the time showed that it was already past two in the morning, and Chen Wu hurriedly lay down to sleep.

If his sister discovered he had stayed up late, she would probably worry again.

When he got up the next day, thanks to his vitality, Chen Wu did not feel sleep-deprived in the slightest despite staying up late.

At breakfast, seeing that Chen Wu looked well, his sister Gu Yuyue seized the chance to ask, "Xiao Wu, you seem quite spirited. Have you already made progress with the technique I gave you yesterday?"

"As expected of my sister—you know me best."

Smiling, Chen Wu poured out everything that had happened the previous night to Gu Yuyue like beans spilling from a bamboo tube: how he had condensed a visualization diagram, created the Golden Bell Shield, and broken through to the seventh turn of Tempering Origin.

After hearing him out, Gu Yuyue was silent for a long while.

"What a pity. I can only deduce the Golden Bell Shield through the sixth stage. As for the latter six stages, I'll have to seek opportunities once I'm in university. Hmm, Sis, what's wrong?"

Only after lamenting did Chen Wu finally notice that something was off about Gu Yuyue and ask with concern.

Gu Yuyue said quietly, "Xiao Wu, has anyone ever told you that you're very punchable?"

Chen Wu still failed to realize it. "No."

"Now they have."

With speed too swift for the eye to follow, Gu Yuyue flicked Chen Wu's forehead with her fair, slender finger.

Smack~

"Urgh~"

Chen Wu was perfectly fine. Instead, Gu Yuyue's finger faintly began to ache.

"Sis, I forgot to tell you. After the Golden Bell Shield reaches the third stage, if it is attacked, it automatically generates rebounding force."

As a pure qi cultivator, Gu Yuyue flexed her fingers and used true qi to heal the injury, intending to ease the pain as she asked, "Why didn't you say so earlier?"

Chen Wu replied as if it were only natural, "You didn't ask."

Naturally, Chen Wu wisely did not say that aloud and provoke his sister, a sixth-grade expert. Instead, he used the healing section of the Golden Bell Shield to soothe the pain in her finger.

As Gu Yuyue felt Chen Wu holding her finger, a force unlike ordinary true qi entered the aching spot. The pain immediately eased, and she asked in delighted surprise, "It really is extremely effective. Xiao Wu, what did you say this technique was called?"

"This art is called the Golden Bell Shield. It has twelve stages in total. At present, I've only created the first six. As for what I just used to treat your injury, that belongs to its 'Healing Chapter.'"

"Because when cultivating the first two stages, others cannot absorb the spiritual qi of heaven and earth to temper their bodies as I can. They must use blunt weapons such as iron hammers and iron whips to hammer themselves, relying mainly on external cultivation, which can easily leave hidden injuries. That is why I created the 'Healing Chapter.' Once one reaches the third stage and cultivates inner strength, it can treat those previous hidden injuries. It is also at this stage that internal and external cultivation begin together."

"Once one reaches the fourth stage, it also gains detoxifying effects."

Hearing how miraculous this martial art was, Gu Yuyue asked with considerable interest, "Xiao Wu, can your sister cultivate this technique too?"

Once martial artists reached the sixth-grade realm, they would no longer suffer from illness or pain. All evils would disperse of their own accord, and living for a hundred years would be nothing unusual.

As their lifespans increased, a small number of martial artists chose to cultivate the other two paths alongside their main one, making up for their previous shortcomings.

One reason was to gain an advantage in battles against those of the same rank and in secret-realm exploration.

Another was that if they were fortunate enough to break through to high-rank martial artist realms, it would count as preparing early for higher realms.

Gu Yuyue had originally exchanged for a Profound-grade body-refinement technique. She had planned to cultivate it herself and pass it on to her younger brother once he had achieved success in body refinement.

What she had not expected was that Chen Wu had created a body-refinement martial art like the Golden Bell Shield from the Iron Shirt alone.

After personally experiencing it and hearing his explanation, she compared the two and found that the technique her younger brother had created was considerably better than the body-refinement technique she had originally chosen.

As for whether choosing this incomplete technique would affect her future martial path, Gu Yuyue was not worried in the slightest.

Not to mention the talent Chen Wu had displayed during this time, her main reason for cultivating external arts was to protect him before he had fully grown.

She only needed to wait a year or two. Once her little brother could fully protect himself, she could simply abolish her cultivation and start over.

At most, it would only slow her martial progress a little.

Chen Wu knew that his sister's choice stemmed not only from her faith in his talent, but also from her willingness to spare no effort to protect him. He explained, "Sis, of course you can. This martial art cultivates both inside and out. While refining the external arts, it can also nurture one's foundation and benefit the spirit..."