Zhurong, Ancestor Shaman; Body-Tempering Methods

As Chen Yang sighed with emotion, booming laughter came from afar.

A colossal figure appeared, a thousand zhang tall, with mountains and rivers seeming like mere stepping stones beneath its feet.

It slowly approached, making the earth tremble.

Yet as it strode closer, the colossal figure shrank, becoming a burly man nine chi tall, his loose hair resembling flames. "Haha... Houtu, you've finally returned."

Pingxin smiled at that. "Brother Zhurong, it's been a long time."

The newcomer was Zhurong, Ancestor Shaman of Fire. He walked over with a smile, looked at Pingxin, then turned to Chen Yang. "Eh... you're the Human Clan's teacher, and also Tongtian's grand-disciple and Duobao's disciple?"

Chen Yang nodded slightly and asked doubtfully, "Ancestor Shaman Zhurong, how do you know so much about me?"

"Haha... after that kid Houyi returned, he told me all about it. Besides, Tongtian and your master Duobao are both old acquaintances of mine. But you, kid—you're so skinny and frail. You should train more." As Zhurong spoke, he could not help patting Chen Yang on the shoulder.

"Cough, cough..." Chen Yang immediately started coughing from the pat.

Good heavens, Zhurong's physical body was terrifying beyond belief. A simple pat on Chen Yang's shoulder nearly knocked him to the ground and made his insides churn.

Seeing this, Zhurong laughed. "Kid Chen Yang... you really should exercise more. Your body is far too weak."

Chen Yang was speechless. He had already cultivated the Nine-Turn Profound Art to the Sixth Turn. In terms of physical strength, he was among the best within the Jie Sect. Yet compared to Zhurong, the difference was simply heaven and earth.

Chen Yang said helplessly, "Ancestor Shaman Zhurong... my physical body naturally cannot compare to yours."

"Haha... it's fine. Come train with our tribe. I guarantee your physical body will grow stronger much faster," Zhurong said with a laugh.

Feeling his body still trembling from that pat, Chen Yang truly did not know what to say.

Pingxin smiled. "Brother Zhurong... why aren't you staying in the tribe? What brought you to the outskirts of Buzhou?"

"I came out to look for forging materials. Another batch of Human-Wu youngsters has grown up recently, and they need weapons," Zhurong replied casually.

A hundred years later, Zhurong brought Chen Yang back to the tribe with Pingxin.

Chen Yang had now arrived at a Wu Tribe settlement.

After arriving, he was deeply shaken by the sight of countless Wu Tribe members.

Rows upon rows of Wu Tribe members wore specially made armor and carried standardized weapons, looking much like an army.

No, they were an army. The vast Wu Tribe army was terrifyingly numerous. Their ranks stretched densely in every direction, and a single formation held hundreds of millions. They fought the captured beasts, and when they charged forward, it was like an entire great world crashing down—terrifying, utterly terrifying.

Zhurong spoke with pride, "Brother Chen Yang, take a look. This is our Wu Tribe army. What do you think...?"

"It's truly breathtaking." Chen Yang's eyes flickered with shock.

He watched the Wu Tribe army drill in battle, wantonly slaughtering captured beasts and members of the demon race. Among them, Chen Yang saw many Human Clan figures—pure Humans, not Wu Tribe members.

After watching for a long while, Chen Yang followed Zhurong into the tribe.

If the outskirts of the tribe were filled with armies engaged in slaughter, then its interior held many elite warriors, gathered in groups of several thousand to fight.

Chen Yang watched these Wu Tribe members. Some wielded great sabers, some held long spears, some carried giant axes... each of them drilling and fighting.

Their battles were fought with real blades and real weapons. It was perfectly normal for arms and legs to be severed in their clashes. However, many Wu Tribe members stood nearby, using divine abilities to heal everyone.

Chen Yang watched many Wu Tribe members fight. As they battled, baleful aura was drawn forth, making their combat strength increasingly ferocious.

Chen Yang looked at that baleful aura and could not help asking, "That baleful aura?"

Zhurong laughed heartily and explained, "Wu Tribe flesh and blood contains a convergence aura, and it can also draw in baleful aura. Whenever we fight, or whenever some Wu Tribe members gather together, baleful aura naturally gathers around us. In a war, the greater the number of Wu Tribe members, the more baleful aura will converge. Beneath its shroud, Wu Tribe members fight more and more fiercely, and it can also restrain some of the demon race's divine abilities."

Chen Yang pondered this. "So that's how it is. Then during battle, can this gathered baleful aura be controlled?"

"Controlled? There's no need to control it. Wherever the Wu Tribe fights, the baleful aura follows," Zhurong replied casually.

Chen Yang nodded.

Pingxin seemed to have seen through him. "Chen Yang... what is it? Do you have some idea?"

"No, just a few thoughts," Chen Yang said casually.

Well, seeing groups of Wu Tribe members fighting like an army and naturally gathering clouds of baleful aura had given Chen Yang some ideas. Then, as they fought, that baleful aura circulated by itself, absorbing the blood and vitality of battle and causing the Wu Tribe members beneath its shroud to grow braver with every fight.

This change reminded Chen Yang of the military formations, battlefield baleful aura, and iron-blooded killing aura described in certain novels.

Some armies seemed to rely on special military formations to gather battlefield baleful aura. Once war began, armies that had condensed such baleful aura far surpassed ordinary troops.

In the past, he had thought such things were merely myths. But now, seeing the Wu Tribe fight and naturally gather baleful aura without using any special methods, he could not help forming some ideas.

After a long while, Chen Yang and the others reached the depths of the tribe.

The depths of the tribe were filled with High Shamans. Chen Yang saw Houyi, and he also saw Xingtian...

Many High Shamans had gathered together, fighting and slaughtering one another.

It seemed that the Wu Tribe's entire way of life was battle and slaughter.

Naturally, the tribe's core was the Ancestral Witch Hall.

Chen Yang now looked at the Ancestral Witch Hall in the distance, shrouded in baleful aura and difficult to see clearly, and felt somewhat awkward.

Pingxin said, "My eldest brother and the others crossed through time, so they had to seal the Ancestral Witch Hall. It probably won't be accessible for a while. If you want to see the texts Eastern Sovereign left behind, you'll need to wait some time."

"It's fine. Once we can enter the Ancestral Witch Hall, you can go inside and bring out the texts. I'm not in a hurry..." Chen Yang said casually.

Zhurong was surprised by this. "So you want to read Eastern Sovereign's texts. Speaking of which, what's so interesting about those things?"

Chen Yang pondered slightly. "Ancestor Shaman Zhurong... I cultivate the Formation Dao, and Eastern Sovereign is a recognized master of formations. I want to see his ideas on creating formations. Perhaps I might gain something from them."

In the blink of an eye, several hundred years passed.

During those centuries, Chen Yang cultivated within the Wu Tribe.

At first, Chen Yang followed Zhurong and learned the art of forging.

Zhurong's forging techniques and the weapons he crafted gave Chen Yang many insights. Once a weapon was forged, it became a lifelong companion. Every weapon was sturdy, sharp, and filled with killing intent.

Besides learning forging from Zhurong, Chen Yang also fought the Wu Tribe members from time to time. According to them, the best way to temper the physical body and make it stronger was through battle.

Chen Yang's cultivation was in the Daluo Realm, but tempering the body could not involve magical power or divine abilities. Thus, Chen Yang sealed his cultivation and relied solely on his physical body to fight the Wu Tribe members.

Chen Yang cultivated the Nine-Turn Profound Art, and he had already reached the Sixth Turn. Yet to many Wu Tribe members, his physical body was utterly unremarkable.

Chen Yang could handle Little Shamans, but among the High Shamans, he was absolutely the one getting beaten. Whether Postnatal High Shamans or Primordial High Shamans, he was no match for them when relying on his physical body alone, and he was beaten terribly.

"Haha... Brother Chen Yang, you lost again," Xingtian said with a laugh.

Chen Yang could only say, "Relying solely on the physical body, I truly cannot compare to you."

"Haha... the Wu Tribe's talents are all focused on body tempering. Besides, our cultivation is not as troublesome as yours, cultivating essence, qi, and spirit. We only need to temper our bodies to improve as a whole. Therefore, when it comes to physical bodies, no one in the Primordial World dares compare with the Wu Tribe," Houyi said proudly.

Chen Yang nodded. "That is true. My physical body has now been tempered to the ninth level of the Sixth Turn, only one step away from the Seventh Turn. If I reach the Seventh Turn, I should be able to contend with you somewhat."

"The Nine-Turn Profound Art is a body-tempering method of the Three Teachings. It's merely decent. But even if you reach the Seventh Turn, you probably still won't be a match for us High Shamans. After all, our High Shaman bodies should be comparable to the eighth level of your Nine-Turn Profound Art. Still, you can contend with some Postnatal High Shamans," Xingtian said.

Chen Yang could only feel helpless at that.

Several more hundred years passed.

Pingxin and Chen Yang now sat together, looking at one another as they discussed matters.

Pingxin looked at Chen Yang and asked, "Chen Yang... you mean you want to inscribe formations into your origin?"

"Yes. Over the past several hundred years, I have been thinking about how to strengthen my own origin. After considering every possibility, I could not find a method. So after observing the Wu Tribe, I thought of inscribing formations into my own origin," Chen Yang said seriously.

"Chen Yang... inscribing formations into your origin is far too dangerous." Worry appeared on Pingxin's face.

Chen Yang nodded, then looked at Pingxin and asked, "Pingxin... how exactly does the Wu Tribe temper its bodies? Do you have any body-tempering methods?"

"Body-tempering methods?"

"Our Wu Tribe's body-tempering methods were born with us from the moment of our creation. They originate from the Great Paths contained within our bloodlines. The Great Paths within our bloodlines naturally give rise to body-tempering methods. These methods are compatible with us, and by cultivating them, we can strengthen both our physical bodies and our Great Paths."

"The body-tempering method born within me originates from the Great Path of Earth and the Great Path of Reincarnation. It is called the Thick Earth Reincarnation Art!

Brother Zhurong's body-tempering method likewise comes from the Great Path of Fire and the Forging Dao within him. Therefore, it is called the Blazing Flame Forging Art! Xingtian is the same. His body-tempering method originates from the Great Path of War, so it is called the War God Art! The other Primordial Wu Clan members are the same, each possessing a body-tempering method born according to their own Great Paths. We have collected all these methods. Whatever bloodline a Postnatal Wu Clan member awakens, they seek out the corresponding body-tempering method to cultivate."

Chen Yang pondered slightly. "I see... then Pingxin, can I obtain these body-tempering methods?"