Zhurong, Ancestor Shaman; Body-Tempering Method

As Chen Yang sighed in emotion, booming laughter rang out from afar.

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

It strode over slowly, making the earth here tremble.

Yet as it walked closer, the colossal figure shrank into a burly man nine chi tall, his loose hair resembling flames. "Haha... Houtu, you're finally back."

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

The newcomer was Zhurong, the 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, Tongtian's grand-disciple, and Duobao's disciple?"

Chen Yang nodded slightly, puzzled. "Ancestor Shaman Zhurong, how do you know so much about me?"

"Haha... After that brat Houyi returned, he told me all about it. Besides, Tongtian, your master Duobao, and I are all quite familiar. But you, kid—you're far too skinny and frail. You ought to train more." As Zhurong spoke, he could not help patting Chen Yang on the shoulder.

"Cough, cough..." Chen Yang immediately began coughing from the blow.

Good lord, Zhurong's physical body was utterly terrifying. A mere pat on Chen Yang's shoulder nearly knocked him to the ground and left his insides shaking.

Seeing this, Zhurong laughed. "Kid Chen Yang... You need to exercise more. Your physique is far too weak."

Chen Yang was speechless. His Nine-Turn Profound Art had already reached the Sixth Turn. In terms of physical strength, he was among the finest in the Jie Sect. Yet compared to Zhurong, the gap was as vast as heaven and earth.

Chen Yang could only say gloomily, "Ancestor Shaman Zhurong... Naturally, my physical body cannot compare to yours."

"Haha... No matter. Now that you're among our people, train with us. I guarantee your physical body will grow stronger much faster," Zhurong said with a laugh.

Feeling his body shake once more, Chen Yang truly did not know what to say.

Pingxin smiled. "Brother Zhurong... Why have you come to the outskirts of Mount Buzhou instead of remaining in the tribe?"

"I came out to search for some forging materials. Another batch of Human-Wu youngsters has recently grown up, and they need a batch of 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.

Upon arriving, he was stunned by the countless members of the Wu Tribe.

Rows upon rows of Wu Tribe warriors wore specially made armor and carried uniform weapons, looking just like an army.

No, they were an army. The vast Wu Tribe army numbered in terrifying quantities. The dense ranks crisscrossed one another, and a single formation contained hundreds of millions. They fought the captured beasts, and when they charged, it was as though an entire great world had come crashing down—terrifying, utterly terrifying.

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

"It's too awe-inspiring." Chen Yang's eyes flickered with deep shock.

He watched the Wu Tribe army conduct combat drills, slaughtering the captured beasts and Demon Race members at will. Among them, Chen Yang saw many Human Clan figures—pure Human Clan members, not Wu Tribe members.

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

If the outskirts of the tribe held armies engaged in brutal combat, then the interior contained many elites, who gathered in groups of thousands to fight.

Chen Yang watched these Wu Tribe warriors wield their weapons. Some carried great sabers, some long spears, some enormous axes... Each of them drilled and fought.

When they fought, it was a battle of real blades and real weapons. Having arms or legs severed during their clashes was entirely normal. However, many Wu Tribe members stood around the perimeter, using divine abilities to restore them.

Chen Yang watched many Wu Tribe members fight. As they battled, Killing Intent was actually drawn forth, making their combat increasingly formidable.

Chen Yang looked toward the Killing Intent and could not help asking, "That Killing Intent...?"

Zhurong laughed heartily and explained, "The flesh and blood of the Wu Tribe contains restrained energy, and it can also draw in Killing Intent. Basically, when we fight, or when some Wu Tribe members gather together, Killing Intent naturally gathers around us. During a war, the more Wu Tribe members there are, the more Killing Intent will gather. Under the cover of Killing Intent, the Wu Tribe will grow braver with every battle, and it can also restrain some of the Demon Race's divine abilities."

Chen Yang pondered this. "So that's how it is. Then when fighting, can one control this gathered Killing Intent?"

"Control it? There's no need to control it at all. Wherever the Wu Tribe fights, Killing Intent follows," Zhurong said casually.

Chen Yang nodded.

Yet Pingxin seemed to see deeper into his thoughts. "Chen Yang... What is it? Do you have some idea?"

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

Chen Yang saw the Wu Tribe members gathered in great numbers, fighting like an army, and they actually formed clouds of Killing Intent on their own. Then, as the battle continued, that Killing Intent circulated by itself, absorbing the blood and vitality of battle and causing the Wu Tribe beneath its shroud to grow braver with every fight.

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

Some armies seemed to rely on special military formations to gather battlefield Killing Intent. Once war began, those armies condensed with Killing Intent far surpassed ordinary troops.

In the past, he had thought such things were merely myths. But now, seeing the Wu Tribe fight without using any special method and yet naturally gather Killing Intent, he began to have some ideas.

After a long while, Chen Yang's group arrived at the depths of the tribe.

The depths of the tribe were filled with High Shamans. Chen Yang saw Houyi and Xingtian as well...

Many High Shamans gathered in one place, fighting and killing one another.

It seemed that the Wu Tribe's life consisted of nothing but battle and slaughter.

Of course, the tribe's core was the Ancestral Witch Hall.

Now, Chen Yang looked toward the Ancestral Witch Hall in the distance, concealed within Killing Intent and impossible to see clearly, feeling somewhat awkward.

Pingxin said, "Eldest Brother and the others crossed through time, so they had to seal the Ancestral Witch Hall. I'm afraid we will not be able to enter it anytime soon. Thus, if you wish to see the records Eastern Sovereign left behind, you will need to wait for a while."

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

Zhurong was surprised by this. "So you want to read Eastern Sovereign's records. Really, what is there to see in those things?"

Chen Yang thought for a moment. "Ancestor Shaman Zhurong... I cultivate the Formation Dao, and Eastern Sovereign was an acknowledged grandmaster of formations. So I wish to study the concepts behind the formations he created. Perhaps I might gain something."

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

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

At first, Chen Yang followed Zhurong in learning the art of forging.

The weapons Zhurong forged gave Chen Yang much insight. When one forged a weapon, that weapon became a companion for life. Every weapon was sturdy, sharp, and brimming with killing intent.

Besides following Zhurong to learn forging, Chen Yang would occasionally fight the Wu Tribe members. According to them, if one wished to temper the physical body and make it stronger, the best method was battle.

Chen Yang's cultivation had reached the Daluo Realm, but one could not use mana or divine abilities to temper the physical body. Therefore, Chen Yang sealed his cultivation and relied only on his physical body to fight the Wu Tribe.

Chen Yang had already cultivated the Nine-Turn Profound Art to the Sixth Turn. Yet in the eyes of many Wu Tribe members, his physical body was not even worth mentioning.

Chen Yang could handle Little Shamans, but when it came to High Shamans, he was absolutely the one getting beaten. Whether Postnatal High Shamans or Primordial High Shamans, he was no match for them with physical strength alone and was beaten miserably.

"Haha... Brother Chen Yang, you failed again." Xingtian laughed loudly.

Chen Yang could say nothing but, "Relying solely on my physical body, I truly find it difficult to compare with you all."

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

Chen Yang nodded. "That is true. My physical cultivation has now been tempered to the sixth turn, ninth level. I am 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 merely a body-tempering method of the Three Teachings. It is decent enough, but even if you reach the Seventh Turn, you likely still will not be a match for us High Shamans. After all, the physical bodies of us High Shamans should be comparable to the eighth level of your Nine-Turn Profound Art. Still, you may be able to contend with one or two Postnatal High Shamans," Xingtian said.

Chen Yang could only sigh helplessly.

Several hundred more years passed.

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

Pingxin looked at Chen Yang and could not help asking, "Chen Yang... You mean to inscribe formations within your origin?"

"Yes. Over the past several hundred years, I have been considering how to strengthen my own origin. No matter how I thought about it, I could not find a method. So after observing the Wu Tribe, I thought of inscribing formations within my own origin," Chen Yang said seriously.

"Chen Yang... Inscribing formations within one's 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 body? Do you have any body-tempering methods?"

"Body-tempering methods?"

"Our Wu Tribe's body-tempering methods were born alongside us from the very moment of our birth. Our methods 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 cultivating them strengthens both our physical bodies and our Great Paths."

"The body-tempering method born within me comes from the Great Path of Earth and the Great Path of Reincarnation. This method 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. Thus, his method is called the Blazing Flame Forging Art! Xingtian is the same; his body-tempering method comes from the Great Path of War, so it is called the War God Art! The other Primordial Wu Clan members are the same as well, each developing a body-tempering method according to their own Great Path. We have collected all these body-tempering methods. Whatever bloodline a Postnatal Wu Clan member awakens, they seek out the corresponding body-tempering method to cultivate."

Chen Yang pondered slightly upon hearing this. "So that's how it is... Then Pingxin, can I obtain these body-tempering methods?"