Bluestone Blood-Transporting Method

Lin Yi took the yellowed beast-hide scroll. The instant his fingertips touched its rough surface, an impatient urge surged through his heart.

He glanced at the village chief and saw the old man smiling at him without any intention of urging him on, so he directly unrolled the hide.

Several large characters at the beginning of the scroll came into view: Bluestone Blood-Transporting Method.

The writing resembled ancient traditional characters, with complex, archaic strokes. Yet the moment Lin Yi encountered those symbols, his Super Brain began operating at high speed. Combining the context with the structure of the characters, he half-guessed and half-read, somehow managing to read through it all in one smooth breath.

After reading the entire text, a clear outline had already formed in Lin Yi's mind.

The cultivation method of the Bluestone Blood-Transporting Method was completely different from the cross-legged meditation, mindful breathing, and circulation of qi he had imagined. Its core held only one word: smash.

It borrowed the external force of bluestone to pound the body and weigh down the flesh, forcibly accelerating the flow of blood within the body through external physical stimulation, allowing the scorching blood to wash over flesh, bones, and meridians again and again.

There were three specific methods of cultivation. First, use specially selected bluestones to hammer every part of the body, especially the joints and areas dense with acupoints. Second, carry or lift bluestones while moving, even fighting to the death under the burden. Third, use bluestones to press down on the entire body, allowing the blood-qi to erupt and circulate on its own beneath extreme pressure.

By combining all three methods, one could forcibly move the blood to transform the body, tempering an extraordinary physique from the inside out.

Lin Yi chewed over the contents twice, making sure every word and every illustration was firmly etched into his mind.

His Super Brain was like a limitless high-definition scanner, storing the entire contents of the beast-hide scroll deep within his memory without the slightest alteration, ready to be retrieved and replayed at any time.

He closed the beast-hide scroll and returned it to the village chief with both hands.

"Village Chief, I've memorized everything."

The village chief was drinking water from a clay bowl. At those words, his movement visibly paused.

He set down the bowl and looked at Lin Yi with some surprise. There was no suspicion in his gaze; instead, it carried an astonished just as I expected. Yet the extent of that astonishment seemed to exceed even his original expectations.

"You memorized all of it?" The village chief asked again, still somewhat unconvinced. "Even the meridian diagrams and the sequence of the mnemonic verses?"

Lin Yi nodded with certainty.

The village chief's brows rose slightly. His fingers lightly tapped the tabletop twice, and a glint of sharp light flashed through his eyes.

He had long guessed from Little Flame's reaction that Lin Yi possessed extraordinary talent.

The old man silently raised his assessment of Lin Yi by another notch, though outwardly he merely nodded without revealing anything.

"An exceptional memory is naturally a good thing, but cultivation isn't just about memorizing verses," the village chief said slowly. "Next, I'll explain the division of cultivation realms to you, so you'll have some idea of what lies ahead."

Lin Yi perked up and sat straighter.

"The first realm of cultivation is called the Blood-Qi Realm." The village chief held up four fingers. "The Blood-Qi Realm is further divided into four minor realms, also known as the Four Blood-Qi Realms."

With every sentence, he curled down one finger, his tone steady and forceful.

"The first realm is Initial Blood Resonance. Those who reach this realm possess twenty thousand jin of strength. Their blood-qi flows freely like rushing streams, their physiques far surpassing ordinary mortals. Common blades and swords struggle to harm their skin."

"The second realm is Blood-Qi Tidal Surge. Fifty thousand jin of strength. Their blood-qi rushes like an erupting river tide; every strike is heavy and powerful, and they can fight low-level ferocious beasts head-on without falling into disadvantage."

"The third realm is Blood-Qi Mountain Sinking. Eighty thousand jin of strength. Their blood-qi condenses, solid and heavy as mountains, greatly increasing the hardness of the body. The claws and fangs of ordinary ferocious beasts find it difficult to pierce their skin."

"The fourth realm is Dragonlike Blood-Qi. One hundred thousand jin of strength. Their blood-qi coils like a dragon deep within the marrow, running through every inch of flesh. It is the pinnacle of a mortal body, only one step away from the next realm."

By the end, the village chief's tone had gained a trace of solemnity.

"These four realms may sound like a single unbroken sweep, but crossing each one is as hard as climbing to heaven. Talent, comprehension, perseverance, and resources—none can be lacking.

My Bluestone Tribe has over a hundred people, yet fewer than ten have reached the Tide-Chasing Realm. Most people spend their entire lives stopped within the First Cry Realm, unable even to touch the threshold of Tide-Chasing."

Hearing this, Lin Yi could not help asking, "Then what realm has the strongest person in the tribe reached?"

The village chief looked at him and slowly uttered two words. "Sinking Mountain."

"The tribe's strongest is Xiao Hu's father, Biao. His cultivation has reached the Blood-Qi Mountain Sinking Realm. With eighty thousand jin of strength, he can slaughter mid-level ferocious beasts with his bare hands."

As the village chief spoke, a trace of pride belonging to a tribal chief seeped into his voice, but he quickly suppressed it.

"But you must understand: Biao has cultivated for more than thirty years. How much hardship did he endure, how many injuries did he suffer, before reaching his current achievements? So you must never think cultivation is a simple matter."

Lin Yi answered aloud, "This junior understands," but his mind was already racing at high speed.

First Cry, twenty thousand jin. Tide-Chasing, fifty thousand jin. Sinking Mountain, eighty thousand jin. Dragonlike, one hundred thousand jin.

And this was merely the first realm of cultivation. Above the Blood-Qi Realm, there were certainly higher realms, stacked layer upon layer. Just how far could one ultimately go?

He could not help recalling the novel Shrouding the Heavens he had read on his phone before transmigrating.

With a flick of their fingers, Great Emperors shattered stars; with a single thought, Saints could cross stellar domains. The Blood-Qi Realm of this world sounded somewhat similar to the Sea of Bitterness Realm in that book. Both were the foundational first step of cultivation, both beginning with the transformation of a mortal body.

If this world's ceiling was also that high...

Lin Yi swallowed, silently reciting in his heart, now it really was impossible to know whether tomorrow or disaster would come first.

Seeing his gaze drift again, the village chief did not know what he was thinking, but he did not ask further.

He rose and walked to the wooden rack in the corner, reaching into a rough earthen jar and pulling out two fist-sized pieces of dried meat.

The dried meat was dark red, its surface hard and dry as if it had been air-dried for months. Yet when brought close, a rich bloody scent and a strange fragrance rushed straight into the nose.

"Take them." The village chief stuffed the two pieces of dried meat into Lin Yi's hands.

"Cultivation consumes a great deal of blood-qi, especially during the initial body-tempering stage. Depleting your blood-qi is a common occurrence. If you don't replenish it in time with ferocious beast meat, at best your cultivation will stagnate; at worst, it will damage your foundation. Use these two first. When they're gone, come find me again."

Lin Yi accepted the dried meat. It felt heavy in his hands, hard in texture, like two dark-red stones.

He thanked the village chief and carefully set the dried meat aside.

The village chief beckoned Xiao Hu over and instructed, "Take Lin Yi to the vacant stone house on the west side and get him settled. Then go to your mother and ask for a set of clean clothes. Just say they're for... a guest."

Xiao Hu answered brightly and jumped down from his chair. The Little Flame in his arms was jostled by the leap and, looking thoroughly impatient, jumped to the ground.

Red Fox walked gracefully to the doorway, glanced back at Lin Yi, and flicked his tail as though saying, What are you standing there for? Follow.

Lin Yi picked up the two pieces of dried ferocious beast meat and followed Xiao Hu out of the stone house.