Fish Essence Stone (Asking for Monthly Votes)

Qi Sea Realm martial artists were no weaklings. They were generally the masters of martial arts schools or the hall masters of certain gangs. At the very least, they had names of their own in the martial world and were respected by others.

He was merely a constable at the Body Tempering Realm, Eighth Layer. Even if he summoned them, they might not pay him any heed.

Meanwhile, upon hearing the constable's assessment, Chen Shaojun immediately relaxed.

Was he some great expert of the Qi Sea Realm?

Obviously not.

Then no matter how thoroughly they investigated this case, they would never trace it back to him.

After lingering in the alley for a while longer, Chen Shaojun returned to the pawnshop looking thoroughly at ease.

After two days of chaos, the pawnshop's business had indeed been somewhat affected.

Still, Chen Shaojun obtained another opportunity to appraise a treasure.

It was an orange gemstone shaped like a heart.

Killing Intent coiled around it, leaving many dark blotches across its surface. Held in the hand, it felt like a block of ice, making one deeply uncomfortable.

Chen Shaojun lit candles and burned incense, then inspected it with the Spirit Eye Technique.

There was quite a bit of Killing Intent on the gemstone, but only around ten strands or so. He was thus relieved.

Things like the Jade Ruyi from before, shrouded in yin energy with a ghost soul entrenched within it, were ultimately rare.

After all, before these "raw materials" reached them, they were first placed on the appraisal tables of official appraisers. Only treasures they judged to be low in value and light in Killing Intent would end up in the hands of appraisal apprentices.

Very soon, the candles went out, and the three sticks of bamboo incense burned down normally.

Chen Shaojun immediately used the Divine Gaze Technique.

The Chen Shaojun of today had undergone earth-shaking changes compared to before.

His blood and qi were abundant, and his spirit had grown stronger along with them.

When fully unleashed, his blood and qi rose like wolf smoke, while his vital essence billowed like clouds and mist.

When he used the Divine Gaze Technique, this manifested as a surging force of spiritual will, sharp as a streak of sword light.

Whoosh!

The Killing Intent on the orange gemstone was instantly stirred. Before it could even burst forth, it was scoured clean by that sword-light-like spiritual power.

The orange gemstone, once speckled and mottled, immediately revealed its original appearance.

Its entire body was orange-yellow, its color bright and lustrous, with shimmering streams of light flashing within its crystal clarity.

Its perfect heart shape was like proof of love itself, making it impossible to put down.

The appraisal was complete, and the Spirit-Seeking Treasure Mirror appeared in his mind. Within it, an orange gemstone was reflected.

Looking closely, was it not precisely the one Chen Shaojun had appraised?

The Spirit-Seeking Treasure Mirror appraised treasures, tracing them back to their roots.

The instant Chen Shaojun saw the orange gemstone in the Spirit-Seeking Treasure Mirror, scene after scene surfaced in his mind.

In the southern Great Zhou Dynasty, within the Yangtze River basin.

A black carp grew cautiously. In a moment of ignorant chance, it swallowed a clump of water grass sparkling with spiritual light. Its form soon transformed, its body growing without pause until it became a great fish seven feet long.

Once, a grandfather and grandson entered the river to fish. Their net covered it, and it furiously broke free. It even rammed over their small boat, then dragged its massive body through the water and beat the two of them to death.

After several such incidents, the death toll rose to ten.

A young swordsman was invited to act.

By then, the black carp had already become a demon and mastered a water technique. It battled the young swordsman fiercely in the Yangtze River, only to be slain in the river.

The young swordsman carried the great fish ashore, cut open its belly, and removed a blood-red demon core. The remaining fish flesh was given to the nearby fishermen.

One fisherman removed an orange-yellow gemstone from the great fish's throat. The locals called it Fish Treasure, or Fish Essence Stone. After being carved into a heart shape by an artisan, it changed hands several times and passed through bloody struggles before finally ending up in the pawnshop.

Chen Shaojun woke from his daze.

"I never expected this gemstone to have come from inside a fish demon?"

Chen Shaojun was greatly astonished.

It was also the first time he had truly witnessed the existence of "demons" through the Spirit-Seeking Treasure Mirror.

Though he had long known that since this world had ghosts, it naturally had demons as well, this was still the first time he had seen one so clearly, and watched it grow, become a demon, and then be slain.

Then, the Spirit-Seeking Treasure Mirror determined its grade and rank.

Words appeared upon the Eight-Sided Rhombus Mirror.

Fish Essence Stone, lower-grade Dharma treasure. When worn, it could ward off misfortune and evil, gather blessings and fortune. Ground with water and consumed, it could dispel Killing Intent.

"Lower-grade Dharma treasure? It can dispel Killing Intent?"

Chen Shaojun froze.

The rank of this Fish Essence Stone did not surprise him, but its effect filled him with delight.

One had to know that whether they were appraisal apprentices or official appraisers, what pawnshop workers feared most was Killing Intent entering their bodies.

Because once Killing Intent entered the body, no medicine or stone could cure it.

Unless one found a Daoist master or someone with extraordinary medical skills, there might be a way to dispel the Killing Intent.

But though pawnshop appraisers held honored status within their own little patch of land in the pawnshop.

Once outside, they were nothing at all.

Trying to invite a Daoist master or a person of extraordinary medical skill to act was almost impossible.

Even among those who could be saved, there were only a few.

Now that he knew the Fish Essence Stone could dispel Killing Intent, although it was surely no ordinary object, it was still better than being helpless, was it not?

The appraisal was complete.

The reward then fell into Chen Shaojun's hands.

A talisman.

A Body-Fixing Talisman.

Once activated, it could fix the target's body in place, leaving them unable to move.

A fine thing.

At a critical moment, it could save his life.

Chen Shaojun carefully put it away.

Next came Chen Shaojun's time to practice martial arts.

As the Tiger Demon Body-Tempering Fist unfolded, his body moved in sweeping arcs, fist shadows flickering. Dense blood and qi burst forth, churning through the appraisal room like wolf smoke.

He had now completed the Seventh Stage of Body Tempering, Five Organs Tempering, and reached the level of the Eighth Layer, Six Bowels Tempering.

The organs within the human body were actually exceedingly fragile.

Once struck by heavy force, they would immediately rupture, causing unimaginable grievous injury.

The Seventh and Eighth Stages of Body Tempering tempered the five organs and six bowels within a martial artist's body.

Driven by blood and qi and scoured continuously by force, the originally soft and fragile five organs and six bowels would gradually become tough, able to withstand even fiercer impacts.

When the five organs and six bowels had been tempered until they were as tough as cowhide, it naturally meant that the martial artist's Body Tempering had reached great completion.

At that point, one could begin to charge toward the final realm of Body Tempering.

Inner Sight!

The Inner Sight Realm involved not merely blood, qi, and force, but also the unseen "spirit" hidden within the darkness.

"Based on my current progress.

In another two days or so, I should be able to temper my six bowels until they are as tough as old hide and reach the complete level of the Body Tempering Realm, Eighth Layer.

The speed is not bad.

I just wonder whether, two days from now, I can pass through the realm as smoothly as before and reach the Body Tempering Realm, Ninth Layer."

Drenched in sweat and gasping for breath, Chen Shaojun stopped his movements.

He knew that the Body Tempering Realm, Ninth Layer, was the realm where one's blood, qi, and force reached perfection.

Through "Inner Sight," one could temper every place that force had originally been unable to reach.

Only then could a martial artist's qi and strength become one.

Only then could one possibly seize the momentum and charge in one burst toward the next realm.

The Qi Sea Realm!

It was Monday. I want to make a push for the new book rankings, so I'm asking for monthly votes and recommendation votes. If you are able, please send a reward as well. My deepest thanks!!!