Bone Tempering

At noon, Su Hongyu came again carrying a food box. As usual, it held several dishes Chen Chong liked. As usual, he laid out the bowls and chopsticks, then stepped aside to wait for Chen Chong to finish eating so he could clean up.

Chen Chong picked up his chopsticks, then suddenly felt that something was off.

He looked up at Su Hongyu. A man in his forties stood hunched beside the table, a smile on his face and both hands hanging before him, looking every bit like a servant waiting on his master.

Chen Chong frowned.

"Steward Su, sit down and eat with me."

Su Hongyu froze for a moment, then waved his hands repeatedly. "Alchemist Chen, you must be joking. This subordinate will stand. Standing is fine."

"I'm eating alone while you stand beside me watching. What kind of sight is that?" Chen Chong set a pair of chopsticks across from himself. "Sit."

Su Hongyu hesitated for a moment, but in the end, he sat down.

Yet he ate with great restraint. He picked up little with his chopsticks and chewed quickly, barely touching the dishes. He finished a bowl of rice in two or three mouthfuls, then set down his chopsticks and sat quietly, waiting for Chen Chong to finish.

When Chen Chong told him to eat more, he shook his head and said he was full.

Chen Chong did not force him and continued eating his own meal.

Afraid Chen Chong would be bored, Su Hongyu began telling him some fresh news from the city.

"Alchemist Chen, do you still remember Yang He from that wanted notice?" Su Hongyu lowered his voice and leaned forward, his eyes shining. "The bandit chief who abducted Eldest Miss Li outside the city gates—the fierce bandit at the Bone-Forging Stage! Last night, he was killed by a young hero!"

He told the story with great gusto, gesturing with both hands as though he had witnessed it himself.

"They say Yang He and Wang Zheng—the former chief steward of World-Aiding Hall—had long been in cahoots. Wang Zheng had secretly been supplying Yang He with pills for ages. True Martial Pills, Essence-Coalescing Pills—dozens at a time.

"This time, after Wang Zheng was investigated, he jumped over the wall in desperation. He secretly met with Yang He again, hoping Yang He would help him flee. But that young hero happened to run into them and casually cut Wang Zheng down as well!"

At this point, Su Hongyu paused, made a chopping motion, and let out a sharp "whoosh."

"Then that young hero became entangled in battle with Yang He. Yang He was at the Bone-Forging Stage, while that young hero was only at the Tendon-Vibrating Stage. Yet with his exquisite saber techniques and extraordinary courage, he circled around Yang He for dozens of exchanges. In the end, he seized an opening and drove his blade straight into Yang He's heart!"

The more Su Hongyu spoke, the more excited he became, and his voice rose as well. Realizing he had lost his composure, he hurriedly lowered it again.

"They say that young hero is a promising talent at the Tendon-Vibrating Stage. After this battle, the authorities promoted him two ranks outright. But to protect the hero, they did not reveal any specific information. They only said he was a young saber wielder."

The corner of Chen Chong's mouth twitched. He had caught the key point: promoted two ranks.

To a certain extent, the account of the battle was quite faithful.

Casually cutting down Wang Zheng, tangling with Yang He for dozens of exchanges, seizing an opening and stabbing him through the heart—it all matched. The authorities were not bad at making up stories.

"Alchemist Chen, what do you think this young hero looks like?" Seeing that Chen Chong showed little reaction, Su Hongyu asked another question.

Chen Chong picked up a piece of spare rib, chewed it, and swallowed. "No idea. Probably... two eyes and one mouth."

Su Hongyu gave an embarrassed smile and did not ask again.

After the meal, Su Hongyu swiftly cleared away the bowls and chopsticks, then left with the food box.

Chen Chong shut the door and sat down before the table.

The accumulated medicinal power deep within his bones had already reached saturation. His skin, flesh, and sinews had all reached their peak as well. Skin, flesh, sinews, bones—

The final of the four great gates—

Bone tempering, would be achieved today.

He took out a Jade Marrow Essence-Coalescing Pill and swallowed it. The medicinal power entered his stomach, and that heavy, deep undercurrent rose again. But this time, instead of climbing along his spine, it exploded violently.

Like a spring compressed to the limit suddenly releasing, medicinal power surged from his dantian, flooded through his meridians into his limbs and every part of his body, and charged toward every bone.

His skin trembled, his flesh churned, his sinews stretched, and his bones resonated.

The four began to resonate with one another.

Chen Chong felt his bones expanding, tightening, becoming denser. Like iron repeatedly hammered in a forge, each impact made its grain more tightly packed.

The process lasted a long time. Chen Chong kept his eyes closed, cold sweat beading on his forehead as he clenched his teeth.

It hurt, but it was not the pain of being torn apart. It was a dull, swelling pain, as though it were forcing its way outward from the gaps between his bones. Every bone endured the impact of the medicinal power.

Then, that pain suddenly dispersed.

Like the ebbing tide, it receded bit by bit. Replacing it was a solidity he had never felt before.

Chen Chong felt as though his skeleton had been replaced, its wooden beams turned to iron, its stone turned to steel.

He opened his eyes and brought up the panel.

Bone Tempering Realm (1/100000).

Looking at the long experience bar, Chen Chong let out a long breath of foul air. Skin, flesh, sinews, bones—the four great gates. The final gate.

The four had begun resonating with one another. The toughness of his skin, the thickness of his flesh, the elasticity of his sinews, and the sturdiness of his bones no longer fought their own battles. They echoed one another, forming a seamless whole.

He rose to his feet and clenched his fist.

Vast strength surged from deep within his bones, passing layer by layer through his sinews, flesh, and skin before gathering in his palm. With a gentle squeeze, the air between his fingers let out faint pops.

Chen Chong loosened his fist and fell silent for a moment.

Yesterday, he had killed such a martial artist. A martial artist at the Bone-Forging Stage. Yang He.

He lowered his head and looked at his hand. Yesterday, the saber in his hand had been covered in chips, his strength far less abundant than it was now, and his bones far less solid. Yet he had still won.

The Bone-Forging Stage.

In Dingshan County, those at the Bone-Forging Stage were already top experts.