The Xun River Grand Sacrifice, the Water Lord's meteoric rise

Qin Geng carried the millstone-sized golden softshell turtle ashore.

Even dead, the old turtle had not lost its ferocity. Its four claws were still hooked, and its dark-gold shell was covered in scratches of every depth, calluses left by the years. It looked like a shield that had gained a spirit.

He found a hollow sheltered from the wind. Without fuss, he put the Water-Splitting Thorn to work as a butcher's knife again.

This golden softshell turtle was even harder to prepare than the Black-Armored Dragon Loach.

The thick rim of its shell was like toughened oxhide glue; the blade stuck whenever it cut in.

Fortunately, Qin Geng now possessed Hidden Force. With a slight vibration from his hand, the blade slid through as smoothly as a hot knife through oil.

He removed the shell, cleaned out the organs, and cut away the meat.

He carved out a great heap of pinkish-white flesh tinged with red. It was translucent, with a faint medicinal fragrance rising from within.

Most nourishing of all were the turtle's liver and the blood in its belly.

A hot thread burned straight down his throat into his stomach.

Next came the roasted meat.

A century of life had locked all this old turtle's vitality into its flesh.

Qin Geng ate quickly, stuffing large chunks into his mouth. He barely needed to chew; once swallowed, they turned into surging heat.

Unlike the Black-Armored Dragon Loach's violent heat, this warmth was slow and gentle, with a deep, substantial quality.

It did not rush into his limbs and every part of his body. Instead, it spread like mercury across the ground, seeping bit by bit into the depths of his marrow and nourishing his Sickly Tiger Bones.

Every seam between Qin Geng's bones felt warm, as though he were