Into the Mountains to Find Insects

Su Yan bought his supplies, found a deserted spot, and stuffed everything into the Insect Realm Space.

There were already plenty of herbs inside, along with his Broad Saber. With these additions, it became even more crowded.

He followed the road out of Rear Temple Alley and reached the bustling part of Cloudcang Town, where vendors' cries rang endlessly along the streets.

The aroma of roast goose, bright red candied hawthorn skewers, steaming hot meat soup...

These offered a glimpse of the town's prosperity. Cloudcang Town had stood for several hundred years, and who knew how many wealthy households it held, let alone things to spend money on for pleasure.

But Su Yan only had a few hundred copper coins on him. How could he afford to splurge?

"Once I reach major attainment in skin refining, I'll eat my way from one end of the street to the other..."

Su Yan quickened his pace, using Monkey Leap Step to hurry back to Yunqian Village.

With the summer taxes paid, every household was busy mountain trekking and farming to fill the holes in their finances. Even now, toward evening, many villagers were still hard at work.

Su Yan passed along the village paths and arrived home, where he set up a large pot.

He cut up half the Blue-Back Rock Ox meat he had bought and put it into the pot to stew, adding the Earthblood Vine and Cinnabar Lingzhi as well.

Five jin of Blue-Back Rock Ox meat was not actually much. Its dense flesh took up only half the volume of ordinary beef of the same weight.

Su Yan waited for the beef to cook, devoured it in large mouthfuls, then immediately rose to practice the Golden Ape Stance Art.

As he worked through the stance art, the food he had eaten digested rapidly, and the energy within it was extracted.

Su Yan felt a rich, warm current arise in his stomach, then gradually spread throughout his body.

Most of it was swept up by the qi and blood refined through the stance art, merging into his skin like surging waves.

Its warming, nourishing effect is this good? And it flows without end, blending so gently with my body.

Su Yan was startled, then delight spread across his face.

Whether precious plants or medicinal herbs, their medicinal potency rushed in all at once like water through an opened floodgate.

The flesh and blood of savage beasts, however, released their energy slowly. Though somewhat weaker, their strength lay in nourishing things silently.

Unwilling to waste the Blue-Back Rock Ox's medicinal potency, Su Yan focused on his stance practice. An hour passed in a flash.

Most of the Blue-Back Rock Ox meat was consumed. The remainder was not swept up by the power of his qi and blood, but slowly nourished his body instead. This was precisely its warming, nourishing effect.

Feeling the toughness of his flesh and skin, as well as the faint threads of qi and blood beneath his skin membrane, Su Yan knew he had made further progress beyond minor attainment in skin refining.

This qi and blood would not only strengthen his skin membrane, but also grant him greater defensive power and strength.

"Let's carry this momentum through and try the Redskin Powder."

Inner Gate disciples enjoyed substantial rewards: a more powerful supplementary art, a martial technique, and, beyond those, the benefits that came with genuine status.

Only after entering the Inner Gate would he truly belong to the Martial Arts Hall. With that status, he would have something to lean on in his future dealings.

Then there was the matter of opening up the Great Wilderness Mountains. Though Li Shun and Dian Jing had offered few specifics, he could infer that the various factions probably had interests in those mountains, and opening them up was a way to divide the spoils.

Since Inner Gate disciples were participants, they were presumably among those who obtained resources as well.

If savage beast meat alone had such effects, he certainly would not let this opportunity pass.

Su Yan sorted through his current affairs in his mind and murmured, "First, reach major attainment in skin refining and enter the Inner Gate. Then temper my tendons and bones."

He brought over the large wooden tub, filled it with slightly hot water, then poured in one-third of a bottle of Redskin Powder.

The Redskin Powder dissolved upon touching the water, instantly turning the entire tub crimson, like blood. The water had only been slightly hot, yet now it seemed on the verge of boiling.

Su Yan frowned slightly. "Will I get cooked if I climb in?"

Though the thought arose in his mind, his hands showed no hesitation. He stripped off his clothes, revealing his lean, muscular body, and stepped into the tub.

He submerged his entire body in the medicinal water, leaving only his head above the surface.

Though I can't assume the Golden Ape Stance Art's posture, practicing the stance dynamically means incorporating those vibrations and the movement of my muscles, qi, and blood into my body. Sitting cross-legged like this might work...

Following that insight, Su Yan immediately immersed himself in understanding Stance Training. After only a little practice, his breathing rose and fell in a steady rhythm, and his body actually began mobilizing more qi and blood.

Though it could not compare to practicing in the standing posture, it was unquestionably effective.

Delighted, Su Yan immediately sank deeper into concentration, using this variation of Stance Training to absorb the tubful of medicinal potency.

About three minutes passed. His qi and blood gradually began to surge, and his skin membrane sensed the steady penetration of the medicinal potency.

But Su Yan suddenly realized something was wrong. His skin slowly reddened all over, and its temperature quietly rose, as though it had been smeared with a layer of chili oil.

An ominous premonition arose in his heart.

Sure enough, ten minutes later, a searing, agonizing sensation burned through every inch of his skin membrane, as though he had been immersed in scalding chili water.

First came a wash of boiling water, then countless fiery ants gnawing at his skin.

The explosive medicinal effect continually ravaged his skin membrane. As it strengthened him, it also brought unimaginable pain.

"Damned Redskin Powder. So that's why it has that name."

Su Yan's veins bulged and his face flushed crimson, but he made no move to rise.

The pain made him grit his teeth, yet a fierce resolve shone in his eyes.

He dared to wrestle a vicious tiger bare-handed. Never mind chili water or boiling water—even if this medicinal bath were filled with shards of blades, he would dare soak in it.

"It's only pain, after all..."

Enduring the agony, Su Yan regulated his heavy breathing, restored the vibrations of his muscles, and mobilized his body's qi and blood.

He subjected himself to a full hour of torment. The water gradually became clear as all its medicinal potency gathered within his body, leaving his skin as red as a cooked prawn.

Su Yan let out a long breath. A keen light flashed in his eyes like a blade as he leaped out, his movements ape-like. He drew a breath into his body, and his tendons and bones rang together.

Taking advantage of the medicinal potency, he practiced the Golden Ape Stance Art for another hour.

This time, his stance movements were broad and forceful, like a raging, vicious ape. His qi and blood surged like a flood, crashing against every part of his skin membrane and forging it into skin as tough as iron.

[Body Tempering Realm: Skin Refining 31/200 (minor attainment)]

[Golden Ape Stance Art: 79/200 (minor attainment)]

[Monkey Fist: minor attainment (21/200)]

"The moon is above the treetops. Just the time to head into the mountains and meet that Velvetfire Scorpion."

Su Yan finished his practice and changed clothes. Taking only his carrying basket and weapons, he set off into the mountains under cover of night.

The moon shone clear and bright, the shadows of old trees crisscrossing beneath it. The entire mountain resembled a giant beast lying dormant.

He stepped into the mountains and released the Darkwater Centipede. Concealed among the bushes, it followed close on his heels as he headed deeper inside.

Though the Darkwater Centipede was still only in its Growth Stage, the purple on its body had grown increasingly rich, and its carapace increasingly tough. It looked less like a venomous insect than a weapon.

Su Yan checked his bearings and hurried toward the Inner Mountain, bounding along until he disappeared into the tangled bushes and grasses.

He traveled extremely fast, and these mountain trekking paths were ones he had cleared himself, so he naturally knew them well.

In just over half an hour, he crossed a mountain ridge and reached the place where he had previously gathered Cinnabar Lingzhi.

"The ferns covering the path haven't been disturbed, and there are some hoofprints. Looks like nobody has discovered this place over the past few days. The Velvetfire Scorpion should still be here."

Studying the traces, Su Yan felt somewhat reassured. Few mountain trekkers came here to begin with.

Though Uncle Xie, Guo Yun, and the others also knew about it, they would conceal their tracks with ferns, weeds, and branches as usual when passing through, lest other mountain trekkers clean the place out.

Besides, the summer taxes had been due just days ago, so no one was likely to discover this place anytime soon.

That was naturally good news for him.

Moving slowly and quietly all the way, he finally reached a ravine at the boundary between the Outer Mountain and the Inner Mountain.

Bushes grew wild, moss covered the mountain walls, and several fallen trees lay across the ravine. A thick layer of rotting leaves carpeted the ground.

By the silvery moonlight, Su Yan saw a great clump of Cinnabar Lingzhi growing on a fallen tree. It was so plump and large that it was no wonder Guo Yun and the others had coveted it.

"Rustle, rustle, rustle."