Bone Refining Method, Body Tempering Art, a Run Through the Saber, Duantou Duan's Shock!

Duantou Duan's residence, on the back street of the Fire Kiln.

Dusk had begun to settle.

In the courtyard, someone darted through dozens of Plum Blossom Stakes planted in rammed yellow earth. Sweat steamed from his back, and faint white vapor rose from his body.

This was not a sign of weak health.

Quite the opposite.

It was because he regularly consumed nourishing blood foods. Over years and months, his flesh and sinews had been strengthened.

That was why, with every movement, he could make his qi and blood flow freely and evaporate like wolf-smoke, reaching such a state.

Below, a middle-aged martial artist with one empty sleeve stood leaning on his saber.

Seeing this, he could not help but nod and offer his assessment.

"You've trained here with me for so long. The first realm of the Strength Threshold, Sinew Tempering, has finally taken some shape."

"An extra inch of sinew grants boundless strength; an extra inch of sinew extends one's life by ten years!"

"If you wish to temper and forge bones of gold, silver, and iron that are Invulnerable to Blades, you must use force and qi and blood to seep into them, supplemented by medicinal soups and great pills, washing them day after day. Without that, it is absolutely impossible."

"Now that you have achieved the Toughening Tendons Realm, and the three steps of Entering Force, Nourishing Blood, and Forging Tendons have all reached maturity, you may begin turning from the outer to the inner and cultivate a body Invulnerable to Blades."

"Will you seek a Bone Refining Method from your father, or buy one from me?"

Huff, huff!

White vapor billowed from his entire body. Having completed a round of Pile Stance training to consolidate his foundation, Lu Yu leaped down and tore off his upper robe in one motion, revealing sturdy, powerful muscles.

Panting, he listened to Duantou Duan's appraisal, walked to a stone stool at one side, picked up a porcelain bowl, scooped some water, and gulped down a large mouthful before setting it down with a smile.

"Of course I'll buy a volume from Master Duan."

"My father manages a few businesses. Thanks to the blessings left by our forebears, others are willing to call me Young Master."

"But compared to you, Master Duan, the little weight of my Lu Manor is still not worth mentioning."

Duantou Duan stared at Lu Yu for a long while, then suddenly bared his teeth in a grin.

"If you hadn't happened to see me make a move two and a half years ago, why would you have come to this broken alley behind your home to train with me?"

"Over all these years, that old man of yours has sent no small amount of gold and silver my way. Otherwise, I might not have accepted you."

"But this Bone Refining Method costs far more than the simple and easy-to-understand methods of Entering Force and moving blood used in Sinew Tempering, the first step of the Strength Threshold."

"Given our relationship, I'll give you a discount. Five hundred taels."

Duantou Duan spread his lone arm and held out five fingers.

"Ordinary methods—including those of your Lu Manor—even if they can produce a Bone Refining Method, will likely only allow one to refine iron bones at most."

"But I am different."

"Five hundred taels."

"I'll give you a chance to achieve Silver Bone Refinement."

"From the very beginning, you'll be far ahead of your peers. In all five hundred li of Anning County, there will be very few who can surpass you in foundation!"

As his words fell, Duantou Duan suddenly clenched his five fingers. A series of crisp crack-crack sounds burst forth!

A sheen of silver appeared over his sharply jointed fist, shining brilliantly beneath the dusk.

At once,

Lu Yu's breath caught, and longing appeared in his eyes.

"Silver bones can be tempered!?"

"Master Duan truly possesses the genuine inheritance."

"How could I possibly not want a method to forge silver bones?"

"I'll buy it. Of course I'll buy it!"

"Tomorrow morning, I'll present Master Duan with five hundred taels of silver and request this Silver Bone Refinement Bone Tempering Method!"

Five hundred taels.

It was no small sum. At any martial hall, including their Lu Manor, it could buy a Bone Tempering Method, but—

The second realm of the Strength Threshold, Bone Tempering, was divided into iron bones, silver bones, and gold bones!

Among the many martial halls, fist halls, and masters of Daoist Temples in the five hundred li of Anning County, most had only reached this realm.

They had needed to inherit it from another to attain it.

Even if they established their own sects and halls, whether they were qualified to pass down this Bone Tempering Method was another matter entirely.

Let alone—

Possessing a method capable of refining silver bones!

This

was something that only prefecture-level noble clans, sects, and even Qi Refining Experts could pass down!

In his excitement, Lu Yu nearly bowed his head in worship, but Duantou Duan swept his sleeve and sent a stream of Astral Qi toward him, directly brushing him upright.

"Master Duan, I have followed you for over two years now. If I can obtain a method to temper silver bones, I'll surely advance like a bamboo splitting beneath a blade in the future!"

"Perhaps in twenty or thirty years, I may even glimpse the realm of a Qi Refining Expert. I certainly won't disgrace your name."

"Why won't you simply take me into your fold and accept me as a disciple?"

"If you are willing to accept me, then forget five hundred taels of fine silver. Even if I had to bankrupt my family and offer a Hundred Gold, or hand the entire vast business of the Fire Kiln over to you, I could persuade the old man!"

The joy that had suddenly surged up within him

was somewhat washed away when Duantou Duan made this seemingly casual but actually deliberate gesture of drawing a line between them as master and disciple.

Lu Yu spoke with some resentment in his voice.

"A Qi Refining Expert, my disciple..."

Duantou Duan chewed over those words, then suddenly gave a cold chuckle.

"The ignorant are fearless!"

"A Qi Threshold expert—is that something one can achieve simply by saying so?"

"If it were truly that easy, back then I..."

"Heh!"

"As for why I won't accept you."

He gave this follower a deep look.

"It is for your own good."

Dusk descended,

stretching the empty half-sleeve of the purple-clad martial artist long and thin.

Lu Yu fell silent at the sight.

Just then.

Creak—

The sound of a door opening drew both their attention.

Ji Xiu, who had hurried all the way here, had just stepped over the threshold when he saw the two standing wordlessly, each seeming lost in his own thoughts.

He immediately knew he had probably arrived at the wrong time.

So he gave an awkward "Uh," looked at Duantou Duan, and said,

"Master Duan, should I go do some work?"

As though Lu Yu's words had stirred old memories within him, Duantou Duan gave an indifferent "Mm," then waved his hand.

At this time, Lu Yu, who knew he had misspoken, felt somewhat embarrassed as well. He put on his outer robe, nodded lightly to Ji Xiu, and took his leave of Duantou Duan.

However.

Just then,

Ji Xiu had only just passed by Duantou Duan's motionless figure and was about to grab some dry firewood to start a fire, while inwardly pondering the Heavenly River Saber Technique,

when the frowning purple-clad martial artist suddenly glanced at him. His pupils shrank, and he shouted,

"Wait."

"Stop!"

Ji Xiu halted abruptly. That shout struck him like enlightenment pouring over his head, forcing him to stop.

Then—

"You've entered the gate of saber technique?"

Those words

also brought Lu Yu, who had one foot across the threshold, to a dead stop.

But Duantou Duan, who had just cast Lu Yu's matter from his mind, could not care about any of that.

He merely stood with his hands behind his back, frowning, uncertain and suspicious.

He circled Ji Xiu twice, pondering for a moment.

Then he suddenly tossed him a saber from the weapon rack at one side.

"Hold the saber."

"Take a stance!"

Ji Xiu instinctively caught the saber. Though caught somewhat off guard, he still took a deep breath upon hearing the words.

Then, with no distractions in his mind, he immersed himself in the saber and began practicing the Heavenly River Saber Technique that Duantou Duan had taught him several days earlier.

In a flash.

The saber technique through which he had seen the waterfall and cleaved it in the early morning, thereby gaining entry,

was suddenly far more natural and fluid than the obscure, flowery forms of the previous days.

Thus,

Draw the saber, sheath the saber!

Draw the saber to sever water, offer the saber with reverence, free of all distractions, and glimpse the true essence!

Saber technique advancement progress +1!

Heavenly River Saber Technique: (1/10000)!

He let out a long breath.

After finishing a full run of the saber technique,

Ji Xiu suddenly awoke from that state of self-absorption.

After the time it took for an incense stick to burn,

he saw Duantou Duan standing close before him, staring at him with tightly pressed lips, apparently lost in thought.

Ji Xiu gradually grew uneasy.

However,

before Ji Xiu could speculate on what Duantou Duan was thinking,

Clang!

A clear, sharp ring of iron striking pebbles suddenly sounded behind him!

He turned around.

Only then did he see

Lu Yu, who had put on his outer robe after finishing his training, though his muscles still bulged and his qi and blood still surged, making him look like a flood beast in Ji Xiu's eyes.

For once, Lu Yu had let the saber in his hand fall, smashing onto the gravel path!

Then he stared at Ji Xiu in shock.

"Six days of learning the saber..."

"And you've reached entry?!"

"You..."