"Redbright Nine Heavens Diagram (first 9 levels)": middle-tier lower-rank bronze, first volume of an earth-grade body-refining technique. Price: 105 gold coins. "Bloodfiend Undying Body (first 9 levels)": middle-tier lower-rank bronze, first volume of an earth-grade body-refining technique. Price: 90 gold coins. ... "Proud Bone Golden Body: True Essence Chapter": lower-tier middle-rank bronze, one volume of a profound-grade body-refining technique. Price: 60 gold coins. "Small Five Elements Taijutsu": lower-tier lower-rank bronze, yellow-grade body-refining technique. Price: 50 gold coins. ... "King Kong Indestructible Divine Art": lower-tier lower-rank black iron, mortal-grade body-refining technique. Price: 1 gold coin. "Golden Bell Shield": lower-tier lower-rank black iron, mortal-grade body-refining technique. Price: 1 gold coin.
Compared with internal cultivation techniques, there were far fewer external body-refining techniques. After an initial screening, Kazuhiko Uchiha narrowed his final choice to the Redbright Nine Heavens Diagram and the Bloodfiend Undying Body, both from the world of Desolate Era.
The Redbright Nine Heavens Diagram was a Fiendgod body-refining technique practiced by Ji Ning, the protagonist of the original story. At the Xiantian stage, its practitioners could control water and fire, wield tremendous strength, and regrow severed limbs. At the Violet Palace stage, they could regenerate from a drop of blood and wield numerous divine abilities. The first nine levels could take a practitioner to the Violet Palace stage.
The Bloodfiend Undying Body required practitioners to begin by inscribing demonic patterns on their bodies, drawing in baleful blood energy to temper their flesh. They had to endure three full years of painful inscription before their bodies completely transformed, making them Xiantian lifeforms with numerous divine abilities.
According to the original story, the Redbright Nine Heavens Diagram was universally acknowledged as the foremost body-refining technique. It could naturally gather energy to form divine patterns, while the Bloodfiend Undying Body fell a notch short by comparison.
After wavering over the decision several times, Kazuhiko Uchiha ultimately chose the Bloodfiend Undying Body, which best matched his superpower.
Kazuhiko Uchiha knew that the strongest technique was not necessarily the best; what mattered was finding the one that suited him most. It was just like Devil Fruits: there were no worthless fruits, only worthless users.
After purchasing the Bloodfiend Undying Body, he had eighteen gold coins left. Kazuhiko Uchiha browsed the Myriad Worlds Mall a little longer, then spent fifteen gold coins on Sunstrider Meditation, which could improve his mental power.
Sunstrider Meditation: middle-tier lower-rank black iron, basic mental power cultivation technique. Price: 15 gold coins.
None of the other techniques or items were particularly suitable for the moment, so Kazuhiko Uchiha saved his last three gold coins rather than spending them.
After closing the Myriad Worlds Mall, Kazuhiko Uchiha began reading through the Bloodfiend Undying Body manual in his mind.
The Bloodfiend Undying Body was a body-refining technique created by the Bloodfiend Old Man in the world of Desolate Era. It used a Secret Technique to inscribe Demon Marks at numerous vital points in the muscles and bones, drawing in foul, baleful blood energy to sear and temper the body into forming demonic patterns. After three years of hellish torment, the body would transform into an undying demonic physique. All the foul, baleful blood energy would be purged, leaving only sacred, pure blood energy of utmost yang and strength.
The first step in cultivating it was to use the Secret Technique to inscribe 4,900 Demon Marks inside the body.
After shutting his door and windows, Kazuhiko Uchiha sat cross-legged on the floor and mobilized the blood energy within him, beginning to inscribe a Demon Mark at the Baihui acupoint at the crown of his head.
"Hsss-this actually hurts so much!"
Inscribing the first Demon Mark left the insufficiently prepared Kazuhiko Uchiha deathly pale with pain. He sucked in great gasps of cold air, his body trembling uncontrollably.
"It doesn't hurt. It doesn't hurt at all. It's as comfortable as having an itch scratched."
Inscribing a Demon Mark left no room for error. Kazuhiko Uchiha endured the agony of being sliced apart, hoping this sort of self-hypnosis would distract him, even if its effect was negligible.
Guided by the Secret Technique, the blood energy within him condensed into an incorporeal blood blade. Like a rusty steel knife, it dragged repeatedly through the flesh, sinews, and bones around his Baihui acupoint. Only after dozens of excruciating cuts did it finally inscribe one tiny Demon Mark inside his body.
The instant the inscription was complete, Kazuhiko Uchiha stopped guiding the energy. He was drenched in sweat, looking as bedraggled as though he had been soaked in water.
"Haah, haah... whoever created this technique either couldn't feel pain or was a masochistic freak."
Kazuhiko Uchiha lay limp for a long while before recovering enough to complain. The thought of having over four thousand more Demon Marks to inscribe sent a shudder through him.
Complaints aside, Kazuhiko Uchiha would not readily abandon a technique he had chosen. Gritting his teeth, he sat cross-legged again and began inscribing the second Demon Mark.
With some mental preparation, the pain of the second inscription was a little more bearable. By the time his energy ran out, Kazuhiko Uchiha had inscribed only a dozen or so Demon Marks. It seemed he would need at least a year to complete even the introductory stage of the Bloodfiend Undying Body.
Unable to continue practicing the Bloodfiend Undying Body, Kazuhiko Uchiha took out Sunstrider Meditation and began cultivating his mental power.
Sunstrider Meditation originated in the world of Azeroth. It was the secret meditation technique of the Sunstrider Family, the royal family of the High Elves, and had its own distinctive approach to cultivating and using mental power.
Kazuhiko Uchiha cleared his mind and followed the methods described in the meditation technique. It took him some time to enter a meditative state.
While meditating, Kazuhiko Uchiha felt his mental power being replenished as soothingly as a long-parched field being watered by a downpour. Only after his mental power had fully recovered did he leave the meditative state and return to awareness.
Kazuhiko Uchiha stretched luxuriously and rose from the floor, looking refreshed. He twisted at the waist to loosen his muscles and bones, sensing his mental power.
"Not bad. Not only has the mental power I spent inscribing the Demon Marks recovered, but its total amount has increased slightly, too. At this rate, it won't be long before my Sharingan evolves to two tomoe."
Glancing at the time on the wall, Kazuhiko Uchiha realized an entire day had passed, yet he did not feel the slightest bit tired. It seemed he could replace sleep with meditation from now on.
After throwing together some dinner and filling his stomach, Kazuhiko Uchiha drew up a new plan based on all his current abilities.
First, he would activate the Eight Gates Released Formation every day to improve his cells' adaptability and practice Taijutsu. Next, he would practice the Gene Origin Energy Cultivation Method to replenish his cells' energy. Then, he would inscribe Demon Marks to train his control over mental power. Finally, he would use meditation to restore and improve his mental power.
As for his cheat, the Sharingan, there was no great rush. A low-level Sharingan would not mean much against Uchiha Itachi anyway. As long as he could use it proficiently, it would not be too late to begin intensive training once his mental power had steadily improved enough to awaken the Mangekyo.
Besides, for someone with a golden finger like Kazuhiko Uchiha, the Sharingan was no longer his only path to greater strength.
After eating a little dinner, Kazuhiko Uchiha lay on his bed and was just about to rest when another notification suddenly chimed in his mind.
"Ding-dong. Your posted task [Refine medicinal ingredients] has been accepted. Refinement is expected to be completed in one week."
Kazuhiko Uchiha raised an eyebrow, then realization dawned as he finally remembered the task he had posted earlier. He could not help looking forward to finding out just what sort of potion could be refined from the blood orchids and Mutant Snake Gallbladder.
Before you continue