Tu Shan Ningning

Qi Armor Technique-

As its name suggested, this was a defensive Dao Art that transformed embryonic breath into armor and weapons to protect the body.

Concentrate the spirit to form breath, concentrate qi to form spirit. Regulate the breath through the nose, long and unbroken, drawing in more than one released. Settle body and mind in silence, still without and clear within, holding a single thought at the center. Then rest the mind below the navel and begin drawing the breath into the qi cavity. This was called returning the spirit to emptiness and concentrating the spirit to transform qi.

There was nothing particularly obscure or difficult about this Dao Art.

After all, it was only a lower vehicle Dao Art. How difficult could it possibly be?

So long as one was willing to quiet the mind and put in painstaking effort, even the dullest talent could gain something from it.

"Defend!"

Chen Heng changed his hand seal again. The faint layer of air around him immediately grew more turbulent, swirling with a metallic clang. The ringing of metal striking metal sounded in the empty air, scattering sparks.

"Come, let me see what you're made of."

Chen Heng took the Thunderfire Thunderclap Bead from his sleeve and tossed it into the air. With a shift of his will, a fierce blaze came burning toward him.

This was no ordinary fire. The instant it appeared, it scorched the air until it warped and shimmered, its momentum quite terrifying.

But just as it was about to engulf Chen Heng, the ring of invisible air manifested by the Qi Armor Technique moved forward to meet it, immediately containing the flames on all sides without letting even a wisp escape.

Though Chen Heng stood mere inches away, he could not feel that intense heat. This was wondrous indeed.

Afterward, Chen Heng drew a bolt of red-and-white lightning from the bead and sent it crashing down. This time, the qi armor trembled far more violently, but it still held.

Breathing fire, unleashing lightning...

These were all functions of the Thunderfire Thunderclap Bead.

But this mid-grade talisman artifact's true killing move was to entwine fire and lightning around the bead, then launch it in one explosive burst!

The bead itself had been cast from refined silver poured over secret sand, making it exceptionally sturdy. With fire and lightning lending their power, once it was launched, even a city wall standing in its path would be blasted into collapse!

However, this move consumed a great deal of embryonic breath. With Chen Heng's current cultivation, a single strike like this would leave him exhausted and weak, with no strength left to attack.

The Six-Yin Heavenly Ghost Banner and Five-Color Pendant were one thing.

But what heaven-filling stroke of fortune had the Mount Yang Daoist enjoyed to acquire the Thunderfire Thunderclap Bead as well?

The man's wealth was so extravagant that, never mind ordinary Qi Refining rogue cultivators, even among the disciples of the Mysterious Truth Sect on Little Sweet Mountain, few could compare with him.

"And that Dao Art of his for externally tempering the body. What a pity..."

Chen Heng sighed.

He sat cross-legged and regulated his breathing for a while longer. Once his spirits had recovered somewhat, he turned the bead overhead into a streak of light and sent it smashing straight down onto the crown of his head.

Bang!

Fire and lightning erupted together in a blaze of radiance. This time, there was no surprise. The Qi Armor Technique held for less than half a breath before it shattered, splitting apart with a crack.

The impact caved in Chen Heng's chest. Then fire and lightning pulverized his entire upper body, sending flesh and blood flying.

A moment later, a new body manifested in the same spot.

"A mid-grade talisman artifact truly is extraordinary. It stands to reason that the Qi Armor Technique at minor mastery couldn't stop it."

Chen Heng smiled faintly and returned the Thunderfire Thunderclap Bead to his sleeve.

At minor mastery, the Qi Armor Technique was not especially powerful.

But what about intermediate mastery or major mastery?

Few people ever cultivated lower vehicle Dao Arts like these to major mastery.

First, their grade was low, and their potential was limited. Second, they took far too much time. Neglecting one's cultivation for their sake would be putting the branches before the roots, making oneself a laughingstock.

Chen Heng, however, had no such concern.

He had no other Dao Arts to choose from at present anyway. Moreover, with the rule of "one day in the present world, ten days in the Dharma Realm," time had never been an obstacle for him.

Chen Heng closed his eyes and once again concentrated his spirit to enter meditation.

Layer upon layer of air swirled around him in ceaseless waves, faint specks of brilliant light glimmering within, their echoes lingering.

Day after day passed like this. Before long, twenty days had elapsed within the Dharma Realm, while two days had passed outside.

At that moment, Chen Heng let out a long breath of turbid air and dispersed all the countless currents surrounding him.

"Done!"

He laughed aloud, rose to his feet, and pointed, letting the Great Secrecy Radiance Concentration shine upon him.

[Great Secrecy Radiance Concentration]

[Name]: Chen Heng.

[Arts]: Chen Clan Archery (major mastery), Qi Armor Technique (intermediate mastery), Little Scarlet Dragon Sword Manual (intermediate mastery), Green Satchel Medicine Manual (minor mastery), Blood Armor Technique (beginner), Aurora Great Escape (--).

[Artifacts]: Thunderfire Thunderclap Bead (mid-grade talisman artifact), Heaven and Earth Bag (low-grade talisman artifact).

[Cultivation]: Embryonic Breathing.

"What a pity. The Aurora Great Escape requires dry silver star ore as a catalyst before I can begin cultivating it. This is my first time even hearing of such an unusual material. Where am I supposed to find it?"

Looking away, Chen Heng could not help feeling regret.

If he could master this escape art before entering the Earth Abyss, his chances of surviving would improve considerably...

On this trip to Lanliang City, he had acquired the Qi Cultivation Art, the "Primordial Beginning True Origin Scripture Expounded by the Divine House Pivot Splendor Dao Lord." That had been no small stroke of luck.

But the methods for subsequently opening the Purple Mansion and condensing a Golden Core had become another problem for Chen Heng.

Embryonic Breathing, Qi Refining, Foundation Establishment, Purple Mansion, Cavern Mystery, Golden Core-

Although the Mysterious Truth Sect's Three Qi Illumination of the Spirit Art could be cultivated all the way to the Purple Mansion stage, the scripture was not particularly profound. It was merely ordinary.

Chen Heng did not dare gamble on having the same good fortune as True Person Yan Xi-a low-tier true qi Dao Foundation, an inferior Purple Mansion manifestation, and the lowest-grade innate golden mercury, yet ultimately reversing his roots and fruition to attain Primordial Spirit Return to Void in one leap.

If possible.

The path he wanted to walk was one of making his foundations utterly firm, step by step, until success flowed naturally like water into a channel and his cultivation reached perfect completion.

"How to enter a great sect and obtain its scriptures, and then there's this body's father... Thinking it over carefully, they're all troubles."

Chen Heng lingered no longer.

He connected his consciousness to the Golden Cicada and instantly withdrew from the One True Dharma Realm, returning to the outside world.

On the meditation cushion.

After taking a Small White Sun Pill and suppressing the cold dipper true qi within him, Chen Heng slowly rose.

He operated the mechanism and moved aside the great stone blocking the cave dwelling.

Not far from the cave dwelling sat a black-lacquered wooden food tray. Beside it curled a foolish little fox with a lump on her head, wholly absorbed in playing with her own tail.

Hearing his footsteps, the little fox sprang up and circled Chen Heng's feet, squeaking loudly, seemingly annoyed that he had taken so long to come out and made her wait so long.

"Tu Shan Ningning, are you bringing me food again?"

Chen Heng glanced at the large lump on her head and recognized her as the foolish little fox who had knocked on his door with her head that day, then lost her way home while fleeing. He said mildly:

"It seems you hurt yourself quite badly. The bruise on your head still hasn't faded."

The little fox flew into a rage at his words.

She arched her back, wanting to bite him, but did not dare. Instead, she frantically clawed at the dirt where she stood.

"You don't need to wait next time. Just leave it here."

Chen Heng took a grape from the tray and set it before her. Without another glance, he returned to the cave dwelling.

"Squeak, squeak~"

At first, the little fox turned her head away in feigned disdain, flicking her tail back and forth.

But once the great stone sealed the entrance again, she eagerly opened her mouth and swallowed the grape whole.

"Squeak, squeak, squeak~"

She narrowed her eyes in satisfaction.

Two days later.

Within the Divine Domain of Blazing Mountain.

In a vast clearing.

Tu Shan Ge held a ritual sword, desperately parrying left and right. The peach branch in Chen Heng's hand had driven him into a cold sweat, his face deathly pale.

"I lost, I lost!"

He suddenly threw down his ritual sword and shouted, "Master, stop already! You win this round!"