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Night had deepened over a secluded courtyard in the manor.

Shi Qing stood alone beneath the moonlight. Her mighty frame cast a long, somewhat lonely shadow in the cold glow. Her face was filled with complicated emotions: excitement, worry, and a trace of barely perceptible shyness.

"Qing'er."

An elderly voice rang out, and the Shi Family elder, Uncle Shi, appeared behind her like a ghost.

"Father." Shi Qing turned and bowed respectfully.

Uncle Shi looked at her, a teasing smile appearing on his face. "Hehe, that lad called me 'Grandpa' the moment we met. He ended up raising both our places in the family hierarchy."

A rare flush rose to Shi Qing's rugged face, looking both incongruous and strange! She lowered her head in embarrassment, but then she thought of the shadow that had haunted the Shi Family's main bloodline for generations. The shyness quickly faded from her eyes, replaced by gloom.

"Father..." Her voice was low, touched with bitterness. "Do you think there's really... hope of lifting our Shi Family's 'bloodline curse'?"

The smile faded from Uncle Shi's face as well, replaced by deep solemnity and helplessness.

"It's difficult..." He let out a long sigh. "Back then, our Shi Family produced a figure of extraordinary talent who cut through thorns and brambles all the way to the Peak Grandmaster Realm! Yet even someone with such heaven-reaching, earth-spanning abilities couldn't completely root out that damned curse. All they could do was find ways to delay its onset."

He gazed at the waning moon on the horizon, a trace of longing and unwillingness in his eyes. "Perhaps... only the high-ranking dynasties of the Central Continent, or even the super dynasties, might have a way to truly lift the curse..."

At the words "high-ranking dynasties," the gloom in Shi Qing's eyes deepened. But it was soon replaced by unshakable resolve!

"I understand, Father!" Her voice rang firm. "No matter what, I'll give it everything I have! For the family, and for... myself!"

She took a deep breath and bowed solemnly to Uncle Shi. "Father, I'm going into seclusion right away! I'm going to break through to the Bone Forging Realm!"

"Go on." Uncle Shi nodded with relief. "The Pangu Heaven-Opening Flesh Refining Method you chose is overbearing and will temporarily make your build different from that of ordinary people, but it has also given you an incomparably strong foundation! As long as you can endure the pain that follows, your cultivation will advance a thousand li a day!"

He looked at Shi Qing, his eyes full of expectation. "And rest assured, as your realm continues to rise, the technique's effect on your build will gradually weaken. Eventually, you'll return to normal."

"Yes, Father!" Shi Qing nodded firmly. Without further hesitation, she turned and strode toward a secluded cultivation chamber deep within the manor.

Watching Shi Qing's resolute retreating figure, Uncle Shi let out another long sigh, his eyes filled with complicated emotions.

Inside the secluded cultivation chamber.

Shi Qing sat cross-legged, the blood and qi around her surging like a blazing furnace! She had long since cultivated the Flesh Refining Realm to its utmost perfection-the Heaven-Splitting Body. The strength of her foundation was far beyond what ordinary people could imagine!

Now, she circulated the Bone Forging Realm technique she had long since mastered and began her assault on the next realm!

A mere moment later!

Crack!

A crisp sound came from within her body, as though her bones were undergoing some kind of transformation!

A sturdier, more condensed aura spread from her body!

Bone Forging Realm-entry level!

And with her breakthrough, her formerly massive frame seemed to shrink slightly at a speed visible to the naked eye! Though she was still tall and powerfully built, she was no longer as exaggerated as before!

Inside the chamber, Shi Qing slowly opened her eyes. As she felt the newfound strength in her bones, her eyes shone brightly!

A new journey had begun!

Meanwhile, Dongfang Yueming returned to his somewhat shabby dorm room and closed the door, shutting out the clamor of the outside world.

He sat on the edge of the bed and laid the long saber named Light Snow across his knees, gently brushing his fingers over its cool blade.

Alas, I didn't get a technique... he thought with some regret. But I got a quasi-A-rank divine weapon for nothing. That's a pleasant surprise!

Looking at the clear, cold edge of Light Snow, like autumn waters, and feeling the astonishing sharpness emanating from the blade, Dongfang Yueming couldn't help feeling delighted again. With this saber, his combat strength would undoubtedly rise another substantial notch!

Next... He began to plan his future path in earnest. I've already reached perfection in the Flesh Refining Realm-Dragon Elephant's Force. The most urgent thing is to get a better Flesh Refining technique as soon as possible and strive for the legendary Heaven-Splitting Body! Then I'll think about the Bone Forging Realm.

The patrol team's work is stable, but with a base contribution of six points a day, saving up is still too slow.

With my current strength at the Dragon Elephant's Force stage of the Flesh Refining Realm, perhaps I can talk to Captain Wang and try to get better pay. After all, my strength has improved, so my compensation should rise with it.

But... His brow furrowed slightly. How many days have I been on the patrol team? My strength has already shot up from Greater Skin Tempering, which is what I claimed publicly, to the Flesh Refining Realm? That rate of improvement is far too conspicuous! It could draw unwanted attention and trouble.

And... A cold light flashed in Dongfang Yueming's eyes. There's Zhang Meng, and that assassin Scorpion who suddenly appeared today... I don't know whether the Azure-Scaled Leopard incident was a coincidence, but there are some unstable factors in the patrol team after all.

After turning it over again and again, he made up his mind.

Looks like it's time to find a job better suited to my current strength, one that'll also let me obtain resources faster!

Tomorrow, I'll quit the patrol team!

As for Zhang Meng... A cold smile curled at the corner of his mouth. Once I have enough strength and evidence, I'll settle this account with him sooner or later!

Having made up his mind, he opened his personal terminal again and logged into the Martial Arts Academy's internal website.

First, he carefully searched for information on Flesh Refining techniques. He noted down the names and exchange prices of those that looked relatively powerful and advanced, planning to choose one once he had enough contribution points.

Then he casually entered the words "Bone Tempering" into the search box, intending to learn about the techniques for the next realm in advance.

However, the search results took him completely by surprise!

No relevant information found.

In accordance with relevant regulations, techniques for the Bone Forging Realm and above are not displayed publicly.

A few lines of cold system text popped up on the screen!