Deceiving the Heavens, Blood Like Jade Nectar
The morning mist shrouded the towering steel walls of Jinling City.
At the assembly square outside the city gate, students returning from the "wilderness circle" were arriving one after another. Unlike their high spirits when they set off, most of them now bore wounds, and some teams were down to only two or even one member. A somber and sorrowful atmosphere filled the air.
The wilderness is never a playground, but a real meat grinder.
"Group 36: Xiahou Ying, Zhu Hao, Dongfang Yueming!"
The team leader in charge of counting the number of people stood on a high platform, and his voice was amplified throughout the venue.
However, all that answered him was deathly silence.
The instructor frowned deeply, especially upon hearing the name "Xiahou Ying," a cold sweat even breaking out on his forehead. If something were to happen to the eldest daughter of the Xiahou Family here, they, the instructors, would be in deep trouble!
"Group 36! Has anyone returned?!" The instructor raised his voice, his tone tinged with anxiety.
"Cough cough... Master, I... I'm here."
On the outskirts of the crowd, a slightly thin figure, whose clothes were covered with mud and dried blood, walked over with faltering steps.
The moon was shining Dongfang Yueming.
At this moment, his hair was disheveled, his face was pale, and his eyes perfectly conveyed the fear and bewilderment of someone who had survived a disaster, making him look exactly like a rookie who had been greatly frightened in the wild.
"Dongfang Yueming? Just you alone?" The instructor strode down from the platform and grabbed his shoulder. "Where are Xiahou Ying and Zhu Hao?!"
"I... I don't know..."
Dongfang Yueming was panting heavily, his voice trembling.
"Last night... we encountered a huge pack of Wind Blade Wolf, there were just too many of them... Xiahou told us to split up and run..."
"I was slow, and in my panic, I fell into a hidden tree hollow, covered by mutated vines... I hid inside, listening to the howling wolves outside, too afraid to move... I didn't dare to crawl out until dawn..."
The instructor stared intently into Dongfang Yueming's eyes, scanning Dongfang Yueming from head to toe.
However, under the absolute cover of [Heaven Grade Profound Technique - the Great Sound Is Inaudible, the Great Form Is Shapeless], what the mentor perceived was indeed just an ordinary student who had recently broken through to the Fifth Level of Blood Nourishing and whose heart was racing due to extreme fear.
"Well..."
The tutor sighed helplessly.
Facing the onslaught of a dozen or even dozens of Wind Blade Wolf, it was already incredibly fortunate that a student at the Fifth Level of Blood Nourishing could survive by falling into a tree hole. Expecting him to rescue others or find out the whereabouts of the other two was simply unrealistic.
"It's not your fault. Surviving the beast tide means you're lucky."
The mentor patted him on the shoulder, his tone softening slightly, but his eyes remained gloomy.
"Xiahou Ying is incredibly strong; she might just be trapped somewhere. I'll report this to the school immediately and organize upperclassmen to search for and rescue her."
"Your field training is over. Go back and rest now."
As he spoke, the instructor took out his handheld terminal and made a heavy underline after Dongfang Yueming's name.
[Ding! Personal account update: 10 Survival Credits gained. Current total Credits: 100.]
Hearing the notification tone on his phone, Dongfang Yueming lowered his head.
Thank you, mentor.
He pretended to be exhausted and blended into the crowd of people returning to school, successfully stepping through the steel gates of Jinling City.
Upon returning to Jinling Martial University, Dongfang Yueming didn't even go back to her dormitory; she went straight to the school's [Library].
This is a massive building constructed underground and reinforced with special alloys and multiple arrays.
"Beep -- Identity verification successful, 100 credits deducted."
After passing through strict security, Dongfang Yueming arrived at the area where Yellow Grade cultivation techniques were stored.
Rows of bookshelves were neatly arranged with various jade slips emitting a faint glow. Although they were only the lowest-level Yellow Grade cultivation techniques, for the vast majority of ordinary students, this was already their only stepping stone to reaching higher realms of Martial Dao.
"I got the basic ' One Origin Blood Refining Art ' and the extremely cold-attribute ' Ice Heart Blood Refining Record ' for free from Zhan Qiushui."
Dongfang Yueming wandered among the bookshelves, her mind racing.
"I forced myself to Perfection the ' Ice Heart Blood Refining Record ' in the dormitory before. Although I reached the realm of ' Blood Burns Like Fire,' I could feel that the power of extreme cold and extreme heat was too domineering. Maintaining it for a long time would put a great strain on my body."
"Yin alone cannot produce anything, nor can Yang alone grow."
"To refine my blood to a higher level, I need a technique that can neutralize this ferocity and provide Vitality and resilience as a 'glue'."
His gaze swept quickly across the areas containing wood and earth attribute cultivation techniques.
Finally, his gaze settled on a jade slip that emitted a faint blue glow.
[Azure Wood Blood Refining Method (Yellow Grade): Blood Refining using the energy of wood, resulting in a continuous and ever-renewing flow of blood and energy. Significantly enhances the body's self-healing ability and the resilience of blood and energy.]
"You're the one."
Dongfang Yueming took it without hesitation and completed the burning process at the registration office.
Boys' dormitory.
Inside the tightly closed room, Dongfang Yueming sat cross-legged on the bed, pressing the newly borrowed jade slip of the "Azure Wood Blood Refining Method" against his forehead.
[Ding! You have learned the cultivation technique "Azure Wood Blood Refining Method" (Yellow Grade) (0/9, not yet Entry)!]
"System, Point Allocation! Push all of them, including that ' One Origin Blood Refining Art,' to Perfection!"
[Ding! 144 points consumed, "One Origin Blood Refining Art" Perfection!]
[Ding! 144 points consumed, "Azure Wood Blood Refining Method" Perfection!]
With both Yellow Grade cultivation techniques reaching Perfection, Dongfang Yueming did not pay attention to the subtle changes within his body, but instead issued commands directly.
"Merge!"
[Ding! The One Origin Blood Refining Art and the Azure Wood Blood Refining Method have been successfully fused! Obtain the Profound Grade cultivation technique -- Longevity One Qi Art (Perfection)!]
"Buzz--!"
An extremely gentle, Vitality, like spring rain nourishing all things, instantly spread throughout his limbs and bones.
"Very good, the adhesive is ready."
Dongfang Yueming took a deep breath, a glint of light One Flash in his eyes.
"Next comes the main event."
"Merge the ' Longevity One Qi Art ' with the ' Ice Heart Blood Refining Record ' within my body...!"
"BOOM!!!"
The moment the command was given, Dongfang Yueming felt an unprecedented tsunami erupt within him!
The originally violent blood, a mixture of extreme cold and extreme heat, was like a wild horse being reined in after encountering the endless Vitality of the green wood in the "Longevity One Qi Art"!
The destructive power of ice and fire is forcibly enveloped, neutralized, and nurtured by the Vitality of wood!
At the end of destruction lies new life!
[Ding! Congratulations, host! Fusion successful!]
[Obtained Earth Grade cultivation technique - "Supreme Mysterious Ice-Wood Blood Refining True Scripture" (Perfection)!]
"Splash..."
In the quiet dormitory, a strange sound, like mercury flowing through veins, suddenly rang out.
Dongfang Yueming suddenly opened his eyes.
The blood in his body had completely lost its original dark red color. Under the extreme tempering of the three forces of ice, fire, and wood, all impurities were burned away, and all essence was perfectly preserved!
At this moment, what was coursing through his veins was a strange liquid that was translucent and radiated a warm luster!
It's like... the finest mutton-fat jade!
Moreover, with each breath he took, a faint, strange fragrance, seemingly capable of calming the mind, emanated from his pores, instantly filling the entire room.
"It smells so good..."
Dongfang Yueming raised her hand, looking at her skin that even faintly revealed a hint of radiance, and a satisfied smile appeared on her lips.
Invulnerable to all poisons and impervious to swords and spears!
[Upper-Tier Perfection: Blood Like Jade Elixir]!
"Call..."
Dongfang Yueming casually tossed the Tang sword onto the table, exhaled a long breath, and felt as if his whole body was filled with inexhaustible energy, and even his mind became incredibly clear.
"The Earth Grade Blood Refining Method truly lives up to its reputation."
"The weakness in my cultivation level has been temporarily overcome."
Dongfang Yueming stroked his chin and turned his gaze to the system panel in the Xukong.
[Blood Skill: Shrink the Earth to an Inch (Earth Grade, Perfection)]
[Blood Skill: Great Wilderness World-Suppressing Fist (Earth Grade, Perfection)]
"Their attack and stealth abilities have already reached the Heaven Grade; these two Earth Grade skills are really an eyesore."
"To elevate them to the Heaven Grade, we'll need two and four more Yellow Grade martial arts techniques of the same type as materials, respectively."
"It will cost approximately 40,000 Federal Credits."
He took the storage bag he had brought back from the wild out of his pocket.
Inside lay quietly a dozen or so exquisitely packaged pills.
"These drugs definitely contain ingredients used by the Variants to mark or control blood-feeding."
Selling to ordinary students or legitimate businesses would definitely cause unnecessary trouble, and might even attract the attention of organizations like the Night Watchers's Watch.
A glint of light flashed in Dongfang Yueming's eyes.
"But..."
"If they were sold to those ruthless black markets, where people would eat anything to become stronger..."
"Then there's absolutely no problem."
He stood up, rummaged through the depths of the closet and pulled out a large black hooded sweatshirt, then took out the black face mask he had used in the ruins.
"It's time to check out the underground black market of this high-martial arts world."