Fusion

Looking at the changes on the data panel, Su Han fell into thought.

Then he carefully sensed the flow of force within his body, searching out every last change.

An answer was gradually taking shape in his mind.

"So that's how it is..."

"So it's not that Secret Martial Arts can't strengthen the body. You have to train them to at least True Gang to have a chance at strengthening it."

"You need enough force, or multiple kinds of force to fuse and undergo a qualitative change, before they can stimulate the body to improve."

"But those who can train to True Gang are already few and far between."

"Let alone training two Secret Martial Arts to True Gang at the same time. That's even less common, if not downright rare."

And as Su Han continued to study the changes in his body,

he made an even more delightful discovery.

His force was increasing, but it didn't conflict with his qi and blood.

The True Gang forces of the two Secret Martial Arts could fuse.

The fused force could even undergo a second fusion with the qi and blood of Immortal Martial Arts.

And he could use it.

Just like now.

Su Han tried to circulate the fused force and the protective qi formed from thirty percent of his qi and blood at the same time.

The next moment,

a layer of dark red flames immediately appeared over his body.

But this time, the qi-and-blood flames were completely different from the pure qi-and-blood flames of before.

These qi-and-blood flames had undergone a slight change.

A closer look would reveal countless thin, dark red threads drifting and writhing within them.

They looked like countless strands of hair, or perhaps countless tentacles, forming a tangle of flames.

They looked both strange and powerful.

"The path I've taken seems different from everyone else's. I'm afraid there's hardly another person like me."

"But my strength is definitely improving, and by a huge margin."

Su Han murmured to himself. Strange as the flames were, he felt no fear.

Instead, his gaze was utterly resolute.

He looked at his combat power watch again.

As the forces fused, his combat power reading soared once more.

35,000... 40,000... 45,000...

The numbers jumped wildly, finally stopping at [52,000].

Without activating his qi and blood, using only Secret Martial Arts force,

his combat power had already reached unprecedented heights, a little over three times what it had been.

If he added an explosive release of qi and blood...

Su Han didn't dare imagine how terrifying his strength would be then.

Although he was already incredibly powerful at his current level,

it wasn't enough. Still not enough.

Su Han was nowhere near satisfied.

He needed to keep growing stronger.

Strong enough to stand against the Sturgeon Group, strong enough to avenge himself and wipe away his hatred.

Strong enough to resolve everything that displeased him.

"True Gang in Secret Martial Arts, Hundred Refinements in qi and blood, and the two fused together."

"If I can break through to the Beacon Fire Realm with my qi and blood, then fuse Beacon Fire Realm qi and blood with True Gang..."

What would that look like?

Su Han didn't know.

But he very much wanted to try.

Presumably, his strength would then undergo another qualitative leap.

He hesitated no longer. He took out the Beacon Fire Realm cultivation method and began training.

In the second realm, Hundred Refinements, qi and blood had to be tempered to the utmost before one could break through to the third realm, Beacon Fire.

The cultivation method stated it clearly.

Hundred Refinements meant tempering one's qi and blood hundreds of times, tempering all the qi and blood in one's body to its limit.

Until it was pure enough to form stable blood flames on the surface of the body.

Su Han began circulating the technique, continuing to temper the second realm.

He tempered it until the blood flames could rise from half a meter to one meter, two meters, three meters...

The flames grew fiercer and fiercer, and the temperature climbed higher and higher.

With both his physique and comprehension improving, Su Han's physique brought him incomparably powerful qi and blood, while his talent brought him unparalleled comprehension.

That allowed him to press forward in his cultivation without the slightest obstacle.

At that moment, the entire living room seemed to be inside a gigantic furnace, radiating intense heat.

His qi and blood circulated.

They boiled frantically.

Countless impurities in his blood were tempered over and over, gaining new life.

Once, twice, three times...

The blood in his body flowed through his veins like molten iron, surging like rivers rushing into the sea.

Blood flames flickered in and out of sight over his body, their color changing from dark red to crimson.

Several hours later.

Midnight.

Su Han opened his eyes.

The ringing of his phone had interrupted him. He briefly ended his cultivation and picked up the phone to check it.

It was Zhao Lei.

"Hello?" Su Han answered.

"Su Han, the mission has started." Zhao Lei's voice was cold.

But compared to his previously undisguised contempt, there was now a trace of wariness that was hard to detect.

After all, the talent Su Han had displayed in the private room had been far too heaven-defying.

"Set out immediately and assemble at the abandoned factory district in the west of the city."

"I'll send you the coordinates on Fetion."

"Now?" Su Han glanced at the time.

It was midnight.

"Yes, right now," Zhao Lei said.

"There's been a change with the Giant Whale Sect. Get ready to leave."

"Get there within twenty minutes. If you're late, you'll bear the consequences."

With that, Zhao Lei hung up, unwilling to say anything more.

Su Han ended his cultivation as well.

He felt refreshed all over, and his strength had improved considerably again.

By now, the qi and blood in his body had been tempered who knew how many times.

Every drop of blood was like red-hot molten iron, intensely hot and utterly pure.

When he circulated his qi and blood,

blood flames rose from his body, baring their fangs and brandishing their claws, terrifying to behold.

They resembled countless writhing tentacles and strands of hair, tangled together and dancing in the searing heat like struggling departed souls.

They carried a terrifying sense that they could burn everything to ash.

But it still wasn't enough.

The Beacon Fire Realm required qi and blood to burn in rolling waves like beacon fires, forming a sustained surge of qi and blood.

Su Han was still a little short.

Even so, the increase in his strength was real.

Su Han opened his attribute panel again to check his current stats.

[Name: Su Han]

[Age: 19]

[Lifespan: 161 days]

[Physique: 713]

[Comprehension: 610]

[Skills: Heavenly Phenomenon Secret Martial Arts · True Gang (perfection), Red Thread Fist · True Gang (perfection), Surging Waves Immortal Martial Arts · Hundred Refinements (perfection).]

[Buff ① · Divine Body: Your strength increases at every moment, never stopping until you transform into a 'god'.]

[Buff ② · Nether Prison of Rebirth: Current progress 39% (consumes 1 day of lifespan and adds 1 point of progress per hour)]

His physique had surpassed seven hundred, and his comprehension had reached six hundred.

Moreover, he had trained both Secret Martial Arts to True Gang perfection, and the Immortal Martial Arts secret technique to perfection in the Hundred Refinements Realm.

All in all, he had improved considerably in every respect once again.

As for his combat power,

Su Han turned on the electronic watch that measured it.

[Current combat power: 55,000]

Not bad, not bad.

This was only his combat power in his normal state, yet it had reached fifty-five thousand.

Without waiting until he fully unleashed his qi and blood,

Su Han didn't test it, but he estimated that the combat power reading on the watch could double!

After checking everything,

Su Han went and changed into dark clothes.

He secured his combat power watch and checked the things he had on him.

Then he left home, ready to head to the squad's assembly point and begin a new mission.