"What a peculiar cultivation technique," Chen Zong thought to himself after studying the content and detailed annotations of the Body Tempering Art.
For ordinary people, limited by their physical constraints, a thousand catties of arm strength represented the absolute limit. Since it was a limit, it wasn't easily broken.
Because breaking it meant entering an entirely new realm.
Take demon beasts, for example. Their bloodlines and the essence of their lives differed fundamentally from humans, allowing them physical limits far surpassing ours by many times. This granted them superior survival and combat capabilities.
The Body Tempering Art's first three layers—Foundation, Tempering, and Consolidation—served as the groundwork. They refined the skin, strengthened the tendons and bones, transforming them into a copper-like skin, steel-like tendons, and iron-like bones. This enhanced defensive capabilities, resistance to impacts, and the ability to withstand greater force. However, it did not increase strength, speed, or other physical attributes.
It was akin to replacing a thousand-catties wooden object with stone, then with steel—merely changing the material, not the fundamental nature.
Only by mastering the fourth layer, the Primordial Unity Body, could one truly break through the human body's limits.
The Body Tempering Art comprised nine forms, each with nine variations. The first three forms corresponded to the first layer, the fourth through sixth forms to the second layer, and the seventh through ninth forms to the third layer. As for the fourth layer, the records stated that it required personal enlightenment.
Chen Zong attempted the first form of the Body Tempering Art, with its nine variations. He immediately sensed the difficulty, barely managing to complete it in a disjointed manner. His skin felt as if it were being torn apart, the pain unbearable.
To effectively cultivate the Body Tempering Art, it was best to combine it with the appropriate medicinal formulas. Otherwise, even years of practice might not be enough to master even the first layer.
After familiarizing himself with the first form, Chen Zong stopped his practice and turned his gaze to the final scroll of animal skin parchment.
According to Subduing Dragon True Person, this was a map he had drawn after his failed attempt to traverse the Hundred Beasts Mountain Range, detailing the path he had taken.
Chen Zong unrolled the map and studied it. The level of detail was impressive, but the sight stirred conflicting emotions within him.
"Is there truly a vast world beyond the Hundred Beasts Mountain Range?"
"If so, what would it look like?"
A flicker of longing arose in Chen Zong's heart, but he quickly dismissed it with self-ridicule. He was merely a Qi Blood Realm martial artist, still far from reaching the Trained Force Realm, let alone the True Martial Realm. Even Subduing Dragon True Person, a peak True Martial Realm expert, had failed to conquer the mountain range and met his demise from severe injuries. What hope could there be for anyone else?
However, an invisible seed had also taken root in Chen Zong's heart, unnoticed even by himself.
Among the five volumes of animal skin paper, two—containing the Body Tempering Art and medicinal formulas—clearly bore a different handwriting than the other three, confirming they were not written by Subduing Dragon True Person. As suggested in his testament, they must have been left behind by the owner of this stone chamber.
Setting down the map, Chen Zong's gaze drifted toward the bookshelf ahead, and he strode over.
Books contained vast knowledge. Reading them sharpened the mind and enriched one's understanding; the more one read, the more profound this realization became.
"One hundred and thirty-two books."
Each book had a title, none of them cultivation techniques or martial arts manuals. Instead, they were eclectic works like Illustrated Demon Beasts, Compendium of Medicinal Herbs, and Landscapes in Scroll.
Chen Zong mentally cataloged all 132 titles before pulling out a volume called Millennial Kingdom and beginning to read.
Millennial Kingdom chronicled the Kingdom Era, which preceded the True Martial Era.
During that time, the Eastern Continent was divided into three great kingdoms: White Python, Blackwater, and Azure Cloud. These kingdoms ruled over the Eastern Continent, each with its own hierarchy of Royal Clans and Noble Clans.
As Chen Zong read, he understood why Yang Yigu had marveled at their fortune to be born in the True Martial Era. Had they lived in the Kingdom Era, they likely wouldn't have been able to practice martial arts. In that era, cultivation techniques and martial arts were monopolized by the Royal Clan and Noble Clans. Commoners could only access Foundation Establishment martial arts at best.
To become a martial artist, one had to either join the Kingdom Army or sell themselves to the nobility or Royal Clan.
Holding Millennial Kingdom, Chen Zong felt as if he were personally witnessing the era of the three great Kingdoms through the book's words.
"Perhaps I should stay here and finish reading the book before leaving," Chen Zong thought. Otherwise, it wouldn't be practical to carry all these books with him; at most, he could take the five volumes of vellum.
Reading was important, but cultivation was more crucial.
The stone chamber wasn't small; it was suitable for cultivating both the True Sword Heavenly Extinction Technique and sword techniques. However, he needed food; relying solely on Vitality Pills was unsustainable, and he only had about ten pills left.
Exiting the stone chamber, Chen Zong returned to the entrance and, guided by the Subduing Dragon True Person's Testament, felt around. He soon found a protrusion. Pressing it firmly, the mountain wall door opened again. Chen Zong glanced outside; the twelve Ironback Azure Wolves were nowhere to be seen, likely having moved on.
With a flash of movement, Chen Zong passed through the mountain wall gate and emerged outside. The gate automatically closed behind him, leaving no trace of its existence. After retrieving the black iron piece and tucking it into his robe, Chen Zong began searching the surroundings for food.
Wild fruits, water sources, and demon beasts became Chen Zong's primary sustenance.
Daily cultivation and reading gradually passed the time.
His cultivation focused on the True Sword Heavenly Extinction Technique and sword techniques, with occasional study of the Minor Dragon Subduing Hand, which required no specific cultivation technique to activate.
The Mysterious Sword Tip significantly accelerated his progress with the Minor Dragon Subduing Hand, but Chen Zong could sense that its advancement still lagged behind his sword techniques.
After a day of practice, completing fifty repetitions, he finally grasped the basics of the Minor Dragon Subduing Hand.
In the stone chamber, illuminated by firelight, Chen Zong sat on a stone chair, flipping through a new book titled Dark Decade. He had already taken Subduing Dragon True Person's corpse outside and buried it, allowing it to rest in peace.
Dark Decade chronicled the ten years in which the three kingdoms collapsed under the relentless assault of countless demon beasts.
"Half-human, half-demon beast..." Chen Zong's gaze sharpened, focusing on those five words. A memory flashed through his mind of the Snake-Man whose arm he had severed that day.
"Demon beast attacks, the fall of kingdoms... could there be a direct connection to those monstrous half-human, half-demon beasts?" After finishing the book, Chen Zong sank into deep thought.
There was too little information, and what there was wasn't clear.
After pondering fruitlessly for a while, Chen Zong rose, sword in hand, and strode out to train.
Reading five books a day—about two hours' worth—was the limit Chen Zong could squeeze out of each day.
Beyond the mountain wall lay a cliff, where Chen Zong practiced his swordsmanship daily, welcoming the dawn and bidding farewell to the sunset, day after day.
He began with a set of Tiger Force Fist Technique to warm up, followed by ten repetitions of Minor Dragon Subduing Hand. Then came Phantom Shadow Sword Technique, Willow Sweep Sword Technique, Eagle Strike Sword Technique, Lightning Flash Sword Technique, True Sword Eight Forms, and finally Dividing Light Sword Technique.
By the time he finished, the morning had passed.
In the afternoon, he read a book, then cultivated the True Sword Heavenly Extinction Technique, familiarizing himself with the Body Tempering Art's movements. After dinner, he practiced sword techniques again, read more, and ended the day with a few more sets of sword forms before bed.
Time passed unnoticed in the mountains. Before Chen Zong knew it, fifteen days had gone by.
The weather on Subduing Dragon Mountain was unpredictable. Clear skies and blazing sun could give way to dark clouds, raging winds, and then thunderclaps and torrential rain.
As he watched the lightning and listened to the thunder, Chen Zong found inspiration for his Lightning Flash Sword Technique. It reached the Subtlety Realm, its power now clearly surpassing his other three sword techniques.
Night fell. Outside the stone chamber carved into the mountain wall, a violent storm raged with lightning and thunder. Inside, it was peaceful and quiet, lit by a gently flickering flame as Chen Zong read.
Day after day, the number of unread books dwindled, while Chen Zong's knowledge grew. His understanding of history, geography, travel, demon beasts, medicinal herbs, martial arts insights, and more, all deepened.
His cultivation base remained at the fifth layer of the Qi Blood Realm. Even with the Beast Blood Pill, Crimson Blood Pill, and the second layer of the True Sword Heavenly Extinction Technique greatly accelerating his cultivation speed, the gap between the fifth and sixth layers remained significant.
"I wonder if I can reach the sixth layer of the Qi Blood Realm before Wind Martial City's Battle of Heroes this year," Chen Zong thought after finishing the book in his hand.
His original goal had been to reach the sixth layer of the Qi Blood Realm before turning eighteen, participate in Wind Martial City's Battle of Heroes, secure a top hundred ranking, and thereby gain admission to the Seven Luminaries Martial Academy.
As Chen Zong cultivated, he unexpectedly completed seven rounds of Blood Qi Tempering, further unlocking his potential. Combined with mastering the True Sword Heavenly Extinction Technique—a cultivation technique surpassing even the Top-Grade Human Rank—and other factors, he had achieved his current level of accomplishment.
He was still not yet seventeen years old.
Reining in his thoughts, Chen Zong returned the book to its place on the shelf. He then moved to an empty space in the stone chamber, drew his sword, and began practicing his sword techniques.
After finishing his sword practice, he set the sword aside, assumed the starting posture of the Minor Dragon Subduing Hand, and unleashed a palm strike. A dragon's roar seemed to reverberate through the stone chamber.
Through daily diligent cultivation, Chen Zong had now reached a preliminary mastery of the Minor Dragon Subduing Hand.
He practiced the Minor Dragon Subduing Hand ten times, followed by the first three forms of the Body Tempering Art. With each form, Chen Zong felt his skin stretch painfully, as if about to tear, but he endured the discomfort.
Without the Ice-Fire Tempering Membrane Ointment, after over ten days of cultivation, Chen Zong could already sense his skin becoming more resilient.
Extinguishing the flame, he settled down to sleep on the stone floor. The chamber's warmth made for a comfortable rest.
The next day, he awoke promptly. Opening the door, he found the torrential rain had ceased, though the sky remained overcast. Chen Zong rinsed his mouth and washed his face with clear water. The mountain breeze carried a chill, but it invigorated him.
He walked to the cliff's edge and gazed into the distance.
Dark clouds had coalesced into a massive, seemingly solid mass, yet they still appeared dormant. The sky remained gloomy.
He warmed up with a set of the Tiger Force Fist Technique, then drew his sword to continue his cultivation.
After practicing several sword techniques ten times each, Chen Zong began cultivating the Dividing Light Sword Technique.
With a single, forceful strike, eight sword glares instantly flashed out. Four of these glares merged into illusory forms, merging into the remaining four and intensifying their brilliance. Then, two of these now-brighter glares reached their peak, dissipated into illusions, and merged into the final two, causing their power to surge exponentially.
Shhhk, shhhk! The moss-covered mountain wall was sliced open, leaving two straight, two-meter-long gashes.
He had achieved a preliminary mastery of the Dividing Light No Shadow technique!
A single use of this technique consumed over thirty percent of his Qi Blood Power, which was at the fifth layer of the Qi Blood Realm. Its power was truly formidable—a single strike could cleave an Ironback Azure Wolf in two.
The sea of dark clouds, as if having slept long enough, stirred awake, churning and roiling.
As the sea of clouds surged, the dormant sky seemed to awaken as well, faint light emerging. From stillness to motion, the concealed sunlight finally pierced through a narrow gap, its rays like sword glares, illuminating the cloud sea, vegetation, cliffs, and Chen Zong's face.
When the sunlight touched his eyes, its radiance seemed to penetrate through his pupils into his mind, dispersing a wisp of haze and shattering a bottleneck.
The mountain wind seemed to freeze. In that instant, Chen Zong seemed to have grasped something he had long sought in vain. A sudden enlightenment dawned, and he couldn't resist drawing his sword and dancing toward that sliver of sword-like light piercing through the thick clouds...