Chapter 227: Sixth Rank Martial Dao, Vital Energy Like a River

Chapter 227: Sixth Rank Martial Dao, Vital Energy Like a River

In the courtyard, Jiang Ning sat under the moonlight, reviewing everything he had learned. He then retrieved a sheet of yellow skin paper from his Bag of Holding.

On this paper was a detailed explanation of the Sixth Rank Bone Forging Realm in Martial Dao.

The last time he obtained the Seventh Rank explanation from the Internal Affairs Office, he also acquired this yellow paper with the Sixth Rank Bone Forging Realm explanation.

He had already read everything written on this paper.

But at this moment, he took out the same paper once more, intending to read it from start to finish again to ensure no gaps in his memory.

His gaze fell upon the paper, and the tiny black words, as small as ants, became clear under the bright moonlight, free from the shadows of clouds.

As he reread the familiar text, Jiang Ning no longer saw the experience gain prompt for his Literary Proficiency skill.

According to the rules he had discerned, rereading the same content did not yield additional experience.

After a moment, Jiang Ning finished reading, and the words on the yellow paper were once again deeply imprinted in his mind, as if engraved by an axe.

Recalling the information, the explanation of the Sixth Rank Bone Forging Realm resurfaced in his mind.

According to the paper, the Sixth Rank Bone Forging Realm was the final stage of external cultivation for the physical body.

After this stage, the flesh, muscles, and bones would be as hard as refined iron.

Even a thousand-fold refined iron blade would struggle to sever the bones of a body at this stage.

Only then could the physical body be considered truly powerful and flawless.

The paper also detailed the principles and methods of bone forging.

This stage was inspired by the art of forging weapons, where iron is transformed into steel through countless hammer strikes.

The body's bones were treated as ordinary iron blocks, and the vital energy within was condensed and shaped into hammers.

By repeatedly striking the bones with these hammers, impurities were driven out, and with the aid of external substances, the bones were refined through a thousand strikes and a hundredfold forging.

This stage, inspired by weapon forging, was named the Bone Forging Realm.

It was further divided into several steps.

The first step was Iron Bone, the initial achievement of the Sixth Rank Martial Dao. The bones would no longer be white but would transform into a silvery-white color, resembling the hue of pure iron.

Only upon reaching this stage would the bones undergo a metamorphosis in hardness, attaining a strength no less than that of refined iron, thus achieving the Sixth Rank.

At this stage, the martial artist would possess a body of Bronze Skin Iron Bone, making it incredibly difficult to kill them.

Just as a rock is less resilient than refined iron, even a refined iron sword wielded by an ordinary person would struggle to cut through a ten-centimeter-thick rock.

This was the principle behind the Sixth Rank.

Thus, even a martial artist at the initial stage of the Sixth Rank would be a formidable opponent on the battlefield, capable of slaying thousands and standing against ten thousand.

A martial artist of this caliber could withstand countless blades and arrows, sustaining only superficial injuries.

And this was merely the initial achievement of the Sixth Rank.

The next step was Mystic Bone.

The bones would turn a lustrous black, as resilient as hundred-fold refined iron.

This marked the pinnacle of the Sixth Rank.

The blood-clad monster Jiang Ning had slain a few days ago, upon his examination, was at this level of the Sixth Rank.

The black luster of the bones indicated the Mystic Bone stage.

Beyond Mystic Bone lay Jade Bone.

The bones would transform from black to a jade-like color, translucent and smooth, akin to polished jade, signifying the completion of the Sixth Rank.

According to the yellow paper's records, if one were to encounter the right opportunity in the future, there was yet another transformation to be achieved.

As the Sage Warrior had noted, this final transformation was known as Divine Bone.

This was a crucial step in attaining the body of a Sage Warrior.

Just this single hint on the yellow paper was worth a fortune to the world.

The body of a Sage Warrior.

In the current era, only one person had achieved this level, the founding warrior of the Xia Dynasty.

The Xia Dynasty's rise was largely attributed to the prowess of this Sage Warrior.

A single person suppressing the entire world was a testament to the terror of a Sage Warrior.

For hundreds of years since then, up until the present day, no one else had reached the Sage Warrior's level.

The Sage Warrior's achievements in martial arts were unparalleled in history, and thus, the secrets of their power remained known only to them.

Consequently, any insights they shared about the Sage Warrior's body were invaluable, even priceless.

"Divine Bone!" Jiang Ning muttered to himself as he pondered these words.

Then, he recalled the records about the Bone Forging Realm.

To surpass the Sixth Rank threshold, one must capture, comprehend, and master psychic energy through the Bone Forging Method to reach the Iron Bone stage.

The stronger the psychic energy, the greater the control over one's body.

Only then could one precisely manipulate and refine their vital energy, shaping it into countless tiny hammers.

Through the repeated strikes of the Qi-Blood Small Hammer on the body's bones, impurities are purged, and the hardness of the bones is gradually enhanced.

It's akin to purifying an ordinary iron block through repeated hammering, removing its impurities, and making it harder.

This is the concept behind the saying, "A thousand strikes forge steel."

However, the key to achieving this lies in the strength of one's psychic energy, which must reach the stage of transforming the ethereal into reality.

In other words, the psychic energy should be able to leave the body and levitate a falling leaf from a distance.

This single step has proven to be a formidable challenge for countless peak Seventh Rank Martial Artists.

Developing such formidable psychic energy is an arduous task.

Simultaneously, the strength of one's Qi-Blood is also crucial to the efficiency and progress of bone tempering.

To forge Iron Bones, an immense amount of Vital Energy Power is required.

The Vital Energy Power must reach a level akin to a surging river.

This is the threshold!

Only when the Vital Energy Power reaches this level can one have the ability to temper Iron Bones.

The distinctive feature of this level of Vital Energy is the ability to mobilize the entire body's Qi-Blood, creating a "whooshing" sound within the body.

It's like the roaring sound of a rushing river, echoing within the body.

To forge Mystic Bones, even more profound Qi-Blood is needed.

The threshold for forging Mystic Bones is having Qi-Blood as mighty as a river.

When the Qi-Blood is as powerful as a river, it creates a thunderous rumble within the body.

This is like the howling roar of a mighty river, with an awe-inspiring and profound aura.

To forge Jade Bones, one must reach the level where Qi-Blood is as vast as an ocean.

The distinctive feature of Qi-Blood at this level is the ability to mobilize the entire body's Qi-Blood, yet maintaining an outward calm, while beneath the serene surface, an astonishing storm brews.

With a single move, it erupts like a tsunami.

The next moment, Jiang Ning's thoughts surged.

In an instant, he mobilized the Qi-Blood throughout his body.

A thunderous rumble emanated from within as the Qi-Blood surged.

"My Qi-Blood has long surpassed the level of a surging river!"

"In other words, with my current Qi-Blood strength, achieving Bone Forging Mastery is not an issue!"

"As for psychic energy, I'm far ahead, capable of projecting it a hundred meters or so away from my body!"

After realizing this, Jiang Ning was still unsatisfied.

He was well aware that a Sixth Rank Martial Artist might dominate Luoshui County, but in Dongling County, they would be of little significance.

In the entire Dongling County, one must at least reach Fifth Rank to be considered a formidable figure.

Even among Fifth Rank Martial Artists, there are significant differences in strength. Take, for instance, the Valley Lord of Medicine King Valley, who, at the peak of Fifth Rank, has already reached the stage of Inner Breath Like Gale.

Such a powerful figure could easily defeat a Fifth Rank Martial Artist who has just entered the rank. When facing such a peak expert, even if they were to unleash their full Inner Core strength, it would be no different from slaughtering a chicken or lamb.

In Jiang Ning's opinion, even with the Inner Core Nourishing Technique, facing such a peak figure from Medicine King Valley, they might not last a single exchange.

According to the records, a Fifth Rank Martial Artist with Inner Breath Like Gale strength could slash through a thousand armored soldiers with a single sword. They were the epitome of martial prowess, a thousand elite soldiers with sharp weapons, embodying the essence of martial arts.

For such a powerful figure, as long as their Inner Core strength doesn't deplete, the number of enemies becomes less significant.

In Jiang Ning's view, only such a level of power, solely based on martial prowess, could truly be considered a formidable figure.

In the entire Dongling County, they would be a pivotal figure.

Only such a figure would have the qualifications to stand before the River God Manor and ensure their safety.

After all, the glory of the River God Manor has faded.

It's not the same as the River God Manor during the founding of the Xia Dynasty.

Back then, the River God Manor was a second-rank official of the court, ruling over two counties.

Now, after so many generations of descendants, even the direct heir, the lineage of He Jin Yun, his grandfather's generation, only inherited the honorary title of River God Manor.

As for the land, it's long gone.

The official rank has also declined from the initial second rank to the current fourth rank.

It's merely a nominal fourth-rank official position.

Given the current situation of the River God Manor, unless they tap into their heritage, a peak Fifth Rank Martial Artist might be able to ensure their safety before the current River God Manor.

After all, as far as Jiang Ning knows, there aren't many Martial Artists in Dongling County who surpass the Fifth Rank.

The next moment, Jiang Ning slowly closed his eyes.

In an instant, his psychic energy field expanded, covering a hundred-meter radius.

Within this range, every movement was under his watchful eye.

"My psychic energy has grown several times stronger compared to a few days ago!"

Jiang Ning opened his eyes, murmuring to himself.

In the blink of an eye, a glint of light flashed in his eyes.

A box suddenly appeared in his hand.

The box, forged from pure gold, caught Jiang Ning's gaze, his expression turning solemn.

This item was a trophy from a Sixth Rank Martial Artist of the Idolatrous Sect, and inside was a divine statue floating in a sea of blood.

The last time he opened this box, he almost succumbed to the whispers of the statue, nearly falling into a trance.

Now, Jiang Ning took out the box once more, not for any other reason but to open it again.

Since the last glimpse, he felt something was amiss with the blood soaking the statue within.

At this moment, his psychic energy surged, several times stronger than before.

"Last time, I barely escaped the influence of the statue. This time, with my vastly enhanced psychic energy, it should be much easier to handle."

"And even if I can't handle it, I can simply close the box to block the statue's influence."

Jiang Ning stared at the golden box in his hand, whispering to himself.

After a moment of clarity, he no longer hesitated.

The golden box in his hand was opened.

The interior of the golden box was revealed once more.

The box was filled with blood, and within it, a divine statue about ten centimeters long, with three heads, six arms, and four legs, floated.

As Jiang Ning observed the statue, its closed eyes suddenly opened, as if it had been in a trance.

"Worship me, and your mortal body shall live forever."

"Offerings to me, and your mortal body shall ascend."

"Serve me, and your mortal body shall be unharmed."

". . ."

These three voices resonated in Jiang Ning's ears, like whispers trying to twist his thoughts.

In an instant, a vision appeared before him.

In a boundless sea of blood, countless lifelike corpses floated.

And in the center of this sea, a three-headed, six-armed, four-legged monster slowly approached him.

But this time, it was different from the last vision.

Jiang Ning's eyes flickered, and the vision shattered like a mirror breaking into countless pieces.

After a moment, he returned to reality.

The whispers in his ears faded, and only the sound of waves crashing against rocks remained.

The divine statue, soaked in blood, seemed to have returned to being an inanimate object.

The eyes of the statue, which had just opened, seemed like an illusion in Jiang Ning's eyes, and now they were closed once more.

"As I thought! With my vastly enhanced psychic energy, this statue can't affect me much!" Jiang Ning muttered to himself.

Then, he pondered, stroking his chin, "It seems the so-called Flesh God might not be as terrifying as I thought! After all, I'm only a small Seventh Rank Martial Artist."

"According to ancient records, true divine beings are those who control the powers of heaven and earth, possessing divine abilities beyond comprehension, and their status is even higher than that of Immortals."

The next moment, Jiang Ning's gaze returned to the blood-soaked interior of the box.

As he had opened the box for quite some time, a strong scent filled his nostrils.

This scent was like a starving man, who had gone without food for three days and three nights, suddenly smelling freshly roasted meat nearby.

Gulp—

Jiang Ning swallowed, his throat making a soft sound.

His body's instincts told him that the blood in the box held great benefits.

At this moment, every cell in his body seemed to exude a greedy aura.

Pat—

"Haa—"

With effort, Jiang Ning closed the golden box, letting out a long sigh of relief.

The greed from his body's instincts was terrifying.

He suspected that in a moment, he would be unable to control his body's instincts and would do anything to consume that blood.

It was like a hungry vampire, unable to resist the allure of a beautiful maiden's blood.

Just thinking about this possibility sent a shiver down Jiang Ning's spine.

The blood in the box looked mysterious, and he had no idea what consequences drinking it would bring.

If there were irreversible results, regret would be useless.

"This thing is too mysterious!"

Jiang Ning stared at the golden box in his hand, muttering.

Then, he looked at the box in his hand, deep in thought.

After a few breaths, he spoke.

"No!"

"Since I can't identify this blood, I'll bring a drop to Lin Qingyi tomorrow for her to take a look."

"My body's reaction to this blood must mean it's something precious."

"To quickly enhance my strength, I need these opportunities!"

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end