Chapter 40: Tempering the Iron Bones
Chapter 40: Tempering the Iron Bones
Temper!
Temper with all your might!
Gu Qingfeng channeled his qi and blood, absorbing the medicinal properties of the bath and the decoction. He then focused the fiery power of the Sun Palm to gradually temper his bones.
Thanks to the Sun Palm’s tempering, a significant portion of his bones had already been successfully refined. Now, his goal was to temper the remaining bones.
However—
Midway through the process, Gu Qingfeng was forced to stop.
It wasn’t that he wanted to; his body had reached its limit, and the medicinal properties of the bath had been depleted.
Breaking through to the Bone Tempering stage isn’t something that can be achieved in one go. Every martial artist who enters this stage must endure a long and arduous process, gradually tempering each bone.
After emerging from the bathtub, Gu Qingfeng glanced at the now dark brown medicinal bath. He donned his robe and headed outside to continue his sword practice.
The sword was drawn, and the blade glinted with a cold, fierce light. As he wielded the sword, a faint aura of sword qi could be seen, leaving trails of white marks in the air that refused to fade.
Boom!
The sword qi surged like thunder, and a multitude of sword shadows converged into a single, devastating strike, producing a heart-stopping explosion.
At that moment—
He had finally mastered the basics of the Thunder Sword Technique.
“This intermediate-level martial art has finally been truly mastered!” Gu Qingfeng’s face broke into a gentle smile. He had possessed the Thunder Sword Technique for several months, but he had always been just one step away from truly entering the basic stage.
Breaking through in one go this time was quite an achievement.
Mastering the basics of the Thunder Sword Technique meant he had finally glimpsed the true intricacies of this intermediate-level martial art.
At the same time—
His Iron Leg Technique had also reached the Grand Mastery stage.
To this end, Gu Qingfeng spent a few enhancement points to bring the Iron Leg Technique to its peak.
The moment the Iron Leg Technique reached its peak, he felt his leg muscles and skin tighten, as if they had transformed into fine iron. His qi and blood also increased slightly, though the change wasn’t significant.
“It seems that ordinary low-level martial arts are no longer of much use to me. Only when they reach their peak can they provide some enhancement. But even then, the enhancement is limited!”
Gu Qingfeng understood that his current realm was too high, and the changes low-level martial arts could bring were already quite limited.
Of course—
Achieving peak mastery in a martial art still had its benefits.
While a single martial art might not show much, the cumulative effect of mastering ten or a hundred martial arts would undoubtedly elevate his strength to a terrifying level.
At that point—
Even without breaking through to the Bone Tempering stage, he believed he could overpower those who had.
Of course—
Achieving such a level would not happen overnight.
With so many enhancement points at his disposal, he could use them to break through the limits of martial arts rather than accumulate these low-level martial arts.
Only in situations like this, where a few enhancement points didn’t have much effect, would he use them to bring the Iron Leg Technique to its peak.
...
In the days that followed, Gu Qingfeng focused on strengthening his physical body and tempering his bones, accelerating his progress toward the Bone Tempering stage.
Before he knew it, a month had passed.
On this day, Gu Qingfeng turned thirty-six.
It was also on this day that his long-stagnant realm, just shy of the Bone Tempering stage, finally broke through.
Boom!
All 365 of his bones were tempered to perfection, and an overwhelming power surged through his body, making Gu Qingfeng feel as though he could crush a half-Bone Tempering opponent with a single punch.
No——
This was no illusion!
Every one of his 365 bones had been refined to perfection, breaking through the limits that once constrained him. Gu Qingfeng felt an unprecedented elevation in his strength, far surpassing his previous capabilities. It wasn't just a doubling of his power; it was a quantum leap.
If he were to face his pre-breakthrough self, Gu Qingfeng was confident he could end the fight in just three moves.
And against a typical near-Bone Refinement Realm opponent? It would be one punch, one down.
——
"Boom—"
A single punch shattered the artificial hill.
Then, he picked up a stone, and with a slight rub of his fingers, the stone turned to powder and dissipated.
"This is the power of the Bone Refinement Realm!"
"It seems I've underestimated the might of this realm!"
Gu Qingfeng smiled lightly.
Before breaking through to the Bone Refinement Realm, he had little direct understanding of its power.
But now, he truly grasped its magnitude.
That punch just now.
Gu Qingfeng had only used a fraction of his strength, yet it was enough to shatter stone and split mountains, a force truly terrifying.
Then, he turned his attention to his attribute panel.
...
Name: Gu Qingfeng
Age: 36/150
Realm: Early Bone Refinement
Martial Arts: Gu Family Fist (Unbreakable Level 1), Iron Body Technique (Steel-like Body Level 1), Great Boulder Smash (Intermediate), Iron Leg Technique (Perfection), Iron Finger Technique (Intermediate), Blazing Sun Palm (9th Level Perfection, Blazing Sun Force Level 4), Heavenly Thunder Sword Technique (Beginner)
Upgrade Points: 0
...
"Early Bone Refinement!"
"150 years of life!"
Gu Qingfeng's eyes gleamed with determination.
Martial artists at the Blood Refinement Realm had a lifespan of about 100 years, but breaking through to the Bone Refinement Realm extended that to 150 years.
Fifty additional years of life.
No small feat.
And the more profound one's cultivation, the greater the potential for an even longer lifespan.
Thus, if he were to reach even higher realms, the possibility of achieving martial immortality might not be out of reach.
"Martial Immortality!"
"With my advantages, the opportunity for martial immortality might not be impossible!"
The concept of immortality stirred a wave of excitement in Gu Qingfeng's otherwise calm heart.
No one could resist the allure of eternal life.
While it was no easy feat for ordinary people to achieve martial immortality, Gu Qingfeng had his own advantages, making it a possibility for him.
Then, he quickly calmed himself.
The path to martial immortality was still far away.
For now, he had just barely broken through to the Bone Refinement Realm.
The world of martial arts was vast.
Bone Refinement Realm experts were not necessarily the strongest.
Of course, in a place like White Stone Path, a Bone Refinement Realm expert would be considered a formidable force.
...
The next day.
Gu Qingfeng arrived at the Cloud Pavilion.
Given the Gu Family's reputation, the Cloud Pavilion's steward promptly came to greet him.
In the reception room, a servant brought tea.
The steward who greeted him this time was not Ji Ping, but another woman. She was graceful and well-dressed, her every smile and gesture exuding charm.
"I am Chai Hong, the current steward of the Cloud Pavilion. I didn't expect the head of the Gu Family to visit in person. Is there anything you need assistance with?"
"I've heard that the Cloud Pavilion does a thriving business. I'm here to inquire if you have any high-tier martial arts. If so, I would be willing to purchase them."
Gu Qingfeng was not swayed by Chai Hong's appearance; her beauty did not stir much in him. He cut straight to the point, stating his purpose clearly.
(End of Chapter)
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