28: Mythical Beasts

The night curtain fell, and sparse stars dotted the inky blue sky.

In the backyard of the New Residence, lights shone brightly.

Chen Linsheng's posture was steady as he practiced the Hunyuan Palm.

The palm winds whistled, sometimes rigid, sometimes soft. As his body turned, palm shadows fluttered, stirring up fallen leaves on the ground to swirl and dance. Yet, the force silently dissipated just before touching the courtyard walls and plants, demonstrating his exquisite control over his power.

Su Wan sat on a stone stool not far away, her elbow resting on the stone table, her chin propped in her palm. Her bright eyes watched the agile figure in the courtyard, a gentle and contented smile gracing her lips.

A Sheng looks truly handsome when he practices Martial Skills.

"Wan girl, A Sheng, you've been practicing for so long. Have some tea and rest."

Aunt Zhang carried a wooden tray holding two bowls of warm tea, smiling cheerfully as she walked in from the corridor connecting to the backyard.

She was now dressed in clean, fine cloth clothing, and she looked much more energetic.

Half a month ago, after Chen Linsheng considered the matter thoroughly and personally returned to the village to bring Hunter Zhang's family to the County Town, this large residence suddenly became much livelier.

Big Ox Zhang found everything in the city novel and was excited for several days.

Hunter Zhang was initially a bit reserved, but he was inherently capable and diligent. He not only kept the front and back yards spotless but also took the initiative to repair broken windows and loose flagstones.

Aunt Zhang proactively took charge of the kitchen and some of the laundry, chatting with Su Wan to keep her company, helping her quickly adapt to city life.

Hearing the sound, Chen Linsheng slowly ended his practice. The surging Qi and blood throughout his body gradually calmed, and the faint bronze luster circulating beneath his skin also receded.

He took the tea offered by Aunt Zhang, thanked her, and drank it in one gulp.

"Aunt Zhang, where are Uncle Zhang and Da Niu?"

"His father took Da Niu to the market to learn the way around and see if they could buy some handy tools. He said the pulley on the well in the backyard was a bit stiff and needed fixing."

Aunt Zhang replied with a smile, her eyes full of gratitude and peace of mind.

If Linsheng hadn't remembered their past relationship, how could their family be living such a stable life now?

Chen Linsheng nodded, feeling settled in his heart.

Having the Zhang family move over was indeed the right decision.

Big Ox Zhang has simple Aptitude and is close to him. If the Opportunity arises in the future, teaching him some basic Martial Skills would give him another helper.

With Aunt Zhang keeping her company, Wan'er wouldn't be bored.

Uncle Zhang managed the household meticulously, saving him a lot of worry.

He walked over and sat beside Su Wan, who naturally picked up a handkerchief and wiped away the non-existent sweat from his forehead.

"A Sheng, when you were practicing just now, the aura around you seemed different again."

Su Wan whispered. Although she did not practice martial arts, living together day and night made her keenly aware of Chen Linsheng's changes.

Chen Linsheng smiled slightly, his mind sinking into his Sea of Consciousness.

On the spirit book, two lines of text shone brilliantly:

[Martial Skill: Hunyuan Pile Posture Technique (Major Achievement)]

[Progress: (0/3000)]

[Divine Effect: Qi and Blood Tide, Hunyuan Unity, Breath Concealment Technique. The circulation of Qi and blood is surging like a tide, automatically completing Skin Quenching and permeating towards the Flesh Refining Realm. The Pile Posture Technique has become instinct; practicing occurs while walking, sitting, or lying down. It provides a certain degree of force-deflecting effect against fist and foot attacks. It can also conceal one's aura to some extent, lowering one's presence.]

[Martial Skill: Hunyuan Palm (Minor Achievement)]

[Progress: (0/1000)]

[Divine Effect: Primordial Chaos One Qi, Combining Hardness and Softness, Palm Follows Body Movement. Palm force can be contained and released, instantly erupting upon contact, like a burst of Qi. Mastery of Soft Strength allows the transformation of fierce palm force into pushing and pulling power. Combined with the Pile Posture footwork, the body remains upright and the palm momentum is continuous.]

Furthermore, the moment he pushed the Hunyuan Pile Posture Technique to Major Achievement.

The surging Qi and blood, like a tidal wave, once again washed over the skin membrane with unprecedented force, successfully completing a deeper level of tempering!

The Third Skin Quenching!

Chen Linsheng could clearly feel that the toughness of his entire body's skin had risen another level. Ordinary swords and blades would likely struggle to injure him; only powerful hacking could break through his defense.

Moreover, the Qi and blood had already begun subtly permeating the muscles beneath his skin—a sign that he was about to reach the second Realm, the Flesh Refining Realm.

One must know that his Second Skin Quenching was barely completed only after relying on the resources of a Personal Disciple, practicing diligently for half a month, and continuously consuming Medicinal Pills and Medicinal Baths.

Yet, this Third Skin Quenching was easily broken through, coming naturally upon the Major Achievement of the Pile Posture Technique.

It is clear that the further into the Late Stage one goes, the greater the auxiliary effect of high-level Realm Cultivation Techniques on tempering; naturally, the required accumulation also becomes deeper.

"Hmm, a slight Breakthrough."

Chen Linsheng smiled at Su Wan without going into detail, lest she worry that he was Cultivating too intensely.

He took a deep breath and slowly exhaled; a condensed stream of white Qi shot out about a foot before slowly dissipating.

In the past half month, he had entered the mountains multiple times, partly to hone his skills and partly to investigate the situation.

Just as he had heard, the presence of the Strange Beast—the fierce tiger—caused many hunters to fear entering the deep mountains, leading to a sharp decrease in their harvests and causing hardship.

Even the Hunter Gang, which usually just collected a cut, reportedly lost several groups of skilled men and had to send out more people to try and encircle and suppress the Strange Beast, but unfortunately, the results were minimal.

In contrast, Hunter Zhang's family, thanks to his assistance, did not fall into trouble but instead settled down in the city and started a new life.

"Tomorrow, I need to enter the mountains again," Chen Linsheng thought to himself.

Both the Hunyuan Pile Posture Technique and the Hunyuan Palm have entered new stages, requiring stabilization through settling and actual combat.

Moreover, he felt that the skills of Climbing, Herb Gathering, and Throwing were also on the verge of Breakthrough.

"It's time to bring them to Perfection as well."

...The next morning, just as the belly of the fish began to turn white in the sky, Chen Linsheng was already packed and ready.

He carried a Two-Stone Strong Bow and quiver on his back, a Ten-Times Forged Steel Knife at his waist, and an empty basket tied behind him. After greeting Su Wan and Aunt Zhang, he quietly left the residence and stepped once more into the misty deep mountains.

In the mountain morning, the air was crisp, and dew dampened his clothes.

Chen Linsheng's steps were light. The Five Senses Clarity brought by Tracking (Perfection) allowed him to know every movement in the mountain forest like the back of his hand.

He didn't search deliberately, but the wild rabbits and pheasants he encountered along the way could hardly escape the arrows or flying stones he casually shot, and his basket soon contained several pieces of prey.

At the same time, his gaze was sharp, not missing any valuable medicinal herb.

He utilized the Divine Effect of Herb Gathering (Major Achievement)—"Scent Tracking"—to its maximum. He precisely dug out some deeply hidden medicinal materials, even those covered by fallen leaves, and carefully placed them in his basket.

By noon, his harvest was quite abundant.

With a thought, he changed direction, heading towards the cliff that had once changed his fate.

Before long, the familiar cliff face came into view.

Chen Linsheng used all four limbs, and the Divine Effect of Climbing (Major Achievement) flowed naturally, allowing him to climb onto the flat area as lightly as a spirit ape.

His gaze swept over the place where the Giant Python's corpse had lain, and his eyes narrowed slightly.

It was completely empty. Let alone flesh and blood, not a single bone remained. There were only messy traces of gnawing and dragging by wild beasts, along with some residual dark marks left by wind and rain.

"Sure enough, nothing is left."

Chen Linsheng was not surprised; the deep mountains and old forests never lacked scavengers to clean up remains.

He put down his basket, dragged a plump wild deer he had just hunted to the center of the clearing, pulled out his Cleaver, and began to butcher it skillfully.

The sharp blade moved along the muscle grain. The skill of Skinning (Minor Achievement) allowed him to easily peel off the deer hide intact, and then cut the tenderest loins and hind legs into large chunks.

He gathered dry branches, lit a bonfire with a flint, sharpened a few hard wooden sticks, skewered the meat chunks, and placed them over the fire to roast.

Fat dripped into the fire, making a "sizzle" sound, and a rich meaty aroma quickly spread.

While waiting for the roast meat to cook, Chen Linsheng submerged his mind into his Sea of Consciousness, looking at the skills that were close to the verge of Breakthrough.

The progress bar for Climbing had already reached (1999/2000), just one step away from the goal.

He recalled that over the past half month, whether it was the high walls of the Martial Arts Hall or the steep cliffs in the mountains, whenever he encountered a dangerous place, he intentionally used his Climbing skill to constantly temper himself; his accumulation was already deep enough.

"The time has come."

He silently recited in his heart, concentrating his will on the Climbing skill. That final Bottleneck was instantly pierced, like thin paper!

The spirit book in his mind violently shook, bursting forth with a brilliant light far exceeding any previous time!

[Skill: Climbing (Perfection)]

[Divine Effect: Ape Arm Muscle Relaxation, Iron Bones Rooted, Balance Master

Ape Arm Muscle Relaxation: The major tendons across the body are stretched to the extreme. Tendon and bone strength and flexibility far exceed ordinary people, allowing for extremely fast entry into External and Hard Cultivation Techniques.

Iron Bones Rooted: The lower body is as steady as a bedrock, providing an Innate advantage for Cultivating Footwork-based Martial Arts.

Balance Master: Control over one's center of gravity reaches the Subtle Realm; one can walk on a tightrope as if on flat ground.]

The moment the three Divine Effects integrated into his body, an abrupt change occurred!

Chen Linsheng felt as if the major tendons throughout his body were suddenly stretched and tightened by an invisible immense force, then abruptly relaxed, becoming even more flexible and elastic!

A dense "crackling" sound, like popping beans, came from his limbs and bones—a deep adjustment and strengthening of his tendons and bones nourished by the Divine Effects.

What surprised him even more was that this fierce change originating deep within his tendons and bones, like a giant rock thrown into a calm lake, instantly agitated the surging Qi and blood within his body!

The "Qi and Blood Tide" brought by the Hunyuan Pile Posture Technique (Major Achievement) was already surging relentlessly, but now, stimulated by the Divine Effect of Perfection-level Climbing, it was as if a catalyst had been added, erupting with unprecedented ferocity!

The Qi and blood were like a breached flood, or crashing waves, frantically washing over the skin membrane of his entire body!

Once! Twice!

Intense numbness, itching, and a feeling of fullness followed one after another. The bronze luster beneath his skin rapidly flickered, becoming deeper and more contained!

The Fourth Skin Quenching!

The Fifth Skin Quenching!

They were completed one after another in just a short quarter of an hour!

As all the anomalies slowly subsided, Chen Linsheng opened his eyes, a sharp, electric gleam flashing and fading away in his pupils.

He slowly stood up, feeling the surging power within his body and his noticeably tougher skin membrane. He lightly clenched his fist, and his knuckles emitted a crisp sound, as if containing explosive force.

"A Perfection-level skill can actually trigger Qi and blood to assist in Body Tempering?"

Chen Linsheng was both startled and delighted; this was truly an unexpected bonus.

Two consecutive Skin Quenchings made him feel light and agile yet full of power; his condition was better than ever before.

By this time, the venison was also roasted, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with a mouth-watering aroma.

His appetite was huge, as Cultivation consumed a great deal of energy. He ate an entire deer leg clean before letting out a satisfied breath.

Cleaning up the area and extinguishing the bonfire, Chen Linsheng picked up his bow, arrows, and travel bag, and slid down the cliff once more like a spirit ape.

He planned to continue deeper in the afternoon, searching for suitable prey to hone his Throwing and Archery skills.

However, just as he reached the bottom of the cliff and traveled about half an hour deeper, his nostrils suddenly twitched slightly.

The Divine Effect of Herb Gathering (Major Achievement)—Scent Tracking—was triggered!

An extremely rich, refreshing herbal fragrance, mixed with an indescribable Spiritual Aura, wafted into his nostrils on the wind.

This fragrance was several times purer and richer than any medicinal material he had previously gathered, even surpassing the crimson blood fruit!

"Spirit Medicine! And Spirit Medicine of extremely high quality!"

Chen Linsheng's spirit suddenly lifted, and uncontrollable excitement burst forth in his eyes.

The Blood-Activating Pellets and Body Tempering Pills he took at the Martial Arts Hall were merely refined from ordinary, aged medicinal ingredients; while their efficacy was good, it was ultimately limited.

Those that can be called Spirit Medicine are all favored by the essence of heaven and earth, serving as the main ingredients for refining true Spirit Pills!

The efficacy of Spirit Pills is incomparable to ordinary Medicinal Pills. It is said that one Low Grade Spirit Pill is enough to save a Body Tempering Realm Martial Artist several months of hard work, and may even help them Break through a Bottleneck!

Although he had never seen one, he knew without thinking that its value and effect must be earth-shattering!

Without the slightest hesitation, Chen Linsheng immediately followed the alluring medicinal fragrance, cautiously Tracking its source.

He concealed his entire aura. The Breath Concealment Technique of the Hunyuan Pile Posture Technique (Major Achievement) operated naturally, making him seem to merge with his surroundings. His steps were as light as a cat's, making no sound.

The medicinal fragrance grew richer and richer; he could even see a faint blue halo seemingly pervading the air ahead.

Passing through a dense thicket of bushes, his vision suddenly opened up to a hidden clearing nestled in a mountain hollow.

In the center of the clearing, a strange plant about half a foot tall was quietly growing.

It was entirely a lustrous blue, its leaves carved like ice crystals, with what looked like flowing light twinkling in its veins.

At the top of the plant rested a blue flower bud, ready to bloom. The rich, strange fragrance and blue halo emanated precisely from this bud.

"This is... a Spiritual Plant that has just taken shape!"

Chen Linsheng was overjoyed. Judging by the state of the flower bud, it was not far from fully maturing and blooming!

But he was not overwhelmed by surprise.

Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Items must be guarded by a Strange Beast; this is an unchanging Law of the mountain forest.

His gaze was as sharp as an eagle's. Using Five Senses Clarity, he meticulously scanned every inch of land, every rock, and every shadow around the clearing.

Strangely, within his field of vision, he found no trace of any large wild beasts, nor did he detect a single thread of dangerous aura.

"Could it be... that this Spiritual Plant happens to have no guardian beast? Or has the guardian beast temporarily left?"

A thought involuntarily arose.

The Opportunity was right before his eyes; how could he miss it?

Chen Linsheng suppressed his excitement, took a deep breath, and decided to take a risk.

He had just taken one step forward, preparing to rush over and gather the Spiritual Plant at maximum speed.

However, the instant his foot landed—

"ROAR—!!!"

A deafening tiger roar, containing terrifying Evil Qi, suddenly exploded from the rear side like a clap of thunder on flat ground!

The rolling sound waves shook Chen Linsheng, causing his Qi and blood to momentarily stagnate!

Immediately afterward, a massive yellow figure, like a bolt of lightning, lunged out from behind a giant rock, carrying a foul wind and unmatched might, charging straight toward him!

Its massive physique, pendulous eyes, and white forehead, with knotted muscles all over its body, had a faint luster circulating beneath its fur, and its Evil Qi soared to the heavens!

It was precisely the fierce tiger, rumored to have transformed into a Strange Beast, with a Fifty Taels reward, which struck fear into the hearts of many hunters!

Chen Linsheng's scalp instantly tingled. Without thinking, his Qi and blood surged internally. The extreme flexibility and balance brought by Climbing (Perfection) allowed him to execute an evasive maneuver beyond human limits.

His body, as if boneless, abruptly twisted and slid to the side-rear. At the same time, the Breath Concealment Technique was pushed to the extreme, and he instantly curled up and hid within a narrow rock crevice nearby, holding his breath until his heartbeat nearly stopped.

The Strange Beast—the fierce tiger—missed its target, landing where Chen Linsheng had just stood, its massive tiger claws digging several deep pits into the ground.

It seemed somewhat confused, turning its massive head, its cold vertical pupils scanning the surroundings. Its nostrils twitched, and a low roar continuously emanated from deep within its throat.

It clearly smelled the intruder's aura, so how did it vanish in an instant?