46: Primordial True Body

Five days passed since the bandit suppression incident, and the Water Patrol Division's warehouse finally reopened after a thorough cleanup and reorganization.

Upon hearing the news, Chen Linsheng immediately set off.

Based on his primary merit as the vanguard in the surprise attack on Crocodile Mouth Islet, and jointly verified by Head Constable Wang and Senior Brother Shi Poyue, he was awarded two “Minor Merits.”

Head Constable Wang specifically explained the Water Patrol Division's Merit System to him: merits are divided into “Minor Merits” and “Major Merits,” and ten Minor Merits accumulate into one Major Merit.

And one Minor Merit could be exchanged for two stalks of water essence algae.

“Although water essence algae is a Spirit Medicine, exchanging one Minor Merit for two stalks is certainly not a cheap exchange rate,” Chen Linsheng mused inwardly.

He had originally come specifically for the water essence algae, as its mild nature could be paired with the ice muscle pill to accelerate Skin Quenching.

But just as he was about to make the exchange, he temporarily changed his mind.

The reason was simple: two days ago, relying on the Iron Clothes Art Secret Manual obtained from the Curled Beard Guest's Immortal Cave, he had successfully Initiated this Hard Cultivation Technique focused on Skin Quenching.

However, the Cultivation progress was far slower than he had anticipated.

The core of the Iron Clothes Art lies in “Resistance to Strikes,” requiring repeated external pounding of the skin membranes, supplemented by the circulation of Qi and blood, to advance quickly.

For the past two days, he had Big Ox Zhang and Hunter Zhang pound his body with wooden sticks, but their strength was limited, and they dared not use real force. The effect was minimal, and they ended up exhausted and with sore arms.

After a brief contemplation, Chen Linsheng turned to the efficient-looking Old Steward in charge of warehouse exchanges and politely inquired, “Steward, I wonder if the warehouse has any Medicinal Pills that have a Divine Effect on cultivating external Hard Cultivation Techniques?”

The Old Steward clearly recognized him, and his face immediately broke into a respectful smile: “So it’s ‘ghost water dragon’ Young Hero Chen! Please wait a moment, allow this old man to check.”

He pulled out a thick, worn exchange booklet and carefully ran his finger down the entries. A moment later, his eyes lit up, and he looked up, saying, “Young Hero Chen, there truly is! This item is called nine blood ointment. It is an external ointment refined using the vital essence blood from nine different Exotic Beasts, supplemented by various rare medicinal ingredients. When used, apply it all over the body, then circulate Qi and blood for Quenching. Not only does it have an excellent stimulating effect on ordinary Skin Quenching, but it can also penetrate deep into the skin membranes, stimulating their vitality and resilience. For the Cultivation of Hard Cultivation Techniques like the Iron Cloth Shirt and Golden Bell Shield, it yields twice the result with half the effort!”

The Old Steward paused, his tone carrying a hint of admiration, “I heard that this Pill Formula was presented by a High Monk of the Great Wheel Temple and was collected by the Imperial Court, specifically to be awarded to meritorious officers and soldiers. Its effect is extraordinary.”

“Great Wheel Temple?” Chen Linsheng’s heart leaped, but his expression remained calm.

What a coincidence. He didn't expect to hear this name again, especially in connection with the supplementary Medicinal Pill he urgently needed for his Hard Cultivation Technique.

“How much does this nine blood ointment cost?”

“This item is difficult to refine and requires a bit more merit,” the Old Steward pointed to the booklet, “One jar requires two Minor Merits.”

Two Minor Merits!

Chen Linsheng felt a pang of heartache upon hearing that.

This was equivalent to the price of four stalks of water essence algae, nearly half of his total gains from the bandit suppression operation.

But thinking of the slow progress of the Iron Clothes Art and the demanding prerequisites of the Golden Robe Skill, he gritted his teeth.

“Forget it. Cultivating a Hard Cultivation Technique is not a task for a single day. Having this ointment as an aid can save countless hours of tedious effort—it’s worth it!” Having made up his mind, he no longer hesitated and handed over the token representing his merits. “Steward, I will exchange for one jar of nine blood ointment.”

“Alright!”

The Old Steward efficiently completed the procedures and retrieved a tightly sealed, palm-sized black earthenware jar from a wooden cabinet marked with a seal, handing it solemnly to Chen Linsheng.

Having completed the exchange, Chen Linsheng took the heavy jar of nine blood ointment and returned directly home.

He entered the Training Room and closed the door tightly.

He opened the earthenware jar, and a rich, fiery aroma, mixed with a strange sweet-fishy scent and herbs, rushed out. The paste was dark red, viscous, and faintly shone with light.

He wasted no more time, stripped off his clothes, and evenly applied the dark red paste to every inch of his skin.

At first, he only felt a cool sensation, but after a few breaths, the skin covered by the paste suddenly began to heat up. It felt as if countless tiny flames were drilling beneath the skin membranes, causing itchiness and numbness. Simultaneously, streams of scorching Qi penetrated inward through his pores, violently clashing with his own Qi and blood.

His Hunyuan Pile Posture Technique had long reached the Major Achievement Realm. Qi and blood could circulate automatically whether he was walking, sitting, or lying down, constantly Quenching his skin membranes.

Now, stimulated by the potent Medicinal Power of the nine blood ointment, the effect of this Quenching suddenly increased severalfold!

The speed of his Qi and blood circulation accelerated. Under the dual impact of the heat flow and Qi and blood, his skin membranes transmitted waves of subtle tearing and restructuring, accompanied by numbness and itchiness.

Chen Linsheng dared not waste the Medicinal Power and immediately consumed an ice muscle pill.

The cool Medicinal Power of the ice muscle pill and the fiery Medicinal Power of the nine blood ointment converged inside his body, forming a wondrous balance of ice and fire Quenching, making him feel much more comfortable.

He did not stay idle. While the Medicinal Power was surging, he assumed a stance and began to Cultivate the Hunyuan Palm, which was already close to the verge of Major Achievement.

Palm winds whistled, and his Qi and blood surged along with them.

His palms flew, alternating between hardness and softness, as the Primordial Chaos One Qi force surged and flowed within his body.

With every palm strike, he felt the palm force become more concentrated, and his control over the force became increasingly precise.

The nine blood ointment smeared over his body seemed to transform into a layer of burning Battle Armor, providing a continuous stream of energy, pushing his palm technique toward a higher Realm.

He practiced tirelessly like this, completely immersed in the tempering of the Martial Dao.

The span of an afternoon passed in a flash.

As the setting sun slanted westward, the palm winds in the Training Room gradually ceased.

Chen Linsheng stopped his palms and stood still, steam rising from his body. The nine blood ointment on his skin had been completely absorbed, leaving only a faint dark red trace, and the hot, numb, and itchy sensations had subsided.

The moment he finished the Cultivation, the spirit book in his mind violently shook, and the characters for Hunyuan Palm suddenly transformed:

[Martial Skill: Hunyuan Palm (Major Achievement)]

[Progress: (0/3000)]

[Divine Effect: Hitting the Ox Through the Mountain, Palm Posture Cycle, Deflecting Force and Countering. The penetrating effect of the palm force is greatly increased, allowing power to be transmitted through objects to directly injure the internal organs. The palm technique is complete and forms its own cycle, allowing for flexible movement even in group battles. Furthermore, the enemy's force can be channeled into the ground via the Pile Posture Technique and instantly returned using the counter-shock force of their Qi and blood.]

The Major Achievement Hunyuan Palm possessed an extraordinary Divine Effect!

Especially the ability to “Deflect Force and Counter,” which faintly echoed his Major Achievement Hunyuan Pile Posture Technique. When combined, his defensive and counter-attacking capabilities would achieve a qualitative leap!

“As expected!” A sharp light flashed in Chen Linsheng's eyes, and he realized, “The Hunyuan Pile Posture Technique and Hunyuan Palm passed down by Master are inherently connected and complement each other. When both reach Major Achievement, they produce a miraculous effect where one plus one is greater than two!”

Having figured this out, his zeal for Cultivation grew even stronger.

In the days that followed, Chen Linsheng entered a period of even more Arduous Solitary Cultivation.

Every day, without fail, he applied the nine blood ointment, supplemented by the ice muscle pill, and used the powerful Medicinal Power to repeatedly temper the Hunyuan Palm and Hunyuan Pile Posture Technique in the courtyard.

Big Ox Zhang and Hunter Zhang also resumed their posts. While he circulated the Iron Clothes Art, they held wooden sticks wrapped in thick cloth and pounded his chest, abdomen, back, and limbs according to his guidance.

Under the protection and promotion of the nine blood ointment's powerful Medicinal Power, this pounding was no longer merely a formality. Every strike was accompanied by deeper penetration of the Medicinal Power, greatly accelerating the Cultivation progress of the Iron Clothes Art.

Diligent Cultivation continued, and five days passed in the blink of an eye.

On this day, Chen Linsheng, who was practicing his palm technique, suddenly felt an unprecedented boiling sensation of Qi and blood throughout his body. It was as if countless tiny electric arcs were moving beneath his skin membranes, accompanied by feelings of tight contraction and vibration.

His already incredibly tough skin, amidst this drastic change, emitted a subtle metallic sheen. Its resilience, strength, and capacity to accommodate Qi and blood once again climbed a step higher!

The sixth Skin Quenching was a natural success!

However, this was merely the beginning.

Another fifteen days passed.

During these fifteen days, Chen Linsheng pushed the effects of the nine blood ointment and ice muscle pill to the extreme, while simultaneously tempering the Hunyuan Palm and Hunyuan Pile Posture Technique through countless cycles.

His understanding of these two Cultivation Techniques had long surpassed the scope of the Secret Manual text, reaching the point where Intent Follows the Heart, Technique Arises from the Mind.

Finally, on a night when the moonlight was like water, the moment he finished performing a set of Hunyuan Palm techniques as smoothly as flowing clouds and water, and stood still after concluding his practice.

“Buzz—”

“Buzz—”

The spirit book in his mind emitted two unprecedented clear chimes in succession, radiating brilliant light!

[Martial Skill: Hunyuan Pile Posture Technique (Perfection)]

[Divine Effect: Qi and Blood Furnace, Leak-Proof Body, Counter-Shock Force. Qi and blood circulate in the body like a burning furnace, providing a continuous stream of power and thermal energy. Pores all over the body can open and close freely, locking in vital energy and heat, making the body impervious to cold and heat. When attacked, Qi and blood automatically counter-shock, causing the attacker to feel as if they struck an iron anvil.]

[Martial Skill: Hunyuan Palm (Perfection)]

[Divine Effect: Hunyuan Unity, Indestructible, Qi and Blood Domain. The palm technique has reached the point where there are no fixed forms; every movement can be a palm strike. The palm force is condensed to the extreme, shattering metal and breaking stone is trivial. Furthermore, relying on the majestic Qi and blood throughout the body, an invisible Domain can be formed within three feet. The intent arrives before the palm, and the oppressive feeling is enough to suffocate the weak.]

The two Cultivation Techniques simultaneously reached Perfection!

The moment these two lines of text solidified, a sudden change occurred!

Chen Linsheng felt as if the “Qi and Blood Furnace” inside his body had been injected with a Catalyst, erupting violently!

The surging Qi and blood instantly transformed into a scorching torrent, wildly washing over the skin membranes across his entire body with unprecedented speed!

“Hiss—hiss—hiss—”

A faint scorching sound seemed to echo in the air.

His skin visibly turned crimson, like a searing hot iron, yet it exuded a profound sense of flawless completeness and Hunyuan Unity.

Once! The seventh Skin Quenching was complete!

Immediately after, the torrent of Qi and blood did not stop at all; instead, it grew even mightier and swept through again!

Twice! The eighth Skin Quenching was complete!

This was not the end. The transformation energy brought by the Perfection-level Cultivation Techniques far exceeded imagination, pushing his Physique toward limits that defied common sense!

The third wash followed immediately! The ninth Skin Quenching!

Typically, nine times of Skin Quenching is considered Perfection for a Martial Artist!

But Chen Linsheng felt an intense sense of thirst from his skin membranes, as if they could still accommodate more!

“Boom!”

The fourth wave of Qi and blood frenzy, like a final tsunami, fiercely broke through the invisible barrier!

Skin Quenching, the tenth time!

The moment the tenth Skin Quenching was completed, the characters for Hunyuan Pile Posture Technique and Hunyuan Palm on the spirit book in his mind suddenly blurred, then dissipated like starlight.

In their place, above the [Skill] and [Martial Skill] sections, a brand new set of characters, radiating an aura of Chaos, quietly emerged:

[Physique: Hunyuan True Body (Initiate)]

[Progress: (0/10000)]

[Divine Effect: Impervious to All Techniques, All Evil Retreats. You have glimpsed a trace of profound mystery. The Qi and Blood Domain has solidified into a personal barrier. Where the body stands is the Hunyuan, impervious to all techniques, and all evil retreats.]

Enlightenment Came to Chen Linsheng, and his mind stirred slightly.

Instantly, centered around him, the air within three feet seemed to become viscous and heavy, and an invisible yet real Force Field quietly formed.

Within this Force Field, airflow stagnated, dust did not rise, and it seemed to form a separate world, isolating the inside from the outside!

He slowly raised his hand, feeling the vast, furnace-like, and perfectly unified Qi and blood within his body, as well as the terrifying defense and strength contained beneath his skin membranes, far surpassing his previous state.

Ten times of Skin Quenching! Hunyuan True Body!