153: Nine Yang Body Tempering Technique

Night fell.

Outside Qinghe County, within the Curled Beard Guest's Immortal Cave, the fluorite embedded in the stone walls emitted a soft glimmer, casting Chen Linsheng's silhouette onto the mottled rock walls, appearing exceptionally serene.

He sat cross-legged on a prayer mat in the center of the stone room, with two items spread out before him:

The yellowed leather Incomplete Manual gifted by the Mountain Master of Tingtao Academy, and a stack of martial arts insights he had organized over the past few days.

Outside the Immortal Cave, the chirping of autumn insects could be faintly heard; inside the Immortal Cave, there was only the sound of his steady breathing and the rustling of the leather paper being flipped.

"Nine Yang Body Forging Skill..."

Chen Linsheng's fingertips brushed over the ancient characters on the leather paper, a thoughtful light flickering in his eyes.

This Incomplete Manual was only seven or eight pages long, recording a supreme Yang and extremely hard body forging method, emphasizing the tempering of skin, flesh, tendons, and bones with Pure Yang Qi. At Major Achievement, the body would be like a blazing sun, and the blood and Qi like lava, with every gesture possessing the power to burn mountains and boil seas.

From the description, it indeed shared similar wonders with the Golden Robe Skill, both following the path of "becoming a saint through the Physical Body," except the Nine Yang Skill leaned towards Yang fire, while the Golden Robe Skill leaned towards metallic sharpness.

Unfortunately, it was an Incomplete Manual.

Not only was it missing the most critical internal Qi circulation methods and the Five Viscera Tempering chapter, but even the four chapters on skin, flesh, tendons, and bones only had the skin chapter intact, the flesh chapter incomplete, and the tendon and bone chapters reduced to a few words.

For an ordinary Martial Artist, the value of this Incomplete Manual was indeed not great.

No one dared to risk Cultivating with an incomplete Cultivation Technique; a slight mistake would result in blood and Qi backflow and the incineration of Meridians.

But Chen Linsheng was different.

He had the extreme perception and insight brought by Tracking Perfection, a robust Foundation from the perfect tempering of over two hundred and forty muscles, and the experience of several body forging Cultivation Techniques at Minor Achievement or even Major Achievement.

In his eyes, although this Incomplete Manual could not be directly Cultivated, it was like a mirror that could reflect the deficiencies and possible directions of his own martial arts system.

"The Nine Yang Body Forging Skill emphasizes 'Yang fire tempering, fierce and unrivaled,' while the Golden Robe Skill focuses on 'metallic sharpness and solidity, indestructible,'" Chen Linsheng whispered to himself, taking a charcoal pen and sketching on a piece of white paper. "And my current body forging Foundation is based on the Hunyuan True Body, embracing everything..."

He began to sort out his own situation:

Python Dragon Strength had reached Perfection, the spiral penetrating force was used freely, and he had even broken through the threshold of the Jiaojin Realm; blood and Qi flowed through the newly opened tendons, and his strength had surged by more than thirty percent;

In terms of body forging Cultivation Techniques, Golden Bell Shield was at Major Achievement, making his skin tough and difficult for ordinary swords to injure, and it possessed the ability to protect the body with a faint golden light;

Iron Clothes Art was at Major Achievement, significantly increasing muscle density and providing extremely strong strike resistance;

Iron Arm Skill was at Minor Achievement, with the strength of both arms being particularly prominent; Hundred Refinements Steel Body was at Minor Achievement, increasing bone hardness and allowing him to withstand heavy blows;

Jade Marrow Guiding Technique was at Minor Achievement, with bone marrow vitality bursting forth and recovery power far exceeding that of ordinary people.

These Cultivation Techniques each had their own focus, but through the integration of Hunyuan True Body and the nourishment of his own blood and Qi, they had initially fused into one, forming a unique "Hunyuan Physique"—

heavy yet agile, fierce yet flexible, with amazing defense and rapid recovery.

"However, one link is still missing." Chen Linsheng's gaze fell on the center of the white paper, "The five viscera and six bowels."

The five viscera of the human body—heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys—are the centers for the production and circulation of blood and Qi.

No matter how strong the skin, flesh, tendons, and bones are trained, if the five viscera are weak, it is like a tree without roots or water without a source.

Ordinary Flesh Refining Realm and Jiaojin Realm Martial Artists mostly nourish their five viscera with blood and Qi, strengthening them slowly.

But if there is a Cultivation Technique specifically for tempering the five viscera, it would achieve twice the result with half the effort and lay a solid Foundation for subsequent higher Realms.

Five Viscera Absorbing Essence Art was precisely a standout among such Cultivation Techniques.

"When Yan Chen activated the 'Blazing Sun Golden Body,' his five viscera resonated, blood and Qi burst forth, and his power surged several times over. That wasn't just a characteristic of the Blazing Sun True Energy, but also supported by the visceral power tempered by the Five Viscera Absorbing Essence Art." Chen Linsheng recalled the battle on the Drill Ground, the dark golden hue beneath Yan Chen's skin and the metallic vibration sound coming from within his body. "The prerequisite Cultivation Technique for the Golden Robe Skill... if I can obtain it, I can attempt to Cultivate the Golden Robe Skill. By then, my physique will reach another level, and I will have a greater chance of success for the trip to the frontier Immortal Cave."

He put away the leather Incomplete Manual; although he could not Cultivate it directly, the concept of "Yang fire tempering" within it gave him inspiration.

"Hunyuan True Body emphasizes being unified as one, the balance of Yin and Yang. My previous tempering was mostly based on 'heaviness' and 'toughness,' which belong to Yin and Earth; if I can draw on the 'Yang fire tempering' concept of the Nine Yang Skill and introduce a trace of Pure Yang's fierce intent while maintaining the Hunyuan Foundation, perhaps I can make my physique even more perfect."

With a thought, Chen Linsheng activated his blood and Qi, circulating them according to the method of Hunyuan True Body.

A faint golden light emerged from beneath his skin, steady and heavy.

But he deliberately adjusted his breathing rhythm, visualizing a wisp of warm fire rising within his Dantian—

not a real flame, but a "Yang fire" image simulated by his will. This wisp of fire intent flowed with his blood and Qi, slowly penetrating into his skin, muscles, and bones.

At first, there was no change, but after half a stick of incense, Chen Linsheng keenly noticed that the parts nourished by the "Yang fire" image were slightly warm, the blood and Qi flow seemed slightly more active, and the contractile elasticity of the muscle fibers had a very minute improvement.

"It really works!" His eyes lit up. "Although I can't truly Master the Nine Yang Body Forging Skill, taking its 'Yang fire tempering' intent and integrating it into the Hunyuan system can activate blood and Qi and enhance explosiveness. With long-term nourishment, perhaps I can make the characteristics of both hardness and softness in my physique even more prominent."

He stopped his attempt, knowing that this method required gradual progress and could not be rushed.

Right now, the most important thing was still to obtain the Five Viscera Absorbing Essence Art.

"Tomorrow, I'll first go to the Hall Master to get the Mountain Suppressing Seal. This seal is an ancestral treasure of the Zhao Family. According to Master, it contains a trace of the mountain's true intent, which has an enhancing effect on Cultivating Earth-attribute Cultivation Techniques. Although I don't Cultivate Earth-attribute techniques, the words 'Mountain Suppressing' align with the Suppressing the Mountain true intent of the Hunyuan Palm, and might help my palm technique take another step forward."

"After that, I will head to the appointment with Yan Chen." Chen Linsheng's gaze was calm. "This duel to 'discuss the Dao through martial arts and clarify the heart through battle' is an Opportunity."

He recalled the handwriting on Yan Chen's challenge letter—

still arrogant, but with less impetuousness and more composure.

"After the defeat on the Drill Ground, his Heart-Nature has undergone a transformation. Such a person might be open to a deal."

Chen Linsheng already had a plan. If Yan Chen was still as arrogant as before, he would use force to suppress him and force the Blazing Sun Martial Arts Hall to hand over the Five Viscera Absorbing Essence Art as a ransom or a bet;

if Yan Chen truly intended to "inquire into the path of Dao" as stated in the challenge letter, then they would discuss the Dao through martial arts, confirming the mysteries of each other's Cultivation Techniques during the spar. Perhaps he could exchange some concepts of Hunyuan True Body for the Cultivation method of the Five Viscera Absorbing Essence Art.

"The Blazing Sun Martial Arts Hall has cherished the Five Viscera Absorbing Essence Art for many years; they must regard it as a treasure.

But if they knew that combining this method with my Hunyuan Martial Dao might lead to a new path, or even complete the Golden Robe Skill Legacy... that temptation would be great enough."

Of course, the prerequisite for everything was—he must defeat Yan Chen again in the final battle of the Martial Examination in ten days.

Only by demonstrating enough strength and value would the other party take his proposal seriously.

Chen Linsheng reined in his thoughts and began to regulate his breathing.

Jade Marrow Guiding Technique circulated, and a steady stream of vitality surged from deep within his bone marrow, nourishing the minute wear and tear caused by practicing palm techniques and testing the "Yang fire" image during the day.

The blood and Qi of the Flood Dragon Tendon Realm, Initial Stage surged through his Meridians like a great river, emitting a low roar.

A faint golden light flowed beneath his skin, his muscles twisted like steel cables, and his bones faintly shimmered with a jade-like luster.

He felt the vigorous power within his body, his heart clear.

The bloody battle on the Drill Ground, the Jiaojin Breakthrough, the manual gifted by Young Master Yu, the challenge letter from Yan Chen... this series of events seemed chaotic, but in fact, they all pointed to the same path.

The path to becoming stronger.

The White Lotus Sect was watching like a tiger, undercurrents were surging within the imperial court, and the frontier Immortal Cave held both Opportunity and crisis.

Without enough strength, everything was empty talk.

"In ten days, the final battle of the Martial Examination."

"Obtain the Mountain Suppressing Seal, fight Yan Chen, and get the Five Viscera Absorbing Essence Art."

"Then... Cultivate the Golden Robe Skill and head to the frontier Immortal Cave."

The plan was clear, and the goal was definite.

Chen Linsheng slowly exhaled a breath of turbid Qi, his breath long and echoing in the stone room.

He opened his eyes, his gaze like a deep pool reflecting the moon, calm and firm.