160: Golden Robe

Chen Linsheng sat quietly to regulate his breathing for a moment. Once his state returned to its Peak, he unhesitatingly began to Cultivate the Golden Robe Skill.

Its core lay in completely fusing the "Origin Qi" cultivated from the Five Viscera Absorbing Essence Art with the results of tempering his skin, flesh, tendons, bones, and membranes to form a layer of "Golden Garment" on the body's surface.

It was not actual clothing, but a type of Origin Qi armor existing between the illusory and the real, possessing both the defense of an indestructible vajra body and the offensive power to destroy anything in its path.

Chen Linsheng had long since achieved success in cultivating the four prerequisite Cultivation Techniques—Iron Clothes Art, Golden Bell Shield, Iron Arm Skill, and Hundred Refinements Steel Body. His physical Foundation was incredibly robust, lacking only the final step of Fusion.

Following the Golden Robe Skill's Mind-Cultivation Technique, he activated the five viscera's Qi vortices.

The Qi of Heart-Fire rose, scorching and fierce; the Qi of Liver-Wood dispersed, its vitality long and continuous; the Qi of Spleen-Earth was heavy, carrying all things; the Qi of Lung-Gold was sharp, capable of destroying anything; the Qi of Kidney-Water was flexible, nourishing and harmonious.

Guided by his intent, the five Qis surged from his five viscera, flowed along specific Meridians, and finally gathered beneath the surface of his body.

At first, the five Qis acted independently, making Fusion difficult.

Fire was dry, wood was scattered, earth was stagnant, gold was sharp, and water was soft. They conflicted with each other, rushing wildly under his skin and bringing waves of stinging pain, swelling, and numbness.

Chen Linsheng let out a muffled groan. A faint golden light fluctuated violently beneath his skin, with various colors of radiance faintly flickering.

But his will was as firm as iron. The Hunyuan True Body Mind-Cultivation Technique operated at full power, and his robust Qi and blood acted like a giant millstone, forcibly containing, crushing, and harmonizing the five Qis.

Hunyuan as one, the sea embracing a hundred rivers!

Gradually, the conflict between the five Qis began to weaken. Under the neutralization of the Hunyuan Qi and Blood, they began to permeate and blend with each other.

Fire is born from wood, wood is nourished by water, water is purified by gold, gold is stored in earth, and earth is warmed by fire—the principle of the mutual generation of the Five Elements began to manifest under Chen Linsheng's deliberate guidance.

The various colors of radiance rushing under his skin gradually unified, turning into a warm, restrained, yet indestructible faint gold.

That gold did not float on the surface but emanated from deep within the skin and membranes, completely combining with the results of tempering his muscles, fascia, and bones to form the prototype of an invisible yet tangible "Golden Garment."

Chen Linsheng could feel his defensive power rapidly increasing!

The toughness of his skin and membranes increased by thirty percent, his muscles' ability to withstand blows became stronger, and his bone hardness also improved. More importantly, that "Golden Garment" prototype possessed an extremely strong ability to resist and neutralize True Qi, blades, and even insidious poisonous forces.

He tried to channel power into his palm and struck the stone wall beside him.

"Bang!"

Amidst the muffled sound, the stone wall dented by an inch with cracks spreading, while his palm was only slightly red, returning to normal in an instant.

"The Golden Robe Skill hasn't even reached the Initiate stage, yet it already has such power... If it reaches Major Achievement, I might truly be able to withstand a full-strength strike from a Late Stage Jiaojin Realm expert without injury."

Chen Linsheng was delighted but did not dare to relax.

He knew this was only the initial Fusion; the Golden Garment was not yet stable and required long-term nurturing and consolidation before it could be fully mastered.

He sat cross-legged again, calming his mind and quieting his breath. He used the Jade Marrow Guiding Technique to nourish the vitality of his bone marrow, the Hunyuan True Body to harmonize the five viscera's Origin Qi, and the Golden Robe Skill Mind-Cultivation Technique to consolidate the Golden Garment on his body's surface.

Time flowed silently.

One day, two days, three days... There was no sun or moon in the stone chamber, only the eternal light of the Fluorite.

Chen Linsheng was like an old monk in meditation. His aura became increasingly condensed, and the faint golden luster on his body's surface gradually became restrained. It no longer showed outwardly but appeared even more heavy and solid.

Late on the third night, five soft hums suddenly sounded from within his body, like a chime ensemble, clear and long-lasting.

At this moment, the five viscera's Qi vortices shook in unison, their rotation speed suddenly accelerating. A mysterious connection was born between them, and the Five Elements rotated in an endless cycle!

A wisp of pure "Origin Qi" was born from the rotation of the five viscera, traveling through the Meridians to every part of his body. Wherever it passed， Qi and blood are in high spirits， Muscles and bones resonate， epidermis photogenesis。

Chen Linsheng snapped his eyes open, a golden light flashing and vanishing within them.

He looked down at his open hands.

His skin was fair and his palm lines were clear, seemingly no different from usual.

But with a thought, a faint golden light flowed beneath his skin, and his entire palm instantly took on a metallic luster—hard, cold, yet containing immense power.

Golden Robe Skill: Initiate!

Simultaneously, within his mind, the familiar Skill Panel quietly emerged, the words clear:

[Skill: Golden Robe Skill (Initiate)]

[Progress: (0/5000)]

[Divine Effect: Initial Fusion of Five Foundations, Gold Qi Covering the Body, Invulnerable to Weapons. Initially fuses the Five Elements Origin Qi of the Five Viscera Absorbing Essence Art, the skin-membrane toughness of the Iron Clothes Art, the Protective Aura of the Golden Bell Shield, the spiritual Qi and blood of the Jade Marrow Guiding Technique, and the hard bone strength of the Hundred Refinements Steel Body to form a thin yet tough "Golden Garment" Qi membrane with a faint golden luster on the body's surface. This Qi membrane can significantly weaken the slashes and stabs of ordinary iron weapons and also has a good defensive effect against blunt impacts, making it difficult for ordinary Martial Artists to break through the defense. The Qi and blood within the body are initially connected, slightly increasing recovery power.]

Chen Linsheng stood up and stretched his limbs. Explosive sounds like popping beans came from within his body, and his Qi and blood surged like a great river.

Feeling the endless cycle of Origin Qi within his five viscera and the hidden yet indestructible Golden Garment on his body's surface, a surge of heroic pride rose in his heart.

Second place in the Martial Examination, Minor Achievement in the Five Viscera Absorbing Essence Art, and the initial success of the Golden Robe Skill... In just ten days, his strength had improved once again.

Now, it was time to head to the Border Immortal Cave to explore the secrets behind the "Crimson Flame Great Peng" feather and... further opportunities.

He packed the items in the Immortal Cave, carefully putting away the leather manual of the "Five Viscera Absorbing Essence Art" and the outline of the Golden Robe Skill. He took one last look at this secret place that had brought him countless improvements, turned, and pushed open the stone door.

Outside the door, the moonlight was like water, and the galaxy filled the sky.