In the Courtyard
Sitting under the moonlight, Jiang Ning finished organizing his thoughts and then pulled out a yellowed piece of paper from his spatial ring. This paper contained detailed explanations of the sixth-grade Bone Tempering Realm in martial arts.
He had obtained this paper when he exchanged it for the seventh-grade realm details at the Internal Affairs Department. Although he had already read it before, he decided to go through it again to ensure he hadn't missed anything.
As his eyes scanned the tiny ant-like characters on the paper, illuminated by the bright moonlight, he carefully reviewed the contents. This time, however, no experience points for his Literacy skills appeared. According to the rules he had deduced, repeated reading didn't yield additional experience.
After a while, Jiang Ning finished reading. The information on the paper was now deeply engraved in his mind as if carved with a chisel.
Recalling the details, the explanation of the sixth-grade Bone Tempering Realm resurfaced in his thoughts.
According to the paper, the Bone Tempering Realm was the final stage of external body refinement. After tempering the bones, the entire skeletal structure would become as hard as refined iron. At this stage, even thousand-fold refined iron would struggle to break human bones. Only then could the body be considered truly powerful and complete.
The method of bone tempering was inspired by blacksmithing techniques repeated hammering to refine iron into steel. In this realm, the practitioner would use their vital energy to form hammers, repeatedly striking their bones to remove impurities and strengthen them. This process was why the realm was called Bone Tempering.
The realm was divided into several stages:
Iron Bones: The initial stage of the sixth grade. The bones would turn silver-white, resembling pure iron. Only at this stage would the bones achieve a transformation in hardness, comparable to refined iron. Practitioners at this stage would possess skin like bronze and bones like iron, making them incredibly difficult to kill. Even a sword made of refined iron would struggle to cut through their bones.
Mystic Bones: The bones would take on a dark, glossy hue, as tough as hundred-fold refined iron. This was the intermediate stage of the sixth grade. The flesh monster Jiang Ning had killed a few days ago had reached this stage, with bones that were black and glossy.
Jade Bones: The bones would transform into a jade-like color, smooth and flawless. This was the pinnacle of the sixth grade.
The paper also mentioned a rare, almost mythical stage beyond these: Divine Bones. According to the Martial Sage, achieving Divine Bones was a crucial step toward attaining the Martial Sage's body. This single mention from the Martial Sage was considered priceless, as the Martial Sage was the only person in history to have achieved such a feat.
The Martial Sage, who had single-handedly established the Great Xia Dynasty, was a figure of unparalleled martial prowess. His insights into the Martial Sage's body were invaluable.
"Divine Bones," Jiang Ning murmured to himself, pondering the concept.
He then revisited the details of the Bone Tempering Realm.
To cross the threshold into the sixth grade and achieve Iron Bones, the most critical step was to grasp and control spiritual energy. The stronger the spiritual energy, the greater the control over one's body. Only then could one refine their vital energy into small hammers to repeatedly strike and temper their bones, removing impurities and increasing hardness.
This process was akin to refining iron into steel through repeated hammering. However, achieving this required spiritual energy strong enough to materialize outside the body, such as lifting a falling leaf with spiritual energy alone. This step alone had stumped countless seventh-grade peak martial artists, as strengthening spiritual energy was incredibly difficult.
Additionally, the strength of one's vital energy was crucial for the efficiency and progress of bone tempering. To achieve Iron Bones, one needed vital energy as vast as a river. This was the threshold. Only with such abundant vital energy could one temper their bones to the Iron Bones stage.
The hallmark of this level of vital energy was the sound of rushing water within the body when the energy was mobilized.
To progress to Mystic Bones, even more robust vital energy was required vital energy like a roaring river. The hallmark of this stage was the thunderous sound of a raging river within the body.
Finally, to achieve Jade Bones, one needed vital energy as vast as the sea. At this stage, the vital energy would appear calm on the surface but could unleash a tsunami-like force when mobilized.
With a thought, Jiang Ning activated his vital energy.
Rumble
The sound of a roaring river echoed within his body.
"My vital energy has already reached the level of a river," Jiang Ning thought. "This means that with my current vital energy, reaching the Mystic Bones stage shouldn't be a problem."
"As for spiritual energy, I'm far ahead. My spiritual energy can extend nearly a hundred meters."
Despite this, Jiang Ning wasn't satisfied. He knew that while the sixth grade might make him a dominant figure in Luoshui County, it wouldn't be enough in Dongling Prefecture. There, one needed to reach at least the fifth grade to be considered significant.
Even within the fifth grade, there were vast differences in strength. For example, the Valley Master of the Medicine King Valley, a peak fifth-grade expert, could effortlessly kill a newly ascended fifth-grade martial artist. Such a figure could single-handedly slay a thousand elite soldiers armed and armored.
In Jiang Ning's eyes, only such a powerhouse could be considered a true heavyweight in Dongling Prefecture. Only someone of that caliber could stand their ground against the Earl of Qinghe's family.
After all, the Earl of Qinghe's family was no longer what it once was. During the founding of the Great Xia Dynasty, the Earl had been a second-rank official with vast territories. Now, after generations of division, the current Earl held only an honorary title and a fourth-rank position without any fiefs.
In the current state of the Earl's family, unless they tapped into their hidden resources, a peak fifth-grade martial artist might be able to hold their own against them.
In the entire Dongling Prefecture, Jiang Ning knew of only a handful of experts who had surpassed the fifth grade.
With a deep breath, Jiang Ning closed his eyes.
In an instant, his spiritual field expanded, covering a radius of a hundred meters. Every movement within this range was under his watch.
"My spiritual energy has grown several times stronger compared to a few days ago," Jiang Ning murmured as he opened his eyes.
Then, with a flash of determination, he took out a golden box.
This box was a spoil of war from a sixth-grade martial artist of the Worship Sect. Inside was a statue of a deity, floating in a pool of blood.
The last time he opened the box, the whispers from the deity statue had nearly overwhelmed him. Now, with his spiritual energy several times stronger, he felt confident he could handle it.
"Even last time, I managed to break free from the statue's influence. With my current spiritual energy, it should be even easier," Jiang Ning thought.
With that, he opened the box.
Inside, the statue of the deity, with three heads, six arms, and four legs, floated in the blood. As Jiang Ning observed it, the statue's closed eyes suddenly opened.
"Worship me, and your body will be eternal..."
"Serve me, and your body will ascend..."
"Devote yourself to me, and your body will be indestructible..."
The whispers filled Jiang Ning's ears, attempting to twist his thoughts.
In an instant, Jiang Ning saw a vision: an endless sea of blood, littered with lifelike corpses. At the center of the sea, the three-headed, six-armed, four-legged monster slowly approached him.
But this time, Jiang Ning's eyes flashed, and the illusion shattered like a mirror.
A moment later, he returned to reality. The whispers ceased, and the statue's eyes closed again as if they had never opened.
"As expected, my spiritual energy has grown enough to resist the statue's influence," Jiang Ning murmured.
He then pondered, "If that's the case, perhaps the so-called Flesh God isn't as terrifying as it seems. After all, I'm only a seventh-grade martial artist."
"According to ancient texts, true deities wield the power of heaven and earth, their abilities surpassing even immortals."
His attention then turned to the blood inside the box. As he opened the box, a rich, enticing aroma filled his nostrils. It was like the smell of roasted meat to a man who had starved for three days.
Gulp
Jiang Ning swallowed hard. His body's instincts screamed at him that the blood in the box held immense benefits. Every cell in his body seemed to crave it.
Snap
With great effort, Jiang Ning closed the box and let out a long breath.
The temptation had been overwhelming. He feared that if he had waited any longer, he might have succumbed to the urge to drink the blood, like a starving vampire.
The thought sent a shiver down his spine.
The blood was sinister, and he had no idea what would happen if he consumed it. The consequences could be irreversible.
"This thing is too dangerous," Jiang Ning muttered, staring at the box.
After a few moments of contemplation, he made a decision.
"I can't identify this blood. Tomorrow, I'll take a drop to Lin Qingyi and see if she can recognize it."
"If my body reacts so strongly to it, it might be something incredibly valuable."
"To rapidly increase my strength, I'll need some extraordinary opportunities."
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