[True Yang Body: Mastery Level (6%)]
After upgrading his True Yang Body to Mastery Level, Yang Jing discovered that reaching the next level would cost a staggering five thousand Spirit Stones. An amount like that was enough to buy a Foundation Establishment Spiritual Object. On top of that, the presence of Tribulation Cultivators and spies from Foundation Establishment Clans in the Marketplace was growing, so he decisively gave up on upgrading it any further.
Iron Head's insanely efficient Alchemy had driven down the price of Tier One Middle Grade Spirit Pills in Huangyuan Marketplace by several Spirit Crystals, to the point that even the Great Trading Houses were growing restless.
With a thought, Yang Jing chose to share Iron Head's realm in the True Yang Body.
A massive amount of information flooded his mind like a tidal wave. A moment later, all of Iron Head's experience and insights regarding the True Yang Body surged into his consciousness. With a trembling hand, Yang Jing picked up his teacup and took a sip of Spirit Tea to ease the throbbing pain in his head.
[True Yang Body: Mastery Level (6%)]
Yang Jing hadn't expected that sharing the realm of a Cultivation Technique only cost one level of Cultivation. He then spent Iron Head's two remaining levels of Cultivation, allocating them to his Bright Qi Talent.
[Bright Qi (45%)]
[Bright Qi (50%)]
This enhancement didn't cause a major change in the Spiritual Qi visible to Yang Jing, only making it more subtle. His nose, however, suddenly felt as if it had been unblocked, allowing him to clearly smell the different types of Spiritual Mechanisms in the air.
Although his sense of smell wasn't as intuitive as sight, it was far more useful in areas with complex terrain.
After taking a moment to adapt to the changes in his Bright Qi Talent, Yang Jing sat cross-legged on the large boulder in his courtyard. He was finally about to begin cultivating the long-awaited True Yang Body.
He circulated his qi and blood along the pathways recorded in the True Yang Body technique. Thanks to his foundation from practicing the Twenty-Four Solar Terms Swordsmanship, this step went very smoothly.
His persistent consumption of Blood Circulation Pills and Demon Beast Flesh, combined with his practice of the Twenty-Four Solar Terms Swordsmanship, had allowed Yang Jing to build a solid foundation. His qi and blood surged like a great river, comparable to that of demons like the Tiger Demon, which were renowned for their powerful qi and blood.
When circulating at such high speeds, the slightest loss of control over one's qi and blood could cause internal injuries. However, Yang Jing's Mastery Level of the True Yang Body prevented this from happening, allowing him to manipulate the flow of his qi and blood with masterful ease.
He mentally calculated, pinpointing the location of the Acupoint according to the True Yang Body technique.
A dozen or so breaths later, the skin below his navel twitched violently. He had found the Shenque Acupoint.
Yang Jing took a deep breath, circulating the qi and blood throughout his body and surging it toward the Shenque Acupoint. His qi and blood were immensely powerful, and the Acupoint was forced open without incident.
The moment the Shenque Acupoint opened, Yang Jing felt as if a shackle had been cast off. The upper limit of his qi and blood increased by a large margin.
Yang Jing consumed an Upper Grade Blood Circulation Pill, restoring his qi and blood to their peak condition. He then used the newly opened Shenque Acupoint to absorb the Celestial Yang Qi from the heavens and earth.
He consciously guided the Celestial True Yang to wash over his body, letting it course through his limbs and bones. The hidden injuries he had sustained previously were completely healed by this cleansing, and the lingering Elixir Poison that had accumulated in his body was swept away.
After completing one full Circulation, Yang Jing gathered the wisps of Celestial True Yang to nurture them within his Shenque Acupoint.
He opened a Pill Bottle and, without looking, took out two Blood Circulation Pills and swallowed them. Though he had only converted a single wisp of Celestial True Yang, his combat power had instantly soared.
Yang Jing felt a wave of exhilaration and cast a Cleaning Spell on himself.
The True Yang Body came with several supplementary Combat Techniques and Body Forging Techniques, designed to aid the True Yang in combat and Body Forging. Even on their own, they were considered high-level Body Refining Skills.
Unfortunately, although Iron Head could directly cultivate Human Race Cultivation Techniques due to being a descendant of a Celestial Demon, his physical form prevented him from practicing these Combat and Body Forging Techniques.
Nevertheless, his Mastery Level in the True Yang Body allowed him to grasp these Combat and Body Forging Techniques with ease.
Yang Jing leaped off the boulder. The first skill he chose to practice was the Body Forging Skill, Tiger Roar Iron Cloth Shirt. Although its name sounded rather plain and unimpressive, it was the refined essence of the Nine Yang Sect's millennia-long heritage, constantly revised and improved upon.
The complete Tiger Roar Iron Cloth Shirt consisted of only nine stances and eighty-one variations, each requiring the True Yang within the body to resonate with the movement. With a single execution, wisps of True Yang would carry his qi and blood surging like a tide, washing over his skin, muscles, and bones.
Even with his robust physique and powerful qi and blood, practicing it just once left him pale and light-headed. His skin turned crimson, as if it had been scalded by boiling water, and wisps of steam rose from his body.
A sharp glint flashed in his eyes. After practicing the Tiger Roar Iron Cloth Shirt just once, he could feel his skin had become much tougher. He could instantly detect the slightest change in airflow, reaching a realm of sensitivity so profound that a fly could not land on him, nor a feather be added, without his notice.
Yang Jing didn't take another Blood Circulation Pill. Although Upper Grade Blood Circulation Pills contained very little Elixir Poison, it was still unwise to consume too many in one day. He took out a piece of Tiger Demon Flesh, cut it into chunks, and cooked a large pot of broth with Spiritual Spring Water and Tiger Demon Bone.
The man and his dog devoured the entire pot of Demon Beast Flesh.
"Master, I want to practice the Tiger Roar Iron Cloth Shirt, too."
Iron Head's eyes were fixed on Yang Jing as he wrote on the ground with his paw.
Yang Jing ruffled the dog's head.
"Iron Head, you just focus on researching the True Yang Body and your Alchemy. I'll find an opportunity to gather the ingredients and refine a batch of Transformation Pills for you."
'He was afraid Iron Head might slack off. His own future plans for Foundation Establishment relied on Iron Head's hard work.'
The Transformation Pill allowed a Demon to assume human form during the Qi Cultivation Stage, without having to wait until the Foundation Establishment Stage. Because they could practice human Cultivation Techniques after transforming, the Transformation Pill sold for an astronomical price among demons.
However, the ingredients for the Transformation Pill all needed to be at least a century old, making it a Tier Two Spiritual Pill. Furthermore, many of its ingredients were also primary components for other elixirs that advanced the Cultivation of Foundation Establishment Stage cultivators, so very few Pill Masters would bother to refine it.
Moreover, all Pill Formulas related to demons were strictly controlled by the Six Great Sects, and ordinary Independent Cultivators had no way of obtaining them.
This didn't stop Yang Jing from dangling a carrot in front of Iron Head, though. According to his plan, refining a Transformation Pill wasn't entirely impossible.
Iron Head's brow perked up, his round, black eyes shining with immense anticipation as he gazed at Yang Jing. In his eyes, Yang Jing was omnipotent. He excitedly circled Yang Jing twice, then, as if he'd had a shot of adrenaline, prepared to fire up the cauldron for Alchemy.
Yang Jing coughed twice and cleared his throat. Even for someone as thick-skinned as him, he found Iron Head's adoring gaze a bit much to handle.
Over the next month, he focused all his energy on the True Yang Body. His punches now faintly whistled through the air, and his skin, constantly cleansed by the Celestial True Yang, had grown incredibly tough—even surpassing Iron Head's.
The Tiger Roar Iron Cloth Shirt allowed the True Yang to strengthen his entire body more effectively and comprehensively.
His body had undergone a dramatic transformation. His Qi Power had increased immensely, and his five senses had become incredibly sharp; he could clearly hear a person's voice from a hundred meters away.
All his qi and blood had been converted into Celestial True Yang, which coursed through his limbs and bones, unearthing his body's latent potential. In just over a month, his progress in the True Yang Dharma Body had already surpassed that of a Nine Yang Sect Inner Sect disciple after a full year of training. Moreover, he could now effortlessly release his True Yang externally.
The externalized True Yang was a greenish-gold color, lustrous like amber, yet it undulated ceaselessly like a True Fire, its flame-like light flickering. Its power far surpassed that of his Five Talisman Scripture Magical Power.