Chapter 224: Chapter 223: Pleasing to the Eye and Mind

Before starting his watch, Wu Chen had already arranged with Sun Yuting and her group that he would stand guard for the entire night. As for the Hidden Wind Valley Elder on the massive rock, he couldn’t move anyway, so there was no fear of him escaping.

The rest of Hidden Wind Valley’s forces were also trapped in the mountains, surrounded by a thousand Demon Suppression Guards from the Demon Suppression Bureau.

Therefore, this mountain forest held no real danger.

To allocate points to his Martial Arts faster, Wu Chen’s figure vanished into the pitch-black night, leaping toward a location on the mountain with even denser cold qi.

Following a mountain path, his movements were swift and agile. Without needing to activate ’Intercepting Meridians’ to search for the qi among the rocks and trees, he quickly found a spot beneath a withered tree where the cold qi was exceptionally dense.

This was because a stream of white mist, visible to the naked eye, was rising from the ground and dispersing in all directions.

Just getting a little closer to this icy stream of qi, although his skin showed no signs of cracking, the cold air seemed to seep into his very bones, bringing a stabbing pain like a dull knife carving flesh.

Even Wu Chen had to tense every muscle in his body to resist the discomfort.

He stopped in place and opened his panel.

[Cold Qi Body Forging Skill · Precious (981/5000)]

The entry-level proficiency requirement had been reduced from 15,000 to 5,000!

"It actually shortened the time by two-thirds!"

Wu Chen nodded in satisfaction, planning to stay here until the point allocation was complete.

Although going further up the mountain would certainly mean even stronger cold qi, and he estimated he could save another third of the time, the summit was just ahead, guarded by a Cloud Pattern Captain and a large number of Demon Suppression Guards.

There was really no need to attract their attention.

Besides, his current location already met his needs.

’But, while the time has been shortened, the pain is also very real...’ Wu Chen stood in the center of the qi stream, clenching his jaw.

The frigid wind raged, sweeping over his body and piercing him to the bone.

Unlike on the mountainside earlier, the cold qi here was as solid as a blade, and every second felt like a weapon sliding across his skin.

But even so, Wu Chen’s expression betrayed no hint of pain.

He simply lifted his gaze expressionlessly toward the summit and began to ponder:

’I’ve already obtained Hidden Wind Valley’s ultimate Martial Art. There’s no need to venture into the valley to see what other treasures might be there.’

’Besides, if there were truly some purer Spiritual Objects for forging the body, why would the Sect Leader and Elders of Hidden Wind Valley go through the trouble of tempering their bodies with this cold wind?’

After a moment of thought, Wu Chen looked away, his interest waning.

Thinking of that withered, emaciated Elder, Wu Chen didn’t believe there was anything in Hidden Wind Valley worth a personal trip.

The Demon Suppression Bureau was besieging Hidden Wind Valley this time because the valley had been abducting commoners, colluding with demonic beings, and creating some sort of ’great medicine’.

It wasn’t because of some coveted treasure they wanted to seize.

So, apart from the even denser cold qi, there was likely nothing else in the valley worth his attention.

With that thought, Wu Chen focused on the point allocation progress on his panel.

Then, WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!—he began to inhale furiously once more, continuing his epic-level lungfuls!

"Intense!"

Feeling the piercing cold in his throat, Wu Chen’s entire body shuddered, his cheeks trembling.

The biting, blade-like wind rushing down his throat was more potent than any strong liquor in the martial world.

But the results were also obvious:

[Entry-level Proficiency +30]

[Entry-level Proficiency +30]

[...]

Every breath he took and released caused his proficiency to skyrocket.

He had originally thought it would take the entire night, but supported by his formidable physique, Wu Chen finished allocating points for this Body Refining Skill in just half the night.

Wu Chen returned stealthily. Hearing the sounds of breathing from within the thick tent, he felt greatly relieved.

He stood in his usual spot, his face a little pale and his teeth chattering slightly.

Inhaling the cold qi for the better part of half a night had naturally made him suffer, but thankfully, it was all worth it.

He looked at his panel:

[Deep Red Host] Wu Chen

[Martial Arts Realm] Seventh Layer of the Leakless Realm

[Martial Arts & Cultivation Techniques] ’Intercepting Meridians and Capturing Dragons · Precious’, ’Mountain-Shattering Steps · Precious’, ’Mountain-Breaking Saber · Precious’, ’Cold Qi Body Forging Skill · Precious’...

With the point allocation for this Body Refining Skill complete, his realm also advanced from the Sixth Layer of the Leakless Realm to the Seventh Layer, entering the late stage of the Leakless Realm.

’I thought a body-refining Martial Art wouldn’t raise my realm...’

’Maybe it’s because it’s a ’Precious-grade’ Martial Art?’

The realm advancement was a surprise to Wu Chen. After all, it was a Martial Art focused on honing the body’s toughness, which in his mind shouldn’t have had much to do with one’s realm.

Still, a realm advancement was, of course, a good thing.

Wu Chen’s gaze continued down the panel. It was a clean sweep of ’Precious-grade’ Martial Arts, a very pleasing and satisfying sight.

’I wonder what the suffix for even more powerful Martial Arts will be.’

Wu Chen pondered this for a moment, but he quickly cast aside such meaningless thoughts that offered no immediate help.

After all, he couldn’t obtain such Martial Arts by just thinking about them.

He had to fight, kill, and compete for them!

’But according to my master, these ’Precious-grade’ Martial Arts are enough to last me a long time. I shouldn’t aim too high too soon.’

’Besides, these Martial Arts are all incredibly powerful killing moves. ’Intercepting Meridians and Capturing Dragons’ alone is enough for me to walk all over anyone!’

’What I need to consider next is the number of Martial Arts at the same level, or perhaps pills would also work.’

Wu Chen was no longer focused on acquiring single Martial Arts. As he accumulated them, the improvements to his physique began to undergo a qualitative change.

The qi within his five viscera had become frighteningly profound.

This also increased his digestion speed for high-grade pills to a terrifying rate.

This change naturally made things more convenient for Wu Chen, and his methods for advancement were no longer limited to just one path.

Otherwise, if he kept exchanging his merits for Martial Arts, it would be easy for others to notice something was amiss.

’This makes things much more convenient.’

As Wu Chen was thinking this, his expression suddenly froze. He had just thought of something.

The qi of the five viscera?!

He remembered Sun Yuting saying that Hidden Wind Valley’s Body Refining Skill didn’t just forge the external physique; the internal qi and one’s very source would also be transformed and enhanced through the cold qi tempering!

Just now, after he’d finished allocating the points and inhaling a great deal of cold qi, he hadn’t been able to take it anymore and had hurried down the mountain, immediately checking his panel.

In the rush, he hadn’t taken the time to inspect the internal changes to his body.

At this thought, Wu Chen immediately closed his eyes and looked inward, examining the state of his body after being forged by the cold qi.

As his inner gaze swept through him, the first thing he saw was the Rhombic Crystal source between his flesh and bones, now glowing brilliantly after being tempered by the cold qi.

This change had already begun at the start of the point allocation, but now that the tempering was complete, every single Rhombic Crystal source within his body was radiating light.

’It seems I still have a long way to go before my life source reaches its next transformation.’

Wu Chen saw no change in the color of his source; it was still silver-white, only brighter.

’Improving one’s life source isn’t such an easy task, it seems.’

’I’ll probably have to feed it a large amount of Spiritual Objects...’

Wu Chen shook his head slightly, then turned his attention to the qi lying dormant within his five viscera.

WHOOSH!—Upon seeing the change in the five strands of qi, Wu Chen’s breath unconsciously grew hot with excitement.

The five strands of qi were now intermingled with countless Rhombic Crystal sources, resembling five exquisite little silver snakes coiled quietly within his five viscera.

Before, no matter how one described the qi in his five viscera—as thick as ropes, as dense as could be, or even exaggerating to say it was like a coiled beast or a churning flood dragon—none of it was as visually intuitive as the current image of these five little snakes cloaked in silver Rhombic Crystal source.

’Before, my qi needed a quarter of an hour to digest one Top Grade Nourishing Essence Pill.’

’Now, it probably won’t even take half that time!’

Seeing the state of these strands of qi, Wu Chen had a hunch and immediately tossed a pill into his mouth to verify the effect.

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