Chapter 56: Breaking Through to the Bone Tempering Realm
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
After spending the entire morning refining pills, Chen Fei dedicated himself to the cultivation of inner strength. With each breath, his body rose and fell in sync, and a rising heat began to permeate from his skin into his bones and muscles. The day this heat completely engulfed his entire being would mark his breakthrough into the Bone Tempering realm.
Chen Fei didn’t waste his time in the afternoon and evening either. He refrained from indulging in the pleasures of the brothel or other distractions. Instead, he adopted the lifestyle of an ascetic monk. Chen Fei purchased numerous cultivation technique manuals, aiming to merge and refine his skills. He attempted to combine the sword technique manuals, only to find that the Fire Sword had already reached the stage of Great Completion. It wasn’t that the Fire Sword was inherently strong, but rather the sword technique manuals available in Apricot Fen City were of average quality. The same situation applied to movement technique manuals. Therefore, Chen Fei shifted his focus to archery, seeking to enhance his skills in that area.
The three archery manuals Chen Fei had acquired in Pingyin County were all rudimentary. However, the manuals he purchased in Apricot Fen City provided significant improvements. Chen Fei tirelessly practiced drawing the bow and shooting arrows, dedicating himself to his archery cultivation. To outsiders, Chen Fei’s intense training regimen may have appeared excessive, bordering on obsession. Even Chi Def eng couldn’t help but advise him, concerned about his well-being. Nevertheless, Chen Fei would always smile, listen to the advice, and then continue with his training.
“You are not a fish, so how can you know the joy of a fish?” Chen Fei would respond to concerns with this rhetorical question. He wasn’t naturally inclined to be overly diligent, but the sense of vulnerability in this world pushed him to strive for greater strength. Moreover, he could tangibly feel his progress each day. With every diligent effort, he would reap rewards. Chen Fei had become somewhat fixated on his cultivation. He didn’t view it as a burden but rather enjoyed the process. It was through this enjoyment that he found the perseverance to see things through to completion.
Another ten days flew by in the blink of an eye, bringing the total time spent in Apricot Fen City to over twenty days. Inside the pill room, Chen Fei focused his gaze on the pill furnace before him, sensing the subtle changes in the medicinal properties and adjusting them with his inner strength. As time passed, a delicate medicinal fragrance began to waft through the room, permeating even the courtyard through the gaps in the door. A quarter of an hour swiftly passed, and Chen Fei utilized his technique to gently tap the lid of the furnace. With a muffled sound, he cautiously poked his head out to assess the result. Before his eyes lay a newly formed medicinal pill.
“Success!” A smile involuntarily spread across Chen Fei’s face. Hearing Chen Fei’s exclamation, Chi Defeng, who had been waiting by his side, approached to witness the moment. Chen Fei passed the medicinal pill to Chi Defeng, who handled it with care. It was evident that some remnants had not fully fused with the pill, causing its appearance to appear slightly uneven. If such a medicinal pill were to be sold, no martial artist would purchase it unless it was sold at a better price.
Chi Defeng sought Chen Fei’s opinion with his eyes. Seeing no objection from Chen Fei, he carefully took out a small portion of the medicinal pill and consumed it. After a moment, Chi Defeng opened his eyes and looked at Chen Fei, a hint of disbelief evident in his gaze.
…..
“How is it?” Chen Fei inquired, lifting his head.
“It’s the Eternal Floating Pill,” Chi Defeng affirmed with certainty.
“Looks like we’ll soon be able to sell the Eternal Floating Pill,” Chen Fei couldn’t help but smile.
“Indeed!” Observing Chen Fei deducing and refining the Eternal Floating Pill from scratch, Chi Defeng had no doubts about Chen Fei’s ability to produce high-quality pills in the future.
“However, we might encounter some trouble with selling medicinal pills in Apricot Fen City for the time being,” Chi Defeng returned the Eternal Floating Pill to Chen Fei and frowned.
“Is there an issue?” Chen Fei wasn’t surprised. Where there were profits, trouble was sure to follow. Moreover, they were dealing with the sale of medicinal pills, a highly lucrative trade. The quality of the Light Spirit Pills Chen Fei refined was exceptional, and the potency was evident. Anyone with knowledge in the field would recognize the presence of a skilled alchemist behind them.
With trouble arriving at their doorstep, it became clear that one had to be cautious in big cities. It seemed that their adversary had assessed that Chi Defeng lacked a powerful backing, which emboldened them to confront them openly.
“There is a gang in Apricot Fen City called the Shallow Water Gang. They have targeted our business,” Chi Defeng explained, taking a seat and looking at Chen Fei. “I’ve been monitoring the people they sent to follow us for a few days. They’re likely running out of patience now.”
“In that case, we won’t continue selling for the time being. Let’s wait for the Immortal Cloud Caravan to arrive,” Chen Fei suggested after a moment of contemplation. He had already been selling pills for over 20 days and had earned a considerable sum. Midway through, he had also visited a shop in the alley, purchasing everything he needed except for a sword. He even bought two red candles.
Chen Fei deposited a portion of the silver into the interface, exchanged another portion for silver notes, and kept some as silver scraps for daily expenses. This money would suffice for a short period. Afterward, he could wait until he reached Immortal Cloud City, where he would join a sect and gain a backer. Then, he wouldn’t be so vulnerable.
“Alright, I had the same thought,” Chi Defeng replied, relieved that Chen Fei agreed with his suggestion. As a seasoned individual, Chi Defeng had witnessed countless conflicts of interest. Being outsiders in Apricot Fen City, it was risky for them to engage in conflicts with the local gangs. Chi Defeng was ambitious and desired wealth, but he would never jeopardize his life for money.
Of course, Chen Fei could sell the pills he refined to other shops. However, since they had already attracted the attention of the Shallow Water Gang, Chen Fei couldn’t be certain which shops were affiliated with them. It would be risky to sell the pills to just any shop. Thus, Chen Fei decided against it, as less money was preferable to increased danger.
Another month went by, bringing the total time spent in Apricot Fen City to almost two months. Although the Immortal Cloud Caravan had yet to arrive, Chen Fei’s space grid was already brimming with hundreds of Light Spirit Pills. By refining the Light Spirit Pills, he could improve and simplify the recipe for the Eternal Floating Pill.
With his proficiency in the Shocking Swallowing Art reaching the Master level and progressing towards Perfection, Chen Fei had achieved self-sufficiency in consuming the Eternal Floating Pills. The increased proficiency also allowed him to now swallow four Eternal Floating Pills per day. As a result, the Bone Tempering realm, which would typically take nearly three months to break through, had already reached a critical point.
Observing his progress on the interface, Chen Fei took out a Eternal Floating Pill and swallowed it. As soon as the Eternal Floating Pill entered his mouth, it dissolved instantly, unleashing a surge of heat that expanded within his body.
As the Shocking Swallowing Art circulated rapidly, the energy from the pill surged throughout Chen Fei’s body, particularly his skin and flesh, emanating an extraordinary high temperature. Through his inner vision, he could perceive the energy within his muscles relentlessly attacking and compressing his bones. Over time, this compression intensified.
A buzzing sensation reverberated within his soul, and Chen Fei’s eyes suddenly snapped open. Rising from the ground, the sound of bones and tendons resonated throughout the pill room. Unbeknownst to him, his figure grew slightly taller, exuding an aura as deep as the abyss. Chen Fei’s appearance was completely transformed from his previous skinny and tanned self.
[Realm: Bone Tempering realm (3/100000)]
At that moment, a knock echoed from outside the courtyard. Chen Fei walked out of the pill room and opened the door.
“Are you Chen Fei?” A young boy stood before him, his tongue still licking a candied fruit. He looked up at Chen Fei and asked.
“Yes, what is it?” Chen Fei inquired.
“Uncle Chi told me to tell you to run!” the boy exclaimed urgently..