Chapter 54: Emperor Bone
Translator: Editor:
After that beyond-imagination offensive, Wang Lu successfully acquired the Lady Boss’s commitment. A week later, the three of them would hike the Small Clear Sky Peak again.
The reason why they picked that day was that, a week after that day, the peak owner, the Seventh Elder, would come back. By then, they wouldn’t be free to roam the Small Clear Sky Peak anymore.
However, having Lady Boss as his super strong foreign aid, Wang Lu was confident that they would finish their operation within a week. At first, he initially thought that only his master, the Fifth Elder, could help him wreak havoc at the Small Clear Sky Peak. However, after acquiring the permission document and the Lady Boss’s consent, with her power level, wouldn’t the so-called Small Clear Sky Peak be no different than his own backyard?
This was the problem-solving logic of a professional adventurer. After finding out his existing lineup wasn’t sufficient to reach his target, his first reaction was not to make up for the shortcomings, but to directly find a drastic method. Acquiring the help of the Lady Boss was a very typical example.
Moreover, his choice for the date has another reason: after the last experiential learning, Wang Lu felt that he was about to break through the eighth layer of the Non-Phase Sword Bone. As such, he used this week to enhance his cultivation to cross through the last hurdle of the Body Refining Stage.
This was another typical problem-solving logic of a professional adventurer: if you could handle it yourself, do not request help from other people. After all, if Wang Lu’s cultivation level was high enough, he could just go straight to the Small Clear Sky Peak by himself, why would he bother with all the hassle?
In the road of Immortal Cultivation, the most important thing was the Immortal Cultivation itself. Thus, even though Wang Lu passed the six courses examinations with flying colors, which made him end up with nearly ten thousand challenge points, he never became complacent. On the contrary, his sense of crisis continued to strengthen.
Because for the last two years, even someone as stupid as Wen Bao had reached the eighth level of Qi Cultivating Stage—the fatty was lucky enough to make a breakthrough at their previous experiential learning. However, Wang Lu himself was still at the Body Refining Stage; this meant his basic foundation was no doubt more solid than anyone else in the sect. Fighting one-on-one, he could beat Wen Bao until the latter cried out for his mom and dad, however, it didn’t change the fact that his level was still low.
Fortunately, all his two years of efforts were not in vain. Now, Wang Lu was ready to make a breakthrough with his cultivation level. After a long preparation, the eighth layer of his Non-Phase Sword Bone finally came to the last hurdle. When he broke through that, his Body Refining Stage would be completed. The prelude to the endless path of Immortal Cultivation finally ended. As for whether he could cultivate with his Void Spirit Root, he would know the answer then. To this end, Wang Lu had set aside the whole week to do this—to ensure that it would be surefire.
Of course, this alone was not enough. Before his master left, she seriously warned him that, at the last hurdle of the eighth layer of Non-Phase Sword Bone, he must find a person to guard him.
Actually, without her telling him that, just based on the fact that Non-Phase Method was handed down by someone without a lower limit like her, Wang Lu would never feel assure to boldly train according to the method without precaution, especially since the last hurdle of this eighth layer was a critical stage. Thus, he would definitely look for someone to guard him. The question was who?
The answer was actually very simple, his master. However, his master had fled to sell the stolen goods, thus, he had to go down the mountain and look for the Lady Boss, his other master, and explain the crucial period that he was about to face—even his Internal Inspection Method was taught by her; if he didn’t look for her this time, who else should he go look for?
Luckily, the Lady Boss also seemed very interested in watching over him.
“Although that fellow Wang Wu has many shortcomings, her Non-Phase Method is indeed profound. Especially this Non-Phase Sword Bone, each updated edition has a surprise. What you are currently practicing is the latest version that I haven’t seen yet. So this time, even if you don’t ask me to guard you, I would still want to watch it till the end!”
“Okay... So she thinks of me as a monkey? So be it! As long as she keeps watching me, I have nothing to worry about.”
Thus, in the next five days, Wang Lu stayed at the Ru Family Inn. He even skipped the daily cultural class, all for this eighth layer of the Non-Phase Sword Bone. Besides taking the daily supplements on time, he performed the daily routine according to the note. Although he didn’t do any further practice, his previous training was already deep enough. With the help of drugs, portions of astonishing energy gradually converged, brewed, and was ready to burst.
Of course, Wang Lu watched the whole process through his Internal Inspection Method.
Within this visual inspection, deep into the darkness, more than two hundred Jade Pillars had glittered with golden light. In the vast expanse of space, under the illumination of this light, he could see countless roads spread around. Some of the roads were connected to each other and formed a huge loop; the others gradually became smaller and fine as they penetrated deeply into the faraway place beyond the light. By the roadside, there were galloping rivers and continuous mountains.
In just one month, Wang Lu had almost mastered this Internal Inspection Method. In his current level, the meridians, bones, flesh and blood were already clearly discernible; he knew every little change that was happening to him. Even the Lady Boss could not help but click her tongue in amazement of his terrifying progress. From the note left behind by his Master, once he completed the Body Refining Stage, the secret to his Void Spirit Root would come to light, although it would be just a small part of it.
Of course, this wasn’t strange; based on the Immortal Cultivation Standard, this Body Refining Stage was just a start, and the next step… according to the note, was to adjust the body’s breathing rhythm, which was to move the qi, so that the golden light of the more than two hundred Jade Pillars would flicker with the same rhythm. After which, the truth would then naturally appear.
In five days, all he did was just this. Although his Master’s note only has a few words regarding this, the actual operation was truly heinous! With Wang Lu’s present ability, to adjust the flashing rhythm of a single Jade Pillar was not difficult. But if it were more, the difficulty would exponentially rise. Moreover, to simultaneously harmonize more than two hundred Jade Pillars… It nearly caused his mind to split.
Fortunately, Wang Lu was indeed Wang Lu. After continuous meditation for four days and four nights, he finally found the trick on how to get them all flash together at the same time. Along with the harmonization of the flicker of light, his body’s finer details have finally revealed themselves. Among them, the “stars in the sky”, which symbolized the orifices and acupuncture points in the body, were distributed throughout the space. In addition, there seemed to be “boundaries” at the tip of the Jade Pillars.
However, while the golden light from the more than two hundred Jade Pillars brightly flashed, he was only barely able to see these new details. But once the lights were dimmed, the space immediately hid them in the darkness. Nevertheless, as the eighth layer’s final hurdle became nearer and nearer, the golden lights from the Jade Pillars became increasingly bright, and the flashing frequency had also accelerated. As such, these details became more difficult to hide, signaling that the the breakthrough could happen at any moment.
By the sixth day late in the evening, the opportunity to breakthrough has finally arrived. When the more than two hundred Jade Pillars harmoniously flashed together, the light suddenly turned extremely bright. However, before he could examine closely, the light suddenly dimmed down. At the same time, a new source of light slowly appeared at the center of the space.
Human bodies normally have two hundred and six bones. Although it varied from person to person, after cultivating for more than two years, Wang Lu had confirmed that the number of bones in his body was the same as everyone else… If so, then where did this new bone come from?
His Master didn’t write too clearly about this in her note. However, upon witnessing the birth of this new bone, Wang Lu suddenly understood the meaning of the eighth layer of Sword Bone.
The flickering of the golden light on the Jade Pillars was like the breathing of a newly born creature. However, it wasn’t enough for the Jade Pillar to just flicker with golden light. The next step was to integrate the rhythm of its flicker with the others so that they could synchronize with each other. Thus, Wang Lu adjusted his breathing, causing the flicker of light from this bone to harmonize with the others.
However, this step was still not enough, because this harmonization was only achieved through Wang Lu’s deep meditation. Once he relaxed his breathing, the rhythm would turn messy again. However, no matter how talented Wang Lu was, it was impossible for him to always be in the state of deep meditation—unless he intended to be a vegetable.
Thus, the next goal was clear: try to get these bones within control without the master directly controlling them. To achieve this, Wang Wu came up with a plan, which was to use the rhythm harmonization of these two hundred and six Jade Pillars, which symbolized their energy excitation, to create a brand new bone.
This newly born bone was a cut above the rest. Once born, it would force the rest of the bones to synchronized with it, thus achieving harmonization without the need to meditate. Therefore, this piece of bone could be called as Emperor Bone.
Having reached this stage, regardless of Wang Lu’s many criticisms of his master, he had to admit that this self-made method was a proper Immortal Cultivation Method. Although the eighth layer of the Non-Phase Sword Bone merely completed the Body Refining Stage, it contained sophisticated technique. The effectiveness of this sword bone was completely above any mortal world’s martial art. After spending two years in the sect, he had witnessed many Immortal World’s methods and techniques. Not to mention those Qi gathering techniques that didn’t emphasize on the body refining, even some Foundation Establishment techniques of body training paled in comparison to this eighth layer of Non-Phase Sword Bone!
However, behind the high gain, there was always the high risk. While Wang Lu was still deep in meditation and trying to grow the Emperor Bone according to the method on the note, a change suddenly occurred.
He suddenly felt excruciating pain coming from the two hundred and six bones in his body, as if they have completely shattered. It was painful enough to destroy the mind of a normal person.
Wang Lu’s breathing nearly turned into a mess. Fortunately, he was a cultivator with extraordinary perseverance. Soon, he forcefully put this astonishing pain under control. However, the next moment, the newly born Emperor Bone suddenly jerked; the pain that it caused was several times stronger than the previous pain!
The reason for this was simple. Since the Emperor Bone was born an “emperor”, how could it let itself be commanded by Wang Lu?
The moment this Emperor Bone was born, the other two hundred and six bones immediately surrendered to it. It then commanded these two hundred strong armies to raise a rebellion against Wang Lu.
At this critical juncture, the immense pain caused by this Emperor Bone went beyond reason. Wang Lu’s painstaking psychological line of defense instantly fell apart! His body suddenly flung like a bullet!
Unsurprisingly, he found himself about to suffer from qi deviation the next moment; soon, his body would shut down. But at this moment, the Lady Boss who was watching over him came to the rescue.
Bam!
The action of the Lady Boss was simple and brutal; she shot her palm at Wang Lu’s chest where the heart was located.
At the same time, the Emperor Bone, which rose a rebellion inside Wang Lu’s body, suddenly shook as if it was struck by lighting! A moment later, it calmed down and became silent.
Wang Lu’s whole energy which converged in that Emperor Bone actually lost to a single palm strike from the Lady Boss!
Having settled the Emperor Bone, the rest of the bones also settled down as the pain slowly receded.
Wang Lu slowly opened his eyes and breathed a long sigh of relief.
Just now, the changes that happened to him were too sudden and contained many twists and turns. There was a moment where the excruciating pain almost shredded his mind, and right now, although his bones had settled down, the residual pain would still sometimes flared up. Fortunately, it wasn’t too difficult to resist them. However, when he recalled it afterward… That moment was really dangerous! If the Lady Boss’s action was even a tad slower, then everything would be off!
No wonder before leaving. his master had repeatedly exhorted him to find someone to guard him. Had he had no one to assist him in this kind of situation, the moment he broke through the eighth layer of the Non-Phase Sword Bone, he would die without a doubt. However, he was saved because he had the Lady Boss who turned the tides for him...
“How do you feel now?”
As the hero, the girl asked with a face full of concern.
Wang Lu cleared his throat. “Minister, many thanks for pacifying the rebellion. Zhen [1] will grant you a hereditary title of Iron Hat King [2].”
“Get lost.”
[1] How Emperors called themselves.
[2] Hereditary title from the Qing Empire.