Chen Lin stood at the courtyard gate, watching his father and older brother disappear into the edge of the forest, his heart pounding like a drum in his chest.
The waiting time felt exceptionally long.
The sun struggled from behind the hazy clouds to the top of the sky, then slowly began to set in the west.
Chen Lin sat restlessly in the house, the beast-skin scroll spread before him, but he couldn't make out a single word on it.
Yun Niang, understanding, did not disturb him, only quietly brought in a bowl of hot water in between.
He didn't know how much time had passed.
Finally, heavy footsteps sounded from outside the courtyard, along with the 'shuffling' sound of heavy objects being dragged across the ground!
Chen Lin abruptly rushed out of the house.
At the courtyard gate, Chen Dashan and Chen Shisheng had returned.
Both were covered in mud and dark brown stains; Chen Shisheng's cotton jacket sleeve was torn open, revealing a blood-soaked strip of cloth underneath, and his face showed clear fatigue, but his eyes were unusually bright.
Even more astonishing was the prey they had dragged back!
It was an adult black bear!
Its size was astonishingly massive, like a moving small hill!
Even though it was dead, its ferocious bear head, sharp fangs, and body covered in steel-needle-like stiff bristles still exuded a suffocatingly savage aura.
The bear's body was covered in wounds, the most fatal being a deep blood-hole in its throat and a mangled, bloody hole where its heart was.
A strong scent of blood and the unique musky odor of a wild beast permeated the entire small courtyard.
"Father! Big Brother!"
Chen Lin's voice was distorted by excitement.
"The 'primer' you wanted!"
Chen Dashan panted heavily, dropping the dragging rope, his voice hoarse from the struggle.
He pointed to the most gruesome wound on the black bear's chest,
"Shisheng, get the blood!"
Chen Shisheng didn't say a word, drew the hunting knife from his waist, and with swift movements, forcefully gouged at the black bear's chest!
A thick, scalding hot, almost black blood, emitting a strong fishy smell, spurted out like a gushing spring!
He was prepared, immediately holding up a clean wooden basin.
"Splash... gurgle..."
The hot bear blood poured into the basin, quickly filling it completely.
The blood in the basin rippled slightly, deep red, almost black, and as thick as melted agate,
The bloody stench it emitted was almost nauseating, yet it contained a vigorous and violent life force!
"Is it enough?"
Chen Dashan looked at Chen Lin.
"Enough! It's enough!"
Chen Lin quickly nodded, looking at the basin of bear blood radiating an evil aura, his heart pounding wildly, his throat dry.
He could clearly feel that the Cauldron imprint on his chest suddenly became scorching hot at this moment!
A strong, instinctive craving surged from deep within the imprint!
He took a deep breath, suppressing his excitement, and under the solemn gaze of his father and brother, he picked up the heavy and thick basin of bear blood and walked step by step back to his side room.
Each step felt as if he were treading on his own heartbeat.
He closed the door and latched the bolt.
The light in the room was dim.
He placed the wooden basin on the ground, and the strong scent of blood instantly filled the entire small space.
"Senior..."
Chen Lin called out in his heart, his voice trembling slightly,
"The blood... I've brought it!"
"Hmm..." The ancient voice of the Refining Demon Furnace sounded, carrying a hint of finally piqued interest,
"Though mixed and impure, containing Evil Qi, its Origin power is still usable.
Immerse your hand in the blood!"
Chen Lin didn't hesitate, he squatted down and plunged his entire right hand into the thick, warm, and even somewhat hot bear blood!
A sticky, slippery sensation enveloped his palm, and the strong fishy smell rushed into his nostrils.
"Calm your mind! Focus your spirit! Circulate the Qi Guiding Technique!
Guard your Dantian! Whatever happens, do not interrupt!"
The voice of the Refining Demon Furnace suddenly became solemn and grand.
Chen Lin immediately closed his eyes, forcing himself to clear his mind of distracting thoughts, and according to the scroll, he diligently circulated the crude Qi Guiding Technique, sinking his consciousness into the Dantian position, three inches below his navel.
Just as his mind sank in—
Buzz!!!
The Cauldron imprint on his chest suddenly burst forth with dazzling dark golden light!
The light pierced through his thin linen clothes, clearly visible in the dim room!
An indescribable suction force suddenly generated from the center of the imprint!
The thick bear blood in the basin seemed to be responding to an invisible summons, violently churning and boiling!
Strands of visible, crimson Qi mixed with dark golden threads, like living things, were forcibly extracted and peeled away from the blood!
These Qi streams contained a violent, fierce, and wild aura, which was the most core essence of the black bear's life Origin!
The dark golden Cauldron imprint glowed brightly, like a miniature vortex, greedily devouring these extracted crimson Qi streams!
As soon as the violent bear blood essence touched the dark golden light, it made a 'hissing' sound, like boiling water poured on snow; the mixed Evil Qi and impurities within it were instantly incinerated and stripped away!
What remained was a pure, almost transparent, yet immensely vital—Blood Origin Essence!
This essence, refined and purified, was not absorbed by the Refining Demon Furnace; instead, it surged along Chen Lin's arm Meridians, like flowing magma, carrying a scorching but no longer violent, immense power, rushing into his body!
"Ugh ah—!"
Chen Lin let out a suppressed groan!
This power was too strong, too overbearing!
It felt as if a scorching iron current was forcefully breaking open his blocked Meridians, tearing through all obstacles in its path, aiming directly for his Dantian, which he was guarding with his mind!
Excruciating pain!
A tearing pain instantly swept through his entire body!
He felt as if he was about to explode from this power!
The blood vessels under his skin bulged, and his face turned crimson!
"Guard your mind! Guide the Qi back to its Origin!"
The stern roar of the Refining Demon Furnace exploded in his mind like Jinglei!
Chen Lin clenched his teeth tightly, blood even seeping from his gums!
He frantically circulated the crude Qi Guiding Technique, desperately using his consciousness to guide the violent warm current, like taming a mad bull, painstakingly following the Qi Circulation route described on the scroll, charging towards the Dantian position!
Once! Twice!
The power surged left and right within his body, each impact bringing heart-wrenching pain!
"Get in there... for me!"
Chen Lin roared like a beast in his heart!
All his will, all his unwillingness, all his desires converged at this moment!
Boom!!!
That scorching, immense power finally broke through the last barrier, surging into the ethereal 'field' three inches below his navel!
Buzz—!
At the Dantian position, a faint but incredibly clear, incredibly real warm current suddenly came into being!
It was like a newly lit spark, faintly but stubbornly rotating and condensing slowly in the center of the Dantian!
At this moment, the thin Spiritual Qi of heaven and earth, which had previously been tightly closed to him and ignored him, now seemed to be drawn by some force, slowly seeping into his body through the pores all over him, converging into the newborn warm current in his Dantian!
Qi entering the body! Qi sense forming on its own!
Chen Lin suddenly opened his eyes, and in the depths of his pupils, two faint but incredibly brilliant golden lights seemed to flash and disappear!
The sweat that had seeped out from the intense pain instantly dried up by the steaming heat within his body, and an unprecedented warm current, full of a sense of power, slowly flowed through his limbs and bones!
He lowered his head and looked at the wooden basin on the ground.
In the basin, the originally thick, deep red bear blood had now become as thin and transparent as clear water!
All the life essence contained within it had been completely drained and refined!
It's done!
He raised his right hand; his skin was smooth, with no bloodstains remaining. Only in the palm of his hand, it seemed, did the lingering warmth of that scorching power still remain.
Outside the house, his father, Chen Dashan, seemed to utter a very low, questioning remark: "What's that commotion inside?"
Immediately after, his second brother, Chen Qing Feng, unable to contain himself, exclaimed in a hushed voice:
"Golden light! Father! Big Brother! Did you see it?
Just now, in third brother's room... there was a flash of golden light!"