Deep Waters

"Which means every time I break through my limits now, I obtain 1.x units of Origin Power." "As my strength continues to grow, this x will slowly increase until one day it reaches two units of Origin Power," Lin Zheyu muttered to himself. He lay on the ground and rested for a while. Even though he was already a Qi and Blood Realm martial artist, having broken through his limits left him so exhausted he didn't want to move a finger. However, reaching the Qi and Blood Realm came with one advantage: his recovery rate had become much faster. His qi and blood had just been completely drained, but upon reaching the Qi and Blood Realm, the energy contained within his blood was immensely vast. Although he felt utterly exhausted, with a bit of effort, he could still wring out wisps of qi and blood. Coursing along with his bloodstream throughout his body, the qi and blood suffused into muscle cells everywhere, nourishing his weary physique and speeding up the recovery of his physical strength. After resting for a short while, Lin Zheyu felt his body grow considerably less sore. Qi and blood were like a martial artist's reserve power supply; not only could they be unleashed to produce formidable offensive power, but they could also accelerate stamina recovery. "I need to keep upgrading the Golden Goose Skill." "As my strength increases, upgrading each level requires more and more Origin Power. To push the Golden Goose Skill to the fifth level, I'll need at least another 5 units of Origin Power," Lin Zheyu mused inwardly. He felt that even with Qi and Blood Realm strength, he was still far from safe. When he had heard Gang Leader Xu say that the City Lord possessed immense power capable of suppressing an entire city single-handedly, Lin Zheyu had been deeply shocked. The City Lord of every city was appointed by the Emperor of Great Wei. Depending on a city's size and strategic importance, a City Lord of corresponding strength would be dispatched. Songyi City was merely an inconspicuous small town, yet its City Lord was already this powerful. If the City Lords of every city were so formidable, just how terrifying was the rebel army to have conquered so many cities? "The waters of this world run far deeper than I imagined!" Lin Zheyu murmured. *** The medicinal decoction in the pot was not yet ready. Over the past three-plus hours, it had already been simmered twice; it needed one more round of brewing to draw out all the medicinal potency from the herbs. He poured out the brewed liquid, added fresh water, and resumed simmering. It was not until the afternoon that all the medicinal potency was finally drawn out of the ingredients. He picked up the bowl of decoction and downed it in a single gulp. This single bowl concentrated the essence of a full eight doses of Blood-Nourishing Bone-Strengthening Decoction herbs. A dry heat spread through his body, yet without the discomfort he had felt in the past. The Blood-Nourishing Bone-Strengthening Decoction was truly a potent tonic that only Qi and Blood Realm martial artists could consume; after drinking it, the speed at which his qi and blood grew hastened noticeably. He carefully savored the sensation, then cleared his mind of stray thoughts and sent forth his intent. *Use 3 units of Origin Power to upgrade the Golden Goose Skill.* In an instant, mysterious energy surged forth. His mind entered that specialized state, and Lin Zheyu began to train tirelessly. He felt time slip away, as if countless years had passed. Amid the ceaseless training, the qi and blood within his body expanded continuously. The wisps of qi and blood that originally drifted through his bloodstream condensed into a mass of blood-red misty energy, flowing with his blood to nourish him. Under the nourishment of this qi and blood, his body underwent a secondary metamorphosis. Lin Zheyu once again understood why qi and blood were called the foundation of martial arts. Once a martial artist had qi and blood, the nourishment and strengthening it provided to the body was beyond anything an ordinary person could compare to. Nourished and tempered by his qi and blood, his physique transformed, growing ever stronger as his muscles and tendons tightened. Every muscle harbored terrifying, immense strength. Several breaths passed. Lin Zheyu opened his eyes from the endless training. The transformation of his body had finished. A rumbling sound echoed from within his blood. Rich qi and blood energy surged alongside the blood in his veins, coursing through his entire body. Lin Zheyu felt his frame brimming with explosive power. [Heaven Rewards Diligence] Name: Lin Zheyu Origin Power: 0 Skills: Wild Bull Fist (Mastery 5%) Golden Goose Skill (Level Four 67%) Turtle Breathing Art (Level Three 0%) Six Harmonies Saber (Mastery 12%) "The progress reached 67%. I'll need another 2 units of Origin Power to advance to the fifth level." Lin Zheyu glanced at the data and continued his training. Having reached 67% of the fourth level, the qi and blood in his body had increased substantially, circulating with his blood. He channeled the qi and blood energy, pouring it into his arms. The surge of qi and blood made the muscles on both arms swell slightly, taking on a ferocious appearance. "Phew!" Feeling the explosive power coursing through his arms, Lin Zheyu exhaled softly. His gaze turned sharp. Gripping the saber in his hand, he slashed outward, carving out a frigid arc of saber qi. "No good. My arms can't withstand such a massive burst of qi and blood power." Lin Zheyu frowned. When the power of qi and blood had poured into his arms just now, an aching swelling had flared across his muscles and fascia. And when he slashed with full force, faint cracking sounds had emanated from his arm bones. This was a sign that the power unleashed by the qi and blood had exceeded the maximum threshold his arms could endure. In an actual battle, even if that slash killed an enemy, his own arms would fracture. "Looks like I need to upgrade Wild Bull Fist or Six Harmonies Saber as well," Lin Zheyu pondered. His breakthrough into the Qi and Blood Realm had relied on the Golden Goose Skill, so the parts of his body where the bones had been tempered like iron were only his legs. Meanwhile, both Wild Bull Fist and Six Harmonies Saber were only in the early stage of the Bone Tempering Realm; his arms could not withstand such a violent surge of qi and blood at all. After some thought, he decided to focus on Wild Bull Fist and raise its level. Wild Bull Fist focused on fist techniques, centering its power in the fists. Once he upgraded Wild Bull Fist, the bones in his arms would also be tempered like iron. When that time came, his arms would be able to withstand the fierce burst of qi and blood power even when wielding the Six Harmonies Saber. Even more importantly, over the past few days of practicing Wild Bull Fist, Lin Zheyu had faintly sensed an inexplicable conception within the technique. He had never felt such an elusive resonance in either Six Harmonies Saber or the Golden Goose Skill. Within Wild Bull Fist, there seemed to be a hidden fist momentum. If he cultivated it to a profound level, he might be able to comprehend it.