Becoming an immortal from a canal worker

Chapter 176: Bone-Melting and Gold-Refining Perfection, He Qingshan

Number Six of the Xuan Character, Martial Arts Arena.

Chen Ping sat cross-legged, his internal energy and blood flowing, and his eating proceeded silently.

He ate six bowls of rice for breakfast today. The Bai family's cook has gone from being shocked to taking it for granted. She starts steaming rice before dawn every day, afraid that it won't be enough.

Food is a form of refinement.

With each bowl of rice consumed, the essence is extracted, blood and energy fill the limbs and bones, and impurities are stripped away, tempering muscles and bones along the path of bone-melting and metal-refining.

The line of numbers hung silently in front of my retina.

[Melting Bones and Refining the Body (Great Completion)]

Current progress: 1498/1500

Two points short.

Chen Ping closed his eyes, refusing to look at it, and focused on sensing the changes within his body.

The Qi and blood flow through the muscles and bones. With each flow, the muscle fibers become denser, and the heaviness in the bones intensifies. This process has been ongoing for a long time, starting from the beginning of Dacheng (the stage of enlightenment). It is repeated more than ten times a day. Each improvement is slight, but little by little, the quantitative change will eventually lead to a qualitative change.

Today, Chen Ping sensed that critical point.

It's like a glass of water that's already full to the rim; adding just one more drop would cause it to overflow.

The Qi and blood circulated again.

1499.

Let's go through it again.

A very low hum suddenly came from inside my body.

It doesn't come from the outside; it comes from within the bones.

The buzzing sound started from the spine and spread along the bones to the limbs. Wherever it passed, it felt as if something inside the bones was rearranging itself, biting together more tightly and closely.

The muscles are changing too.

The muscle fibers are contracting, twisting, and reweaving, as if an invisible hand is twisting loose hemp rope into a steel cable.

Chen Ping gritted his teeth, remaining silent. It didn't hurt, but the feeling of being reshaped from the inside out was more unbearable than physical pain.

The buzzing lasted for about ten breaths before gradually fading away.

Before my retina, the line of text shattered and then reformed.

[Melting Bones and Refining Gold Body (Fifth Level)]

Current progress: 1/2000

The fifth level is indestructible.

Chen Ping opened his eyes and exhaled a breath of stale air.

He looked down at his arm.

There were no obvious changes in her appearance; her skin was still fair and lustrous.

But he clenched his fist and sensed the difference inside.

Shen.

He felt a sudden heaviness. He stood up and tried to stop the force of his movements.

The weight of his body slammed back down, and the bluestone slab beneath his feet made a crisp sound, cracking several fine lines from the soles of his feet.

Chen Ping glanced down, then activated his defensive power again, and the cracks stopped spreading.

The bones are heavier and denser, as if molten iron has been poured into them.

If not controlled by force, even normal walking can crack the bluestone slabs.

Chen Ping walked up to the Iron Man Stake, stretched out his finger, and tapped the Iron Man Stake's shoulder.

clang.

A crisp, metallic sound.

He withdrew his finger and tapped his forearm.

clang.

The sounds are almost identical.

His muscles had reached the hardness of refined iron. He clenched his fist and slammed it into the chest of the Iron Man statue with all his might.

boom!

The iron man swayed twice, and a clear fist mark appeared on its chest, dented in by about half an inch, with the edge of the black iron being squeezed and slightly raised.

Chen Ping withdrew his fist and looked at the surface of his knuckles.

There was no broken skin, no red marks, and even the tingling sensation was very faint.

He looked at the Nightfall Blade in his hand, thought for a moment, then placed the blade against his left arm and made a light cut.

White marks.

The blade glided across her jade-like skin like a twig scraping against a stone, leaving no trace.

Chen Ping applied more force, and the blade cut into her jade-like skin, the sharp edge finally slicing through that layer of fair skin.

He continued to exert force.

The blade pierced through her jade-like skin and reached the muscle beneath.

Chen Ping released his defensive power, deliberately relaxing that muscle. The blade cut through it, not smoothly, but with a series of sharp, jerky cuts, like slicing raw cowhide. After two cuts, he only managed to make a small incision, from which a trickle of blood seeped out.

Chen Ping used his internal energy to tighten that muscle.

哢.

The blade was firmly gripped.

Chen Ping tried to draw his knife, but Jing Ye's blade was stuck in his muscle and wouldn't budge.

He applied more force before he could pull the blade out of the muscle.

The small incision was completely healed the moment the blade was pulled out, as the muscle fibers contracted and twisted together.

Chen Ping carefully placed Jingye away.

In other words, his current muscle strength is sufficient to withstand the cutting power of the magical artifact.

However, this is without using Qi and Blood or Qi of the body.

What if it comes in handy?

As Chen Ping pondered, a wisp of golden-red qi appeared between his left fingers, condensing into an extremely fine thorn. He extended his right index finger, and the golden-red thorn pierced towards his fingertip.

Yu Fu withstood it first.

Take a breath.

Two breaths.

The dual-attribute energy of metal and fire cut and burned, and the jade skin was breached after two breaths, with small thorns piercing under the skin.

Then comes the muscle.

Chen Ping channeled his power, taut the muscles at his fingertips to their maximum tension.

The tiny, golden-red thorns prickled my muscles for one breath, two breaths, three breaths.

The muscle fibers crumbled layer by layer under the erosion of the Qi, but the rate of rupture was very slow. The iron-grade muscles held on tightly, and each layer that crumbled required a significant amount of Qi.

Four breaths, five breaths, six breaths.

Seven breaths, eight breaths, nine breaths, ten breaths.

The small thorn finally pierced the muscle, and just as it was about to reach the bone, the protective energy was exhausted and dissipated. Chen Ping withdrew his hand, looked down at the pinprick-sized wound on his index finger, its edges charred black, with a trace of gold residue.

Ten breaths.

With his physical body alone, without using his qi and blood or internal energy, he could buy himself at least ten breaths of reaction time in a life-or-death struggle with a Yuan Gang martial artist.

Ten breaths is enough for him to do a lot of things.

Moreover, he used his own dual-attribute metal and fire qi, which was extremely domineering, capable of both cutting and burning.

Ordinary Yuan Gang martial artists' Qi might not have this kind of penetrating power. If an ordinary Yuan Gang with normal attributes were to attack him, his muscles would only be able to withstand it for a longer time.

Chen Ping looked at the needle mark on his fingertip that was slowly healing and clenched his fist.

This physical body is already very strong.

But that's not enough.

He could feel that the strength of his muscles had reached its limit. Refined Iron—this level was the ceiling that the fifth level of the Bone-Melting Gold Body could provide him.

No matter how much you train or temper it, it will never be a step further than refined iron.

But that threshold is there. The next time instinctive skills undergo a transformation will be when muscles change.

After the jade skin underwent its transformation, attacks below the Yuan Gang level couldn't even leave a mark on it. What about after the muscles transformed? What level would that reach?

Chen Ping clenched his fist, suppressing the thought in his heart.

It can't be rushed.

He loosened his fist, stretched his fingers, and went to the side courtyard to soak in the hot spring.

As the hot water seeped into my skin and flesh, the lingering soreness from the breakthrough in bone-melting and gold-refining body slowly dissipated, leaving me feeling much more refreshed.

After soaking in the bath, I changed into clean clothes, returned to the training ground, sat down on the futon, and began to make the final progress of the second level of the Blazing Sun Burning Sea True Scripture.

The training ground was quiet, with only the sound of his breathing.

I don't know how much time passed.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Suddenly, there were three heavy knocks from the outside towards the courtyard gate. The sound was very loud, like a hand slapping directly onto a wooden board.

Chen Ping opened his eyes and frowned.

He got up, walked to the courtyard gate, and opened it.

A tall figure stood at the doorway, a full head taller than the average person, with shoulders so broad they almost filled the door frame.

My left arm was wrapped in thick bandages from shoulder to elbow, and the faint smell of ointment seeped out from under the bandages.

A faded, old scar runs from his eyebrow to his ear on his face, curving when he smiles.

He was wearing a martial arts robe, the front of which was open, revealing his bandaged chest, making it look as if he had jumped straight off the hospital bed.

Chen Ping's water-observation method operates on its own.

The feeling was the same as with Commander Chang Wei.

I can't sense anything.

Another unfathomable one.

The man stood at the doorway, glanced at the iron dummy in the yard, then at the fresh fist mark on its chest, and grinned. His gaze then fell on Chen Ping, scrutinizing him from head to toe, before he chuckled.

"My name is He Qingshan, and I'm good friends with that old bastard Sui Guan."

He strode into the courtyard, leaned against the weapons rack, and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Come and see what kind of treasure he's been hiding!"

He grinned, and the scar curved into a crescent moon.

"As the saying goes, they're here to steal his man."

Chen Ping stood in the center of the training ground, looking at the man who had barged in so brazenly, and remained silent for a moment.

"Chen Ping greets Senior He."

He Qingshan waved his hand: "Don't call me senior, it makes me sound old. Just call me Brother He, or just call me by my name."

He leaned back in his chair, put his other hand behind his head, and looked Chen Ping up and down. Although his gaze was casual, Chen Ping could feel that when that gaze swept over him, it saw right through him from head to toe.

"After refining the Yuan Gang, he possessed dual-attribute Qi of metal and fire elements, and his physical strength reached the level of refined iron. He was not even twenty years old."

He Qingshan read out the items one by one, as if he were reciting a list. "Tsk, that old bastard Sui Guan really has a sharp eye, you can't argue with that."

He withdrew his gaze and became more serious.

"Alright, I'm a rough guy, I don't like beating around the bush, so I'll just be frank and tell you straight to the point."

He held up one finger.

"Last time, I was fighting a chaotic battle with several powerful cultivators on the front lines. Someone shot through my left arm, severing most of my meridians and breaking three pieces of bone. My entire arm was almost ruined. I had to be dragged back and recuperate for more than half a year, and I'm still not fully recovered."

He grinned and patted the bandage.

"I couldn't go with the inner court students this time, it's infuriating! Sui Guan was fighting fiercely up front, while I was stuck doing nothing in the back."

He looked at Chen Ping and chuckled.

"Since we're just killing time anyway, and that old bastard Sui Guan is keeping you hidden from us to protect his food, he probably never expected you to become famous so quickly."

"While that old bastard is far away on the front lines and can't reach me, I love to steal his girlfriend!"

He held up three fingers.

"I am skilled in boxing, swordsmanship, and spear fighting, and my style is similar to yours. I use whatever is convenient for me and I don't discriminate. If you become my disciple, you can choose any of my top-notch martial arts techniques." He paused, his tone becoming more serious.

"The fighting is fierce on the front lines right now, and Sui Guan might not be able to make it back in time. After you enter the inner courtyard, I can teach you during the time he's away."

He looked at Chen Ping and shrugged.

"Of course, I won't force you. If we hit it off, we'll be master and disciple. If we don't, we can just be friends. I, He Qingshan, never pick and choose my friends."

Chen Ping looked at the man who was casually leaning against the weapon rack and remained silent for a while.

"Senior He, does Instructor Sui know you're here?"

He Qingshan chuckled: "He's busy killing people on the front lines, he doesn't have time to care about my business."

He paused, his smile fading slightly, replaced by a more serious expression.

"However, I really want to see what kind of person Sui Guan is hiding."

The courtyard fell silent for a moment.

Chen Ping cupped his hands and said, "I appreciate Senior He's kindness, but Instructor Sui has been very kind to me, and I cannot make this decision on my own."

He Qingshan was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter, the sound echoing between the courtyard walls. "Good lad! That old bastard Sui Guan didn't underestimate you!"

He stood up from the stone bench, walked up to Chen Ping, and slapped Chen Ping's shoulder hard with his other hand, causing Chen Ping's foot to sink half an inch into the ground.

"No rush, I didn't say I needed your answer today."

He turned and walked out, stopping at the door and glancing back at Chen Ping.

"However, if you ever encounter any difficulties in your cultivation, or want to spar with someone, just come find me. In the North Courtyard area, just ask He Qingshan, everyone knows him."

He waved and strode out.

The heavy footsteps thumped on the bluestone path, gradually fading into the distance.

Chen Ping stood in the courtyard, watching that broad figure disappear at the end of the road.

He thought for a moment, and the corner of his mouth twitched slightly.

This person does indeed resemble the Sui Guanxiang.