Martial Arts Longevity Begins with the Equipment Slot

Chapter 100 The Nine Black Wind Thieves, Bone Refinement Completed

After being defeated by Chen Yu and Pei Shifeng, Mei San Niang fled all the way out of Niutou Mountain.

We traveled for two days and two nights, crossing mountains and valleys.

They finally arrived at Black Wind Village on the evening of the third day.

Black Wind Village is located on Black Wind Ridge, more than 100 miles outside Sunset City.

From afar, the village's sentries spotted Mei San Niang.

"The second-in-command?"

The sentry rubbed his eyes.

"The second-in-command is back! Let's have a victory celebration!"

He turned his head and shouted towards the village.

Halfway through his shout, he noticed the bloodstains on Mei San Niang's body.

He forced back the rest of his voice.

Inside the Hall of Gathering Righteousness, Chief Li Tianlong was sitting on a tiger-skin chair, reading through the letters that the Huang family had sent a few days earlier.

He was fair-skinned and slender, wearing a worn-out blue cloth long gown.

He doesn't look like a bandit leader; he looks more like an accountant.

But this refined appearance can fool outsiders, not the villagers who are committed the same old crime.

The reason Li Tianlong's hands were clean was because he didn't like getting them covered in blood when he killed people.

At this moment, he read the Huang family's letter three times over.

The letter was politely worded and the handwriting was neat.

But the underlying meaning was far less polite.

The third young master of the Huang family is about to break through, and there is only half a month left before the Nine-Leaf Fire Lotus is harvested.

If Black Wind Stronghold fails to deliver the flowers on time, the three thousand shi of grain and twenty thousand taels of silver promised by the Huang family this year will all be renegotiated.

Li Tianlong's fingers tapped unconsciously on the letter.

An old man named Wei Li dared to speak.

"Chief, isn't the Huang family's letter a bit too urgent? They've never been this demanding in previous years."

Just then, a series of heavy and hurried footsteps came from outside the hall.

Immediately afterwards, the door to the Hall of Gathering Righteousness was pushed open with a single palm strike.

Covered in blood, Mei San Niang strode across the threshold.

"Brother, Niutou Mountain is lost, and the third brother is dead."

The hall of righteousness suddenly fell silent.

The group of minor leaders looked at each other in bewilderment.

Wei Li held the teacup in his hand, motionless.

Li Tianlong's expression remained calm.

He carefully folded the letter from the Huang family and set it aside, then straightened his cuffs.

"What happened? Tell me about it."

Once the eldest brother spoke, Mei San Niang began her story from the beginning.

The story begins with Wang Kui setting up an ambush at Guijianchou, then recounts his struggle with Pei Shifeng in the cave, and finally his death at the hands of Chen Yu.

"The third brother lured him to the edge of the stone platform, and he had already gained the upper hand!"

"But that Chen's swordsmanship is very strange! The third brother's external martial arts are supposed to make him invulnerable to swords and spears, but for some reason, he was breached after taking just one strike from him!"

"I exchanged three blows with him."

She raised her right arm to show Li Tianlong the tear.

"He was also injured by this special sword energy."

Li Tianlong remained silent.

Mei San Niang paused, her tone becoming somewhat hesitant.

"Brother, this incident at Niutou Mountain is my responsibility."

"I took the third son out with me, but I couldn't bring him back."

"We lost the Fire Monkey, failed to harvest the Nine-Leaf Fire Lotus, and couldn't defend the mine. The key to everything lies with this Chen Yu!"

"He wiped out the hidden sentries that I had set up over a month ago overnight, so I didn't notice anything unusual and was caught off guard."

Li Tianlong stood up and walked to the sand table in the corner of the hall.

The sand table shows a miniature topography of Niutou Mountain.

The black flags of Black Wind Village are still flying at the three strongholds of Ghost's Sorrow, Eagle's Beak Cliff, and Wild Wolf Gully.

He reached out and pulled up the black flag that Ghost Fears.

With his fingers clenched, the flagpole snapped in two with a snap.

"I sent a second-in-command, a third-in-command, and over two hundred men from two different branches. Are all these men useless?"

"A month-long plan, completely ruined by a mere junior commander of the Sword Guard Hall!"

He threw the broken flagpole into the sand table, turned around, and spoke in a cold voice.

"Second brother, he foiled your ambush and killed my third brother. This debt must be settled!"

"Black Wind Stronghold has remained standing in Sunset City for decades because of its ruthlessness! If anyone harms one of our members, we'll make them pay tenfold!"

Mei San Niang stood in front of the sand table without moving.

Looking at the broken flagpole, she knew that her elder brother was truly determined to kill her this time.

A leader who had just come in from outside heard the name "Chen Yu," his eyes lit up, and he quickly interrupted, wanting to show off.

"Chief, look at Chen Yu. A newly appointed junior commander was able to defeat both the second and third leaders. Could it be that the Sword Forging Manor is deliberately spreading rumors to scare us?"

"Is this all to throw us into disarray? If they're really that powerful, why don't they just come after us and attack?"

Mei San Niang didn't speak, but just turned her head and glanced at him.

"The boss."

Wei Li slowly put down his teacup, cupped his hands, and addressed Li Tianlong.

He spoke very slowly, revising as he thought, clearly having pondered the words for a long time before daring to speak.

"Shouldn't we think of a way to stabilize things with the Huang family first?"

"This trip has resulted in significant losses, but there is still room for recovery. However, if the Huang family feels that we are unstable, then our foundation will truly be shaken."

Li Tianlong stood with his hands behind his back.

The candlelight cast his shadow on the sand table, obscuring most of the outline of Niutou Mountain.

"Just write them a letter. I'll tell them, and you write it."

Wei Li brought out paper and pen, and Li Tianlong began to carefully consider his words.

"Niutou Mountain suffered a minor setback recently because Chen Yu, the new commander of the Sword Guard Hall, led his troops to ambush us from the side, resulting in the loss of one of our third leaders and the injury of one of our second leaders."

"This person's swordsmanship is unpredictable, and his trump cards are unknown. He is the biggest variable we have encountered since we began exploring the mountain."

"However, the Niutou Mountain mineral vein and the hot vein where the Fire Ape is located are all within our map. The Nine-Leaf Fire Lotus is still in its prime, so we can still do our best to harvest and recycle it."

The pen tip scratched across the paper.

As Li Tianlong spoke, he glanced at Mei San Niang.

"I am writing to inform you that Black Wind Stronghold has begun to recall all its leaders who are away, and will soon gather its elite forces to head to Niutou Mountain again."

"This battle will be completed in one fell swoop: mining, picking flowers, and capturing and killing Chen Yu. We will not delay Young Master Huang's seclusion."

"If the Nine-Leaf Fire Lotus cannot be delivered by the deadline, I, Li, will personally bring my head to you. I hope your government will grant me a few more days to stabilize the distribution of resources. At that time, the flowers and ore will be delivered together, so there is no need to worry."

After finishing speaking, Wei Li put down his pen.

Li Tianlong picked up the letter, confirmed it was correct, blew the ink dry, and handed it to his trusted aide to deliver.

"The purpose of this letter is to make them think that we still have a trump card."

"The Huang family doesn't care how many of us have died; they only care whether we can still get things done. As long as they believe we can turn the tide, they won't easily cut off our supplies."

Li Tianlong's gaze returned to the Niutou Mountain sand table, and he began to call out names one by one.

"Issue the order to recall all leaders who are currently stationed outside the area."

"Fourth brother Zhang Siyu has been keeping an eye on that coarse salt business in Yunsong County for long enough. Let fifth brother go pick him up personally."

"Nothing major has happened at Xiong Kuo's Black Cloud branch stronghold recently, so we'll transfer him back as well."

"Old Seven Bai Qiulian told him to leave discreetly and not to make a fuss along the way."

"And there's Lao Ba, Miao Huahua, that medicine fanatic. As long as we tell her that we can use people from the Sword Casting Manor to test medicine, she'll definitely come."

He paused, then shifted his gaze to the most secluded corner of the sand table.

There was only a lone little black flag planted there, with no name markings around it.

"As for the ninth brother—"

Li Tianlong only said this half-sentence, without giving any further orders.

Mei San Niang looked up and met his gaze, but neither of them said anything more.

The whereabouts of Lao Jiu are never made public, and only the chieftain knows the method of recalling him.

"Chen Yu is no ordinary sword guard commander. This man was able to see through all of Ghost's Sorrow's hidden sentry deployments overnight, and even killed the third brother in a head-on confrontation, escaping unscathed from my blade."

"If we don't mobilize overwhelming forces, he will still attack from the most unexpected places."

Mei San Niang walked to the sand table.

Rough knuckles tapped on the Ghost's Mark, scattering the few pebbles representing the sentries.

"Brother, this time all the leaders must be present, not one can be missing!"

Li Tianlong stood in front of the sand table and pulled out the last black flag.

The black flag, which had been planted at his feet, was now held in his palm.

"Once Lao Si and Lao Ba return, we'll head up Niutou Mountain immediately."

"Pick the flowers, secure the mine, and then—"

'

His voice suddenly rose, causing all the candles in the hall to flicker.

"Hang Chen Yu's head at Ghost's Sorrow as a tribute to our fallen brothers!"

In his spare time, Chen Yu always practiced his martial arts.

Today is the fourth day since Pei Shifeng left Niutou Mountain.

The gravel beach at the mouth of the valley is a secluded place.

Chen Yu took a deep breath.

The spine rises and falls like a tiger, pushing from the coccyx to the cervical vertebrae one by one, while the chest cavity expands to its limit.

Exhale, and a surge of heat flows from your lower abdomen to your chest, then back up along your spine.

In the span of a single breath.

A low, drawn-out hum naturally escaped his throat.

"roar!"

The sound waves take shape in the throat and descend down the trachea into the chest cavity.

Then it travels along the bones.

Ribs, collarbone, scapula, spine.

Each bone vibrated slightly in the sound waves.

This is the Spirit Tiger Bone Refining Technique.

Wash with sound waves, refine with resonance.

After completing a set of Linghu Gong (Spirit Tiger Skill), Chen Yu opened the panel to check.

【Technique Section (Tier 2 33%)】

[Exercise Method]: Five Elements Nourishing Life Exercise - Spirit Tiger Chapter

[Quality]: Superior Tier 1 [Status]: Equipped [Progress]: Level 7 (500/700)

【Equipment Requirements】: None 【Equipment Effects】: Cultivation will surely lead to success, once proven, forever proven, progress is visible, cultivation efficiency is 40%.

On the other side of the valley entrance.

Sun Feipeng was carrying a basket of stones, leading his men to reinforce the wall.

He had only piled up half of the stones when he heard a roar like a tiger, so he rushed over to see what was going on.

When they reached the edge of the valley, Chen Yu was practicing the third set of tiger-shaped humming sounds.

He was shirtless.

The muscles in the shoulders and back rise and fall gently with each breath.

You can vaguely see the bones trembling slightly under the skin.

The dew underfoot was shaken into a fine mist, which spread outwards in layers.

"The Spirit Tiger Crouchs in the Mountain!"

Chen Yu is tempering his hand bones.

"roar!"

Starting from the metacarpal bones, the five fingers spread open and then close.

With each contraction, the humming sound descended from his throat to his palm, washing back and forth between his finger bones.

The metacarpal bones are followed by the carpal bones.

The eight small bones are like eight pebbles embedded in the wrist.

"roar!"

Sound waves travel through the transverse carpal ligament and resonate repeatedly between the bones.

The accumulated metabolic waste is gradually broken up and then washed away by the surging fresh blood and qi.

Seven days later, Chen Yu began to temper his humerus.

This is the final link in the upper limb.

"Tiger's Roar and Thunderous Sound!"

The sound waves descend from the throat to the collarbone.

When the last sound wave reaches the finger bones, the entire power line of the upper limb is connected.

【Technique Section (Tier 2 33%)】

[Exercise Method]: Five Elements Nourishing Life Exercise - Spirit Tiger Chapter

[Quality]: Superior Tier 1 [Status]: Equipped [Progress]: Level 9 (900/900)

【Equipment Requirements】: None 【Equipment Effects】: Cultivation will surely lead to success, once proven, forever proven, progress is visible, cultivation efficiency is 40%.

When the Spirit Tiger Skill is practiced to the ninth level, all sixty-four upper limb bones have undergone repeated tempering through sound wave resonance.

When the last piece of humerus was completed, Chen Yu stood in the center of the rubble beach, feeling the changes after the bone refining was completed.

The vertebral border of the scapula extends backward.

Push your collarbone forward.

The two bones form a very stable structure at the acromion.

With a slight lift of the shoulders, a visible shockwave travels down the spine.

It travels through the thoracic vertebrae, lumbar vertebrae, and sacrum, all the way to the soles of the feet.

"!"

The bluestone slabs underfoot were shaken and scattered.

This is the ultimate achievement of bone refinement, where bone strength flows through the earth!

Sun Feipeng ran up the stone wall from the direction of the valley entrance.

When they saw the situation on the gravel beach, they suddenly stopped in their tracks.

"What? He's already mastered Bone Refinement? No, this can't be right!"

"Didn't he just start training his finger bones a few days ago? Training bones is a skill that takes time, so how come he's progressing so quickly?"

"Is it simply because he practices the legendary Five Elements Health Preservation Technique?"

Sun Feipeng was completely baffled.

Xue Linglong also stood behind the stone wall and shared her opinion.

"My master said that it takes at least several years to go from minor to major mastery in bone refining."

"Commander Chen has only been here for ten days, and all sixty-four bones have already been tempered."

She pursed her thin lips, and her voice suddenly softened, becoming as soft as if she were talking to herself.

"No matter how strong the Five Elements Nourishing Life Technique is, it is still just a technique. To be able to practice a set of Spirit Tiger Technique to the point that every bone resonates precisely is not just about the strength of the technique."

"Then what is it?" Sun Feipeng asked.

Xue Linglong did not answer, but she knew what it meant.

She has met two true martial arts geniuses in her life.

One was the young master of the manor, and the other was standing on the gravel beach.

Chen Yu stepped down from the pebble beach and wiped the stone dust off his palm with his sleeve.

Sun Feipeng and Xue Linglong came to greet them from the left and right respectively.

Xue Linglong presented a cup of hot tea with both hands, stepped back, and respectfully bowed with clasped hands.

"Congratulations to Commander Chen on achieving mastery of Bone Refinement!"

She had been in the Sword Guard Hall for many years, but she had only performed this ceremony once for Pei Shifeng.

Having mastered the Bone Refinement Technique, he already possessed the strength and capabilities of a Deputy Commander-in-Chief.

It is only natural to bow to him in this way.

Chen Yu took the teacup, took a sip, nodded his thanks, and spoke in his usual calm tone.

Sun Feipeng came over from the side, tugged at his sleeve, and said something from the heart.

"I've been refining my bones for over ten years, and I still haven't reached the arm bone level. You've overcome a hurdle that I've faced for almost half my life in just ten days."

"Brother Chen Yu, um—could you give me some pointers?"

Xue Linglong glanced back at him, but unusually didn't reply.

Sun Feipeng's words were not taken lightly.

In the Sword Guard Hall, martial arts insights are the private property of each martial artist.

Although the villa has a library, the real secrets have always been passed down privately between masters and apprentices.

When he addressed Chen Yu, it was as if he, as a leader, were showing the respect due to a subordinate to his colleague.