A Compendium of One Hundred Demons: My Path to Immortality in a World of Demons and Monsters

Xu Yuan woke up just as dawn was breaking.

He slept lightly all night, but instead of feeling tired, he was full of energy.

The physical improvements brought about by the Blood Refining Realm are gradually becoming apparent. While an ordinary person needs four or five hours of sleep, he can now fully recover his energy with just two or three hours of rest.

The old village chief was still asleep. Xu Yuan quietly got up and pushed open the door.

The Shen residence was unusually quiet in the early morning. Only a few early-rising servants were sweeping the courtyard. They all bowed respectfully to Xu Yuan, which was obviously because Uncle Fu had given them instructions.

Xu Yuan practiced a set of military boxing techniques he had learned during his university military training in the courtyard. He loosened his muscles and bones, and his punches were powerful. As his blood circulated, a faint red mist rose from the surface of his skin.

"Young Master Xu, you're up very early."

Xu Yuan withdrew his fist and turned around, only to find Shen Qingyi already standing under the corridor. Today she was wearing a light blue dress, her long hair was simply tied up, and she was not wearing any makeup, but she had a natural elegance.

"Miss Shen," Xu Yuan said, bowing slightly.

Shen Qingyi approached, her gaze lingering on him for a moment before she nodded slightly: "Your blood circulation is already quite orderly; it seems you've absorbed the power of that mountain spirit's flesh and blood quite well."

"It was all by luck," Xu Yuan said modestly.

"Luck is also a part of strength." Shen Qingyi turned around. "Come with me, the library is in the backyard."

Xu Yuan's eyes flickered slightly, and he quickly followed.

The Shen family library is a three-story wooden building with flying eaves and brackets, exuding an antique charm. Several clumps of green bamboo grow in front of the building, creating a tranquil environment. An elderly man with white hair and beard is dozing at the entrance. Hearing footsteps, he lazily opens his eyes.

"Young Miss".

"Seventh Master, I've brought this Young Master Xu to look at some books," Shen Qingyi said calmly.

The old man, known as Seventh Master, glanced at Xu Yuan, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his cloudy eyes before he resumed his lazy demeanor: "Go in. The first floor contains classics, histories, philosophical works, and literary collections; the second floor contains miscellaneous notes; the third floor..."

He paused for a moment, then said, "The third floor is for martial arts techniques, and only members of the Shen family are allowed to enter. Since Miss brought him here, she must have already made arrangements."

Shen Qingyi nodded: "I'll go up with him, don't worry, Seventh Master."

Xu Yuan then noticed that although the old man in front of him looked ordinary, his breathing was long and deep, and his blood and qi were contained within. He was definitely a martial arts master who was hiding his true strength!

The Shen family is indeed extraordinary!

Upon entering the library, a faint scent of ink and the aroma of old paper wafts towards you.

As Qi Gong had said, the first floor was indeed filled with classics and historical texts. Xu Yuan glanced at them and found that they were all ordinary books such as the Four Books and Five Classics and local gazetteers.

"All the martial arts techniques are on the third floor." Shen Qingyi led Xu Yuan straight upstairs.

The second floor was a miscellaneous area, covering everything from astronomy and geography to medicine, divination, astrology, agriculture, sericulture, and industry. Xu Yuan even saw several handwritten books about demons and couldn't help but take a few more glances at them.

"Those were collected by my father during his travels in his early years. They record some strange and unusual stories, but it's hard to tell if they're true or false," Shen Qingyi explained. "If you're interested, you can borrow them."

Xu Yuan nodded and kept it in mind.

The third floor is completely different from the first two floors. The space is much smaller, with only four bookshelves. Each bookshelf contains only a dozen or so books, some made of paper, some of silk, and even a few jade slips.

"The Shen family has been scholars for generations, and their martial arts heritage is not extensive." Shen Qingyi walked to a bookshelf, took out three booklets, and said, "These three are basic cultivation techniques. You may choose one to study. According to the rules, cultivation techniques cannot be taken away; you can only view them here."

Xu Yuan took the booklet, which contained:

The Blood Refining Technique is the most basic method of refining blood. It is balanced and peaceful, condensing one's own blood and qi. Progress is slow, but it can lay an extremely solid foundation.

"Raging Bull Strength" — created by imitating the breathing of a raging bull, it focuses on increasing strength and requires specific postures during practice, thus demanding a high level of physical fitness.

"Plum Blossom Stakes" is a method of lightness and agility, emphasizing speed and requiring practitioners to hone absolute control over their bodies through constant movement, change, and even loss of balance.

"Can I only choose one?" Xu Yuan asked.

Shen Qingyi nodded slightly: "Don't bite off more than you can chew. Although these three techniques are only basic techniques for beginners in martial arts, they are extraordinary if mastered. More importantly, their different focuses are the foundation for reaching higher realms."

After a moment's thought, Xu Yuan finally chose the Blood Refining Technique.

The reason is simple—he possesses the Hundred Ghosts Diagram, so his progress will not be slow. However, rapid improvement is not necessarily a good thing. The Blood Refining Technique is moderate and peaceful, and can continuously condense one's own blood and qi, which is perfect for laying a solid foundation.

As for the emphasis on strength and agility, he has the boost from the Hungry Ghost Compendium, which is sufficient for now.

"A wise choice." A hint of approval flashed in Shen Qingyi's eyes. "You can meditate here. I will have Uncle Fu come to call you in two hours."

She turned and went downstairs, leaving Xu Yuan alone on the third floor.

Xu Yuan sat down cross-legged and opened the "Blood Refining Manual" in his hands. The booklet was not thick, only a dozen pages long. The first few pages were the general outline, explaining the basic concepts of martial arts cultivation:

"Heaven and earth possess energy, which is called spiritual energy; humans have a dantian (lower abdomen) that can absorb spiritual energy; nourishing the body with spiritual energy is called refining blood; opening the orifices with spiritual energy is called condensing orifices; transforming spiritual energy into spirit is called supernatural power..."

This world truly has a spirit! Xu Yuan's spirits lifted, and he continued reading.

"The nine levels of Blood Refinement are actually a process of tempering blood and qi and opening up the meridians. The first three levels refine the skin and flesh, the middle three levels refine the tendons and bones, and the last three levels refine the internal organs. With each advancement, blood and qi double, and strength increases dramatically..."

Xu Yuan compared himself to the current Blood Refinement Level 2, but with the amplification from the Hungry Ghost Illustrated Manual, his strength was already comparable to that of an ordinary Blood Refinement Level 3 martial artist. The best example was Wang Hu, the fourth leader of Black Wind Stronghold, whom he killed yesterday.

Further on, there are more specific cultivation methods, including breathing rhythms, mental guidance, and the pathways for the circulation of qi and blood, all explained in detail with illustrations and text.

Xu Yuan began to try according to the description in the manual, adjusting his breathing and focusing his mind on the dantian—the location of the Qihai point, three inches below the navel, as the manual said.

At first, there was nothing unusual, but when he mixed a trace of the power of the starving ghost and the power of the cougar into his mind and circulated it along the breathing path, a strange change suddenly occurred!

"boom---"

Xu Yuan felt as if something within his body had been activated. The mountain spirit blood and flesh energy that had been dormant in his limbs and bones, as well as the blood and evil energy he had absorbed from killing the changgui and bandits, were now flowing into his dantian like rivers flowing into the sea.

A sharp pain shot through me!

Xu Yuan's face turned pale, and cold sweat poured down his forehead.

These forces were too mixed, rampaging through his dantian, almost bursting his body apart.

"Not good!" Alarm bells rang in Xu Yuan's mind. He desperately tried to sort out these powers according to the guidance of the Blood Refining Technique, but it was like a mantis trying to stop a chariot.

The demonic power of the mountain spirits, the yin energy of the ghosts, the bloodlust of the bandits... these powers are inherently different, and now they are mixed together, like boiling oil dripping with water, clashing fiercely.

Just when Xu Yuan thought he was about to burst, the black iron plate in his arms suddenly reacted!

A cool aura entered his body from the iron plate, instantly reaching his dantian. The aura seemed weak, but it carried a peculiar suppressive power, suppressing and regulating the various violent forces within his body.

Xu Yuan had a sudden inspiration and took this opportunity to fully activate the Blood Refining Technique.

One cycle, two cycles, three cycles...

After an unknown amount of time, when Xu Yuan opened his eyes again, he was soaked in sweat, and the floor beneath him was wet, but his eyes were gleaming with a sharp light.

Looking inward, the various forces that were originally scattered throughout the body have now been completely refined and gathered in the dantian, forming a pale red ball of energy the size of a pigeon egg.

The energy ball slowly rotated, and with each rotation, a wisp of pure blood and energy flowed to Xu Yuan's limbs and bones, nourishing his physical body.

Blood Refinement Level 3, successful!

Moreover, Xu Yuan could clearly feel that his foundation was much more solid than that of someone who had simply relied on the essence of the mountain's blood and flesh to reach a higher realm.

With pure Qi and blood, flowing smoothly, one exudes power in every gesture!

"This piece of iron..." Xu Yuan took out the black iron piece, which had now returned to its cool state, and the blurry patterns on its surface seemed to have become a little clearer.

This is absolutely a treasure!