Chapter 179 - 177: Three Years Passed, Body Refining Great Perfection!
Song Changming did not privately deal with Jiang Maocai, but merely broke his limbs.
Later, he handed over the severely injured and disabled Qi Refining Assassin to Governor Li Yan.
Now, Gu Wenhui and the Second Prince have become mortal enemies. They will certainly not let go of these Jianghu Guests around the Second Prince, and perhaps they can make use of him to trouble the Second Prince.
Upon learning that this person is a Qi Refining Cultivator, Li Yan immediately decided to send a heavy escort and transported Jiang Maocai to Nanyang.
After this matter, Li Yan dispatched more guards to strictly inspect martial artists entering and exiting the city gates.
Especially martial artists coming from the North, they must be questioned thoroughly and have their identities verified.
He was worried that the Second Prince’s attempt to assassinate Song Changming might fail today, and that he might try to assassinate him, the governor, another day.
And he did not possess Song Changming’s powerful strength; when the time comes, it would be truly tough to escape death.
Though the Second Prince might not care about a mere governor, Li Yan still had to take precautions and take measures, regardless of whether they were useful.
Song Residence.
Song Ping’an, seeing Song Changming return safely, breathed a sigh of relief.
He too had swallowed the Dragon Transformation Pearl and had opened the Nether Sea. His perception was strong, able to sense the powerful aura and presence of the uninvited guest tonight.
Knowing that tonight’s opponent was of a high caliber, he feared Song Changming might be unable to handle it and get caught in a dangerous situation.
Fortunately, facts proved he was overthinking.
Though the opponent was strong, he was still not as strong as Brother Song!
"It’s all right, go take a rest," Song Changming said to Song Ping’an.
"Then Brother Song should also rest early."
"Hmm."
Song Changming tossed the Dragon Pattern Saber to White, letting it carry it back into the room.
He sat alone in the courtyard, reflecting on the battle just now.
In fact, Jiang Maocai, who came tonight, was indeed a strong opponent, far surpassing the Invincible General Xue Boyan in personal strength.
Had Song Changming encountered his attack months ago.
Even if he activated the Secret Technique: Blood Burst, he wouldn’t be confident enough to defeat him, or even escape his pursuit.
Fortunately.
Fortunately, after dealing with Xue Boyan, he gained a substantial annual reward in between, causing his strength to skyrocket in just over two months!
Allowing him to counter-kill the opponent without even using the Blood Burst Secret Technique, which would have overdrawn his strength.
However, this battle does not mean the crisis is resolved.
If the Second Prince continues to press relentlessly, the enemies he sends in the future will surely be stronger.
At that time, whether he could counter-kill a strong enemy like today is unknown.
He only hopes the Imperial Court and Gu Wenhui can exert enough pressure on the Second Prince, preventing him from concerning himself with Song Changming temporarily.
Meanwhile, he must continue to enhance his strength, never to relax.
If nobody can sanction the Second Prince in the future, then he will take action personally!
The courtyard quieted, Song Changming sat alone on the stone bench, his eyes emitting a cold, harsh gleam, contemplating the matter.
He never shows mercy to enemies.
Even if it is the Second Prince, a master ruling a domain, he would not be an exception.
As long as his strength is sufficient, he will act to assassinate the king!
To eliminate future troubles!
...
Days passed, Gu Wenhui in Nanyang indeed made a strong effort, although he did not directly declare war on the Second Prince, his secret strategies continuously emerged, causing the Second Prince’s side to be overwhelmed and suffer losses repeatedly.
Leaving no spare time to deal with a mere Song Changming.
In a blink of an eye, two years later.
On a small hill in a desolate village outside Donglai County City.
Next to Father Song’s tombstone, there is another tombstone.
Song’s Mother passed away peacefully this year, and according to her wishes, Song Changming buried her next to Father Song, cuddling together.
And behind them, two newly erected tombstones belong to the two children they never forgot in their lifetime.
Eldest Brother Song Changping, Second Brother Song Chang’an.
Song’s Mother hoped to find Father Song and his two children after death, hence Song Changming organized it as such.
Beside him, Song Yu’s eyes were red, tears continuously flowing.
Song Changming too felt somewhat dazed.
Having been in this world for the longest time, the two elders he spent the most time with have departed one after another.
He only felt that the two most significant bonds weighing on him were now severed.
This made his heart feel suddenly empty, as if there were two large voids that could not be filled.
A faint sense of nothingness lingered in his heart, stubbornly refusing to go away for many days.
He knew that the two elders would eventually have to depart, and under his care, their old age was relatively long-lived, and they were not afflicted with severe illnesses or unbearable pain, passing away peacefully.
One of the important reasons Song Changming stayed in Donglai County City and didn’t go anywhere else was his desire to be by the two elders’ side every day, accompanying them through their entire twilight years.
Now, this time of companionship had also come to an end, and Song Changming had well fulfilled his duty as a child.
The gentle mountain breeze swept by, like a soft hand brushing his cheek, and finally returned to the heavens.
No matter how much reluctance there was, he should let go and look forward from now on...
"Third Sister, if I’m not around in the future, please look after mom and dad..." Song Changming said to Song Yu beside him.
He knew he would eventually leave Donglai County, it was just a matter of time.
"Don’t worry, Changming, as long as my Zhao Family exists, the Song Family tombstone will always be cared for and maintained." Zhao Huaiming solemnly promised Song Changming.
Whether it was Song Changming appointing him as the Patrol Captain back then or saving his family earlier, these acts of kindness were enough to make him remember them deeply and not dare to forget them.
"Thank you." Song Changming nodded.
Looking back, even the two dogs who came along were no longer as lively as usual under today’s atmosphere, drooping their tails and ears, lacking interest in the fresh surroundings.
"Let’s go, back home..."
Thus, more than a year passed.
Time flies, the years slip away easily, and these three years unknowingly quietly flowed by in the mortal world.
In these three years, countless old lives faded away with the wind, and countless new lives emerged opportunely.
On the stage, some people exit, while others enter...
In the Song Residence.
At this moment, Song Changming’s skin was hot and red, with a stabbing pain as if pricked by thousands of steel needles, accompanied by a burning sensation.
To an outsider, Song Changming at this moment might seem as if he was about to be cooked.
After an unknown amount of time, the burning pain on his skin gradually subsided.
Numerous flakes of skin and keratin fell off him, revealing newer skin that was smoother and tougher!
"It’s done!" Song Changming looked at his hands, feeling renewed!
The calluses that had formed from years of martial arts training also fell away, restoring his fingers to their original slenderness and no longer rough.
Opening his personal panel, the martial arts section.
Bone Forging, Ninth Extreme Realm!
Washing Marrow, Ninth Extreme Realm!
Muscle Training, Ninth Extreme Realm!
The final step of Skin Refining was now complete, reaching the Ninth Extreme Realm!
"It wasn’t easy..." Song Changming couldn’t help but sigh.
After decades of Body Refining, starting as an ignorant adolescent over ten years old, he had finally reached the Supreme Great Perfection Realm in his thirties!
A body refining cultivation that was flawless and complete!
"Congratulations, Brother Song, on achieving the Great Tao!" Song Ping’an mimicked the Jianghu people outside, clasping his hands and smiling.
"It’s nothing like the Great Tao, just a small stage ending on the martial path." Song Changming shook his head with a soft laugh.
Although achieving Body Refining Great Perfection was indeed a rare accomplishment, Song Changming knew well that this was far from the end of cultivation.
He would not stop his martial arts journey here.
"If you ask me, Zhuji Pavilion is nothing special. With your strength, how could you be ranked so low on the Earth List!" Song Ping’an, holding the latest Jianghu Secret Chronicles, said indignantly.
In the past three years, although Song Changming remained on the list, as more outstanding individuals appeared, his position was pushed to the bottom, on the verge of falling off the list.
This was what Song Ping’an was most dissatisfied with.
In his eyes, even Song Changming being ranked first on the Earth List wouldn’t be an overstatement.
The current ranking only showed Zhuji Pavilion’s lack of insight, just randomly placing people.
Song Changming himself, however, didn’t mind.
"Zhuji Pavilion is, after all, just a sect formed by a group of people, no more than ancient, not truly all-knowing deities. Their rankings are mostly deduced from personal achievements and compared to determine the final standings.
I’ve been too low-key these years, with nothing noteworthy to add, so naturally, my ranking isn’t high."
Song Changming spoke casually, without much concern for the matter.
He took a wet cloth to wipe his new skin, unbothered.
Compared to the fleeting fame spread by rumors outside, he cared more about the growth gained from his own cultivation.
...