"Everyone, disperse."
"Regarding Elder Jiang establishing new realms for the Martial Dao, our Immortal Martial Alliance will hold a Council of Elders to focus on discussing the matter. In three days, we will announce the results of our discussion to give all the martial artists in the world a proper explanation."
When the First Elder of the Immortal Martial Alliance spoke, no one dared to disobey.
The onlookers dispersed, but the names of the new martial realms—the Mortal-Shedding Realm and the Origin Martial Realm—rapidly spread throughout Guangling Commandery, and then rippled across all the commanderies under the Immortal Martial Alliance.
The news even spread toward the half of the world controlled by the Cao Clan, as well as Great Liang and Great Jin.
"The rest of the elders are dismissed as well. Elder Jiang Wu, since you are injured, you should remain at the Alliance Headquarters to recuperate. You will participate in the Council of Elders tomorrow."
Jiang Wu sent a voice transmission to Jiang Feng, telling him to head back first.
Jiang Feng was still somewhat in a daze. Once he snapped out of it, he immediately sprinted toward the Jiang Residence in the Commandery City of Guangling Commandery.
Xu Mingqing tossed a Porcelain Bottle to Jiang Wu. "Inside is a Wound-Healing Pill. Consider it compensation for my eldest brother injuring you."
However, that was indeed the truth.
That was the exact position the Xu Family held within the entire Immortal Martial Alliance.
The news of the Arrow Demon, Xu Mingwei, severely injuring Jiang Wu, the pioneer of the new martial realms, also spread like wildfire.
Many voiced their indignation on Jiang Wu's behalf, and some secretly cursed the Xu Family for being far too tyrannical.
But there were also those who defended the family, arguing that this was a battle between the Immortal Dao and the Martial Dao. Just because Liu Fuming and the others had lost didn't mean there was no one left to represent the Immortal Dao.
If Xu Mingwei and Jiang Wu had been at the same realm, Xu Mingwei would have undoubtedly won.
Furthermore, he hadn't used any Mana, so it couldn't be considered bullying the weak.
"What kind of conclusion do you think the Immortal Martial Alliance's Council of Elders will reach? Will they publicize the cultivation method for the new martial realms?"
"They have to! In the past, the Martial Dao was merely a Vassal of the Immortal Dao within the Alliance. Now that the Martial Dao has risen, the two paths can finally progress side by side. Only then will the Immortal Martial Alliance truly live up to its name!"
"I don't think it will be that simple. Perhaps it will only circulate among the aristocratic families of the Immortal Martial Alliance. Have you ever seen anyone teach their family's secret martial arts to outsiders?"
The next day.
Around 9:00 AM.
The Immortal Martial Alliance held its Council of Elders.
As for why Xu Mingyuan had initially summoned everyone, that had long been cast to the back of their minds. Their sole focus was on fighting for a piece of the massive pie that was the Martial Dao and figuring out how much profit they could seize.
For this Council of Elders, the elders from the Pill Refining Pavilion, the Artifact Refining Pavilion, and various other departments were all present.
"Since everyone has gathered, let us begin today's discussion."
Xu Mingyuan stated calmly, "Today's topic is 'How to Handle the Martial Dao.'"
"The establishment of new realms for the Martial Dao is a good thing. I believe a copy should be recorded and preserved in the Immortal Martial Alliance's Dao Repository Pavilion so that the many aristocratic families in the Alliance can read it at their leisure," the elder of the Liu clan said.
"I think Elder Liu makes a valid point."
Several elders immediately chimed in their agreement.
Feng Qingyang scoffed, "The Liu clan's skin is truly thick. You casually demand that someone freely contribute the fruits of their many years of Dao comprehension. Why don't I see your Liu clan handing over all of your Dao repository texts to the Alliance Headquarters for free?"
"Making it free is taking it too far. Let the elite disciples of the Alliance exchange contribution points for it, similar to other cultivation methods."
"Elder Li makes a valid point," the Wang Family agreed.
A long moment later.
Xu Mingyuan looked toward Xu Jingwu. "Elder Jiang Wu, as the pioneer of the new martial realms, what are your thoughts?
Will you preach the Dao to the public, or will this Inheritance belong solely to your Jiang Clan?"
Everyone's gazes landed on Xu Jingwu.
"Now that the new martial realms have emerged, if I were to hoard them out of selfishness, wouldn't I be cursed behind my back by every martial artist in the world every single day?"
Xu Jingwu smiled faintly. "I have decided to preach the Dao. But not just to the Immortal Martial Alliance—I will preach to the entire world. To Great Wei, Great Liang, and Great Jin.
Any martial artist who wishes to learn may come!"
"Absolutely not!" an elder immediately objected. "Wouldn't that be aiding our enemies?!"
"Your objection is invalid. This is a Cultivation Method I created myself. I will teach it to whomever I please, and even the Immortal Martial Alliance has no right to interfere."
"Quiet down, all of you!" Xu Mingyuan shouted. He then continued, "Elder Jiang Wu, tell us your exact thoughts in detail."
"The Martial Dao is still in its infancy. Although I have redefined the first realm and established the second, I dare not claim that I can create the third or fourth.
Only by gathering the wisdom of all martial artists in the world can we truly forge the path of the Martial Dao, allowing it to flourish and bloom in endless variations, just as prosperous and everlasting as the Immortal Dao."
Hearing this, the crowd fell into a thoughtful silence.
"Of course, the Dao cannot be imparted lightly. A price must be paid, just like how disciples and elders must spend contribution points to borrow Secret Arts from the Alliance.
My Dao can be taught to commoners, to powerful Aristocratic Clans, or to the people of foreign nations.
As for what price is appropriate, I hope there will be a distinction between commoners and Aristocratic Clans to prevent a monopoly. I hope the Immortal Martial Alliance can establish a fair pricing model.
The dissemination of information and the sale of Ancient Classics will be handled entirely by the Immortal Martial Alliance.
The resulting profits will be split evenly, fifty-fifty, between my Jiang Clan and the Immortal Martial Alliance."
"A complete, systematic Martial Dao Inheritance, coupled with the method to break through to the second realm, is of immeasurable value. Are you certain you want to do this?"
"I wish to see the Martial Dao blossom in all its glory. What do mere profits matter? The only reason it isn't free is that things obtained too easily are rarely cherished.
I trust that the elders seated here can understand that sentiment."
"Very well, I agree to your terms," Xu Mingyuan declared.
"Thank you, First Elder," Xu Jingwu said, cupping his fists. "Furthermore, I also have a forging method for Origin Tools to contribute to the Immortal Martial Alliance. I hope the Alliance's Blacksmiths can learn it and craft Origin Tools to sell to martial artists."
"Origin Tools?" Xu Mingyuan asked, feigning ignorance.
"Weapons exclusive to martial artists, equivalent to a cultivator's Dharma Tool. They are refined using a martial artist's immense Qi and Blood and activated with True Qi to unleash their destructive might.
If it hadn't been for my Origin Tool, I might not have even been able to block a single arrow from Elder Mingwei yesterday."
"This crafting method can also be sold, though it wouldn't hurt to set a higher price when selling to other factions. Or, we could simply sell them the finished Origin Tools.
Although Origin Tools are highly important to martial artists, they are not strictly necessary for the popularization of the Martial Dao. In fact, without Origin Tools, someone might even research and develop other methods to enhance a martial artist's combat prowess."
Xu Mingyuan nodded, his gaze sweeping over the others. "Do the rest of the elders have anything else to add?"
"We will strictly follow the First Elder's orders," the crowd replied in unison.
"In light of Elder Jiang's contributions to our alliance, from today onward, he shall be the Honorary Alliance Leader of the Martial Alliance. His status and treatment will be equal to that of the Alliance Leader. He will have the authority to mobilize Martial Alliance disciples, but no administrative power.
I hope that you, Elder Jiang, can continue to pioneer the Martial Dao and forge ahead with vigor!"
"I will certainly not disappoint your expectations, First Elder," Xu Jingwu said, cupping his fists.
"In addition, Elder Jiang, spend the next few days organizing the Ancient Classics and hand them over to the Alliance for Rubbing. In seven days, we will open a purchasing center for these texts in Guangling Commandery.
On the same day, we will set up a preaching platform right in front of the Alliance Headquarters for you to preach the Dao. Is that acceptable?"
"That is acceptable."
"Then today's meeting concludes here."
That afternoon.
The news regarding the sale of the Martial Dao Inheritance broke out, along with the announcement that Xu Jingwu would be holding a public preaching session in seven days.
Countless martial artists were thoroughly thrilled by the news.
Martial artists from every commandery eagerly made plans to travel there.
Even the branch alliances in the various commanderies prepared to arrange Magic Skiffs, selecting the top hundred most outstanding martial artists from their regions to attend the sermon. Once they gained some insights, they would return to their commanderies to pass on the teachings.
Within two days, this news had also reached Great Wei, Great Liang, and Great Jin.
The Cao Clan, Jiang Leilin's faction, and other Aristocratic Clans, along with factions from Great Liang like the Zhao Family and Sima Family, all prepared to send representatives to lead their martial artists to attend the preaching.
If an Origin Martial Realm martial artist emerged within their own clans, it would undoubtedly be a joyous occasion.
More importantly, no matter the family, the number of people practicing the Martial Dao outnumbered Immortal Cultivators by more than tenfold.
Xu Jingwu found some time to return to the Jiang Residence.
Jiang Feng was extremely excited. He talked endlessly about the bustling crowds outside the Jiang Residence over the past few days, mentioning how even the usually aloof Foundation Establishment Aristocratic Families had been coming by to offer congratulations and deliver gifts.
Father Jiang smiled and said, "Wu'er, I have always been proud of you."
"Thank you, Father. Your health isn't great, so you shouldn't worry too much about the shop's affairs. Just leave the management to the servants."
"Yes, yes, I'll listen to you."
"Brother, I want to learn your Martial Dao system."
"There are no shortcuts on the Martial Dao. It will be very grueling."
"I've made up my mind! From today onward, I'm going to train hard in martial arts. As your younger brother, how could I possibly bring you shame?!"
Xu Jingwu patted his shoulder with gratification. "I will teach you personally this afternoon."
"That's wonderful! Thank you, brother!"
"Father, Mother, Second Brother and I will head to the backyard to practice."
"Go on ahead."
As Xu Jingwu and Jiang Feng left, Father Jiang and Mother Jiang watched the harmonious bond between the two brothers, tears welling up in their eyes. Mother Jiang murmured, "With Wu'er here, even if we were to pass away right now, there wouldn't be any problems."
"Indeed. Wu'er is the greatest gift the heavens could have ever bestowed upon us."
The golden age of the Martial Dao was fast approaching. Countless martial artists were so consumed by excitement that they stayed awake through the night.
In the blink of an eye, seven days passed.
The area in front of the Immortal Martial Alliance's main gate was already a sea of people, packed shoulder-to-shoulder.
From the foot of the mountain all the way to the gate, the mountain path stretching for dozens of miles was crammed with martial artists of all walks of life.
There were white-haired, veteran Grandmasters, high-spirited and vigorous young talents, and even toddlers with wooden swords strapped to their backs, hoisted onto their fathers' shoulders with eyes full of awe and longing.
Amidst the crowd, the clatter of clashing weapons, lively conversations, and heavy footsteps intertwined. The clamor was deafening, shaking the heavens, yet not a single person dared to trespass within thirty meters of the preaching platform.
They merely stood with burning gazes, craning their necks as they stared eagerly at the stage.
It was a square, three-tiered high platform, standing about three meters tall, built entirely out of dark cyan black-iron rock.
At seven forty-five in the morning.
A young man dressed in a dark, form-fitting martial robe stepped through the air from the Alliance Headquarters. His gait was steady, and with every step he took, it felt as if he were treading directly on the heartstrings of the masses. The previously boisterous crowd instantly fell dead silent.
Xu Jingwu landed squarely on the meditation cushion atop the preaching platform.
Along with him emerged quite a few Alliance elders, all of whom hovered in the void, stopping just in front of the Light Screen.
Although they walked the Immortal Dao, they still harbored a strong sense of curiosity toward this new Martial Dao.
"I had the fortune of comprehending the second realm of the Martial Dao. However, I deeply understand that a towering skyscraper must be built from the ground up. Without a solid foundation, all subsequent realms are nothing but castles in the sky.
Considering that the Martial Dao of the past lacked perfection, I have integrated and unified the three realms of Postnatal, Innate Realm, and Grandmaster, consolidating them into the first realm of the Martial Dao.
I have named this realm the Mortal-Shedding Realm!"
"Mortal-Shedding?" someone murmured softly, their eyes brimming with confusion.
In the crowd, a pale-faced Cultivator stroked his beard in thought and muttered, "Shedding one's mortal body and exchanging one's bones to cast off the mundane?"
"Immortal Cultivation is about refining Qi, condensing the Primordial Spirit step-by-step to achieve transcendence, undergo Tribulation Transcendence, and ascend. But the foundation of the Martial Dao lies in the physical body.
If the physical body is not flawless, even if one manages to luckily step into the second realm, they will still be weaker than an Immortal Cultivator at the same level."
Many martial artists nodded in agreement.
A Peak Grandmaster, in theory, shouldn't be inferior to a Peak Qi Condensation cultivator, but the grim reality proved entirely otherwise.
"I have subdivided the Mortal-Shedding Realm into five minor stages—Skin Refining, Flesh Refining, Organ Refining, Bone Refining, and Blood Exchange! These five layers progress step-by-step, and not a single one can be skipped.
Only when one reaches perfection in Blood Exchange is a martial artist's physical foundation considered truly flawless."
Someone asked, "Elder Jiang, what are the specific profound mysteries of each of these five stages?"
Xu Jingwu smiled faintly and began to explain in vivid detail. "Martial Dao body tempering involves refining the exterior first, followed by the interior, and ultimately shedding one's mortal body and exchanging one's bones. This is the core philosophy behind these five stages."
"The first stage, Skin Refining. The skin acts as the physical body's barrier. You must use your Qi and Blood as a guide, paired with specific breathing techniques, to allow your Qi and Blood to permeate your skin's textures, drastically enhancing its toughness and defensive capabilities."
"The second stage, Flesh Refining!"
"Once the skin has been perfectly tempered, you must delve deeper into the muscle layers. The essence of Flesh Refining lies in letting your Qi and Blood saturate your muscle fibers to shatter your original physiological shackles, granting your muscles explosive power and immense stamina.
Upon achieving great success in Flesh Refining, you can sprint a thousand miles without feeling fatigued. Every contraction and expansion of your muscles can unleash the destructive power of thunder."
"Both Skin Refining and Flesh Refining can be accelerated through an array of methods such as using external forces to beat and temper the body."
"The third stage, Organ Refining!"
"The flesh serves as the exterior, but the five organs serve as the roots. The stage of Organ Refining is the crucial turning point in the Mortal-Shedding Realm. You must use your Innate True Qi in tandem with your Qi and Blood to nourish and strengthen the functions of your internal organs.
The heart commands the blood, the liver stores the blood, the spleen regulates the blood, the lungs oxygenate the blood, and the kidneys produce marrow. Once the five organs are perfectly tempered, your Qi and Blood will regenerate endlessly.
However, the organs are extremely fragile. You must proceed gradually, step-by-step. Otherwise, you won't temper them properly; instead, you'll inflict severe damage to your own internal organs."
"If a person is unable to draw the spiritual energy of Heaven and Earth into their body and condense True Qi, that martial artist will remain permanently stuck at the Flesh Refining stage. However, a martial artist at the peak of Flesh Refining, relying purely on raw strength and bodily defense, can still rival an Immortal Cultivator at the early stage of Qi Refining."
The crowd didn't interrupt, all of them listening intently in absolute silence. For miles around, only Xu Jingwu's resonant voice echoed in the air.
"The fourth stage, Bone Refining!"
"The skeleton is the scaffolding of the physical body. It supports the flesh and blood and bears the burden of your raw power. In the stage of Bone Refining, you must use your Qi and Blood to continuously wash over your bones, causing them to vibrate and fracture slightly, shedding all internal impurities to massively strengthen their density and resilience.
When this stage reaches perfection, an eruption of sheer physical strength can block the destructive power of a Low Grade Dharma Tool.
Naturally, going through this stage means enduring the excruciating agony of having your bones continuously broken."
"The fifth stage, Blood Exchange!"
"As the name implies, it is the process of exchanging the old blood for new blood. You must exchange your blood over and over again until your blood takes on a faint golden hue. Only then is it considered perfect.
Some people with special constitutions may only need one cycle. Others may require three, six, or even nine cycles.
During the Blood Exchange process, if the new blood cannot be produced and replaced fast enough, you could fall into grave peril."
"The cultivation process of the Mortal-Shedding Realm is a process of repeatedly forging the human body. As a result, the body's Acupoints will naturally unseal themselves, just as a channel is formed when water arrives.
Usually, when Bone Refining is perfected, it is an absolute certainty that the hundreds of apertures across your entire body will be completely opened."
"I have already authorized the Immortal Martial Alliance with the cultivation methods. They will make the arrangements to sell them."
"Elder Jiang, might I ask, if we do not walk the path of Mortal-Shedding, is there still a way to break through to the second realm of the Martial Dao?" an elderly Peak Grandmaster asked.
"Naturally," Xu Jingwu said with a faint smile. "The Mortal-Shedding Realm is simply about establishing a martial artist's physical foundation; it does not directly involve breakthrough methods. It's similar to how not every Immortal Cultivator who reaches Peak Qi Condensation can step into the Foundation Establishment Stage.
It's just that a martial artist who walks the path of the Mortal-Shedding Realm will have a much deeper understanding of their own body, which is vastly beneficial when attempting to break through to the second realm of the Martial Dao.
As I mentioned earlier, the foundation of Martial Dao cultivation lies in the physical body.
If you don't even have an intimate familiarity with your own body, how can you possibly hope to break into the second realm?"
"He's absolutely right."
"Elder Jiang's words make perfect sense."
Countless martial artists voiced their agreement.
"Then, might I ask how one breaks through to the second realm?" another middle-aged Peak Grandmaster inquired.
"The key lies in a single, highly unique aperture. I call it the Divine Aperture. It is the place where a martial artist houses their spirit.
Within this aperture is the Niwan Palace.
By locating your own Divine Aperture and using your Qi and Blood combined with your True Qi to smash open the Niwan Palace, you can officially step into the second realm.
At that point, your Divine sense will naturally be born, and your Dantian will vastly expand. You will be able to hover in the air just like a Foundation Establishment Stage cultivator, and easily liquefy your True Qi.
Of course, if you manage to fully liquefy your True Qi beforehand, it will provide a thirty percent boost when attempting to break open the Niwan Palace.
I'm sure everyone is familiar with how to liquefy your energy. It's nothing more than repeatedly and endlessly compressing your own True Qi."
"Then exactly where is the Divine Aperture located?"
Xu Jingwu raised a hand and pointed right at the center of his own brow. "However, even if you know where it is, accurately locating it is extremely difficult. It's like trying to pinpoint one specific star amidst a boundless galaxy.
If you don't believe me, you're all welcome to give it a try."
Upon hearing this, massive crowds of Peak Grandmasters instantly sat down cross-legged, desperately trying to search for the location of their Divine Aperture.
"As for cultivation in the Origin Martial Realm, I have only just taken my first steps and am still probing the way forward. I sincerely hope that someone here will be able to step onto this path alongside me."
Following that, Xu Jingwu discussed his theories regarding the Pill Martial Realm and the Origin Fetus Realm, causing the eyes of countless martial artists to gleam brightly with hope.
By establishing new realms for the Martial Dao, he was destined to carve his name onto its eternal monument and be remembered for thousands of generations.
Next came the discussion regarding Origin Tools.
From now on, martial artists would possess weapons that could match a Cultivator's Dharma Tools—this was absolute gospel for the countless martial artists.
This Martial Dao sermon lasted continuously from the morning all the way until the evening, when the sun finally sank into the west.
Xu Jingwu answered everyone's questions and doubts without holding anything back.
Whether the questions came from martial artists of Great Wei, Great Liang, or Great Jin, he treated them all with equal patience.
"Elder Jiang! For pioneering the new martial realms and consolidating the foundation of the Martial Dao, you truly deserve the title of the Martial Ancestor of our path! Please, accept this old man's bow!"
"Accept Cheng's bow!"
"Accept Wang's bow!"
In an instant, hundreds of thousands of martial artists bowed deeply in unison. Their voices shook the heavens, echoing so loudly that even the mountain gate of the Immortal Martial Alliance faintly trembled.
Xu Jingwu smiled lightly. "You are too polite, Daoist Friends. The Martial Dao has been in decline. Regardless of our individual stances, we are all martial artists at heart. I truly hope that all of you can lay down your own bricks and tiles to build the future of the Martial Dao!"
Xu Jingwu rose and returned to the Immortal Martial Alliance Headquarters.
Only then did the martial artists who had come to listen to the sermon begin to disperse. Subsequently, the sale of the "Martial Classic" triggered a frenzied wave of enthusiasm.
Within just a few days, every commandery and every family under the Immortal Martial Alliance had purchased a copy for their archives.
Commoners also purchased them in massive quantities.
At the Under the Moon Academy, a towering monument was erected within the Martial Dao Institute. The figure carved at the very top was none other than Xu Jingwu, while the square stone stele beneath it was inscribed with the Mortal-Shedding chapter of the "Martial Classic".
Over the following month, countless martial artists frantically switched to cultivating the Mortal-Shedding Realm. Some of the older, Peak Grandmaster martial artists focused entirely on locating their Divine Aperture in an attempt to blast their way straight into the Origin Martial Realm.
Xu Jingwu personally assisted several Martial Alliance members in locating their Divine Apertures using the Divine Aperture Resonance Method.
All of them were martial artists planted into the Martial Alliance by the Xu Family.
The Alliance Leader of the Martial Alliance was Li Zhi.
There were countless Peak Grandmasters in the Immortal Martial Alliance, but who could possibly compete with a recommendation from the Xu Family?
Once Li Zhi finally located his Divine Aperture, he quickly discovered that shattering the barrier of the Niwan Palace was no easy task. His power of Qi and Blood was insufficient, and the quality of his True Qi was lacking.
This alone was proof of just how terrifyingly profound Xu Jingwu's foundation had been when he was a Peak Grandmaster.
Of course, the primary reason was his special constitution. His natural Qi and Blood were more than ten times stronger than martial artists at the same level, not to mention that he had already completely liquefied his True Qi.
"Alliance Leader Li, these are some of my personal techniques regarding True Qi liquefaction. They should help you complete the process much faster.
When rushing the barrier of the Niwan Palace, Qi and Blood are equally crucial. When you truly reach that step, you can consume a Pill that speeds up the recovery of Qi and Blood."
"Thank you, Elder Jiang," Li Zhi said, thoroughly astonished by Xu Jingwu's goodwill. "If I go back and re-cultivate the Mortal-Shedding Realm, will it increase my chances of breaking through?"
"Naturally. However, considering you aren't young anymore, if you are lucky enough to break into the Origin Martial Realm first, it wouldn't be too late to walk the Mortal-Shedding path retroactively to consolidate your foundation."
"Thank you for the advice."
Upon hearing that Xu Jingwu possessed a special method to accelerate the location of the Divine Aperture, countless people swarmed to his door to beg for his help.
Aside from a scant few families, Xu Jingwu bluntly rejected them all.
Just like the Immortal Dao, those who could step into the second realm of the Martial Dao were the absolute cream of the crop, and there were no true shortcuts to achieve it.
Even if they managed to locate their Divine Aperture with Xu Jingwu's help, they would simply end up in the awkward situation of being entirely unable to break open the Niwan Palace.
There was nothing to be done; the Martial Dao of the past had simply been too weak.
This was the exact reason why no one had managed to forge the second realm of the Martial Dao for over a thousand years.
If a martial artist's foundation was absolutely flawless and they cultivated bitterly without rest every single day, they would eventually stumble upon their Divine Aperture naturally.
The Xu Family also began undergoing sweeping reforms.
Those who possessed a talent for Immortal Cultivation would walk the Immortal Dao, while those without the aptitude would pursue the Martial Dao.
The majority of the Xu Family's sixth generation walked the Martial Dao. As for the generations before the fifth, aside from the Xu Clan daughters who had married off, the rest had all pursued the Immortal Dao.
The Xu Family officially ushered in an era divided between the Immortal and Martial paths.
Under the direct orders of Xu Chonghui and Xu Deheng, every single Xu Clan disciple practicing martial arts switched to cultivating the Mortal-Shedding Realm. For the others, anyone under sixty years of age was also required to do the same.
As for those over sixty, due to the natural decline in their Qi and Blood, their hopes of breaking into the Origin Martial Realm were virtually nonexistent.
Xu Chuan also lent his aid to the Martial Dao. Based on the intricate details of the Skin Refining, Flesh Refining, Organ Refining, Bone Refining, and Blood Exchange stages, he researched and invented four types of Pills to assist in cultivating the Mortal-Shedding Realm.
They were the True Blood Pill, the Five Organs Pill, the Bone Tempering Pill, and the Blood Coagulation Pill.
The efficacy of the True Blood Pill was several times that of the Qi and Blood Pill. It carried minor side effects and couldn't be taken continuously, but it could speed up the cultivation of the Skin Refining and Flesh Refining stages by twofold.
The Five Organs Pill protected the internal organs, allowing them to withstand much higher intensities of tempering.
The Bone Tempering Pill purified the bone structure, making it easier for Qi and Blood and True Qi to beat against it, though it slightly exacerbated the accompanying pain.
The Blood Coagulation Pill multiplied the regeneration speed of fresh blood several times over.
These new Pill Recipes weren't particularly difficult. Xu Mingqing mastered them as soon as he learned them. By his second batch, he was producing High Grade Pills. By his third batch, he yielded more than five High Grade Pills in a single go.
The Alchemists affiliated with the Xu Family all frantically began studying how to refine these pills.
According to Xu Jingwu's estimations, in a few short years, martial artists at the Origin Martial Realm would consecutively emerge within the Immortal Martial Alliance, Great Wei, Great Liang, and Great Jin.
In the blink of an eye, two years slipped by.
Greedy Wolf Prefecture.
Mountain and Sea City.
The Demonic Heaven Chamber of Commerce had developed incredibly fast. It had already firmly established itself as the leading merchant faction in the region. They had even recruited three Early-Stage Golden Core Rogue Cultivators, over a hundred Foundation Establishment stage members of varying levels, and their Qi Refining stage members numbered a staggering seven to eight hundred.
The Chamber of Commerce's tentacles of influence extended deep into several neighboring cities and Marketplaces.
Xiao Zhan had even officially become the City Lord of Mountain and Sea City.
Fearing their overwhelming strength and fully aware that the Xiao Family would strike against his faction sooner or later, the previous City Lord had simply taken the initiative to step down and surrender the seat.
Nearly every single faction within the city had family disciples who joined the chamber.
A gargantuan, intricately woven network of connections was formed.
In the future, the entirety of Mountain and Sea City's powers might be swallowed whole by the Demonic Heaven Chamber of Commerce, turning it into their ultimate base of operations in the Greedy Wolf Prefecture.
Once that happened, their foundation would truly be unshakeable.
Meanwhile, Xu Chuan was in secluded cultivation within the City Lord's Mansion, quietly comprehending Divine Abilities and Cultivation Methods. Every so often, he would hold a meeting within the Xu Clan's Grotto-heaven to stay informed about the situations of the Cloudstream and Dongxi branches of the Xu Family.
At this moment.
Inside a quiet cultivation room, Xu Chuan sat cross-legged atop a bed of profound ice jade.
A faint grey energy wreathed his body. At times, it resembled withering, rotting wood, exuding an incredibly profound and mystical aura.
"Wither and flourish returning to the origin, life and death intermingling... The Life and Death Seal is complete!"
Xu Chuan's eyes abruptly snapped open. His hands moved like fluttering butterflies, leaving behind countless afterimages.
A brief moment later.
A bizarre, half-black, half-white hand seal fully manifested.
This was the essence of the Origin Life and Death Seal—a deeply unique Divine Ability that existed somewhere between a technique and a Magic Treasure. It could be continuously condensed and endlessly empowered.
"If I want it to truly condense into a physical Magic Treasure, I'm going to need a massive amount of life energy and death energy." Xu Chuan pondered for several breaths before murmuring to himself, "It's about time I went out for a walk."
With the Origin Seal successfully formed, Xu Chuan's Withered Glory Divine Ability had reached perfect mastery, smoothly transforming into the Life and Death Divine Ability.
With this seal in hand, he could directly clash against a Late-Stage Golden Core True Lord in a head-on confrontation, all without needing to rely on a High-Grade Magic Treasure.
After three years of secluded cultivation, Xu Chuan's base cultivation had successfully broken through, reaching the early phase of the third layer of the Golden Core Stage.
The progress of the "Profound Heaven Divine Refining Art" was on par with his current Divine sense boundary. If he could achieve great success with it, his Divine sense would instantly rival that of a Golden Core Perfection expert.
If he could cultivate the second layer to perfection before stepping into Mid-stage Golden Core, he could rely on the Divine Sense Crystal to propel his Divine sense straight into the Nascent Soul realm.
Later, as his realm experienced further breakthroughs, it would inherently serve to bolster his Divine sense even more.
Naturally, Xu Chuan was more looking forward to his Divine sense breaking into the Nascent Soul level, which would complete the missing cultivation contents for the third layer of the "Profound Heaven Divine Refining Art".
His "Thousand Spirits Art" could now split into twenty-four streams. He was not far off from the twenty-eight streams required to unleash the absolute, perfect might of the Azure Dragon Sword Formation.
His "Jiamu Profound Spirit Battle Armor" and "Yimu Green Light Evasion" Divine Abilities were both at the Minor Success stage.
His "Lesser Star Divination Art" remained at the great success stage without any changes. As for his "Five Elements Creation Palm", its progress was dismally slow.
The next day.
Xu Chuan gave a few instructions to Xiao Zhan and left the City Lord's Mansion.
He utterly altered his appearance, quietly walking the streets of Mountain and Sea City. He siphoned the ambient life and death energy present throughout the city to nourish the Origin Life and Death Seal resting within his Dantian.
He acted as an indifferent spectator, coldly watching those at the absolute bottom of society struggle wildly in matters of life and death.
He casually observed as people murdered and plundered, fighting desperately until only one side survived.
A few days later, Xu Chuan departed from Mountain and Sea City, directly extracting the life and death energy from the surrounding vegetation.
However, it was blindingly obvious that the Life Seal was solidifying at a much faster rate.
For that reason, he frequently sought out locations suffused with massive amounts of death energy, such as mass graves and abandoned execution grounds.
Without ocean-like quantities of life and death energy, condensing the Origin Life and Death Seal into a true Magic Treasure would likely take an incredibly long amount of time.
Of course, once the seal was formed, it would inherently become a High-Grade Magic Treasure. A casual strike from it would perfectly rival the combination of a Magic Treasure and a Divine Ability, capable of erupting with destructive power bordering on that of a Top-Tier Magic Treasure.
As Xu Chuan roamed the Greedy Wolf Prefecture, he slowly made his way toward the Black Wind Mountain Range.
If a massive war erupted between the two prefectures again, as an absolute top-tier combatant, Xu Chuan would be required to make an appearance; otherwise, it would draw severe suspicion.
Two months passed.
Xu Chuan stealthily slipped back into the Heavenly Azure Prefecture.
Whether it was the Heavenly Azure Prefecture or the Greedy Wolf Prefecture, aside from the three major locations—the Thousand Stone Forest, Grand Harmony Lake, and Heavenly Gate Pass—a number of disciples had also been dispatched to patrol the outer rims of the Black Wind Mountain Range.
Fortunately, because the area was incredibly expansive, no Formations or Restrictions had been set up. Otherwise, it would have been quite difficult for Xu Chuan to sneak back.
As for the patrolling disciples, given Xu Chuan's aura-concealing methods, even a Golden Core Perfection Cultivator would find it near impossible to detect his movements, especially deep within a mountain range.
While traversing the Black Wind Mountain Range, Xu Chuan utilized the Lesser Star Divination Art. Shockingly, he managed to gather a complete set of ingredients for a Core Formation Pill right from the mountains, as well as a Pure Water Lotus.
He immediately planted all of these inside the Xu Clan's Grotto-heaven.
The spiritual spring within the realm could boost the growth speed of the Pure Water Lotus by tenfold.
In addition to that, he found seven or eight pieces of third and fourth-tier Spirit Iron, and a mid-grade earth-attribute Connate Spirit Object.
The Black Wind Mountain Range was home not only to quite a few Tier 3 Demonic Beasts but also to Fourth-Tier Shapeshifting Great Demons. To snatch that mid-grade earth-attribute Connate Spirit Object, Xu Chuan had actually been hunted by one such great demon for a period of time.
Relying on his Minor Success evasion Divine Ability and his wither-and-flourish aura concealment technique, he barely managed to escape with his life.
Knowing full well the terrifying dangers lurking in the Black Wind Mountain Range, Xu Chuan chose not to linger any longer. He crossed through the mountains at his absolute maximum speed.
Back in Xu Chuan's courtyard.
Moyue burst fiercely out of the pond, swirling into the air. His dark golden dragon eyes gazed off into the distance, a look of profound joy glinting within them. He immediately sent a voice transmission to Xu Mingxian, Ye Fan, and their spouses.
The four of them instantly ceased their cultivation and rushed to Xu Chuan's courtyard to await his return.
A few minutes later.
A streak of green light descended from the sky and landed on the ground. It was none other than Xu Chuan himself.
"Congratulations on your safe return, Father," Xu Mingxian greeted.
Ye Fan and the others echoed similar sentiments.
"Even though I knew you would undoubtedly be fine, this was still the first time you've been away from the Xu Family for so long," Moyue rumbled.
"With the Xu Clan's Grotto-heaven, I can inquire about the situation of our branches at any given moment. It makes no difference where I am," Xu Chuan replied.
"If I weren't barred from entering, I truly would love to go in and take a look around," Moyue remarked.
"There will be an opportunity for that in the future."
Following that, Xu Chuan checked on Moyue's three offspring. The two small black flood dragons were at the peak of the first tier, while the little white snake had benefited tremendously from staying by Xu Deyue's side, successfully breaking into the second tier half a year ago.
"Perfect timing. Now that you're back, you can refine Demonic Spirit Pills for them. I've already prepared the materials: a peak tier-two water-attribute Demonic Beast and a peak tier-two frost-attribute Demonic Beast."
"Alright," Xu Chuan said with a faint smile, not turning him down. "I'll fire up the cauldron to refine pills tomorrow. It just so happens that I managed to gather a full set of materials for a Core Formation Pill in the Black Wind Mountain Range."
Xu Mingxian's eyes lit up brightly. "Your luck is truly phenomenal, Father."
"I also found a mid-grade earth-attribute Connate Spirit Object. To get my hands on it, I was hunted by a Fourth-Tier Shapeshifting Great Demon for hundreds of miles."
"A Connate Spirit Object! That is incredibly precious. Counting Deling's piece, our Xu Family now possesses two of them. I suspect even the Heavenly Azure Sect's vault doesn't hold more than seven."
"There's a fourth-tier great demon in the Black Wind Mountain Range?" Moyue's golden eyes flared with sudden interest. "Once I break through to the fourth tier, I'll go avenge you."
Moyue was casually yet intentionally dropping a hint to Xu Chuan.
Xu Chuan simply replied, "Don't be in such a rush. Deling mentioned that your Tribulation Transcendence Magic Treasure has already been forged. It's a Nine-Patterned Magic Treasure crafted from Primordial Magnetism Divine Crystals. Its effectiveness against lightning tribulations surpasses even ordinary Spirit Treasures.
Once the war between the two prefectures concludes, we can properly arrange your lightning tribulation."
"I still have to wait until the war ends?"
"Nascent Soul realm cultivators almost always seek out opponents of the same rank. As long as you don't break through, the worst our Xu Family will face is targeting from Golden Core experts. Even if a dozen of them come at us, our family will not fear them.
But if you break through..."
Xu Mingxian and the others murmured their agreement with Xu Chuan's reasoning.
In this kind of Cultivator war, combatants were definitely matched with opponents of the same rank. If a Golden Core expert genuinely slaughtered their way into a Foundation Establishment battlefield, they would immediately be locked onto and targeted by Golden Core experts from the opposing side.
"Rest assured. According to my estimations, the war will undoubtedly break out within a year or two."
"Fine, then. I will follow your arrangements."