Chapter Forty-Nine: Advancement Through Points

All thoughts and distractions were cleared away. Bai Li Feihong focused his attention on his skin, circulating his vital energy, feeling the sensation of the cold well water touching his body. His pores opened and closed, and he attempted to use the technique of the "Dragon of the Waves" to expel the turbid air from his body, breathing in the oxygen within the water. The cold energy seeped into him through the well water, entering his body via his pores, his breath alternating in rhythm.

Gradually, Bai Li Feihong felt as if he had returned to the safety of the womb. A newborn can swim instinctively, yet this natural human talent fades as one is exposed to the outside air. Practicing this method, however, allowed Bai Li Feihong to reclaim this innate gift. His experience points soared wildly—proficient, adept, masterful… Because there was no threshold, his experience refreshed continuously as long as he cultivated.

Very soon, Bai Li Feihong had cultivated this method to its peak. An abundance of insights flooded his mind from the Book of Skills, granting him the true essence of the "Dragon of the Waves": the triple mysteries of Fish Gill Breathing, Subtle Pore Power, and the Dragon of the Waves were all within his grasp.

Emerging from the bottom of the well, Bai Li Feihong’s skin had turned pale from the immersion, his whole body swollen as if waterlogged. He circulated his vital energy, regulated his breathing, and evaporated the moisture absorbed through his pores. Then, after cooking a large pot of lamb and feasting to restore his vitality, Bai Li Feihong did not rest, but instead began to comprehend the "Carefree Soaring".

Carefree Soaring: Initiate (0/30,000).

After reading the entire book, Bai Li Feihong glanced at the information in his Book of Skills and was startled. The experience required to enter this movement technique was the highest of any method he had ever trained.

"Book of Skills, upgrade Carefree Soaring."

After reading through the Carefree Soaring, his mind was utterly blank, not a single insight emerged. He understood now that this supreme-level technique truly was beyond the reach of ordinary people. Without hesitation, he used his skill points.

"Deduct 10 skill points, Carefree Soaring upgraded to Proficient!"

A mysterious flow of information swirled in his mind, which Bai Li Feihong absorbed greedily. What had been obscure and incomprehensible moments before now became faintly accessible. Reflecting on the Carefree Soaring, he found endless meaning, and the martial principles it expounded intoxicated the soul.

Carefree Soaring: Proficient (0/90,000).

Seeing the experience points required had tripled, Bai Li Feihong breathed a sigh of relief.

"Upgrade again!"

"Deduct 30 skill points, Carefree Soaring upgraded to Adept level."

At this moment, the shroud over Carefree Soaring was partially lifted in his mind, allowing him a glimpse of its profound mysteries.

Carefree Soaring: Mastery (0/900,000).

But when he saw the next tier’s experience requirement, Bai Li Feihong was dumbfounded. The daunting amount made him hesitate.

Given the enigmatic point allocation of the Book of Skills, Bai Li Feihong worried his skill points would not suffice. Checking again: 1,258!

"Upgrade Jade Bone to Bronze Bone," he gritted his teeth. Now was not the time to be frugal with skill points. Gaining strength as quickly as possible was paramount. The terrifying power of the ancient Mysterious Ice Maiden Han Su had made him realize that his current achievements were far from sufficient. Moreover, tempering the bones would increase his vital energy.

The "Six Paths of Demon Suppression Sutra" was mastered completely by only a select few in the Demon Suppression Division, and the greatest challenge lay in bone refinement. No other technique refined the bones into six different forms. The reason was that those who created the "Six Paths of Demon Suppression Sutra" believed bone tempering was the most fundamental step in martial cultivation.

The beginning of martial arts lies in bone refinement.

Refined bones generate blood!

When one’s bones became as precious as gold and jade, the body underwent tremendous change. Tempering the bones also required vast amounts of vital energy. Therefore, the Blood Essence Formula was crucial, as it allowed one to extract energy from refined meat and elixirs, supplying the bones with what they needed.

"Deduct 10 skill points, Jade Bone advances to Bronze Bone."

A surge of energy flooded his skeleton; the Book of Skills transformed his jade-like bones into bronze, radiating a golden-bronze glow.

"Continue the upgrade."

"Deduct 20 skill points, Bronze Bone advances to Iron Bone."
"Deduct 30 points, Iron Bone advances to Steel Bone."
"Deduct 40 points, Steel Bone advances to Golden Bone."
"Deduct 105 points, Golden Bone advances to Gold-Jade Bone!"

Bai Li Feihong’s face twisted with pain. His bones shattered and reformed again and again. After each reconstruction, a massive surge of vital energy was released—bones generating blood. At the same time, a unique power spread from his bones throughout his body. As the bones transformed, the flesh that clung to them also changed, as if his muscles were assimilated by the power of six different bone forms. Interwoven with vital energy, his flesh and blood now seemed as precious as gold and jade.

Half an hour later, Bai Li Feihong lay exhausted on the stone slabs in the courtyard, panting as he stared dazedly at the azure sky, still stunned by the pain of his bones breaking and reforming. After a brief rest, he sat cross-legged and activated the "Refining Blood Essence Skill", using the blood generated by his bones to refine and purify his vital energy, relentlessly assaulting the peak of the fifth blood refinement to enter the sixth stage.

As he tempered his blood in the sixth refinement, a powerful force was born within him.

The Marrow Refinement stage was achieved effortlessly, as if water flowed naturally. The "Six Paths of Demon Suppression Sutra" connected the three stages of blood, bone, and marrow refinement—no, all six stages were linked as one: the first path of Demon Suppression, Body Refinement.

The human body is an interconnected whole.

With strong blood comes sturdy bones.
With sturdy bones comes abundant marrow.
With abundant marrow comes powerful organs.
With powerful organs comes robust meridians and orifices.
With a strong body and vigorous energy comes a strong spirit.

Now, his bones had been tempered to the utmost. Having undergone six blood refinements, both his bone marrow and blood marrow were incomparably powerful. At this stage, cultivation was no longer necessary; the internal changes wrought by his transformed bones and blood essence had already strengthened his marrow and blood to the extreme. Performing any marrow-refining techniques now felt as natural as being at his peak.

At the same time, subtle changes began in his five viscera and six bowels.

"Book of Skills, elevate my cultivation to the peak of Organ Refinement," Bai Li Feihong commanded.

"Deduct 300 points, Marrow Refinement complete."
"Deduct 600 points, Five Viscera and Six Bowels perfected!"

His organs released their combined power at once. In an instant, Bai Li Feihong's strength surged a hundredfold, his vital energy multiplied a hundred times. He continued to circulate the "Refining Blood Essence Skill," converting the immense energy within him into blood essence.

Blood Refinement, Seventh Stage—complete.
Blood Refinement, Eighth Stage—complete!

But Bai Li Feihong clearly sensed that the efficiency of the "Refining Blood Essence Skill" was beginning to decline. At this point, only 153 skill points remained.

Besides being able to advance the Four Seas Fist and the Blood River Blade, he did not have enough points to upgrade any other techniques. The breath of his five viscera flowed endlessly, the strength of his six bowels formed a grand cycle, and Bai Li Feihong felt the unmistakable leap of his life’s evolution.

At this moment, Bai Li Feihong felt an illusion: aside from the level of the Guardian Commander, he could utterly overpower every single Demon Suppressor in the Eastern Shore Demon Suppression Division.

"There is a martial technique recorded in the Six Paths of Demon Suppression Sutra that I can now finally use."

The Five Elements Demon Suppression Hand—a technique of the Organ Refinement stage.