47: Reborn and Transformed

"Ironclad Skill" has reached completion: Strength +2.2, Agility +1.8, Constitution +0.9
[Strength]: 27.8, [Agility]: 28.1, [Constitution]: 30.0, [Spirit]: 160

Constitution has become the first of the three main attributes to reach the Silver standard, and now "Condensing Fiend Skill" is also nearing completion.

Since his rebirth, Chen Longshi had initially thought his greatest cheat was the Reincarnation Purple Lotus, but that was merely a kind of talent, or perhaps a latent potential yet to be realized. The true aid on his journey had been the Devouring Demon, Tuntun.

Now, this creature was growing rapidly; it would likely advance to Bronze level in less than a month. Its master was about to reach Silver, so the symbiotic demon beast could not afford to lag behind.

[Symbiotic Demon Beast]: Devouring Demon (Black Iron level), Larval stage.
Talent One: Devour and Evolve
Talent Two: Demon Belly Space
Talent Three: Demonification

Inside the training chamber, Chen Longshi was making his final push. Slowly, he guided his breath along the visualization path of Condensing Fiend Skill. A thread of searing, scorching heat, like a filament, coursed through his heart.

"Boom—"

Almost simultaneously, his internal organs felt as if engulfed by raging fire, and his entire body began to emit thick, white steam. A torrent of intense heat suddenly welled up inside him, rampaging along a mysterious route. The heat blazed like a dragon of fire surging through Chen Longshi's body.

His face flushed crimson in an instant, his skin turning the shade of a cooked prawn shell. Rivers of sweat poured from every pore, transforming into steam as they rose in the air.

Vitality burned fiercely, forming a thick crust of blood over his skin. Sensing its master's transformation, Tuntun tirelessly converted soul food into vital energy, distributing it from Chen Longshi's sea of consciousness through his body, nourishing his flesh ceaselessly. Under this pure, primal surge of energy, fresh blood was constantly created, quickly repairing damaged vessels and organs.

The bloody stench thickened, and the temperature in the chamber soared far beyond standard, triggering the room's alarm. Staff stationed in the monitoring room, noticing the anomaly, immediately reported it to the martial arena’s officer.

That day, the officer on duty was a Sword Colonel. Upon hearing the report, he authorized access to the training chamber’s feed and was confronted with a grisly scene. "Who’s in that room?"

The subordinate recognized the figure instantly. "That’s Chen Longshi, top of the Nine-Headed Bird Military Academy. Specially recruited by the Director, now a member of the Azure Dragon Squad of the Investigation Division."

The Colonel nodded in realization. "So, he’s one of those prodigies. He hasn’t been in the Heavenly Sword Bureau for even a month, has he? And he’s already about to break his genetic shackles? But why is it so bloody?"

He didn’t know which star skill Chen Longshi was cultivating, but he recognized the breakthrough moment. Not daring to disturb him, he considered for a moment and said, "Contact Minister Silver Fox from the Investigation Division, and ask him to come if possible."

"Yes, sir."

Much later, Chen Longshi’s skin gradually regained its original pallor. He couldn’t help but spit out a mouthful of dark purple blood—still burning hot. His entire body throbbed with pain, as if every muscle and bone had been flayed.

This was nothing like his previous training with body-forging star skills. If "Golden Bell" and "Ironclad Skill" were an external hammering, now it was as if his own organs were burning from within.

Relentless stimulation of his internals, all to strengthen himself. This method was exceedingly bizarre; without special elixirs, he’d have been ruined before success. Fortunately, these matters posed no difficulty for him.

The heat felt like a furnace, and within just a few breaths, sweat drenched him. His blood seemed to evaporate, and now the new blood inside radiated vibrant life.

Yet, his skin remained as red as a prawn, before the vital energy gradually cooled him down. Red and white alternated, in a cycle.

"The pain…it cuts to the bone!"

The agony was so intense that even attempting to meditate on the Soul Scripture was impossible. He could only grit his teeth and endure. But as the heat circulated swiftly a few more times, his body began to adapt.

His body temperature remained high, but not scalding as before. As vital energy poured downward, his blood flowed like a gurgling brook, louder and louder.

At last, after bitter trial, a sense of wholeness blossomed from within.

Chen Longshi could immediately feel the changes in his body, even his very soul.

Previously, breaking through the Soul Scripture would always leave him dizzy and lightheaded—he’d never risk channeling spiritual power fully unless absolutely necessary. Now, he could manipulate spirit freely; his blood felt heavier, more grounded, reminiscent of the "frosted marrow and mercury blood" described in the arts.

"Condensing Fiend Skill" reached perfection. [Strength]: 30.0, [Agility]: 30.0, [Constitution]: 30.0, [Spirit]: 160

Chen Longshi savored the transformation and knew he’d reached the threshold of the Silver life tier.

His bones were now hard as steel, his penetration force immense, his body nimbler, his resilience greater. Even his breathing, thanks to his strengthened organs, had grown deeper and more enduring; he could run as swiftly as a horse, leap as nimbly as a bird.

He felt the steady, weighty surge of blood and vitality. With his marrow transformed, all his blood was renewed. The phrase "frosted marrow and mercury blood" was no exaggeration. He had truly remade himself, reborn in body and essence.

But as one storm passed, another arose.

After his blood settled, star power began to boil. Star power was the root of any warrior—and now that root was stirring, carrying him toward an even higher level of existence.

Everything was ready, save for the final step.

Chen Longshi dared not delay. He began circulating the "Dragon Elephant Martial Disc." A stellar formation rose within the mysterious acupoint space of his body.

Memories surfaced: "Nine Forms of Star Forging," "Star Power Sensation," "Stellar Induction Prelude," and even "Eighteen Forms of Star Forging," "Stellar Induction Intermediate," "Tortoise-Serpent Body Refining," "Golden Bell," "Steel Bones," "Ironclad Skill," and "Condensing Fiend Skill!"

Countless star techniques, and myriad star sigils scattered, each radiating its unique field—separate yet intimately linked. Under the influence of the "Dragon Elephant Martial Disc" star sigil array, the original order of the star skills was broken and rearranged, gradually merging into an entirely new star skill. As it took shape, the core sigil of the Martial Disc shattered—it had fulfilled its purpose.

This new star skill, composed of thirty-six powerful star sigils, was a top-tier Silver star skill, the sigils interlocking to form a stable constellation, drawing other sigils into orbit like a miniature celestial system.

Sensing it, he immediately learned its nature: a Silver-level body-forging star skill, newly forged by his own hand. It deserved a name. Since it was born from the "Dragon Elephant Martial Disc," it would be called "Dragon Elephant Body Forging Skill."

As luck would have it, his first-place graduation prize included a Gold-level star skill, the "Vajra Dragon Elephant Art," making for a natural progression.

Chen Longshi instinctively began circulating this new skill. A vast force of star energy poured in from outside, his own star power surging from every cell, converging into a first star meridian, then a second, then a third, each forming in rapid succession.

These meridians quickly grew from fragile to resilient, slowly transforming. When they were fully forged, it marked Chen Longshi’s official passage from the Star Forging Realm into the Star Meridian Realm.

Yet the process of breaking his genetic shackles was not yet over. Some gene cluster within him unraveled, just as it had when he’d first ascended from mortal to Black Iron, and from Black Iron to Bronze. Now, crossing into the Silver life tier, the process was even more intense.

Minister Silver Fox entered the monitoring room, and after watching the footage, calmly said, "This is a normal metamorphosis. Nothing to be alarmed about. Xiao Li, please see to it that several high-grade star crystals are added to that training chamber. He can settle the cost later."

"Understood. I’ll get someone on it right away." The Sword Colonel named Xiao Li replied, "But Minister Silver Fox, even the transition from Bronze to Silver isn’t usually this intense. Why is his reaction so extreme?"

Silver Fox sighed. "Frosted marrow, mercury blood; reborn in flesh, hair, and bone. This is the apex of body-forging. Evolving to Silver is one thing, but to change one's blood and marrow is another—it’s something few truly accomplish. Yet he’s done it."

He recalled the last time Chen Longshi exchanged for body-forging star skills—it had only been a week prior. "Truly, the younger generation surpasses us."

Time passed slowly. Next door, Wang Ben had finished his training. Emerging, he found a team clustered around Chen Longshi’s training chamber, installing high-grade star crystals.

He sensed something odd in the ambient star power. "What’s happening?"

"You’re Wang Ben, right? One of the new Bureau prodigies."

"That’s me. Has someone changed rooms in there?"

"You don’t know? Chen Longshi, who entered with you, is in the midst of a breakthrough."

"A breakthrough—training, or into the Star Meridian Realm?"

"No—his Silver metamorphosis."

"What! You’re kidding."

After confirmation, Wang Ben felt as though he’d been struck by a hammer. Hadn’t he just sparred with Chen Longshi that morning and claimed he was far behind? How was he already breaking through?

Where was the trust? Was there no trust left between people?

He’d barely left campus, suffered his first defeat, and now even in cultivation he’d fallen behind. Wang Ben, the "Great General," for the first time doubted his own genius.

Twelve hours later, Chen Longshi slowly pushed open the door of the training chamber.

Though his body was still encrusted with dried blood, and the night was deep, the world seemed luminously clear to him.

From this day forth, the heavens and earth would never be the same.