Chapter 100: Body Refining Technique, The Scheming Villain

Those who refine their bodies care about returning to the origin, tempering their bloodlines, washing their bones and cutting their hair, thus returning to their original source. Bloodlines of the same origin may differ due to different cultivation methods...

In summary, it is not about the cultivation method, but about the common sense of body refinement.

The most effective way to improve currently is the Blood Essence Demon Pill, a pill refined from the cores and blood of demon beasts.

Among the Blood Essence Demon Pills, those of the same bloodline origin are the best.

Same class? Fish Dragon grass probably won’t do. Looks like I need to acquire some Fish Dragons.

However, cultivating Fish Dragons is extremely difficult, probably impossible.

With that said, he crossed his legs and sat on the meditation cushion.

He took out the mica demon pill refined during the day and swallowed it.

The one-aperture golden pill was truly extraordinary. A surge of heat exploded in his chest, and the scale of the Taiyin Moonlight Blood Refinement Method slowly rose.

The next day, Lu Qian slowly woke up.

Nine Heavens Moonlight Blood Refinement Method (881/15000)
Taiyin Golden Eyes (Beginner: 51/500)
Yi Wood Spirit Thunder (Beginner: 43/500)

Through a night of cultivation, his fundamental methods and spells had improved considerably.

The Blood Refinement Method had increased by two hundred points, equivalent to two months of effort. Lu Qian sighed inwardly; it was still not enough.

The more one knew, the more time one had for cultivation. Although the Heavenly Dao repays diligence, one must at least be diligent to gain. Sometimes he truly wished to find a secluded place and farm hard for decades, leveling all his methods to the maximum. Yet where would he find so much free time?

Lu Qian stood up. Black light flashed, and a three-inch black thorn emitted a buzzing sound. The Soul Slaughtering Thorn was extremely fast; if the user had not been too weak in cultivation that day, he probably could not have been hit. In the future, when using Fish Dragons, Lu Qian would rely on the Blood Dissolving Demon Blade, Yin Talisman Sword, and Refining Form Banner.

He had read the Underworld River Secret Map for half a day but could not extract anything useful from it. Perhaps it was not yet the right time.

Lingbo Tower.

Bang!

“Waste! How dare you toy with me!”

Just as he approached, he saw a Daoist boy being kicked out the door. Guests inside the building paused to watch.

Lu Qian stepped forward for a closer look and recognized it as the young Daoist boy Xiao Lu. A short, fat middle-aged man was pummeling and kicking him, and upon closer inspection, it was none other than Niu Xing, whom he had met the day before.

“Niu Steward, I have come to collect the medicinal herbs.”

Lu Qian ignored the boy on the ground. Last time he had given him five hundred law coins, effectively buying his silence at a fixed price. He would not lift a finger to help a Daoist boy’s family.

“Oh, it’s nothing.” Niu Xing sneered. “This little one told me yesterday that he would offer a woman. Today, when I asked, it turned out he offered to a Dao friend. What do you think—amusing or not?”

“I didn’t...” Xiao Lu wanted to protest but swallowed the words when he met Niu Xing’s gaze.

“Haha, Dao friend is joking. With your status, countless women are lined up at your door. It is only one woman after all.” Lu Qian smiled outwardly while feeling cold inside.

It seemed this fellow had come for him, deliberately making things difficult.

Lu Qian refused to believe any excuse about women. A normal steward would not stoop to offending both a mortal and a nascent soul cultivator. Perhaps his role as pill consultant had blocked someone’s path.

The two walked one after the other into the pill room.

“Dao friend, that woman is quite nice, right? How about letting it go?” Niu Xing asked with a smile.

“Steward is joking. I will find another one for you.”

Although exchanging playthings among cultivators was commonplace, almost no one traded Daoist boys. After all, they were close attendants, privy to many secrets. This was a highly taboo matter.

Lu Qian was certain this old dog was deliberately trying to disgust him.

“Never mind. A gentleman does not take what others desire.” Niu Xing sounded regretful as he handed over the herbs.

Lu Qian opened his pack and confirmed they were complete. He bid farewell and departed.

Niu Xing watched Lu Qian’s retreating figure, a cold glint flashing in his eyes. He did not dare to shortchange the herbs, since the other party knew Steward Cui. But he could still make things difficult, forcing Lu Qian to give up.

Each month, when handing over the golden pill, he would find some flaw to make him busy and retreat. If Lu Qian still proved obtuse, he would have to resort to something ruthless.

At the thought, a vicious glint appeared in Niu Xing’s heart.

People using backdoors were far too numerous.

Lu Qian did not leave but headed to the second-floor goods counter.

“What does the adult require?” The white-clothed Daoist boy stepped forward respectfully.

“A copy of the Body Refinement Technique directory.” Lu Qian said.

According to the Body Refinement Compendium, body refinement was not limited to using one’s own innate abilities or magic tools. If that were all, one would surely be outmatched by a Qi Refining Daoist skilled in a hundred spell variations. Body refinement actually possessed its own unique set of techniques, known as Body Refinement Techniques.

These techniques bore some resemblance to mortal martial arts, perhaps the origin of such arts.

Lu Qian scanned the directory and saw countless categories, some general and some with special bloodline properties. The insights into body potential were truly eye-opening.

Though not as potent as innate divine abilities, they compensated for the clumsy and singular nature of body refiners. This was far superior to relying solely on brute force during his time at Tongyou Guan.

After browsing for half a day, Lu Qian chose one balanced offensive and defensive technique called Blood Heaven, which could mobilize vast blood qi and contained four moves: Annihilation, Indifference, Brutal, and Cruel. He also selected a movement technique, Demon Shadow Heaven Step, for short-distance bursts that quickly closed the gap to enemies.

Better options existed, but they were too expensive and some required position permissions, which Lu Qian lacked.

“Adult, the total comes to eight hundred law coins.” The boy smiled.

Lu Qian tossed a jade pendant engraved with runes to the boy, bearing the Lingbo Tower emblem and the words one thousand two hundred law coins.

Such items functioned like silver tickets, issued by various chambers of commerce and mutually accepted.

Outside, he mounted a Step Wave Beast.

On the road, Lu Qian frowned in thought. Niu Xing’s demeanor had been off, meaning more teasing lay ahead. As the steward who inspected pills, there were endless ways to harass him.

Humph! I don’t have time to play these games with you. Lu Qian felt disgust welling up. No matter where he went, he seemed destined to encounter such disgusting little men.

At that moment, he passed the announcement board once more. Several more notices had appeared on the wall—one from Lingbo Tower and one from Yunshui Cave. Both were wanted posters for Lu Qian.

This Lu Qian truly knew how to stir up trouble, offending two of the top ten forces on Wanxiang Island.

Three notices, totaling six thousand, was quite a sum.

However, the portraits for Yunshui Cave and Tongyou Guan did not match?

Idiot, who on Wanxiang Island does not know a few disguise arts? Maybe Lu Qian is right beside us!

Lu Qian caught the remark and a faint smile curved his lips.

Indeed, the Fish Dragon resided within his body, bound by contract and unable to escape. But Lu Qian could still kill. Wasn’t it normal for an evil man to murder and seize treasures?

Returning home, Lu Qian closed cultivation and refined pills for several days.

Night fell dark and windy.

A formless Yin spirit flew out.