Chapter 29: Bitter Cultivation in the Thunder Ravine, Initial Tempering of Flesh and Blood
Following the increasingly clear fluctuations of the thunder element in the air and the faint resonance hidden deep within his Bloodline, Yu Yuanchen spent three difficult days traversing the dense mountain forests. Finally, he came to a halt before a steep mountain wall covered in slippery green moss and vines.
According to the map and the almost imperceptible but real sense of natural magnetic field interference, the destination was right here. He observed closely and found that at the base of the mountain wall, hidden by several large, seemingly randomly fallen jagged rocks and an unusually dense cluster of Iron-wire Ferns, there was an extremely narrow crack that only allowed one person to pass through sideways. Had he not been searching intentionally and possessed keen perception, he would have definitely overlooked it as an ordinary part of the mountain.
Yu Yuanchen pushed aside the tough ferns and squeezed sideways into the crack. At first, it was extremely narrow, barely wide enough for a person, but after walking dozens of steps, the view suddenly opened up!
A surge of heaven and earth Origin Qi of the thunder attribute, several times more concentrated and pure than that of the outside world, rushed toward him, bringing a comfortable numbing sensation that spread throughout his body. It was as if he had passed through an invisible barrier and stepped into a small, secluded world.
Before him was a deep ravine with vertical cliffs rising hundreds of feet on both sides. The cliffs were deep purple with a faint metallic luster, covered in scorched marks and strange crystals left by years of lightning strikes. The bottom of the ravine was not wide, only twenty to thirty meters at its widest point. A crystal-clear, gurgling stream meandered through it, and within the water, tiny electric arcs occasionally flashed and vanished.
At the end of the ravine was an even more peculiar stone wall, riddled with countless honeycomb-like holes. Wisps of visible pale purple electric glow emanated from these holes, gathering into the air of the ravine, making the concentration of thunder elements inside reach an astonishing level. Tiny static charges floated in the air, and with every breath, he could feel that unique energy surging into his body, nourishing his Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Martial Soul. This was the core of the "Thunder Roar Ravine," the source of thunder element enrichment.
"Truly a treasure land!" A flash of joy crossed Yu Yuanchen's eyes. The thunder element here was not only dense but also exceptionally pure and gentle, unlike the violent nature of the Thunder Canyon, making it more suitable for long-term deep cultivation and comprehension. He roughly estimated that with the energy concentration here, it would be more than enough to support his cultivation to the level of Soul Emperor, with plenty left over for Body Tempering experiments.
He did not rush to start cultivating his Soul Power immediately but instead carefully scouted the entire Thunder Roar Ravine. Aside from some strange thunder-loving plants and insects, there were no powerful Soul Beasts occupying the ravine, making it safe and secure. In a place near the core stone wall where the thunder element was most concentrated, he found a dry stone platform to serve as his future place for meditation and cultivation.
Subsequently, his gaze was drawn to the scene on one side of the ravine. There, a waterfall cascaded down from the high cliffs. Although not as majestic as the waterfalls of some famous mountains and rivers, it had an abundant flow of water that crashed into the pool below with a thunderous roar, kicking up a mist that filled the air. The rocks beside the waterfall had been washed for years, becoming smooth and hard.
"What a perfect natural tempering site!" Yu Yuanchen's heart stirred; the Body Tempering method he had envisioned required just such external assistance.
After settling in, he did not immediately begin high-intensity Body Tempering. Instead, he spent several days letting his body and mind fully adapt to the environment of the Thunder Roar Ravine, adjusting his state to the optimum. Every day, besides the fixed Soul Power meditation, he consumed Soul Beast meat to accumulate Qi and blood.
Once his state reached Perfection, he began his self-created "Body Tempering" bitter cultivation.
Every day at first light, Yu Yuanchen would come beneath the waterfall.
Initially, he did not directly use Soul Power or Qi and blood to resist. Instead, relying solely on his Physical Body, he stepped into the bone-chillingly cold and high-impact pool, walking step by step directly under the waterfall.
"Boom!!!"
The massive flow of water smashed onto his head, shoulders, and back like a heavy hammer. The dual blow of cold and weight almost made him suffocate instantly. He gritted his teeth, knees slightly bent, rooting himself firmly on the smooth rock, using his strong physique to endure this pure natural force. This was not for direct tempering but to hone his will and let his body become familiar with and adapt to the powerful external pressure.
Half an hour later, when he felt his Physical Body gradually adapting to the impact, he began to circulate his Qi and blood.
A scorching breath rose from within his body, and the Qi and blood beneath his skin began to flow like an awakening river. He guided this power to counter the impact of the waterfall while simultaneously trying to control his muscles to vibrate slightly, mimicking the "Skin Tempering" technique he had previously deduced, allowing the Qi and blood to accelerate their circulation and penetration within the skin and muscle layers.
The impact of the waterfall seemed to transform into an invisible giant hammer, constantly pounding every inch of his skin and every muscle. Meanwhile, the flowing Qi and blood were like an iron blank cast into a furnace; in this repeated pounding, Impurities were vibrated out and expelled, making the structure tighter and tougher.
This process was painful and long. His skin quickly turned bright red, then bruised purple, and his muscles ached as if they were tearing apart. However, he remained focused throughout, using his powerful Spiritual Power to precisely control the rhythm and magnitude of the Qi and blood circulation, avoiding any damage to his Foundation.
In the afternoon, the waterfall tempering would pause, and he would turn to another task—striking mountain rocks.
He chose the hardest boulders beside the waterfall that had relatively rounded edges. Again, he would first circulate his Qi and blood, making the membranes around his body tight and his muscles knotted. Then, using his shoulders, back, elbows, and knees, he would strike the rocks time and again with steady and powerful force.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
The dull sounds of impact echoed rhythmically in the ravine. This was not self-harm but rather a way to use this controllable, violent external impact, combined with the eruption of his own Qi and blood, to vibrate and temper the flesh, blood, and fascia from within, making them more resilient, explosive, and resistant to impact. Every strike was accompanied by the violent churning of Qi and blood and the minute tearing and reorganization of muscle fibers.
Nighttime was for recovery and accumulation. He returned to the stone platform and consumed a large amount of Soul Beast meat. The rich essence of Qi and blood was quickly absorbed, making up for the day's consumption and nourishing his damaged body. This was followed by deep Soul Power meditation, drawing the pure thunder element of the Thunder Roar Ravine into his body. Not only did this increase his Soul Power, but the gentle thunder power also subtly stimulated his cellular activity, complementing the effects of the daytime tempering.
He also did not forget that wisp of "Thunder God Power." At the moment when his Qi and blood were most active and his Physical Body's absorption capacity was strongest after tempering, he would extremely carefully guide a trace of almost imperceptible purple-gold energy to merge into the flowing Qi and blood.
"Sizzle—"
Like a red-hot iron dipped into cold water, wherever that trace of Thunder God Power passed, the Qi and blood instantly boiled, bringing a scorching heat and piercing pain far exceeding before, as if every cell was being torn and burned. But following that was a deeper level of rejuvenation and rebirth. The purity and activity of his Qi and blood were increasing at a visible rate, and the toughness of his skin and flesh grew accordingly. However, this process was extremely dangerous; a slight oversight could lead to self-immolation. He could only sustain it for a very short time each time, and afterward, he required a longer period of breath adjustment and a large amount of Blood Food for replenishment.
Day after day, month after month.
Yu Yuanchen's life became extremely monotonous and arduous. Waterfall impact, rock striking, consuming Blood Food, Soul Power meditation, guiding the Thunder God Power for stimulation... the cycle repeated.
The scars on his body never completely disappeared; before the old wounds healed, new ones were added. His skin changed from the initial redness and bruising to a deep bronze color, dense in texture and shimmering with a faint luster. When an ordinary sharp stone scraped across it, it could only leave a faint white mark. His muscle lines became increasingly distinct—not the bloated kind, but a streamlined form containing explosive power. Every movement carried a heavy and composed Aura.
The Soul Beast meat in his storage soul tool was being consumed rapidly, but he could clearly feel that his total Qi and blood were growing at a steady rate. More importantly, the "quality" of his Qi and blood was constantly improving, like refined iron being repeatedly forged, removing the dross and retaining the essence, becoming increasingly pure and condensed.
Time flowed quietly during his selfless bitter cultivation, and in the blink of an eye, half a year had passed.
On this day, Yu Yuanchen completed a round of waterfall impact and rock striking as usual. Standing by the pool, he felt the surging and solid Qi and blood within him. With a thought, he did not activate his Soul Power but purely mobilized his Qi and blood power, throwing a punch at a half-man-high hard bluestone beside him.
"Thud!"
There was a dull sound, not of stone chips flying, but a fist print over an inch deep was clearly left on the surface of the bluestone, its edges smooth as if carved by a sharp blade! Meanwhile, his fist was completely unharmed, and the circulation of Qi and blood power through his flesh was also unimpeded (before tempering the flesh and blood, there was loss when circulating Qi and blood).
Yu Yuanchen looked at the fist print, and a first trace of a carefree smile finally appeared in his eyes after half a year.
"The tempering of flesh and blood is complete!"
After half a year of hard work, relying on the replenishment of high-quality Blood Food, his solid Foundation built since childhood (years of Medicinal Baths and arduous training), and especially this day-after-day, almost self-torturing tempering and the risky stimulation from that trace of "Thunder God Power," he had finally completed the first step of Body Tempering—the Initial Tempering of Flesh and Blood!
At this moment, the toughness of his entire skin far exceeded that of an ordinary Beast Spirit Soul King. His muscle strength, explosive power, and endurance had all improved by a level, and his total Qi and blood and their purity surpassed most Soul Emperors who specialized in physique. He could clearly feel that his body was like it had shed an invisible shackle, becoming lighter and more powerful. The carrying and circulation of Soul Power even seemed to have become a bit smoother.
Although he was still far from Major Achievement in Body Tempering and forging the so-called "Golden Body," this solid first step undoubtedly laid a firmer Foundation for his future path. His Soul Power cultivation also benefited from this; after half a year of bitter cultivation, combined with the effects of the treasure land of the Thunder Roar Ravine, his Soul Power had already risen from rank fifty-four to the Peak of rank fifty-five, only a hair's breadth away from rank fifty-six.
Yu Yuanchen looked toward the core stone wall deep within the Thunder Roar Ravine where lightning flickered, his eyes burning with intensity. With the Initial Tempering of Flesh and Blood complete, it was time to devote more energy to the accumulation of Soul Power and further exploration of the "Thunder God Power." At the same time, the next step of Body Tempering—the "Tempering of Sinews and Bones"—also needed to be conceptualized and prepared.