The Tiger Yang Bone-Strengthening Wine was far more effective than the Vitality Pill. After just one bowl, Chen Zong felt a rapid surge of heat throughout his body, his Blood Qi almost boiling. Under the Tiger's Roar Manual, the flow of his Blood Qi accelerated by a third, significantly enhancing the tempering process.
"At this rate, completing the second round of Blood Qi Tempering within a month shouldn't be a problem," Chen Zong exhaled, his flushed skin gradually returning to its natural color. "Then, in the third month, I can finish the third round and finally attempt to break through to the fourth layer of the Qi Blood Realm, becoming a true martial artist."
The feeling of having a tangible goal within reach filled him with uncontrollable excitement.
After a night's rest, Chen Zong resumed his usual routine: practicing sword techniques before heading to Chen Chuyun's residence to train in the three fundamentals: Quick, Accurate, Steady.
"You've managed to complete a full cycle of Blood Qi Tempering in just one month. Your talent for cultivation is truly remarkable," Chen Chuyun said, her usually aloof expression tinged with rare seriousness. "However, I advise you not to rush your breakthrough."
"Why not?" Chen Zong asked, puzzled. "Didn't you say that once I complete three cycles of Blood Qi Tempering, I can attempt to break through to the fourth layer of the Qi Blood Realm and become a martial artist?"
"The number of Blood Qi Tempering cycles you complete at the Martial Apprentice stage directly impacts your future progress as a martial artist," Chen Chuyun explained. "A greater number of cycles paves a smoother path and often results in strength that surpasses that of your peers. Most Martial Apprentices reach their limit after three cycles, while more talented ones can achieve four, five, or even six."
"I see," Chen Zong nodded, understanding dawning on him. It made perfect sense. The number of Blood Qi Tempering cycles directly reflected a person's potential—the more cycles, the greater their potential and the more solid their foundation. It was like building a house: some foundations could only support three stories, while others could handle four, five, or even more.
"If you wish to progress steadily and far on the path of a martial artist, you must temper your Blood Qi to its absolute limit before attempting a breakthrough," Chen Chuyun said solemnly.
My initial eagerness to become a martial artist stemmed from the need to quickly enhance my strength and find Precious Medicine to heal my cultivation base. But if building a sturdier foundation allows for smoother advancement through the martial artist ranks and greater overall power, I should choose the latter, Chen Zong mused. He then asked, "Instructor, how many times did you temper your Blood Qi as a Martial Apprentice?"
"Five times," Chen Chuyun replied. "Currently, the Clan Hall's record for Blood Qi Tempering at the Martial Apprentice level is six cycles. That prodigy, who was seventeen at the time, is now a peak Qi Blood Realm sixth-layer martial artist."
"Understood. I will focus on tempering my Blood Qi to its absolute limit before attempting a breakthrough," Chen Zong resolved, eager to discover exactly how many cycles he could achieve before reaching his personal limit.
The day's training commenced.
After returning to his residence, Chen Zong drank another small bowl of Tiger Yang Bone-Strengthening Wine and resumed practicing the Tiger's Roar Manual.
The jar of Tiger Yang Bone-Strengthening Wine, containing roughly half a kilogram, lasted him ten days. He then began taking one Vitality Pill daily, finishing them thirteen days later.
His Blood Qi surged violently, its flow accelerating dramatically. His skin flushed crimson as he felt his body grow more robust, his arms brimming with power.
"Twenty-four days well spent," Chen Zong exclaimed with delight. "I've finally completed my second round of Blood Qi Tempering." Through these two cycles of tempering and circulation, his strength had directly increased by a hundred kilograms.
"In a few days, the Chief competition will begin again. The Chief position in the Sword Technique Group and the title of King of the Chiefs among the Five Group Chiefs will undoubtedly be mine."
His confidence stemmed not only from completing his second round of Blood Qi Tempering but also from his increased mastery of the Basic Eighteen Forms, his refined sword techniques, and significant progress in mastering the three fundamental principles of Quick, Accurate, and Steady.
Several days later, the Group Chief competition commenced. As expected, Chen Zong emerged victorious, securing his place in the King of the Chiefs showdown.
On the arena, Chen Zong systematically defeated opponent after opponent. Chen Fenghua fell beneath his sword for the second time.
"If this continues, the gap between us will only widen," Chen Fenghua and his peers muttered inwardly. While they were improving, Chen Zong was advancing even faster, fueled by the Tiger Yang Bone-Strengthening Wine.
By the end of the third month, Chen Zong had completed his third round of Blood Qi Tempering, once again claiming the title of King of the Chiefs.
However, he could sense that the Vitality Pills were becoming increasingly ineffective with each tempering cycle. Only the Tiger Yang Bone-Strengthening Wine continued to provide some benefit.
In the fourth month, Chen Zong rose early as usual and headed to a corner of the Martial Training Ground to practice his swordsmanship.
He began with the opening stance of the Phantom Shadow Sword Technique: Shadow Split Stance, Phantom Shadow Stance, Shadow Refraction Stance, Overlapping Shadows Stance, Shadowless Stance.
He repeated the sequence tirelessly.
Two months prior, he had reached the Great Perfection Peak of the Phantom Shadow Sword Technique. Through relentless training, his understanding of the technique had deepened considerably. Now, after accumulating extensive knowledge, he finally grasped the crucial essence, experiencing a sudden breakthrough that brought him complete clarity and understanding.
His iron sword thrust forth, its shadow splitting into layers that swirled around the blade, blurring reality and illusion.
The sword shadows lingered in the air even as the iron sword slid back into its scabbard.
"Excellent," Chen Zong murmured with a faint smile. "The Phantom Shadow Sword Technique has finally reached the Perfection Realm. Next, I'll bring both the Willow Sweep Sword Technique and the Eagle Strike Sword Technique to the same level."
The Willow Sweep Sword Technique, with its flowing movements like willow branches swaying in the wind, possessed a unique, ethereal charm.
Perfection Realm!
Then, Chen Zong began practicing the Eagle Strike Sword Technique.
Man as eagle, sword as claw!
The sword rose like an eagle spreading its wings and fell with the piercing cry of a raptor.
Chen Zong leaped into the air, transforming into a golden eagle soaring through the heavens.
Perfection Realm!
By now, Chen Zong had achieved the Perfection Realm in the Tiger Force Fist Technique, Phantom Shadow Sword Technique, Willow Sweep Sword Technique, and Eagle Strike Sword Technique. As for the True Sword Eight Forms, though he had reached the peak of Great Perfection, he remained completely clueless about achieving Perfection.
Mastering three Foundation Establishment sword techniques to the Perfection Realm slightly accelerated Chen Zong's Blood Qi Tempering, saving him several days of cultivation time.
Chen Zong had long anticipated the difficulty of mastering the True Sword Eight Forms, so he wasn't discouraged. He continued his daily practice, slowly gaining insight, confident that a breakthrough would eventually come.
As for the Transcendent Realm beyond Perfection, he had no idea where to even begin. Perhaps that required a stroke of fate.
The next day, Chen Zong trained in Chen Chuyun's courtyard.
He began with ten repetitions of the Basic Eighteen Forms with his right hand, followed by ten with his left. Next, he focused on the Steady Technique.
With a thirty-pound weight strapped to each arm and a thirty-pound iron ball dangling from the tip of his sword, Chen Zong pushed himself to his limit. After ten minutes, his right arm began to tremble. At twelve minutes, he reached his limit and switched to his left arm, enduring for ten minutes before alternating again. He repeated this cycle several times.
Standing before the wooden sphere rack, Chen Zong casually drew his sword and thrust it forward. The blade flashed through the air, leaving a tiny pinprick at the center of an egg-sized sphere, yet the sphere remained perfectly still.
Sheath sword, strike!
Sheath sword, strike!
Sheath sword, strike!
Only when he pierced a sphere the size of a lotus seed did it finally tremble slightly.
Concentrating, gathering his strength, Chen Zong drew his sword and thrust with precision.
A single strike shattered a sphere the size of a soybean.
"Still not enough," he sighed softly, switching to his left hand for training.
His left hand gradually improved, closing the gap with his right. In terms of precision, it now lagged behind by only one sphere.
A soybean-sized sphere shattered under the force of his left hand's charged strike.
At the end of the fourth month, the fourth Chief Competition arrived as scheduled.
With effortless swordplay, Chen Zong defeated the six members of the Sword Group to claim the Chief position, then proceeded to vanquish opponent after opponent.
"This time, I will defeat you," Chen Fenghua declared. He had lost to Chen Zong three times already, and as the saying went, "Fool me thrice, shame on me." He wouldn't allow a fourth defeat.
From the moment the battle began, Chen Fenghua unleashed his full power. His twice-tempered Blood Qi flowed with practiced efficiency, and his Chain Blade Technique, honed to perfection, unfolded in a relentless storm of slashes. Then, with a sudden shift, he channeled his energy into a single, devastating strike, the blade carrying such weight it seemed capable of shattering the arena floor, radiating an overwhelming sense of force.
The Perfection Realm of the Heavy Strike Blade Technique!
"So, Chen Fenghua has reached the Perfection Realm in the Heavy Strike Blade Technique," Chen Zong mused. "No wonder he's so confident. But I've already cultivated three sword techniques to Perfection."
With a swift sword strike, Chen Zong deflected Chen Fenghua's assault while simultaneously launching a counterattack, once again knocking him off the arena.
"I've lost again," Chen Fenghua said bitterly.
Chen Zong secured his fifth consecutive title of King of the Chiefs, casting a long shadow over the crowd.
Returning to his quarters, he drained two small bowls of Tiger Yang Bone-Strengthening Wine in one gulp and resumed cultivating the Tiger's Roar Manual.
Five days later, after finishing the entire jar of Tiger Yang Bone-Strengthening Wine, Chen Zong began his fifth round of Blood Qi Tempering.
"The first time I tempered my Blood Qi, without Vitality Pills or Tiger Yang Bone-Strengthening Wine, it took just over twenty days. The second time, with both resources, it took twenty-four days. The third time took a month, and the fourth took a month and five days. Yet I still haven't reached my limit. The fifth time will likely take even longer."
Calculating the time, Chen Zong realized he had been at the Clan Hall for four months. He wondered how his father was doing.
"Now that I've joined the Clan Hall, Father's treatment within the family should have improved," he thought.
Cultivate! Cultivate! Cultivate!
The fifth Chief Competition arrived as scheduled, but Chen Zong had yet to complete his fifth round of Blood Qi Tempering.
On the arena, Chen Guzhan stood several meters away from Chen Zong.
In the previous four competitions, Chen Zong's final opponent had always been Chen Fenghua. This time, however, Chen Guzhan defeated Chen Fenghua and the others, earning the right to challenge Chen Zong for the title of King of the Chiefs.
With a guttural roar, Chen Guzhan's skin flushed crimson. He had tempered his Blood Qi twice, now poised to unleash his accumulated strength.
Adopting the stance for the Heavy Fist technique, his entire body transformed into an unyielding boulder—immovable, unyielding, and immensely heavy.
Perfection Realm Heavy Fist!
Channeling his Blood Qi to deliver a thousand-jin force, Chen Guzhan unleashed the perfected technique with terrifying power. Each punch felt like a massive thousand-jin boulder crashing down.
"Chen Zong, this time I will defeat you!" Chen Guzhan's voice boomed like muffled thunder as he launched a punch. His combat skills had improved dramatically, allowing him to better leverage his strengths while minimizing his weaknesses.
Meanwhile, Chen Zong circulated his Blood Qi, seamlessly alternating between three Foundation Establishment sword techniques he had mastered to Perfection Realm. His figure danced around Chen Guzhan like a whirlwind, embodying the essence of quick, accurate, and steady in his swordplay.
"Excellent, excellent!" Elder Xing beamed with delight.
In the past, it was rare for a Martial Apprentice to achieve Perfection in even one Foundation Establishment Martial Art. This year, however, three such prodigies had emerged, prompting him to murmur blessings upon the Chen Clan.
Despite Chen Guzhan's formidable strength, he ultimately fell before Chen Zong's sword—and Chen Zong hadn't even exerted his full strength.
For the fifth time, Chen Zong claimed the title of King of the Chiefs.
Twenty days later, Chen Zong's Blood Qi surged violently within him.
Chen Zong completed his fifth cycle of Blood Qi Tempering.
"It took one month and twenty-five days this time," he muttered, a mixture of frustration and excitement in his voice. "It's getting slower, but I still don't feel like I've reached my limit. I can temper it a sixth time."
"I wonder how many more cycles of Blood Qi Tempering I'll ultimately be able to endure?"