The courtyard discussion illuminated the path for Long Aotian, almost making him forget the purpose of his visit. His mind was still echoing the words spoken by Chen Mo just now.
If it weren't for Chen Mo's reminder, she might have truly forgotten about the Jinshanchao matter altogether.
Having learned the usage of Jinshanchao, Long Aotian hurriedly left the courtyard. Chen Mo snatched up the three treasures on the stone table and ordered Fubo to process and turn them into medicinal liquids one by one.
Liu Wuxin hung her head and walked to Chen Mo, her small hand gripping the hem of his clothes. Her pearl teeth lightly bit her red lips, and she looked up at him with a pitiful gaze, gazing at him with an air of distress.
Chen Mo's heart stirred as he reached out and gently touched Liu Wuxin's hair. He spoke softly, "What's wrong? Who bullied you?"
Chen Mo's gentleness warmed Liu Wuxin's heart, but when she thought of his intention to defy the heavens and refine his body at the cost of his life, her eyes held back tears, and her voice was hoarse as she asked, "Brother, can't you not refine your body?"
"Why is that?"
"Unconcerned with the refinement of Qi, I can increase lifespan, but if my brother refines his body and consumes vital energy, it will reduce life span. I don't want to see you disappear from my sight"
"But, in this world, the weak are prey to the strong. If I am not strong, who will protect you?"
"Xiu Xin, Xiu Xin doesn't need your protection like that. Xiu Xin will become stronger and stronger, making the world tremble at your feet. Brother, Xiu Xin doesn't want you to leave me so soon."
The little girl opened her arms and couldn't contain the excitement in her heart. She hugged Chen Mo tightly, fearing that he might leave her at any moment.
Chen Mo smiled and gently stroked Liu Wuxin's hair, "Don't worry, brother won't leave you. While refining the body does consume Qi and Blood, there are ways to compensate for it."
"Really?"
The little girl looked up, her eyes filled with tears as she stared at Chen Mo. He nodded slightly in response.
"Then you have to promise me, you will never leave me."
"Yes, I promise you."
With Chen Mo's promise, Liu Wuxin smiled happily, but upon realizing she was still embracing him, her movements too intimate for her liking, she blushed slightly. She then let go and remained silent, her small hand covering her face so that Chen Mo couldn't see her embarrassment.
Chen Mo smiled slightly, "Why are you covering your face?"
As he spoke, Chen Mo playfully pulled open Liu Wuxin's hands. She was embarrassed and quickly retreated, "Don't look, it's ugly."
"No, it's not ugly."
Chen Mo released Liu Wuxin's hand, his expression serious, "The blush on your cheeks is the most beautiful sunset I've ever seen."
Bang
In an instant, Liu Wuxin's head was like a boiling kettle, exploding suddenly. She could no longer contain her embarrassment and ran back to the room, her slightly raised corners of the mouth unable to be suppressed.
Su Yuomo came from an illustrious background and grew up surrounded by sweet nothings. However, Chen Mo's vulgar words were like an old sow wearing a moonbra, one after another, and not even she could withstand them.
Chu YuMo looked at Chen Mo with a silly gaze, these words, if spoken to her, would have been perfect.
"What are you staring at me for? Are you comparing who has prettier eyes between us?"
Chen Mo looked at Su YuMo and teased her.
Remembering what Chen Mo had said that day, Su YuMo couldn't help but blush and head back to the room.
After an hour, the medicinal liquid prepared by Fu Bo was completed. Chen Mo gave instructions to Zhang Long and Zhao Hu and others, asking that unless it was important, no outsiders should be allowed near his room. After that, he returned to his own room.
Soon, Zhang Long and Zhao Hu carried over a drum filled with medicinal liquid. The greenish liquid inside the drum lay quietly, emitting a faint fragrance.
After sending Zhang Long and Zhao Hu away, Chen Mo took off his clothes and stepped into the medicine drum.
The refinement of Qi mainly focuses on the meridians, opening the meridians to enter the Dao, and hiding the Qi in the body. Once this step is completed, it can be said that it has officially entered the martial arts path.
However, refining the body is more complicated. It requires body tempering, strengthening bones and muscles, and then warming the Qi and blood. Body tempering strengthens the flesh, creating a body of copper skin and iron bones. In battle with other martial artists, if one's body is still ordinary, they won't be able to withstand a single punch; the bones are the source of strength, with great power that can split mountains and break earth, placing oneself in an invincible position.
Qi and blood are even more important. Unlike Qi refiners who can absorb the essence of heaven and earth for their own use, those who refine the body cannot. Instead, they can only rely on consuming their own Qi and blood to provide power. This is why those who refine the body are often short-lived.
Xuekongcao, Dilinguan, and Qiankun fruit are excellent aids for the three-step improvement of body refinement. But they are only at the level of entry-level improvement. If one wants to go further, more heavenly treasures and earthly treasures are needed.
"Body tempering and strengthening the bones and tendons are no problem, but how to improve the Qi and blood? I remember that the Qi and blood of that body refiner were all due to some treasure... What was it again?"
Chen Mo muttered to himself, suddenly, he felt a warm current flowing through every part of his body, and then his entire body seemed to be immersed in a fiery abyss.
Pain, tearing through his entire body, Chen Mo felt unbearable pain, as if millions of ants were gnawing at him and millions of needles were piercing his skin…
Chen Mo clenched his teeth, gripping the edge of the medicine drum with both hands, his body shaking uncontrollably.
For how long it is hard to say, Chen Mo felt that the pain on his body had already disappeared. Meanwhile, his tendons, skin, and even internal organs were being nourished by a warm current. Unconsciously, he fell asleep.
When Chen Mo woke up again, the bright sunshine streamed through the window. He slowly opened his eyes and looked around, feeling as if a very long time had passed.
At the same time, he could also feel that his body seemed a little stronger than before, paler even, but every bone and muscle in his body was brimming with strength.
Under the medicine drum, the medicinal liquid had already dried up. Standing up, Chen Mo changed into new clothes. Then, facing the empty air, he punched with both hands, the wind and noise of his punches never stopping.
"To be able to strike a punch with wind is quite remarkable, it seems that I'm only at the beginning stage of Qi refining."
Chen Mo's mouth curved slightly upwards, and he couldn't help but burst into laughter.
Ten thousand years ago, the first generation of Tianshi Palace's Tianshi divided martial artists into one to nine grades, with grade nine being the weakest and grade one being the strongest. The gap between grades is significant, and compared to ordinary people, martial artists at grade nine are like night and day. It can be said that one grade nine martial artist is equivalent to a thousand ordinary people.
Before stepping into the ninth grade, one will go through the stage of opening meridians and entering the Dao. The spiritual meridians are opened, and spiritual energy enters the body. This stage's beginners already have noticeable strength difference with ordinary people.
Take Liu Wuxin for example; she has now opened five spiritual meridians, and her strength has already significantly distanced her from ordinary people. Even several adult males would not be a match for her.
The more spiritual meridians opened, the closer one gets to a true martial artist, and their strength will also increase accordingly.
The cultivation methods for body refining and Qi refining are different. The success sign of Qi refining is that eight meridians are opened, while body refining is, body tempering, strengthening bones, strengthening tendons, washing the marrow, yin and yang mixing into a single entity, and Qi and blood forming a shape.
Completing the six stages is considered to have reached the level of a ninth-grade martial artist.
Currently, Chen Mo's skin is like iron, and his bone strength is beginning to show, completing the stages of body tempering, strengthening bones, and strengthening tendons. If referring to a martial artist, he has opened four to five spiritual meridians.
