69novels Chapter 55 Hiding in the Enemy, Body Refinement Level 3
Chapter 55 Hiding in the Enemy, Body Refinement Level 3
Chapter 55 Hiding in the Enemy, Third Level of Body Refinement
His withered, claw-like hands rubbed the teacup: "She's in deep trouble now, only temporarily protected by the Myriad Sounds Pavilion. But the sect will send people from the Enforcement Hall soon. The Myriad Sounds Pavilion can't protect her for long. Under the Enforcement Hall's punishment, she'll have to tell you everything. I don't believe you haven't done anything underhanded all these years!"
"Senior Dong, please do as you see fit to deal with Huo Sanniang. Huo Sanniang is her, and I am me. I have no connection with her."
If you think you can use her to get back at me, you've misjudged her.
As he spoke, Chen Yi directly took out a specially made golden communication talisman:
"This is Lin Xiaoyu's private communication talisman, the daughter of the Miaoyin Pavilion's leader. I can use this talisman to ask her for a favor. If you press me too hard, I will have no choice but to activate this talisman."
Upon seeing the specially made golden communication talisman, Dong Chang'an's expression turned grim. He withdrew his Foundation Establishment stage magic pressure and watched Chen Yi leave.
Watching Chen Yi's retreating figure, Dong Chang'an sneered, "Hmph, you're just a scheming coward who hides behind women. Let's see how long you can hide. You're a 40-year-old Qi Refining cultivator at the mid-stage. After you've lost your value in a few years, let's see who will still protect you!"
After returning to Miaoyin Pavilion, Chen Yi told Qin Chengcheng about it and warned her to be careful.
Qin Chengcheng frowned as well. The people around her had been bribed. She'd been through too much over the years; if men couldn't have her, they'd try to get what they wanted from those around her.
Ugh,
This was an unavoidable trouble for a beautiful fairy, and she was deeply entangled in it, powerless to deal with it.
"Chen Yi, thank you. If the Dong family members reach the Foundation Establishment stage again and contact you privately, I will step in to help you."
"As for Huo Sanniang, I've looked into it, and alas, she hasn't been doing well lately, and she's not happy staying in the pavilion either."
Given her condition, it wouldn't be worth it for me to keep her. You should think it over carefully.
Upon hearing this, Chen Yi also sighed slightly.
He had spoken with Huo Sanniang.
I thought that Huo Sanniang would have a better life after arriving at Miaoyin Pavilion.
On the contrary, the magical power she had previously gained through dual cultivation was not pure enough.
She wanted to specialize in music like the female cultivators of the Myriad Sounds Pavilion, to cleanse her magical power of impurities and thus advance further.
But they found that this step was as difficult as an insurmountable barrier.
To the female cultivators of the Myriad Sounds Pavilion who specialized in music, the impurity of her magical power and the worldly aura emanating from her were immediately apparent.
Although they didn't say it, Huo San Niang could feel their disdain in their eyes whenever they met, as if they were looking at roadside garbage.
Not to mention joining them and practicing music together, that's out of the question.
"Brother Chen, am I dirty?"
Huo Sanniang asked Chen Yi with despair in her eyes.
"You're not dirty; what's dirty is this underworld full of cattle and horses."
Chen Yi remained silent for a long time before giving this answer.
Huo Sanniang was not wrong. From beginning to end, she was just struggling to survive, but she could not break free from her class fate.
Upon hearing this, she fully understood that those at the bottom of the cultivation world were destined to be nothing more than beasts of burden, and could never become clean and superior beings in this lifetime.
Two months later, a mid-Foundation Establishment stage Enforcement Hall deacon arrived at the Jade Dragon Sect.
This person was the reinforcement that Xu Shixian brought.
Previously, he and his men had been ambushed by a demonic beast underwater. Having nowhere to vent his anger, he wrote a letter directly to his fake-core elder uncle.
He wasn't stupid; he simply said that he had discovered a second-tier ice crystal mine, which might mutate, and there might be other treasures hidden below. Moreover, the monsters here were quite intelligent, knew how to form groups, and were very difficult to deal with.
Therefore, they requested assistance.
The fake Dan uncle was in a good mood, thinking that this spoiled brat had finally learned to do serious business, and sent his eldest disciple over.
Zhao Tieshan, a mid-Foundation Establishment cultivator in his seventies, possesses exceptional talent and has diligently cultivated his skills. He is a highly capable individual with substantial magical power, and his spells and magical artifacts are exceptionally solid. He is a first-level deacon in the sect's Enforcement Hall.
After this person arrived, he immediately led his men in several attacks against the second-tier underwater monsters.
Each time, one or two second-tier demonic beasts were killed, and the second-tier ice crystal mine, along with the accompanying mutated dragon scale crystals, were all happily taken by the sect.
As for the monster corpses, Xu Shixian took them and gave them to Qin Chengcheng.
Zhao Shantie knew about his junior brother's pursuit of the direct descendant of the Miaoyin Pavilion female cultivator, but he didn't care about it.
Inside the Myriad Sounds Pavilion, Chen Yi's eyes twitched slightly as he looked at the newly delivered second-tier demon beast corpse.
"The Ice Armored Carp and the Mystic Water Python are already the fourth." He lightly touched the crocodile's scales with his fingertips.
The system immediately displayed the following message: [Second-tier water-attribute demonic power detected]
[Ice-armored spirit detected.]
Qin Chengcheng leaned against the door, her moon-white dress fluttering slightly in the breeze: "Zhao Tieshan is certainly decisive. I heard Dong Chang'an's hair has turned white from worry these past few days—"
"His vast market town—the mines went to the sect, the spiritual veins were given to us, and it seems he got nothing in return."
Chen Yi shook his head. "The rent he gets from these shops in the market alone is enough to make him rich. He may complain, but who knows how much he's lining his own pockets."
Dong Chang'an was still quite bitter. His second-tier spirit vein cave dwelling had been occupied by the Miaoyin Pavilion, and the second-tier spirit ore he had mined from underwater had also been confiscated by the sect.
He put in a lot of effort and manpower to drive the Li family away and occupy this land, but he didn't get the biggest benefit.
The resources and connections in the marketplace are of little use to him, a Foundation Establishment cultivator over 150 years old, but at least he can take care of the younger generation.
Over the past few months, Xu Shixian has noticed that even after sending gifts, he can't get a chance to spend time alone with Qin Chengcheng.
Furthermore, news came from Fatty Liu that the second-tier demonic beasts he gave to Qin Chengcheng were all used by Chen Yi to practice his cooking skills.
Even Qin Chengcheng herself didn't seem to eat much; most of it ended up in Chen Yi's mouth.
Upon hearing this, Xu Shixian's face darkened, and he ordered Dong Chang'an to teach Chen Yi a lesson.
Not long after, Fatty Liu found Chen Yi in the kitchen of Miaoyin Pavilion:
"Brother Chen! Great news! The Foundation Establishment senior of the Dong family has spoken, inviting all the spirit chefs in our market to the shore of Lake Ruhai to prepare spirit food for the seniors of the Jade Dragon Sect! This is a rare opportunity!"
He rubbed his hands together, his eyes gleaming with excitement, and leaned closer to Chen Yi, lowering his voice to say:
"I heard that all the important figures from the Jade Dragon Sect have come this time. If we perform well, we might catch the eye of a noble person in the sect and be directly recruited as a spirit chef. That would be a meteoric rise!"
Chen Yi was busy processing the meat of a first-tier demon beast when he heard this. His hands didn't stop, he merely raised his eyes slightly and calmly said:
"Fellow Daoist Liu, thank you for informing me. However, there is still a lot of work to be done at Miaoyin Pavilion. Fairy Qin has been quite demanding about spiritual food lately, so I'm afraid I won't be able to spare the time."
Fatty Liu was stunned, clearly not expecting Chen Yi to refuse. His eyes widened, and he spoke in an exaggerated tone:
"Brother Chen, you're being foolish! This is a great opportunity to meet important figures in the sect. With your superb culinary skills, you're sure to stand out."
If you don't seize this opportunity, with your aptitude, forget Foundation Establishment, you might not even reach the late Qi Refining stage for who knows how many years!
"According to Fellow Daoist Liu, if this meal is prepared well, will I be selected by the Jade Dragon Sect to become a spiritual chef?"
"Uh, joining a sect? That's probably impossible, isn't it?"
Fatty Liu scratched his head.
"Then forget it. There are too many monsters in the lake. Even if I make spiritual food by the lake, I feel it is too dangerous. What if the monster I cook has relatives or elders? If it gets targeted, I may face retaliation in the future."
You guys go ahead, I won't go.
Chen Yi had heard that this Fatty Liu had spoken ill of him behind his back, and now that he was being so enthusiastic in inviting him out, it might not be a good thing.
Moreover, even if it were truly a good thing, he harbored secrets and was unwilling to get too close to the Foundation Establishment cultivators of the sect, lest they discover his Body Refinement cultivation through some mysterious means.
Zhao Jingwu, the strongman who betrayed the Jade Dragon Sect, has always been on the wanted list.
"With sect cultivators around, how could you be so easily targeted by demonic beasts? You're such a coward... Forget it, you're turning down an opportunity right in front of you. Don't regret it later!"
After saying that, Fatty Liu turned around and called to the other chefs, then left excitedly.
A few days later, Fatty Liu and his group returned, their faces beaming with joy, their storage bags bulging, clearly indicating they had made a considerable haul.
"Brother Chen! You didn't see how generous those sect elders were!" Fatty Liu couldn't wait to show off as soon as he entered. "Just the spirit stones they gave as rewards, everyone got over a hundred! And these too—"
He pulled out a gleaming, cold-looking scale from a demonic beast and said smugly:
"These are the scales of a second-tier demonic beast. Although the seniors took the best parts, the leftover scraps can still fetch a good price in the market!"
The other chefs chimed in, chattering about their experiences by the lake, their words filled with excitement and envy.
Chen Yi simply smiled and nodded, occasionally offering a few words of agreement, but his eyes remained calm, showing no sign of being moved or regretful.
After everyone had left, he returned to his quiet room, sat cross-legged, golden light flowing within his body, and continued to focus on body refinement and cultivation.
More than a month later, Liu Jinjin, the deputy head of Miaoyin Pavilion, came to the kitchen in person. She was wearing a light purple gauze dress, her hair was tied up in a high bun, and her eyes showed a shrewd and capable look.
"Chef Chen, the pavilion is preparing for a large-scale concert. The venue is located near the waterside pavilions ten miles outside the market. We need some Qi Refining cultivators to help transport materials and set up formations."
The core formation setup requires the help of trustworthy people. You're at the sixth level of Qi Refining, older but not malicious, and considered one of my own in the Myriad Sounds Pavilion.
If you're willing to go, I can give you a daily reward of twenty spirit stones, at the high internal rate.
Her tone was calm, but her gaze subtly observed Chen Yi's reaction.
Twenty spirit stones a day is practically an astronomical price in this market. Even Liu Chenggang, the owner of the talisman shop, couldn't earn that many spirit stones. Only warriors who hunt demonic beasts could earn that much, but that kind of work is risked with their lives.
This price is theoretically very high; even a mid-stage Qi Refining player would be tempted by it.
But Chen Yi is not a normal person.
He paused with the cleaver in his hand, looked up at Liu Jinjin, and said with a troubled expression, "Sect Leader Liu is too kind. However, I am timid and afraid of water, and even more afraid of water monsters. I'm afraid I can't earn this money."
Liu Jinjin frowned slightly, staring at him suspiciously: "You, a spirit chef who slaughters demonic beasts every day, are afraid of demonic beasts?"
Chen Yi smiled wryly: "I killed the demonic beasts because they were already dead, and I'm afraid of living demonic beasts..."
Seeing his resolute attitude, Liu Jinjin, though puzzled, did not press him and simply said, "In that case, I will leave this opportunity to someone else."
After she left, Chen Yi's eyes darkened slightly as he pondered, "Does she really want me to leave? Could she be plotting something?"
The more he thought about it, the more uneasy he felt, so he decided to investigate it himself.
-
The next morning, Chen Yi found a moment and quietly activated his Breath Concealment Technique. His facial muscles twitched, and in the blink of an eye, he transformed into a young martial artist in his early twenties. His aura was also concealed to the level of someone who had just entered the Innate Realm, leaving no trace of a cultivator.
He changed into a coarse cloth outfit and mingled among the crowd outside the market, making his way discreetly towards the waterside pavilion.
The pavilions and terraces ten miles away are built beside a tributary of a lake flowing into the sea. The area is shrouded in mist, and workers can be vaguely seen carrying stones and building high platforms.
Chen Yi blended in and found a temporary worker carrying bluestone. He pretended to be struggling to carry it, but in reality, his divine sense quietly spread out, and his perception, which far exceeded that of the Qi Refining stage, swept across the entire waterside pavilion like ripples on water.
Suddenly, his ears twitched slightly, catching the deliberately hushed conversation inside the room—
"Afraid of water? Afraid of monsters, dare not come?" a hoarse, aged voice asked.
"This kid is so cowardly and afraid of death? He's a real turtle hiding in its shell!"
"Young master, what do you think we should do? Should I just go to the Myriad Sounds Pavilion, drag him out, and teach him a lesson? Or should I ask 'Blood Blade' to take care of him?"
"Watch your words!" A young, cold voice suddenly interrupted.
Then, a faint fluctuation of spiritual energy came, indicating that the other party had activated a soundproof array, making it difficult to hear anything that followed.
But that was enough—that aged voice must belong to Dong Chang'an, and the one referred to as "Young Master" was none other than Xu Shixian!
A cold glint flashed in Chen Yi's eyes, and he sneered inwardly, "As expected, they wanted to lure me out to deal with me."
"Blood Blade" is a notorious assassin organization in the cultivation world. Its leader is a blood cultivator and is ruthless. Unexpectedly, the Dong family has colluded with them.
He secretly eavesdropped for a while, but didn't get any more useful information. He then quietly finished his morning work, collected his wages, and left.
-
Upon returning to Miaoyin Pavilion, Chen Yi's face turned completely cold:
"So you've gone to such lengths to get me? Sorry, from this day forward, I won't even leave the gates of Miaoyin Pavilion. Go ahead and try to storm in and kill me if you dare!"
"Even when I go out, I will always disguise myself so that no one recognizes me!"
More than two months later, on this day, after Chen Yi had consumed the sixth second-tier demonic beast,
His Vajra Kung Fu finally achieved a major breakthrough.
As night deepened, in the magical bronze pot in Chen Yi's secret chamber, the last piece of second-tier demon beast meat transformed into amber-colored broth in the spiritual flames.
Chen Yi sat cross-legged on the futon, his body shimmering with golden light like a tide, dark golden light seeping from his pores and condensing into fine lines under his skin.
"Snap!"
A faint crackling sound came from within his body, and his bones, like refined iron that had been forged through countless hammer blows, underwent a qualitative change under the washing of the golden light.
Chen Yi suddenly opened his eyes, his five fingers forming claws as he reached for the shell of a first-tier high-grade demonic beast beside him.
"Bang!"
The tortoise shell immediately shattered into several pieces.
He then took out a high-grade magical kitchen knife, and with a single stroke of the blade across his arm, left only a faint white mark that disappeared in an instant.
"Haha, the flesh and blood of six second-tier demonic beasts weren't wasted after all!"
Before the laughter subsided, golden light surged within his body, and his ancestral aperture between his brows trembled. The third level of the Vajra Skill was achieved naturally!
At the age of forty, Chen Yi finally became a Foundation Establishment stage body cultivator!
The three levels of body refinement are the watershed for body cultivators.
Ordinary body cultivators only achieve "iron bones" throughout their lives, while a few geniuses reach "copper bones." However, Chen Yi's bones, after being purified by the system, have transformed into "refined iron level" bones, with strength comparable to the copper bones of a mid-Foundation Establishment cultivator!
Only a few who have reached the Golden Bone stage and whose potential has not been exhausted have a slight chance to find rare and precious materials and then break through to the fourth level of Body Refinement, which is the legendary Core Formation stage of body cultivation.
Furthermore, what makes Chen Yi even more special is that his bones have no traces of demonic beast bloodline patterns. Instead, due to devouring the Cold Jade Dragon, they possess the "Cold Gold" characteristic—before his fist strikes, the cold air is already bone-chilling and frost-like.
"Also, it seems that the system's other ability is now usable."
Chen Yi murmured.
(End of this chapter)