Chapter 198: Golden Silkworm Reconnection, The Three Stages of Body Tempering, First Meeting with Nangong (II)

A cool, faint chill lingered in the backroom. A man dressed in a gray hemp robe turned around and looked at Luo Chen, who was grinning widely. He couldn't help but shake his head. "Almost died."

Hearing Wang Yuan speak so earnestly, Luo Chen couldn't help but ask in surprise, "Was it that dangerous?"

Wang Yuan took a sip of wine from his gourd.

After a long silence, he chuckled and said, "Treasure fragments, multiple top-tier artifacts, and even blood-inherited treasures. And my three enemies were all battle-hardened experts. What do you think—was it dangerous or not?"

Hiss!

Luo Chen sucked in a breath of cold air. He had thought that the three major forces had already paid enough attention to Crescent Moon Valley.

He hadn't expected Wang Yuan’s situation to be even worse.

Thinking about it carefully, it made sense.

After all, Wang Yuan had been ranked first on the Elite Prodigy Board when it was first established and had demonstrated overwhelming strength against ninth stage Qi-Refining devil cultivators. Most importantly, his relationship with Mi Shuhua had always been strange, as Foundation Establishment cultivators would naturally take him as a potential threat.

"Then how did you survive?" Luo Chen asked instinctively, but an unease suddenly crept over him.

A strange, alluring fragrance became increasingly distinct in their close proximity.

Seeing the change in his expression, Wang Yuan frowned. "Is it that noticeable?"

Luo Chen furrowed his brows as well. "You didn’t actually practice Xiao Wuyan’s blood-path techniques, did you?"

"Such crude techniques—how could I possibly learn them?" Wang Yuan sneered, then spoke softly, "But there were some aspects worth learning, so I incorporated a part of it into my body cultivation."

It was certain now—the strange fragrance came from the scent of blood.

"I can smell it, so if you accidentally encounter a Foundation Establishment cultivator, won’t you be exposed immediately?"

"Why do you think I hid for so long? It took me nearly a month before I dared to come see you."

So you were aware of it too!

Luo Chen sighed, then carefully took out a piece of beast hide and handed it to him.

"What’s this?" Wang Yuan asked curiously.

"Infuse a strand of spirit power."

Wang Yuan did as he was told, and in the next instant, a look of astonishment appeared on his face. "Spirit suppression?"

"A technique refined for concealing one's energy flow!"

"Wait, this wouldn’t be from Chen..."

"Yes, it's from Chen Xiuping’s best-selling qi-concealing talisman. Those talismans were derived from this technique, but you need to train it to minor mastery before it starts showing results."

Luo Chen shook his head. He didn’t want Wang Yuan to become a hunted devil cultivator or blood cultivator. But the unmistakable, blood-tinged fragrance surrounding him was far too conspicuous. So, he decided to give Wang Yuan the spirit suppression that Chen Xiuping had gifted him.

There was nothing inappropriate about this. With Old Man Chen’s personality, once he had given it to Luo Chen, it was his to do with as he pleased. Besides, Wang Yuan and Old Man Chen had some acquaintances.

Wang Yuan lowered his head and studied the spell on the beast hide, occasionally revealing a look of admiration.

After a long while, he finally set the beast hide down. "I had been regretting that Chen Xiuping was gone. Otherwise, I would have bought a few qi-concealing talismans to cover my tracks. But I didn’t expect that he would have given you the original technique.

"In that case, I now owe both you and him a favor."

Luo Chen smirked and said, "Come on, Brother Wang, we’re not strangers. Besides, the spirit suppression isn’t that easy to cultivate. Listen carefully..."

Luo Chen had been practicing spirit suppression for a long time. He had even reached the Perfected Mastery, even second-tier wolf demons wouldn’t notice him if he got within a hundred meters. It could be said that Luo Chen had long surpassed Chen Xiuping in this technique, reaching an almost unparalleled level of mastery. Not only could he suppress his energy, but he could also mimic others' energy flow. Some insights, he could casually explain without much thought.

Following Luo Chen’s explanation, Wang Yuan immediately tried to practice it.

He started by condensing a spirit energy core to suppress the fluctuations of his energy flow and the blood energy within him. In the mid-stage, the goal shifted to increasing the number of spirit energy cores. However, in the late-stage, quantity was no longer the priority—rather, it became about using the dantian as a foundation to actively stabilize one’s state. Once this step was mastered, it could be considered a major mastery.

On a proficiency scale, it would be around the Grandmaster level. As for the Perfected Mastery, Luo Chen did not expect Wang Yuan to reach it. In reality, as long as Wang Yuan cultivated it to minor mastery without engaging in combat, it would be sufficient. Chen Xiuping had been at that level when he created the qi-concealing talismans, which were effective even against first-tier demonic beasts.

Wang Yuan listened attentively, occasionally trying out the technique himself. Sometimes, when a spirit energy core failed to condense, it would explode within him with a bang, yet he paid no mind to it. He simply pressed a few acupuncture points with his thumb and dismissed the incident. Luo Chen’s eyelids twitched as he watched.

"Brother Wang, just how strong is your body now!?"

Back when he had practiced, he had been extremely cautious. Condensing spirit energy cores outside the dantian was considered quite dangerous. If it failed, the worst case could result in damaged meridians, and at best, it would cause internal bleeding. Yet Wang Yuan seemed completely unaffected as his expression remained unchanged.

Hearing Luo Chen’s question, Wang Yuan casually replied, "The transition from Vajra to White Jade is complete. By the standards of the ancient path of physical refinement, my physique is currently at the second realm."

Seeing Luo Chen’s confusion, he looked up. "Compared to a cultivator’s Qi-Refining Realm, it’s equivalent to just stepping into Foundation Establishment."

Foundation Establishment!?

Luo Chen’s eyes widened. "You’re messing with me!"

"Hm?" After thinking for a moment, Wang Yuan roughly understood what Luo Chen meant and explained seriously, "The path of physical refinement actually has its own detailed realm divisions—Vajra Tempering, Jade-Flesh Physique, and Furnace Body. These correspond to Qi-Refining, Foundation Establishment, and Golden Core, respectively."

"Back when we encountered Steward Miao at Poshan Gang’s main hall, didn’t he see through my progress at a glance?"

His memory flashed back to that moment. Luo Chen vaguely recalled that Miao Wen had indeed said, "Quite a promising talent. Judging by this physique, he must be close to stepping into Foundation Establishment."

So, after the battle on Qingjiang Long Street, Wang Yuan had completely surpassed the Vajra-to-White-Jade stage and now possessed a physique comparable to early Foundation Establishment?

This revelation truly shocked Luo Chen. Without realizing it, one of his close friends had already reached a level equivalent to Foundation Establishment?

Snapping back to reality, he couldn't help but ask, "Does this mean you now have the combat strength of an early Foundation Establishment cultivator?"

If that were true, then Luo Chen would truly have a reliable backer. And not one like Mi Shuhua or Miao Wen, who only coveted his alchemy skills! Because Wang Yuan truly treated him well. Maybe not to the extent of laying down his life, but at the very least, he was like a blood brother in all but name.

However, Wang Yuan promptly poured cold water over his hopes.

"Do you really think a Foundation Establishment sword is anything less than lethal?"

"Uh...."

Wang Yuan shook his head and set down the beast hide in his hand. "The times have changed too fast, and the Eastern Wilderness cultivation world is overflowing with resources.

"Every Foundation Establishment cultivator at least has one or two supreme-grade enchanted artifacts. Those with wealth can even afford enchanted treasures." Combined with their extended spirit senses and Foundation Establishment True Flame, my physique isn’t much of an advantage at all."

Luo Chen still found it hard to accept. He asked in confusion, "Then what’s the point of physical refinement cultivators? Even if they reach the stage of Foundation Establishment, they aren’t as strong in battle, and they don’t even get longevity."

"That’s exactly why physical refinement cultivators have declined!" Wang Yuan sighed. "Why do you think I’ve been desperately chasing after the Blood-Fiend pill? Not only does it enhance physical refinement, but it also allows me to cultivate both body and magic, giving me a slim chance to break through to Foundation Establishment.

"If I succeed in reaching Foundation Establishment, my lifespan will double. At that point, I’d have enough time to push for the third stage of physical refinement. Once I reach Furnace Body, not only would my lifespan increase, but my combat power would rival, if not surpass, sword cultivators of the same realm!"

So that’s how it was?

Luo Chen felt a tinge of disappointment. For a brief moment, he had even considered switching to physical refinement himself.

Simply because the progress in physical refinement was too fast. Even though Wang Yuan had the foundation of a grandmaster martial arts, he had only cultivated for a few decades at most. Luo Chen himself wasn’t lacking in potential either.

"However, that doesn’t mean that the second stage of physical refinement is completely useless against Foundation Establishment cultivators." Wang Yuan spoke with a hint of longing. "The physical refinement technique I obtained was incomplete. I had to merge it with mundane martial arts to create a complete technique suited for myself.

"According to what was left of that incomplete refinement method, ancient physical refinement cultivators had specialized offensive techniques. Their power wasn’t inferior to Foundation Establishment cultivators."

"If I had mastered a few of those techniques, I wouldn’t have to keep hiding in Dahe Market like this."

Longing was immediately followed by disappointment.

"The techniques I currently use are ones I’ve refined myself, merging martial arts, blood techniques, and Qi-Refining methods. Their power is decent, but since I haven’t tested them against a Foundation Establishment cultivator, I can’t be certain of my true combat prowess."

Luo Chen picked up the conversation.

"But at the very least, within the Qi-Refining Realm, you’re practically invincible, right?"

"Haha!" Wang Yuan suddenly burst into laughter. "Even before I advanced to the second stage, when have I ever feared a Qi-Refining opponent?"

Hearing this, Luo Chen couldn’t help but laugh as well.

That’s right!

During the battle between the two factions, Wang Yuan had dared to fight above his realm.

On the Debate Platform, he had crushed a blood cultivator. On Qingjiang Long Street, he had fought three top experts alone.

He really had made a joke of himself.

Suddenly, as if struck by inspiration, Wang Yuan pressed his thumb against the area near his kidneys.

"Luo Chen, take another sniff."

Luo Chen complied, taking a light breath through his nose.

The next moment, he froze.

"That bloody scent... it’s gone?"

Wang Yuan nodded knowingly. "As expected, your insights were useful as a reference, but this spirit suppression inherently involves controlling one’s blood and qi. Back in the mundane world, I practiced similar martial arts. After making a few adjustments, I’ve already achieved a decent level of effectiveness."

Luo Chen swallowed hard. When he had first learned it, he had entered the Beginner level with relative ease. But reaching this level of suppressing his blood energy had taken him at least a month or two. Yet Wang Yuan, through sheer intuition, had reached the same stage in just two hours.

Martial arts and physical refinement truly had their merits!

Since Wang Yuan could now suppress his blood energy, didn’t that mean he could move about freely again?

Luo Chen’s eyes lit up. "Brother Wang, my Luo Tian Society still has an empty Hall Leader position waiting to be filled!"