nownovels Chapter 9 I Must Strive
Chapter 9 I Must Strive
early morning.
The last drop of earth vein essence in the mountain cauldron transformed into warm energy, flowing along the meridians into the limbs and bones, and finally sinking into the ever-growing mass of qi and blood in the dantian.
The essence of the earth veins has been completely wiped out!
The spiritual spring water from the earth veins in the Demon Ape Cave was all transformed into Yang Jin's combat power.
I really don't know when we'll be able to wait for the spiritual spring in the cave to accumulate to a level that Atu can absorb and condense.
He calculated that after a day, not a single drop of the earth vein spring in the cave had condensed, which showed how difficult it was to condense the earth vein spring.
In fact, spiritual springs formed from earth veins are extremely rare spiritual materials.
Its true purpose is not to transform into the essence of the earth veins, but to serve as a medicinal guide, combined with other old medicines, to refine a precious medicine that can enhance one's physical constitution.
Root bone!
It is the foundation of a martial artist's aptitude, one can say it is innate and extremely difficult to change.
The better one's physical constitution, the easier it is to improve and go further on the path of martial arts.
Therefore, spiritual materials and even precious medicines that can enhance one's physical constitution are all priceless.
Yang Jin directly had A Tu absorb and condense the substance, and then had it refined by the mountain cauldron. In reality, this involved going through two procedures and receiving kickbacks twice.
There's nothing we can do about it.
Who told him to practice martial arts without proper training?
Just like before Sun Wukong became a disciple of Patriarch Bodhi, he was just a monkey trying to learn how to eat noodles with chili peppers.
Unaware of the facts, he took it for granted.
This is what they mean by "fools sometimes have good fortune."
call!
Yang Jin exhaled a long breath of stale air, which condensed into a brief white streak in the cold mine tunnel.
This is a manifestation of increased blood and qi in the lungs.
At this stage, an experienced martial arts master will tell the apprentice that he/she is qualified to attempt the Skin Refining Realm.
Yang Jin had no master to teach him, but he thought he looked really cool spitting out that mouthful of phlegm!
It's exactly the same as the breathing technique used by martial arts masters in wuxia novels.
He clenched his fist, feeling the strength surging through his body, no longer feeling any of the weakness he had when he was seriously injured.
Using the movements of calisthenics to loosen up my muscles and bones, my joints actually made a soft cracking sound, which was smooth and powerful.
He lit the oil lamp and looked at the wound on his left arm. The scabs had long since fallen off, leaving only a pale pink new scar that was barely noticeable to the touch.
This astonishing recovery speed even amazed the experienced hunter, Master Shi.
"Your body... is more resilient than an old bear in the mountains." When Shi Jian came down this morning, he saw Yang Jin's almost healed wound and his cloudy eyes were full of surprise. "I suffered such a serious injury back then and I was bedridden for a whole month before I could get out of bed."
Yang Jin only vaguely replied, "Young people have a good foundation, and mainly it's because your medicine is good, Master Shi."
Shi Jian stared at him for a few seconds, then didn't press the matter further.
As the saying goes, old people are wise and experienced; how could he not see that Yang Jin had a secret?
His resurrection, the mysterious appearance of rubble in the cellar, the increasingly serious aura in the boy's eyes, and his superhuman recovery ability... each of these was shrouded in mystery, but he chose to remain silent.
Sometimes, it's safer to not know than to know.
All he needed to know was that the person before him was still the son of an old friend, and that his nature had not changed.
"The situation outside is getting tense."
Shi Jian then got down to business, lowering his voice, "The people the Sun family hired from town will arrive by tomorrow or the day after at the latest. Many villagers have been incited and coerced by them, and they've already organized several groups to conduct a thorough search of the nearby hills during the day. My cellar... I'm afraid it won't be able to be hidden for long."
Yang Jin's heart sank.
Although he had anticipated it, the feeling of impending danger still made him feel uneasy, as if he had a thorn in his side, a fishbone stuck in his throat, and sitting on pins and needles...
Yang Jin thought about it all night and actually already had a plan.
"Master Shi, we can't stay in this cellar any longer," he said decisively. "The person the Sun family hired must be Zhao Kun. A martial artist at the Body Refining Realm has extremely sharp senses. Although this cellar is well-hidden, the traces and aura of human activity will definitely not escape Zhao Kun's notice. I plan to... hide in the abandoned mine tunnels below."
Shi Jian frowned deeply: "The mine tunnel? No way! It's pitch black down there, with many forks in the road, a risk of cave-ins, and even 'those things'!"
"Master Shi, believe me, I'm not doing anything reckless. Rather than hiding in the cellar and waiting to die, I'll surely die if Zhao Kun finds me, and you'll be implicated too," Yang Jin said resolutely. "Master Shi, actually, I've explored the mine tunnels these past two days and am quite familiar with the area. Please prepare torches, dry rations, and water for me. There are many forks in the tunnels deep inside, making it easier for me to hide."
Shi Jian pondered for a moment, knowing this was the most feasible solution at the moment, and slowly nodded: "Alright. I'll prepare it for you right away. Also... there are traces of your activity in the cellar, I'll clean it up, don't worry. I can't speak for other things, but I can still remove some human presence and bloodstains. I'll give you a signal when things calm down, and then you can come out."
"Remember this: if you encounter that 'thing,' run! Don't hesitate!"
Yang Jin nodded heavily. He understood what Shi Gong meant... There must be some other monsters in the abandoned mine besides A Tu... Otherwise, it wouldn't have been abandoned.
As for the 'traces' that Shi Gong mentioned:
There were axe marks left by Yang Jin's axe blade sweeping across the earthen wall when he practiced the Mountain-Splitting Style; there were traces of blood that inevitably got on his wounds when his dressings were changed; there was the stench of urine that lingered near the urinal when he was shaking his penis...
These minute traces may seem insignificant to ordinary people, but to experienced hunters or even martial artists, they could be deadly.
"Thank you, Master Shi!"
Yang Jin imitated the posture from TV and solemnly clasped his hands in greeting to Shi Gong.
He found himself increasingly resembling a chivalrous knight-errant.
Of course, in essence, he is still that same young man who still longs for the extraordinary Masterpiece that Sister Li bought for him.
It is not too late.
Shi Jian went up to prepare herbs and soil needed to cover up the traces, as well as torches, food, and water.
Yang Jin then summoned A Tu.
"Wide up the passage, just enough for me to crawl through, don't make it too big... If Zhao Kun is fat, even if he finds me, he won't be able to crawl in..."
Of course, this possibility is very low. There are hardly any fat people among martial artists. Except for a few with special techniques, they are all muscular men.
He gave the order.
Atu nodded, his mouthparts opened and closed, and the dark red file teeth began to work in a highly efficient mode.
The hard rock layers were peeled away like biscuits in its mouth, and the pebbles were carefully pushed aside with its body.
Atu seemed to understand that this matter concerned his master's safety, so he worked extra hard.
About an hour later, the narrow passage that was originally only wide enough for a child to crawl through had been widened into a downward-sloping passage that could barely accommodate Yang Jingu.
After inspecting the goods, Yang Jin nodded in satisfaction and said to Atu:
"Very good, well done... Here's the plan, dig a little deeper, make a trap, and if anyone tries to climb in, we'll bury them!"
Although Atu didn't understand Yang Jin's meaning, with the help of vibration perception and mental connection, they had turned the middle of the passage into a trap. As long as Atu bit off the support point, the entire passage would collapse, and no matter whether he tried to refine his skin, flesh, or bones, he would be gone!
After doing all this, Master Shi had already moved the things down.
Yang Jin packed up the mixed grain cakes, dried meat, a leather bag filled with water, a fire tumbler, spare clothes, and the little black plaster left in the jar, and also took the hand axe and the book "Mountain Splitting Techniques".
Instead of leaving immediately, he helped Shi Gong remove all traces of his presence in the cellar, such as the smell of the haystack, marks, food scraps, and so on. Finally, he sprinkled on Shi Jian's specially made grass powder with a strong earthy and wormwood scent, completely masking the original human presence and bloodstains.
Looking at the cellar, which had once again become "abandoned," Yang Jin took a deep breath, nodded heavily to Shi Jian, and without further hesitation, crouched down and crawled into the newly opened passageway leading to it.
Shi Jian silently watched his figure disappear into the darkness, then carefully restored the stone slab that had been covering the cave entrance to its original state, moved an old wooden box over to block it, and sprinkled more grass powder and dust around it.
After doing all this, Shi Gong, his body hunched over, slowly walked out of the cellar. As usual, he picked up the machete and rope from the corner of the wall and headed towards the back mountain, just like an ordinary old hunter going out to work.
……
Abandoned mine tunnel.
Two or three meters after emerging from the cellar passage, Yang Jingu lit a small torch.
Shi Gong didn't have many torches prepared, and he rarely used them. Fortunately, there were many wooden stakes and moss in the mine tunnels, which could be used as fuel.
The lit torches barely illuminated the mine tunnel, revealing the rough rock walls, rotten wooden stakes, and scattered gravel underfoot.
The air was damp and chilly, with a strong musty and mineral smell, but it was still breathable and not suffocating.
He was now standing at a relatively open branch of an abandoned mine tunnel, which seemed to be the end of mining operations that began many years ago.
The space is small, about a meter wide, just enough to stand up, and the ground is fairly flat.
Yang Jin stuck the torch into a crevice in the rock, cleared a space, and laid out the old clothes he had brought. This became his temporary shelter.
After settling in, the sense of urgency from the Sun family and the martial artist Zhao Kun did not disappear; on the contrary, it became even clearer in the absolute silence and darkness.
"My god, no wonder they say people go crazy if they stay in a dark, enclosed environment for too long... If you hid in this place for a month, you'd go crazy for sure."
"It's all Sun Yaozu's fault, you idiot! Once I get my hands on him, I'll definitely take him down!"
He spoke sweetly and eloquently, but deep down he knew very well that he was racing against time.
Before Zhao Kun arrived, he had to improve his combat effectiveness as much as possible.
He wondered, what is my current combat strength? It's definitely not weakling, because I'm not even as weakling as weakling.
"If only I had a gun... This lousy place, this lousy system, these lousy people..."
After enjoying the birdsong and fragrant flowers for a while, Yang Jin finally managed to vent all the resentment in his heart.
He summoned Atu and commanded:
"A-Tu, continue searching for that ore and collecting its essence. Be careful; if you find anything suspicious or encounter any monsters, run back immediately. Don't try to fight them head-on."
Atu nodded and turned to collect ore.
The nearby ore has already been completely collected. To mine more ore, Atu can only go to more distant areas... those unknown areas beyond its territory.
The unknown often represents danger.
But there's no time to worry about that now; to become stronger... resources are always the top priority.
His system isn't one of those crazy contraptions in short dramas where a simple slap in the face or a show-off can make the host rise to power... He needs the support of a powerful figure, but he should rely on himself even more...
Atu soon entered a narrower side road, and then, a rhythmic "click" sound came from afar.
Yang Jin nodded in satisfaction. No matter how bitter, tiring, or difficult it was, having A Tu by his side made things much easier.
He finally understood why some people like to keep cats and dogs.
Let's begin!
"Stop overthinking."
"I will work hard... I will fight... I will become stronger... I will take down Sun Yaozu! #@!#"
······
Yang Jin first practiced the "Mountain Splitting Style".
No matter how good your foundation is, without a fighting style, you're just a punching bag, a sitting duck.
Although the Mountain Splitting Style may seem like a very common technique, it is perfect for Yang Jin to learn how to play.
Since he had no live target, he imagined the air as the target.
Recalling the key points in the booklet, I adjusted my breathing, lowered my waist and hips, and imagined a mountain blocking my way that I needed to cleave through with an axe!
"ha!"
He exhaled and sang, and the short axe transformed into a streak of cold light as it cleaved out!
The movements were still a bit stiff, and the connection between the exertions was not smooth enough, but that fierce and unstoppable spirit was already beginning to take shape.
The energetic young man's "if you're not convinced, then fight" attitude is surprisingly compatible with the mountain-splitting style.
One axe, two axes, ten axes, a hundred axes... Sweat quickly soaked through his thin clothes, and his muscles ached and burned from the repetition, but he did not stop.
He knew that practice makes perfect, there were no shortcuts, and only through repeated practice could the playing style be truly etched into muscle memory.
When I see Sun Yaozu again, I'll raise my hand and chop him in half with an axe!
Let's see if he dies!
Whoosh whoosh whoosh...
Before long, Yang Jin practiced until his arms felt as heavy as lead, and he had to stop and rest.
Without the essence of the earth veins as a catalyst, his condition returned to normal, and he was no longer the powerful and invincible little cannon he used to be.
This demonstrates the importance of the earth's essence.
Tired of practicing the Mountain Splitting Style, he turned to practicing the first style of the "Twelve Styles of the Demonic Ape Observing the Mountain," namely "Rooting."
Yang Jin was shirtless, his feet firmly planted on the ground as if rooted to the earth. He visualized the towering phantom of the demonic ape and felt the weight of the earth travel through his body from the soles of his feet.
The "earth affinity" characteristic brought by the Earth-Walking Marmoset Cauldron Spirit resonated wonderfully with this body-refining method at this moment.
He felt his lower body becoming more and more stable, and his qi and blood slowly grew stronger in his visualization, seeping into his limbs and bones, especially under his skin.
He alternated between training and fighting techniques, and when his strength was exhausted, he would lie down to rest and slowly recover using breathing techniques. Occasionally, he would also distract himself to contact Atu to see what was going on.
Yang Jin discovered that A Tu's mining efficiency was much higher than before. The kickback from the Earth Vein Spring was not for nothing. Every now and then, he could bring back several pieces of ore containing the essence of the earth vein.
Yang Jin absorbed the ore as soon as he got it.
[Earth Essence +0.03]
[Earth Essence +0.05]
……
The points increased slowly, and once they reached the mountain cauldron, they were absorbed and refined by him, and then fed back into his body.
He could clearly feel that each consumption of the earth's essence was like a scorching hammer, driving the energy of his visualization and cultivation deeper into his skin.
A tingling, itchy, and stinging sensation spread through his skin, as if countless ants were crawling beneath it. If it weren't for the Demonic Ape Gazing at the Mountain Diagram suppressing his mind, he wouldn't have been able to endure it... What Yang Jin didn't know was that he was breaking through from a Martial Arts Apprentice to the Skin Refining Realm...
All he knew was that his skin became firmer and more resilient with each repeated beating.
The fascia under the skin gradually becomes stronger as it is nourished by blood and qi.
This is enough.
As for other things, Yang Jin didn't care at all, nor did he know how to care.
Without a master to guide him on how to circulate his Qi and blood and how to break through barriers, he could only rely on the general concept of the Demonic Ape Diagram, the vague guidance of the Mountain Cauldron, and the "universal fuel" of the Earth Vein Essence to accumulate quantitative changes and wait for qualitative changes.