Beichen Sword Sect's Headmaster's Secret Records

Chapter 377 Refining the Form
Although he knew this mission would be more than just catching a bird, Huangfu Yi still hadn't expected it to be so absurd as to ask him, a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator, to hunt down immortal bones from the Xuan Nu era that were tens of thousands of years old. It was just too ridiculous...

However, there are more living immortals than dead immortals in this world. The northern icy plains are full of zombies and corpses, and some with heavy resentment naturally undergo corpse dissolution. Even in the Central Plains, it's all too common for a skeleton of an immortal to fall down when the sky is swirling with wind, rain, lightning, and thunder, and when blood and flesh are tossed about.

Therefore, Huangfu Yi had fought monsters like the Rib Demon Skeleton King before, and their strength wasn't too bad. After all, the dead cannot be brought back to life. No matter how powerful they were in life, once their flesh and blood are gone, their internal organs rot, and their meridians are severed, they're lucky if they retain even one percent of their former abilities.

Moreover, there is no essential difference between the remains of cultivators and the bones of demons; both can be considered top-grade natural treasures rich in spiritual energy and refined to perfection. Not only do murderers destroy the evidence, but the sects in the vicinity that suppress the dead also have an obligation to collect the remains. Even if the deceased does not have a Daoist partner to collect them, they can be used to refine pills or make medicine.

Add to that the looters and grave robbers, the ordinary people hoping for a bargain and a stroke of luck, and the hungry demons and beasts drawn by the smell of blood. The remains of fallen immortals are highly sought after; a single whale fall can spawn countless creatures, sustaining a large population. Therefore, in the Central Plains, they are actually harder to preserve for long periods, transforming into skeleton monsters and bone spirits.

To avoid the tragic fate of being reduced to nothingness, before their reincarnation, mountain dwellers would go to great lengths to set up arrayed tombs and secret caves, only regretting that they were not hidden deep enough or secret enough, fearing that the treasures and remains they had accumulated throughout their lives would be stolen.

However, to be fair, the saying that arithmetic is the foremost of the five arts of the Xuanmen (Taoist school) is quite apt. After all, in a sense, digging up graves, robbing tombs, and secretly opening the ruins of immortal caves are the best shortcuts for Xuanmen disciples to reclaim their past lives' inheritances, become rich overnight, and achieve freedom in their cultivation.

So logically speaking, in a busy area like the outskirts of Qianyang, it's unlikely that such a powerful figure would be hiding right under everyone's noses and no one would have noticed...

But that's just how things are.

The half-skeleton before me, having endured tens of thousands of years, with only one leg and one hand remaining, is still able to move. At this moment, it is turning its head, leaning to one side, holding the only remaining skull of its Daoist companion, and sitting up from the stone coffin. It is looking around to find out who dared to disturb its peace.

Huangfu Yi, who was hiding behind it at this moment, was also a little uneasy. He felt both nervous about facing a crisis and eager to try his luck at finding a rare monster.

He gripped the iron rod tightly, staring at the creaking skeleton, secretly gathering strength in his fist while calculating in his mind whether a direct punch would increase his chances of winning the monster and obtaining the treasure, or whether he should pry open the stone slab first, go outside the cave to unleash his ultimate skill to burn the mountain and sweep the tomb, which would give him a greater chance of winning.

The bones had indeed been dead for many years. They seemed to be exhausted and slow to move, appearing dull and lifeless. Even after getting up for quite some time, they still hadn't noticed Huangfu Yi hiding behind them. They were still like a bear, limping and hopping on one leg while supporting the stone coffin.

Good opportunity! Give it a shot; fortune favors the bold!
"Tuk-tuk!"

That damn bird is knocking again!
"boom!"

Who knew that in just a second of distraction, sand and stones flew everywhere! A deafening sound erupted! The earth shook violently!

Before Huangfu Yi could even see clearly, the immortal bone had already kicked out, striking the door panel squarely! The force and power of the kick were so great that it seemed to cause the sky to collapse and the earth to crack! The crater itself crumbled and caved in! Sand and stones rained down! Most of the tomb walls shattered and caved in! The coffin lid was even wedged directly into the rock wall, blocking the exit!
Huangfu Yi was greatly alarmed!
Hiss... The speed and power of this strike are equivalent to at least twenty levels of the Gang Fist! And what's most astonishing is that this power isn't even from the Gang Fist!

To understand the essence of Gangquan (罡拳), one must accumulate knowledge and skills over time. This involves consuming meat to replenish Qi (vital energy), lifting iron to strengthen muscles, and cultivating true Qi within the tendons and muscles. By infusing these muscles with nutrients and constantly stimulating muscle growth, muscle fibers become thicker, contractions become faster, explosive power increases, and endurance becomes longer. Ultimately, this leads to breaking through the limits of ordinary people and unleashing superhuman strength!

But there wasn't a single ounce of meat left on that skeleton! You'd be lucky to get any fat even if you stewed it with pork ribs! Yet he just hopped over and kicked it with one foot! It almost collapsed the mountain! This doesn't make any sense in the principles of Gangquan!
Huangfu Yi's heart started pounding wildly, which immediately caught the attention of the Immortal Bone. The Immortal Bone turned its head back and stared at Huangfu Yi with a pair of empty eye sockets!
Oh no! He's dead!
……

……

...No response?

Huangfu Yi came to his senses and realized that he had been embedded in the mountain again!
Well, it seems that the sudden earthquake activated the yellow crown he had stolen from Heguan, causing his body to sink into the mud and rocks as if he had fallen into water, thus preventing him from being buried alive by the mudslide.

The immortal's bones were old and blind. He stared at Huangfu Yi across the mound of earth for a while, then turned his head back to stare at the mural, probably mistaking his heartbeat for the sound of falling pebbles.

Huangfu Yi breathed a sigh of relief, then huddled in the ground, becoming even more cautious, his eyes fixed on the skeleton, trying to find a flaw.

Regardless of the astonishing force just now, or how a skeleton was created, the fact remains that someone could create such a thing. If you were hit by such a punch, you would be crippled even if you didn't die.

Being able to withstand such an earth-shattering force, this half-skeleton frame is clearly much sturdier than it looks, and it cannot be destroyed so easily.

Now his iron rod doesn't even have a sword tip. Not to mention whether he has time to cast a spell and set up the Yao Guang Sword Seal, if the sword light can't cut through the immortal bones, then he will definitely not be able to avoid the opponent's counterattack, and this grave will be his burial place.

We absolutely have to find a fatal flaw... Uh, I found one, but it's far too obvious.

The entire skeleton shimmered with a jade-like light, standing out conspicuously in the dark tomb. However, the green light was not the usual true qi; it was more like a radioactive, emerald-green fluid flowing through the bone marrow, constantly radiating energy.

Meanwhile, a large amount of crystal-clear liquid, resembling bone marrow and jade milk, was constantly seeping out from the broken part of the half-skeleton, forming a new spider web-like structure as if drawn into threads, intertwined and resembling the nerves and meridians of the human body.

However, this network of meridians did not ultimately converge within the immortal bone itself. Instead, it stretched out like ivy, entwining the bone fragments and finally spiraling out of the immortal jade bone, grafting its roots into the space between the white bone skull's eyebrows, like a seedling deeply rooted in the soil.

Based on what he had just seen in the murals, Huangfuyi had a rough idea.

It seems the man, after torturing the woman to death, deeply regretted it and even sacrificed half of his essence and cultivation to try and revive her. However, a soul scattered is a soul scattered; the woman had clearly already turned into decaying dust and ashes, how could she possibly be reborn?

So even though the man lost his mind and went to great lengths, even resorting to unorthodox methods to cut himself in half and graft him onto the woman's corpse, the method still seemed to have failed.

The remaining skeleton, with its empty eye sockets devoid of any light, was now filled with countless intertwined bone marrow roots that formed a crystal that pulsated like a heart. This was clearly the vital point where the essence of the opponent's life had been infused.

At this moment, the jade crystal within the skull flickered with light, its brilliance exceptionally clear and easy to aim at. However, seeing how this immortal bone was being held so preciously in his arms, Huangfu Yi knew in his heart that he probably only had one chance with his sword.

So he didn't act rashly. He remained buried in the ground, silent and motionless, like a stone sculpture standing in the shadows. Only the veins and muscles under his skin slowly bulged, twisting like a dragon, gathering strength and condensing energy, pouring all his power into the tip of the stick.

Should I risk everything with a flying thrust, going all in? Or should I first use earth-遁 (earth-遁 is a technique used in Chinese fantasy novels) to escape to open terrain, and then unleash my fiery winds and flames...?

"Clatter, clatter, clatter..."

At this moment, gazing absently at the mural of the immortal skeleton on the wall, as if recalling something, he involuntarily placed the skull against his neck, raised his arm, and touched the face of the woman in the mural.

"Tuk Tuk"

Then, a soft sound suddenly came from the void and entered the boy's mind.

In an instant, it felt like being struck by lightning, as if someone were pricking my scalp with needles, or as if a sparrow had pierced my forehead!
As Huangfu Yi was mentally rehearsing his swordplay, a strange scene suddenly appeared in his field of vision.

A woman's figure, faintly visible, flashed past him. She leaped forward, thrusting her sword, piercing the ghostly skeleton and striking it between the skull's brows.

Huangfu Yi then understood.

Right now!

This is the moment!

The boy mimicked the same swordplay, leaping to his feet! He burst from the ground! A self-sacrificing strike! Straight for his eyebrow—

"Snapped!"

With a soft thud, Huangfu Yi hit the target, but he also lost.

His staff, following a flawless sword path, struck the skull between the eyebrows.

However, it was completely useless! It didn't even provide a starting point!
He couldn't see any movement at all, and a bony claw gripped his neck, stopping him mid-air! A chokehold suspended in mid-air!

For a moment, Huangfu Yi was also seeing stars, gasping for breath, unable to catch his breath. Well, it wasn't just that he couldn't catch his breath; it was as if he had crashed headfirst into a bulldozer and almost had his head blown off...

Is their skill level really that far behind...?

But he was still alive, not killed in one blow, not disemboweled, not decapitated, not because he was particularly strong, but simply because his opponent didn't try to kill him.

The immortal bone, with its cross-eyed expression, stared intently at the iron rod piercing the center of Huangfu Yi's brow. Suddenly, it released its grip, tossing Huangfu Yi to the ground, and with a casual scoop, something flew out of Huangfu Yi's arms and was caught in its palm.

"Cough, cough, cough!"

Huangfu Yi knelt on the ground, coughing. Xian Gu stared at the objects in his hands for a moment, as if recalling some past event. Then, another jolt of electric current shot through him, and the men in the murals turned their heads in unison. From the depths of the darkness, sounds from all directions resounded in Huangfu Yi's mind like a concerto. "Crane Temple"

The jade pendant was thrown in front of him.

"Tiger View"

The metal plaque was thrown aside.

"Longguan"

Finally, there was the stone tablet given by Linglongxuan.

"select."

"Cough, cough... Ptooey!"

Huangfu Yi was momentarily suffocated and gasped for breath, his limbs weak. He could only raise his neck and spit out the sweet and foul-smelling blood from his mouth.

"Tuk-tuk!"

However, before Huangfu Yi could even utter a few curses at that bastard, the sound of knocking on the door came from the darkness again. This time, it was so close, it sounded like it was coming from a skull.

Not only Huangfu Yi heard it, but Xian Gu also turned around abruptly, as if he had heard it too.
"Did Lei Gong win...?"

After a moment of silence, the men in the mural all sighed in unison.

"Never mind, it's all the same."

So it raised its hand and overturned its own stone coffin.

By the faint green light emanating from the bones, Huangfu Yi could clearly see a strange-looking iron lump buried under the coffin.

"Siding"

Si... Ding?

Huangfu Yi had seen cauldrons before; when he hunted demons, they were always stewed in the big cauldron at the village entrance. But this thing didn't look like a stewing pot at all. If you had to say, it did resemble the character '鼎' (ding, cauldron), with a metal structure like a support holding a black sphere that looked like an eye in the center.

The bone pulled the iron lump out and threw it in front of Huangfu Yi. Then, it reached into the skull in its arms, took out the jade essence seed, and flicked it with its finger. Like a bullet, the seed entered Huangfu Yi's brow and embedded itself deep into his brain.

In an instant, it felt as if he had been pierced by a sharp sword, the coldness penetrating to his heart, the stimulating sensation of being struck by lightning running through his entire body. For a moment, Huangfu Yi's mind went blank, and he even thought he was dead.

But then the stinging pain between his eyebrows, the sensation of blood flowing down his cheeks, and the icy, crystal-clear feeling of the foreign object—as if it had taken root and planted itself deep into his spinal cord along his brain lobes and brain center—awakened him once more.

What... what does this mean? Possession? Casting a curse? Transferring power?

The immortal skeleton simply sat down cross-legged in his dazed gaze, gently stroking the skeleton in his arms, as if afraid of waking it.

"Don't touch our bones."

Then, with a "crash," it collapsed to the ground, its jade-like bones falling to the ground, leaving no trace of its remains, smashed to pieces like shattered glass scattered all over the ground.

Then, the pure and refined immortal energy, accumulated over millennia, poured out from the marrow and jade veins, thick and viscous like a sweet spring of spiritual nectar, filling the cave almost instantly.

Overwhelmed by the overwhelming immortal energy, Huangfu Yi slowly recovered amidst the incomparably pure immortal aura, and for a moment he was completely bewildered.

What on earth is going on? Why would that skeleton give him the crystallized immortal seed it had prepared for the woman, its entire life's cultivation, and this cauldron...? Damn it! Could he be that woman's reincarnation?!

The system popped up,
"Stop thinking nonsense. This is called stealing someone's immortal destiny and snatching their Dao seed."

"Nothing else concerns you. Focus on refining your Qi and forming your core as soon as possible; time is running out."

System? You saw all of this? What exactly happened? The bones, the sparrow, and the dragon, tiger, and crane...

The system said impatiently,
“Fool, don’t bother with those meaningless side quests. In this world, the strong are always respected. As long as your sword is sharp enough, all entanglements of cause and effect can be easily resolved.”

If all you get involved with are trash and garbage, no matter how much you scheme and plot, you'll only get trapped in a web and end up doing all the work for someone else.

There are countless brilliant and talented people in this world, but they think too much, calculate for too long, and don't take action. In the end, they can only watch helplessly as opportunities slip through their fingers.

Fortunately, although your natural talent is average, your decisiveness, focus, and single-mindedness are outstanding qualities, so there's nothing to worry about.

So don't worry about what others say or how they calculate. Just focus on overcoming difficulties, fighting monsters, and concentrating on your training and tasks. Understand?

Huangfu Yi pondered for a moment, then slowly nodded.

Don't understand...

No problem, I didn't understand a lot of the Four Books and Five Classics that my family taught me before, so I'll just ignore that and memorize them by rote and focus on practicing and leveling up.

So Huangfu Yi calmed down, took deep breaths of the purest spiritual energy, repaired his meridians, refined his sword energy, and tempered his muscles and bones...

The system was furious.

"Are you stupid?! Innate Dao Qi, Immortal Jade Marrow, and you're going to use it to refine the Gang Fist? You've gone crazy from weightlifting! Go practice the Heavenly Book!"

A heavenly book? Wait, you mean that fake one...?

"What rubbish! That's the real 'Nine Heavens Mystic Maiden's Three Revolutions and Nine Transformations Refining Form Chapter'!"
"Once you master this method and condense the Nine Heavens Mystic Maiden's Nine-Turn Golden Elixir, no more than three people in the entire Taiji Heaven will be able to defeat you!"

Wow... It's that powerful?! Wait a minute, didn't you say that technique was trash??

"Of course it's trash! You'd have to be at least one of the top three in the world to have any chance of retrieving all nine Heavenly Books and mastering this technique!"

Moreover, this technique is far too domineering! It's as difficult as ascending to heaven! One round of Qi circulation requires traveling through all twelve meridians, eight extraordinary vessels, and three hundred and sixty acupoints of the entire body to achieve success, and almost no one can master it!

In the later stages, the heavens become even more cruel! Every step of the way to level up is fraught with difficulty and obstacles, requiring repeated retraining and body reshaping to succeed! It would take at least a thousand years of arduous cultivation to achieve anything!
With this kind of idle, pointless time, they could have already transcended the Tai Chi realm by practicing something else! This is utterly ridiculous! A complete waste of time! Isn't that rubbish?!

Uh, that's really rubbish, or maybe...

"Idiot! People only stop because they can't refine it. If you could refine it, you would have finished it all! What's the use of only refining one meridian? You have to open up the entire body to succeed! It's very powerful!"

Sigh, one minute it's one thing, the next it's another; you're the one who says it's strong, and the one who says it's trash...

"Don't worry about what I say, just tell me whether you believe me or not, I'm a professional!"

Sigh... Alright, alright, come on! Form Refinement!

(End of this chapter)