Martial Arts: Starting with Upgrading the Dilapidated Temple

Xu Hao paused, feeling the chilling atmosphere around him, which now seemed strangely welcoming.

The despair and fear that lingered in his cell transformed into invisible threads, rapidly seeping into his pores.

The pain in my chest, which had just been kicked by Eunuch Wei, was rapidly subsiding under this nourishing treatment, replaced by a tingling, itchy sensation.

He raised his head and looked at the death row cell in front of him.

"What a wonderful place!"

The next morning, in the torture chamber.

Xu Hao, carrying a bucket of swill, squatted down in front of a pile of scrap metal under the pretext of cleaning up the torture instruments.

"Wei the eunuch has gone to attack the salt gang. The death row has been too chaotic these past few days, and no one has been able to look after you."

As he wiped the bloodstains from the ground, he whispered into the dark alley, "If you don't want to die, stay put. Once this storm passes, I'll send you out of the city."

A very faint knocking sound came from the interlayer; it was Chen Yuanzhi responding.

Xu Hao stood up, blew out the oil lamp, and the entire torture chamber fell silent once again.

These past few days, the sky over the prefectural city has been overcast, and there's a rusty smell in the air.

The agents of the Observatory were like mad dogs, biting anyone they could find from the Salt Gang.

Most of the shops on the street were closed, and the occasional screams that reached the high walls were terrifying.

But this death row cell has become a peaceful place.

With the blessing of this blessed land, it would be a shame not to practice martial arts. Xu Hao began to study the "Overturning River Force" he learned from Sun Niqiu.

Logically speaking, this "Overturning River Power" should be practiced by soaking in large rivers, using the pressure of water to temper the muscles and bones, and using the waves to comprehend the power.

But in the current environment, where are the conditions?

However, Xu Hao had an even more unorthodox method.

With a slight thought, the ancient scroll in my mind slowly unfurled.

[Prefectural City Death Row LV2 (Yin Sha)]

[Current level of resentment in the environment: High]

[Enable resentment extraction?]

"open."

Xu Hao silently recited in his heart.

In an instant, the previously lingering, chilling aura around him seemed to be drawn by something, turning into invisible gray lines that frantically burrowed into his mouth, nose, and pores.

The breath entered his body, but unlike the scalding heat of the Qi and Blood Pill, it felt like a bucket of ice water being poured over his head, chilling Xu Hao to the bone.

If an ordinary martial artist dared to do this, they would suffer a qi deviation within three quarters of an hour, resulting in paralysis at best and madness at worst.

Under the suppression of the blessed land, Xu Hao's internal energy and blood were forced to become entangled with this Yin energy.

The originally powerful and unparalleled Bone Forging Realm Qi and Blood began to undergo miraculous changes under the constant scouring and compression of this cold and yin power.

It's like a hundred-times-refined steel meeting a gentle touch; the fiery, straightforward energy is gradually smoothed out, replaced by a heavy, viscous texture.

Glug... Glug...

A strange sound emanated from Xu Hao's body, unlike the friction of bones, but rather like an underground river surging beneath the rock strata.

Is this all there is to it?

Xu Hao suddenly opened his eyes, a fleeting glint of light in them.

This "Overturning River Force" is indeed quite something. The insidious force that Sun Niqiu practiced for half his life to master has now been mastered by him, thanks to the resentment he felt during his hundred years in prison.

He raised his hand and looked at his palm.

His skin was still bronze, with no change.

But with a thought, the muscles in his entire arm instantly relaxed, and then tightened again in an instant.

"Snapped!"

A crisp sound exploded in the air, the sound of force penetrating through the body.

It's no longer just brute force, but a spiraling, forward-drilling force. If this punch landed on someone, the skin might be fine, but the internal organs would probably be turned into a complete mess.

Xu Hao stood up and walked to the large wooden tub filled with clean water for washing the torture instruments.

He was unlucky; he simply slowly submerged his head in the water.

One breath, ten breaths, a hundred breaths...

The water was as still as a mirror, not even a single bubble appeared.

A full incense stick's time passed before Xu Hao suddenly raised his head, bringing with him a string of water droplets.

He wasn't panting heavily, and his face didn't even flush red.

The blood and qi in his body act like a huge internal circulation, replacing breathing through his mouth and nose during this time. Even holding his breath underwater for a quarter of an hour is not difficult for him.

"nice one."

Xu Hao wiped the water off his face, a slight smile playing on his lips.

At the entrance of the torture chamber, Xu Hao sat blankly on a tattered stool, peeling two shriveled peanuts in his hand, with a stale garbage can at his feet.

"Guo the Fool, spacing out again?" A passing jailer covered his nose and cursed in disgust.

Xu Hao chuckled foolishly, stuffed the peeled peanuts into his mouth, and mumbled, "...to get rid of the musty smell."

The jailer seemed to remember something, his expression changed, and he quickened his pace as if some man-eating beast was lurking in the torture chamber.

How could I not run away? This place has been incredibly eerie these past two days.

Around midnight, the sound of fingernails scratching wooden boards could be heard from the torture chamber, along with faint sobs.

The other night, two skeptical jailers decided to go in and investigate. As soon as they opened the door, they saw the leather bench jumping around on the ground. They were so frightened that they wet themselves on the spot. When they got back, they developed a high fever and kept talking nonsense, shouting "The scoundrel is coming to take our lives."

From then on, within a radius of ten zhang (approximately 33 meters), apart from Xu Hao, that "foolish daring," not even a mouse dared to approach this torture chamber.

Xu Hao chewed on a peanut, a hint of a smile flashing in his eyes.

This "deterrifying aura" is quite useful, saving him a lot of work in guarding the gate.

He got up, carried the bucket, and went into the torture chamber, then bolted the door shut behind him.

In the dimly lit alley, Chen Yuanzhi was wolfing down a bowl of coarse rice porridge.

Although he hadn't been eating lavish meals every day these past few days, the handfuls of fine rice that Xu Hao would occasionally give him pulled him back from the brink of death, and even the skin and flesh that had been whipped raw had scabbed over.

"It's complete chaos outside," Xu Hao said in a low voice while wiping the torture instruments. "Yesterday, the Salt Gang's branch leader led his men to storm the government office, wanting to confront the prefect, but he was shot into a pincushion before he even entered the door."

Chen Yuanzhi paused, then smiled wryly: "The situation is getting more and more chaotic."

"It's better to be chaotic; only in chaos can you get out."

Just then, a series of noisy footsteps and the rattling sound of chains dragging on the ground came from outside.

"Behave yourself! Once you're here, if you're a dragon, you have to coil up; if you're a tiger, you have to lie low!"

Xu Hao pushed open the door and went out, only to see two burly jailers dragging a man covered in blood inside.

Although the man's hands and feet were bound, his fierce aura was impossible to conceal. His eyes were wide open like copper bells, and he was still cursing.

"Go to hell with the Observatory! I'm innocent! You're framing me! Framing me!"

The jailer stood to the side, toying with his whip. Growing impatient, he beckoned to Xu Hao: "Guo Shan, this guy's mouth is too foul. Take him in and give him a 'bone loosening,' let him learn the rules of our death row."

Xu Hao shrank back, looking timid: "Boss, this...this guy looks fierce, I'm scared..."

"Scared of my ass! My hands and feet are tied!" The jailer kicked Xu Hao in the backside. "If you don't make a sound, you're not eating tonight!"

Xu Hao then "reluctantly" took the whip and dragged the man into the torture chamber.

The moment the heavy wooden door closed, the noise outside was instantly shut out.