I Become a Martial Arts God in the Chaotic Demon World-Chapter 38: Suspicions (Thanks to the Alliance Hierarch ’Most Dazzling Life Dream’ for the reward)

Han Zheng chatted with Li Feng about the current situation in Black Stone County before asking, "By the way, Pharmacist Li, have you ever heard of a spiritual medicine called Heavenly Demon Red Fruit?"

"Heavenly Demon Red Fruit? Han, how did you come to inquire about this?" Li Feng asked.

Taking a sip of tea, Han Zheng replied casually, "I heard it from a storyteller, it seems to be some extraordinary top-tier spiritual medicine that can bring the dead back to life and mend flesh and bones and whatnot."

Li Feng scoffed, "Storytellers will just make things up, spouting random martial world tales they heard from who knows where. They'll embellish a story every which way and then present it to deceive people.

You should just enjoy it as entertainment, no need to take it seriously.

And as for bringing the dead to life and mending bones, why didn't he claim it could grant ascension in broad daylight?

However, the Heavenly Demon Red Fruit is indeed a very niche and rare high-level spiritual medicine.

It can only grow on a Heavenly Demon Treasure Tree that emerges where the demon cores of Demon Kings with power comparable to Great Grandmasters in the Yang God Realm fall and merge with the earth's veins. It's extremely potent in boosting one's vitality and blood.

I've only heard of this high-level spiritual medicine; it's not something that Innate Martial Artists would typically use in their medicine baths.

Something like the Heavenly Demon Red Fruit would be used directly in Alchemy to make elixirs, rather than in medicine baths."

"That must be pretty expensive, right?" Han Zheng inquired.

Thinking for a moment, Li Feng said, "The price is okay, around three thousand taels per fruit, or roughly ten elemental crystals if exchanged.

By the way, Han, have you ever heard of elemental crystals?"

Han Zheng shook his head.

Li Feng explained, "Elemental crystals are a type of high-grade material containing spiritual energy, said to be crystallizations of the earth's veins buried a thousand feet underground.

They can be used for cultivation, alchemy, artifact refining, array setting, and much more.

That's why high-level martial artists typically don't trade using gold and silver, they either use elemental crystals or barter with goods.

However, elemental crystals are rarely seen in a small place like Black Stone County. Even martial arts families like the Song Family and the Shen Family primarily deal in gold and silver for their transactions."

Han Zheng stroked his chin thoughtfully, "Just three thousand taels of silver for one? Then the Heavenly Demon Red Fruit doesn't seem too expensive."

To most common folks, three thousand taels would be an astronomical figure.

But for a martial artist who would spend hundreds of taels on a single medicine bath, three thousand taels was not a lot.

"It's not too expensive, because this thing has some significant side effects. It contains not only spiritual energy but also violent demonic power.

The demonic power within is something martial artists cannot absorb. It requires alchemists to spend a great deal of time refining it away or using other precious spiritual medicines to neutralize the demonic power.

So, using it for alchemy is actually not cost-effective—it's troublesome and also expensive, which is why its price has never been too high.

There is another top-tier spiritual medicine called simply the Red Fruit, which has the same medicinal properties as the Heavenly Demon Red Fruit but without any side effects. It costs tens of thousands per fruit and is even priceless in the market.

Moreover, Red Fruit trees only mature once every thousand years, which is why it's also called the Thousand-Year Red Fruit and is rather rare.

There are often major battles at Demon Suppression Pass, and it's normal for Demon Kings to fall, so many Heavenly Demon Treasure Trees have grown over the years, making the output of Heavenly Demon Red Fruits actually higher than that of the Thousand-Year Red Fruits."

After listening to Li Feng's explanation, Han Zheng's eyes showed a hint of puzzlement.

Something seemed off about this.

Gao Kaiyuan had said the Song Family was sending pairs of robust men and women to the Demon King Sifeng as blood food every month in exchange for a Heavenly Demon Red Fruit.

But the Heavenly Demon Red Fruit was not some exceedingly precious treasure, worth only three thousand taels of silver each.

Although three thousand taels was a significant sum, the Song Family in East City owned dozens of shops in Black Stone County, each yielding a monthly profit exceeding three thousand taels.

If people discovered that the Song Family was colluding with demons, offering blood food to them in exchange for benefits, the Song Family's reputation in Black Stone County would be utterly ruined.

Not only would they become targets for public condemnation, but they could also potentially attract the attention of the Demon Cleansing Bureau.

Was the Song Family risking so much for just one Heavenly Demon Red Fruit worth three thousand taels?

Unless every person in the Song Family had their head squashed by a door eight hundred times, they wouldn't commit such a foolish act.

So, either Gao Kaiyuan was brazen enough to lie on the brink of death,

Or there was more to this matter than met the eye.

After a bit more idle chatter with Li Feng, Han Zheng took his leave, planning to visit the martial arts hall.

He had requested many days off from Li Jingzhong and should now appear to inform Li Jingzhong about his step into the Innate Realm.

Han Zheng also intended to consult Li Jingzhong about the details of the four stages of the Innate Realm. His cultivation level could not be hidden, nor was there a need to; he could simply credit Li Feng's medicine bath for it.

Inside the Zhenwei Martial Arts Academy, Li Jingzhong was teaching other disciples the nuances of actual combat.

Chen Zhao, as the strongest among the many disciples present, was also helping Li Jingzhong correct the others' flaws in their techniques.

Seeing Han Zheng arrive, the other disciples curiously glanced his way.

After the last assessment, Lin Qing, Song Tianqing, and Guo Mingyuan stopped coming, and with Han Zheng taking leave, only Chen Zhao loyally continued his training at the martial arts hall.

"Master, I've made some breakthroughs in my cultivation this time and would like to seek your guidance for my further cultivation."

Li Jingzhong nodded slightly and said, "Indeed, it's only been a few days and you've completed the Innate Foundation Establishment. When the time comes for you to truly step into the Innate Realm, the transition should be smoother... Wait a minute!"

As he spoke, Li Jingzhong suddenly sensed something off about Han Zheng's aura.

He stepped forward in an instant and rushed to Han Zheng, reaching out to touch his arm.

Feeling that iron-hard flesh, Li Jingzhong couldn't believe it and said, "You've actually broken through to the Innate Realm!?"

He had always thought that Han Zheng took leave to lay the foundation for breaking through to the Innate Realm, yet in just these few days, the man had not only laid the foundation but completed the entire house!

All the disciples present, including Chen Zhao, looked at Han Zheng with envy and admiration.

In recent years, not a few disciples who had left the Zhenwei Martial Arts Academy had entered the Innate Realm.

But those people all took a long time after leaving the academy to step into the Innate Realm. Who could match Han Zheng's speed?

Once someone entered the Innate Realm, in Black Stone County, they were considered a master, not on the same level as these Postnatal Martial Artists.

"Let's talk inside," Li said, "Chen Zhao, you continue the training with the other junior brothers."

Inside the Martial Arts Hall, Han Zheng said, "I also owe a lot to Pharmacist Li for the Medicine Bath he sent over. He gave me extra because of our good relationship.

Moreover, teacher, the insights you provided for the transition from Postnatal to Innate were meticulous. Anyone who isn't a fool should be able to understand them.

I'd say the level at which you teach your disciples is even stronger than the Transmission Elders of the great sects."

Han Zheng's words were not merely flattery for Li Jingzhong.

At least below the Innate Realm, Li Jingzhong's teaching level could be said to be supremely strong.

Most Martial Artists only focus on cultivation, without delving deeply into the realms.

Those top sects had it easier, finding disciples with good talent and roots, then piling up Spiritual Medicine and resources on them; they start with Innate Techniques, and naturally, their cultivation speed isn't slow.

But Li Jingzhong had thoroughly researched both Innate and Postnatal realms.

He was even able to train ordinary civilian disciples without external resources to become Innate Martial Artists; that was a true skill.

Although Li Jingzhong was surprised at how rapidly Han Zheng made his breakthrough, he didn't doubt it.

After all, there were Martial Artists faster than Han Zheng, but they had better talents.

Han Zheng's talent might have been ordinary, but maybe he had a moment of epiphany that suddenly boosted his cultivation.

Now, hearing Han Zheng's praise, Li Jingzhong was slightly proud and shook his head, "When it comes to cultivation, I am indeed not as good as those Martial Artists from the big sects, but as for teaching disciples, after so many years, I have become quite proficient.

However, for you to break through to the Innate Transcendence Realm so quickly, I cannot take credit.

Over the years, I have taught many disciples in Black Stone County using the same method, and you did not receive any special treatment.

But you are the only one who has stepped into the Innate Transcendence Realm before completing your apprenticeship, which is enough to prove your understanding.

Talent and physique are not the standards by which a Martial Artist's future achievement is measured.

Temperament, perseverance, opportunity, and luck, etc., all are indispensable.

Take Zhang Tianyang as an example. When he was learning Martial Arts at the academy, his talent and physique were even more ordinary. I could have asserted that he had no hope of reaching the Innate in his lifetime.

Yet now, he has reached the peak of Innate, his cultivation stronger than mine, and just yesterday, he even forced back the leaders of three gangs by himself.

So the road ahead is still long, and your achievements will certainly surpass mine."

"Thank you, teacher. I'd like to ask you for guidance on how to break through the other three barriers of the Innate Realm," said Han Zheng.

Li Jingzhong sighed and said, "The Innate Transcendence Realm, only when you refine the Water and Fire Immortal Clothes, can you be truly perfect, truly considered a success in transcendence.

Your current refinement into iron-like flesh and blood is simple, but the next three realms get harder at each step, even tenfold more difficult with each minor realm breakthrough.

The Golden Muscle and Jade Veins primarily refine the meridians and channels which are not as sturdy as bones and muscles, requiring careful tempering; thus, the progress is extremely slow. This step cannot be forced; it's a gradual process.

Once completed, the control and deployment of strength will be more than ten times stronger than before.

The Mercury Blood Silver Marrow is a qualitative change in blood, and after refining, your blood will also be more than ten times stronger than before.

This step is extremely draining, either slowly accumulating strength or relying on a Medicine Bath and external resources to pile up.

If you decide to break through this realm through gradual progress, it might take more than ten years before your blood can be transformed into mercury, so it's best to use a Medicine Bath.

Back then, I earned enough money from running the Martial Arts Hall to become a major customer of Chen Baiqing, and it took hundreds of Medicine Baths to refine the Mercury Blood Silver Marrow.

As for the final realm, the Water and Fire Immortal Clothes, that is the true transcendence, the achievement of an Innate Body.

I have no valuable advice for this last realm as I have not reached that state.

I've been stuck at this realm for nearly ten years already.

To refine the Water and Fire Immortal Clothes, all elements in the body—the bones, meridians, and blood—must be fully integrated, transforming the marrow and spirit in one fell swoop.

I can fully integrate these forces in my body, and I've saved enough money over the years to even afford an Elixir.

But I have always failed to make that final step of transformation.

Alas, I still lack some opportunity, some moment of enlightenment."

New novel 𝓬hapters are published on ƒreewebɳovel.com.