Longevity Martial Arts: Grinding Experience in the Chaotic World-Chapter 175 - 116: Three Choices! Blacksmith Rampage!

Courtyard.

Gu Sheng was attempting to temper his bones. He appeared to stand motionless in the courtyard, but within him, the Qi Blood Power had already begun to surge violently. However, Gu Sheng was controlling it with extreme caution, letting the Qi Blood Power thread through his flesh and wrap around his bones.

"Mm!"

A muffled groan escaped as a wave of searing pain emanated from within. The sensation was far more intense than the pain of Refining Skin or Blood Refining.

It felt as if tiny nails were being hammered into his bones, constantly twisting; it was akin to unprotected flesh being plunged into scalding oil.

Sweat dripped from Gu Sheng’s forehead, and his body couldn’t help but tremble slightly.

Bone Refining, as the name implied, involved using Qi Blood Power to shake the bones until their strength underwent a transformation, allowing them to better support the flesh and skin, resulting in an immense leap in power!

Sizzling sounds!

As the Qi Blood Power slowly tempered his bones, Gu Sheng seemed to hear the faint vibration of his bones.

Fifteen minutes later.

Gu Sheng’s body was drenched in a layer of sweat. He exhaled deeply, his face slightly pale, and ceased his bone tempering.

Frustration involuntarily flickered in his eyes.

"Without the Bone Protecting Pill, this tempering process is just too slow!"

This was already Gu Sheng’s third attempt at bone tempering.

While it was possible to refine his bones through self-cultivation without consuming pills, there were several issues with it.

First, it was excruciatingly painful. It’s no exaggeration to say that the pain was several times worse than tempering his flesh and blood!

Second, it required extreme caution. A slight mistake, and too much Qi Blood Power flowing into the bones could cause damage. At best, it would hinder further tempering; at worst, it could cause severe injuries. If someone recklessly pushed their limits, they might end up as nothing more than a corpse by the next day!

Gu Sheng could endure the first issue. After years of arduous martial training, his willpower surpassed that of ordinary people. His determination to ascend to the pinnacle of Martial Arts was unwavering. If pain were the only issue, he could tolerate it. The real problem lay in the second point.

With Gu Sheng’s advanced martial arts realm, his control over Qi Blood Power was superior to most. He could restrain the flow of Qi Blood Power to avoid excessive input at one time.

But the problem was—

It was just far too slow!

He couldn’t fully utilize the enormous Qi Blood Power within him. Each attempt at bone tempering required him to use only a fraction—a mere tenth of his Qi Blood Power. At this pace, Gu Sheng estimated it would take him four to five years to break through to the Bone Refining Realm!

For others, this speed would already be considered remarkable.

But Gu Sheng found it intolerable.

Forget the looming conflict between Liu Yuanhu and Zhao Honglie; the very thought of spending several years in a single realm felt excruciating and wasteful. He wanted to glimpse the view from the peak, and with a finite lifespan, he had no time to squander.

"And this is with my Shapeshifting Technique having reached its special effects stage, which already offers some benefit to Bone Refining. For ordinary people without the aid of the Bone Protecting Pill, reaching the limit on their own would take at least a decade. Including the time to surpass a bottleneck, they might never even achieve mastery of the Bone Refining Realm in their lifetime!"

Gu Sheng couldn’t help but shake his head.

Bone Refining Realm, in a way, was already considered a minor watershed—beyond the reach of most individuals.

Think about it: in the vast Canghe County, there were easily over a hundred people in the Blood Refining Realm, probably even more. Yet, there were only a handful in the Bone Refining Realm—that said it all.

It required exceptional talent or an abundance of resources to succeed.

"It seems I have no choice but to seek out Pill Master Ge Qing."

A glimmer of resolve flashed in Gu Sheng’s eyes. With his current strength, comparable to the Bronze Bone Realm, he had the ability to protect himself. At the very least, his mastery of the Flying Thunder Leg at the Perfect stage gave him significant speed, allowing him both to attack and retreat as needed.

"Pill Master Ge Qing has always held a relatively aloof position in Canghe County. Neither Liu Yuanhu nor Zhao Honglie have dared to target him, and there have been no rumors of coercion or oppression regarding him. There shouldn’t be much of an issue."

With this thought, Gu Sheng made up his mind.

He would make the trip tomorrow no matter what. The current efficiency was simply too low.

...

Meeting Ge Qing wasn’t particularly difficult. After expressing his desire to purchase the Bone Protecting Pill to Ding An, Gu Sheng was respectfully escorted by Ding An to an estate outside the city.

Pill Master Ge Qing didn’t reside within the city.

"Master Li Hu, Pill Master Ge Qing is very busy. When you see him later, just state your request directly."

Ding An treated Gu Sheng with utmost respect. At this moment, Gu Sheng had adopted yet another identity, displaying the cultivation of a Blood Refining Realm expert at the Perfect stage. This was one of the prerequisites for purchasing the Bone Protecting Pill. Ding An was entirely unaware that Gu Sheng had interacted with him under multiple identities before.

Gu Sheng nodded slightly, quietly observing the estate.

The estate was large and serene, but there appeared to be few servants around, suggesting that Pill Master Ge Qing was someone who enjoyed peace and solitude.

As for its defenses—

On the surface, they didn’t seem particularly strong?

Curiosity stirred within Gu Sheng, though he suspected that there were more hidden forces at play. He couldn’t shake off the feeling of being covertly observed.

"I understand, Manager Ding. Don’t worry, I’ll be sure to observe proper decorum."

Ding An felt relieved and pointed toward a distant courtyard.

"The Pill Master is waiting for you over there."

Gu Sheng acknowledged him and proceeded toward the courtyard on his own.

As he entered, a vibrant expanse of blossoms greeted his eyes, brimming with lush vitality. Contrary to what Gu Sheng had imagined, Pill Master Ge Qing wore simple brown clothes, with his trousers rolled up and sleeves pulled back, engrossed in watering and tending the soil.

He appeared less like an aloof and lofty pill master and more like a tranquil and contented gardener.

Ge Qing turned his head and smiled warmly:

"I’ve just got a little something to finish here. Wait for me to wrap this up."