Chapter 207 - 118: A ’Feathered Immortal Robe’, Forging a Supreme Skin Refining, Trading Blows with Duan Chenzhou, Daughter of the Giant House

Chapter 207: Chapter 118: A ’Feathered Immortal Robe’, Forging a Supreme Skin Refining, Trading Blows with Duan Chenzhou, Daughter of the Giant House

The Water Bandits of the East Canghai were so rampant that even Di Yuan from the Post House, with his maritime escort services, had to pay ’protection fees’ before the Chaotic Heaven Thieves were annihilated!

Otherwise, they would specifically target and rob you.

That grand master from the Grand Lineage of the Medicine Shop, one of the so-called ’Nine Lords’...

Could he really have that much power? Those two factions... he couldn’t investigate them even if he wanted to. He couldn’t investigate shit!

Over the past day, Anning County had gone from a joyful place anticipating the new year to a scene of devastation, where most of the tile-roofed houses, shacks, and thatched huts on the outskirts had been torn to pieces.

Ji Xiu took in scene after scene, which made him sigh with sorrow.

If he had started practicing martial arts just a few months later,

wouldn’t he be just like these county residents, trapped in this torrent of calamity with no way to escape?

’From the looks of it, the county is far too dangerous. Even Lord Zhao the County Magistrate can’t stay out of it. He’s probably stressing about how to keep his post.’

Sighing, Ji Xiu thought to himself.

At the same time, a sense of urgency couldn’t help but rise in his heart:

’According to Master Duan and Cai Ling’Er, the prefectural city isn’t like the county. As long as you’re a hired hand or a skilled practitioner in the business, everyone can get some pointers.’

’Those with an aptitude can sign a contract binding them to a trade in exchange for a chance to learn Martial Arts. As a result, Martial Artists at the Bone Marrow stage are everywhere.’

’Among them, experts at Bone Tempering can only manage to guard a venue and act as enforcers... It’s completely different from in the county, where they could start a family, open a school, and become a Boss.’

’Only by achieving Skin Refining can you be considered to have truly entered the path.’

’Skin Refining, Skin Refining...’

Ji Xiu muttered to himself, thinking as he tiptoed into the house:

’Why hasn’t Master Duan returned from hunting Wei Changjiao yet?’

’I hope nothing has happened to him...’

The thought had barely crossed his mind when his body tensed, the hairs on his skin standing on end. It felt as if every acupoint and pore was about to explode, and a prickling sense of danger crawled up his spine!

A crushing pressure from a Qi Wave washed over him from behind, putting him on high alert. He felt as if he were being stared down by some monstrous beast and didn’t dare relax for even a second. He raised his fists, condensing his Force out of thin air!

THUMP-THUMP-THUMP!

Power exploded from Ji Xiu’s shoulder blades. He twisted his waist, turned, and struck out with one hand as if to seize a dragon’s head!

BANG!!

A massive Qi Wave sent his hair flying. A crescent moon, like a manifested Martial Stance, reflected in his eyes, momentarily stunning him.

But after only an instant, Ji Xiu broke free from the daze and shook his head sharply.

He then found himself clashing head-on with the one-armed, purple-clothed Martial Artist standing before him, who wielded a Crescent Saber!

[The Tutor has received training pointers from a Qi Cultivation Grandmaster, comprehension of ’Ye Longxiang’s Head’ has increased...]

[The Tutor has clashed with the Secret Martial art of a Qi Cultivation Grandmaster, progress of Fist and Foot techniques has greatly increased...]

[The Tutor witnessed a Grandmaster’s Sword Intent and used the Secret Martial art ’Ye Longxiang’s Head’ to break through his shackles, progress has increased...]

The Primordial Daoist Talisman hummed, and the resulting feedback flooded Ji Xiu’s mind.

[Ye Longxiang’s Head!]

[Current: (1470/6000)!]

[The Tutor has successfully refined the ’Cloud Crane Hand’ Martial Stance and achieved full mastery!]

[As clouds follow the dragon and cranes ride the wind, the stance of Martial Arts lies between substance and emptiness. Three parts of real Force hide the feint, while seven parts of feigned Force become real. Thus, one can redirect an opponent’s Force and strike with ’Dragon Unarmored’.]

[The Tutor has maxed out the first layer of essence and comprehended the second Martial Stance, ’One Ape Finger’. The second layer of essence can now be obtained: ’Buddha Ape Points to Heaven’!]

Hiss!

Ji Xiu’s pupils contracted!

Only when he got a clear look at the face of the purple-clothed Martial Artist before him—none other than Duan Chenzhou, who had been hunting Wei Changjiao all night—did his heart tremble slightly:

’So this is Master Duan’s realm...’

He recalled that killing Yang Daohan and the other leaders of the Three Great Gangs with ’Ye Longxiang’s Head’ had only improved his Fist and Foot technique by a small amount.

But just by receiving a single training move from Duan Chenzhou’s peak Sword Stance, he had directly maxed out one of the ’Six Martial Stances’!

That kind of progress was simply divine speed!

"You brat, all bundled up in the middle of the night, sneaking around on the eaves and beams. I thought a thief had broken into your house after all the chaos."

He stopped the tip of his saber just before it touched Ji Xiu’s palms.

Duan Chenzhou watched as Ji Xiu’s Force crumbled inch by inch, yet his very bones seemed to stir his Blood Marrow. The Qi Force he had unleashed was comparable to a Dragon Elephant; though it had not left his body, it held the power of a Dragon Elephant in motion, enough to tear a Tiger and Leopard asunder.

His eyes were filled with a complex expression:

"You brat, tell me the truth."

"Last night..."

"That technique you used to swallow a Dharma Guardian General whole... who in the world did you learn that from?"

"Something like that... I’ve never heard of it, never seen it. Are you... are you sure there won’t be any hidden dangers?"

Seeing Duan Chenzhou’s uncertainty, his saber-like brows furrowed as he looked him up and down, his concern plain to see.

Ji Xiu snapped out of his excitement over his great progress in Martial Arts, and a warmth spread through his heart.

"Don’t worry, Master. There are no hidden dangers."

"If I had to say... I should actually thank It."

"Originally, my Divine Soul had already condensed and my Dao Skill was established. But as a First Realm cultivator of ’Script Recognition and Locket Granting’, it would have been incredibly difficult to complete the Second Realm of ’Qi Absorption and Grain Avoidance,’ find my Dao Foundation, and condense a Divine Thought."

"But the Divine Thought of that ’Summoning Spirits and Manifesting Saints’ general let me eat my fill. In less than half a month, I’ll be able to completely devour it, which will greatly increase my Daoist Merit and supplement my Martial Dao!"

"But Master Duan, on your trip, did you manage to completely exterminate that Yellow Heaven remnant?"

Duan Chenzhou scoffed at the question:

"Wei Changjiao was dreaming if he thought he could go toe-to-toe with me just because he borrowed the Central Yellow Sect’s power to become a Qi Cultivation Grandmaster of the Upper Three Grades of Qi Sea."

"I hunted him for five hundred li, all the way to the depths of the Earth Dragon Cave. I beheaded him with a single slash, then used my Martial Stance to manifest a form and shatter all the Residual Thought in the area."