Chapter 184 - 122: Iron Bone Perfection

Chapter 184: Chapter 122: Iron Bone Perfection

Lu Jing’an slept with a profound and restful stillness.

It was as if the tension and fatigue of the past few days were sinking into a boundless, ink-black dreamscape to be washed clean.

By the time Lu Jing’an opened his eyes again, the daylight filtering through the window showed it was nearly Noon.

It shone brightly on the embroidered quilt, where dust motes drifted slowly through the columns of light.

He had actually slept until noon the next day.

Lu Jing’an shifted slightly and noticed that the Martial Attire he had worn, stained with dust and sweat, was gone.

In its place was a set of moon-white silk pajamas, ironed perfectly smooth.

They felt cool and silky against his skin.

Not a single trace of the minor wounds from yesterday’s spar with his master, Chen Xuan, could be found.

His skin was flawless, without so much as a red mark.

With the formidable regenerative abilities of his current body,

as long as it wasn’t a grievous injury that damaged his very foundation, like a severed limb or shattered bone,

an ordinary flesh wound would likely heal before a single drop of blood even had a chance to fall,

the skin knitting itself back together as if it were never damaged.

The real toll of yesterday’s intense battle, for Lu Jing’an, was the exhaustion of his spirit and the depletion of his qi and blood.

After soaking in that bath of potent Medicinal Power

and a night of deep sleep, a warm current now suffused his entire being.

His strength was completely restored, and his Spirit felt exceptionally clear and sharp.

Just as he was about to throw off the covers and get up, a thought suddenly struck him.

Deep within his consciousness, a pale gold system panel that only Lu Jing’an could "see" silently materialized.

A faint light shimmered across its surface, revealing characters of an ancient style.

[Cultivation Technique: Six Harmonies Fist (Great Success) +]

A flicker of surprise crossed Lu Jing’an’s eyes as his gaze landed on the "+" symbol, indicating that an upgrade was available.

’By my original estimates, even with diligent and ceaseless practice,’

’it should have taken at least seven or eight days of hard work to advance the Six Harmonies Fist from Great Success to the Realm of Perfection.’

’Half a month wouldn’t have been unusual if I had just followed a normal training regimen.’

He hadn’t expected that yesterday’s battle with Chen Xuan would become the catalyst for his breakthrough.

After a moment of reflection, Lu Jing’an understood why.

During the battle, he had channeled everything he had learned into the Six Harmonies Fist.

The intent of the fist flowed, and its techniques evolved.

In less than a quarter of an hour of life-or-death combat, he must have executed its moves hundreds of times.

That state of total immersion, where his qi and blood surged like a great River,

had pushed every subtlety of the Fist Skill and every ounce of its Power to the absolute peak of his current realm.

The understanding gained from being tempered in the crucible of real combat was far more profound and intense than practicing alone a thousand times over.

’When it comes to Martial Arts cultivation, real combat is indeed the fastest way to progress.’

Lu Jing’an mused, his gaze fixed on the tempting "+" symbol.

With a flicker of his will, the required information for the upgrade appeared: 40 Energy Points!

Compared to the 110 points it had taken to break through from Minor Success to Great Success,

this number was much more reasonable.

Most importantly, Lu Jing’an currently had more than enough Energy Points to cover the cost.

Without further hesitation, he activated it with a thought.

The number of Energy Points on the panel was instantly reduced by 40.

At the same time, the "+" symbol vanished like a wisp of smoke.

BOOM—!

It was as if a muffled clap of thunder had exploded from the depths of his bone marrow, like a River bursting its banks, like surging magma!

A torrent, far grander and more searing than during his last breakthrough,

poured forth from the void, infusing his entire being and merging with every inch of his sinew, bone, and blood.

In his mind’s eye, countless phantom images of himself simultaneously assumed a fist-fighting stance.

The techniques of the Six Harmonies Fist were furiously deduced, deconstructed, reassembled, and elevated at a speed thousands of times faster than reality!

Each breath corresponded to tens of thousands of refinements in his mind’s eye.

Each heartbeat sent a tsunami-like wave of qi and blood surging through him.

SSSSSS...

In the physical world, his body immediately had a violent reaction.

Lu Jing’an’s skin visibly turned crimson and scorching hot.

Copious amounts of white steam erupted from his every pore, like a boiling cauldron, emitting a continuous, fine hissing sound.

The temperature inside the bedroom spiked dramatically.

The priceless silk pajamas Lu Jing’an was wearing were the first casualty.

Under the combined assault of the intense heat and steam, they quickly became singed and shriveled,

giving off the distinct, acrid smell of burning protein.

The soft brocade quilt beneath him also began to carbonize, with Lu Jing’an’s body as the center,

forming a human-shaped cavity with charred edges.

The entire room became like an alchemist’s crucible being roasted over a low flame. The air distorted from the heat, and all moisture evaporated.

Even the few pots of drought-resistant orchids in the corner withered before one’s very eyes.

"Young Master... Young Master! Y-You’re smoking! Are you on fire?!"

Orchid, who had been keeping a quiet vigil by the bed, was startled by the strange sounds and the acrid smell.

Her maid’s dress swirled as she scrambled to her feet.

When she got a clear look at Lu Jing’an, who now looked like a red-hot branding iron, she was so frightened her soul nearly left her body.

She let out a choked scream, her small hand flying to her mouth as tears instantly welled in her eyes.

Lu Jing’an’s entire consciousness was immersed in the earth-shattering transformation occurring within his body.

Hearing her voice, he managed to wrench a sliver of clarity from the process and opened his eyes.

A flicker of crimson-gold light seemed to flash through his eyes.

His voice was hoarse and resonant from the torrent of Energy raging within him. "Don’t shout... I’m fine. Step back a little."

"But, Young Master, you’re..."

Orchid stomped her foot in distress and subconsciously reached out to feel his forehead.

"Don’t touch me!"

Lu Jing’an barked, his tone leaving no room for doubt.

His body temperature was high enough to melt metal and shatter stone.

If Orchid’s delicate skin were to touch him, she would be instantly and severely burned.

Orchid flinched, snatching her hand back like a startled fawn.

"I... I’ll go get Mr. Chen!"

"There’s no need to trouble my master."

Lu Jing’an closed his eyes. The crimson hue of his body deepened, and steam rose from him in a straight column like a signal fire.

"Go stand guard outside the door. Don’t let anyone come in and disturb me. It will be over... soon."