Chapter 169 - 114: Exploration

Chapter 169: Chapter 114: Exploration

This drain wasn’t the usual depletion from maintaining the Cowhide Realm, but a more direct siphoning. It was as if, to support that extraordinary strike, a portion of his fundamental Qi and Blood had been forcefully overdrawn as fuel.

’Something’s wrong... This feeling isn’t right!’ Xu Mo’s eyes sharpened as he instantly realized the problem.

This method of exchanging a sudden, massive consumption of Qi and Blood for an instantaneous burst of power felt more like a desperate or emergency Secret Technique—an unconventional tactic that would kill a thousand enemies at the cost of eight hundred of his own. It could certainly produce astonishing destructive power in a short time, but the price was a deficit of Qi and Blood. If used frequently in battle, it could even damage his foundation. It was by no means a sustainable path.

’This is definitely not the proper path to the Iron Bone Realm,’ Xu Mo thought, certain.

A breakthrough to the Iron Bone Realm should be a Sublimation of one’s very life essence, a fundamental transformation of the bones themselves. It should enable one to naturally bear and unleash greater power, like trading a wooden bow for a massive steel crossbow, allowing for a more immense release of force with greater endurance. It shouldn’t be a self-destructive overdraft, like drinking poison to quench thirst.

’With that last punch, perhaps I accidentally brushed against the very surface of a principle of "releasing" power, but I went astray. I’ve taken the wrong path, mistaking an "eruption" for simple "combustion."’

’It seems that "bearing" the power is the foundation, and "releasing" it is the result. Without a solid enough foundation, any forced release is like a tree without roots or a river without a source.’ Xu Mo slowly calmed his ragged breathing, a new clarity dawning in his mind.

’My overall direction is correct. What I need is to patiently polish my foundation, allowing my Qi and Blood to fuse completely with my bones until they transform naturally. It will be a natural outcome. I can’t use that shortcut of a sudden burst again.’

This minor incident and the resulting loss of Qi and Blood served as a critical warning for Xu Mo. The path of cultivation was fraught with peril; the slightest misstep could lead one astray.

After abandoning the explosive method he’d stumbled upon—one that nearly led to an overdraft—Xu Mo’s mind settled once more. He began to visualize again, imagining himself as a majestic, towering mountain, its foundation sunk deep into the earth. No matter how the wind and rain battered him from the outside, he remained steadfast and unmoving, his core filled with the immense power of the earth’s ley lines.

This time, Xu Mo no longer sought an earth-shattering burst of power. Instead, he tried a more refined and deliberate approach to guide the surging Qi and Blood within him. His will was like the finest scalpel, directing the scorching flow of Qi and Blood. He was no longer content with it just circulating through his meridians; he proactively and deeply guided it to nourish every nook and cranny of his body, especially the very framework that supported him—his bones.

His Qi and Blood was no longer a violent torrent, but a gentle yet persistent current, washing over and seeping into him. It was like the tide lapping against a reef; though not fierce, it possessed the enduring power to reshape the very landscape.

Xu Mo could feel his Qi and Blood Power trying to integrate, thread by thread, into the dense structure of his bones, awakening their dormant potential and making them denser, tougher, and more vibrant.

’Compared to the experience of that mistaken burst earlier, this feeling... this is probably the right direction,’ Xu Mo realized.

The overdrafting burst was a forced extraction of power, like a rootless fire that burned brightly but extinguished just as quickly. This current method of continuous nourishment and cleansing, though slow, was strengthening the very vessel and source of his power from the ground up. This was the true work of Foundation Establishment. Once completed, any power he unleashed would be natural and inexhaustible.

When this deep cultivation session ended, Xu Mo slowly withdrew his power and carefully assessed his condition.

Sure enough, the total volume of Qi and Blood in his body had decreased again compared to before he started, this time by about one-fifteenth.

But unlike the feeling of weakness from having his power forcibly siphoned away before, this time Xu Mo knew clearly that the vanished Qi and Blood had not been wasted. It had truly integrated into his body, becoming part of the underlying foundation of his very being—a cornerstone on his path to the Iron Bone Realm.

However, the sensation of his Qi and Blood not being at its peak, fully replenished state still brought a subtle discomfort, as if his body was somewhat "hollow" and needed to be refilled.

’Resources... I still need resources,’ Xu Mo realized. He remembered the restorative supplements he had made a special trip back to Jiang City to retrieve before coming to the fortress. Back then, he’d brought them just in case. Now, it seemed incredibly farsighted.

Walking into the bedroom, Xu Mo began rummaging through a pile of supplies. He soon found the large bag of supplements he’d brought with him, which contained the restoratives he had scrounged up before: ginseng, antler, cordyceps, and the like.

He took out a wooden box and opened it to reveal a perfectly preserved ginseng with distinct rootlets. Xu Mo broke off a few pale-yellow strands of the Ginseng Root and began to chew them.

The Ginseng Root was slightly bitter at first, but it quickly dissolved into a gentle, warm current that flowed down his throat and into his stomach. A moment later, a pure medicinal energy began to spread through his body like gentle rain on parched earth. His Qi and Blood, which had felt somewhat depleted from his cultivation, began to slowly but steadily replenish itself, and the subtle feeling of discomfort gradually faded away.

’Poor scholars, rich warriors. The ancients certainly weren’t kidding,’ Xu Mo mused, feeling the change in his body.

In peaceful times, even practicing traditional martial arts required significant nutritional and medicinal support. In this perilous, energy-draining apocalypse, resource support was even more critical for anyone wanting to advance on the path of cultivation. Without these supplements, a single session of deep nourishment like the one he just completed would likely require several days of rest to recover, severely hampering his progress.

But now, with these reserves, he could perform this highly efficient, foundational cultivation every day, drastically shortening the time it would take to break through to the Iron Bone Realm.

Carefully storing the rest of the ginseng, Xu Mo felt the active, replenished Qi and Blood coursing through him once more. His gaze grew even more resolute.