Chapter 438 - 420: The Suffering of Marrow Refining

Chapter 438: Chapter 420: The Suffering of Marrow Refining

"Inhale... Exhale..."

As Lin Qi regulated his breathing, the shifting air currents stirred a gentle breeze throughout the Martial Arts Room.

His Spiritual Power reached deep into his body like invisible tentacles.

He sensed the marrow within his bones.

Marrow resided within his skeleton, distributed throughout every corner of his body.

To perceive the marrow within, his Spiritual Power had to penetrate the outer shell of his bones.

WHOOSH!!

He soon sensed the marrow within his bones. It flowed rapidly, participating in his body’s production of new blood.

They were a mixture of red and yellow, appearing quite ordinary on the surface.

Upon closer perception, however, he discovered their color was dull and turbid. Large amounts of impurities were mixed in, making the marrow look like a polluted river.

Lin Qi frowned. ’To think my own marrow has so many impurities.’

He focused his perception and confirmed it was full of impurities and sediment, much of which was metabolic waste from his own bones and inner organs.

’My teacher said that due to our diet in childhood, as well as the large amount of Potion Resources we consume in the Low Realms, many impurities are left undigested and accumulate in the body.’

’The Refinement of the Inner Organs is also a process of expelling metabolic waste. Now, it’s just the marrow’s turn.’

The contents of his teacher Mu Hong’s Cultivation Notes surfaced in Lin Qi’s mind.

Due to their childhood diets and the various potions they consumed, like nutritional meals, Qi and Blood Capsules, and Energy Potions, their bodies were full of impurities and waste.

It had no effect on Martial Artists in lower Realms, but upon reaching the Sixth Realm, the accumulated impurities in the marrow had to be purged.

For a Sixth Realm Martial Artist, the task was to cleanse and refine the marrow.

HUMMM!!

He used his Spiritual Power to guide his Qi Blood into his bones, letting it gather with the marrow.

His body instantly began to vibrate as his muscles and bones oscillated, generating Power.

He would use Qi Blood to vibrate the impurities away.

"Hiss—"

In that moment, Lin Qi sucked in a sharp breath as an intense, stabbing pain flooded his mind.

’Marrow Refinement is a deep-level reconstruction of the body, and the process is accompanied by excruciating pain.’

’No one is exempt!’

Lin Qi felt the excruciating pain himself. The more intense it was, the more effective the Refinement.

This was partly because of the body’s transformation, and partly because the impurities were so difficult to remove.

He could feel many of the impurities clinging to his marrow like festering sores on the bone.

He had to be ruthless. His Qi Blood Power was like a high-pressure washer, frantically blasting and scouring it all!

There was no way this process could be comfortable!

His entire body trembled uncontrollably as sweat poured from his forehead.

Pain radiated from his entire skeleton, as if countless needles were piercing the nerves within his bones.

There was no way to ease the pain; he could only endure.

’No wonder so many people get stuck at the Sixth Realm. There’s a good reason for it, and it’s not just about Talent.’

The thought surfaced in Lin Qi’s mind. He had already forged a will of steel, yet he still found the pain unbearable.

To say nothing of other Martial Artists.

Especially the Awakened geniuses—they wouldn’t necessarily be able to endure it for long.

Of course, there were painless methods. One was to practice a Source Energy Skill, using Source Energy to activate the marrow and allow it to metabolize the waste and impurities on its own.

Or one could simply consume some Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, such as Disaster Beast Marrow, which would allow the marrow to transform painlessly.

Both methods could raise one’s Qi and Blood Value.

But neither would result in a rapid increase, unless one came from an exceptionally wealthy family.

But Lin Qi wanted it all. He wanted his Marrow Refining to be as fast as it could possibly be.

He wanted to charge to the Peak of the Sixth Realm as quickly as possible.

HUMMM!!

As his body vibrated, he also activated his Special Ability: Golden Edge.

His Golden Edge Power merged with his Qi Blood, drastically increasing the Refinement’s efficiency, but the pain intensified so sharply that he broke out in a cold sweat.

He wasn’t worried about the stamina drain, as there was still a massive amount of essence left in the 80 kilograms of flesh and blood he had consumed.

His other organs were also working at high speed, constantly digesting the essence, converting it into stamina, and fueling the Marrow Refining.

Lin Qi kept his eyes tightly shut, his Spiritual Power highly focused. He could already feel tiny flecks of impurities being scoured away.

As they were metabolized and expelled, the circulation of his marrow became smoother. This created a chain reaction, and his physical strength increased in turn.

Even his genes were undergoing subtle changes.

The function of his inner organs, long since fully refined, was also slowly improving.

[You have activated the Bone Marrow Cultivation Technique, refining your marrow. Your body begins to transform. Qi and Blood Value +1, Qi and Blood Value +1, Qi and Blood Value +1...]

Lin Qi continued to endure the pain as, on his panel, his Qi and Blood Value continued to rise.

The increments were small, but they added up.

「Four hours later」

Unknowingly, it was already six in the afternoon.

"Inhale... Exhale..."

In the quiet Martial Arts Room, the only sound was a whistling wind—the breeze stirred by Lin Qi’s breathing.

He was soaked in sweat, his body trembling uncontrollably.

DRIP!

The instant a drop of sweat fell, Lin Qi’s eyes snapped open.

His powerful chest heaved like a boulder. He took a deep breath and exhaled forcefully, expelling a large amount of waste air.

WHOOSH!!

Amid the gusting gale, he shakily, slowly, pushed himself to his feet.

[After four hours of Marrow Refining, your Marrow has improved and your body has undergone a transformation. Qi and Blood Value has significantly increased. Qi and Blood Value +50]

[Qi and Blood Value: 1070]

...

After steadying his stance, Lin Qi clenched his fists. His heart beat powerfully, pumping fresh blood.

His bones felt denser, and his Qi Blood circulated more smoothly.

The power of the marrow, hidden deep within his bones, surged forth in a ceaseless stream, following his Qi Blood to every corner of his body.

He could feel that with some of the impurities removed, his marrow had become exceptionally active.

Other parts of his body were nourished as well, and his overall physical condition improved dramatically.

With a single punch, he could now unleash even greater power.

’The effects of this first Marrow Refining session are even better than I imagined.’

Lin Qi looked at the 50-point increase in his Qi and Blood Value on the panel.

Back in the First Realm, he would have been lucky to increase his Qi and Blood Value by a few points after one or two months of bitter cultivation.

Now, a single Marrow Refining session could increase his Qi and Blood Value by a full 50 points.

To break through to the Seventh Realm, he needed a total of 3,000 Qi and Blood Value.

’How could I possibly raise my Cultivation so quickly if I don’t endure the pain?’

GLUG, GLUG...

Lin Qi picked up a sports drink and chugged it down. Thinking back on the Marrow Refining process, the pain had been truly unbearable.

’An ordinary genius would be lucky to endure it for an hour.’

’A genius with a stronger will could probably last a little over an hour.’

’But I’m different. I lasted for four hours.’

’If I hadn’t felt that continuing would damage my body, and if I hadn’t nearly finished digesting the Disaster Beast Flesh and Blood... ’

’...I could have kept cultivating.’

After a brief rest, he took the Tiger Slaying Spear from the wall and began to practice his Spear Technique.

SWISH!!

WHOOSH!!

As he swung the Black Great Spear, it kicked up a powerful gale that billowed the curtains.

BOOM!!

At the same time, his Mountain and River Realm manifested, enveloping the entire Martial Arts Room.

Lin Qi felt the Mental Realm augment his body and focused on cultivating his Spear Technique.

His Qi and Blood Value was rising, but his Spear Technique could not be allowed to fall behind.

His Spear Technique had already broken through to Tier Four Mid-stage; next was the breakthrough to the Late Stage.

This would allow him to achieve Mental Realm Communication with the Divine, once again increasing the power of his Spear Technique.

This process was not easy; many people went years without making a single inch of progress.

Their Comprehension was insufficient.

But Lin Qi was different. For him, as long as he kept practicing, he would see improvement.

...