Chapter 30: Bone Forging Scripture and Iron Marrow Refinement

Yu Liang walked between the shelves, fingers trailing along the wooden edges as he scanned the jade slips and scrolls. Each section was organized by element and difficulty.

Fire techniques dominated one corner, their descriptions promising explosive power. Earth techniques filled another, focused on defense and endurance.

He stopped at the water section, expecting to find what he needed. The Flowing Water Technique he already knew was basic, meant for early stage disciples. He needed something that could build on it, something that would help him survive the next real fight.

But as he read through the options, a familiar problem appeared.

Most techniques took years of training to be proficient at. They needed innate talent, knowledge of spiritual energy flow, and continuous improvement. Those who had low aptitude like himself needed many years just to learn a mediocre technique.

He was all too familiar with it as those disciples who had average roots chose a flashy technique, spent years struggling with the basics and ultimately threw it away in favor of a more simplified one. But by that time it’s already too late as they wasted too much time on it

Yu Liang pulled out a jade slip labeled "Mountain River Method." He pressed it to his forehead and let the information flow into his mind. The technique was impressive with seven forms that built on each other, ending in a strike that could split stone. But the requirements were clear, minimum comprehension of water intent, stable Qi Condensation at the fifth layer, and at least three years of foundational training.

Yu Liang was silent for a moment.

Then he slowly put the jade slip back.

"Forget it."

Then after some time, another slip caught his eye "Mist Sword Art." This one focused on speed and deception, using water element to create illusions during combat. Again the requirements were steep. High perception, precise Qi control, and an affinity for dual element manipulation.

He moved through the section methodically, checking every technique that looked promising. All of them had the same problem. They weren’t designed for someone who needed results quickly. They were long term investments for disciples who had both time and talent to spare.

Yu Liang looked towards the window, the changing light indicated that he spent more time than expected.

The librarian was about to close the room, and he had not found anything useful yet.

’Maybe I’m looking in the wrong place,’ he thought.

During the ambush, what kept him alive wasn’t just the Flowing Water Technique. It was his body, the ability to withstand blows that should have crippled him and kept moving even as his meridians screamed in pain. The ’power boosting pill’ had helped, but it was his physical foundation that made the real difference.

His eyes drifted away from the water techniques toward another section near the back of the floor.

Body cultivation.

This approach was overlooked by most disciples. It was looked down upon and was considered an add on instead of a main technique. The cultivation of Qi was fast, flexible, and powerful beyond that of body cultivation. However, there was one thing that Yu Liang had learned from the duel, when everything else failed, the body was what remained.

He approached the shelves carefully. The scrolls here were fewer and covered in dust. Some looked like they hadn’t been touched in years.

He picked up the first one — "Bone Forging Scripture." The description was straightforward. Soak the bones in a mixture of beast marrow and spiritual herbs, then endure repeated tempering sessions. The process was slow and painful, but it guarantees a clear increase in physical durability.

Yu Liang read further. The materials were listed in detail: Crimson-Eyed Frost Bear marrow, Blood Root, Jade Essence powder, and several other ingredients. Each one was rare, and the quantities required were large.

He paused.

Rare, yes. But not impossible to find. The real problem was cost. A single session would require materials worth hundreds of spiritual stones. Completing the full cycle in the manual would take thousands.

For most disciples that made the technique impractical. Even outer disciples with decent allowances couldn’t afford to keep it going as It would drain their resources dry.

But Yu Liang had the system.

He kept reading. The technique didn’t demand high comprehension or years of practice. It was simple, just gather the materials, prepare the mixture, go through the tempering. The difficulty wasn’t in execution but in commitment. The pain was described as intense, and each cycle took a full week. There were twelve cycles in total.

Three months of constant material consumption and physical torment.

He closed the scroll and looked at the shelf. There was another one beside it — "Iron Marrow Refinement Method." He picked it up and skimmed through it. The principles were similar, but this one focused on marrow regeneration, enhancing blood production and overall vitality. The materials were slightly different, but just as expensive.

Yu Liang stood there, weighing both scrolls in his hands. Both techniques were solid. Both would work. The question was which one fit his current needs better.

After some thought he chose the Iron Marrow Refinement Method. The focus on blood and vitality appealed to him. If he was going to pour resources into his body, he wanted something that would keep him going in long fights, not just make him harder to kill.

He tucked the scroll under his arm and walked back to the librarian’s desk.

The old man cracked one eye open as Yu Liang approached.

"Done already?" he muttered.

"I’d like to register this one," Yu Liang said, placing the scroll on the desk.

The old man sat up a little, squinting at the title and raised his eyebrows.

"Iron Marrow Refinement? You sure about that?"

"Yes."

The librarian let out a long breath and pulled out a registration ledger.

"You know what you’re getting yourself into, right?" This technique eats through money faster than most disciples can earn them back. I’ve seen plenty of people check it out thinking they’ll make it work. And guess what? They come back a month later, broke and disappointed."

"I understand the cost, Senior," Yu Liang said evenly, giving a respectful bow.

The old man studied him for a moment, then shrugged.

"Your funeral." He dipped his brush in ink and began writing. "You’ve got one month to study it. You can make a copy if you want, but the original stays here. After a month you must return it. And don’t even think about spreading copies around. That grounds for expulsion."

"Understood."

The librarian stamped the ledger and handed Yu Liang a slip of paper.

"Show this at the exit. They’ll let you take it out."

Yu Liang accepted the slip, bowed slightly once again, and left the desk.

Outside, the evening air was cooler. He walked back toward the southern district with the scroll tucked securely under the arm. His mind was already working through the next steps such as, Where to find the materials? Where to prepare the mixtures? How much would he need to spend?

By the time Yu Liang reached his cave, the sun had dipped below the horizon.

He stepped inside, placed the scroll on the table, and sat down. Staring at it for a long moment.

Then he opened it and began to read.