Chapter 41: System Upgrade Process Continues and Iron Marrow Refinement

Yu Liang sat cross legged in the center of his cave, surrounded by neatly arranged wooden crates. The materials had arrived exactly when Ding Yun promised, one month to the day. Each crate was labeled, its contents carefully packed and sealed.

He had already verified everything. Crimson Eyed Bear marrow stored in jade containers to preserve its potency. Blood Root bundles with their red fibers looking still vibrant. Jade Essence powder in silk pouches. Thousand Year Ginseng wrapped in spirit preserving cloth. Blacksteel Ore fragments present in ring. Spirit Spring Water in sealed ceramic bottles.

Ding Yun performed with absolute perfection.

Yu Liang reached for the small leather pouch resting on the table beside him. Inside were contribution point tokens, it’s his rewards from a month of relentless mission work. He completed fifteen missions in total, more than triple what most outer disciples managed.

Herb gathering in the outer forests. Escorting sect merchants to nearby towns. Patrolling the sect’s borders. Hunting low level spirit beasts.

The tokens clinked softly as he counted them. Six hundred contribution points. Enough to exchange for decent resources if he needed them, though with the system, such exchanges were rarely necessary.

However, the purpose of the missions was served. They knew him now, the clerks in the mission halls and other members too. He was no longer "the former handyman disciple," but "Yu Liang, the one who never stops working."

Not the most dignified way to build one, perhaps, but a reputation was a reputation.

He placed the puch down and turned his mind inward to examine his cultivation.

Qi Condensation Second Layer.

The breakthrough happened a week ago, after he came back from a patrolling duty, It was just as he was circulating his Qi as always, when the barrier simply... just broke.

But the price had been exorbitant.

Yu Liang’s expression tightened slightly as he recalled the spiritual stones he had consumed to reach this point. Thousands of them, refined over weeks of cultivation. For most disciples, that amount would represent years of savings. For him, it was barely a fraction of what the system provided.

And yet, it still felt insufficient.

His talent was truly useless. Even though he tried to convince himself of that fact, it still hurt like hell. Other disciples with better spiritual roots could have broken through two times faster than him, using only half the resources. Some would have even managed to reach the third or fourth layer already.

But dwelling on it served no purpose.

Yu Liang exhaled slowly, pushing the thought aside. His path was different. He couldn’t change his roots and suddenly develop the natural comprehension that geniuses possess. What he could do was compensate with resources, with effort, and with the body cultivation technique sitting before him.

But before that he clearly remembered the progress being at 10% when he was on the First Layer. Now that he had broken through to the Second Layer, he couldn’t help but check it again.

[ System Upgrade Process: 20%... ]

He then turned his attention to the duplicated scroll lying on the table. Iron Marrow Refinement Technique.

It was classified as a Tier Two body cultivation technique, not the highest grade, but far from common. Most body cultivation methods focused on external tempering, strengthening skin and muscle through repeated process but The Iron Marrow Refinement Method went deeper.

It targets the marrow itself, the source of blood and vitality within the body. By infusing the marrow with spiritual essence through specially prepared medicinal baths, the technique gradually transforms the practitioner’s blood, bones, and internal structure.

The process is divided into twelve cycles, each one building on the last.

The first three cycles focused on cleansing like removing impurities from the marrow and preparing it to absorb higher grade materials. The next three cycles reinforced the bones, making them denser and more resilient and the middle cycles strengthens the blood, increasing its capacity to carry Qi throughout the body. The final three cycles integrated everything, harmonizing bone, blood, and marrow into a unified whole.

Completion of all twelve cycles was said to bring the practitioner to the technique’s peak, a state called the Iron Marrow Body.

At that stage, the body became extraordinarily resilient. Wounds heal faster. Poisons had difficulty taking root. Physical strikes that would cripple ordinary cultivators would leave only bruises. The blood itself became a reservoir of vitality, capable of sustaining the practitioner through injuries that would kill others.

More importantly, it provided a foundation strong enough to support higher realms without crumbling under the strain.

Yu Liang had no illusions about reaching the peak quickly. Twelve cycles meant months of work, perhaps over a year if he was careful. But even completing the first few cycles would make a significant difference.

And right now, he had a specific goal in mind.

He had to be physically strong enough to make this journey without problems. This journey not only within the protected territories of the sect, but outside of them. To Jade City, to the outlying territories, to places where he could establish the background.

That meant surviving the dangers of the road such as, bandits, rogue cultivators, spirit beasts and many more. At his current level, he could handle weaker threats, but anything at Mid Stage Qi Condensation or above would still pose a serious risk.

The Iron Marrow Refinement Method would change that.

If he could complete at least the first six cycles, his body would be tough enough to withstand most attacks from cultivators at his own realm. Combined with his combat techniques and the advantage of his system provided resources, he would be able to travel with confidence.

Yu Liang stood and began preparing the first medicinal bath.

He moved methodically, following the instructions from the scroll. A large wooden tub sat in the corner of the cave, already filled with Spirit Spring Water. He added the marrow first, watching as it dissolved into the water, giving it a faint golden color.

Next came the Blood Root, shredded into fine strips and stirred in slowly. The water darkened, taking on a reddish hue. Jade Essence powder followed, a pinch at a time, until the mixture began to glow faintly with spiritual energy.

Lastly, he used pieces of Blacksteel Ore ground to a coarse powder and sprinkled them onto the mixture. The water reacted almost instantly, bubbling gently as the mineral essence sank in.

The scent was strong with mix of earthy and metallic, with an underlying bitterness that made his nose wrinkle. But the spiritual energy radiating from the bath was undeniable.

Yu Liang removed his robe and stepped into the tub.

The water was hot, almost scalding, but he forced himself to sit down slowly. The heat intensified as the medicinal properties began to actively seeping into his skin.

At first, it was bearable, a little uncomfortable, but manageable.

Then the real process began.

It changed into a different kind of heat, a burning sensation spreading not just on his skin but deep inside, seeping into muscles and bones. The marrow in his body reacted instantly to the medicinal power in him with a hunger that surprised him.

Yu Liang gritted teeth, his hands gripping the edges of the tub. Pain radiated through his legs, his spine, his arms. It wasn’t the explosive agony of battle wounds, but a deep, persistent nagging pain against his nerves.

He closed his eyes and concentrated on his breathing, moving his Qi through his body to control the flow of energy better. It needed strength as much as it needed resources; without the strength to endure the pain, it wouldn’t work.

Time seemed to be passing slowly, making the minutes appear like hours. He skin flushed red in the face, with veins showing up on his arms and chest. Sweat mixed with the medicinal water, and his body trembled involuntarily.

But he didn’t stop.

The scroll had warned him as this was only the first cycle. If he couldn’t handle this, the later cycles would be impossible.

So he endured.

Slowly, the burning began to fade. The pain dulled to a manageable one, then to a faint warmth. His marrow had absorbed what it could, and the medicinal bath’s energy was spent.

Yu Liang opened his eyes and exhaled shakily. The water around him had turned murky, filled with black residue, impurities forced out of his body.

He got up very slowly and shakily from the bath tub. His body felt heavier somehow, yet also more solid.

The first cycle was complete.