Chapter 34: Chapter 34: Jade Marrow Body Refining

After leaving the cave, Shen Haoran returned to the waterfall. He had already made it one of his primary cultivation spots in the Profound Spirit Mountain Range.

Arriving before the waterfall, Shen Haoran leaped and plunged through the cascade, landing in a huge cave. This was the same cave Elder Yan had blasted open when demonstrating the Heaven-Breaking Kill. The waterfall concealed it perfectly, making it a naturally secluded spot.

Back in his little hideout, Shen Haoran eagerly took out the Red Flame Jade Marrow.

The moment the Red Flame Jade Marrow appeared, the once damp and chilly cave instantly grew warm, and a faint mist began to curl through the air.

"Whoa!" Upon seeing the Red Flame Jade Marrow, Changmao immediately pounced, hugging Shen Haoran’s thigh and shouting, "Th-th-this... This is Red Flame Jade Marrow! We’ve struck it rich this time!"

Looking at Changmao clinging to his leg like a leech, Shen Haoran kicked him away. "Get lost! There are only four drops, and none of them are for you!"

Changmao, who had been sent flying, scrambled up from the ground, put his paws on his hips, and roared, "I’m telling you, Shen the kid, you can’t just burn the bridge after you’ve crossed it! I sacrificed my dignity as a Divine Beast for you to get this, and I almost lost my life! Is this how you repay me? I don’t want a lot. Just give me three drops... oh, no, two drops! Two drops will be enough. How about it?"

"Not a chance!" Shen Haoran replied without a second thought. ’In his dreams! There are only four drops. One for me, one for Grandpa, one for Ling’Er, and the last one I’ll save for an emergency. There’s none left for Changmao!’

"Master, Master, you’re the best! Just give me one little drop!" Seeing that Shen Haoran wouldn’t respond to threats, Changmao switched to a softer approach, whining coquettishly as he rubbed against Shen Haoran’s pant leg.

"Holy crap, where’s your self-respect? Weren’t you just talking about your ’dignity as a Divine Beast’? Can’t you have a little backbone!" Shen Haoran stared at the fawning Changmao, goosebumps crawling all over his skin.

Changmao ignored Shen Haoran’s words. He was going to give it his all for that Red Flame Jade Marrow!

However, he had still underestimated the extent of Shen Haoran’s ruthlessness. Not only did he fail to get any Red Flame Jade Marrow, but he was also unceremoniously shoved back into the Sword Spirit Space before Shen Haoran unilaterally severed their connection.

With Changmao gone, Shen Haoran finally had some peace and quiet. He then summoned Elder Yan.

"Elder Yan, how do I use this?" Shen Haoran asked urgently, looking at the ethereal figure of Elder Yan before him.

"Just ingest it directly," Elder Yan said with a smile.

"Ingest it directly?" Shen Haoran was stunned. He looked down at the Red Flame Jade Marrow, pulsing with potent energy in his hand, and swallowed hard. "Elder Yan, you’re not messing with me, are you? This energy is so powerful. Won’t I explode if I just swallow it?"

"Hmph, look at you, what a coward! Others would indeed need to use other Spirit Medicines to temper it, but you don’t. Your Chaos Divine Body can absorb energy of any attribute. Just take it directly!" Elder Yan said, rolling his eyes at Shen Haoran.

"Oh, okay." Still half-dubious, Shen Haoran drew out a single drop of the Red Flame Jade Marrow and was about to pop it into his mouth.

"Oh, I forgot to mention," Elder Yan added, "the Jade Marrow Body Refining process can be quite painful. You should be mentally prepared."

"Pain? I’ve been through plenty of that this past half-month. You think I’m afraid of a little more?" Shen Haoran chuckled and tossed the drop of Red Flame Jade Marrow into his mouth without another thought.

The moment the Red Flame Jade Marrow entered his mouth, it wasn’t scorching hot as he’d imagined. Instead, it was as cool and refreshing as Jade Nectar, quickly flowing down into his stomach. Then, Shen Haoran felt a formidable surge of energy erupt within him, instantly flooding every meridian in his body!

Sensing this energy, the two gray Spirit Pills within his Dantian began to spin. Streams of gray Chaotic Spiritual Power flowed out, guiding the energy from the Red Flame Jade Marrow toward his Dantian.

Guided by the Chaotic Spiritual Power, the energy of the Red Flame Jade Marrow flowed gently through his body, and the painful, stretching sensation in his meridians began to fade.

However, just as Shen Haoran thought the Red Flame Jade Marrow was about to be easily assimilated, it suddenly erupted with a terrifying heat. It instantly vaporized the Chaotic Spiritual Power and began to rampage through his body!

"PFFT!" Having broken free of the Chaotic Spiritual Power, the Red Flame Jade Marrow was like a stallion that had thrown its reins, wreaking havoc inside Shen Haoran. Unable to bear it, he spat out a mouthful of blood, his face turning deathly pale.

Seeing the Red Flame Jade Marrow rampaging through his meridians, the two Spirit Pills in his Dantian let out a low hum. Two streams of even purer Chaotic Spiritual Power flew out, coiled around the Red Flame Jade Marrow, and began to drag it toward the Dantian.

The Red Flame Jade Marrow seemed to sense the danger and grew even more frenzied. Its terrifying heat flared once more as it tried to vaporize the Chaotic Spiritual Power binding it.

This time, however, the Red Flame Jade Marrow had miscalculated. The terrifying heat only managed to make the Chaotic Spiritual Power pause for an instant before the pulling force intensified. Before the Red Flame Jade Marrow could even resist, it was dragged away.

This was pure agony for Shen Haoran, however. While the terrifying heat had little effect on the Chaotic Spiritual Power, this was all happening inside his body—his most fragile parts. How could he withstand being roasted at such a temperature!

By now, Shen Haoran’s insides were a complete wreck. His once-wide meridians were now shriveled and twisted like ropes from the searing heat—a terrifying sight. His bones glowed bright red, looking as if they were about to melt.

The excruciating pain wracking his body sent Shen Haoran into convulsions. His muscles were clenched tight, and thick veins bulged and throbbed across his skin like fleshy worms. His face was ashen, completely drained of color.

Seeing Shen Haoran’s wretched state, Elder Yan quickly took out the Red Flame Red Lotus and placed it beneath him. A suction force emanated from the Red Flame Red Lotus, and the temperature of Shen Haoran’s body began to slowly decrease.

Once the Red Flame Red Lotus lowered the temperature, Shen Haoran gained a moment’s respite. He immediately and frantically mobilized his Spirit Pills to drag the Red Flame Jade Marrow into his Dantian. If he let it continue to resist, he would eventually be incinerated by the terrifying heat.

Under Shen Haoran’s desperate pull, the struggling energy bursting from the Red Flame Jade Marrow lost its force. It was soon dragged into his Dantian. The two gray Spirit Pills then began to compress this massive ball of energy, and a new, red Spirit Pill slowly began to form.

After a long moment, the gray Spirit Pills stopped their compression. A red Spirit Pill now floated quietly beneath the two gray ones, spinning steadily. As it spun, streams of red Spiritual Power flowed out and began to repair Shen Haoran’s shattered meridians and bones.

The red Spiritual Power was like a spring rain. Wherever it passed, his withered meridians were revitalized, and his cracked bones began to mend. Shen Haoran’s internal injuries were all recovering at an astonishing rate.

「The next morning.」

"Hooo..." Opening his eyes, Shen Haoran exhaled a breath of foul air. He then hopped off the Red Flame Red Lotus and, after sensing his body’s condition, cried out in delighted surprise.

His body was no longer the wreck it had been. His meridians were much wider, and his bones had become more crystalline, like precious jade. His skin was now as fair as a newborn’s, but the power and defensive capabilities it concealed were many times stronger than before. Furthermore, his strength had risen once again—he had successfully broken through to become a Tier Two Spirit User!

What surprised Shen Haoran even more, however, was the new red Spirit Pill in his Dantian. On the Starfall Continent, it was common knowledge that a Martial Artist could only ever form one Spirit Pill in their entire life! Yet Shen Haoran, with the addition of this red one, now had three! If word of this got out, it would be absolutely world-shaking.

"What? Three Spirit Pills?" Hearing that Shen Haoran had three Spirit Pills, Elder Yan was also taken aback. He then furrowed his brow, lost in thought...

"If my guess is correct," Elder Yan said suddenly, "by the time you gather the spirits of all Five Elements, you will likely have seven Spirit Pills in your body!"

"Seven? But can’t a Martial Artist only form one?"

"I don’t know either. After all, you’re the only person to have ever truly awakened the Chaos Divine Body. We’ll deal with future matters when they arise. It shouldn’t be a bad thing. For now, what’s important is increasing your strength," Elder Yan said, shaking his head.

"Right!" Shen Haoran was broad-minded enough not to dwell on questions he couldn’t answer. ’After all, I’m still very weak. Once I’m strong enough, these problems will solve themselves.’

"Starting today, you will begin your training in the Heaven-Breaking Kill." Shen Haoran’s physique and control over his power were now sufficient to begin cultivating this Profound Tier High Grade Martial Skill.

"The key to the Heaven-Breaking Kill lies in..." Inside the cave, Elder Yan explained the fine details of cultivating the Heaven-Breaking Kill to Shen Haoran, who listened intently, afraid to miss a single word. The master and disciple were completely unaware of what was happening in the world outside the Profound Spirit Mountain Range.

PS: Two more Chapters coming today at 9:00 PM. Don’t miss the excitement!