Chapter 167: Chapter 167: The Long Path of Cultivation, Purification of Body and Mind

Yang Chan soaked in the tub, scrubbing his entire body clean. His skin had become smoother and more refined, and was also incredibly supple.

He tried piercing it with a Thousand Refinements Weapon. The blade just bounced off on impact, leaving not even a scratch.

A Thousand Refinement Level weapon couldn’t even harm him, and this was the kind of blade only a Direct Disciple could obtain. Above that were the Sharp Weapon Level weapons used by Inner Masters, and one would need considerable strength to even have a chance of leaving a mark on his body.

Of course, he couldn’t afford to be complacent when facing an Inner Master wielding a Sharp Weapon Level weapon. Still, this level of defense was a testament to how terrifying Inner Masters truly were.

When someone at External Refining of Iron Bone Perfection faced a master who had just broken through to Inner Refining of the Lungs and Spleens, the gap between them was as vast as heaven and earth—nearly insurmountable—despite it being just a single step.

To put it another way, someone at External Refining of Iron Bone Perfection stood no chance against a newly ascended Inner Master. Their strength, speed, and reaction time were on completely different levels. It was an utter trouncing.

Yang Chan’s skin now looked tender, as if one could squeeze water from it, yet its defensive power was impervious to blades—a stark contrast indeed.

Even standard firearms from China in his past life wouldn’t be able to penetrate his defense. This Copper Skin had been strengthened multiple times, making its durability astonishing.

If he were to wear special armor on top of this, he would be immune to most firearms. A combatant of this caliber would be an incredibly difficult threat to handle on any battlefield.

He could only be taken down if several experts of the same level surrounded and attacked him together.

’Inner Refining of the Lungs and Spleens is just the beginning. After I finish tempering all Six Viscera, there’s still the tempering of the Five Viscera. Only after all that comes the Bone Marrow Cleansing Grandmaster realm.’

’The path of cultivation is long. There’s no need to rush.’

By tempering his lungs and spleens, Yang Chan had only completed the first step. This was just the beginning.

And in the grand scheme of his long life, this was merely the start. He had reached his current level of cultivation in less than two years in this world. If he continued to cultivate low-key for a thousand years, he would surely become invincible.

No one wished for the stability of the Great Zhou Imperial Dynasty more than he did, or for the Cyan Yuan Sect to remain the overlord of Qing State. That way, he could continue to cultivate in peace and obscurity.

He wasn’t the type to put himself forward. After all, the grass on the graves of those who did was already waist-high.

Someone like Wang Sheng, who had been bent on revenge against the Cyan Yuan Sect, now had his bones buried in the wilderness. Aside from the cup of wine Yang Chan had offered him, it was likely no one else ever came to pay their respects.

Yang Chan had no desire to follow in their footsteps. Even as an Inner Master, he preferred to keep a low profile.

But in these chaotic times, one needed power to achieve stability and maintain a low profile. Thus, Yang Chan chose to reveal his Pharmacist Ability, continuously honing his skills in the profession. He was already at the level of an Intermediate Pharmacist, and after a little more time, he would be able to pass the examination and officially become one within the Cyan Yuan Sect.

And this was his chosen path to a stable existence.

After he finished washing, Yang Chan looked at the tub. The water had turned completely black, filled with all the impurities that had been cleansed from his body.

’I wonder if there will be a similar change when I succeed in tempering the Six Viscera later on.’

The benefits of the Purification of Body and Mind were substantial. Despite the many medicines Yang Chan had consumed, very few medicinal impurities remained in his system. However, his body was by no means free of all dross. On the contrary, because of its previous owner, it still contained a great deal of impurities.

Each time he tempered his body, purging these impurities was, of course, a good thing.

It would thoroughly cleanse his body, leaving it spotless, while simultaneously allowing it to improve once more.

He could run as fast as a galloping horse and leap as gracefully as a bird in flight.

The Qi and Blood Power and Essence Qi within his body continued to increase and grow stronger.

Yang Chan tried performing the Tai Chi Primordial Posture from his Tai Chi Health Cultivation Skill. His entire body moved as one harmonious whole. He could now lock his Essence Qi and Qi and Blood Power within his frame, circulating them internally—a feat he had been incapable of before.

Only after his breakthrough to Inner Refining of the Lungs and Spleens could he perform the Tai Chi Primordial Posture to such a profound level.

This was a perfect example of what happened when one’s cultivation reached a sufficient level: practice became as natural as a fish in water. Obstacles that had previously hindered his cultivation were now easily overcome, clearing the path for his future progress.

Although the Tai Chi Primordial Posture was just a stance exercise from the Tai Chi Health Cultivation Skill, it was hugely beneficial for increasing his physical strength while also greatly improving his coordination.

Back in China, many people practiced the Tai Chi Primordial Posture, but few could ever achieve such an effect, especially not to the point of being able to lock their Essence Qi and Qi and Blood Power within their bodies.

To a certain extent, it could also conceal Yang Chan’s cultivation level. Of course, it wasn’t nearly as effective as the Meditation and Breath Holding Technique.

When he used the Meditation and Breath Holding Technique, he didn’t need to perform so many actions. He could control his breath while walking, sitting, or lying down, even concealing his breathing and presence entirely, making it impossible for others to detect him. The difference between the two techniques was vast.

Of course, the two served different purposes, so their focuses and effects were naturally different as well.

’This bathwater is too black. It contains impurities from my body, as well as traces of my breakthrough to Inner Master. I’d better dispose of it myself.’

The bathwater contained traces of his Purification of Body and Mind, and Yang Chan certainly didn’t want anyone to notice. Therefore, he couldn’t let anyone else handle it.

After changing his clothes, he carried the tub of bathwater a short distance from his house, found a spot that drained into the river, and poured it out.

It was late, so the river would quickly wash it away. This had become his routine lately; the river was close by, making it a convenient place to dump the water.

Yang Chan watched as the dark water was carried away. He then thoroughly rinsed the tub. Only when it was completely clean did he head back inside.

After his cultivation broke through to the Inner Master realm, he could clearly perceive many hidden experts within the Cyan Yuan Sect. These masters bore him no ill will; instead, they were standing guard over the residences of the Pharmacists and other important personnel.

In short, they were there to protect the Cyan Yuan Sect’s Pharmacists from being targeted. This was a precaution that had been put in place after spies from the Three Major Sects were discovered within the sect.

Even when he was still at the External Iron Bone Refining stage, his Spiritual Sense had allowed him to perceive a few of them. That was why he always conducted important business indoors, never out in the courtyard.

For instance, when he practiced the Flood Dragon Demon Breath Method, he almost always did so inside his room, seldom in the courtyard.

However, he practiced techniques like the Ox Demon’s Mighty Fist and the Tiger Demon Bone-Refining Fist openly in his courtyard. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

Now that he had broken through to the Inner Master realm, his Spiritual Sense could pinpoint their exact positions. Even before, his intuition as an External Refining Iron Bone Expert would have alerted him to their locations if they had harbored any malicious intent. The reason he only had a vague sense of them was because they meant him no harm.

Yang Chan gave their positions an impassive glance, then extinguished the candle in his room and went to sleep.