As his Qi and Blood surged madly into the Pohu acupoint, Su Yu felt as if his back had been thrown into a scorching furnace.

The already-opened Gaohuang acupoint and the newly opened Pohu acupoint resonated with each other from afar. Two violent torrents of Qi and Blood converged with a ROAR, flowing along the great dragon that was his spine!

A dense series of sickening CRACKS echoed out, the sound of bones restructuring.

The muscle fibers on Su Yu’s back, like innumerable thick steel cables, tightened and bulged madly as Qi and Blood flooded them. If anyone had been standing behind him, they would have been horrified to find that the already ferocious muscle groups on his back had now completely merged into a single, flawless whole.

With every breath he took, his latissimus dorsi and trapezius muscles slowly opened and closed like a pair of giant iron wings. The twisted striations of the muscles seemed to radiate explosive power at a single glance.

The Double Dragon Pass was completely opened!

This wasn’t merely an accumulation of muscle; it was a perfect, qualitative transformation of the very hub of his power.

Every time he threw a punch, power would well up from the Yongquan Acupoint in the soles of his feet, travel through his waist and stance, and then be terrifyingly amplified and conducted through this indestructible "demon back" as the core nexus, finally converging entirely into his fists.

Hooo—

Su Yu slowly opened his eyes, a sharp glint flashing in their profound depths.

’Finally, the late-stage of the Flesh Refining Realm!’

In just over a month, he had forced his way from the mid-stage to the late-stage.

Such a shocking cultivation speed was nothing short of astonishing.

What was even more terrifying was his current foundation. Su Yu clenched his fist. ’I’m absolutely confident that if I were to face Qin Bashan now, I wouldn’t even need to stack the layers of Hundred Fierce Peaks. A single punch in my normal state would be enough to blow a hole straight through his chest!’

He strode over to a man-high decorative bluestone rockery in the courtyard.

Without gathering any momentum, Su Yu relied purely on his body’s post-breakthrough instincts. He dropped his shoulder and elbow, the great tendons in his back twanging like a full-drawn bow, and threw a seemingly ordinary straight punch.

BANG—

With a dull BANG, the incomparably hard, massive bluestone—at the very instant his fist made contact—disintegrated from the inside out as if struck head-on by a heavy battering ram, collapsing into a pile of fine dust and rubble!

’Such domineering Ming Jin!’ Su Yu retracted his fist, satisfied.

Immediately after, he flicked his wrist. A Flying Locust Stone shot toward a high wall ten zhang away, letting out a piercing shriek.

Almost at the same instant the stone left his hand, Su Yu’s feet flashed.

His Perfection Realm Seven Fiends Thunder Collapse Step erupted into motion!

His figure blurred into an afterimage, weaving and flashing through the falling willow catkins that filled the air.

What was chilling was that his extreme speed didn’t kick up the slightest violent gust. The delicate willow catkins weren’t shredded; instead, they parted smoothly to either side, guided by the perfect control of the airflow around his body.

Action and stillness at will, the realm of minute control!

SNAP!

When the Flying Locust Stone was a mere half-inch from the high wall, two fingers that seemed cast from iron shot out, arriving first despite starting later, and precisely clamped down on it.

’The breakthrough to the late-stage of the Flesh Refining Realm is truly amazing. My reserves of Qi and Blood have increased by at least fifty percent compared to the mid-stage!’

Su Yu calmed the Qi and Blood that raged like a river within him and slightly spread his arms backward. Instantly, the muscles on his back emitted a dull thrum like taut leather, as if a dormant great dragon was stirring.

Within the Flesh Refining Realm, every step was a leap in growth.

Only someone like him, with an abnormally profound foundation who had ground multiple Martial Arts to Perfection or even to the point of Breaking the Limit, could treat killing enemies above his realm as a common occurrence.

’I just wonder... with my combat strength in my normal state, what are my chances against a true master of the Muscle Forging Realm?’

Su Yu rubbed his chin, calculating to himself.

The Muscle Forging Realm, as its name implies, involves guiding Qi and Blood to temper the body’s major tendons, strengthening them to an abnormal degree comparable to a Demon Beast.

Besides comprehending momentum on a spiritual level, their physical explosive power and flexibility also undergo a qualitative leap. This results in a power gap between the Muscle Forging and Flesh Refining Realms as wide as an insurmountable chasm.

With his current strength in his normal state, he was likely still lacking what it took to face a Muscle Forging Realm expert head-on. He would be no match.

’But...’ A flicker of fighting spirit flashed in Su Yu’s eyes. ’If I activate White Ape Transformation and brute-force double all my attributes, I might just be able to kill even an expert at the initial stage of the Muscle Forging Realm!’

At this thought, the blood throughout Su Yu’s body seemed to boil. He couldn’t wait to find a Muscle Forging Realm expert to test his skills against in a real battle.

’Qinghong just broke through to the Muscle Forging Realm a while ago using the Silver Dragon Shuttle, and her foundation should be stable by now. When I get back to Black Stone City, I’ll find her for a sparring match!’

With his breakthrough complete, Su Yu slowly calmed his surging Qi and Blood. With a thought, he summoned the Skill Level panel again.

[Martial Arts]: Mountain-Shaking Demon Ape Fist (Major Achievement 1/10,000)

[Martial Arts]: Spiritual Ape Demon-Slaying Saber (First Layer) (Major Achievement 7,200/10,000)

[Martial Arts]: Black Stone Body Forging Skill (First Layer) (Major Achievement 10,200/12,000)

[Martial Arts]: Vajra Fearless True Sound (Minor Achievement 1/1,500)

[Martial Arts]: Bibo Fish Dragon Skill (First Layer) (Major Achievement 2,000/3,000)

[Breakthrough Point]: 0 Points (Progress 61%)

’My fist technique has already reached Major Achievement. Next, I’ll test whether the Skill Level gain for the Mountain-Shaking Demon Ape Fist has changed after my breakthrough!’

Su Yu untied the emerald-green wine gourd from his waist and shook it gently. Hearing the extremely faint sloshing sound from within, he knew the Spirit Wine, brewed from the bone fragment of a Thunder Beast, was almost gone.

He simply pulled out the wooden stopper, tilted his head back, and drained the last mouthful of purple-amber liquid from the gourd.

The moment the liquor slid down his throat, a scalding hot current tinged with a numbing sensation exploded within his body. This thunderous medicinal power, like an untethered wild horse, rampaged down his meridians, heading straight for the Yongquan Acupoints in his legs.

Su Yu dared not be careless. He immediately assumed the Black Prison God-Locking Stake stance of the Black Stone Body Forging Skill. His muscles tightened like steel cables as he began to absorb this tyrannical medicinal power with all his might.

[Breakthrough Point Progress +1%]

[Breakthrough Point Progress +1%]

...

As the medicinal power was slowly wrung out and absorbed by the furnace of his body, the Qi and Blood within Su Yu grew ever more abundant.

He immediately changed his stance and began to practice the Mountain-Shaking Demon Ape Fist once more.

BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG...

This time, its power was completely different from before his breakthrough!

Under the dual enhancements of Ape Shadow Gale and Hundred Fierce Peaks, Su Yu seemed to have transformed into a ten-armed, blood-colored Asura!

His fists moved at an extreme speed, leaving a dense trail of afterimages that fanned out behind him like a peacock’s tail. He continuously bombarded the air before him as if unleashing a violent storm.

The violent wind from his fists brutally shattered the air, creating a series of dense, piercing sonic booms like a string of New Year’s firecrackers. The bluestone gravel paving the courtyard was mercilessly swept up by this terrifying gale, scattering in all directions like hidden weapons!

CREAK—

Just then, the wooden door to a side room in the back courtyard was pushed open. Qin Yu was just stepping over the threshold, having come to find Su Yu to discuss important matters.

When she raised her eyes and took in the scene, she gasped. Her bright, beautiful eyes went wide, and her small, rosy mouth unconsciously formed an "O."

’Is that Demon Ape Beats the Drum? How can it be so tyrannical!’

Qin Yu stared intently at the demonic, god-like figure in the courtyard, her heart in turmoil.

It wasn’t that she had never seen Demon Ape Beats the Drum before.

On the contrary, she had seen it countless times growing up and knew it by heart. Her Eldest Senior Brother, Second Senior Sister, Senior Brother Xu, and even her own father, Qin Fangqiong—she had personally witnessed them all perform this ultimate technique.

Of them all, her father naturally performed it with the most skill. His punches came out like the Old Ape Hanging Seal—ferocious, shocking, and with an extraordinary presence.

But she swore she had never in her life seen anyone perform Demon Ape Beats the Drum to such a terrifying degree!

’How is this even a person punching?’

’This is clearly a real demon ape, furiously beating a sky-shaking war drum!’

’How on earth did Senior Brother Su manage that?’

’He’s clearly only in the Flesh Refining Realm, so how can he unleash such terrifying punch speed? And... the power of each punch seems to be continuously stacking and growing stronger!’

Qin Yu took a deep breath of the cool morning air, forcibly suppressing the shock in her heart.

Although she had already told herself that Senior Brother Su was a prodigy who couldn’t be judged by common sense and that any shocking feat he performed should be expected.

But now, witnessing such Martial Arts mastery with her own eyes, she still couldn’t quite control her astonishment.

However, not wanting to disturb Su Yu, she simply stood quietly by the door and continued to watch.

As for Su Yu, he remained immersed in the true meaning of the fist technique, focused on his practice.

Not until he had performed the final move flawlessly and slowly retracted his fist to a standing position did the long-awaited ink-wash text finally appear in his vision.

[Mountain-Shaking Demon Ape Fist Skill Level +25]

Yes!

’My Skill Level increased again. It seems my comprehension of this fist technique has reached a new level!’

’At this rate, even though the next Skill Level breakthrough requires ten thousand points, the time it takes to break through hasn’t increased.’

’Even without consuming more precious medicines, a month and a half should be enough time for me to break through!’

’A month and a half... then I can bring my Cultivation Technique to Perfection and break through to the Muscle Forging Realm!’

At this thought, even with Su Yu’s extremely calm disposition, he couldn’t help but feel a surge of excitement.

’The Muscle Forging Realm!’

’That’s a realm for masters who can truly prop up an entire faction on their own in these chaotic times!’

’In the entire Outer City of Black Stone City, Muscle Forging Realm experts are the small group of people at the very top of the pyramid. Every one of them is a major figure holding the power of life and death, able to decide the fate of an entire faction with a single, casual word!’

’Even looking at the wider Jian’an Prefecture and the capital of Qing Province, a genuine Muscle Forging Realm expert is definitely not some unknown martial artist. They’re a fighting force that would be revered as an honored guest by all sorts of factions and prominent families!’

’I’m getting ahead of myself. Right now, I need to keep practicing step-by-step and solidify my foundation.’

Su Yu quickly reined in his thoughts and scanned the panel again.

’The Black Stone Body Forging Skill and the Bibo Fish Dragon Skill are also about to break through. I can focus on those two Martial Arts next.’

’Then there’s the Breakthrough Point. After a few more days of precious medicines, I’ll be able to break through!’

"Senior Brother Su."

Seeing Su Yu finish his routine, Qin Yu, who had been waiting by the door, stepped forward with light feet and quickly approached him.

"Junior Sister, what is it?" Su Yu casually grabbed a towel from the weapon rack, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and asked.

"The issue with the trade route is resolved. We need to get back to Black Stone City as soon as possible. News just came in this morning that the Black Lotus Sect has been active in the city again. More than ten factions have already been attacked, and the city is in a panic."

’The Black Lotus Sect is active again?’

Su Yu’s expression tightened. It seemed the situation in Black Stone City had worsened again.

"Then let’s wrap things up here this morning. We’ll aim to set out this afternoon!"

"Okay, Senior Brother."