Enlightenment: Beginning as a Disposable Warrior-Chapter 72 - 68: Marrow Like Mercury, Three Bone Forgings!

Chapter 72: Chapter 68: Marrow Like Mercury, Three Bone Forgings!

"He dared to kill Zhou Heng, who is that man... No matter who he is, the Banner Master won’t let him go; he’s doomed!"

Zhou Heng’s death shocked both sides present—one side was here to rescue someone, while the other was meant to escort the person back to Qingyun City. Neither side wanted to see Zhou Heng die so easily.

Especially the Black Mountain Flame Banner Army rebels, who all instinctively looked toward the shadowy, muscular figure in a red robe on the scene after seeing Zhou Heng’s death.

As expected, Zhou Tiande was furious when he saw Zhou Heng’s head smashed with a stick; he looked like a berserk bear about to go wild.

Roar-------

"Get out of the way, anyone blocking me will die!"

Zhou Tiande shouted hysterically, his voice thunderous with rage, and immediately pulled several dark metallic spheres from his collar; the smell of gunpowder arose from the friction.

Whoosh!

Sparks ignited.

He’s gone crazy; Zhou Tiande has gone mad.

Everyone present had witnessed the power of these firearms before; using them at such close range would affect even the user, causing heavy injuries if not death. That’s why Zhou Tiande refrained from using firearms during the melee combat—once used in chaos, they harm indiscriminately, but now Zhou Tiande disregarded everything.

"Scatter, quickly scatter!"

Shi Hong’s face changed immediately, shouting in alarm, no longer daring to block Zhou Tiande.

Zoom, zoom, zoom.

Shi Hong stepped aside, then Zhou Tiande unleashed his power to send the firearms out.

Boom, boom, boom-------

Firelight erupted, and among the thunderous explosions, dust rose several feet high, accompanied by cries of pain, including the cries of the Flame Banner rebels who couldn’t escape in time.

A red-robed figure charged toward Su Mu; Zhou Heng was the only heir, and Zhou Tiande couldn’t live as a man without avenging his son’s death.

"I’ll twist your head off to light a lantern for my son!"

Facing Zhou Tiande, who was nearly two meters tall and resembled a small giant, Su Mu instantly felt a mountain-like oppressive force.

Thump, thump, thump!

The enormous pressure made Su Mu’s blood boil, and his heart pounded like war drums. The last opponent, Zhao Xuan, was too weak; Su Mu crushed him with one punch, which barely counted as a fight.

A month later, Su Mu was stronger than ever; the sparrow that flew from Qingshui Town to Qingyun City had not truly fought anyone in half a year.

"Perfect timing; let me see just how powerful a Muscle-Enhancing Martial Artist really is!"

Facing the fearsome Wolf Fang Club swinging through the duststorm, threatening to strike.

Torrential Rain Spear Technique!

Su Mu dared not underestimate him; the whistle stick held with one hand switched to both hands, power unleashed from his waist, the force traveling to the stick tip, the fine iron whistle stick like a black dragon rising to meet the incoming Wolf Fang Club.

At this moment, every guard, including Shi Hong, held a silent vigil in their hearts for Su Mu, imagining a scene of blood and gore.

Yet nothing occurred.

Clang!

A particularly deafening clash of metal erupted.

Su Mu grunted, his whistle stick made of refined iron seemed overburdened, suddenly bending under a terrifying thousand-pound force.

The pressure forced Su Mu’s knees to sink, his feet embedded an inch into the ground.

But Su Mu endured this furious strike; as the bent stick rebounded, Su Mu, in his limit-breaking state with perfect control over his physique, drew a full breath.

Then the stick lashed out like a storm.

Clang, clang, clang!

The stick shadows moved astonishingly fast, trailing cold glints, weaving into a sheet of rain covering Zhou Tiande.

In a swift reversal, the furious Zhou Tiande was suppressed by the stick shadows.

The Southern Border is known for frequent rain; this spear technique originating there drags enemies into a ceaseless torrential downpour once suppressed. Without absolute strength, escape is nearly impossible.

Clang!

The fine iron whistle stick once again collided fiercely with the Wolf Fang Club; Su Mu’s eyes narrowed. After his comprehension ascended a level, Su Mu could vaguely discern the rhythm and patterns of all things in total focus.

Humans are among all things.

"Found it."

Rainstorm Spear Technique: Hundred Waterfalls Fall!

Su Mu identified Zhou Tiande’s weak point and decisively launched the strongest killing move in the spear technique. The sound of waterfalls echoed in the field, a spear like a suspended waterfall crashing down.

Clang!

This strike shocked Zhou Tiande’s right arm, making his wrist ache; the Wolf Fang Club nearly slipped from his grasp. At that moment, Zhou Tiande recognized the fine iron whistle stick in Su Mu’s hand as a formidable weapon and roared in anger.

Instantly, Zhou Tiande’s intimidating Qi blood surged, an iron-like sound of his bones resonating.

Zhou Tiande’s Qi power skyrocketed under the Qi blood’s amplification, more than doubling. Just as the Wolf Fang Club was about to slip from his hand, he shook his wrist, using the club’s hook to clamp onto the fine iron whistle stick, exerting force fiercely.

The Wolf Fang Club and the fine iron whistle stick simultaneously flew off.

Boom, boom--------

The two weapons shot out, snapping two tree trunks as thick as thighs.

"Zhou Tiande is... Third Bone Forging!"

Su Mu’s heart tightened, the first bone forging results in Iron Bone, as hard as iron, sounding like metal; the second bone forging results in Tough Bone, which is unbreakable and resonates with power; the third bone forging results in Sinking Bone!

Sinking Bone, with marrow like mercury and qi and blood like a shuttle, the third bone forging delves into the marrow, enhancing the martial artist’s efficiency in manipulating qi and blood by more than double.

Just now, Zhao Tiande’s qi and blood surged suddenly, triggered by the power of the third bone forging, catching Su Mu off guard and disarming the whistle stick in his hand.

"Without a weapon, how will you fight me? Die!"

Zhao Tiande stared coldly at Su Mu as if looking at a corpse. Without his weapon, he charged at Su Mu once more like a fierce vajra, his fist clenching so hard it made the air explode, then a punch came crashing down like a mountain.

"What on earth happened to Zhao Tiande in these past six months?!" 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

This strike was terrifying, even Shi Hong, also a Muscle-Enhancing Martial Artist, felt a chill. Zhao Tiande was originally a commander of the Cyan Cloud Army, responsible for firearms in the city.

Shi Hong and Zhao Tiande were once evenly matched, yet six months ago Zhao Tiande suddenly defected from Qingyun City, transforming into the Flame Banner Master of the Black Mountain Army, commanding the Flame Banner Army, surpassing Shi Hong by a great margin.

Facing this terrifying punch, Su Mu remained calm, his shocking comprehension allowed him to make the most rational decision.

Whoosh!

A fierce wind suddenly blew across the arena.

Su Mu’s mind moved, the Armor of Strength belonging to Transforming Force fortified his arms, then rapidly launched a Gale Fist strike.

The gale howled, combined with the three-foot fist force extending from his body, weakened Zhao Tiande’s punch’s momentum.

Then Su Mu quickly punched into the void; one punch couldn’t confront Zhao Tiande’s overwhelming strike, so he unleashed two, three punches.

After three punches, Zhao Tiande immediately felt that the punch, which hadn’t yet hit Su Mu, had its momentum halved by the gale and the condensed fist force projecting from Su Mu’s body.

"Fancy tricks, how dare a mantis stand in the path of a chariot!"

Zhao Tiande roared angrily, a punch broke through the gale’s restraint and finally landed on Su Mu’s fist, the two clashed fiercely, but contrary to Zhao Tiande’s expectation, Su Mu’s bones did not snap under one punch.

The moment their fists met, he suddenly felt his fist being guided off by an invisible force by three inches, yet this wasn’t the gale or the three-foot penetrating fist force.

This feeling was like punching into a lump of cotton, very frustrating.

Yet Zhao Tiande was undeterred, raising his pot-sized iron fist once more to strike. With a firm base after taking a punch, Su Mu employed the Monkey Play from the Five Animals Qigong for defense and counterattack.

His form flickered, fists continuously striking out, the Perfection Realm of the Gale Fist being wielded effortlessly by Su Mu, the gale whistled non-stop, stirring clouds of dust.

Their exchanges were astonishingly fast, common soldiers could hardly see the motion of their fists, only seeing a blur of punch shadows.

"This young brother from the Demon Slayer Bureau is exceptionally strong, even holding off Zhao Tiande’s onslaught!"

Shi Hong was incredibly surprised, initially dismissive of the newcomers from the Demon Slayer Bureau, which had declined in Qingyun County for twenty years, now merely a hollow shell with no capable individuals.

Yet he didn’t expect a Copper Blade Catcher from the once-imposing Demon Slayer Bureau to withstand the Flame Banner Master’s direct assault head-on.

Boom!

Amidst the swirling dust, the two clashed again, Zhao Tiande’s palm released power dispersing the dust, his gaze fixed intently on his opponent.

"Is this Transforming Force? The Armor of Strength, using minimal effort to achieve great effect indeed isn’t ordinary, but if that’s all you have, at best you’re just sparring with Banner Master, not qualified to injure Banner Master."

"Next..."

"I’ll show you that in the face of true power, all techniques are useless!"

Zhao Tiande spoke coldly, murder intent in his eyes briefly showing admiration for the opponent who, at such a young age, could face him for dozens of rounds without falling behind, but unfortunately, in Zhao Tiande’s eyes, Su Mu was still doomed to die today.

"Zhao Tiande must have mastered a powerful Cross-Training Martial Art... and the realm isn’t low."

Su Mu’s expression was unchanged at the words, instead, there was a hint of anticipation in his eyes, during the bouts he indeed wasn’t injured, but merely not injured.

Zhao Tiande’s words weren’t wrong, his Perfection Gale Fist couldn’t harm him.

But if Zhao Tiande has mastered Cross-Training Martial Arts, why wouldn’t Su Mu have as well?

It remains uncertain who will claim the victory!

Crack crack-------

Zhao Tiande twisted his neck making crisp sounds, his spine stretching and swaying, with a series of crackling sounds erupting all over, a horrifying scene ensued.

Blood and flesh bulged inch by inch, tearing apart the red robe on Zhao Tiande’s upper body into strips, his already hulking bear-like body visibly expanding, with a faint dark red metallic sheen shimmering over it.

"Brother, be careful, it’s Tendon Power!"

Shi Hong abruptly paused after beheading a rebel soldier with his sword, sharply sensing the change in Zhao Tiande’s aura, showing a grave expression, knowing Zhao Tiande intends to end the battle swiftly, promptly warning him.

Shi Hong originally planned to clear the field quickly while Su Mu held off Zhao Tiande, then join forces to kill Zhao Tiande, but it was obvious Zhao Tiande also noticed his actions and decided to stop hiding his strength, to quickly take Su Mu out.

"Tendon Power?"

Su Mu also showed unprecedented seriousness on his face.

The Ninth Grade Refining Force, Eighth Grade Bone Forging, and Seventh Grade Yijin are known as the first major threshold for martial artists, collectively referred to as the Body Tempering Realm, where Muscle-Enhancing martial artists’ bodies are repeatedly refined by power inside and out, including the skin, flesh, bones, and tendons, standing at the pinnacle of the Body Tempering Realm!

Refining tendons is perilous, but in return, brings an unparalleled boost in combat power.

As the saying goes, a tendon grows by half an inch, and power rises by tenfold!

After tendons are refined, it’s like a strong bow armstringed, with every move, every punch or kick akin to an arrow shot from a bowstring, exponentially increasing power.

"Kid, die for me!"

Zhao Tiande growled low, his voice like a roaring bear, as he raised his fist, under the power of Tendon Power and the Sinking Bone from the third bone forging, a punch like a cannonball was launched.

The air ahead of the fist compressed and solidified under the blow.

Though the fist had yet to reach, Su Mu could feel his body stiffen!

...