Two months passed swiftly, and Wang Mu's injuries had completely healed. His days were spent fishing, storing grain, chopping trees, and splitting wood; life was quite leisurely. In his leisure, two of his skills were raised to Level 20. At this point, all the skills Wang Mu had learned in Anle Village had reached Level 20.

Over two years in Anle Village... hmm, still one year left before the Gu Yun Mountain Sword Sect's main storyline begins.

Feels like there's plenty of time.

A new month began. If going by the solar terms, Wang Mu felt it should be the Spring Equinox. Winter had passed. Anle Village's climate was only severely cold for a brief period in winter; otherwise, there was little seasonal difference.

I should be able to start cultivating the Hundred Refinement Body Technique now.

Wang Mu sensed for a moment.

[Cultivation:...Hundred Refinement Body Technique (＋)...]

After reaching Level 20 in skills like Chopping, Fishing, Mining, and Hunting, this Cultivation Technique could then be advanced using Action Points. Wang Mu estimated that his own strength met the requirements for cultivation.

One hundred layers... only then can I reach the Qi Cultivation Stage...

Wang Mu sighed deeply. Leveling these skills to Level 20 felt like reaching a limit. Now, using Action Points to increase proficiency yielded gains so small they could be ignored. However, his Hunting skill, due to successfully hunting the Flame King Human-faced Lion, had directly increased by one level, reaching Level 21. Hunting a legendary Fierce Beast from the Newbie Village only raised the skill by one level; it was evident how difficult improvement was.

Wang Mu didn't quite understand that Cultivation Technique, nor did he know how to practice it. So, he could only use Action Points to test the waters. For this, Wang Mu specifically chose early morning. He cleaned his body, wore specially made practice clothes, and assumed a proper posture, appearing very formal.

Then... he applied Action Points to the Hundred Refinement Body Technique.

The next moment, Wang Mu felt a jolt in his spirit. The Mantra he had memorized by rote suddenly became clear, as if he were instantly enlightened.

"The Hundred Refinement Body Technique primarily focuses on tempering and hammering one's own body, shaping oneself into a powerful furnace that forcibly locks in Spiritual Energy from heaven and earth."

"The process requires going through several stages: Refining Tendons, Bone Casting, Refining Organs, Blood Exchange, and Opening Apertures. A total of One Hundred Layers!"

Damn...

"Using fascia as threads, bones as roots, organs as anchors, and blood and marrow as the fluid. It seals the self into a single entity, forming a furnace comparable to a Spirit Root to refine Innate Spirit Qi. Thereafter, the body is not confined by the Innate Five Elements or restricted by Yin and Yang Qi. Finally, with the Divine Aperture as the anchor, the Innate Taoist Foundation is built, capable of achieving great immortal cultivation feats..."

The contents of the Cultivation Technique, in terms Wang Mu could understand, were rapidly absorbed. After understanding its core, Wang Mu felt it was incredibly badass.

In the cultivation world, a Spirit Root is an innate talent; without one, cultivation is almost impossible. This Hundred Refinement Body Technique, however, took a different approach: if one lacks a Spirit Root, then one must forge oneself into one.

"However, from the very beginning, this technique places extremely high demands on all aspects of the cultivator's physical strength. It often requires years of fundamental training before one can even begin to cultivate; otherwise, even gaining entry is difficult."

Five steps, totaling One Hundred Layers.

Once One Hundred Layers are reached, any Spiritual Energy from heaven and earth that enters the body will no longer disperse due to the lack of a Spirit Root. With Spiritual Energy no longer dissipating, one can then cultivate Spiritual Power. The Mantra says this is just stepping onto the Immortal Path.

However, Wang Mu felt that if he completed these One Hundred Layers, his body would become unimaginably strong.

So, Martial Arts can lead to godhood, huh? And the Immortal Path is just beginning, is that it?

After understanding everything, Wang Mu was suddenly enlightened.

The first step: Refining Tendons.

To refine all the fascia in the body to be as tough as steel cables and as flexible as silkworm threads. The first Twenty Layers are the simplest. One just needs to follow the Mantra, continuously compressing and moving the body into different positions, then perceive oneself, adjust one's breathing, and feel the changes in one's tendons and bones.

Since I can't introspect like a Cultivator, this step in cultivation is relatively dangerous. It's easy to accidentally tear the body's fascia and muscles if I'm not careful.

So, perception is crucial, and it also requires a clear understanding of one's own body. At the same time, the body needs to have a certain foundational strength.

Perhaps because my own physical strength is already so high, I found cultivating it quite easy.

I encountered no obstacles.

And I could sense the changes in the fascia throughout my body, stretching them to their limits in various postures, using every joint as a pivot to continuously refine each one from all angles.

Time trickled by, and before he knew it, Wang Mu was drenched in sweat. Not until a certain moment, when his physical strength was exhausted, did he collapse. When he suddenly opened his eyes, it was already evening.

I feel like I can't move my entire body...

He felt very strange at this moment. His body was immobile, as if it no longer belonged to him. But oddly, a peculiar, tingling soreness spread throughout his body, like countless needles pricking him. Very strange.

This Cultivation Technique is incredible!

This is the first time I've used Action Points for cultivation, and it feels very successful!

I've memorized this state. In future cultivation, I should be able to reach this level again.

Right, how many layers did I advance today?

Wang Mu sensed for a moment.

[Cultivation: ...Hundred Refinement Body Technique (8)...]

Damn, eight layers with just one Action Point? Is it really that simple?

Wang Mu was stunned.

At this rate, I can finish the first stage in just a month!

My foundation must be too good.

Plus, I've taken Elixirs for Body Refining and Marrow Cleansing. My regular diet includes fish species that enhance various physical attributes and the meat of various Fierce Beasts I've hunted... Once I started cultivating, all that accumulated foundation just burst forth.

The first stage, Refining Tendons, should be easy to complete!

The Cultivation Technique's instructions state that after the first cultivation session, at least half a month of recuperation is needed. Subsequently, the shorter the recovery time needed after each session, the faster one's cultivation speed will become. Highly talented individuals might reach three or four layers in half a year. Those with low talent could take several years, and might even face life-threatening risks...

Simultaneously, once the fascia is cultivated, one's agility and strength will significantly improve. One could fight lions and tigers bare-handed. After reaching Twenty Layers, one could even battle a Golden Eagle Falcon in mid-air.

After resting for a bit, Wang Mu gradually felt the numbness in his body fade. Barely able to stand, he gasped for air and walked into the wooden cabin.

But I could already fight Fierce Beasts bare-handed even before I started cultivating...

Which means I could have actually started cultivating earlier...

Too bad I couldn't understand the Cultivation Technique back then...

But cultivating now, Wang Mu experienced a sense of achieving twice the result with half the effort. Especially after using Action Points, he entered a perfect cultivation state.

If I cultivate to Twenty Layers like this, I could fight creatures like the Platinum Tiger King bare-handed, without needing my Hunting Bow! My strength would far surpass the Village Chief's!

After a few dozen more layers, once I undergo Bone Casting, my body will be like Jade Sinews Divine Bone... Spells cast by Fierce Beasts like the White Crystal Tiger King might not even be able to harm me.

...

That's too powerful!

The thought of the enhancements this Cultivation Technique would bring in its later stages made Wang Mu quite excited. This Cultivation Technique wasn't godly; it was just incredibly difficult to practice. It was just as Yan Qingwu had said: without a Spirit Root, wanting to pursue cultivation meant one could only refine their body to the absolute extreme. The process was indeed as difficult as ascending to the heavens.

Is this what they call entering the Tao through Martial Arts?

Wang Mu pondered. I wonder what it will be like when I cultivate the Hundred Refinement Body Technique to One Hundred Layers and then begin my journey on the Immortal Path...

Right, I still haven't dealt with that White Crystal Tiger King. When the time comes, I'll use it to test my progress...

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.