The night was heavy. Su Yu washed away the bloody aura clinging to him. Tenderly cared for by the gentle Zhen’Er, he held her soft, fragrant body and fell into a deep sleep.
His journey along the golden waterway over the past few days had seemed easy, but it was actually fraught with danger.
As a Flesh Refining Realm cultivator, Su Yu had maneuvered between a group of Muscle Forging Realm experts. In the end, he had even killed masters from both sides to become the ultimate victor.
Now that he was back home, the feeling of relaxation and comfort allowed his mind to unwind, and he drifted into a peaceful, pleasant dream.
The next day, the morning sun rose, and golden sunlight filled the courtyard.
"SCREEE—"
A shriek that could pierce metal and shatter stone broke the morning’s tranquility. Qingyuan unfurled its huge, metallic-sheened wings, stirring up a gale as it landed steadily by the lotus pond.
"SPLASH!"
The surface of the lotus pond exploded as a small crocodile-dragon, already three feet long, shot out from the depths. It opened its cavernous mouth, filled with interlocking fangs, and let out a deafening roar at the newly landed Qingyuan, sending a shower of water into the air.
Qingyuan folded its wings, looking down from its perch. It didn’t even bother to dodge, merely turning its head slightly. A flicker of undisguised, human-like contempt flashed in its sharp, cyan vertical pupils.
’This goofy simpleton only knows how to try and scare others.’
Seeing that Qingyuan was unfazed by its intimidation, the crocodile-dragon instantly lost interest. It shook its large head, slowly crawled back onto the bluestone slab by the pond, and with a soft THUMP, flipped over. It exposed its soft, snow-white belly, its four stout little legs paddling contentedly in the air as it basked in the sun.
Su Yu, who was just stepping out the door, happened to see this whole scene and couldn’t help but shake his head and laugh.
Of all the creatures in the courtyard, these two Exotic Beasts were the most intelligent, and they spent their days bickering with each other. However, Qingyuan’s personality was cold and aloof, nothing like the crocodile-dragon’s charmingly silly demeanor.
Su Yu walked over to the well, drew a basin of cool well water, and picked up a heavy-wood, iron-bristled toothbrush. He dabbed on a bit of green salt powder and began to meticulously brush his teeth.
Although the Great Xia Dynasty was an ancient dynasty, its productivity in certain areas was not at all lacking. Take this iron-bristled toothbrush and the green salt powder—which contained mint and medicinal herbs—for example. Their cleaning effectiveness was in no way inferior to the toothbrushes and toothpaste of his previous life.
But these items were also very expensive. A single iron-bristled toothbrush was worth one tael of silver, something ordinary people simply couldn’t afford.
After washing up, Su Yu stretched comfortably. A series of crisp CRACKS, like popping soybeans, echoed from his bones and tendons. He strode over to the Iron Locust Tree and took his stance.
"Demon Ape Beats the Drum!"
"Fierce Ape Splits the Mountain!"
"Tear the Wind, Rend the Armor!"
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
His fists shot out like heavy cannons, each punch accompanied by a sharp whistle as it tore through the air. Rampant Qi and Blood erupted from his body, instantly pulverizing the green leaves falling from the Iron Locust Tree.
An hour passed in a flash. After completing a full set of the Mountain-Shaking Demon Ape Fist, Su Yu’s entire body was steaming.
[Martial Arts]: Mountain-Shaking Demon Ape Fist (Great Success 4000/10000)
’My Skill Level is already past four thousand. At this rate, in less than a month, I’ll be able to officially break through to the Muscle Forging Realm in the Extreme Realm!’
Su Yu dismissed the panel with satisfaction, closed his eyes, and focused his mind. Then, his chest and abdomen pulsed as he began to cultivate the Vajra Fearless True Sound.
"Oṃ!"
"Oṃ!"
"..."
A grand, majestic sound wave vibrated from his throat, and a solemn, Buddhist truth faintly permeated the courtyard.
In the lotus pond, the ever-growing King Koi seemed to have received some kind of calling. It leaped excitedly from the water, swimming along with the rhythm of the sound waves. Even its scales, interwoven with gold and red, seemed to be plated with a faint Buddhist light.
Meanwhile, the little crocodile-dragon lying on the bluestone platform was disturbed from its peaceful slumber. It irritably opened its hard eyelids, cast a disdainful glance with its golden vertical pupils at the fat fish, yawned, and shifted positions to continue sleeping soundly.
Another half an hour passed.
[Martial Arts]: Vajra Fearless True Sound (Minor Achievement 580/1500)
’I haven’t practiced for the past few days, so progress on this Cultivation Technique has slowed a bit.’
Su Yu’s throat felt a little dry and raw, so he stopped at a good time. He walked to the edge of the lotus pond and scratched the little crocodile-dragon’s warm, snow-white belly, causing the little guy to let out a comfortable purring sound.
’This little guy is growing really fast. Looking at its appetite and size, I’m afraid the lotus pond will need to be expanded again soon.’
After teasing the crocodile-dragon for a while, Su Yu turned to the approaching Qingyuan and groomed the hard feathers on its neck, simultaneously extending a wisp of his Divine Sense to communicate with it.
While Su Yu was away these past few days, Qingyuan had been patrolling and hunting along the Black Water River outside the city, even flying all the way upstream to the area near the Liangzhou border.
’Hmm? You’re saying you encountered a human in the north who could walk on air and wanted to capture you?’
Su Yu’s brow twitched, and a chill ran through his heart.
’Walk on air? What kind of Realm is that?!’
Although his Seven Fiends Thunder Collapse Step could also achieve it, it was for seven steps at most, completely different from Qingyuan’s description of someone strolling leisurely through the air.
He patted Qingyuan’s head and warned it solemnly, "Remember, you must never go north again! Only hunt in the deep mountains to the east and south."
For a Cyan-Scaled Eagle like Qingyuan, which had experienced atavistic bloodline awakening, being cooped up in the courtyard all day would only dull its ferocity. But the north was now the main base of the Black Lotus Sect, and too many experts were gathered there. He absolutely could not risk provoking trouble.
"Brother Su, breakfast is ready."
Zhen’Er’s gentle and soft call came from inside. Su Yu gathered his thoughts and turned to enter the house.
Breakfast today was as lavish as ever, with the main course being a pot of steaming Blood Ginseng porridge.
He quickly finished off the large basin of rice porridge, which had been brewed with Treasure Medicine. Su Yu’s face was ruddy, and a notification popped up in his vision.
[Breakthrough Point progress +7%!]
His Breakthrough Point progress had now quietly climbed to 62%.
"Brother Su, about those two Black Dragon Fish you brought back, Sister Mu said she’s figured out the channels and can start cutting out the Dragon Tendons in a moment," Zhen’Er said softly from the side after Su Yu finished eating.
"Oh? So fast? Let’s go to the kitchen and take a look."
The two had just reached the kitchen entrance when they saw Mu Ying walking out, her sleeves rolled up high and tied with fine hemp rope.
Upon seeing Su Yu, Mu Ying immediately stopped and curtsied with extreme respect.
She had joined the Su Mansion just over a year ago and had personally witnessed Su Yu grow from an ordinary Martial Artist into the number one genius of Black Stone City’s Outer City. It was impossible for her not to be shocked.
Moreover, her own status had risen with the Su Mansion’s. She had now accumulated enough resources to break through to the Martial Artist realm and was just waiting for the right opportunity.
Every time she thought of this, she felt incredibly grateful to Sister Liu, who had recommended her for this position, and would make sure to visit her during holidays and festivals.
"Miss Mu, are you ready to handle the two Black Dragon Fish?" Su Yu asked with a smile.
"Replying to my lord, the knives and ice basin are all prepared. I can begin at any time," Mu Ying replied, a trace of anticipation flashing in her eyes.
As a chef, the chance to handle a Xuan-tier treasure fish was truly exciting.
"Good, let’s begin. Extract the Dragon Tendons intact first. As for the remaining meat, pick the fatter fish and cook it for lunch."
With a wave of his hand, Su Yu released one of the Black Dragon Fish from his Storage Ring. It landed with a THUD on the bluestone cutting board that had already been prepared in the kitchen.
Mu Ying took a deep breath and drew a special, long, and slender boning knife from the knife rack.
The scales of the Black Dragon Fish were harder than iron; ordinary blades could barely scratch them. But Mu Ying seemed to have a plan. She reached out and gently pressed a spot on the gills three inches behind the fish’s head, finding a hidden gap in the cartilage.
"SHIIING—"
The tip of the knife plunged in with absolute precision, without the slightest sound of rough friction. With a flick of her wrist, Mu Ying ran the blade all the way down, hugging the dark spine. Her technique was as smooth and fluid as the legendary Butcher Ding carving an ox.
Immediately after, she used a pair of silver tweezers to probe deep into the incision and clamp onto a faint, shimmering thread.
She applied pressure with her fingertips, and with a series of pleasant, resonant TWANGS, a strange Great Tendon over ten feet long, stained with specks of golden-red blood, was pulled out from the fish’s back, completely intact!
The entire process was as smooth as flowing water, without damaging even a shred of the surrounding flesh.
"What fine knife work! So this is the legendary Dragon Tendon!"
Su Yu’s gaze was fervent as he reached out and took the Great Tendon from Mu Ying.
The Dragon Tendon was cool to the touch and astonishingly resilient. It was a translucent dark gold, no thicker than a thumb, and it trembled and contracted slightly in Su Yu’s palm. Held up to the sunlight, one could even see strands of liquid silk, like tiny swimming dragons, constantly flowing within it, emitting an alluring, exotic fragrance.
"Extract the tendon from this one, too!"
Seeing how smoothly Mu Ying had performed the extraction, Su Yu was relieved. He took out the other Black Dragon Fish and tossed it onto the cutting board.
Mu Ying nodded and, with practiced ease, extracted the second one.
Looking at the two priceless Dragon Tendons, Su Yu nodded in satisfaction.
’With these Dragon Tendons, Senior Sister will be able to break through to the Muscle Forging Realm! The remaining one can be saved for Zhen’Er. At her cultivation speed, she might be able to use it very soon.’
With a flip of his wrist, Su Yu stored the two Dragon Tendons in his Storage Ring.
"My lord, the meat from these two treasure fish is a bit much. Let’s just cook one today to avoid waste."
"Alright. You’re in charge of the kitchen, so you decide."
Su Yu agreed readily.
He had no worries about leaving a Xuan-tier treasure fish like this in the kitchen.
Over the past half-year, Mu Ying had handled countless expensive treasure fish and Treasure Medicines, but she had always adhered to her principles, never once pocketing anything for herself. This rare quality was the real reason Zhen’Er had insisted on keeping her.
Leaving the kitchen, Su Yu returned to the rear courtyard, where he and Zhen’Er each began their cultivation.
This time, Su Yu chose to cultivate the Black Stone Body Forging Skill. This Martial Arts technique was about to reach Perfection, at which point he would be able to undergo his first Breaking Limit.
’I wonder what the Breaking Limit for this Xuan-tier Martial Arts will be. I’m sure it won’t disappoint me.’
[Black Stone Body Forging Skill Level +25]
[Black Stone Body Forging Skill Level +25]
...
「High noon.」
Su Yu stopped cultivating the Black Stone Body Forging Skill and summoned his panel to check his progress.
[Martial Arts]: Black Stone Body Forging Skill (First Layer) (Great Success 11900/12000)
’Only one hundred to go. If I eat something good, I can reach Perfection this afternoon!’
Just then, waves of fragrance wafted from the kitchen—the scent of the Black Dragon Fish.
"My lord! Madam! The steamed Black Dragon Fish in spirit sauce is ready!" Mu Ying announced as she carefully carried a huge, white jade porcelain basin to the stone table in the rear courtyard.
Su Yu and Zhen’Er immediately gathered around.
Inside the porcelain basin, large chunks of Black Dragon Fish meat had been stewed until they resembled congealed white jade. The skin had a tempting golden-yellow hue and glistened with a rich, spiritual sheen from the oils. The broth bubbled between the pieces of fish, and just by inhaling the aroma, Su Yu felt a tidal wave of hunger surge within him!
He hadn’t even picked up his chopsticks, yet his physical body was already sending signals of its desperate craving to devour it!
’A Xuan-tier treasure fish is truly worthy of its name, far beyond what any ordinary treasure fish can compare to!’
Seeing that the dish had been served, Mu Ying wiped her hands, bowed her head respectfully, and turned to leave.
Just then, Su Yu stopped her. "Mu Ying, you haven’t broken through to the Martial Artist realm yet, have you? Sit down and eat with us. This Xuan-tier treasure fish meat might be the opportunity you need to break through today."
Mu Ying froze at his words.
’Xuan-tier treasure fish meat... My lord is actually asking me to eat it with them?’
Her eyes immediately turned red.