Chapter 41: Blood Essence Shields the Body as Fighting Spirit Soars

Unable to see the small text clearly, he was unable to use the refinement technique on it. Lu Xiao felt a slight sense of regret, but overall, he was pleased. The fact that the tome emitted an orange phantom suggested that his efforts had not been in vain. His previous hypothesis had been in the right direction; his inability to see through it was simply due to his strength being insufficient. As his strength progressed, this hazy phantom would inevitably become clear.

He stored the tome away. Though he faced many predicaments, he was not so pressed for time that he could not afford to wait. Perhaps by the time he reached the peak of the Stone-Moving Realm, he would be able to see through it entirely. Lu Xiao was satisfied with his path of cultivation. Being able to derive continuous gains from his practice made him increasingly proactive and motivated. At present, he no longer lacked cultivation techniques as he had at the start, and he even possessed a manual that was likely quite extraordinary. A technique that could manifest orange text was certainly not ordinary.

The day had been quiet, with only his outing during the night. Feeling not at all sleepy, Lu Xiao hesitated for a moment before stepping out of his room. Most cities in the Great Xia Kingdom did not enforce a curfew; after all, with cultivators moving about this world, nighttime activity was not unusual. Many taverns remained staffed throughout the night. However, as the weather grew colder, the few people who usually traveled at night were even fewer now.

Counting it up, he had only sat down to practice the "Dragon Blood Body-Tempering Art" twice, meaning he had only just scratched the surface. The benefits of this purple-grade technique were truly exceptional. Even at this entry level, the reinforcement it provided to his physique and blood energy was remarkable. Of course, another reason was that after being refined, the technique itself had been enhanced. Tonight, he intended to continue his focused practice of this art. The colder the weather, the more the scent of blood would be contained, which was slightly advantageous for him.

Lu Xiao returned to the dense forest north of the city. The City Lord’s Mansion had investigated the area, but as the scent of blood had since dissipated from other locations, they had stopped monitoring this spot. Having stepped into the "Through-Flow" stage of the Stone-Moving Realm, he had essentially mastered the core essence of the realm. Lu Xiao could feel his control over his own body improving significantly. Practicing the "Dragon Blood Body-Tempering Art" again tonight, he experienced many new sensations.

His body was surrounded by wisps of blood energy, and he felt as though he could guide them. Holding his breath and focusing, Lu Xiao carefully manipulated the energy. Ordinarily, the blood energy surrounding him would have dissipated, but now, it lingered around him. Following his intent, the wisps of blood energy moved accordingly. Focusing his mind, Lu Xiao began to practice over and over, refining his ability to control this blood energy.

After more than an hour, he had gained mastery over the majority of the blood energy around him. Instead of dissipating, it now condensed around his body. Blood Energy Protection! This was the hallmark of reaching the second level of the "Dragon Blood Body-Tempering Art." In essence, this art was a defensive technique. Beyond building physique and blood energy, in actual combat, channeling the technique could greatly enhance one's defensive capabilities. The way it boosted a martial artist's defense was by forming a shroud of blood energy around the body. When an enemy launched a surprise attack, this protective energy would intercept it first. This method was particularly effective against underhanded tactics, such as surprise poison darts or treacherous traps; the protective energy bought the martial artist valuable reaction time.

Sensing these improvements, Lu Xiao took out the third-tier refined "Dragon Blood Body-Tempering Art" and scrutinized it carefully once more. Though he already remembered it clearly, he double-checked to ensure he hadn't erred. Upon closer inspection, he confirmed his memory was correct. The "Dragon Blood Body-Tempering Art" was accurately divided into three levels: the first was "Blood Energy Circling," where the energy around the body served no clear purpose other than perhaps intimidation in combat. The second level was "Blood Energy Protection," where the body was shrouded in a crimson light. Once achieved, the art proved its worth by effectively blocking sneak attacks and poisonous mists. The third level was "Blood Energy Shielding," where the blood energy could be condensed at will during combat, turning the protective barrier into a solid shield before the martial artist.

Lu Xiao had originally thought it would take years to advance further, but he hadn't expected such rapid progress. He attributed this to two reasons: first, the refined "Dragon Blood Body-Tempering Art" was far easier to comprehend; second, his innate talent for comprehension was truly not bad at all—certainly not the "total lack of talent" that the old scoundrel Tian Zi had claimed years ago.

While the "Dragon Blood Body-Tempering Art" might not aid in offense, its effect on defensive maneuvering was significant. If the Martial Sect Academy’s assessment involved combat between martial artists, the utility of this art would be revealed. Even though others looked down on him, he would not be the one to fail. Possessing the ability to refine all things, it would be foolish indeed not to break through his current situation and carve out a future for himself.

Throughout the night, Lu Xiao poured his focus into the "Dragon Blood Body-Tempering Art," stabilizing his progress at the second level and mastering the related techniques. Furthermore, he decided to keep his ability to manifest Blood Energy Protection a secret for now. They had given him this technique intending for him to damage his own foundation and stop his progress, not to help him improve.

When he finally regained his senses, the sky was already brightening. After tidying up and returning to his quarters, he found Er Niu had already risen. Seeing Lu Xiao return, Er Niu hurriedly stepped forward with hot water for him to clean up. "Fourth Young Master, you must take care of your health; there is no need to practice so early. The daytime tasks are not so heavy now; I can handle them myself. You should save your strength for your cultivation..."

Lu Xiao’s harsh living conditions were difficult for Er Niu to watch, but as a servant, all he could do was take on more of the chores. Lu Xiao told Er Niu not to worry about him, washed up, and the two ate breakfast together. Er Niu had risen early and brought the meal back. Today’s breakfast was much more abundant than before. Unsurprisingly, this was the result of his actions last night. The servants in the residence were bullies who feared the strong; previously, he had only used the situation to intimidate them, but striking out at Wei Zhuo last night had shown them his real strength. This level of power was nothing compared to the guards of the Marquis’s mansion, who were surely all well beyond the entry level of the Stone-Moving Realm, but if it couldn't hurt the guards, could it not hurt the servants?