A Long Grind to Daoist Monarch-Chapter 174 - 145: Tempering True Blood, Breaking Through the Bone Gate

[Skill: Butchery (Beginner)]

[Progress: 2/800]

[Effect: Slaughtering and cutting meat of livestock]

"Could this also be learned as a skill?"

Bai Qi felt slightly surprised and thought to himself:

"Roasting Spirit Deer and Spirit Sheep to gain 'Cooking', forging Yangxiao Steel to comprehend 'Blacksmithing'. It seems mastering skills is closely related to 'materials'."

He took down the black-armed ape meat, which was roasted to about eighty to ninety percent done, sprinkled some spices for flavor, tore off a piece, and chewed it carefully.

With the added effect of the Cooking skill, it wasn't difficult to eat, like a fresh cucumber just picked from the rack, fresh and crisp.

"A single spirit beast, skinning and bleeding can increase the 'Butchery' skill; roasting and eating can boost the 'Cooking' skill, with nothing going to waste, making full use, at its best frugality and household management."

About half an hour passed, having consumed several pounds of meat, the hunters who were knocked unconscious finally woke up, saw the black-armed ape placed peacefully aside, and then looked at the young man sitting by the campfire.

What's going on?

"Are you from the Hunting Tiger Manor?"

Bai Qi asked calmly.

"We live at the foot of the mountain, Young... Hero! Thank you, Young Hero, for saving us!"

A middle-aged hunter, quick-witted, promptly replied.

Young Hero?

Bai Qi raised an eyebrow, hearing someone refer to him like that for the first time.

"Is there any way to contact the Mountain Herder?"

He continued to ask.

"Yes, yes, we brought some 'Thousand Feet Snow'."

The middle-aged hunter painfully took out a packet of medicinal powder from his leggings, and Bai Qi raised his hand to take it and throw it into the campfire.

The so-called "Thousand Feet Snow" is actually dried horse manure from winter, finely ground and kept for emergencies.

Once ignited, it would release thick smoke rising several feet high, also having the effect of driving away insects and animals.

When hunters encounter danger, they often use Thousand Feet Snow to send distress signals. If the Mountain Herder nearby sees it, they are usually willing to lend a helping hand since they come from the same village.

Thick smoke soared straight up, and it wasn't long before the rustling sounds of footsteps came from the dense forest. Several hunters, holding five-pronged forks, stealthily hid behind the vegetation. Seeing the two dead black-armed apes, they were startled and their gaze inevitably fell by the campfire.

"Whoa! Brother Wang Gang! What happened to your leg?"

A young hunter recognized the familiar face and hurriedly jumped out to ask.

"Unlucky, ran into these two vicious beasts, almost got eaten… Shuanzi and Erleng met misfortune, alas, thanks to this Young Hero's help, we barely escaped with our lives."

The middle-aged hunter named "Wang Gang" sighed. Every time they ventured into the mountains, it felt like a trip around the Ghost Gate Barrier.

With all those spirits and even demons hidden along the five hundred miles of mountain paths, even skilled practitioners in martial arts struggle to guarantee avoiding mishaps.

"Why don't you call some folks, take the two black-armed apes down the mountain? I'm staying at the Hunting Tiger Manor. The money from selling the pelts can be your reward, deal?"

Bai Qi's tone was calm, and the hunters dared not say a word of "no," quickly nodding.

Such two large black-armed apes, with thick pelts, could at least make two quilts and a coat, fetching no less than fifty taels of silver.

With such a good deal, who would refuse?

Having handed over the two black-armed apes to the hunters, Bai Qi harnessed his strength to leap and rapidly descended the mountain.

...

...

Half of the waning sun sank into the mountains, and Ninghai Zen sat in the tea pavilion as if he hadn't moved an inch.

Seeing Bai Qi, covered in blood and without injury, he nodded slightly and said:

"Let's go back." 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

Bai Qi nodded, following his master through two yellow mud streets.

Ninghai Zen pushed open the wooden door of a solitary courtyard, leading his disciple inside:

"When I was young, I was a Swordman and also ventured into Longkang Mountain a few times, just didn't stay long."

Bai Qi's mind buzzed with thoughts:

"A Swordman...師傅 used to enjoy mountain adventures hunting demons and catching the autumn breeze, already developed such habits early on?"

Ninghai Zen wandered around, single-handedly lugging a large purple copper vat into the courtyard, then instructing Bai Qi to buy dozens of bundles of dry wood, ready to cook something.

"Master, you are..."

As the flames roared, boiling the vat filled with water until it bubbled, Bai Qi felt uneasy.

"Cultivators speak of supplementation through forms, taking nourishment and refining essence. For martial arts practitioners like us, it's not much different. The process of Bone-Breaking Barrier is extremely intense and stimulating, expelling massive amounts of waste blood from the body, posing a life-threatening risk if blood regeneration doesn't keep up."

Ninghai Zen said blandly with hands folded behind his back:

"So, at this time, it's best to absorb powerful supplemental materials to ensure a constant influx of qi blood. As your considerate master, I've specially prepared top-quality Tiger Bone for you, Ah Qi, as they say, a dead tiger remains unbulging, showing the hardness of its bones. It's perfect for aiding your Bone-Breaking Barrier."

Bai Qi watched as Ninghai Zen poured a bag of Tiger Bone into the boiling vat.

With the support of his medicine identification skills, he also noticed it was vinegar Tiger Bone, a preparation method.

First, it's roasted with sand, its color turning slightly yellow, screened for impurities, then poured into vinegar for quick soaking and drying.

When the Tiger Bone settled into the purple copper vat, Ninghai Zen asked Bai Qi for the heart blood of the two black-armed apes, sprinkling it in like seasoning.

Bundles of dry wood were added underneath to fuel the fire, burning steadily for two hours until a thick, spicy aroma wafted out.

"It's done, Ah Qi."

Ninghai Zen said with satisfaction:

"Jump in."

"..."

Bai Qi eyed the scorching purple copper vat, wondering if Ninghai Zen was planning to have a meat feast.

An inexplicable sense of 'get in the pot to boil' engulfed him.

"Master, is Bone-Breaking Barrier really that fierce?"

Ninghai Zen shook his head:

"Normally, it's just soaking with True Blood of Spirits and Monsters mixed with an herbal bath. But as my disciple, you shouldn't be compared to ordinary people. The hardships I endured in those days, ahem, the treatments I enjoyed, you should, of course, try them too."

Master, if you've been through the rain, couldn't you hold the umbrella for me?

Bai Qi's lips twitched; eventually, he removed his martial tunic decisively and jumped into the purple copper vat with his mind steeled.

Scalding!

The boiling water enveloped his tall body, forcing Bai Qi to quickly circulate his inner power, driving qi blood to resist the searing heat.

Muscles bulged and hardened like tanned leather, enduring the blistering heat.

Breath! Inhale!

Bai Qi gritted his teeth, maintaining a steady rhythm of breathing, gradually opening his pores. The mixture of Tiger Bone and True Blood of Spirits and Monsters transformed into potent medicinal power, gradually penetrating his body.

Hiss!

The torturous feeling instantly swelled his face red, spreading across his entire body, leaving no part untouched.

He looked like a cooked lobster, flushed bright red.

The surging breath, the sustained exertion, beads of crimson blood rolled down, turning the purple copper vat completely vermillion in a short span of time.

Bai Qi seemed to be sinking, the boiling water engulfing him, his breath reduced from vigorous bellows to barely a whimper.

"Is Master kidding?"

This thought flickered through his mind.

If he were a typical practitioner,

He'd already be long gone.

If not for the perfect tendon barrier achievement and accumulated power, Bai Qi wouldn't have lasted this long.

The heart blood from the two black-armed apes began to take effect, making him like a dried-up sponge, absorbing moisture and replenishing himself fully.

"Seems... it feels good now."

Bai Qi opened his eyes suddenly, his entire skeletal structure as if injected with molten iron, unbearably hot, and oozing thick liquid, representing newly consolidated blood!