"The seventh piece, Nine Demons Drawing Sword."

"The eighth piece, Three Disks Land."

"The tenth piece, Azure Dragon Claw."

"The eleventh piece, Lying Tiger Pounce."

"The twelfth piece, Bowing and Drumming."

The difficulty increases the further he goes, but for Yan Chuan, it's still manageable. Within just a span of two hours, Yan Chuan was sweating profusely and feeling hot all over. When he felt his physical strength reaching its limit, he had already mastered the twelfth piece, leaving only the last piece to completely master the first form "Golden Light" of the "Fire Demon Golden Bell Shield" Innate Chapter.

Meanwhile—

"Fire Bud Crystal!" Yan Chuan sensed the speed of refining with unconcealed joy on his face: "From practicing the first piece 'Golden Light' to the twelfth piece, I have yet to complete the first form, yet my refining speed of 'Fire Bud Crystal' has increased by at least thirty percent!"

Thirty percent!

That's a lot!

Yan Chuan originally refined eleven or twelve Fire Bud Crystals each month. With a thirty percent increase, he could now refine about fourteen or fifteen each month, gaining three to four more each month. Over the year, that's an additional 36 crystals!

This is a major breakthrough!

The "Dragon Elephant Wisdom", "Vajra Unbreakable Body Divine Skill", "Golden Bell Shield", and other absolute skills that Yan Chuan previously cultivated barely helped in the progress of refining 'Fire Bud Crystal'. Regardless of the seventh realm or the eighth realm, he could only refine eleven or twelve each month.

Since the end of January this year when he acquired the Fire Bud Crystal, Yan Chuan had been refining them at a rate of eleven or twelve per month. Now it's May 26th, and Yan Chuan is refining his 48th Fire Bud Crystal, already approaching the ten-layered physique.

But this speed is still too slow.

At this rate, to fully refine 211 Fire Bud Crystals and reach the sixth rank physique, it would take at least 14 months, over a year, which would miss the 'Genius Battle' of Sitting Mountain Country.

However, after creating the "Fire Demon Golden Bell Shield" Innate Chapter—

"Only the first form!"

"Only the twelfth piece of the first form 'Golden Light'!"

"This alone has increased efficiency by thirty percent."

"Once I completely master 'Golden Light', it can increase further."

"When I create and sequentially master the second, third, fourth, fifth, and eventually the sixth form of the 'Fire Demon Golden Bell Shield' Innate Chapter, how much can the refining speed of 'Fire Bud Crystal' surmount?"

"Three times?"

"Five times?"

"Or even ten times?"

Yan Chuan was elated.

Yan Chuan was full of anticipation.

The "Fire Demon Golden Bell Shield" brought him immense joy.

Though this "Fire Demon Golden Bell Shield" wasn't specifically developed for 'Fire Bud Crystal', there's no denying that in terms of refining 'Fire Bud Crystal', this true skill truly has its specialty.

"Currently, it's the 'Fire Demon Golden Bell Shield' speeding up the refining of 'Fire Bud Crystal'. In the future, when I cultivate to the sixth rank physique, when I practice the Innate Peak Chapter of the 'Fire Demon Golden Bell Shield', after refining all 211 Fire Bud Crystals, I can still refine more 'Fire Bud Crystals', thereby aiding the cultivation of the 'Fire Demon Golden Bell Shield'!"

"Sixth rank physique!"

"That's the limit of 'Fire Bud Crystal', but it's not the limit of 'Fire Demon Golden Bell Shield' + 'Fire Bud Crystal'!"

Pa!

Yan Chuan kicked the twelve-meter 'Mad Demon Scroll', his gaze focused, his heart radiating joy as he began yet another day of contemplation. He aimed to research more content of the 'Fire Demon Golden Bell Shield' quickly, refining more Fire Bud Crystals faster!

The future was bright!

Full of enthusiasm!

...

In the martial arts lecture of the Black Hawk Territory, the fresh and grand 'Experience Library' of thirty million military and civilians caused another qualitative transformation in Yan Chuan—

"Wave Riding Micro Steps" first reached the peak of the eighth realm.

Following closely was the "Ghost Prison Yin Wind Roar".

Subsequently, the "Dugu Nine Swords" and "Heavenly Mountain Broken Plum Hand" successively entered the peak of the eighth realm.

Each absolute skill successively moved toward higher levels, while Yan Chuan was still leveraging the martial arts lectures and 'Mutual Teaching and Learning' to enhance the mastery of various absolute skills, while also dedicating considerable energy to researching true skills.

This was evident from the task allocation in the 'Derivation Skill' task panel—

[Task One: "Washing Marrow Scripture"]

[Task Two: "72 Transformations"]

[Task Three: "Newborn"]

[Task Four: "Fire Demon Golden Bell Shield"]

...

The fourth level of 'Derivation Skill' had a total of eight task panels, and unknowingly, four of them were under development for 'Self Martial True Skill', occupying half.

'Gengwu Skill' had reached its end.

'Self Martial True Skill' was rising.

"Innate Realm—"

"One to five stages cultivate 'Gengwu Skill'."

"Starting from the sixth stage, one should cultivate 'Self Martial True Skill'."

Some, like Zhang Tao, progressed step by step, advancing the clan's true skill, relying on existing methods and traces, practicing with ease.

Some paved new paths, like Luo the Madman, who spent twenty years creating the 'Mad Demon Saber Technique' from the 'Mad Demon Scroll'. But further along, at the sixth stage, if he still refused to join a faction, he would still not obtain true skill inheritance, thus having to pioneer his path as a creator. This was very difficult, but if successful, the future prospects were vastly superior, far exceeding peers.

Yan Chuan was taking the second path.

Simultaneously developing four true skills, the fastest progressing was not the initially developed 'Washing Marrow Scripture', nor was it the 'Newborn' saber technique based on Luo the Madman's shoulders, but the 'Fire Demon Golden Bell Shield' which resonated most with Yan Chuan, stirred him the most, and laid down his firmest foundation!

"The first form of 'Fire Demon Golden Bell Shield' Innate Chapter: 'Golden Light'."

"The second form of 'Fire Demon Golden Bell Shield' Innate Chapter: 'Golden Mountain'."

"The third form of 'Fire Demon Golden Bell Shield' Innate Chapter: 'Golden River'."

"The fourth form of 'Fire Demon Golden Bell Shield' Innate Chapter: 'Vajra'."

"The fifth form of 'Fire Demon Golden Bell Shield' Innate Chapter: 'Dragon Elephant'."

"The sixth form of 'Fire Demon Golden Bell Shield' Innate Chapter: 'Fire Demon'."

From the inception of the 'Fire Demon Golden Bell Shield', Yan Chuan had created the entire Innate Chapter at a pace of one form per day, completing all six forms in just six days, corresponding to the six forms of the saber technique 'Mad Demon Saber Technique' of Luo the Madman like 'Thunderclap', 'Sky-tearing', 'Ghost Shadow', 'Seven Absolute', 'Residual Dream', and 'Mad Demon', leading to the pinnacle of the Fifth Grade, pointing directly to the Sixth Grade.

With the foundation of cross-training eight realms from "Dragon Elephant Wisdom", "Vajra Unbreakable Body Divine Skill", "Golden Bell Shield", and others.

Combined with 'Fire Bud Crystal'.

Combined with 'Mad Demon Scroll'.

Researching the Innate Chapter of the 'Fire Demon Golden Bell Shield' was exceptionally easy for Yan Chuan, accomplished smoothly without any hindrance. Until the sixth form 'Fire Demon' was created, the 'Mad Demon Scroll' no longer impacted Yan Chuan, no longer trained him.

Just like Luo the Madman back then.

However—

"I am different from Luo the Madman!"

"I still have 'Derivation Skill'!"

[You can gain corresponding inspiration from certain traces, items, or environments.]

Even though Yan Chuan couldn't sense the special nature of the 'Mad Demon Scroll' anymore, by continuing to observe, his 'Derivation Skill' occasionally managed to give rise to inspiration, which seemed to accumulate over time.

Originally, as Yan Chuan observed the 'Mad Demon Scroll', he became increasingly familiar with its lines, increasingly accustomed, and the 'Mad Demon Scroll' affected him less and less.

But now.

On the contrary.

With the accumulation of inspiration, the 'Mad Demon Scroll', from which Yan Chuan had clearly already desensitized, actually started to allow him to rediscover the initial sensation bit by bit.

Increasingly intense.

Patterns.

Lines.

Chaotic.

Once again, Yan Chuan fell into confusion, back to the beginning.

At this moment—

"Demon!"

"God!"

"Ghost!"

"Monster!"

"Underworld!"

"Netherworld!"

In Yan Chuan's eyes, the patterns and lines in the 'Mad Demon Scroll' transformed once again, this time not into human forms or cross-training, but into statues of gods and demons, immortal buddhas, fierce ghosts, powerful, sacred, eerie—

Slash!

As he observed, a bolt of lightning suddenly flashed across Yan Chuan's mind, and droplets of inspiration finally converged, finally cleared.

...

"To commence action, one must first close their eyes and clear the mind, maintain a steady intention, eliminate distractions, purify the mind and regulate breathing, till the spirit and energy stabilize, then proceed to perform each move accordingly."

In the 'Six Ding and Six Jia Demon Suppression Formation', Yan Chuan swallowed a 'Fire Bud Crystal' and practiced the 'Fire Demon Golden Bell Shield', starting from the first piece of the first form 'Golden Light'—

"Wei Tuo Offering Pestle!"

Concentrate and calm the breath; stand with the body upright and balanced; the arms form a circle in front of the chest, level with it, regularizing breath, maintaining an inner focus, eliminating extraneous thoughts, calming the mind, with a composed expression and an open mental state.

"Heng Dan Demon Suppression!"

Calming the breath, concentrating on tranquility, with lips gently closed, silent, eyes wide open, full of vigor, assuming a demon-suppressing stance.

"Hand Holding Heaven Gate!"

...

Yan Chuan performed it through once, progressing smoothly from the first piece of the first form 'Golden Light' to the thirteenth piece, drenched in sweat, with a hint of golden light faintly emerging from his sinew, bone, skin, and membrane. The initial appearance of golden light marked the commencement of body refining.

By then, the refining speed of 'Fire Bud Crystal' surged by fifty percent.

But it wasn't over yet.

"The second form of 'Fire Demon Golden Bell Shield', 'Golden Mountain'!"

"Golden light heavy and majestic, like a mountain."

Yan Chuan transitioned smoothly from the first form 'Golden Light' to the second form 'Golden Mountain', completing it effortlessly, all thirteen pieces.

Boom!

The Golden Mountain fell into place, connecting from start to finish!

The refining speed of 'Fire Bud Crystal' once again surged, doubling easily from the initial base—

"First form, fifty percent!"

"Second form, double!"

What about the third form?

"Third form, 'Golden River'!"

"Golden light like a river, vast and mighty, flowing through the body!"

Yan Chuan transitioned from the second form to the third form, but this time, the difficulty spiked from the first piece, with every movement heavy and sluggish.

The first form 'Golden Light' corresponds to a First Rank Divine General.

The second form 'Golden Mountain' corresponds to a Second Rank Divine General.

"The third form 'Golden River' corresponds to a Third-Rank Divine General."

"I have currently refined 51 Fire Bud Crystals, my physique still being a nine-layered one, mastering the second form is already creditable to my own creation of 'Fire Demon Golden Bell Shield', due to its compatibility."

"But the third form!"

Yan Chuan gritted his teeth, difficult, difficult, difficult!

Yan Chuan only had the cultivation of Innate Fourth Layer, Innate Nine-Layered Physique, yet was attempting to cultivate the third form of the 'Fire Demon Golden Bell Shield' that corresponds to a Third-Rank Divine General, which was extremely challenging.

However, because Yan Chuan self-created the 'Fire Demon Golden Bell Shield', he was genuinely unafraid of difficulty, comprehending extremely fast.

The mastery was there.

But the body couldn't keep up.

"The second-rank physique forcefully training 'Golden River', is too burdensome for me."

...