The top Sects have already established a standard for just how astonishingly powerful a Martial Artist can be when they break through to the Flesh Refining Realm after having achieved Perfection in two of the three training disciplines—muscle, bone, and skin.

They could dominate others in the same realm and even clash with those in the Blood Exchange Realm without being defeated. 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

Of course, Fu Li didn’t know that Xu Yunfan had reached Perfection in all three disciplines. Only his master was aware of it. Xu Yunfan had even intentionally hidden his full strength when he went to the Profound Daoist Sect, holding back considerably when sparring with Su Zhenhe.

Xu Yunfan couldn’t help but say, "Your master isn’t dead yet, you know. A letter came from a disciple in the Giant Kite Team yesterday. It said Fu Jin has entered Qingzhou’s territory, but he’s been held up by the Daqian Army and is stuck at Yingchou Creek with a group of Rangers."

At this, Xu Yunfan found it a little funny. ’A man in his fifties or sixties, acting like one of those young Rangers, constantly looking for chances to intercept the Daqian transport caravans on the Qingzhou highways.’

Fu Li nodded repeatedly, wiped his face, and said excitedly, "I’ll go inform all the halls and departments about your breakthrough right now."

Xu Yunfan raised an eyebrow and quickly stopped Fu Li.

"Keep this to yourself. Don’t tell anyone. Just act like nothing’s changed."

Hearing this, Fu Li was a little confused, but since Xu Yunfan had said so, he figured he must have his reasons. He agreed at once and simply went to the Celestial Craft Department to ask the construction guys to come and repair the courtyard.

Pure Yang Qi Skill, 0/5000 (Great Success)

Effects: Pure Yang Inner Breath (Third Rank), Qi Armor (Third Rank), Recovery (Fifth Rank), Endless Life

He glanced at the Pure Yang Qi Skill’s status in the Skill Bar of his Attribute Panel. The most eye-catching part was the final effect: Endless Life.

Right now, the Pure Yang Inner Breath was being generated from his very flesh and blood, yet it was also continuously merging into his Red Flood Dragon Mountain Coiling Strength, making it ever stronger.

Although the Pure Yang Inner Breath was born from his Blood Qi, as long as his own Blood Qi was abundant, he could easily withstand this minor drain.

This Pure Yang Qi Skill was basically a buff that allowed for uninterrupted cultivation.

No wonder the Taoist Sect’s techniques for the Outer Three Harmonies Realm were considered the best in the Great Zhou. This one overpowered effect alone was enough to crush any opponent.

Moreover, it seemed this Kung Fu could be advanced even further, to the Perfection Realm.

Xu Yunfan’s eyes sparkled.

"Li Haomiao, I really have to thank you for this!"

* * *

On a mountaintop in the Taoist Sect, Li Haomiao, who was slowly practicing with his longsword, suddenly sneezed.

He rubbed his nose, feeling a bit baffled.

’Why did I suddenly sneeze?’

* * *

Without the slightest hesitation, Xu Yunfan decided to test the limits of his current strength. Naturally, this meant finding a deserted spot in the mountains behind the Celestial Craft Cave to try out his Thousand-Pound Mountain-Shaking Hammer Technique.

When he practiced his Hammer Technique in his courtyard, he had to hold back.

The moment Xu Yunfan stepped into the mountain hollow, a Hidden Force exploded from the soles of his feet, kicking up a thirty-foot wave of earth.

The sonic boom from him swinging the Thunderfire Qilin Hammer in a full circle startled a valley full of crows. The instant the nearly four-hundred-and-fifty-pound hammer head struck a giant boulder by the creek, the rock was forced half a foot into the ground. Shards of stone that shot out from the cracks were still in mid-air when the Red Flood Dragon Qi Force coiling around the handle ground them to dust.

Witnessing this, Xu Yunfan’s heart skipped a beat. He was puzzled. ’Back when I fought the Incense and Candle Sect and battled Bao Yan, their Qi Force was astonishing, but it was nowhere near this terrifying. It completely surpassed that of an ordinary Martial Artist.’

As he unleashed all eighteen forms of the Thousand-Pound Mountain-Shaking Hammer Technique, the muscles forged by his Profound Steel Hundred-Forged Body rippled like waves, continuously absorbing the rebound force and channeling it to fuel his internal Red Flood Dragon Mountain Coiling Strength.

He couldn’t pull back in time from a "Breaking River and Dividing Sea," and the wind from the hammer’s passage snapped an ancient cypress—one so thick it would take ten people to encircle its trunk—in half.

Even more frightening was that every time the hammer head touched the ground, the rocky floor of the hollow would ripple like a living creature, and clearly visible ring-shaped shockwaves would blast outwards one after another.

By the time he finished the final move of the Hammer Technique, the creek had already been diverted, its water flowing chaotically everywhere.

When Xu Yunfan lifted his Heavy Hammer, the mountain landscape within a hundred-zhang radius was utterly unrecognizable.

Xu Yunfan stroked the body of the hammer and sighed internally. That exhilarating display of the eighteen hammer forms had actually consumed thirty percent of the Golden Jade Blood Qi he had nurtured within his flesh and blood.

’The consumption is a bit high.’

Although his Pure Yang Inner Breath was endlessly drawing on his Blood Qi to replenish his Red Flood Dragon Mountain Coiling Strength, if he were to go all out, the consumption would likely be too severe to maintain a balance.

[You have continuously practiced the Thousand-Pound Mountain-Shaking Hammer Technique. You have executed all eighteen forms with ease. Your Skill Level for the Thousand-Pound Mountain-Shaking Hammer Technique has increased.]

Xu Yunfan glanced at the Thousand-Pound Mountain-Shaking Hammer Technique on his Attribute Panel. He had already accumulated nearly sixty points of Skill Level back in the Outer Three Harmonies Realm. Now that he had entered the Flesh Refining Realm, his progress was naturally much faster.

He wasn’t far from the Minor Achievement Realm.

In just under a year, he had crossed four realms to enter the Flesh Refining Realm.

Anyone who heard of such a feat would find it world-shatteringly shocking. It was practically inhuman.

Now, he finally had some power to protect himself in the Mortal World.

Xu Yunfan let out a breath. Just as he was about to test the ranged power of his Red Flood Dragon Mountain Coiling Strength, his eyes flickered. He glanced at the sky, and with a push from the arches of his feet, he was already skimming across the ground, away from the scene.

A few breaths later, a patrolling disciple from the Celestial Craft Cave’s Giant Kite Team flew in from the distance. He circled high above the hollow for a long while before finally departing.

A once-beautiful, scenic hill was now completely devastated. Naturally, it had to be reported.

However, at most, it would become an unsolved case. After a period of heightened alert, the matter would be dropped.

Back in his courtyard, Xu Yunfan saw that it had been completely renovated. A smile had just begun to form on his face when it instantly froze.

He walked over and looked at the brand-new Blazing Fire Steel Stake. A piece of white paper was pasted onto it.

Drawn on it was a contemptuous gesture, a local Great Zhou specialty, signed by Wanshan, the head disciple of the Celestial Craft Cave.

Xu Yunfan was speechless. It seemed that because he had repeatedly called on the Celestial Craft Department for repairs, Wanshan had come specifically to pick a fight with him today. When he couldn’t find him, he had to resort to this to express his dissatisfaction.

After all, during the relocation of the Celestial Craft Fortress, Xu Yunfan had relied on his Celestial Craft Forging Technique to solve one crisis after another. It had even changed the way Mo Han from the Mechanical Hall looked at him, making him want to poach Xu Yunfan from Zhan Yan.

Naturally, many disciples in the Celestial Craft Department respected him greatly. Whenever Xu Yunfan had a task, many would drop what they were doing and eagerly compete to help him.

This, in turn, had slowed down the progress on many of their research and development projects.

That night, after cultivating the Linn Character Technique, Xu Yunfan glanced at his Attribute Panel.

’Good. Breaking into the Flesh Refining Realm today also raised my Linn Character Technique cultivation by two points.’

He tossed the sweat-soaked linen cloth into a copper basin. The steamy mist, suffused with his Golden Jade Blood Qi, had yet to dissipate when the sound of the watchman’s clapper outside struck the third watch.

Washed and ready for bed, Xu Yunfan glanced at the vest made from the Extreme Dao Relic Shell. He was about to go to sleep and "fight three hundred rounds" with it to test the limits of his new strength when a series of urgent knocks suddenly came from his courtyard gate.

Xu Yunfan, who was already under the covers, sat up. He couldn’t help but let out a sigh, rubbing his temples with a deep frown.

’A knock this urgent in the middle of the night... can it possibly be good news?’

After throwing on an over-robe, Xu Yunfan went to open the courtyard gate. The moment his black robe swept across the stone steps, Fu Li’s knocking suddenly became flustered. When the gate opened, he saw Fu Li’s somewhat embarrassed face.