Chapter Seventy-Five: External Training and the Dragon Claw Technique

“Master Gongyang.” Bai Li Feihong hurried back to the Demon Suppression Tower, finally managing to intercept Gongyang Yan.

“Feihong, is there something urgent?” Gongyang Yan frowned slightly, observing Bai Li Feihong’s anxious demeanor and wondering what significant event had occurred.

“Has the Southern Naval Forces been defeated?” Gongyang Yan paused for a moment before asking, “Where did you hear this?”

“From the maritime merchants in the city.” As Bai Li Feihong spoke, he immediately realized his own lack of composure. Clearly, he regarded the defeat of the Southern Naval Forces as a matter of utmost importance.

“Sometimes, for the sake of strategy, we must be willing to sacrifice much.” Gongyang Yan suddenly spoke, his words laden with meaning.

Bai Li Feihong was stunned.

“Be prepared. The war has begun. Everything the Great Yuan sacrifices now will be reclaimed in the future tenfold, a hundredfold.” Gongyang Yan’s lips curled into a faint smile, radiant and captivating beneath the moonlight.

“I was reckless, Master.” Bai Li Feihong turned and departed.

The people of Eastern Shore City were gripped by fear. As a port city, their livelihood depended on the sea. News of the Southern Naval Forces’ defeat sent shockwaves through Eastern Shore City. The scent of war hung heavily in the air. Fear bred chaos, and chaos could give rise to monsters.

“The balance of heaven and earth’s yin and yang has been lost, the five elements are in disarray; the human world’s turmoil is now affecting the heavens themselves,” Bai Li Feihong remarked in astonishment. Having reached the level of Spirit Refinement, he could sense the vital energies of heaven and earth. He could perceive the city’s unrest far more clearly than ordinary people.

He saw wisps of scarlet drifting through the air, black mists rising and mingling with the primordial energies. The desires born of humanity—especially resentment—hovered between heaven and earth. Feeding on fear, anger, excitement, madness, murderous intent, and other negative forces, these energies gradually condensed, giving birth to something extraordinary.

“Is this how monsters, demons, and spirits come into being?” Bai Li Feihong wondered, uncertain. Yet, he truly glimpsed the workings of heaven and earth. To see a mountain and realize it is not merely a mountain—this state of mind allowed him to glimpse mysteries few could comprehend.

“I heard the Southern Naval Forces were defeated. Do you think it’ll affect our fishing in the Eastern Sea?”

“Humph, if even the Southern Naval Forces fell, how can we feel safe going out to sea?”

“They say the Japanese pirates have raided Nan County, which isn’t far from us. Will those pirates invade Eastern Shore City next?”

“If the pirates come, don’t we have the navy to protect us?”

“The navy has already been defeated—can they really hold back the pirates?”

Walking down the street, Bai Li Feihong heard the crowd’s anxious debate. His spirits sank.

The defeat of the Southern Naval Forces, though seemingly distant, profoundly impacted Eastern Shore City. Ordinary people could no longer live in peace—how could their days ever be tranquil?

“What did Master Gongyang mean by his words?” “Whom is the imperial court’s strategy truly meant to confront?” With these doubts lingering, Bai Li Feihong arrived at the Demon Suppression Bureau.

He withdrew a martial arts manual from his sleeve and began to read, seeking calm.

[Thirteen Layers of Golden Light Body Tempering Technique]

This method of body tempering was exceptionally profound, requiring the level of Aperture Refinement to cultivate. It was the top external body technique of the Demon Suppression Bureau. Each layer mastered covered the skin with a layer of golden light. Once all thirteen layers were attained, the body became impervious to blades, bullets, water, and fire.

Compared to the Six Paths of Demon Suppression Scripture, this body tempering technique was more akin to a martial skill, a supreme method for toughening the skin. Upon reaching the Spirit Refinement stage, Bai Li Feihong’s memory, comprehension, deduction, and learning abilities were greatly enhanced. The transformation of the body culminated in Spirit Refinement—the mind was a mysterious frontier. Spirit Refinement was the most perilous hurdle; carelessness could lead to madness or, worse, irreparable harm to the soul and even premature death.

The existence of the Skill Book spared Bai Li Feihong these dangers—he became the pinnacle of Spirit Refinement without even experiencing its trials. His mind was powerful, his spiritual sense formidable, covering a hundred yards. His martial will surged, turning illusion into reality—a truly terrifying state.

Now, when reading, he needed only half an hour to memorize an entire martial arts manual and deeply imprint it in his mind, granting him immense convenience in learning more martial arts.

[Thirteen Layers of Golden Light Body Tempering Technique: First Layer (1/100).]

Perhaps due to his vigorous vital energy, cultivating the first layer required little experience.

“Consume skill point to advance the first layer of Thirteen Layers of Golden Light Body Tempering Technique.”

“Skill point deducted: 1. First layer of Thirteen Layers of Golden Light Body Tempering Technique mastered.”

[Thirteen Layers of Golden Light Body Tempering Technique: Second Layer (1/200)]

His skin’s strength increased, and he gained knowledge of how to harness golden light to cloak his entire body.

“Consume skill point to advance Thirteen Layers of Golden Light Body Tempering Technique to its pinnacle.”

Bai Li Feihong glanced at his remaining 1,206 skill points. In one breath, he raised the Thirteen Layers of Golden Light Body Tempering Technique to its peak.

“Skill point deducted: 1. Second layer mastered.”

“Skill point deducted: 1. Third layer mastered.”
...
A total of 12 skill points were consumed, pushing the technique to perfection.

[Thirteen Layers of Golden Light Body Tempering Technique: Thirteenth Layer, Peak. Can consume 2 skill points to advance to the fourteenth layer.]

Bai Li Feihong exhaled softly.

With a single thought, his skin was enveloped in thirteen layers of golden light. Even if he stood still before Iron Tiger Mountain, the city’s guardian wielding his bronze hammer, he would remain unscathed.

“Vital energy is the root of all martial skills. With powerful vital energy, any martial art is easier to master.” Bai Li Feihong sighed. Nine Layers of Blood Refinement was no trivial matter.

The Blood Essence Refinement Technique had reached its limit. Though he could now convert blood essence at a speed that could barely keep pace, he wanted to accelerate the process. To do so, he had to advance the Blood Essence Refinement Technique itself.

Judging by his current rate, achieving the tenth layer would take ten years of cultivation. To further deduce this technique would require five hundred skill points—a tremendous sum Bai Li Feihong had never been willing to spend.

“These skill points are best reserved for mastering even more martial arts.”

As the vast experience from the Thirteen Layers of Golden Light Body Tempering Technique surged through his mind, Bai Li Feihong worked diligently to absorb it all. It felt as though he had practiced hundreds of times, hundreds of thousands of times—information rushing like a torrent through his consciousness. Yet, as a peak Spirit Refinement master, he felt no discomfort.

He pulled another martial arts manual from the drawer.

[Dragon Claw Technique]

This was a martial art focused on the hands. At its peak, one’s hands became dragon claws, capable of tearing steel with a single grasp. No weapon was needed, yet it surpassed even the legendary blades.

Yan Ruyu had gone to great lengths to select this technique for Bai Li Feihong. This Dragon Claw Technique was unlike the Shaolin Dragon Claw seen in films; it was an ancient, extraordinary skill originating from a powerful sect of antiquity.

Legend said the founder of this sect fought an ancient demon dragon for ten days and nights, studying the dragon’s close-combat claw techniques to create this martial art.

In the founder’s hands, it was no mere physical technique but a divine martial ability for close-quarter combat. Sadly, after antiquity, dragons vanished. To observe a demon dragon—or even a dragon beast—was impossible; comprehending the martial will of the Dragon Claw Technique was equally difficult. Let alone cultivating it to the level of divine ability.