Chapter 54: Chapter 54: Breakthrough
[Name: Lu Yuan]
[Age: 17]
[Cultivation Technique: Second-Grade Cultivation Skill, Five Tigers Array-Breaking Saber (8,014/50,000, Entering the Stance)]
[Third-Grade Cultivation Skill: Tiger Subduing Posture, Tendon Refining (30,145/30,000, Perfection, Ready for Breakthrough?)]
[Second-Grade Cultivation Skill: Iron Bone Golden Bell Shield (10,258/50,000, Entering the Stance)]
[First-Grade Array: Cloud-Rushing Crane Wing Array (18,923/50,000, Entering the Stance) — Additional Effects: Borrowing Wind, Armor-Piercing]
[First-Grade Cultivation Skill: Wind-Chasing Arrow Skill (10,242/10,000, Great Success, Ready for Breakthrough?)]
"Breakthrough!"
Lu Yuan didn’t hesitate for a second, immediately choosing to break through.
Immediately, his body underwent a massive transformation. After reaching Perfection in the Tiger Subduing Posture, the next level was Divine Containment.
If he could perform Introspection, he would see every major tendon in his body shimmering with a divine light. With a swing of his arm, his strength was several times greater than before.
At this point, his Tendon Refining had successfully achieved Divine Containment.
Next was the Wind-Chasing Arrow Skill. His arms seemed to have grown, becoming slightly longer and much more powerful.
The joints in each of his fingers also grew more nimble.
[First-Grade Cultivation Skill: Wind-Chasing Arrow Skill (242/30,000, Perfection)]
"Phew!"
Feeling his newfound strength, he let out a long breath and took out a Dragon Tendon Pill. After twenty days of consuming all his Profound Tendon Pills, he had finally succeeded in Divine Containment.
Now, all he had to do was swallow the Dragon Tendon Pill to bring his Divine Containment to Perfection.
Without further ado, he tossed it into his mouth.
The next moment, as the elixir settled in his stomach, Lu Yuan could clearly feel his power surging. The sinews and bones throughout his body grew even stronger.
His body even began to gleam with a metallic luster.
HUMMM!
A moment later, as beads of sweat formed on his brow, he broke through.
[Third-Grade Cultivation Skill: Tiger Subduing Posture, Heart Refining (103/1,000, Minor Achievement)]
The Organ Refining realm focused on Refining the five major organs.
These were the heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys. Refining each organ would result in a qualitative improvement to his constitution.
Once all five organs were completely Refined, he could step into the Blood Movement Realm.
Because he cultivated a Body Refining Skill, his Heart Refining had already reached Minor Achievement despite having just broken through.
An ordinary person would probably be preparing to break through and begin Refining the Liver.
For him, however, this was far from his limit.
Only by achieving complete Divine Containment could he truly unify his inner and outer self.
With that, he stood up. It was noon, and he planned to go to the General’s Mansion for a meal.
Zhou Hongling’s official appointment had recently come through. She was now the Three Towns Garrison General, a Junior Fifth Grade position, making her a formidable figure in the Northern Border.
She was also the biggest backer Lu Yuan currently had.
During this meal, he could mention his breakthrough. Becoming a Thousand Men Commander should be a sure thing after that.
Thinking of this, he threw on some clothes and headed out the door.
But just as Lu Yuan was breaking through and preparing for a promotion...
...Zhang Zhe, over in Huangsha Fortress, had finally reached his breaking point after twenty days of torment.
He was used to a life of luxury.
Already unaccustomed to the bitter cold of the Northern Border, he had been driven beyond the pass by Helian Shang and told not to return without a hundred heads.
For twenty whole days, he hadn’t dared to rest, leading his men across the Wasteland in search of Northern Barbarian Scouts. With his rear already beaten to a pulp, one could only imagine the agony of sitting on horseback.
He had sent letters home, hoping his father and uncle could find a way to get him transferred back to Yunzhou, but since he was already in the Northern Border, they replied that their hands were tied.
Unless Zhang Zhe could perform a great service, he was stuck at the border fort.
He fell into despair after reading the letters. In twenty days, he had only managed to find two squads of Northern Barbarian Scouts, yielding less than thirty heads.
With no food or water left, he had no choice but to hurry back to Huangsha Fortress.
Because he had failed his mission, Helian Shang ordered him to be beaten with thirty military rods.
It was only because his cultivation was decent that he wasn’t completely crippled.
Lying face down on his bed, he clenched his fists, his eyes filled with resentment. ’Why? Why could Lu Yuan come to the Northern Border as a mere Garrison Soldier and rise to where he is now?’
’And why am I so damn unlucky?’
Today, after his beating, Helian Shang had told him to head out of the city again in three days. If he failed to deliver enough heads next time, he would be demoted.
"This is too much!"
He roared in a low voice, unwilling to accept it.
’I have to surpass Lu Yuan.’
’Otherwise, my family and my master will surely have second thoughts about me.’
He had already silenced the men he sent to gather information outside the city, and he had recalled the search party looking for Lu Yuan, ordering them to stand down.
But a secret can’t be kept forever. His family was bound to find out sooner or later.
On top of that, Helian Shang’s constant targeting had become unbearable. If this continued, Helian Shang might not kill him, but he definitely wouldn’t let him live comfortably.
This last trip outside the city had nearly cost him his life. If he went out again, a demotion was certain.
And then, he would truly have no way to explain himself to his family.
Thinking of this, he gritted his teeth, stood up, and called to his trusted subordinate outside the door, "Prepare a carriage for me. I’m going to Youzhou City."
That’s right, he was going to Youzhou to see that woman from before.
Judging by her entourage and the fact that she was staying at the General’s Mansion of Youzhou, she had to have some connection to the Helian Family.
If she was willing to help, Helian Shang probably wouldn’t keep tormenting him to death’s door.
At this thought, he endured the pain to wash himself, bandaged his wounds tightly, and changed into a decent set of clothes. After strapping on a suit of Soft Armor and wrapping a cloak around his shoulders, he was helped out the door and onto a carriage heading for Youzhou City.
’That woman may be disgusting, but it’s still better than continuing to suffer like this.’
Meanwhile, Lu Yuan had arrived at the Defending General’s Mansion. The dining table was laden with all sorts of dishes, mostly large cuts of meat and hearty broths, and one could see that many medicinal herbs had been stewed within.
Some were suitable for those in the Muscle Refining Realm, while others were for those in the Gang Qi Realm.
That’s right—Zhou Hongling had also broken through to the Gang Qi Realm. She was now just one step away from the Innate realm.
She was seated at the head of the table. Seeing Lu Yuan enter, she said in a clear voice, "I had a Profound Tiger Sinew stewed today. It’s all for you."
After speaking, she pointed to a large bowl next to Lu Yuan’s seat.
Today, she wore a watery-red dress, cinched tightly at the waist, which accentuated her magnificent bust. Her curvaceous figure was breathtakingly beautiful, so much so that one dared not look for too long. It was almost summer now, and even in the Northern Border, the weather had warmed considerably.
The women were all beginning to, intentionally or not, show off their best features.
Although Zhou Hongling was in the military, she would try to dress more comfortably when she wasn’t leaving the mansion.
"Thank you, General. But I’m afraid medicinal meals for Tendon Refining won’t be effective for me anymore," Lu Yuan said with a grin.
He casually unsealed a jar of wine.
Zhou Hongling’s mouth twitched. That wine was a gift from a good friend in the Imperial City, and she hadn’t even been willing to drink it herself yet. But seeing that Lu Yuan had already opened it, she could only pass her wine bowl over, preparing to have a drink with him.
Then she looked up and said, "What do you mean by that, you little rascal? Are you saying my food isn’t good enough for you?"
"Hehe, of course your medicinal meals are excellent, General. But I’ve already broken through to Organ Refining. I’m starting on Heart Refining now."
As soon as he finished speaking, a flash of delight passed through Zhou Hongling’s eyes.
She hadn’t expected Lu Yuan to break through so quickly.
This was definitely a pleasant surprise.
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