My Cultivation Techniques Upgrade Automatically

Chapter 100: Chapter 99: Taking a Closer Look

CLIP-CLOP! CLIP-CLOP! CLIP-CLOP!—

Wu Chen heard the urgent sound of horse hooves from behind and instinctively turned to look.

Seeing the rider was Stone Ox, and that he wasn’t heading elsewhere but was following him, Wu Chen couldn’t help but feel it was a bit strange.

Although he didn’t know why Stone Ox hadn’t returned to Mountain Mist City and was instead wandering around outside, Wu Chen figured he must have gotten permission from He Bai.

But watching Stone Ox’s obedient-looking figure trailing behind him, Wu Chen couldn’t help but ponder:

’Don’t tell me this guy wants to become my disciple after I beat him up?’

He then looked at Stone Ox and said flatly, "I’m not accepting disciples."

Stone Ox: "..."

"I know you’re not accepting disciples. I’m just going into the mountains with you."

Like a little brother, he stayed half a step behind Wu Chen, following him.

"Fine."

Wu Chen nodded. "Then you walk in front."

"Huh? Why?" Stone Ox asked, confused.

He remembered that underlings were supposed to walk in the back.

"You’re walking in front to lead the way. I don’t know the path to the sects in these mountains."

Wu Chen’s expression was calm. He had originally planned to ask for directions along the way, but now that Stone Ox had shown up, things were much more convenient.

"Oh, I see!... It’s not that complicated, actually. You can get there just by following the road!"

Stone Ox finally understood. Without another word, he moved to the front and led Wu Chen toward the rolling, forested mountains east of the city.

The road through the forest was wide and flat, having been specially repaired and widened because it led to several sects.

Wu Chen looked at the verdant mountain peaks on both sides of the road, the neatly trimmed weeds and bushes, and the unknown flowers planted among them for decoration.

’These sects are really loaded!’

He inwardly marveled at the sects’ extravagance, then looked at the massive back in front of him and asked:

"Stone Ox, how many sects are there in these mountains?"

"Brother Wu, there are four sects in total."

Hearing the question, Stone Ox, who was walking ahead, immediately replied in his booming voice.

Although he had wandered here, he had lived in Mountain Mist City for over ten years since childhood, so he was naturally clear on these matters.

He continued in his booming voice:

"The four are the Green Mountain Martial Academy, Hundred Herbs Hall, Qingyi Workshop, and Refining Valley."

"Originally, these four sects were one. But a hundred years ago, their strongest Sect Leader, who was at the Blood Coagulation Realm, passed away. Since then, they split into four, each occupying a few treasured mountain peaks."

"But even though they split into four, they still discuss everything and haven’t damaged their harmonious relationship."

"For example, you can claim the reward for these demonfolk heads from any of the four."

Wu Chen nodded. That made sense. After all, the sects were intricately connected—break the bone, and the sinew still holds.

Even if they split, they wouldn’t tear off all pretenses and fight to the death.

"So what realm are the current Sect Leaders of these sects at?" Wu Chen continued to ask.

Stone Ox answered every question:

"Most are at the Late Stage of the Organ Refining Realm. I heard the one from Refining Valley is at the Perfection Stage of the Organ Refining Realm. He’s just a sliver of aura away from breaking through to the Blood Coagulation Realm and joining the ranks of second-rate masters."

Wu Chen nodded.

If people at the Meridian Passage Realm could become mountain bandits, then it was no surprise that those at the Organ Refining Realm—two major realms higher—could establish their own sects.

Besides, they had the foundations left behind by several previous generations of Sect Leaders.

And aside from the Sect Leaders, each sect surely had ten or twenty Elders at the Organ Refining Realm.

In the eyes of ordinary people, these sects were colossal existences.

"So which sect does this road lead to?"

Wu Chen glanced around, feeling the temperature gradually rising. "Is it Refining Valley?"

"Yep, yep! Young Master Wu, your head... is amazing!"

Stone Ox racked his brains for a long time before squeezing out such a compliment.

Wu Chen touched his own head. ’Why does that compliment sound so creepy?’

Stone Ox continued to explain:

"We’re going to Refining Valley because, one, it’s close to us—just twenty or thirty li into the mountains along the main road—and two, Refining Valley is the wealthiest of all the sects."

"So claiming the reward here won’t be too much trouble, and they won’t take a huge cut of the bounty like the government does."

Wu Chen smiled. ’It seems the government’s reputation for that is well-known to all!’

But he was still a little curious. "Logically, Hundred Herbs Hall and Qingyi Workshop shouldn’t be short on money either, right? Why does it sound like Refining Valley is in a league of its own?"

After all, when practicing martial arts, you could get by with bare fists, and you could even practice some forms with a rotten wooden stick.

But without medicinal soups and pills to temper the body, it would be an incredibly arduous process.

"Let’s not even talk about the weapons of Jianghu wanderers."

Stone Ox said, "When the imperial forges get too busy, the weapons and armor for the soldiers in the surrounding cities are all contracted out to Refining Valley."

"I see."

Wu Chen’s expression showed his understanding. ’So they have a huge contract with the Imperial Court.’

Then he saw Stone Ox slow down to ride beside him, lean over like a big bear telling a secret, and whisper:

"Brother Wu, that’s not all. I heard that the Blood Slaughter Demon Sect also frequently comes to Refining Valley to have weapons forged."

After speaking, he pulled away. But seeing Wu Chen’s expression remain unchanged, he found it a little strange:

"Huh? Brother Wu, aren’t you surprised?"

Wu Chen laughed. "What’s there to be surprised about?"

Seeing that Stone Ox didn’t seem to understand, he explained:

"If Refining Valley doesn’t forge weapons for the Blood Slaughter Sect, do you think the Blood Slaughter Sect has no other way to get them?"

Stone Ox rubbed his big, round head and thought for a moment. "That’s true."

Wu Chen continued:

"Besides, the Blood Slaughter Sect definitely can’t approach Refining Valley openly. They must use other names. Even Refining Valley might not know who they’re ultimately forging weapons for."

Wu Chen didn’t have a strong opinion on the matter.

At least he hadn’t seen many refugees in Mountain Mist City. In all likelihood, it was these sects that had spent the money to provide relief.

Stone Ox nodded, not dwelling on the matter either.

He had only heard it from others and had just mentioned it casually since Wu Chen happened to ask.

As they spoke, heat began to rise from the ground, and the surrounding temperature climbed higher and higher.

Hot air surged from the mountain pass ahead, making one’s mouth and throat feel dry.

Along with it came the lively din of metal being struck—DING DING DANG DANG.

It had to be the sound of Refining Valley forging weapons.

"Looks like the war in Qingzhou has brought another big deal for Refining Valley."

Listening to the bustling sounds from the valley and seeing carts laden with weapons constantly entering and exiting...

Wu Chen thought to himself that *this* was what you called business. It was more than just raking in a fortune every day!

While he was lost in thought, the two arrived before an impressive archway.

On the archway’s carved crossbeam, rendered in powerful calligraphy, were two large words:

Refining Valley!

The destination for their trip was right before their eyes.

But before they could even enter, a clear voice called out.

"Stone Ox, couldn’t hold yourself back again today? Sneaking over to Refining Valley to forge iron?"

At the entrance to Refining Valley stood four or five disciples on each side, all at the Mid Stage of the Meridian Passage Realm.

Seeing the familiar, massive figure approaching on horseback from a distance, these disciples couldn’t help but start teasing him:

"Stone Ox, you might as well just join our Refining Valley! It’d save you the trouble of running back and forth every few days! Aren’t you tired of the hassle?"

"Yeah, besides, it’s not like you can’t go back to Mountain Mist City if you join Refining Valley."

"You know how it is with our Refining Valley—if you’re willing to join, you can name your price!"

"..."

"Not here to forge iron this time."

Stone Ox shook his head, turning a deaf ear to the disciples’ other comments, and said in his booming voice, "This time, I’m here to claim a reward for killing a demon."

"Whoa! Your grandpa finally let you use weapons to kill people?"

Stone Ox came to Refining Valley often and was quite familiar with the disciples there, so they also knew about his family rules.

For instance, he wasn’t supposed to casually use weapons or be aggressive and start fights—though Stone Ox rarely listened, especially when it came to being aggressive.

So, hearing Stone Ox suddenly say he had killed a demonfolk and was here for the reward immediately caught the attention of every disciple present.

With a SWOOSH, the dozen or so Refining Valley disciples all crowded around Stone Ox, their gazes falling on the horse beside him.

But when they saw the bloody sack on the horse’s back, they all showed expressions of disgust:

"You oaf, couldn’t you have been cleaner about killing the demonfolk? Just give it a quick slash. Look at the mess you made, the sack is soaked in blood!"

"He’s got the Overlord Body, what else is he going to do with all that extra strength except desecrate the corpse!"

"You idiot! Fine, desecrate the corpse, but don’t you know you only need to bring back the head? Why’d you bring the whole body! Isn’t that tiring?"

"Whatever, whatever. Hurry up and open it, let’s see which unlucky bastard got mangled so badly by the Overlord Body!"

As they spoke, one disciple couldn’t wait any longer and reached out to untie the rope binding the mouth of the sack.

But Stone Ox, who knew exactly what was inside, panicked and shouted to stop them:

"Don’t!"

But it was too late. With a light tug on the knot from the disciple, the rope quickly spiraled loose and fell away.

The mouth of the sack, pushed open by its contents, gaped wide.

But how could these disciples have known what kind of scene awaited them inside?

As the rope came undone, they even craned their necks forward, wanting to get a clear look at which demonfolk had been so unlucky.

And then...

THUD! THUD! THUD!...

Countless bloody heads poured out of the sack’s opening, raining down right on top of the disciples who had gathered close.

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