Within a cave sat a young man. His features weren't outstanding, but he had a courageous yet reliable aura around him. However, none of that could be discerned at the moment as the man's body was caked in dried blood. The man sighed as a blood-red mist exited out of his mouth. Once the red mist evaporated, the dried blood on the man's body began to shatter and fall off. With all the blood off, the man's naked body could be seen, skin the color of wheat and rippling muscles underneath.

"Almost," Lushu sighed with some regret. He had traveled with Azure Leaf City's refugees and settled in Fan City. It was better than the previous Azure Leaf City as it was close to a settlement where the 'immortals' lived. Privately, Azure Leaf had shared concerns with Lushu concerning what would happen to the people once the immortal left and with them, their sphere of protection. That's why he had left on a journey to strengthen himself.

If the immortal wouldn't protect the people, then he would.

Sighing again, Lushu looked at the corpse of a crow demon in front of him. Its body was just feathers, skin, and bones. All the blood within had been refined into the purest golden crow blood essence. Unfortunately, the demon did not strongly inherit the blood of its ancestor. It was already the third demon whose blood he had absorbed. Not only that, but the demon was one that had formed its demonic core, so Lushu had suffered grievous injuries when he took it down.

Even so, the concentration of yang essence within him was far from enough to form a complete martial body. At most, he could be considered a half-acupoint opening master.

"What should I do?" Lushu questioned himself. He normally didn't talk to himself out loud, but the frustration accumulating in had exploded. "At this rate, I won't be able to enter the Acupoint Opening Realm in the next few years."

Before, the citizens of Azure Leaf City had called the next realm after Body Transformation Realm as the Demon Body Realm, but after gaining Grandmaster Xi's cultivation method, they gradually switched to calling it the Acupoint Opening Realm.

Unlike the rest of the cultivators of the Azure Leaf City —and Fan City as Azure Leaf had decided to spread the method as wide as possible to propagate as much advancement for the humans— Lushu didn't switch his cultivation technique. Sure, he integrated the useful portions in his eyes, but overall, he kept the golden crow method that the deceased senior had left.

Thinking of the deceased senior, Lushu's eyes were filled with admiration. Before, Lushu didn't have anything to compare the golden crow method with and thought it was on the same level as Azure Leaf's Azure Leaf Manual. Only after learning Grandmaster Xi's unnamed cultivation method did he realize how profound the golden crow method was.

In Lushu's eyes, the golden crow method was not one bit inferior to Grandmaster Xi's method, just that it was not as systemic so learning it was more complicated. Grandmaster Xi's method was all-encompassing and could absorb all sorts of demonic blood, but Lushu's golden crow method had a narrow path. One was general, but the other was specialized.

That wasn't to say that it wasn't a good path, just difficult.

Like now, without sufficient golden crow blood essence, Lushu couldn't form a perfect martial body. He could form an imperfect martial body, but that would impact his foundations and future path.

Lushu sighed once more. Maybe I should consult City Lord Az– Deputy City Lord Azure Leaf and the other seniors for advice.

Unlike in the past, Lushu didn't keep his cultivation method a secret and freely shared it. After experiencing the exodus from Azure Leaf City, his thought process had become progressive, even hoping that another cultivator would rise using the golden crow method. Unfortunately, the material requirements were too high, and only he could cultivate it. Still, that didn't mean there were no benefits. As a result, most of the acupoint opening masters thought highly of Lushu and even helped him modify the golden crow method, merging the usable parts of Grandmaster Xi's method and perfecting it even more.

Making up his mind, Lushu wrapped the demon's corpse and left the cave after changing into a new set of robes. Although the demon's blood had already been drained, the body was still full of valuable materials. The journey back couldn't be called peaceful, but neither was it too dangerous either. All in all, it was average in Lushu's eyes, but when he returned to Fan City, his eyes almost popped out at the new addition to the scenery.

Only after asking Zhangya did Lushu know that the change in the environment was caused by someone known as Grandmaster Heavenly Will. It was information the residents had chanced upon. The immortals did not like visiting Fan City, so it was truly chance that they learned the name of Grandmaster Heavenly Will.

Lushu sighed in amazement. He had thought Grandmaster Xi was already amazing, capable of summoning lightning and slaying nine nascent soul grandmaster equivalent demons in a short amount of time. He wondered who was stronger between the two, Grandmaster Xi or Grandmaster Heavenly Will?

Afterward, Lushu sparred with Zhangya and the other two people Grandmaster Xi had personally instructed. After leaving Azure Leaf City, Lushu's relationship with Zhangya and the other two had gotten closer. It was mostly due to the three of them being the strongest body transformation acolyte of Fan City.

"Zhangya, you seem to be bursting with power. Are you going to breakthrough soon?" Lushu asked.

Zhangya laughed. "I still need a bit of luck. But yes, I should be entering the Acupoint Opening Realm next."

Lushu gazed at him with some envy. "Good job. I just don't know when I'll be able to enter the next realm."

"Haha, Lushu, are you purposely doing this? You have the blood of the golden crow in your body. When you break through, you'll instantly become a top expert. Compare to that, what's this little time?" Zhangya said, also envious. He had thought that Grandmaster Xi's method was impressive, but know who that Lushu was also hiding something so amazing. No wonder Lushu was so powerful back in Azure Leaf City.

Lushu nodded. Zhangya was right.

"Hmpf, you seek out Zhangya after returning instead of coming home. It seems that I don't have any place in your heart." When Lushu returned to his home, he was met with Ziye's ire. The years have eroded Ziye's previous pride and arrogance, making her appear even more lovely. The two had married after taking residence in Fan City with little fanfare, but neither minded.

"I'm wrong, I'm wrong," Lushu begged for forgiveness as he profusely apologized. He walked towards Ziye, who had her back towards him, and hugged, "Forgive me this once, okay?"

Ziye persisted under Lushu's assault before finally giving in. That night, the two didn't sleep at all.

Lushu sighed. It turned out the Acupoint Opening Realm seniors couldn't improve the golden crow method in a short amount of time. He could only suck it up and seek out more members of the Golden Crow Clan descendants.

After he left Fan City for a little, he stopped as he felt a sense of danger. I just left Fan City. There shouldn't be any demons here.

Lushu observed his surroundings for any sign of the unsettling feeling in his heart.

"Who are you?"

Lushu looked up to see a man with milky white skin, long black hair, sword-like brows, and a pair of determined eyes wearing white robes. Lushu instantly judged that the man was one of the immortals that had taken residence not far away from Fan City.

"Junior's name is Lushu, a resident of Fan City," Lushu said as he bowed reverently.

No wonder he had sensed danger. The immortal before him was far too powerful and just being near him brought endless pressure onto him. It was much like when Lushu first experienced Grandmaster Xi's strength. Only the sense of danger from the immortal before him was more direct.

"I sense the Golden Crow Clan's blood inside of you. Why is that?"

Upon hearing this, Lushu dared not lie and revealed everything. Even if he hid it, it was common knowledge in Fan City, and Lushu didn't want to offend the expert in front of him.

"Interesting," The immortal said. "I wonder what will happen if you manage to absorb the blood essence of Nascent Soul Realm demon. Would your golden crow blood become extremely pure?"

Lushu learned that the immortal was known as Grandmaster Xia, and he was one of the elite immortals that had descended. And under Lushu's disbelieving eyes, a corpse of a Nascent Soul Realm level Golden Crow Clan member was brought before him. The body transformation acolyte stood there stunned as if a giant pie had fallen out of nowhere and struck him right in the head. Even though the demon was dead, the corpse still released a pressure that caused Lushu's heart to palpitate.

"Try absorbing the blood." Grandmaster Xia said, causing Lushu to break out of his shock.

After some hesitation and encouragement from Grandmaster Xia, Lushu absorbed the blood from the corpse, or at least he attempted to.

"I can't. My strength isn't enough," Lushu said, shaking his head with a heart full of regrets.

Grandmaster Xia frowned and stored the corpse. Just as Lushu thought Grandmaster Xia would leave without warning, ten bird corpses appeared in front of his eyes. Lushu could sense the aura of their demonic cores. Lushu looked at Grandmaster Xia with a questioning look, to which he nodded. With a heart full of expectations, he began to absorb the blood essence of the demons.

It wasn't that Lushu hadn't thought of why the immortal was helping him, but the opportunity was too huge for him to miss. Who knows how long it would take him to gather this amount?

And Lushu had a precedent when interacting with the descending immortals. From his experience with Grandmaster Xi, he learned that the immortals didn't place much importance on mortals like him, but that didn't mean they wouldn't help. From Lushu's point of view, the immortals should hold some goodwill towards the humans of the Demon Cage Realm. Otherwise, Grandmaster Xi would not have imparted the cultivation method.

After seventeen days, Lushu finally finished absorbing all the blood, but he still felt that it was not enough. Inside of his body, a blood drop rested within his dantian. Its golden sheen had increased, and the aura it exuded, purer, but there was no qualitative change. Lushu looked sheepishly at Grandmaster Xia and said, "Sorry, it doesn't seem that I absorbed enough."

He was really embarrassed. In his estimations, two or three more demons that had formed their demonic cores should have been enough, but he had already absorbed eleven Golden Crow Clan descendant's blood, and it still wasn't enough.

Grandmaster Xia didn't say anything, and to Lushu's shock, took Lushu along with him to hunt demons. To be more precise, it was Grandmaster Xia hunting and Lushu receiving the benefits. Originally, it shouldn't have taken much time, but the number of demons began to decrease for some reason. This situation caused Grandmaster Xia to bring Lushu for over two years. Only after absorbing over twenty-five demons did Lushu gather enough golden crow blood essence.

Upon gathering enough blood, the golden blood drop in Lushu's dantian began to rumble as its form began to resemble molten gold. Simultaneously, the sky began to darken as tribulation clouds began to gather. Upon seeing this, Grandmaster Xia immediately brought Lushu to an isolated area and distanced himself. He spread his spiritual sense and made sure that no one would disturb Lushu's Acupoint Opening Heavenly Tribulation.

As for Lushu himself, he wasn't distressed by the sudden heavenly tribulation. He had already prepared himself for months for the heavenly tribulation. Each time he absorbed blood, he would prepare himself.

When the first tribulation lightning bolt descended, Lushu used his body to withstand the first bolt. Lushu continued to use his body to defend against the tribulation until he couldn't resist it with just his body anymore. Lushu began to use defensive techniques to bolster his body's protection, and he would even unleash an attack in an attempt to destroy the tribulation lightning or hinder it.

As Lushu was undergoing his heavenly tribulation, the molten blood drop within his body began to disperse and dissolve into Lushu's body. Golden streams began to spread under Lushu's skin and alter his body. His skin became tougher and more resistant to the lightning and all yang-related elements. His bones began to emit a golden sheen as its sturdiness increased. His muscles began to bulk and thin in a cycle, refining and increasing the amount of qi they could withstand and the power they could unleash. His blood's viscosity reached the point of resembling mercury and exuded a soft golden light. Most importantly, tiny dots representing Lushu's acupoints shone with a dazzling light before darkening and disappearing.

When the Acupoint Opening Heavenly Tribulation was finally over, Lushu's body was a wreck. Numerous scorch marks littered his body, his hair was singed, and in disarray, blood was continuously leaking from his mouth and wounds, but there was a triumphant smile on his lips.

"Hahahahahaha!!! I did it!" Lushu shouted, but the next moment, his eyes rolled into the back of his head, and he fainted. However, although his situation seemed dangerous, his body's natural regeneration had increased tremendously, and his wounds were already starting to heal.

Landing on the ground, Grandmaster Xia, or rather, Xia Yushan, looked appreciatively at Lushu. With a smile, his hand reached forward towards Lushu's unconscious body.