Chapter 18: Rumbling Tiger, Secret Passage

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Recently, everyone within the imperial city inner court got busy.

That was because the emperor’s birthday was in three months.

By then, everyone in the nation would celebrate together.

From the queen, consorts, and the princes, to the eunuchs and servants of the inner court.

None dared to be lazy in regards to this important matter and took it very seriously.

The construction of the celebratory building started early. They decorated the place and planned the list of seats.

It was reasonable that almost everyone wanted to take their chance at the seat on the great throne of authority since ancient times.

Rising to the throne in all its glory while wrapped in the dragon robe.

One would enjoy the favor of the fate of the lands, inheriting the fate of countless people within the nation.

Like the moon being supported by a myriad of stars, giving off a glorious glow, with just a word, one could decide the fate of the kingdom, the life and death of the ministers.

The glory and wealth of most people in the world were in that person’s control.

Just what kind of authority was that?

Everyone loved the feeling of looking down at the scenery from the peak of a mountain.

The throne within the Golden Hall was in some ways, the peak of the world!

‘But I still think that practicing martial arts is more fulfilling,’ Zhao Mu thought to himself as he stood in the practice chamber.

Scaling the steps of the long stairway in martial arts was like clearing level after level, completing one achievement after another. From there, he could obtain limitless satisfaction.

Who would not like a game where one constantly grew stronger and built up oneself?

“There’s only one-fifth of the Nine Aperture Golden Elixir remaining.”

Zhao Mu looked inward and ‘saw’ the dark golden elixir within his chest had shrunk quite a bit.

Being immersed with the strong Qi, his body grew sturdier with time.

It was as though his entire body was made from refined iron.

“Transformation is not a myth.”

Zhao Mu clenched his fist and suddenly moved his strength.

Within the training chambers, a low thunder-like rumbling noise exploded forth.

The air current in the vicinity seemed to be torn apart by an invisible hand, forming a vortex of decent size.

Just his physique alone would outmatch a lot of higher-ranked members of the Heavenly Dragon Temple.

Zhao Mu speculated. According to what Monk Yuankong recorded in the martial arts scriptures, thunderous strength and quicksilver-like blood.

That was the hallmark of the seventh Mortal Stage, the Titan Stage.

However, he had already achieved it right then.

“Cultivation at the third Mortal Stage, true Qi at the sixth stage, and a physique of the seventh stage…Just what stage am I at now?”

Zhao Mu was confused.

He wanted to look for an opponent, someone that was stronger than Daoist Chang Yun from the Truth Monastery, to test out his strength.

Nevertheless, he was also worried if he was growing arrogant.

What if he ran into a true expert and was killed in one blow?

“I better practice martial arts and raise my levels slowly, at least reaching the Innate Grandmaster Stage. Only then I’ll feel secure.”

Zhao Mu’s mind was distracted for a moment before he collected his thoughts.

He took a deep breath and started practicing the Tiger Demon Bone Refinement Fist.

He channeled his strength throughout his body and moved his quicksilver-like heavy blood and Qi.

He pushed it against the Nine Aperture Golden Elixir to extract its medicinal effects of nurturing his body.

Waves of heat spread across his body and apertures, then transformed into a wealth of pure internal energy.

“From the description in the stone dial, fully refining this elixir will extend my lifespan to nine hundred years…”

Zhao Mu’s brows twitched.

In this world, even Human Immortals could only live for 500 years.

After taking this elixir, he actually managed to outlive an expert of the tenth Mortal Stage?

It was truly unfathomable!

As Zhao Mu pondered, he continued to practice his martial arts.

His body moved about, making big steps within the practice chamber.

He was like a ferocious tiger out on a hunt, exuding a strong and domineering aura.

That was the change in his spirit after fully absorbing the essence of the fist technique within him.

Such a state was what the various sects called ‘essence immersion’.

What it meant was that the art was mastered and deeply imprinted in one’s body, forming a subconscious muscle memory within oneself.

If any outsiders were there to witness Zhao Mu in that form, they would be filled with an illusory thought that he was not a human, but rather a tiger demon.

That was the oppressive feeling stemming from the fusion of martial arts into one’s spirit and will.

Bend reality to manifest the true self!

Dong! Dong! Dong!

As he practiced, the speed of his fists increased.

Each time he assumed a different form and posture, the muscles and joints in his body would tremble, producing a low rumbling thunder-like sound.

In his previous life, it was described as ‘rumbling tiger, the roaring of joints’.

There was no mystery to it. It was just sounds produced from the vibrations of one’s joints when exerting strength, achievable after one’s muscles and bones were strengthened inside out.

Meanwhile, in the words of the martial artists of this world, that was the sign of reaching the adept level of the Qi Refinement Stage.

“Changing one’s blood, refining one’s essence…this Nine Aperture Golden Elixir helped me achieve a higher stage in advance.”

Zhao Mu continued his contemplation as he practiced a few more repetitions of the Tiger Demon Bone Refinement Fist.

The pores on his body excreted sweat, giving him a refreshing feel.

He noticed that it was still early. His brother still had to complete his homework and would not be coming over.

He then returned to a lotus position on the mat and started circulating the Primordial Yang Qi hidden in his apertures.

Just like a Qi with the shape of true flame, it condensed into balls of golden flames.

The bones of a human’s body were separated into three major sections: the skull, the body, and the limbs.

Zhao Mu controlled the Primordial Yang Qi, materializing it into a true flame the size of a fist.

From his body, it started burning one section at a time to burn away the impurities.

It was a method he obtained by absorbing Huo Rulie’s experience.

At the fifth Mortal Stage, Foundation Establishment, one could use one’s cultivation art to imbue special property to true Qi.

For example, the five basic elements of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth.

It could also be the more unorthodox ones like wind, lightning, Yin, and Yang.

After that, one would use true Qi to refine the blood essence to manifest the root bone.

That was the ordeal of the fifth Mortal Stage, Foundation Establishment.

The so-called ‘root bone’ had many interpretations.

It was just a term to represent one’s talent and affinity.

In old sayings, the bone was the foundation of form.

Regarding the face, there were interpretations of the four special traits of ‘straight, sideward, spiral, and twisted.’

Regarding the eyes, there were interpretations on regular pupils, three, or even four pupils.

Regarding the skin, there were claims on moles lined up like the Big Dipper that corresponds to the constellation.

There were many interpretations and all of them were different.

The root bone was hidden within one’s flesh and body.

If one wanted to manifest it, it could only be done via refinement using true Qi to temper the body and stimulate a transformation.

Zhao Mu cultivated the Divine Sun and Moon Scriptures and could manifest his true Qi long ago.

With that, he started this step in advance.

The Primordial Yang Qi was extremely domineering. It was like the fires of the sun with unrivaled ferocity.

Zhao Mu sat on the mat and felt as though he was placed in a furnace. His forehead was lined with sweat.

Balls of illusory fire were moving around like flowing water.

The feeling he had to endure was akin to having his internal organs burnt away.

Although it was painful, the effects were amazing.

Zhao Mu’s body appeared to be going through a major transformation.

It was letting off a soft glow that looked like molten glass.

In terms of hardness, it was not inferior to refined steel.

‘Having high-quality true Qi is really advantageous…’

Zhao Mu thought internally.

After burning and refining a piece of his bone, he got ready to finish up.

However, out of the blue, a wave of pure Qi of extreme Yang was pulled in by his true Qi and entered his body in a torrential manner.

“What’s going on?”

Feeling the abnormality, Zhao Mu quickly dispersed his Primordial Yang Qi and hid it within his apertures.

After that, he opened up his eyes and stood up.

“That Qi of extreme Yang had come from below…”

Zhao Mu tapped the floor lightly with his leg but could not hear any hollow sound.

“Trapdoor? Secret tunnel?”

He had been living in the cold palace for 12 years and never noticed it.

That abandoned Eastern Palace from the previous Dynasty held secrets.

After unblocking his apertures, his five senses were keen.

Zhao Mu slowly manipulated his Primordial Yang Qi as he carefully looked for the source of that extremely pure Qi.

Within the practice chamber, one could hear a needle dropping in the silence.

He walked back and forth for almost half an hour and finally found something.

On the left doorway of the training chamber, there was an ancient screen that was covered in dust.

Beneath it, there were strands of very weak Qi essence coming out like a springhead.

Zhao Mu explored around for another 15 minutes before finally finding the trapdoor.

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After lightly knocking on it twice, and twisting the connecting parts of the screen, a decorative hill in the distance moved away silently.

An entrance appeared on the tightly fitted surface.

“A secret chamber?”

Zhao Mu’s brows raised slightly.

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