Realm-Hopping Martial Master

"As for the Great Revival Pills that you need... Actually, your disciple now has another identity... a top-tier genius at the commandery city's Danxia chamber of commerce."

"If Master Chou wishes for any top-grade Elixirs, it might not be guaranteed. But a few bottles of Great Revival Pills, I presume, your disciple should be able to acquire easily."

Jiang Shu looked at Master Chou, his lips slightly curling into a smile.

His words had just fallen.

Master Chou's lamentations ceased abruptly.

Having once lived in the commandery city, how could he not know how rigorous the Danxia chamber of commerce's assessment of geniuses was? Even ordinary geniuses were required to reach the Refining Internal Realm by the age of eighteen. A top-tier genius? This one might actually have a chance to ascend the Little Dragon Tiger List!

He looked at Jiang Shu, his gaze filled with incredulity.

Is this really... Jiang Shu? My own disciple?

「Sanling Town.」

Not rushing to meet Wan Jingxing and his party, Jiang Shu swallowed a Marching Pill. After bidding farewell to Master Chou, he strode swiftly as the wind, heading directly to the cold pond. Equipping a diving light, he plunged into its depths.

The Azure Dragon True Strength circulated from his liver to his eyes. Under the diving light's illumination, everything around him came into view.

Descending!

Continuously descending!

Thirty zhang.

One hundred eighty zhang!

The intense water pressure was omnipresent, pressing in from all directions.

Even an ordinary Skin Grinding Realm Martial Artist would only meet death here.

The chill grew increasingly severe, feeling as if it could penetrate his pores and seep into his body.

Holding his breath, Jiang Shu continued to dive.

Unlike the bottom of a typical pond, this cold pond was devoid of any life, not even a single creature or plant.

Utter silence reigned!

Even the water flow was extremely slow.

I must have reached the mountain's base by now. Such a mystical cold pond surely hides some fortuitous encounter!

Jiang Shu mused internally but did not dive any deeper.

He floated in place.

The Azure Dragon True Strength enveloped his entire body, warding off the invasive chill.

Then, he began to practice the Xuanwu True Force.

Of the "Four Symbols Internal Energy," it was the only True Force he had not yet achieved entry-level mastery in.

This was the perfect opportunity.

Several days passed in the blink of an eye.

He achieved entry-level mastery of the Xuanwu True Force, and his kidneys were tempered.

He stretched his limbs. The four True Strengths mingled within his body, harmonizing as if they were one. A powerful and profound energy surged from his liver, lungs, heart, and kidneys.

Only the Famished Tiger Roar Mountain Strength in his spleen felt somewhat incompatible.

The True Strengths derived from the 'Four Symbols Internal Energy' completely overwhelm my Famished Tiger Roar Mountain Strength. No wonder so many people don't choose this Cultivation Technique. If one can't find a suitable method to temper the spleen, the spleen becomes a weak point. In a life-or-death battle, any weakness will be infinitely magnified.

Luckily, I have the panel, he thought.

Although the current Famished Tiger Roar Mountain Strength is far too weak, I just need to wait for a period. Once I officially break the limit of the 'Four Symbols Internal Energy,' a fifth True Strength will be born in the spleen. My combat power will definitely allow me to ascend the Little Dragon Tiger List!

His form continued to descend.

The five True Strengths circulated within his five viscera, especially the Xuanwu True Force, which continuously strengthened in this environment.

He had already lost track of how deep he had descended.

Jiang Shu's feet finally touched the bottom of the cold pond.

A peculiar black light flickered in one spot.

He shone the diving light towards it and saw a black Pill Furnace resting steadily before a stone wall at the bottom of the cold pond.

And beside the Pill Furnace, shockingly, lay a corpse!

The corpse had the appearance of a middle-aged man, his eyes closed, with no sign of breath.

An incorruptible body! This was a state only a Blood Exchange Realm expert could achieve! To think Pingling County actually had such an expert.

Standing on the pond bed, Jiang Shu placed the diving light by his feet and cautiously approached.

Only now could he finally sense the source of the cold pond's chilling aura.

The black Pill Furnace continuously emitted a cold qi.

Confirming that the corpse beside it truly wouldn't reanimate, Jiang Shu bowed to the corpse and then opened the Pill Furnace.

Inside, there was a palm-sized bag embroidered with strange runes, and a slightly larger jade box.

Elixirs are graded as lower, middle, and top-grade, and Pill Furnaces naturally are as well. A Pill Furnace that accompanied an expert at or above the Blood Exchange Realm must be an extraordinary item.

He lightly struck the Pill Furnace with his palm. His True Strength circulated, yet the Pill Furnace remained completely undamaged.

This undoubtedly verified Jiang Shu's guess.

He nodded, then looked at the bag in his hand. This bag was even more miraculous than the black Pill Furnace. Although it had a very small opening, he couldn't open it with brute force.

Consider this: even though he hadn't completely tempered all five viscera yet, with the profundity of his 'Four Symbols Internal Energy,' if he truly unleashed his power, he could achieve a colossal force infinitely close to fifty thousand catties!

Such tremendous power couldn't open this bag.

Evidently, this bag was certainly an existence far beyond his comprehension.

The other item, a jade box exuding a chill, had an extremely fine switch; a simple press would open it.

Jiang Shu circulated True Strength throughout his body.

He placed the jade box in front of him, with the opening mechanism facing away from him.

Opportunity and danger often coexist. I hope luck is with me.

CLICK.

The sound was exceptionally faint.

Although Jiang Shu was thoroughly prepared, the instant the jade box opened, a frigid current, as if it had found an escape route, shot directly through Jiang Shu's fingers and into his body!

Damn it! He couldn't help but curse inwardly as a shiver ran down his spine.

Jiang Shu gritted his teeth.

Within his body, the Azure Dragon True Strength and the Xuanwu True Force both erupted, attempting to suppress this frigid current.

However, it was utterly useless.

This frigid current advanced as if through undefended territory. Left with no other choice, Jiang Shu used his Xuanwu True Force to guide it, causing the Evil Qi and the Xuanwu True Force to intertwine and coexist within his kidneys.