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As expected of a high grade energy crystal. Normally during cultivation, Li Fuchen could only rely on himself to absorb the qi from heaven and earth. But now with the blue gem ring, it could help him gather qi and increase his cultivation efficiency.

The most valuable use of the blue gem ring, was it's function to store qi. When one has almost exhausted all their qi, they could absorb the qi from the ring for an instant replenishment. This was equivalent to having a low-tier, yellow class qi restoration pill. Although the effects aren't as good, the ring's advantage is its ability to be reused.

Li Fuchen estimated that he would still need months before breaking through to the sixth level of the Qi Stage. And this blue gem ring would greatly benefit him in the months to come.

As he gradually exhaled, Li Fuchen extracted the Rock Heart plant from the jade container.

Rock Heart plants weren't helpful for cultivation, but was instead used for strengthening one's skeletal structure.

A person's skeletons was one's fundamentals. People always talked about bone frame, but in fact, skeletal structure plays a big part as well.

With an excellent bone frame one would be guaranteed a natural toughness in skeletal structure. Withstanding the same palm strike, the one with a weaker bone frame may have their bones broken into pieces, but the one with a strong bone frame, would end up without a scratch.

Although a good bone frame would mean having tough bones. But there is much more than just a better bone frame. But having tough bones didn't mean that you would also have a great bone frame, as they were not directly related.

"Regardless, having tough bones is a good start."

Without hesitation, Li Fuchen consumed the Rock Heart plant.

The Rock Heart plant may look hard, but it actually melted when swallowed. With his soul spirit senses, Li Fuchen could clearly feel the Rock Heart plant turning into a white current, flowing throughout out his limbs and penetrating right into his bones.

With a sudden onset, a numbing sensation traversed across his bones. It was as if millions of ants were chewing on his bone marrow. Time passed by unknowingly, as a drenched Li Fuchen finally opened his eyes.

"This sensation!"

Li Fuchen lifted his arms. Even though no difference could be spotted by the naked eye, the toughness of his bones had doubled in strength. The surface of the bones was much denser than before.

"This high-tier, yellow class bone fortifying herb made my bones double in toughness. If the herb had been a mystic class or earth class, the effect would have been better by ten times or even a hundred times. And there is a bunch of variety in herbs out there, who knows what else can be found."Li Fuchen was in awe of the miraculous herbs.

Herbs were the leaders of cultivation resources. In the early records, there was once a man who obtained the legendary Dragon Blood plant and after consuming it, his body grew even stronger than demonic beasts. Another case was when someone found the Blazing Sun flower and ate it, his bone frame mutated to the Sun variant bone frame. Allowing him to cultivate Sun based techniques, being 10 times faster than anyone. And if someone were to absorb the Undying Phoenix herb, he would obtain the means of immortality, and would be reborn after death.

Herbs are grown with the help of the heaven and earth. They hold the power to change one's bodily innate strength. Of course, with that in mind, precious herbs were rare to find. Yellow class herbs are still available, but Mystic class herbs are as rare as it can get. They contain the mysterious energy of the heaven and earth, hence the title of Mystic herbs.

***

Li Fuchen would visit the Misty Mountains every 3 days.

"Drop dead!"

As the Metal Claw Wolf approached, Li Fuchen didn't shift an inch. Waiting for the wolf to close in on his side, Li Fuchen flashed his sword and pierced a hole through the throat of the Metal Claw Wolf.

As of today, Li Fuchen had the skills to kill a Metal Claw Wolf in an instant. The actual strength of Li Fuchen was an unknown even to himself.

If his battle skills were rated as a 1 before he entered the Misty Mountains. After the first day, his rating would be a 2. A few days later, it reached a 3. With his current rating of 5, any Class 1 mid-tier beasts would be dead with a single slash, with no chance for a 2nd follow up attack.

Even if he had met a Class 1 high-tier beast, it would only take a few additional strokes.

"Against beasts, my skills are competent. But beasts aren't martial artists, and in order to perfect my live combat skills, I have to fend myself against real fighters."

Li Fuchen was ambitious. Had it been someone else with all these achievements, they would have been satisfied. But not Li Fuchen, he wanted to be stronger, to wield absolute power. He didn't know if this was his true wish, or if it was because of the golden amulet that brought about this change, maybe it was both.

***

Once back at the Li Clan, Li Fuchen encountered Li Yunhai.

Li Yunhai looked at Li Fuchen with eyes of weakness. When Li Fuchen had won against Yang Qi, he still had the confidence to beat Li Fuchen. But now that Li Fuchen had defeated Guan Peng, all his thoughts were smashed.

The fact was that he had once exchanged moves with Guan Peng. It ended as a draw, neither had the upper hand.

"Li Fuchen, your combat skills are good. But it's a pity that your bone frame will be your downfall. In 3 days, the Tempering Pool will be opened. Only 1 is qualified to enter, you should know who has the better odds."

Mentioning the Tempering Pool, Li Yunhai felt he mood turn for the better. In the Li Clan, he was the only one with a 2 star bone frame. That would mean, he was the only one who could enter it.

Without much thought, Li Fuchen congratulated, "I wish you the best in advance."

This Tempering Pool is one of the many important asset of the Li Clan. It wasn't originally the case.

30 years earlier. The Li Clan set up the Tempering Pool, they invested a huge amount of Body Strengthening herbs in it. After months and years, the herbs blended with the pool and displayed an astonishing nourishment to whoever soaked in the pool, gifting the strength of a 1000 kilograms.

But to accumulate the medicinal effects of the pool required a set amount of time, and the constant usage of herbs. In a normal situation, it only opened once every 2 years, and this was that second year.

Li Fuchen definitely wouldn't disregard the benefits of the Tempering Pool. As practitioners of the Qi Stage cannot manifest qi, the quality of one's body was extremely important. With a higher overall power, the force behind a slash would be affected. As one's power grows significantly, it could enable an individual to go beyond levels in battle.

But it didn't really bother Li Fuchen if he couldn't soak in the Tempering Pool. He felt that his Red Jade Technique was on the verge of breaking through. Once he unlocked the sixth rank, his combat skills would go forward to the next level.

"Keke, you seem calm. The city's bi-annual genius contest is starting in 2 months. Only the top 5 can be selected as Cang Lan Sect's disciples. With your skills now, you could be in the top 5, two months later, the results aren't clear though."

Li Yunhai tried to provoke Li Fuchen again as he wasn't satisfied, deep down, he wanted to see Li Fuchen's anguished expressions.

"Provoking me? Forget it."

Li Fuchen mocked and left, allowing Li Yunhai to admire his back.

"Hmph, he is just putting up a strong front."Li Yunhai snorted.

For no reason at all, he hated Li Fuchen. Perhaps it was because he liked Guan Xue too, but no one knew the 2 major reasons why he wanted to be accepted as a Cang Lan Sect's disciple.

First was to let the Li Clan know, who the true savior of the Li Clan was. Once he was the Cang Lan Sect's disciple, his father would be promoted to Patriarch.

Second, he could once again see Guan Xue. And if he put in the hard work, he could possibly keep up with Guan Xue's progress.