[Cultivation Method: Yi Archery]
[Realm: Body Refining Tier 1: Skin Refining (0/1000)]
"I can allocate points!"
Zhou Chen was overjoyed, and the heavy stone hanging in his heart finally hit the ground.
"Allocate points for me!"
Zhou Chen added the Fengyue Point he obtained this morning from petting the little fox.
In an instant.
Information about the Yi Archery surged through his mind, and he felt as though he had studied it dozens of times, knowing it by heart.
"Just a single point allowed me to memorize Yi Archery inside out!"
Zhou Chen was very satisfied. Although he temporarily had no Fengyue Point, one thousand Fengyue Points would only take a little over a month.
According to the introduction in Yi Archery, cultivating immortality required a spiritual root, through which one could channel the spiritual qi of heaven and earth into the body and directly cultivate magic power.
Martial artists, on the other hand, started from within themselves to strengthen their physical bodies.
Therefore.
The first major realm for martial artists was the Body Refining Realm, where through cultivation, they tempered their physiques from the outside in, transforming their flesh and blood until every lift of a hand could split mountains and shatter stones.
Mighty martial artists could even pluck stars and grab the moon, shattering rivers of stars, losing nothing to cultivators of immortality!
"So martial arts in this world can run parallel to the immortal path. Practicing martial arts has a future after all, but if I can get my hands on an immortal cultivation method, I should be able to cultivate both the immortal and martial paths..."
Zhou Chen didn't know if he had a spiritual root, but he had the Fengyue Mirror.
Since martial arts cultivation methods could be upgraded with points, immortal cultivation methods most likely could be as well.
"However, getting Yi Archery is already a stroke of luck; I shouldn't think about immortal cultivation methods for now!"
Zhou Chen focused his mind back on Yi Archery.
Body Refining was divided into nine tiers.
The first tier was Skin Refining. Once mastered, the skin became as tough as oxhide, like wearing a layer of armor, making it difficult for ordinary blades to pierce.
Skin Refining was not just about refining the skin alone; the human body was a unified whole, and Skin Refining merely had its focal point on human skin.
During the cultivation process, the skin underwent the most drastic changes, but the entire body would grow stronger along with it, though not as dramatically as the skin.
"I wonder what tier of Body Refining Zhang Long is at?"
Zhou Chen thought of Zhang Long, the Qinghe County bailiff who had slain a fierce tiger with a single slash. Even if he was only at the first tier of Body Refining, it was still not something ordinary people could handle.
The Skin Refining realm of Body Refining generally granted a force of a thousand catties, with skin as tough as oxhide; ordinary people were simply not in the same league before such a person.
"My archery hasn't reached the Realm of Perfection, so I can't cultivate Yi Archery on my own. For now, I can only rely on allocating points!"
Zhou Chen took out a flint and steel, burned Yi Archery to ashes, and then took Old Man Cao's worn-out shoes outside to burn them as well.
Zhou Chen understood the proverb about a person harboring a treasure getting himself into trouble.
Old Man Cao had never told him anything about martial artists or that he possessed Yi Archery, likely for this very reason.
With Zhou Chen's original talent, it would have been impossible for him to cultivate archery to the Realm of Perfection. Even if Old Man Cao had told him about Yi Archery, it would have been useless and only brought danger.
After dealing with the shoes, Zhou Chen fished out the little fox and stroked its head.
Half an hour later.
Qin Hongyu finished cooking.
[Fengyue Point +1]
Zhou Chen immediately added it to Yi Archery.
In an instant.
Zhou Chen's consciousness seemed to pick up a bow and arrow in a mountain forest, entering a state where man and bow became one, smoothly executing the Yi Archery body-forging postures.
As he performed one body-forging posture after another, the Qi and blood in Zhou Chen's body surged, and his skin faintly tingled with an itchy sensation.
After going through it once, Zhou Chen snapped back to reality, where only a single instant had passed.
Zhou Chen savored the Yi Archery body-forging postures he had just practiced through point allocation, as well as that state of man and bow as one. Like a withered sponge, he greedily absorbed the nourishment and moisture within.
After a long while.
Zhou Chen withdrew his thoughts, feeling completely refreshed, his physical strength seemingly enhanced by a tiny fraction.
The increase might have been an illusion, but Zhou Chen discovered that his archery had unexpectedly leaped directly from Lesser Accomplishment to Greater Accomplishment.
"Holy crap!"
Zhou Chen widened his eyes, not expecting such an extra harvest.
However, considering the state of man and bow as one he had just experienced, his archery making leaps and bounds was only logical.
"From this perspective, even if I don't allocate points to archery directly, just by allocating points to Yi Archery, my archery will soon reach the Realm of Perfection!"
Zhou Chen was in a great mood; this had saved him a huge amount of Fengyue Points.
"Brother Chen, time to eat!"
Qin Hongyu picked up a bowl and scooped a large, full serving of white rice for Zhou Chen.
Zhou Chen sat down and dug in heartily.
Qin Hongyu gazed at Zhou Chen with reddened, infatuated eyes. Her father was dead, and now Zhou Chen was her only surviving family member in this world.
Watching Zhou Chen wolf down his food, she felt a trace of sweetness and happiness in her heart.
"Fortunately, I still have Brother Chen!"
"What's wrong? Hurry up and eat!"
Zhou Chen raised his head and picked up a piece of meat for her.
"Mm-hmm!"
Qin Hongyu lowered her head and began to eat in small bites.
After the meal.
Zhou Chen fed the little fox while Qin Hongyu cleaned up in the kitchen.
Having finished feeding it, Zhou Chen walked into the kitchen and wrapped his arms around Qin Hongyu from behind.
"Ah, stop fooling around!"
Qin Hongyu gave Zhou Chen a sideways glance, but she didn't expect Zhou Chen to lift her right up into his arms.
"Don't, I haven't finished washing yet!"
"What's there to wash? It won't be too late to wash later!"
Carrying Qin Hongyu, Zhou Chen strode into the bedroom.
Right now, he only wanted to make money.
No, wait.
To earn points.
The sun rose and the moon fell, the Big Dipper rotated and the stars shifted.
After a night of spring indulgence, Qin Hongyu was battered into a state of utter limpness, feeling as though her body no longer belonged to her.
"Brother Chen, are you going hunting today?"
Qin Hongyu's slender, jade-like fingers stroked Zhou Chen's chest lightly, occasionally pinching his muscles, feeling exceptionally alluring.
Don't think that only men are lustful.
Women are the same.
"There's still some meat left at home. I'll go after we finish it!"
Zhou Chen only wanted to grind his cultivation method and allocate points right now.
Besides, going hunting was also dangerous.
Every fraction of an increase in his strength made him that much safer.
Having experienced yesterday's events, Qin Hongyu did not urge Zhou Chen to go hunting either.
However, with Zhou Chen staying home instead of hunting, he only ever messed with her.
She really felt a bit unable to take it anymore.
Another three days passed.
The wolf, hare, and pheasant Zhou Chen had previously hunted had all been eaten, mostly because Zhou Chen's appetite was growing larger and larger.
Qin Hongyu rested her head on Zhou Chen's chest, gazing infatuatedly at the muscular lines of his body, which were full of a charming masculine allure.
"Brother Chen is getting stronger and stronger..."
Qin Hongyu's lovely eyes were as clear as water, but thinking of the food reserves at home, she couldn't help muttering softly:
"Brother Chen, if you don't go hunting soon, we'll be drinking the northwest wind! The salt at home is almost gone too!"
"Don't worry, I'm going today!"
Zhou Chen pinched the soft flesh on Qin Hongyu's body and smiled:
"I'll bag a wild boar for you and bring it back so you can eat meat every day!"
"I don't need to eat meat every day, as long as you're safe, Brother Chen!"
Qin Hongyu immediately hugged Zhou Chen's body tightly, her voice choking with emotion.
"Rest assured, I could never bear to leave you behind for someone else to snap up!"
"Brother Chen, I only want one man in this lifetime. I did before, and I will in the future, no matter what happens!"
Qin Hongyu's expression turned solemn as she spoke with great earnestness.
Zhou Chen looked into her eyes and said nothing.
Qin Hongyu's delicate body trembled, thinking Zhou Chen didn't believe her.
"Brother Chen, I... mmph..."
Before she could finish, Zhou Chen suddenly leaned down and fiercely captured her rosy lips.
Past noon.
Zhou Chen got up, pulled on his clothes, and left home with his bow, arrows, and gear. Adjusting his belt, he felt refreshed and thoroughly pleased with himself.
His consciousness swept across his personal stat panel.
[Fengyue Mirror]
[Master: Zhou Chen]
[Cultivation Method: Yi Archery]
[Realm: Body Refining Tier 1: Skin Refining (88/1000)]
[Supernatural Power: Thunder Light Ruyi Hand]
[Skills: Archery (Consummation 90/320), Tracking (Greater Accomplishment 40/160), Traps (Proficient 2/20), Throwing (Proficient 18/20), Fishing (Novice 6/10)...]
[Fengyue Points: 15]
Through these three days of effort, Zhou Chen had not only comprehended archery to the Realm of Perfection on his own, but his body had also grown much stronger, with a massive surge in strength.
He estimated that a wave of both arms would yield at least three to four hundred catties of force.
"Allocate points!"
Zhou Chen added all fifteen newly acquired Fengyue Points.
In an instant.
Zhou Chen's consciousness seemed to arrive in a mountain forest once more, entering the state where man and bow became one, skillfully practicing the Yi Archery body-forging postures.
He practiced it over and over again.
Suddenly.
Zhou Chen felt a stream of air born within his body, and all the strength throughout his limbs and bones seemed to boil.
Zhou Chen knew this was Qi and blood.
He had finally generated Qi and blood.
The Qi and blood coursed through his entire body, concentrating primarily on his skin, which instantly produced a sensation of burning heat and pleasant numbness.
Zhou Chen snapped back to his senses. In reality, only an instant had passed, yet he had undergone a tremendous transformation—he had successfully cultivated Qi and blood.
He felt his whole body brimming with strength.
"Is this what it feels like to practice martial arts?"
Zhou Chen clenched his fist, intoxicated:
"This is simply amazing!"
This feeling was utterly captivating!
Even more addictive than women!