C18 Flesh Condensing Technique

All the tasks were rated as one-star assignments, yet despite being issued by the same Elder, Wang Shengyuan, their difficulty varied tenfold, as evidenced by the difference in reward points.

The first task was simply to transport spring water. Acquiring it posed no real challenge, and barring any unforeseen issues, the delivery was just a matter of time.

The second task involved transportation as a secondary objective. Its main focus was to slay the Iron Armored Beast and bring back its core.

The Iron Armored Beast, as its name suggests, is renowned for its defense. Although it's only a level-one demonic beast, its defenses rival those of many level-two beasts. Without sharp weapons or a fierce attack strategy, dealing with it is quite troublesome.

Woo Zhengyang had encountered demonic beast puppets in the Dao Mirror, but those were merely puppets, lacking the agility of real beasts. Moreover, the puppets were designed to repel challengers, not kill them, so the danger they posed was incomparable to that of a real demonic beast.

"Is this guy really taking on this task just to impress us?"

"Probably. The Iron Armored Beast's defense is incredibly strong; there's no way he can break through it."

"He sure loves the spotlight, doesn't he? Trying to grab attention with these stunts?"

As people whispered among themselves, Woo Zhengyang confidently tore down the notice detailing the task and headed toward the task officer.

"Are you really taking on this mission?" The task officer couldn't hide a flicker of annoyance as he noticed Woo Zhengyang ignoring him, feeling that Woo Zhengyang was being overly arrogant.

"Yes!" Woo Zhengyang confirmed.

"Good luck!" The task officer decided not to say more, taking the mission notice and recording it.

Woo Zhengyang smiled wryly to himself, offering no explanation, and headed straight out of the main hall towards the mountain gate...

---

In the stone chamber of the cave, Yun Shaoqing was sitting cross-legged, focused on his training.

"Yun, Yun, big news!" Lee Sanshui shouted, bursting into Yun Shaoqing's cave.

"What’s got you so worked up?" Yun Shaoqing asked, clearly annoyed.

"That fool Woo Zhengyang took on a mission and headed down the mountain today!"

"What? He left the mountain?"

"Yeah, he actually went down now. This is a great opportunity for us! That kid just activated his Origin Genuine Qi and took on a mission. If something happens to him during the task, no one will trace it back to us," Lee Sanshui said with a sly grin.

"Indeed, he really doesn't know what's good for him. Did you find out what mission he accepted?"

"Sure did. The fool skipped an easy delivery task and chose one to deal with an Iron Armored Beast in the Falling Leaves Mountain Range. Some say he's just bluffing and might come back after a quick trip down the mountain. But with us around, even if he doesn’t want to go to the Falling Leaves Mountain Range, he’ll have no choice, haha!"

"Great, this way we don't have to hold our breath for a month. Let's get Tieniu and take on a mission down the mountain."

---

The Falling Leaves Mountains are famous for their ever-shedding Fire Cloud Locust trees. Walking through the forest, surrounded by the red leaves, Woo Zhengyang felt as if he had stepped into a fiery world. This was the entrance to the Falling Leaves Mountains.

As he ventured deeper, the Fire Cloud Locust trees became sparser but grew taller and sturdier. Their vast canopies intertwined, creating a crimson ceiling that dimmed the entire mountain range. Occasionally, the low growls and soft cries of beasts could be heard.

Suddenly, the sound of rustling leaves came from the side. A wolf-like beast leaped out from behind a Fire Cloud Locust tree, lunging at Woo Zhengyang. It was a Green Wind Wolf, a first-level beast, known for its sharp teeth and claws and incredible speed.

For hunters of first-level beasts, both the Iron Armored Beast and the Green Wind Wolf were undesirable encounters. One had formidable defense, making battles tough, while the other was swift, posing a risk of injury.

However, for Woo Zhengyang, there was no difference between the Iron Armored Beast and the Green Wind Wolf. They were merely aids in his body-strengthening training.

Whether it's refining energy or strengthening the body, both are closely tied to one's Origin Genuine Qi. Refining energy uses this Qi as a catalyst to convert the surrounding vital energy into Qi stored in the meridians. In contrast, body strengthening involves circulating the Origin Genuine Qi throughout the body, absorbing the vital energy to enhance physical strength, integrating it into the muscles and bones.

As the Flesh Condensing Technique activated, Woo Zhengyang's Origin Genuine Qi blazed like a wildfire, igniting the blood coursing through his veins. The boiling blood and the burning energy in his flesh significantly boosted his strength and speed. He launched a powerful punch at the Green Wind Wolf.

The Green Wind Wolf leaped from a distance, but despite its speed, it couldn't gain the upper hand. As Woo Zhengyang's punch approached, the wolf twisted mid-air, deftly changing direction to evade the blow. Landing lightly, it sprang up again, jaws wide open, aiming to bite Woo Zhengyang's waist with its sharp, white teeth.

Woo Zhengyang was aware that demonic beasts possessed a hint of intelligence, but he hadn't expected such cunning. On reflection, it was less about intelligence and more about its instinctive combat skills. Missing the punch not only failed to temper his muscles but also cost him the advantage, revealing just how lacking his combat skills were.

Woo Zhengyang possessed an extraordinary physique. While honing his Body Tempering Technique, he also compensated for any gaps in his combat skills.

As his muscles tensed, the wolf's fangs attempted to pierce through his clothing, only to find his skin as hard as iron, stopping the sharp teeth in their tracks.

"Thud..."

Woo Zhengyang's fist slammed into the wolf's side, sending it crashing to the ground. The wolf howled in pain, trying to rise, but another punch from Woo Zhengyang struck it down.

Under the Flesh Condensing Technique, every punch he threw was with full force, disregarding the recoil from the wolf's body, even as his own fists began to bleed. This was a necessary part of mastering the technique; only through such intense training could his muscles become denser and his strength increase.

After dozens of punches, the wolf lay dead, its body a bloody mess. Woo Zhengyang checked for any sign of an inner core but found none. He wiped the blood from his hands on the wolf's clean fur and continued on his way.

The battle had ended, yet the "Flesh Condensing Technique" continued to operate. Woo Zhengyang's hands were still intensely warm. This heat partly came from the recoil of his recent powerful strike, but it also stemmed from his fists gradually absorbing the ambient energy after the flesh condensing process.

With the influx of this energy, and aided by the "Flesh Condensing Technique," the hardness of Woo Zhengyang's fists would increase, reducing the chance of injury from similar strikes in the future. Meanwhile, this energy subtly enhanced his overall vitality. Although the effects weren't immediately visible, once enough energy was absorbed, Woo Zhengyang's strength and speed would see a significant boost. This method of cultivation had no bottlenecks, relying solely on the limits of one's endurance.

Compared to those who cultivate energy, body tempering practitioners endure more pain, but their progress is relatively straightforward. This might explain why, before the great calamity, body tempering practitioners dominated half the world. If not for the current scarcity of body tempering techniques, they wouldn't have fallen into decline.

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