C5 Special Physique

Grandma? Gu Feng paused to reflect. He recalled that his grandmother's family wasn't particularly wealthy. Though they were a prominent family in Emerald Green Town, their status was largely due to the support of the Gu family. Altogether, they might muster a few tens of thousands of taels of silver, a sum too insignificant to even consider. Moreover, would his grandmother really deplete her family's resources for him? After all, she had over a dozen relatives to provide for.

Gu Feng understood that in the realm of cultivation, one must first traverse the Body Tempering stage before advancing to the Dawning stage. This involved channeling wakan through the meridians and accumulating vital spirit within the dantian. Upon reaching the Dawning stage, a cultivator could absorb the spiritual essence of the universe, refining it into vital spirit for personal use. The Body Tempering stage was widely regarded as the most challenging, yet for many, it was the simplest to overcome. Gu Feng, however, was somewhat of an exception.

"I'll just keep cultivating," Gu Feng decided, dismissing his concerns. After all, a solution would present itself when needed.

Continuing his practice, Gu Feng focused on absorbing the spiritual energy from the first-grade soulstones into his fist rather than his entire body. He was aware that his supply of soulstones was limited; dispersing their energy throughout his body would be as futile as adding a drop of water to the sea. It was far more effective to concentrate the power in his right fist, enhancing its strength. In combat, this golden fist could deliver a devastating blow to his adversaries.

"The fist is still too large. I'll refine the Single Solar Finger instead." After channeling energy from five soulstones, Gu Feng sensed that his right fist hadn't gained much spiritual energy. Recalling the Single Solar Finger technique from Earth's literature, he decided to consolidate the energy into his right index finger.

The Body Tempering method unique to the Gu family was indeed extraordinary, allowing for the precise direction of wakan to any desired body part. Gu Feng succeeded in compressing all the wakan from the soulstones into his index finger, effectively bringing it to the second level of Body Tempering. It's important to note that it was solely his finger that achieved this level, not his entire body.

"I wonder if it's truly impervious?" Gu Feng channeled all the wakan from the soulstones into his fingertip, then picked up a steel sword from the ground and lightly grazed his index finger with it. The skin remained unbroken. He applied a bit more pressure, yet it still didn't cut. Finally, with a bit more force, he managed to make a small cut. "Damn, that's the power of the Single Solar Finger for you. Alas, if only I had more soulstones, I could easily pierce through an opponent's defenses with just a flick of my finger."

Xianyue, seated cross-legged nearby, blushed at Gu Feng's words and gave her son a disapproving look. "Feng, what are you thinking about at a time like this?"

"Ah? Mother." Gu Feng was momentarily carried away and had forgotten about his mother's presence. "Oh, has it gotten dark already? Time flies."

"Yes, let's have something to eat. We can resume our travels tomorrow." Xianyue suggested, taking out some dried food and jerky from her pack.

After a quick meal, Gu Feng went out and used his steel sword to chop down some trees. He dragged the branches to the cave entrance to block it, and the two settled in for the night, nestled against each other in the small cavern.

"Hehe, a special constitution? I wonder how many beast souls I'll be able to merge with in the future and how many powerful beast souls I'll acquire? Or am I like everyone else, destined to refine only a single beast soul in my lifetime?" Gu Feng mused to himself, "With two souls inhabiting this body, I should be able to merge with two beast souls, right?"

If an Almighty were present, they would certainly notice something unique about Gu Feng's constitution. In ancient times, there were many revered physiques – immortal bodies, spiritual bodies, chaotic bodies, and so on. Gu Feng possessed what was known as the Ten Thousand Ancient Sacred Zero Physique. Zero signified an absence, like a blank slate, ready to become stronger when faced with strength and still formidable against weakness.

This meant that if he were to encounter a mighty cultivation technique, he could inscribe the power of the Heavenly Creation Art onto his blank slate. If he had access to techniques for cultivating the Sacred Body, Sword Body, Saint Tyrant Body, and so forth, he could achieve mastery no matter how many he encountered. Zero indicated a fresh start, not predetermined at birth and unchangeable. Thus, Gu Feng's constitution was hailed as the Ten Thousand Ancient Sacred Zero Physique. Without encountering a powerful cultivation technique in his lifetime, Gu Feng would lead an unremarkable life.

What is the innate talent of a Soul Beast? As previously mentioned, some Soul Beasts possess natural elements like lightning, fire, ice, earth spikes, poison, and more. These are just the most common talents. Legend speaks of those with the aura of emperors, capable of teleportation, devouring, manipulating energy, and formidable defense. When humans acquire these talents, they become unparalleled masters, enhancing their martial prowess and dominating their realm.

"Before leaving, your father entrusted me with a letter for you," Xianyue said, leaning against Gu Feng and snapping him out of his reverie. "He mentioned that if you wish to pursue martial arts, you can take this letter to Bellowfall in Jade Peak for training."

"At my current stage, the first level of Body Tempering, would they even take me in? And if they do, will they provide the resources I need to cultivate?" Gu Feng inquired.

"You could pick up some martial skills. It's just a suggestion; the decision is yours. But personally, I hope you choose to engage in business to avoid a life filled with constant conflict," Xianyue advised.

She reflected on the cultivation journey, fraught with battles and bloodshed, the relentless pursuit of resources, hunting Soul Beasts in the depths of the forest—all of it a gamble with life and death.

"We'll see when the time comes. If I can't shake off the Gu family's vendetta, I'll seek refuge at Bellowfall," Gu Feng decided.

"Moreover, if you advance to the second level of Body Tempering, this will be yours," Xianyue revealed, presenting the Azure Dragon Token given to her by Gu Mong.

"What's this? It looks like an ancient bronze relic!" Gu Feng examined it closely, scrutinizing the depiction of the Nine Dragons frolicking with pearls. Frowning, he mused, "This image of the Nine Dragons... I'm sure I've seen it somewhere before. Wait, isn't there one missing?"

Upon noticing the merged characters on the back, Gu Feng confirmed that a piece was indeed absent. Had it not been for the word 'Heaven' inscribed on the dragon pearl, he might have remained uncertain about its familiarity.

Regardless of whether it was the same object he remembered, Gu Feng sensed that this item was far from ordinary, trusting his intuition above all else.

Xianyue observed Gu Feng playing with the Bronze Mandate in his hands, a look of attachment on her face. "I'm not sure where this came from," she said. "Your father referred to it as the Nine Dragons Sky Mandate. He claimed it has been in the Gu family for tens of thousands of years. Our ancestors said it contains something powerful. If someone is acknowledged as its master, they could command the heavens and the earth, and stand tall over the ancient times."

"What? Really? If it's that powerful, why has the Gu family become so insignificant? They're just a third-rate power in Pan City!" Gu Feng expressed his skepticism about Gu Mong's words, yet he couldn't help but think, "Could it be true? If it is, I'd be set for life. The real divine magic and Divine Weapon have been right under my nose."

Gu Feng then devoted himself to examining the Bronze Mandate. In the darkness of the small cave, neither of them spoke, lost in sleep or their thoughts until midnight. That's when Gu Feng heard the distant sounds of trees snapping, a sure sign of some massive Soul Beast nearby. From the sounds, he estimated it to be about a mile away.

"Don't worry, it's probably not coming this way. It might just be Soul Beasts clashing with their natural enemies," Gu Feng reassured Xianyue as he felt her heartbeat quicken. He tucked the Nine Dragons Sky Mandate he had been studying all night into his chest, thinking of commanding the nine heavens and looking down upon ancient times. "Damn, the Mountain Range of Pan City is treacherous, truly no ordinary danger. I hope we don't end up as Soul Beast fodder. I'm not yet the world's sole superpower."

"Mhm," Xianyue murmured softly in agreement.

Soul Beasts, intelligent creatures, wouldn't normally crash into trees without cause. The continuous sounds of trees breaking, accompanied by the occasional roar of a Soul Beast, didn't seem to be getting closer. Gu Feng was convinced that two Soul Beasts were locked in combat. He silently hoped they would both perish, leaving him the opportunity to effortlessly claim two soulstones.

"To be able to shatter trees and Soul Beasts, it must be a massive one. Mother, wouldn't you agree?" Gu Feng murmured to his mother, who was resting against his back.

"Mm-hmm, your father mentioned that there are Soul Beasts in these mountains that stand over ten meters tall. I've also heard people in the city talk about a Soul Beast King around here, apparently around the fifth or sixth level," Xianyue replied in a soft voice.

Soul Beasts range from the first to the ninth rank, with each rank's soulstone and wakan being ten times more potent than the previous. Ancient texts mention Saint Beasts, but Gu Feng was unsure if there were any beyond that rank. As for the size of the world, Gu Feng was equally uncertain. He only knew it as the Tamura Empire, surrounded by many other empires, large and small, where battles were a constant occurrence.

An hour passed, and the loud noises outside persisted. Two hours, then three, and the sounds showed no sign of stopping until the fourth hour, when they finally began to wane. By the fifth hour, dawn had broken, and a white mist enveloped the mountain forest, leaving it drenched in moisture.

Inside the cave, Gu Feng's hair felt freshly washed. A mix of nervousness and excitement bubbled within him, and if not for his mother's restraint, he would have dashed outside already. After waiting yet another hour and hearing no further commotion, Gu Feng said, "Mother, should you stay here, or shall we go out and see what's happened? Perhaps two Soul Beasts have perished."

"I'll accompany you to take a look," Xianyue decided, understanding Gu Feng's eagerness.

Gu Feng shouldered his pack and grasped a longsword he had acquired through less savory means. He brushed aside the branches at the cave's entrance and, clutching the Azure Dragon Token at his chest, said to Xianyue, "Arm yourself with your longsword. Let's go see for ourselves."

With the sky now light and a faint mist lingering between the trees, visibility stretched over a mile. Gu Feng emerged from the small cave and cautiously made his way toward the source of last night's tumultuous sounds. A few hundred meters on, he encountered a scene of chaos: trees as thick as a man's leg lay toppled, and the air was tinged with the scent of blood.

"Feng, could there be any danger?" Xianyue asked cautiously, following closely behind Gu Feng.

"I'm not sure. Let's move in for a closer look. If there's any danger, we can always back off," Gu Feng replied, uncertain whether the Soul Beast was still around. Even if it was, they were probably safe at this distance.

As Gu Feng advanced another three hundred meters, he could clearly make out a shape ahead. His jaw nearly dropped in shock. What could this unfortunate high school student have stumbled upon? Before him lay a colossal python, roughly fifty meters in length, with a body as thick as a water barrel and striking black and white patterns that made Gu Feng gulp and shiver with a sense of foreboding.

"What in the world is that?" Gu Feng wondered silently to himself.