Fantasy: Immortality Begins with Absorbing Demons

Chapter Three: Minor Mastery of the Mountain-Crushing Fist

As dusk fell, the mountain winds howled over the Black Rock Mountains, the setting sun shone like blood, and the sparse clouds were dyed red.

Han Yi and Li Tie arrived at the camp before sunset.

Li Tie, the burly man with a thick beard from earlier, claimed to be from a family of blacksmiths, hence the name Li Tie. But when he woke up, the city had fallen, his family was destroyed, and he had become a refugee.

Before Han Yi and Li Tie could even rest, a disciple was already waiting at the camp gate. "Manager Liu is at the registration desk. He wants you to go see him as soon as you return."

Han Yi and Li Tie exchanged a glance, and without daring to be negligent, they nodded in agreement.

At the registration desk, Manager Liu stood before the table, stroking his beard, seemingly deep in thought. The numbers '3-5' floated above his head.

"Manager Liu." Han Yi and Li Tie bowed to each other.

Manager Liu turned around and saw their two empty baskets. A hint of displeasure flashed in his eyes, and he asked impatiently, "Where is Ma Liu's body?"

“We buried the body at the foot of the mountain and did not bring it back to the camp.”

"Well done." Manager Liu smiled slightly. "It was just an accident. There's no need to make a big fuss about it."

“But how could this be an accident? It’s clearly a demon…” Li Tie couldn’t help but say.

Manager Liu shouted sternly, "What demons? They're just some yin-spirit insects that are afraid of fire!"

It turns out that the strange insect was called the Yin Qi Insect, which is countered by fire. Furthermore, it seems I can directly absorb the Yin Qi Insect to generate Yuan Qi and increase my lifespan, but...

Han Yi still felt a lingering fear when he thought of the Yin Qi Insect's strange appearance, which was neither insect nor snake. "I almost died from the Yin Qi Insect's attack!"

It's still too dangerous. Let's stabilize our development first before trying again!

After a pause, Manager Liu added, "Your mining task for today is considered complete. You can rest tomorrow, and this matter is considered closed."

Han Yi tugged at Li Tie, who was about to speak, and quickly nodded in agreement.

"Damn it, they made us go mining even though they knew there were demons there!" Li Tie said angrily.

On the way back to the house, Li Tie complained incessantly, while Han Yi remained silent.

Mining apprentices' rest area

People who were alive just moments ago are now dead before your eyes. Even Han Yi, who had witnessed countless deaths and separations during his time as a refugee, couldn't help but feel a pang of sorrow. In this world, although no one has yet risen up in rebellion to establish their own independent regime, and the Great Xuan Dynasty appears peaceful on the surface, bandits are rampant, evil spirits are appearing, ordinary people are displaced, while high-ranking officials and nobles live in luxury and revelry!

By combining his knowledge with previous historical records, Han Yi could easily see that this was a scene typical of the end of a dynasty.

Chaos inevitably leads to chaos, and chaos inevitably leads to great strife. Therefore, only martial artists can protect themselves, and only by becoming stronger can they survive!

Thinking of this, Han Yi silently thought, "System, add points to the Mountain-Crushing Fist Technique!"

Morning, noon, evening, rain or shine, sunshine or rain, cold or warm, the boy practiced his punches on the wooden stake like rain, even when drenched in sweat, his mind was completely focused, 100 times, 200 times, 2000 times…

When he first started hitting the wooden stake, the boy's arms couldn't withstand the strain, his skin and flesh tore open, and blood flowed continuously.

Gradually, the skin on his arms only became red and swollen. Then, he could hit the wooden stakes with force without feeling any pain. Finally, when the boy punched one of the wooden stakes, the blue bricks shattered with a crack!

In a daze, a series of strange yet familiar memories surfaced in Han Yi's mind, and he subconsciously circulated the qi and blood in his arms in the memory of himself.

Suddenly, Han Yi's arms swelled up as if engorged with blood, the skin and flesh reflecting a bronze luster under the oil lamp's light. A single punch from his arms seemed capable of shattering stones and breaking tiles.

At the same time, Han Yi's upper body flesh also became much firmer, and when touched, it had a kind of toughness like cowhide.

Is this a breakthrough?

Han Yi glanced at the panel.

Name: Han Yi (16/61)

[Realm Level]: Mid-stage Skin Refining (50/100)

[Martial Arts]: Mountain-Shattering Fist Technique (Mortal Rank, Trait: Stone Shattering, Minor Completion 0/20, Can be Upgraded) [Elemental Energy]: 6

Value 5~7

With just 4 points of Yuan Power, I was able to upgrade the Mountain Crushing Fist Technique to the minor completion level and break through to the mid-stage of Skin Refining. Moreover, adding points would not result in any physical depletion or loss of Qi and Blood!

His overall strength has also greatly improved! After all, an ordinary adult male only has a value of '1~2', but Han Yi can now easily deal with seven or eight ordinary people with his bare hands!

If it weren't for the fact that it was late at night and everyone was asleep, Han Yi would have loved to let out a few shouts.

From the precarious existence of becoming a refugee to becoming a mining apprentice just to fill his stomach, Han Yi's life of uncertainty made him feel utterly insecure in this world. But now, his breakthrough in cultivation has finally given him a glimmer of hope for life!

As for the stone-shattering characteristic of the Mountain-Crushing Fist, Han Yi guessed that this meant that the effect of the Mountain-Crushing Fist corresponded to the breaking of blue bricks in his memory. Unfortunately, it was already late, so he could only wait until tomorrow to rest and then go to the training ground to test it out.

Suppressing his excitement, Han Yi forced himself to close his eyes and rest.

Nothing in the night

Han Yi got up very early, had breakfast, and rushed to the training ground.

thump, thump, thump

The wooden stakes made a series of loud thuds when struck.

In the past, if Han Yi practiced for such a long time, his arms would have been sore and aching. But now, with his qi and blood circulating, Han Yi felt warm all over and comfortable, and his arms were full of power!

"continue!"

Han Yi struck while the iron was hot, practicing the Mountain-Crushing Fist Technique again, once, twice…....

Han Yi felt that his punching motions kept overlapping with the scenes he remembered when he was adding points.

I seem to have gained a new understanding of how the Crushing Mountain Fist stimulates the flow of Qi and blood…....

[Realm Level]: Mid-stage Skin Refining (51/100)

[Martial Arts]: Mountain Crashing Fist Technique (Mortal Rank, Trait: Rock Shattering, Minor Mastery 2/20, Can be Upgraded)

Han Yi clenched his arms and exerted force suddenly, instantly creating gusts of wind from his fists, with a faint sound of air being torn apart.

In the instant he exerted his strength, Han Yi's stats jumped to 7!

Click!

With a crisp crack, the narrow section of the stake, about an inch wide, snapped off at the base.

Fortunately, the mining disciples had all gone to mine, and the training ground was empty; otherwise, this scene would have caused a sensation.

"Not bad, not bad. This power is more than enough to shatter rocks, and if it hits a person, it would probably tear their skin apart," Han Yi said, quite satisfied. To test its power further, Han Yi went to the stone block.

Inhale, exert force.

"drink!"

Han Yi easily lifted the stone block, which weighed over 400 kilograms, with one hand!

My strength is much greater than before. It's probably not just the strength of a half marathon. I'm afraid even world-class weightlifting champions in the past wouldn't be this strong!

In the early stages of Skin Refining, martial artists are only slightly superior to ordinary people in terms of physique and strength. However, by the middle stages of Skin Refining, martial artists begin to transcend the definition of ordinary people.

Take Han Yi's current level of skill as an example. Even if he were to fight three or five strong men with his bare hands, it would be a piece of cake!

Han Yi was cultivating with great enthusiasm.

Suddenly, a commotion arose from in front of the camp gate.

They saw Manager Liu, who was usually indifferent to them, hunching over and taking small steps ahead, a smirk on his face as he spoke to the burly man beside him.

Then, an oxcart rumbled into the training ground, and a lean man jumped off and placed stone locks on the ground.

What is this for?

Han Yi was puzzled.