Qin Youshen was injured, so Qin An Yu became her attendant, carrying her into the stone trough, fetching water for her, decocting medicine, and having her undergo bone and flesh refinement once more.
The cultivation of the nine stages of Qi Cultivation realm required three refinements for each stage. The medicinal ingredients for each refinement varied slightly, and the dosages increased each time. Normally, this bone refinement for her would be unsuitable due to the short interval between the last two. However, because she had just undergone such a fierce battle and was injured, the timing was perfect.
After preparing her medicine and seeing to her needs, he slung the Clumsy Sword onto his back and entered the Qi Refining realm ravine. Last time, he was driven out by a combined attack of beasts as soon as he entered. This time, after refining his flesh and bones, he wanted to go in and fight, test his combat strength, and gather some medicinal herbs.
He had been exhausted on the cliff, unable to fully unleash his potential. And in the fight with Zhang Yuan, he hadn't displayed his full physical capabilities. Now, he needed a thoroughly satisfying battle to fully bring out the advantages of his internal organs and bones, and to stimulate the potential of his other organs and tissues. Only by stimulating them and then taking appropriate medicinal herbs would it be the best way to improve. This was also the difference in cultivation methods between the Spirit Bridge Plane and the Immortal Realm, and why the Spirit Bridge Plane knew this but not why this was the case.
He entered the first ravine, walking around with the Clumsy Sword on his back, forcibly relocating any disturbing beasts. He found seventeen types of herbs that weren't available outside, then proceeded into the second ravine.
As soon as he passed through the formation, a wild boar immediately charged at him. He swung his sword down. The wild boar slowed its charge, a visible health bar above its head. He felt an immense force transmitted, and uncontrollably, he was pushed out of the ravine.
"The strength is still too weak," he muttered as he retreated to the first ravine. Then, he crossed the formation again, re-entering the second ravine.
The wild boar was still grunting at the spot where he disappeared. Seeing him return, it took a step back then charged again. This time, he didn't want to test his strength. He sidestepped its attack and slammed a fist into its side. The wild boar was sent flying sideways, stumbled upon landing, and continued to slide horizontally. Finally, using its front legs as a pivot, its body spun around, once again facing him. It sprang up again and charged at him. He swung his sword out, then sidestepped again, and then delivered another punch.
With a "clink," the wild boar's right tusk cracked, and it was sent flying horizontally far away. After stumbling to the ground, the wild boar grunted at him for a while, then retreated. After a few steps back, it turned and ran. The wild boar was quite intelligent; it was afraid he would launch a sneak attack. He didn't pursue it.
He began searching for medicinal herbs. His purpose here was to fight and find herbs, not to slaughter. Such opportunities should be left for the girl and the others. The Immortal Emperor of No Self didn't need such opportunities. An opponent that had lost its fighting courage wasn't worth fighting again.
After refining his flesh and bones, the next step was to refine his liver, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, bladder, triple warmer, and other internal organs, so he needed to prepare the medicinal herbs. He was missing five types of these herbs. He had just dug up three types in the first ravine, still missing dragon bone and dendrobium. He had gone to the city's pharmacies twice to purchase them, but the dragon bone was not old enough, and there was no dendrobium at all. If these two types couldn't be acquired, the refining effect would be diminished, only slightly better than in the Spirit Bridge Plane.
"A place specifically used to cultivate low-level disciples should have such herbs."
After driving away several disturbing beasts, he went to a deep abyss. He saw a ten-zhang high rock crevice on the cliff face ahead, where long tree ferns grew, the shortest four chi tall, the tallest eight chi. Six zhang higher up, a large quantity of dendrobium grew, thick and dense.
"Such large tree ferns can be used by many people." He climbed up along the crevice, reaching the tallest tree fern. "Three-hundred-year-old medicinal herbs still can't be promoted to a higher grade? Artificial environments are still not good enough." Dragon bone was the skinless trunk of the tree fern, so he had to cut down the tree. The trunk was very tough. Standing on the cliff, he couldn't exert his full strength. With one sword stroke, he only cut a half-inch deep gash.
As he was about to strike the third blow, his peripheral vision caught sight of a type of beast arriving. He turned around and saw three jackals. He secretly rejoiced, "I can have a good fight now." At the fifth realm, he couldn't handle three Qi Cultivation realm beasts. At the sixth realm, he could relatively easily deal with a Qi Refining realm wild boar. Now, with three jackals, he could practice his body's reaction and coordination abilities.
Jackals were pack animals with a strong need for meat. Since they saw him, they certainly wouldn't leave. So, he ignored them and continued chopping. After the tree fern was cut down, it fell down the cliff. He didn't immediately descend the cliff but grabbed onto the protrusions and indentations on the cliff face, continuing to climb up to dig for dendrobium.
When he was still one zhang away from the dendrobium, a green snake shot out from the clump of dendrobium. He threw a punch, hitting it seven cun (about 2.3 cm) from its head, sending it flying, and continued to climb. After just two steps, he looked at the jackals below. "Why not give them something to do? Let them warm up first." From then on, green snakes kept flying towards him, and he kept hitting them away, all towards the jackals, letting them play for a while.
Upon reaching the dendrobium growth area, he carefully selected and dug out three clumps of 200-year-old dendrobium. With these, the medicinal herbs for refining his six internal organs were complete.
He descended the cliff, leaning against it. Under the watchful eyes of the three jackals, he cut off three sections of the tree trunk and put them into his spatial ring. "I can fight you now."
Although the jackals were of a higher realm and greater in number, their naturally cautious nature prevented them from immediately attacking. Instead, they communicated in low growls, one after another. Seeing this, Qin An Yu's mind stirred. He grabbed the fronds of the tree fern from the ground and walked. Although the tree fern fronds were not large, their branches were extremely tough. Dragging them behind him could act as a shield, preventing him from being surrounded by enemies. While he was confident he could escape, he wasn't arrogant enough to think he could leave easily.
Seeing him drag the fronds, the three jackals stopped communicating and quickly spread out. One leaped and jumped, while the other two ran along the ground. Qin An Yu threw the fronds forward, blocking the two charging jackals, and then swung his sword towards the one that jumped. The jackal, which was about to fall, continued to fly, hitting the cliff face with a dull thud.
One jackal pulled out the fronds and stood up, charging at him. He swung his sword, leaving a deep gash on its neck, then kicked it, sending it flying backward. The jackal splattered blood in the air like heavy rain. Although it landed steadily on its feet, its weak whines indicated that it was not far from death.
Two of the three jackals were injured. He finally stopped relying on the tree trunk, throwing the fronds behind him, impaling the jackal lying at the base of the cliff. He then charged the third one with his sword. It attacked, and he met it head-on, delivering a sword strike. He retreated, and it retreated, though he moved back a bit further. It attacked again. He struck with his sword, sidestepped, and then punched it towards the jackal whose neck was slit. The two jackals slammed heavily into each other. The injured jackal was sent flying to the ground and never got up again.
The jackal at the base of the cliff awoke from its daze. Seeing its companion's dire state, it tossed aside the fronds and charged. Qin An Yu saw this, raised his Clumsy Sword, and met it. He swept away its attacking paw, and its bloodthirsty mouth was useless.
"Whoosh..." A foul wind blew. The jackal that had been knocked back attacked from behind. Qin An Yu dodged, and his Clumsy Sword incidentally struck the jackal's belly, sending it recoiling. At that moment, another jackal pounced. The jackals began to coordinate their attacks.
Qin An Yu chuckled softly, "This is best. The most crucial basic tempering for the Qi Cultivation realm is the body." He slung the Clumsy Sword onto his back and engaged the two injured jackals with his bare hands.
In the ravine, one person and two jackals tangled in combat. The person moved, the jackals retreated; the person moved, the jackals slid sideways... He didn't know how long passed, but the two jackals stood before Qin An Yu, barked at him simultaneously, then turned and left. They couldn't win, and they couldn't get human flesh, so they stopped expending themselves.
He panted heavily and chuckled at them, "This battle today, though low-end, was truly satisfying and thorough." He walked over, picked up the fronds, and returned.