NABC Chapter 25 The Mountain's Essence Begins
Chapter 25 The Mountain's Essence Begins
The furnace fire still burns, and the anvil clangs.
However, the air in Heishan'ao has become tense and restless due to the arrival of the three major martial arts schools.
People dressed in martial arts uniforms of different colors passed by in the village from time to time, some talking in hushed tones, others looking solemnly toward Black Mountain.
The Sun family mansion became a temporary contact point. Sun Mancang and his son were so busy that they didn't have time to rest. They were no longer as arrogant as before. In front of the three major martial arts schools, they didn't even dare to speak loudly.
This oppressive atmosphere, like the impending storm, became the best cover and forging ground for the "stone" in the blacksmith's shop.
The "furnace breathing method" taught by Chen Shan is no longer something Yang Jin mechanically practices by swinging a hammer. Instead, he has begun to consciously integrate this unique breathing rhythm into every movement of his daily life. When walking, he takes deep breaths with each step, feeling his blood and qi flow with each step. When carrying iron, he inhales to build up his strength and exhales to exert force, striving to make each movement precise and effortless. He even tries to adjust his breathing when eating and drinking, coordinating his breath with his swallowing movements.
At first, it was naturally awkward, but when he put the same focus he had when visualizing the demonic ape in the "rooting" posture into it, everything began to change.
The "rooting" method is a way to guide the flow of qi and blood to resonate with the earth and solidify the foundation.
At this moment, combined with the "Furnace Breathing Technique," Yang Jin discovered that his feet seemed to have grown invisible roots, and the connection with the ground beneath his feet became clearer and more stable.
This sense of "being rooted" resonated wonderfully with the "mountain spirit" he had been pursuing through his arduous practice of "standing on the mountain stance"—a spirit of "stability as solid as a rock and a deep, condensed breath as majestic as a mountain."
That afternoon, Chen Shan went to the village to help someone repair an important farm tool, leaving Yang Jin alone in the shop.
He closed the shop door and went to the stone wall in the backyard that was covered with his palm prints.
Instead of striking out immediately, he first assumed the stance of "standing on the mountain".
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, spine straight like a spear, arms hanging naturally with palms facing down.
This is not an ordinary standing meditation; the standing meditation posture itself implies a profound and immovable artistic conception.
Yang Jin closed his eyes and began to visualize the demonic ape "taking root".
My consciousness sank, as if penetrating my flesh and bones, sinking into the earth beneath my feet.
The terrestrial nature of the marmoset gives it an already keen sense of the earth, and this sense is amplified infinitely under the guidance of "rooting".
He "heard" the subtle chirping of insects deep in the soil, the gurgling of flowing water, the ancient silence of rocks... A powerful, solid force, capable of supporting all things, quietly surged in from the soles of his feet, slowly ascending along his legs and spine, flowing throughout his entire body.
At the same time, the "furnace breathing method" naturally began to operate.
Inhale, as if taking in the profound power from the earth along with the meager energy in the air; exhale, as if slowly expelling the impurities and fatigue generated by the circulation of qi and blood in the body.
With each breath, the body seems to become a furnace connecting heaven and earth, slowly and steadily tempering itself.
Gradually, Yang Jin felt that he was no longer an isolated "person" standing on the ground, but had become a part of the earth, a stubborn rock at the foot of the mountain, and a protrusion extending from the mountain.
His breathing became incredibly long and deep, and his heartbeat seemed to slow down, subtly aligning with some grand yet slow pulse.
In this state, the body's Qi and blood circulate exceptionally smoothly and solidly, like magma slowly flowing deep underground. It appears calm, but contains immense heat and power within.
He maintained this state for an unknown amount of time, perhaps half an hour, or perhaps longer.
Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck.
Yang Jin did not open his eyes, but his right palm slowly rose.
Without deliberately mobilizing qi and blood, nor deliberately thinking about the "mountain-splitting" move, everything seemed to happen naturally.
On the edge of the palm, the dark yellow to brownish stone skin gleamed with an almost invisible, warm luster.
"call--"
With a long and steady exhale, his right palm cleaved down like an axe!
The movements were not fast, but they carried an indescribable heaviness and resolve.
The air was silently sliced apart by the edge of his palm, emitting a low whimper.
"puff!"
The dull thud was not the sound of stone chips flying everywhere, but rather the sound of a blunt instrument deeply embedded in tough wood.
Yang Jin withdrew his palm and opened his eyes to look.
On the stone wall, a palm-shaped indentation nearly a foot deep with smooth and neat edges was clearly visible!
The stone around the depression has a strange, inward-pressing texture, as if it was forcibly "rammed" in by an extremely concentrated force, rather than being shattered by brute force!
What surprised him even more was that the moment his palm touched the stone wall, the force of the impact was easily transmitted and neutralized by his body, which was already connected to the earth. His arm and even his whole body felt no discomfort at all. Instead, he felt a sense of exhilaration after the smooth release of power!
"The meaning of the mountain... stability, weight, and solidity... the power to split the mountain... decisiveness, resolve, and penetration..." Yang Jin murmured to himself, his eyes gleaming.
At that moment, he finally understood the combination of "splitting" and "mountain" that Chen Shan had mentioned.
There is no need to deliberately pursue a grand display; simply transform yourself into a mountain, and then concentrate the mountain's stability and weight into the sharpness of a single "splitting" strike!
This is the "Mountain Splitting Style" that has entered the inner sanctum!
With a slight thought, he sank into his sea of consciousness and communicated with the mountain cauldron.
The familiar information feed reappeared, but it had changed significantly compared to a few days ago:
[Master of the Cauldron: Yang Jin]
[Refining the Cauldron Spirit: Earth-Walking Marmoset (Gray)]
[Integration Rate: 22.5% → 25.8%] (The combination of 'Rooting' and 'Furnace Breathing Technique' accelerates the digestion of the earth's essence and one's own power, significantly increasing the integration rate.)
[Earth Vein Essence Reserves: 0.0 points]
[Mountain Favorability: Slight → Somewhat Sensed (Continued)] (Initial understanding of the 'meaning of the mountain,' deepening connection with the earth)
------
[Martial Arts Realm: Skin Refining Realm (Stable → Minor Success)] (Stone skin is strengthened, blood and qi condensation is greatly improved, and defense and power control are enhanced)
[Current Status: Injuries fully healed, energy and blood abundant, spirits high]
[Cultivation Technique: Mountain Battle Diagram - Twelve Forms of the Demonic Ape (Fragment) - First Form 'Rooting' (Master → Proficient)]
[Cultivation Technique: Furnace Breathing Method (Beginner → Mastery)]
[Cultivation Technique: Standing Mountain Stance (Beginner → Mastery)]
[Practical Technique: Mountain Splitting Style (Minor Success → Advanced)] (Initial integration of the "Mountain Spirit", palm power is refined and penetrating, and the ability to counteract and neutralize shocks is enhanced)
------
[Spiritual Talent:]
• Stone Skin (Beginner → Beginner Enhancement): Significantly increases defense, enhances resistance to blunt force and cutting, improves adaptability to soil and rock environments, and provides additional bonuses to power transmission and neutralization.
• Vibration perception (5 zhang → 6 zhang): The range is expanded, and the details are perceived more clearly.
• Stone Control (Can affect the structure of rocks within 50 jin → Can affect the structure of rocks within 80 jin, improving precision): Smoother control and faster response.
------
【Commander of Mountain Beasts: Rock-Carving Earthworm (A-Tu)】
[Status: Healthy, slightly uneasy (due to unusual activity deep in the mine), continuing to grow]
[Evolution Requirements: 55/100 → 52/100] (Underground activity, absorbing mineral essence, slow progress)
Their strength has increased dramatically!
It's not just about improving panel data; it's about the initial stages of a transformation from "force" to "potential"!
Yang Jin could clearly feel that if he were to face a martial artist of the same level as Zhao Kun (in a state of severe injury with a severed arm), he would no longer be able to rely solely on terrain and traps to maneuver as he had before. He would be able to put up a fight in a head-on confrontation!
Even if they are outmatched, they should be able to retreat calmly without any problem.
The leap in strength did not make Yang Jin lose his head; on the contrary, it made him even calmer.
He slowly finished his practice, his gaze involuntarily turning towards the dark, gloomy Black Mountain outside the window, which was under the close "watchful eye" of the three major martial arts schools.
Rock, Gale, Iron Bones... The gathering of these three martial arts schools in this remote mountain village is not simply for a "dead" young hunter, nor is it merely for investigating the cause of Zhao Kun's death.
Chen Shan mentioned that they might be after "something" beneath the mine.
Zhao Kun's disappearance was like pouring water into boiling oil, making all three families uneasy.
For three martial arts schools to mobilize so much resources, even sending out experts at the Bone Refining Realm personally... the contents deep within the mine must be incredibly valuable!
"A strange beast? A precious medicine?!"
Yang Jin's heart skipped a beat as he recalled Chen Shan's occasional mentions and the rumors he had overheard from the villagers.
"A precious medicine! A precious medicine that can change one's physical constitution!"
One's innate constitution is determined by birth, and difficult to change later in life.
Improving one's physical constitution means a smoother path in martial arts, greater potential, and easier breakthroughs!
This is an irresistible temptation for any martial artist!
No wonder even the higher-ups at the martial arts school were tempted and came in person, keeping each other in check and on guard.
"The grudges between the Sun family, Zhao Kun, Ma Liu... are probably just insignificant trifles in the eyes of the three major martial arts schools. Their attention is already firmly drawn to the legendary 'precious medicine.'" Yang Jin realized that this was both a huge crisis and an unimaginable opportunity for him!
The crisis lies in the fact that the involvement of the three major martial arts schools has turned Black Mountain Pass into a den of dragons and tigers. Once his identity as "Yang Jin" is exposed, he will be doomed in an instant.
Their exploration of the mine tunnels might uncover traces of Atu's activities, and could even jeopardize Atu's safety.
The opportunity lies in the fact that when the waters are muddy, one is actually safer as someone who is "already dead."
The three martial arts schools kept each other in check, their attention focused on each other and the depths of the mine, minimizing their suspicions about themselves as "stone" apprentices.
More importantly... could the targets they're vying for also become resources for their own growth?
Yang Jin never considered himself a virtuous gentleman. With the blood feud with Shi Gong still unresolved and his own strength needing to be rapidly improved, he didn't want to let go of any opportunity that could help him.
Since the "precious medicine" has attracted the covetous eyes of the three major martial arts schools, its value is beyond doubt.
"A-Tu..." Yang Jin called out to his companion underground through the mental link.
Atu quickly responded, still carrying a hint of unease caused by the frequent anomalies deep within the mine tunnels.
"Recently, avoid our usual hunting grounds. Also, stay away from any areas showing signs of activity from the Three Halls." Yang Jin delivered clear instructions. "Your task is to find new, more hidden, and more remote branches of the mine tunnels, explore for other places rich in 'bright stones' (earth vein essence), or... for any 'special' aura fluctuations. But you must ensure absolute safety. If any powerful aura approaches, hide or retreat immediately."
He needed to learn more about the depths of the mine and also needed to find new resource points for himself and Atu.
At the same time, he also wanted to see if Atuna's instinctive perception, derived from subterranean creatures, could detect even a trace of the "precious medicine" that the three martial arts schools all wanted.
"Also, keep an eye on the village and the three camps, especially their entry and exit from the mine tunnels, casualties, and... changes in their relationships with each other."
Atu understood the instructions, conveying the meaning of "understand" and "be careful," and slowly sank deeper into the earth to begin a new exploration mission.
Yang Jin walked back to the front yard, picked up the hammer again, aimed at a piece of cold iron, and brought it down.
"clang!"
The voice was deep and resonant, yet powerful and penetrating.
Sparks flew up, reflecting in his deep pupils.
With the convergence of three major martial arts schools, a storm is brewing in Black Mountain.
And he, the avenger hidden in the blacksmith's shop, is quietly taking root on the edge of this storm, sharpening his fangs, waiting for an opportunity that might allow him to soar to the sky, or... be swept into a deeper vortex.
The mountain's essence is beginning to take shape; there is a method to split the mountain.