The tempering bone stage was often summarized as tendon, bone, skin, and marrow. From beginner to major achievement, each advancement meant a gradual strengthening of one's bones. But truly changing the very structure of bone was a long, continuous process—it could never be completed overnight.
It was like the tempering blood stage: once a cultivator's qi and blood stabilized, their blood essence became fixed. Similarly, once the tempering bone stage reached completion, the bones themselves would settle into a new, solid state.
And tempering tendons—that was the very first step.
As the Bone-Nurturing Soup entered his stomach, the medicinal power surged through Chen Sanshi's body, carried by the Blood of the Dragon and Elephant. His bones and tendons began to itch and tingle as if being scraped from within. When combined with the pain from his breathing and stance training, the sensation turned into an indescribable torment that pressed on every nerve.
Chen Sanshi removed his upper garments, revealing a body of firm, corded muscle. Under the crisp autumn breeze, he closed his eyes and began practicing the most intricate sequences of the Undying Golden Serpent Spear (Upper Scroll).
From the outside, his posture looked twisted and bizarre. Yet each move was perfectly rooted and deliberate.
Only by combining these complex spear movements with stance training and controlled breathing could he grind his bones and tendons to their absolute limits.
Chen Sanshi had experience. He wasn't impatient. He let time do its work.
Just then, Sun Li returned and caught sight of him. She stopped by the wall, watching for a moment before speaking.
"Little Junior Brother, slow the flow of your qi and blood. Focus on how your tendons and bones interact. The stronger your tendons, the better they'll nourish your bones… forget it, Senior Sister will help you."
Chen Sanshi stayed silent, focusing entirely on his movements, the Willow-Leaf Spear slicing arcs through the air.
He only noticed the soft sound of footsteps approaching. Then a pair of cool, jade-like hands began tapping along his joints and tendons, guiding the proper sequence for tempering his tendons.
He didn't resist—only concentrated more deeply, following the guidance.
And then, suddenly—
Something within him came alive.
The tendons throughout his body—large and small, along with the thin membranes that wrapped his bones—seemed to awaken with vitality.
His great tendons twisted like dragons, while the smaller ones coiled like serpents, linking every joint, muscle, and layer of bone membrane. They began drawing in the Blood of the Dragon and Elephant, refining his bones from within.
[Technique: Undying Golden Serpent Spear (Upper Scroll) (Beginner)]
[Progress: 0/500]
[Effect: Blood of the Dragon and Elephant, Nine Dragons Temper the Tendons]
[Nine Dragons Temper the Tendons: The tendons coil like dragons—thick, resilient, and powerful. Only with the finest tendons can one forge the finest bones.]
Nine Dragons Temper the Tendons?
Chen Sanshi stirred his qi and blood. Blue veins rose across his body—his arms, neck, and temples bulging with vivid lines like coiled dragons beneath his skin. The sight alone was intimidating from a distance, awe-inspiring up close.
Those tendons didn't just grant him tremendous power—they also drove his bone strength to new heights.
Unless one was a trained martial artist, even a cleaver couldn't cut through his bones.
"You… these tendons…"
Sun Li sounded uncertain. She gripped his solid arm with both hands, feeling the rhythmic pulse beneath the skin. "Nine dragons coiling around your bones… Little Junior Brother, you're actually a Nine-Dragon Body? No wonder—no wonder your cultivation progresses so fast!"
"Nine-Dragon Body?"
Chen Sanshi didn't flinch. He knew that once he officially became someone's disciple, a bone inspection to test aptitude was inevitable. Especially tendons—there was no way to hide something like that.
Still, judging from how his cultivation system worked, each breakthrough refined his physique further. Eventually, he'd become a genuine special martial body, so there was no need to conceal it.
Taking the chance, he asked calmly, "Please enlighten me, Senior Sister. What exactly makes the Nine-Dragon Body so special?"
"Many things," Sun Li replied, her tone softening slightly. "Bodies like the Tiger Fiend Body or Golden Python Body can usually be recognized from childhood. But the Nine-Dragon Body doesn't reveal itself until later—it manifests gradually as one's cultivation deepens."
"For example, ordinary cultivators who reach perfection in the tempering bone stage gain tough, hide-like skin and firm bones that can resist fatal injuries.
"But those with special physiques… when they reach that same stage, their bodies evolve further, forming Mysterious Skin and Variant Bones."
"The 'Mysterious Skin' means their skin, saturated with qi and blood, becomes as hard as a black tortoise shell. And 'Variant Bones'—their bones mutate, turning denser and tougher than stone itself. In combat, such warriors are almost impossible to kill quickly."
"The Nine-Dragon Body, once it reaches perfection in the tempering bone stage, will also evolve into the level of Mysterious Skin and Variant Bones.
"Each special physique has its own unique traits.
"For instance, the Nine-Dragon Body's greatest feature is its constant growth—at every stage, it gains a new advantage.
"During the tempering blood stage, it develops the Nine-Dragon Qi and Blood. Once it reaches tempering bone, it manifests the Nine Dragons Tempering the Tendons..."
"Nine-Dragon Blood?"
Chen Sanshi caught the key point immediately.
"Of course," Sun Li explained naturally. "Since it's a Nine-Dragon Body, the blood you cultivate must naturally become Nine-Dragon Qi and Blood. No wonder your qi and blood flow so smoothly, lasting and unending."
But that wasn't right.
Chen Sanshi's blood wasn't the Nine-Dragon type—it was the Blood of the Dragon and Elephant!
Could it be that the system's breakthroughs don't follow the same path as ordinary physiques?
He couldn't ask further, though. That topic was best left untouched.
"Congratulations, Little Junior Brother," Sun Li said sincerely. "You've officially broken through to the tempering bone stage. At this rate, you might reach minor achievement before we even return to Liangzhou."
"Thank you, Senior Sister, for your guidance." Chen Sanshi clasped his fists in gratitude.
Reaching the tempering bone stage meant eligibility for promotion to Hundred-Household—an official who commanded over a hundred men.
And a Hundred-Household was a sixth-rank military officer, even higher than a seventh-rank county magistrate.
With a court-appointed title on his back, few would dare to move against him without solid proof.
Without delay, Chen Sanshi went straight to the military camp to report his breakthrough.
Thousand-Household Xiang Tingchun was straightforward as always. After confirming the advancement, he immediately drafted a memorial for the court, recommending Chen Sanshi's promotion to Hundred-Household.
As Chen Sanshi left the barracks, he happened to catch sight of Prefect Ji Guangxian stepping into a carriage parked by the gate, heading toward the county seat.
The one driving the carriage wore the uniform of a Tianyuan Martial Hall disciple.
Ever since Ji Guangxian's arrival in Poyang, he had been staying in the mansion arranged for him by that martial hall. Clearly, several martial halls had been fanning the flames behind the scenes, pushing the Prefect to act against him.
"Then let's start with the Medicine Valley first."
Now that he had reached tempering bone and wielded a fifteen-stone bow, probing the valley would pose no difficulty.
Tonight, he had to uncover what was really going on inside.
He hadn't reported anything yet because he knew Xiang Tingchun was likely involved in a cover-up.
As for Sun Li… they'd only known each other for a short while, and the trust between them wasn't strong enough.
If he told her now, and she went to investigate only to find nothing, she might suspect him of hiding the so-called immortal treasure.
Better to see it for himself first.
If the situation turned out to be too much for him alone, then he'd think of another plan.
There was still one issue.
"If I go out during the day, someone's bound to spot me," he thought. "But if I leave at night, Sun Li's staying at my house. I'll need her to believe I never left at all."
Chen Sanshi thought for a moment—and soon, a plan formed.
That night, in the main bedroom—
"Lan jie'er, I'm afraid I'll have to trouble you tonight."
Gu Xinlan raised a brow. "Trouble me how?"
"You'll find out soon enough."
"…"
…
In the guest room, Sun Li lay on the bed, clutching her long blade, listening to the unmistakable noises coming from the master bedroom.
"…"
"This is getting ridiculous."
"Even if he's young, this kind of indulgence is shameful."
"I'm a woman; I can't exactly bring this up."
"If I'd known it would be like this, I wouldn't have stayed here at all."
The ruckus lasted until midnight before it finally quieted down.
Sun Li waited for another half an hour, confirming that her junior brother and his wife were both sound asleep.
Then she quietly rose, vaulted over the courtyard wall, and disappeared into the night.