Chapter 18

The technique for connecting with the primordial energy and the mind is also better when performed slowly. Due to his previous experience, Gu Xuyao mastered the technique and quickly entered the right speed.

However, this process of strengthening the tendons and bones is not easy to achieve. Even when the sky was bright, Gu Xuyao had not successfully controlled the primordial energy in the air.

"What's going on? It was clearly like this before, and the technique is correct. Why is it like this..."

Time quickly passed until noon, with the sun shining brightly, but it could not dispel the gloom that troubled Gu Xuyao in his cultivation.

Still unsuccessful, Gu Xuyao temporarily gave up trying.

After stopping the recitation of the technique, Gu Xuyao began to feel the primordial energy within his body. This allowed him to become more familiar with the intangible primordial energy, which is a skill that cultivators must master.

The primordial energy is like innocent and mischievous children, naive and unworldly. When they were forcibly absorbed into Gu Xuyao's body, they did not feel any discomfort. Instead, they quickly adapted to his body and began to flow happily within.

Thinking about this, a flash of inspiration suddenly struck Gu Xuyao.

"Force cultivation should not be like this..." Recalling the scene when he absorbed the primordial energy, Gu Xuyao realized that his method was indeed wrong.

The technique began to operate again, and the air quickly brightened. Small, plump primordial energy beings appeared before Gu Xuyao once more.

Another part of the technique began to be recited, and this time Gu Xuyao recited it at an unprecedented speed!

As expected, the originally peaceful primordial energy began to panic, like frightened deer. However, they could not run around and could only show various expressions of fear in place.

Gu Xuyao showed no mercy, continuously reciting the technique and increasing the speed to the maximum he could bear. After persistently reciting for a quarter of an hour, the primordial energy around him finally began to move, as if his body were a vortex, drawing the primordial energy in.

"Converge!" Gu Xuyao extended a finger, and the primordial energy instantly gathered beside his finger. Although they were reluctant, they could not resist Gu Xuyao's will. This is the way of force cultivation.

"Disperse!" Gu Xuyao flicked his finger, and the circle of primordial energy gathered on it immediately dispersed. Soon, Gu Xuyao gathered them on another finger, repeating the process and gradually increasing the amount of primordial energy each time.

Although it seemed like a child's play, it was indeed a form of practice. There are many methods, but the book only recorded this one. Gu Xuyao followed it diligently.

By this point, it was the process of becoming familiar with controlling the primordial energy. This tests the patience of cultivators, but no cultivator has ever failed at this stage.

Unconsciously, three more days passed. Gu Xuyao's control over the primordial energy was already quite good. He could now gather the primordial energy into a palm-sized white ball and control it freely.

"It seems you have already mastered how to control the primordial energy in the air." The door opened, and Yixia walked in from outside.

Gu Xuyao was startled and dispersed his spiritual energy. He did not expect Yixia to appear suddenly.

"Disciple has mastered it. The next step is to refine the bones."

Yixia glanced at Gu Xuyao and nodded slightly.

"Actually, you don't need to throw the primordial energy around like that. Even just gathering and dispersing it can train your ability to control the primordial energy." Yixia finished speaking and gently closed the door.

Gu Xuyao was stunned for a moment. Thinking about it, his face turned red. Yixia must have seen him foolishly throwing the primordial energy from his left hand to his right hand. In the village, Gu Xuyao was the most mature child, and he could not remember the last time he had engaged in such childish behavior. Now, as a cultivator, he had shown such an ugly side to someone.

However, adjusting his mindset was Gu Xuyao's strength. Thinking about how he was like an infant in this world of cultivation, he felt at ease. He shook his head, forgetting these trivial matters, and continued with the next step of cultivation.

As a hunter, Gu Xuyao's body was very strong. He could usually go four or five days without sleep without any major issues. After the whole-body absorption of primordial energy, Gu Xuyao clearly felt that his mental state was more than twice as good as before. The transformation of the physical body by the primordial energy seemed to be very effective.

"Guide the spirit into the bones, penetrate deep into the marrow, condense the primordial foundation, and shed the mundane qualities." This is the technique for strengthening the tendons and bones. The next step for Gu Xuyao was simple: to let the primordial energy enter the bone marrow, eliminate the last remaining impurities, and transform it. The principle is similar to the whole-body absorption of primordial energy, but it is applied to the bone marrow instead.

Gu Xuyao closed his eyes. Although it was not as smooth as before, he completed all the techniques within a quarter of an hour. He had already connected with the primordial energy within his body. Taking a deep breath, Gu Xuyao began to control the primordial energy to seep into his left arm bone.

At first, it was just an itch, but it soon turned into pain. Although he had mentally prepared himself, Gu Xuyao did not expect such intense pain.

It was a sore pain, like a decades-old rheumatic bone pain suddenly flaring up, or an incurable fever causing all his bones to loosen due to excessive heat.

However, this was just the beginning. As Gu Xuyao continued to increase the amount of primordial energy seeping in, the sore pain in his left arm bone became more severe. After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Gu Xuyao felt as if his left arm bone was about to be dissolved by the pain.

"Persist, this pain must be endured..." Gu Xuyao kept encouraging himself, but he was also unsure. After all, this was just the refinement of the left arm bone. The entire process of strengthening the tendons and bones is divided into six steps: left arm bone, right arm bone, left leg bone, right leg bone, trunk bones, and skull bones. They must be done in order, and the process cannot be interrupted. If it is interrupted, the bones that have already been infused with primordial energy might shatter.

Bones are not like the flesh; they are more delicate and resilient, and the impurities within are more numerous. The reaction of the primordial energy is also greater, strong enough to shatter the entire bone, or even the entire body.

Gu Xuyao's left hand went limp. After a quarter of an hour, the primordial energy in his left arm bone was not yet full, and the sore pain was piercing his heart.

"I can't give up. The difficulty in filling the primordial energy must be due to the good foundation I laid during the whole-body absorption. I can't give up; this is just the beginning..." Gu Xuyao's face was pale, but he did not give up and continued to infuse primordial energy into his left arm bone!

The painful time always seemed to drag on. After another meal's worth of time, the remaining sensation in Gu Xuyao's left arm told him that the left arm bone was finally full!

However, it was not time to relax yet!

Gu Xuyao took a deep breath and immediately began to guide the primordial energy into his right arm bone!

Similarly, it started with a tingling itch, but this tingling soon intensified, like countless ants crawling on sensitive skin. Gu Xuyao wished he could immediately slap these ants away!

Unfortunately, these ants were not on the surface but deep in the bone marrow!

Compared to the sore pain, the itching in the right arm bone was not any easier to bear. It distracted Gu Xuyao, making it difficult for him to control the primordial energy. If he stopped the technique, the primordial energy in the bone marrow would become uncontrollable, and Gu Xuyao would be shattered.

Large beads of sweat rolled down Gu Xuyao's determined face, slowly, like the passing time.

Whether it was an illusion or not, Gu Xuyao felt that the infusion into the right arm bone was much faster than the left. Enduring the unbearable itching, Gu Xuyao completed the infusion into the right arm bone.

The left leg bone and right leg bone also brought sore pain and itching. Inspired by the right arm bone, Gu Xuyao desperately controlled the primordial energy, leading to faster completion of the left and right leg bones.

Discovering the key to bone refinement and improving his ability to control the primordial energy under the pain, Gu Xuyao felt a surge of joy. After completing the infusion into the four limbs, he mobilized the primordial energy and directed it into the trunk bones!

The trunk bones are divided into the ribs, spine, pelvis, and neck bones, the most fragile bones in the human body. As a hunter, Gu Xuyao should have been familiar with these, but his eagerness to succeed had made him forget.

"Ah!" Even Gu Xuyao could not endure it and shouted out loud.

The door opened, and Yixia entered Gu Xuyao's room with a frown.

She examined Gu Xuyao for a while and found that he was not in serious danger, just in pain. She shook her head, closed the door, and sat down to watch Gu Xuyao.

Being watched while suffering is a very uncomfortable experience, but Gu Xuyao did not have the energy to care about it at the moment. He was deeply experiencing what it meant to be in excruciating pain.

The primordial energy entering the trunk bones brought not sore pain or itching but real pain. Even a hunter like Gu Xuyao, who had endured many injuries, could not help but shout out in pain.

Trembling, Gu Xuyao's body began to tremble, a mild convulsion caused by the intense pain. Many cultivators could not endure the pain in the trunk bones, forgot to continue reciting the technique, and ultimately failed, destroying themselves.

Fortunately, Gu Xuyao was not such a weak person. Despite the pain, he continued to inject the primordial energy frantically. The faster the injection, the faster the entire bone refinement process, but the faster the injection, the more pain it brought. However, Gu Xuyao did not care about that at the moment. He was like a mad beast, willing to do anything to achieve his goal.

This continued for about a meal's worth of time. Just as Gu Xuyao's consciousness was about to fade, he realized that the trunk bones could no longer absorb the primordial energy. This sudden realization pulled him back from the brink of collapse.

"The last step, the skull! Only the skull remains!" His determination gathered into an invisible force, supporting his spirit, just like the primordial energy he frantically controlled, rushing into his skull from all directions!