Chapter 13

The Lian Clan, although located in a remote and harsh environment, had a place where medicinal herbs grew abundantly, known as the Lian Clan Medicine Mountain!

The Lian Clan Medicine Mountain had a slightly more concentrated essence of heaven and earth, which allowed medicinal herbs to grow. This place could barely be considered a spiritual land.

Speaking of a spiritual land, it was only so in comparison to the impoverished Lian Clan. If placed among larger clans, the Lian Clan Medicine Mountain would not be particularly impressive, as there were many places in the Great Wasteland with a slightly more concentrated essence of heaven and earth.

Typically, large clans would choose to settle in auspicious locations, where resources were abundant and beneficial for the cultivation of warriors.

Most importantly, for some unknown reason, powerful wild beasts and beasts generally did not approach these "spiritual lands," providing a crucial layer of security for the clan's residents.

Of course, occasionally, some injured or enraged wild beasts would charge recklessly, leading to the complete annihilation of smaller clans.

However, every advantage comes with a disadvantage. While the spiritual land isolated most wild beasts, it also made the animals nearby extremely rare. It was not easy to hunt prey; even a few rabbits or roe deer would be quickly caught.

Therefore, under normal circumstances, only Purple Blood Warriors had the ability to venture deep into the Great Wasteland to hunt.

The spiritual lands in the Great Wasteland were originally a highly sought-after resource. The Lian Clan's Medicine Mountain was considered one of the poorest quality among them. Otherwise, how could the Lian Clan have kept it?

Although the Medicine Mountain was of poor quality, it was invaluable to the Lian Clan, serving as the foundation of their survival.

Moreover, every time the villagers went up the mountain to gather herbs, they had to undergo a strict search upon return to prevent anyone from privately hiding medicinal herbs.

Yi Yun carried a medicine basket and walked side by side with Jiang Xiaorou. He had just asked her about the realms of martial cultivation.

The lowest level of martial cultivation is called Mortal Blood. Warriors at this level are known as Mortal Blood Warriors.

Mortal Blood is not a clearly defined realm but rather a general term for martial practitioners.

Mortal Blood means the blood of mortals. Mortal Blood Warriors, in essence, are still mortal warriors. Although they practice martial arts, they have not yet completely distinguished themselves from ordinary people, and their essence remains "mortal."

However, Mortal Blood Warriors are far stronger than ordinary people, capable of tearing apart tigers and leopards and running as fast as horses.

The Mortal Blood realm is divided into five levels: Brave, Long Breath, Thunder Sound, Meridian, and Qi Induction.

The first level, Brave, involves martial practitioners improving their physical fitness through continuous weightlifting, running, striking posts, and combat, supplemented by precious foods like ginseng, deer antler, and animal meat, gradually enhancing their strength and speed!

Yi Yun is currently at the Brave level. His strength has increased to two to three hundred pounds, and his speed is twice that of Zhao Tiezhu. In this regard, Yi Yun is much stronger than the average Brave warrior. After all, he is only eleven or twelve years old, yet his physical fitness can match that of a grown man.

The Brave level, however, does not even count as the beginning of martial arts.

The second level, Long Breath, refers to the point where martial practitioners, after significantly improving their physical fitness, have a longer breath. When Long Breath is practiced to its utmost, a single inhalation can form a snake-like shape, and a single exhalation can create a stream of air, known as "inhaling like a snake, exhaling like an arrow." This is most evident in winter, when the stream of air can shoot four to five feet and even pierce paper!

Moreover, the heart rate of Long Breath warriors is only one-third that of ordinary people, but each heartbeat is more sustained. Such warriors can run alongside a thousand-mile horse for half an hour without turning red or their heart rate increasing.

The third level, Thunder Sound, indicates that the physical body has become highly integrated, with skin, muscles, tendons, and bones all becoming extremely solid. Every part of the body can work together perfectly, remaining still like a hidden venomous snake and moving like a lion pouncing on a rabbit.

Thunder Sound warriors, due to the perfection of their physical bodies, produce a faint thunder sound when they use their full strength, hence the name Thunder Sound.

The fourth level, Meridian, involves unblocking the twelve main meridians and the Ren and Du meridians. After the meridians are unblocked, martial practitioners can sense the essence of heaven and earth.

The fifth level, Qi Induction, complements the fourth level, Meridian. After martial practitioners sense the essence of heaven and earth, they can draw it into their bodies. When Qi Induction reaches its peak, the essence of heaven and earth transforms the body, completing a process of rebirth. At this point, martial practitioners officially enter the next major realm—the Purple Blood realm.

Strictly speaking, the Purple Blood realm is the true beginning of martial cultivation.

This realm is called the Purple Blood realm because when warriors cultivate their physical bodies to a certain level, a qualitative change occurs. At the moment they break through the Purple Blood Warrior realm, their blood becomes as heavy as mercury, and when a small amount is placed in sunlight, it glimmers with a faint purple-golden luster.

This is why it is called the Purple Blood realm!

Warriors who enter the Purple Blood realm are already very powerful and can support a small clan on their own. Therefore, in the Great Wasteland, Purple Blood Warriors enjoy extremely high status.

A Purple Blood Warrior, if they enter a medium or small clan, would be like an emperor in that clan. All clan members would follow their orders, and they would hold the highest power and the right to life and death. They could freely enjoy the most beautiful women in the clan, and all the women would feel honored to be favored by a Purple Blood Warrior, even the chief's daughter would obediently climb into their bed.

This is inevitable. Imagine a young girl who eats thin porridge every day and lives in constant fear. One day, a hero appears who can provide her with the most abundant food and the most comfortable life. How could she not throw herself into his arms?

In this era, people worship the strong, especially women!

...

"Yun'er, I'll climb up to gather herbs, and you catch the herbs I throw down."

As Jiang Xiaorou spoke, she had already climbed up a vine. The Lian Clan's Medicine Mountain was vast and had a very steep terrain!

Most precious herbs grew on sheer cliffs, making them difficult to gather.

Climbing sheer cliffs to gather herbs is a dangerous job, often resulting in deaths. Yi Yun had previously fallen to his death this way.

Now that Yi Yun had barely come back to life, Jiang Xiaorou did not want him to climb the cliffs again.

How could Yi Yun let Jiang Xiaorou take such a risk? He said, "Sister, you pick up the herbs below, and I'll handle the top!"

"Yun'er, don't be silly! Your body has just recovered; how can you have the strength to climb up..." Jiang Xiaorou's words got stuck in her throat as she watched Yi Yun nimbly grab the vine and climb up like a monkey.

"Yun... Yun'er..." Jiang Xiaorou's eyes widened as she watched Yi Yun climb up the sheer cliff with ease, as if walking on flat ground. When did Yun'er become so agile?

Gathering herbs from sheer cliffs is not just about climbing high; it also requires experience and knowledge of the herbs' habits and likely growth points.

For example, some herbs prefer shade, some prefer sunlight, some like dry conditions, and some like moisture.

Although Yi Yun had quickly learned some herbal knowledge the previous day, his knowledge was still limited.

He had planned to rely on his agility to make up for this, but soon he realized it was unnecessary...

When Yi Yun climbed about seven to eight meters up the cliff, he suddenly saw a faint light point rising from a large rock not far ahead.

The light point lingered in the air for a few seconds before flying directly into Yi Yun's chest.

Then, the faint coolness of the purple crystal became more noticeable, and energy flowed through his veins, making Yi Yun feel extremely comfortable.

There was no doubt that the purple crystal was absorbing energy.

"Could it be..."

Yi Yun quickly climbed over and peered under the large rock. There, he saw a fist-sized, fiery red fruit!

A Dan Fruit, a low-grade herb for the Purple Blood realm. Judging by its appearance, it was at least twenty years old.

Yi Yun's heart leaped with joy, and he was about to pick it when another light point slowly rose from the surface of the Dan Fruit and flew into his chest!

A few seconds later, a third light point, a fourth light point.

The light points increased, and the luster on the surface of the Dan Fruit seemed to faintly dim, though it was hard to notice without careful observation.

The purple crystal was absorbing the essence of the Dan Fruit's energy!