How can I have a heart of a demonic god in my body?!

Chapter 85: Chapter 0085 Beishan Spirit Garden

Two days later.

Chen Yu and a group of disciples safely returned to the Yunyue Sect.

This trip to the Hidden Lake Conference saw most disciples come away with something; even those without the means to bid at the auction had a chance to trade for what they needed after staying a day on Hidden Lake Island.

Chen Yu could be said to have returned with a full load.

After returning to the sect.

Chen Yu felt a tense and vigilant atmosphere throughout the entire sect; even in broad daylight, patrollers were visible everywhere.

Swoosh! Swoosh!

Elder Qiu and Fairy Xia Yu seemed to have received some message, and took to the skies on flying beasts, heading straight for the sect’s core area.

“Chen Yu, let’s see how long you can remain smug…”

The Seventh Prince, Huangfulin, watched Chen Yu leaving with a trace of mockery and pity in his eyes.

At the Inner Sect residential area.

Chen Yu returned to his courtyard residence and organized the gains from his journey.

A lower-tier treasure, a single Green Scale Arm Guard.

Three Earth Spirit Ginsengs, including two of an eighty-year variety and one of a hundred and twenty-year variety.

An old metal sphere, hard in material and dull in luster, its purpose unknown.

Moreover.

Before and after the auction, Chen Yu bought some commonly used elixir materials and other items, including Replenishing Qi Pills, healing pills, and more.

After all.

In just seven or eight days, Chen Yu was to leave for the Beishan Spirit Garden to take up guard duties, and everything must be well prepared.

…

Three days later.

Chen Yu arrived at the Sect Affairs Hall.

“Your luck isn’t bad. Including three Fierce Snake King Gallbladders, you’ve gathered all the materials.”

The grey-robed steward handed over a bundle of materials.

Among them, in a medicinal gourd, three Fierce Snake King’s Galls were preserved.

“It’s all here.”

Chen Yu confirmed, showing a hint of joy on his face.

This third “Snake Gallbladder Spirit Ginseng” recipe was extraordinarily valuable for an average Inner Sect Disciple.

It had taken him a great deal of effort and a stroke of fortune to gather everything.

Back at his residence.

Following the method outlined in the “Copper Statue Technique,” Chen Yu quickly concocted three bottles of Body Refining elixir.

Three small bottles containing a greenish liquid sat in front of him.

Unlike the first two formulas.

The third formula yielded a Body Refining elixir for internal consumption rather than external application!

The cultivation of the “Copper Statue Technique” progressed inward from copper skin and copper tendons, to copper bones, step by step.

This was why.

The first two formulas were of no help to Chen Yu’s breakthrough to Copper Bone.

“Three bottles of Body Refining elixir, to be taken in separate doses. Once daily, a bottle lasting three days.”

Chen Yu silently calculated.

The three bottles would last him ten days, right up until after Beishan Spirit Garden.

Among them, one bottle, made with the hundred and twenty-year Earth Spirit Ginseng, was of the highest quality.

“From low to high.”

Chen Yu opened the bottle of the eighty-year Body Refining elixir and drank one-third of it.

In an instant.

A mingling sensation of piercing pain and warmth spread throughout Chen Yu’s body, the medicinal effect continuous as if ice and fire were intertwined within.

Swish!

While running the “Copper Statue Technique,” he waved his hand, and the three small bottles disappeared from in front of him, tucked away into the Light Silver Crystal Space.

Since obtaining this mysterious space, Chen Yu kept some valuable items, such as the Body Refining Elixir, inside it.

The Light Silver Crystal Space, felt very stable and reassuring to Chen Yu, like a personal pouch extending from his own flesh and blood.

In the blink of an eye.

Four or five days had passed.

Chen Yu spent these days in rigorous cultivation. He was about to finish the two bottles of eighty-year Body Refining elixir.

At this time.

Chen Yu’s “Copper Statue Technique” had reached the very limit of the copper tendon stage and was on the verge of touching the copper bone stage.

That very afternoon.

Chen Yu received an order to gather in a side hall of the Sect Affairs Hall.

Inside the hall, a group of people had already assembled, including elder members and young promising disciples, both Organ Refining and Meridian Passage, about a dozen or so in total.

Unexpectedly.

Chen Yu saw the stunningly beautiful Qiu Xinxin and Duan Xiaolong among the crowd!

Qiu Xinxin showed a moment of surprise and hesitation upon seeing Chen Yu, then quickly smiled warmly.

Duan Xiaolong stood in a corner, occasionally giving Qiu Xinxin a silent glance.

After joining the Inner Sect.

Having heard various rumors, Chen Yu became aware of some gossip, such as Duan Xiaolong, once the top Outer Sect candidate, having long harbored deep feelings for Qiu Xinxin.

“Senior Sister Qiu, it seems like you too have run out of luck and been assigned to a guard mission.”

Chen Yu inquired further.

“No, I chose this mission voluntarily.”

Qiu Xinxin’s answer surprised Chen Yu.

New and inexperienced disciples like him normally avoided such dangerous assignments at all costs.

“Such rear-guard missions are not dangerous, less than a thousand miles from Yunyue Sect, a thousand or two miles from the battlefield. Of course, I chose this mission for the rewards. In addition to five thousand contribution points, one can also select a fifty-year medicinal herb.”

Qiu Xinxin explained.

Five thousand contribution points, fifty-year old precious medicinal herbs?

Chen Yu remembered that the mission details he received only offered three thousand contribution points and a thirty-year old common medicinal herb.

After inquiring further, Chen Yu realized.

Everyone here taking the mission had different cultivation levels, ages, and statuses. Once they arrived at the Beishan Spirit Garden, the specific tasks of each person would also differ in difficulty and risk.

“The people are all here.”

A tall and burly middle-aged man in leather armor entered.

This man exuded a powerful, substantial presence, bringing with him an intangible sense of deterrence.

“Master Lin!”

All the members present greeted the person with salutes.

In the Yunyue Sect, a Hall Master generally was at least at the Postnatal Qi Transformation Stage, and most likely even an elite within that stage.

“Today you will set off to the ‘Beishan Spirit Garden’ for a two-month guard duty task. The front line battle is currently unfavorable, and as the news states, many disciples and minions of the Bone Demon Palace have infiltrated the secular world and our rear areas. You must be extra careful!”

Master Lin admonished.

Then,

Master Lin’s gaze swept over everyone present, each person matched their Token with his.

Chen Yu noticed Master Lin’s gaze lingered on him for a moment longer than on others. There was a hint of an almost indiscernible smile on the corner of his mouth.

After confirming the personnel,

A group of more than ten people, led by a Peak of Refining Law Enforcer, left the Yunyue Sect.

Two days later,

Several towering cliffs came into the view of the group.

These cliffs formed a unique arrangement, with rivers flowing past on both sides.

The Beishan Spirit Garden was situated in the flat land embraced by the cliffs.

“This place naturally forms an Array that gathers more Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi and also preserves the medicinal properties of spiritual materials…”

The leader, the Peak of Refining Law Enforcer, introduced with a light smile.

The Beishan Spirit Garden, built within the natural Array shaped by the cliffs, had been a key cultivation resource ground for the Yunyue Sect for the last few decades.

In the garden, various ancient medicinal trees and exotic herbs could be seen.

A burst of fragrant aroma hit everyone’s faces, and the contained spiritual medicine essence revitalized everyone’s spirits.

“The shift change time has come; now let’s distribute the tasks.”

An elder woman with silver hair and wrinkles glanced over everyone with a faint gaze, proceeding with the inspection.

The Beishan Spirit Garden always had Postnatal Qi Transformation Experts standing guard year-round, and this silver-haired elder woman was one of them.

Then,

The group of more than ten people were given their respective tasks by the elder woman.

Some were responsible for patrolling and guarding within the Spirit Garden, some for patrolling the perimeter and on alert, and even some were assigned to stand guard and perform menial tasks.

Qiu Xinxin, due to her understanding of pharmacology, chose to take care of the internal guarding duties when receiving her task.

Duan Xiaolong also proactively took up a task, responsible for patrolling within the Spirit Garden.

Chen Yu, only being at the Meridian Passage Stage, was arranged to serve as a covert sentinel in the Spirit Garden every night.

“A covert sentinel?”

Chen Yu was taken aback.

It seemed his low cultivation had relegated him to a position just above those assigned to stand guard and perform chores.

He reflected on the situation.

This task was very easy. As a covert sentinel, it only took half of the night.

With this arrangement,

He would have plenty of time to cultivate during the day.

Of course, if there were any “invasive” dangers, being a covert sentinel could be very risky.

“This is a secret technique for concealing one’s Qi. As a covert sentinel, you need to learn how to hide your own Qi.”

The elder woman tossed Chen Yu a small booklet.

Another person assigned as a covert sentinel received the same booklet.

“The Concealing Qi Technique?”

Chen Yu saw the title of the booklet – it was a mid-level martial arts manual.

For Inner Sect Disciples, a mid-level martial art wasn’t that remarkable.

Moreover, this “Concealing Qi Technique” seemed like the typical stuff available; it was just a skill and didn’t compare to a complete mid-level martial arts manual that included a main mental method and combat techniques.

Just like that,

Chen Yu’s two-month duty as a covert sentinel began.

Afterward,

Each night, Chen Yu sat cross-legged in an inconspicuous corner of the Spirit Garden, hiding his presence.

He lay hidden in the shadows, his gaze occasionally sweeping the surroundings.

At the same time,

Chen Yu also devoted himself to practicing the “Concealing Qi Technique.” Unfortunately, his talent in Body Techniques didn’t give him any advantage here, and his progress was mediocre.

Nevertheless,

While practicing the “Concealing Qi Technique,” Chen Yu felt his inner power, even the warmth of his body and scent, all gradually receding.

With his Qi subdued in such a state, Chen Yu was even less likely to be detected.

On the first day or two of sentinel duty, Chen Yu found it quite novel.

But afterwards, he felt endless loneliness and tedium every deep night. He could only silently circulate the “Concealing Qi Technique” to pass the time.

To his delight,

On the fourth day of guarding the Spirit Garden,

Chen Yu’s “Copper Statue Technique” finally broke through to Copper Bone Formation!

Inside a simple hut in the Spirit Garden,

Creak! Crack!

Chen Yu stretched his limbs, and a cracking sound akin to frying beans came from his bones.

Buzz!

A solid and thick layer of metallic copper pattern manifested on the surface of his body; his muscles and limbs didn’t bulge as before but instead became more compact and presented a ruggedness and solid feel of copper and iron.

Chen Yu’s whole figure appeared leaner and more composed.

Yet, with a slight exertion of his strength, a domineering, unparalleled force would explode from his flesh and bones.

“My muscles are firmer, and my bones have been strengthened. I have outer to inner defense.”

Chen Yu’s face lit up with joy.

Previously, when practicing the “Copper Statue Technique” at the copper skin and copper muscle stages, his strength was confined to the surface.

But after reaching Copper Bone Formation, he was strengthened inside out.

Copper Statue Technique!

With a flex of his arm, his bones rattled, revealing a brawny Copper Bone Arm with dark metallic patterns, solid and weighty.

Chen Yu estimated that without using internal power, a casual punch could make an ordinary Organ Refining practitioner cough blood.

In terms of defense, that’s where the “Copper Statue Technique” excelled even more. Now, the attacks from the early to mid-stages of the Organ Refining Phase could barely harm him.

“Bone Shrinking!”

Chen Yu’s skeletal structure contracted, and his figure abruptly shrank more than two inches.

In an instant,

Chen Yu’s physique slimmed down significantly.

The legendary Bone Shrinking Skill, mentioned in secular tales, could now be easily performed after ascending to the “Copper Bone” level.