Chapter 38: Chapter 36 Body Refinement

Fierce Ox Body Refinement Method.

The so-called Fierce Ox is not the domesticated oxen or water buffalo used in agriculture, but rather a kind of ferocious creature akin to 'monsters'.

There is a garrison of nearly ten thousand soldiers stationed outside Yu City, directly governed by the Commander-in-chief of Yu City, responsible for clearing the poisonous insects and fierce beasts that damage the farms outside the city, including the ferocious Fierce Ox.

However, the garrison's jurisdiction is limited to only tens of miles around Yu City. Beyond that, they do not manage, making the world beyond a harsh environment scarcely suitable for commoners to survive, where bandits rob openly and monsters roam freely.

"In a world where there are Martial Men capable of slicing through metal and jade, then the existence of monsters is not at all surprising."

Chen Mu murmured to himself as he looked at the description in the Fierce Ox Body Refinement Method.

This Body Refinement Method primarily depicts the musculature of the Fierce Ox, which is drastically different from that of ordinary cattle. Every muscle is as hard as iron, and even a fully-strength spear thrust by a soldier would hardly pierce through.

The Fierce Ox itself possesses immense strength, easily capable of toppling a tree, and with a toss of its horns, it could tear apart tigers and wolves!

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the Fierce Ox evolved from a common ox. An ancient being once observed this transformation process and studied the various grasses consumed by it. After countless experiments, a prescription effective for people as well was derived, and this became the Fierce Ox Body Refinement Method.

"Accumulate the Qi-Blood during the Skin Toughening, use several specific endurance postures to fully integrate it into all the muscles, achieving a unity of skin and flesh, and then assist it with a special internal Prescription for refining the muscles, slowly tempering every muscle to be as tough as iron..."

Chen Mu nodded slightly as he looked at the various postures.

The Practice Method is actually quite simple, comprising only two postures in total, namely Fierce Bull Tossing Horns and Fierce Bull Trample.

Fierce Bull Tossing Horns trains the upper body's skin and muscle technique, arching the back and bending forward, keeping the lower body stationary, with each lift and toss, incorporating the waist, hips, shoulders, elbows, and even the neck into a combined upward force-generating movement.

Fierce Bull Trample, on the other hand, keeps the upper body still. The torso lowers and suddenly, the legs are retracted, stomping down, alternating between left and right, training the muscles and skin of the thighs, calves, and even feet of the lower body.

The Practice Method also mentions,

once the Body Refinement reaches Minor Achievement and the skin and flesh begin to unite, the difficulty of the practice is increased. One should find a suitable large rock, support it with both fists, and then revisit the two movements, Fierce Bull Tossing Horns and Fierce Bull Trample.

It is indeed similar to some weighted training from his previous life, but there were no such unique 'prescriptions' then, which could refine one's skin and muscles to be as naturally hard as iron, as tough as cast.

Chen Mu went to buy the Prescription himself.

He was always cautious in his actions, buying medicinal materials from several different pharmacies, purchasing various kinds separately. After returning home, he followed the proportions specified in the Body Refinement Method, measured out in parts and cents, dividing them into small portions, mixing and boiling them together.

"The saying 'Poverty to literature, wealth to martial arts' is indeed true; this prescription for Body Refinement is much more expensive than the Skin Toughening."

Chen Mu shook his head to himself as he simmered the medicinal concoction.

He had brought all three Skin Toughening Methods to Perfection, and the entire process was essentially force-feeding himself surplus Medicinal Powder. But the whole set of procedures did not even cost a hundred taels of Silver.

In comparison, the Prescription for Body Refinement contains a herb called 'Blood Herb' that is so expensive it is astonishing – just a small section costs ten taels of Silver, and that amount would last at most three or four days.

Which means,

an ordinary person practicing this Fierce Ox Body Refinement Method would spend nearly a thousand taels of Silver just on the Prescription in a year.

Of course, different Body Refinement Methods have different Prescriptions with varying prices. Perhaps some with lesser effects have much cheaper prescriptions, costing two or three hundred taels of Silver a year. But this Fierce Ox Body Refinement Method is indeed costly.

Even with Chen Mu's current wealth, after purchasing a portion, it still somewhat pained him.

The medicinal concoction was ready.

A few taels of herbs ultimately yielded only a small bowl of dark red medicine.

Chen Mu, uncaring about the bitterness, downed it in one gulp and then proceeded to adopt the posture required by the Fierce Ox Body Refinement Method. He planted his feet firmly on the ground, slightly bent his upper body, lifting and thrusting, while channeling his strength, causing Qi-Blood to naturally churn and surge within his body.

At the same time, the medicine he had ingested, like a blazing flame, roiled hotly within him. With the movement, it rose within him, reaching the region between his lungs and him to spurt out from his mouth and nose.

"Hmph!"

Having completed a set of the Fierce Bull Tossing Horns maneuver, Chen Mu let out a muffled grunt as if it were the snort of a fierce bull after exerting its strength, and at the same time, a visible white mist burst forth from his mouth and nose.

Immediately after stabilizing his upper body, he sank his knees, his Qi-Blood surged from top to bottom, cascading down to his legs. He then grasped his thighs and yanked them upwards sharply on both sides, before trampling down hard, the impact resounding dully upon the ground.

Another syllable escaped his mouth and nose at the same time.

"Ha!"

The dense white mist spilled out from his mouth and nose, shooting straight ahead like a wave of air.

Just one complete cycle was enough for Chen Mu to immediately feel a difference—perhaps his Qi-Blood, having been repeatedly toughened by the Skin Toughening, was too thick and robust, because just this one round seemed to have seeped into his skin and flesh.

However, Chen Mu was not overly delighted by this small change. His expression remained composed as he returned to the initial posture and once again slightly bent his torso to perform another Fierce Bull Tossing Horns, followed by the Fierce Bull Trample.

"Hmph." "Ha."

His breathing was rhythmic and disciplined, producing a muffled rhythmic sound of alternating grunts and gasps.

Though he was alone in conditioning his body, in that moment, he seemed to transform into a fierce bull-like creature, lifting its head and stamping its feet, grunting and gasping, thrusting and lifting, stomping and treading.

Just like that.

Chen Mu kept on conditioning tirelessly, and in the blink of an hour, the surging Qi-Blood within him began to flag, while the effects of the ingested medicinal concoction were also gradually exhausted.

When Chen Mu finished his routine and steadied himself, ceasing the conditioning exercises, he felt the changes in his body, and indeed, within just the span of an hour, his strength had clearly improved. It was evident that the first cultivation session had the most noticeable effect.

Not to mention his profound foundation and solid roots.

"Huff..."

Chen Mu exhaled another mouthful of white mist.

He then called up the system panel.

[Fierce Ox Body Refinement Method (Incomplete)]

[Experience: 5 points]

"This Body Refinement Method and the Skin Toughening Method do differ somewhat; it's not entirely due to the effects of the medicinal concoction. The actions of Fierce Bull Tossing Horns and Fierce Bull Trample are also crucial, and the accumulation of experience is likely due to both factors."

Chen Mu nodded slightly as he looked at the system panel.

The requirements for advancing the Body Refinement Method were the same as with the Skin Toughening and the Blade Technique: one hundred experience points to reach Minor Achievement. This meant that at most, within twenty days, he could thoroughly break through the first realm of the Skin Toughening Method and step into the Minor Achievement stage of Body Refinement.

And with his Copper-Steel Skin and profound foundation, once he entered the Minor Achievement in Body Refinement and practiced the two Heavy Saber Momentums, his strength would leap dramatically. Even compared with a character like Min Baoyi, he would not be far behind.