I attained sainthood through alchemy on the cliff.

Chapter 47 Stubborn Stone

Facing Qingluan, Yang Jin held nothing back, nor did he need to—he didn't have many tricks up his sleeve.

The opening move is the "Mountain Splitting Style" with the "Mountain Intent" mastered to perfection, combined with the first move of "Three Strikes to Break the Mountain" - "Stone Crack". Qi and blood condense in the right fist, and the dark red stone-like luster under the skin instantly becomes prominent. The whole person is like a taut bow. He takes a step forward, and the fist brings a dull sound of breaking through the air, directly hitting the center!

This punch was simple and direct, yet powerful and heavy, carrying a resolute will to cleave everything in its path. Ordinary martial artists in the Body Refining Realm would never dare to take it head-on.

However, Qingluan simply stood still until the force of the punch reached her body, then she slightly turned to the side.

The movement was extremely small, yet perfectly executed, allowing Yang Jin's punch, which was imbued with all his strength and energy, to just barely graz the hem of her clothes. The fierce wind from the punch didn't even manage to stir a single strand of her hair.

Yang Jin felt a chill run down his spine. He changed his move quickly, twisting his waist and whipping out his left arm like a whip. It was a fierce sweeping motion from the "Mountain Splitting Style". At the same time, his feet were rooted to the ground. He pushed his "rooting" stance and Iron Rock Skin talent to the limit, becoming as stable as a rock, ready to fight back head-on.

But the Azure Phoenix is ​​faster.

She did not attack, but instead glided away like a ghost, her figure elusive and weightless, always managing to evade Yang Jin's powerful attacks at the last second.

Her steps were not swift as thunder, but they carried a strange rhythm and anticipation, as if she could sense the trajectory of Yang Jin's power flow in advance.

After ten moves, Yang Jin hadn't even touched the hem of her clothes. Instead, because he had used the moves too long, Qing Luan seized the opportunity to get close and, with her fingers like a sword, gently touched the outside of his left elbow joint.

A chilling, needle-like force instantly penetrated the area!

Even though Yang Jin's iron-clad skin had a strong defense, his arm went numb from the cold and sharp force, and his blood circulation was immediately sluggish.

"hiss--"

Yang Jin gasped, took two steps back, and circulated his qi and blood to dispel the chill.

Only then did he truly appreciate the exquisite control a peak Bone Refining Realm martial artist had over their Qi and blood, as well as the troublesome nature of the icy cold attribute of the "Ice Heart Sword Soul Technique".

"Your strength is decent, and your defense is outstanding, but your moves are clumsy and lack variation, and your anticipation of the enemy is almost zero." Qingluan's cold voice rang out, devoid of any emotion, as if stating a fact. "Again."

Yang Jin gritted his teeth and pounced again.

This time, he no longer resorted to brute force. Instead, he tried to use the newly learned "Crushing Mountain" technique to build up momentum, combined with the "Rooting" stance, to defend and counterattack steadily.

He lowered his waist and hips, visualizing the demonic ape "rooting" itself, making his lower body as stable as a mountain.

When the Azure Phoenix flew close again and pointed at him, he no longer dodged. Instead, he let out a low shout and instantly unleashed the accumulated blood and energy in his chest and abdomen, causing his Iron Rock Skin to bulge!

"clang!"

A soft yet clear muffled sound rang out as Qingluan's fingertip touched Yang Jin's chest, producing a sound similar to the clash of metal!

Although a small amount of the cold, yin energy still penetrated, it was greatly weakened by the abundant qi and blood and the tough skin and bones.

At the same time, Yang Jin's right fist, which had been gathering momentum, finally found an opportunity and delivered a simplified "Mountain Crash" blow to Qing Luan's shoulder!

This was the first time he had successfully combined defense with preparing for a counterattack in actual combat.

A faint hint of surprise seemed to flash across Qingluan's eyes. Her figure drifted backward like a willow catkin in the wind, avoiding most of the force of the punch. She was only grazed by the edge of the punch's wind, and her blue sleeves fluttered slightly.

"Interesting." From the top of the wall, Shen Qingyun raised an eyebrow. "They know how to fight back, and they also know how to find an opportunity to fight back. But they're still too stupid."

The ensuing battles almost became a one-sided "teaching session" by Qingluan.

She stopped dodging and began to consciously guide Yang Jin to make moves. At crucial moments, she would either block, deflect, or strike lightly. With each contact, the icy yet incredibly refined force caused Yang Jin a lot of suffering, but it also allowed him to improve his control over his own strength, the timing of his moves, and his perception of the characteristics of his enemy's force at an astonishing speed.

Yang Jin was like a piece of stubborn iron thrown into the inferno of ice and fire, being repeatedly forged.

He poured out everything he had learned and understood without reservation.

The profound and decisive nature of "Mountain Splitting Style," the penetrating power of "Stone Crack" in "Three Strikes to Break the Mountain," the explosive power of "Mountain Collapse" (though far from perfect), the composure of "Rooting" in the Demonic Ape's visualization, the restrained power of "Accumulating Power," the formidable defense and strength granted by Iron Rock Skin, and the pure, vigorous, and regenerative blood and qi after consuming the Fire Lotus...

He had very few skills and little combat experience. He was full of openings in front of Qingluan and was frequently hit. He was beaten badly and his body was soon covered with dozens of purplish-blue bruises from the icy finger strikes. The cold air entered his body and made his movements increasingly stiff and slow.

But he was also like a real rock, hard and tough!

Each time he was repelled, he would catch his breath for a moment before roaring and lunging forward again.

Iron skin and strong internal organs and bones helped him withstand most of the damage, and his pure blood and qi quickly dispelled the cold and repaired minor injuries.

Amidst the pain and pressure, he rapidly absorbed the nourishment for the battle.

From initially being able to passively take hits, to gradually being able to predict some of Qingluan's evasive routes and barely keeping up with her pace; from stiff transitions between moves, to beginning to try to incorporate the intent of the "Mountain Splitting Style" into the "Three Strikes of Mountain Breaking," giving simple punches and kicks a touch of the heaviness and sharpness of "Mountain Breaking"; from being helpless against Qingluan's icy power, to learning to use more refined qi and blood for localized defense, and even trying to guide and neutralize some of the coldness...

His progress is visible to the naked eye.

Qingluan's actions gradually became slightly more serious, starting from her initial casual guidance.

She began to use more exquisite footwork, and her finger strength also carried more complex variations, sometimes gentle and penetrating, sometimes sharp and attacking, forcing Yang Jin to combine the "rooting" stance and the iron-skin defense to the extreme in order to barely hold on.

The courtyard was filled with the sounds of clashing energy, muffled groans, and footsteps.

Chen Shan stood by the door, initially frowning with worry. But as he watched Yang Jin fall and get up again and again, his eyes growing brighter and his moves becoming more and more disciplined, his clenched fists gradually loosened, and a trace of relief flashed in his cloudy eyes, along with a complex mix of emotions.

Shen Qingyun, perched atop the wall, maintained her leisurely spectator's posture, though a growing interest was evident in the depths of her eyes.

Finally, after nearly half an hour of fierce fighting, Yang Jin's energy and blood were exhausted to the limit, his body was covered with bruises, and his movements were obviously sluggish.

Qingluan spotted an opening, her figure flashed forward like lightning, and her fingers, like swords, stabbed straight at Yang Jin's Tanzhong acupoint. Cold air condensed at her fingertips, and faint ice crystals appeared!

If this finger strikes, the chill will directly attack Yang Jin's heart meridian, and given his current state, he will surely be seriously injured.

Yang Jin's pupils constricted sharply; under the threat of life and death, his potential erupted!

He no longer tried to dodge or block, but instead poured all his remaining blood, energy, spirit, and will into his right arm, visualizing the demonic ape "accumulating power" to its peak, and then unleashed the closest he could to a complete "Mountain Crash"!

Just as their fists were about to meet, the chilling aura emanating from Qingluan's fingertips suddenly vanished, transforming from a sharp point into a gentle brush, lightly brushing against Yang Jin's fist.

A subtle and gentle force came through, not as an attack, but as a guide.

Yang Jin's punch, which had gathered all his strength, seemed to have struck empty air, or as if it had been enveloped and dissipated by a gentle stream of icy water. The immense force he had accumulated had nowhere to go, and coupled with his exhaustion, his vision went black, his blood and qi surged in reverse, he groaned, staggered back seven or eight steps, and finally could not hold on any longer. He collapsed to the ground, panting heavily, his whole body covered in sweat, from which a faint white vapor rose – a sign of the intense circulation of his blood and qi and the expulsion of cold energy from his body.

He lost, and lost without a doubt.

But when he raised his head and looked at the still immaculate and steady Qingluan, there was no frustration in his eyes, only bright light and deep gratitude.

Although he suffered countless blows and was in a sorry state in this battle, the gains he made far exceeded those of his many days of secluded cultivation!

He struggled to his feet, and solemnly clasped his hands in a fist salute to Shen Qingyun on the wall and Qingluan in the courtyard. His voice was hoarse from exhaustion, but full of sincerity: "Thank you, sir! Thank you for your guidance, Miss Qingluan! Yang Jin... has benefited immensely!"

Shen Qingyun then gracefully descended from the wall, dusted off non-existent dust from her robes, and smiled gently: "No need to be polite. Qingluan was a little heavy-handed, Brother Yang, please don't take offense. Martial arts sparring is inherently helpful for improvement. It seems Brother Yang has gained quite a bit, that's good."

He exchanged a few polite words, as if it were just a casual arrangement on a whim, then gestured to Qingluan. The two, master and servant, turned around and leisurely returned to the wooden house next door, as if the intense "guidance" had never happened.

In the courtyard, only Yang Jin, who was still panting, and Chen Shan, whose expression was complicated, remained.

Ignoring the soreness all over his body, Yang Jin immediately sat down cross-legged and began to circulate the "Furnace Breathing Technique" to guide the remaining blood and qi in his body to repair the damage and digest the gains from the battle.

He could feel that his understanding of "Three Strikes to Break the Mountain", his control of Qi and blood, his grasp of the rhythm of battle, and even his awareness of his own defensive strengths and offensive weaknesses had become much clearer!

The wooden house next door.

The door was closed, isolating the outside world.

The Azure Phoenix stood silently behind Shen Qingyun, like a lifeless jade sculpture.

"How is it?" Shen Qingyun asked casually, sitting on a simple wooden chair and playing with a warm jade pendant in her hand.

Qingluan was silent for a moment, then her clear, cold voice rang out: "A stone."

"Oh?"

"Hard and clumsy," Qingluan added, her tone still flat. "Outstanding defense, not weak strength, a foundation far more solid than others of the same level, pure and vigorous blood and qi, and extremely strong recovery ability. But her moves are crude, with very few variations, shallow combat experience, and slow response. She has strength and defense, but doesn't know how to use them effectively. Like a naturally hard but uncarved rock, she only knows how to fight head-on."

Upon hearing this, Shen Qingyun chuckled softly, her fingertips tracing the patterns on the jade pendant: "That's right. However, it's also a... stubborn stone that can be carved."

Qingluan raised her eyes to look at Shen Qingyun's retreating figure, a hint of doubt flashing in her cold gaze: "Young Master, you... intend to accept this person?"

"Let's take another look." Shen Qingyun's tone was relaxed, but her gaze was fixed on the direction of the blacksmith's shop outside the window, her expression deep and unfathomable. "His temperament is acceptable, he knows when to advance and retreat, he is grateful, and he is very resilient. Most importantly... he has many secrets and even greater potential. The matter of the Earth Core Fire Lotus must be related to him, and the Earth Vein Jade Marrow is most likely also on him..."

He paused, then changed the subject: "By the way, I just received a message by carrier pigeon. The Jing'an Division headquarters has already found the last key ingredient you needed, 'Centennial Mystic Ice Dew'."

Qingluan's body trembled slightly, and a scorching light instantly burst forth from her cold eyes—a desire for a breakthrough!

"However," Shen Qingyun turned around and smiled slightly at her, a smile tinged with a deeper meaning, "the three main ingredients are all ready, now all that's missing is the catalyst—pure enough earth vein jade marrow. Qingluan, do you think this 'stubborn rock' will willingly hand over the earth vein jade marrow to me?"

Inside the room, the candlelight flickered.

Shen Qingyun's smile flickered in and out of focus amidst the light and shadow.

Qingluan lowered her head, concealing all emotions in her eyes, and resumed her absolute coldness and obedience.

Jade marrow was something Shen Qingyun was determined to obtain, and it was also the key to her breakthrough in the Refining Realm.

Yang Jin, this "stubborn rock" that suddenly came into view, seems to have become the key to connecting all of this.

Carving a stubborn rock might not only provide an advantage, but also allow one to obtain the nephrite from the earth's veins.

night, deeper.

In the backyard of the blacksmith's shop, Yang Jin, who was meditating, slowly opened his eyes. His gaze was restrained, and his aura was more solid than before.

He looked at the window next door, which was emitting a faint light, his eyes filled with complex emotions.

He finally understood: Shen Qingyun had taken a liking to him!

Jing'an Division... Is the ultimate goal of this other world also to pass the civil service exam?