I Can Merge Techniques-Chapter 76 - 75: Breaking Through the Second Barrier: Blood Refining

Chapter 76: Chapter 75: Breaking Through the Second Barrier: Blood Refining

Deacon Hall of the Seven Stars Gang.

The air, a mixture of old wood, ink stick, and a faint, almost imperceptible wisp of sandalwood, carried an air of solemnity and stern authority.

The Deacon Hall was not noisy. Only a few disciples dressed in identical uniforms were quietly handling their affairs.

At the head of the hall, a middle-aged deacon with a gaunt face and sharp eyes looked up, his gaze landing on Chu Fan like a bolt of lightning.

"A newly promoted disciple?" The deacon’s voice was flat, yet it held a natural authority.

"Yes." Chu Fan took a step forward and bowed respectfully. "Disciple Chu Fan was fortunate enough to break through to the Blood Nourishing Realm today and is here to register."

A Seven Stars Gang disciple standing nearby interjected, "We’ve already verified it. He has indeed broken through to the Blood Nourishing Realm."

"Mm." The deacon nodded, picked up a thick register, and dipped his brush in ink. "Chu Fan... formerly of the North City, joined the gang as a handyman forty-nine days ago... Broke through to the Blood Nourishing Realm in just forty-nine days?!"

’To think a Zhao Tianxing who broke through in forty-two days just appeared a few days ago...’

’And now another genius who broke through in forty-nine days has arrived.’

"Good! Good!"

He set down his brush and studied Chu Fan carefully.

"Since you have joined my Seven Stars Gang, you must abide by our rules."

The deacon’s voice deepened. "First, you shall not deceive your masters, disrespect your ancestors, or betray the gang."

"Second, you shall not use your strength to bully the weak or harm your fellow disciples."

"Third, you shall not collude with the Demon Dao or bring disaster upon the world."

"These three are the fundamental great commandments. Violate them, and your Martial Arts will be crippled, you will be expelled from the gang, and in severe cases, you will be executed without pardon!"

Chu Fan composed himself and lowered his head. "This disciple will remember."

He mouthed the words, "This disciple will remember," but in his heart, he thought it was all bullshit.

’If the gang’s rules were really so strict, how could Zhou Ye act so wantonly?’

"Mm." The deacon’s expression softened slightly. "As for the other detailed regulations, you should have learned them on your first day as a handyman. My Seven Stars Gang’s foundation in the martial world is built on the unity of our members. I hope you will diligently cultivate your Martial Arts, achieve Blood Refining soon, and contribute to the gang in the future. Do not fail your own destiny."

With that, he glanced at Chu Fan’s build, then took a set of folded clothes and a dark-colored Token from a cabinet behind him and handed them over.

"This is your identification Token and gang uniform. You must keep the Token safe. Entering and exiting the Main Altar, accepting missions, and recording merits and demerits all depend on this Token. If you lose it, you must report it immediately. Any delay, and you will bear the consequences yourself."

Chu Fan accepted them with both hands.

The Token was cool and heavy to the touch, neither iron nor wood. The front was engraved with the two ancient seal script characters for "Seven Stars," and the back had a complex serial number.

The uniform was an indigo martial artist’s outfit. The fabric was tough yet fine to the touch, and seven stars were embroidered on the chest with silver thread, shimmering brilliantly.

"Go on. From this day forward, you are an official disciple of the Seven Stars Gang."

The deacon waved his hand, picked up his brush again, and paid him no more mind.

Chu Fan clutched the Token and clothing, bowing once more. "Thank you for your guidance, Deacon. This disciple will take his leave."

As he walked out of the Deacon Hall, he came face-to-face with Zhou Ye, Ling Feng, and their group.

Ling Feng’s eyes were filled with venomous hatred, as if he wanted to swallow Chu Fan whole.

Zhou Ye, however, only gave him a sidelong glance, the corner of his mouth twitching with a hint of disdain.

Chu Fan remained silent, his pace unchanging, as he brushed past them.

At the entrance to the Deacon Hall, Zhao Tianxing and the short, fat youth came up to meet him.

Zhao Tianxing chuckled. "Let’s go, let’s go! We have to celebrate properly today!"

But the short, fat youth glanced back into the hall and lowered his voice. "Fan, did you just see Boss Zhou and Ling Feng?"

"I saw them. What about it?" Chu Fan said, his gaze fixed forward.

The short, fat youth kept walking but glanced back into the hall again before saying, "Boss Zhou is the type to seek revenge for the smallest grievance. Fan, you need to be careful."

"On the Martial Arts Arena that day, he said he only acted to save Ling Feng..."

"But that sword strike was vicious. An ordinary person would have found it impossible to dodge... He clearly intended to kill you!"

"If Senior Sister Qingxue hadn’t stepped in, he might have really tried to kill you then and there!"

"Hmph!" Chu Fan snorted coldly.

’Why would I care about a Bone Marrow Forging Realm practitioner who couldn’t even defeat the Blood Refining Realm’s Huang Yu?’

Huang Yu had only cultivated his Nine Blood Soul Blades to the Small Success stage.

During the battle on Xingning Street that day, his Small Success level Nine Blood Soul Blades fought Zhou Ye to a standstill...

’What kind of trash is that?’

And some time ago, his own Ninefold Thunder Shock Saber had already reached Great Success.

This very afternoon, he would break through to the Blood Refining Realm!

The short, fat youth added, "The timing of you two registering for the Blood Nourishing Realm is just rubbing salt in the wound..."

"When that bastard Ling Feng finds out, he’s guaranteed to be grinding his teeth in hatred."

Zhao Tianxing was taken aback. "What the hell does the timing of my and Chu Fan’s Blood Nourishing Realm registration have to do with him?"

"You say it has nothing to do with him, but news of your breakthrough times will spread throughout the Sub-Branch in no time." The short, fat youth rolled his eyes. "Just you wait. Everyone will be talking about it."

"You broke through to the Blood Nourishing Realm in forty-two days, three days earlier than Ling Feng, which clearly shows your talent surpasses his and you’ve stolen his thunder."

"Fan broke through in forty-nine days, which is four days later than Ling Feng..."

"But even before Fan entered the Blood Nourishing Realm, he had already crushed Ling Feng, who had been in the Blood Nourishing Realm for months... How do you think he can stand that?"

"To be beaten so badly you can’t even fight back by someone who seemingly has less talent and has trained for less time..."

"Who could endure such a blow?"

"Before, he was full of himself, strutting around with a crowd always fawning over him. He looked down on everyone except Instructor Cao and Senior Sister Qingxue."

"But now, he can’t even hold his head up..."

"How could he not hate you to the bone?"

"To hell with him!" Zhao Tianxing cursed. "If he dares to cause trouble, I’ll shoot him dead with an arrow!"

Chu Fan asked nonchalantly, "Aren’t Zhou Ye and Ling Feng supposed to be at the Seven Stars Castle? Why do I keep running into them at the Cyan Yang Ancient City Sub-Branch?"

"Ling Feng often comes back to learn the Twelve Forms Fist..." the short, fat youth said. "And Boss Zhou’s second uncle is an Incense Master. Did you really think he’d go suffer at Seven Stars Castle or in the mines?"

"His family lives in the Inner City. He rarely goes to Seven Stars Castle. He just comes to the Sub-Branch every now and then to pick up some easy, safe missions."

"You sure know a lot, kid." Chu Fan clapped the short, fat youth on the shoulder. "Today, I’ll treat you to some braised pork knuckle. We’ll have a proper feast."

Having gathered this information from the short, fat youth, a plan had already formed in Chu Fan’s mind.

Master Cao had once said...

’You must keep a ledger in your heart. Remember the names of all your enemies, and when your Martial Arts are strong enough, find opportunities to deal with them one by one, so as to not leave behind any future trouble!’

Chu Fan had no intention of being struck by a sneak arrow out of nowhere!

Since he had a choice...

He would naturally choose to be the one firing the sneak arrow!

...

After having lunch in the dining hall, Chu Fan returned to his home in the Seven Stars Gang.

[Spiritual Essence: 329] 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

[Cultivation: Foundation Establishment Second Realm, Blood Refining 99%]

[Skills: Firewood Splitting Saber Technique (Second Limit Break 4099/6000) (Traits: Sword Swift as Wind; Sword Heavy as a Mountain)]

[Skills: Literacy (First Limit Break 229/2000) (Traits: Generalize, Gradual Progress)]

[Skills: Twelve Forms Fist (Perfection) Progress: (1485/1500) (Traits: None)]

[Skills: Ninefold Thunder Shock Saber (Great Success) Progress: (853/1500) (Traits: None)]

[Skills: Running Technique (First Limit Break 1320/3000) (Trait: Wind under the Feet)]

[Skills: Hundred-step Piercing Willow Arrow Skill (Small Success) 155/300]

[Skills: Moon Eclipse Arrow (Entry-Level) Progress: (97/100) (Traits: None)]

As soon as he sat down in his room, he looked at the Map of Mountains and Rivers panel.

Day after day of Blood Refining, enduring the pain of a Burning Body, and now he was finally about to become a Blood Refining Realm Martial Artist...

And his Twelve Forms Fist was also about to break its limit!

After flipping through the Sword Manual for the Ninefold Thunder Shock Saber in his room for a moment, Chu Fan walked to the center of the courtyard.

Blood Refining was a process of separating the wheat from the chaff, tempering one’s Qi and blood, then condensing six strands of Qi Blood Power, until one’s Qi and blood were as vigorous as a tiger’s.

Now, he was just one final strand of Qi Blood Power away!

Chu Fan spread his feet, clenched his fists, and began to perform the Perfection-stage Twelve Forms Fist.

As his Qi and blood circulated, the faint sound of wind and thunder seemed to echo from within his body...

The wind from his fists howled, startling the strange bird in the crabapple tree.

The strange bird flapped its wings and took flight, circling endlessly above the courtyard.

Before long...

Chu Fan’s whole body shuddered, and the sound of Qi and blood flowing within him suddenly intensified!

BOOM!

The six strands of Qi and blood from the Blood Refining Realm and the three strands condensed in the Blood Nourishing Realm instantly merged into one!

Powerful Qi erupted from Chu Fan’s body, exploding outwards and kicking up a fierce gust of wind!

’The Blood Refining Realm... I’ve broken through...’

Chu Fan’s heart was as calm as an old well.

Everything had happened naturally when the time was right.

After more than twenty days of Blood Refining, his breakthrough today finally made him a true cultivator of the Blood Refining Realm!

Next, he would need to perform "Bone Marrow Forging" daily to prepare to break through to the "Bone Marrow Forging Realm."