"This cave served as some creature's lair, but dust patterns and scent markers suggest abandonment months ago. The original inhabitant likely fell to rival predators or natural death."
Ye Tian's assessment provided the confidence needed for extended occupation. Wilderness survival demanded constant vigilance, but this sanctuary offered genuine safety for intensive cultivation.
Time to transform beast blood into personal power.
The first sip of Iron Armored Bull blood hit his system like liquid fire, concentrated enhancement flooding through muscle and bone. His Body Forging Method cycles achieved new levels of effectiveness as supernatural fuel replaced normal human energy reserves.
Five days of systematic cultivation pushed his strength to nine hundred pounds—a barrier that historically trapped most Martial Apprentices for years.
But his intermediate cultivation talent continued extracting benefits where others would plateau. Progress slowed dramatically, yet advancement persisted where lesser genetics would fail completely.
"The nine hundred pound threshold."
He recognized the phenomenon from his parents' old teachings. Inferior and elementary talents often stagnated permanently at this level, requiring tremendous time and resource investment to achieve minimal gains. Many warriors accepted permanent Martial Apprentice status rather than exhaust their life savings pursuing impossible advancement.
His situation was far superior, though still challenging.
Hunt. Cultivate. Hunt.
The pattern consumed the following month in systematic progression. Each successful kill provided fresh beast blood for cultivation cycles. Fierce beast meat replaced ordinary food entirely—the nutritional density and energy content far exceeded anything domestic livestock could provide.
His body adapted to constant enhancement, growing stronger and more efficient with each passing day.
Cave Sanctuary - One Month Later
"Approaching one thousand pounds, but advancement has stopped completely."
Ye Tian's analysis confirmed what his instincts had suggested for days. Yesterday's cultivation produced zero measurable improvement. His strength had reached the critical bottleneck separating Martial Apprentice from true Martial Artist status.
Breaking this barrier required more than simple resource accumulation—qualitative transformation demanded deeper understanding of martial principles.
Time to focus on technique mastery.
His bronze-level Shadow Kill had progressed to minor achievement level through sporadic practice, but Dacheng (Great Achievement) remained frustratingly elusive. The manual's theoretical sections explained why: technique mastery required corresponding blade comprehension levels.
Shape, Momentum, Meaning—the three fundamental stages of weapon mastery.
His blade work had achieved complete Shape mastery, approaching the threshold of true Momentum comprehension. If he could cross that boundary, Shadow Kill advancement would follow naturally.
"Comprehend blade momentum through constant practice."
Momentum represented the projection of personal understanding into tangible force—invisible pressure that affected the physical world through pure martial intent.
No shortcuts existed. Only repetition, meditation, and gradual enlightenment could unlock such mysteries.
Blade after blade carved through empty air as he sought deeper connection with steel and technique. When exhaustion threatened, beast blood restored his energy for continued Body Forging Method cultivation.
Two Weeks of Intensive Study
Something shifted on an unremarkable morning during routine practice. Countless insights crystallized simultaneously as understanding flooded his consciousness like breaking dawn.
His eyes closed involuntarily as revelation overwhelmed normal perception.
The atmosphere around him transformed. Invisible pressure radiated from his position, making air itself feel viscous and heavy. Stone dust drifted from cave walls as his newly awakened blade momentum affected the physical environment.
BOOM!
Momentum exploded outward in a wave of cutting force. Rock faces split and cracked under the invisible assault as his martial intent took tangible form.
"Blade momentum achieved!"
But the breakthrough triggered something even more profound.
Internal barriers that had constrained his advancement for weeks suddenly shattered like glass under pressure. Energy pathways throughout his body expanded and transformed as genetic limitations dissolved.
He seized the moment immediately, consuming beast blood and initiating Body Forging Method sequences with desperate intensity.
Power unlike anything he'd previously experienced surged through his system. Every cell sang with enhancement as his physiology underwent fundamental restructuring. Muscle density increased, bone structure strengthened, nervous system response accelerated beyond normal human parameters.
The transformation seemed to continue forever, then concluded with crystalline finality.
"Hah..."
Turbid breath expelled from his lungs carried the last traces of his former limitations. When he clenched his fists experimentally, the sensation was extraordinary—raw power that dwarfed his previous capabilities.
"Definitely exceeded one thousand pounds. Martial Artist status confirmed!"
Victory tasted like liquid lightning in his throat. The primary objective of his wilderness expedition was complete, but rather than immediate departure, he chose to consolidate his gains further.
Shadow Kill mastery awaited.
With blade momentum comprehension achieved, the bronze-level technique yielded to his enhanced understanding within three days. Dacheng realm Shadow Kill possessed speed that would challenge even late-stage Martial Artists if they failed to maintain proper awareness.
"Combat assessment: competitive with mid-stage Martial Artists, but late-stage opponents remain problematic."
Late-stage warriors possessed Yuan Force body protection—supernatural defense that could deflect even powerful techniques. Until he learned Yuan Force cultivation methods, such opponents would remain beyond his reach.
The Body Forging Method had reached its limits. Further advancement required Yuan Force absorption and refinement techniques unavailable in the wilderness.
"Time to return to civilization."
He gathered accumulated beast materials into portable bundles and prepared for the journey back to Linhai Base. One month of intensive hunting had yielded substantial resources for future development.
East City Gate - Return
The guards barely recognized the figure approaching their checkpoint. Torn clothing, grime-covered skin, the distinctive scent of someone who'd survived extended wilderness exposure—but their attitudes shifted dramatically upon sensing his aura.
Martial Artist presence was unmistakable to trained observers. The respectful glances and envious expressions told him everything about how his status had changed.
Such warriors were the most dangerous of all—wilderness survivors who'd proven themselves against genuine fierce beasts rather than academy training exercises.
Rather than return home immediately, he secured temporary lodging at a nearby inn. Hot baths, clean clothing, and proper grooming were essential before facing his sister. No point in terrifying Ye Yu with his current appearance.
When he finally entered their small home and found her studying diligently at their wooden table, relief flooded through him like warm water.
"Everything normal. No complications during my absence."
Her innocent smile confirmed his hopes—the month had passed without incident or danger.
The Next Morning
"Time to explore the Martial Artist black market."
Underground chambers beneath Linhai Base hosted the warriors' exclusive trading zone. Martial Apprentices and ordinary civilians were denied entry entirely—only true warriors could access the resources and information available in those shadowy depths.
He'd heard legends of the black market for years but never possessed the qualifications for personal investigation. Now, with Martial Artist credentials established, entire new worlds of possibility awaited exploration.
Yuan Force cultivation methods. Advanced techniques. Rare materials. Forbidden knowledge.
His education was about to expand dramatically.
[End of Chapter 18]