Chapter 92: Bones as Tough as Blue Iron.

In Year 5 of the New Era, during the age of Primordial Force Enlightenment, Primordial Warriors were like elementary students in the cultivation world. Many classic Primordial Force cultivation techniques from later times sounded like fantasy to them; they dared not and would not try such methods.

For example, encountering a breakthrough opportunity in battle—even if modern Primordial Warriors faced such a moment, they wouldn’t dare to attempt a breakthrough, simply wasting the chance.

To them, breaking through was instinctively seen as something difficult and serious, requiring careful preparation before attempting.

They hadn’t mastered advanced Primordial Force circulation techniques, lacked sufficient mental fortitude, and had shallow understanding of Primordial Force. Therefore, in their eyes, Jiang Xincheng’s actions were no different from seeking death.

Yet Jiang Xincheng succeeded in his “suicidal” attempt. All they could do was stare in shock, marveling at the birth of a new miracle. If this had happened decades later, though still rare, it wouldn’t have stunned people so much, as such events would occur several times.

Ignoring the astonished, gaping crowd that suddenly rose to their feet, Jiang Xincheng dodged Lü Fang’s attacks while consolidating his current realm.

“Holy crap! You actually broke through during a fight, making me the laughingstock who facilitated your breakthrough? You’re asking for death! So what if you broke through? I’ll still beat you to a pulp!”

“Die, you turtle! All you do is dodge—it was one thing before your breakthrough, but now you’re still dodging? Is this fun?”

“Heh, trying to consolidate your realm? Well, I won’t let you! I’ll damage your foundation, keep you stuck in the Bone Training Realm longer—maybe forever!”

…

Lü Fang was not only vicious-tongued but also ruthless. Seeing Jiang Xincheng break through during their battle, completely stealing his spotlight, he flew into a rage. He relentlessly pursued Jiang Xincheng while the latter was consolidating his realm, aiming to prevent a stable consolidation. This made many in the audience frown.

“This Lü Fang is too much. Chasing someone down during a breakthrough is bad enough, but now he won’t even let him consolidate his realm. As the saying goes, hindering another’s progress is like killing their parents. Jiang Xincheng didn’t wrong him—why be so cruel? How shameless!”

“Everyone in the Electromechanical Institute knows Lü Fang is petty and calculative. He stops at nothing to achieve his goals and has no integrity. He doesn’t have a single friend there; even his roommates find him disgusting. No matter how talented he is, he has no future.”

“Exactly. I heard almost no groups or companies have approached Lü Fang these days—clearly, everyone thinks his character is too poor. I bet even after graduation, he won’t become a pillar of the alliance and might even turn to the dark path as an evil Primordial Warrior.”

…

Facing Lü Fang’s increasingly fierce attacks, a cold glint flashed across Jiang Xincheng’s face. He began to feel murderous intent toward Lü Fang. Truth be told, there was no enmity between them, and they had never met before.

Yet, out of jealousy and pettiness, Lü Fang hurled insults and even seized the chance to attack during Jiang Xincheng’s consolidation, trying to ruin his foundation. Such a vile person—Jiang Xincheng wouldn’t let him off easily.

As Lü Fang’s onslaught grew wilder, a mocking smile touched Jiang Xincheng’s lips. He weaved and dodged, evading wave after wave of attacks. His Five Elements Steps pushed to the limit, he resembled a small boat in stormy seas, always on the verge of capsizing.

Lü Fang’s opportunistic behavior filled Jiang Xincheng with deep hatred. Honestly, if Lü Fang hadn’t done this, Jiang Xincheng might have conceded, stepped down to consolidate his realm properly. After all, compared to consolidation, the outcome of this Challenge Tournament meant little.

Breaking through in battle and defeating two Bone Tempering Late Stage experts—Jiang Xincheng had nearly perfectly showcased his strength. If that wasn’t enough to get him selected into the Flourishing Tang Empire, then it was just bad luck.

So Jiang Xincheng had been ready to step down. But then Lü Fang suddenly unleashed a barrage, trying to crush him while his foundation was unstable post-breakthrough, to cripple him permanently.

Enraged by this, Jiang Xincheng decided to put in extra effort—consolidate his realm right in the heat of battle, then teach Lü Fang a harsh lesson.

The heaven-defying effects of the Divine Grade Top-Level technique Devouring the Cosmos, the solid cultivation foundation honed by Diamond Tempering Body, the great fortune brought by that miraculous Mutated Yuan Crystal to Jiang Xincheng’s foundation, plus the foundation hehad steadily built over time—all combined meant Jiang Xincheng’s cultivation foundation, though not yet fully bearing Bone Training Realm Primordial Force, was close. In just half an hour, he fully consolidated his current realm and channeled Primordial Force into his bones.

Bones as tough as blue iron!

This was the hallmark of a Bone Forging Initial Stage Primordial Warrior. At this moment, all the bones in Jiang Xincheng’s body faintly gleamed with a blue-iron sheen, indicating his Bone Forging Initial Stage cultivation was completely stable. He could now fully exert the power of this stage without harming his foundation.

With that thought, Jiang Xincheng hesitated no longer. He pushed Mountain-Shaking Fist to its peak and, seizing the moment Lü Fang attacked again, suddenly threw a punch—no more dodging. His fist collided heavily with Lü Fang’s.

“Clang…”

Amid the sharp metallic clang, their fists met like steel, producing a sound of clashing metal. With that ear-piercing noise, Lü Fang was sent flying by Jiang Xincheng’s punch, crashing hard onto the platform’s stones, bleeding and disheveled.

“Impossible! Even if you stepped into the Bone Training Realm, you just advanced! How could you possess such terrifying strength, such abundant Primordial Force!”

Scrambling up from the ground, Lü Fang stared at Jiang Xincheng in disbelief, letting out a shrill roar, his face a mask of incredulity.

A mocking smile flitted across Jiang Xincheng’s face. “Whether it’s possible or not, you’ll find out as we fight.”

With that, Jiang Xincheng charged at Lü Fang again, fists like dragons, crashing down—returning Lü Fang’s earlier bullying with hard, direct blows.

Facing Jiang Xincheng’s fists, Lü Fang panicked, a dark look crossing his face. Then, surprisingly, he didn’t dodge but met Jiang Xincheng’s fists head-on again.

“Clang…”

Another metallic clang rang out. Lü Fang retreated three steps, but Jiang Xincheng also fell back three or four steps. Comparatively, Lü Fang still held a slight upper hand.

Seeing this, Lü Fang froze for a moment, then burst into loud laughter. “Haha, Jiang Xincheng, you almost fooled me! So even after advancing to the Bone Training Realm, your power is still this meager, still inferior to mine! Earlier, I was careless, thinking you’d still dodge, so I only used sixty to seventy percent of my strength. But now, watch closely, you bastard!”

With a fierce roar, Lü Fang lunged at Jiang Xincheng like a tiger descending a mountain. “Jiang Xincheng, prepare to die! Dare you take this punch?”