"Let's go." Jin Yun let out a long sigh before beginning his insane training.
He prepared his mind to endure the pain—both internal and mental.
"Hmmm..."
Sighing once more, he looked at the scrap metal in front of him—a true mountain of metal.
It was filled with all sorts of metallic objects: ores, weapons, armor, artifacts... everything.
Taking one last deep breath, Jin Yun felt his eyes burn. It seemed as if flames could burst from them at any moment.
Clenching his fists, he took a few steps forward, climbing the mountain of scrap.
At first, it was easy; he only needed to climb carefully.
But from the middle upward, where everything tilted and was filled with sharp objects, caution was necessary. Even though he was careful and used his hands to climb, Jin Yun still got injured.
Blood dripped from his palm, staining the metal red.
Ignoring the small pain, he continued his ascent toward the top.
For those watching from below, the scene was unforgettable.
High above, a solitary figure stood in the midst of that heap of metallic junk.
Above him, a dark sky made the sight even more striking.
"I finally made it up." Jin Yun felt relieved to have completed the first challenge without serious injuries.
The wound on his hand was nothing. With his Seventh-Level Origin Condensation cultivation, it wasn't a problem.
Quickly, the wound would heal. With a solemn expression, he descended the other side.
To be precise, the direction he was heading led to a small space filled with red stones, resembling rubies, that never stopped glowing.
After a few minutes of careful movement, Jin Yun reached the area. His first thought was to collect as many stones as possible.
Removing his white tunic, he began placing several ores in it, using it as a makeshift bag.
Once it was full, he descended.
Jin Yun remained cautious. He wouldn't rush and risk serious injury.
Ten minutes later, he reached the bottom.
Jumping onto solid ground, he took a deep breath.
The next moment, he walked to an open space between the silver trees and sat down.
Leaning his neck against the trunk of a tree, he dropped all the stones he had gathered onto the ground.
Picking one up, he examined it, recalling his studies.
"Bloodstone... According to what I've learned, it's the result of coagulated blood from strong beasts. Its essence is incredibly powerful and doesn't fade over time but hardens to the point of becoming an ore."
"Many blacksmiths use it to refine artifacts. Its Blood Qi is excellent for forging deadly blades."
That was the basic knowledge about the ore. Jin Yun, though bold, was never reckless. Every metal he chose was based on research and the benefits it could bring him.
"The benefit of this Bloodstone is that my attack power will increase due to its Blood Qi, making my sword root sharper!"
"Moreover, I can enhance my cultivation with its refined essence! Killing two birds with one stone."
Thinking about this, a smile formed on his face.
Who doesn't like improvement?
Especially in cultivation, where breaking through each realm means becoming stronger.
Without hesitation, he took a Bloodstone and moved it toward the side opposite his heart, where his root was located.
Closing his eyes, he executed the Metal Fusion Technique.
This technique was originally a method of artifact refinement used by blacksmiths to fuse metals.
But Jin Yun was insane!
Shortly after awakening his low-level root, he studied this technique and adapted it.
He would fuse metal with his ordinary root—an act considered impossible.
At the time, Jin Yun knew that. So when he modified the technique, he incorporated body refinement, a special cultivation path meant to strengthen the body.
By studying both practices, he created his own cultivation method.
Jin Yun's path was unique—something no one had ever attempted before.
His future was unpredictable.
And as he often said:
"My path depends only on myself!"
…
Upon executing the technique, the root inside his body began to pull something invisible, drawn toward the metal.
From the outside, the Bloodstone started sticking to his skin, being forcibly absorbed.
Rip!
His body's outer layer tore apart violently. A hole opened in his chest, spilling crimson blood.
Jin Yun felt excruciating pain as his body was torn apart alive.
But he didn't let out a single scream!
His will had been tempered long ago.
He would rather die bravely like a warrior than surrender to pain.
Clenching his teeth, he continued executing the Metal Fusion Technique.
Inside his body, his root—a small metallic sword with a silver surface—began to glow.
Though faint, the glow was there.
This glow formed a gravitational field, pulling the Bloodstone toward it.
Destruction!
Jin Yun's insides trembled. A red stone emerged, destroying everything in its path—skin, flesh, and bone.
When it reached the sword root, a battle began.
Jin Yun's life-and-death trial had commenced.
Inside his body, a thunderous collision shook his entire interior.
The metallic sword, with its weak glow, struggled to melt the stone.
And it was working. Red liquid trickled from it, and upon touching the flesh below, it burned.
"Execute the second part."
Jin Yun stood up from the ground with great difficulty. His muscles cracked with each movement as if they were about to tear apart.
But that didn't stop him from standing and beginning a sequence of martial arts movements.
At the same time, he pulled energy from the air through his pores to temper his body and absorbed spiritual energy from the heavens and earth through his meridians.
"Madman! How dare he follow two paths at once?"
In the sky, the woman watched the scene, shocked. She had no idea how that young man was managing such a feat.
At the same time, she felt a chill run down her spine at the thought of the pain he was enduring.
"Would I have the courage? Even with my cultivation, could I face something like this?" She pondered for a moment and quickly arrived at an answer.
It was impossible.