The familiar hideout—its wooden gate nearly three meters tall—stood ajar, allowing a sliver of light to spill out, occasionally revealing a silhouette moving within.

Qian Jin stepped forward and delivered a powerful kick that slammed the wooden door wide open. The bandits inside, swords half-drawn, simultaneously turned toward the mountain gate, their blades already half-pulled from their sheaths.

"[Earth-Shattering Slash]!" Qian Jin brought his hands together. The lead bandit’s saber was only halfway out when his head was already soaring high, his body slowly pitching backward.

The four closest knife-wielders lunged forward as soon as their weapons cleared their scabbards. Qian Jin slightly contracted his body, unleashing the Wind-Cloud Dou Qi in a simulation of the Consecutive Splitting Slash, brutally snapping the throats of three bandits. Their bodies collapsed like heavy sacks struck by a massive blow.

The fourth bandit retreated swiftly, raising a wooden shield. Qian Jin pressed his hands together again. The Earth-Shattering Slash shattered the shield and pierced through the bandit’s chest. He spun back, narrowly dodging a fleeting flash of cold steel, and struck again with Earth-Shattering Slash, punching through the attacker's neck.

Qian Jin executed the Earth-Shattering Slash repeatedly, gradually feeling a sense of familiarity with the technique. He deliberately took a blow from a wooden club to power his next strike. The Earth-Shattering Slash burst forth once more. "Your proficiency in [Earth-Shattering Slash] has increased; it has now upgraded to Second-Level Earth-Shattering Slash."

The dry, emotionless voice of the system suddenly rang out, causing Qian Jin to freeze momentarily. In that instant of stiffness, a brilliant, fierce arc of blade light erupted from behind him! The Chieftain’s Blade-Hand!

The hairs on Qian Jin's back stood on end. He knew without turning that an attack this threatening could only come from someone far beyond the ordinary rank-and-file bandits.

Bending his knees, anchoring his stance, and rotating his waist! Qian Jin brought his hands together. The green grass beneath his feet turned to green sludge in the rotation. The Earth-Shattering Slash slammed into the wooden armor covering the chest of the nearly two-meter-tall Chieftain’s Blade-Hand. Several splinters instantly fragmented. The Earth-Shattering Slash pierced straight through his opponent’s chest; the flow felt significantly improved, as if a dull saber had been instantly sharpened. "Open status panel." Qian Jin kicked the Chieftain’s Blade-Hand away and looked at the displayed panel. Under the 'Martial Skills' section, it clearly read: Raging Lotus Martial Skill: Level One, Proficiency Zero. Classification: Primary Martial Skill. Oil Scale Serpent Martial Skill: Level Zero, Proficiency Zero. Classification: Primary Martial Skill. Entangling Belly Martial Skill: Level Zero, Proficiency Zero. Classification: Primary Martial Skill. Great True Gold Dou Qi: Level Zero, Proficiency Zero. Attribute Dou Qi, Growth-Type Dou Qi, classified as a Saint-Level Dou Qi Secret Tome.

"Great True Gold Dou Qi? Saint-Level? Then..." Qian Jin slid aside to evade the blade-hand's attack. Seeing the proficiency of the Oil Scale Serpent Martial Skill suddenly change from zero to three, he was startled. Unknown Dou Qi: Level Nineteen, Proficiency [Illegible Characters], Aether Volume [Illegible Characters], Dou Qi Quality Excellent, Dou Qi Rotation Burst Three Thousand Five Hundred Revolutions, exceeding peak value by Two Thousand Five Hundred and Sixty Revolutions. Dou Qi Burst Ability Abnormal, Dou Qi Attribute Ominous, tentatively classified as Saint-Level Dou Qi, Dou Qi Malleability Top-Tier, possesses unknown abilities, overall capability Saint-Level.

"This Unknown Dou Qi must be referring to my Wind-Cloud Dou Qi, right?" Qian Jin swayed his body left and right, evading two strikes that pushed the Oil Scale Serpent Martial Skill’s proficiency to ten. He was struck on the back by a club again; dozens of opponents attacked simultaneously, making it impossible to dodge every blow, even with the Nine Demon Subduing Battles. Unknown Body Protection Martial Skill, Level Unknown, Proficiency Unknown.

Qian Jin stared at the unknown proficiency of the Body Protection Martial Skill. It flickered twice more, seemingly increasing by one point. "Is this the Wind-Cloud Golden Body? Looking at it this way, my Nine Demon Subduing Battles Dou Qi is still quite a bit short of reaching its true potential. It’s a shame I don't know what level the Wind-Cloud Golden Body can reach, or when it will advance another tier?"

The Earth-Shattering Slash was unleashed repeatedly among the enemy ranks. After every surge of Dou Qi, Qian Jin felt the technique flow more smoothly than before. He was completely immersed in using the Earth-Shattering Slash; the battle had nearly devolved into pure instinct. He felt any danger near him trigger an automatic strike from his arm; not a single bandit could withstand one blow of the Earth-Shattering Slash. "Your proficiency in [Earth-Shattering Slash] has increased; it has now upgraded to Third-Level Earth-Shattering Slash."

The dry, emotionless system prompt sounded again. Qian Jin snapped out of his immersive combat, looking blankly at the bandits now all collapsed around him, noticing that the injuries on many of them clearly showed marks where blade edges had sliced through their bodies.

[Earth-Shattering Slash]: Level Three, Proficiency 1/[Illegible Character], Saint-Level Martial Skill. Annex: Upon reaching Third-Level Earth-Shattering Slash, it can be used without clasping the hands; the arms become like blades or swords, significantly enhancing the power when wielding a weapon.

"This Earth-Shattering Slash can actually use a weapon?" Qian Jin clicked his tongue repeatedly, his eyes drifting to another location on the status panel. Unknown Martial Skill, Level One, Proficiency [Illegible Characters], tentatively classified as Saint-Level Martial Skill. Not a general-purpose martial skill; possibly restricted to a few special individuals; unusable by ordinary people.

Qian Jin nodded as he gazed at the Unknown Martial Skill. "A Saint-Level Martial Skill? Unusable by ordinary people? This must be the exclusive accompanying martial skill for the Iron Mantis Bloodline Warriors, right? And it's not even Level Two yet? But are these truly Saint-Level Martial Skills?"

Qian Jin closed the status panel and stared into the sky, lost in thought. Martial skills varied; their ultimate power, once mastered, ranked them just like warriors—divided into Tier One Martial Skills, Tier Two, up to Tier Ten Martial Skills! Above Tier Ten Martial Skills, they were called Saint-Level Martial Skills! Even the Ten Great Bloodline Warrior Families possessed only one or two Saint-Level Martial Skills they could truly show off.

"The Wind-Cloud Golden Body probably ranks as a Saint-Level Body Protection Martial Skill too, doesn't it?" Qian Jin looked down at his arms, now brimming with strength. "So, I now possess three Saint-Level Martial Skills? Two Saint-Level Dou Qi Secret Tomes!?"

Gulp. Qian Jin swallowed involuntarily. Saint-Level Dou Qi and Saint-Level Martial Skills! Even the Qian family, upon seeing this, would stop at nothing to claim them as treasures. Both the Great True Gold Dou Qi and the Earth-Shattering Slash were Saint-Level Dou Qi and Martial Skills that ordinary warriors could cultivate—their value might even surpass that of the specialized Bloodline Dou Qi and Bloodline Martial Skills belonging to Bloodline Warriors!

"I... I can do this!" Qian Jin took a deep breath and roared toward the sky!

Confidence! An unprecedented, extreme confidence flooded Qian Jin's chest. The Dou Qi within the Nine Demon Subduing Battles became unusually active; even the increments of his internal Dou Qi apertures were controlled more deftly than ever before. "This is—this is—"

Qian Jin’s eyes, fixed on the sky, suddenly brightened. The excited state of his mind felt as if a bucket of cold water had been suddenly poured over it, leaving him clearer-headed than he had ever been. All his muscles twitched simultaneously. His left hand separated its five fingers, and sinking his waist and lowering his stance, he slapped toward the ground.

The muscles on the back of his palm looked like surging water beneath his skin. The hairs on his body stood rigidly erect. Dou Qi erupted, his entire arm resembling a dragon winding like a snake, all channeled into his palm.

The moment the Dou Qi condensed in his palm, Qian Jin pressed his arm down forcefully. Like a river bursting its banks, the Dou Qi erupted, striking the ground beneath his feet.

Pah! His palm stopped half an inch above the dirt, yet a distinct palm print appeared on the earth! Dirt fragments flew everywhere, and dense beads of sweat instantly coated his smooth palm. As his muscles twitched, the sweat scattered onto the ground. Qian Jin straightened his back, wiping away the sweat that had appeared on his brow, a happy smile gracing his face. "Is this the true power of a strike born from absolute confidence? I finally understand Elder Enrack’s true intention behind rewarding me with the Dou Qi Secret Tome and Martial Skill!"

"Confidence is also a form of power!" Qian Jin clenched his fists tightly. "Enrack's strikes possess his unique power; confidence is my power!"

All one hundred and eight of his Dou Qi apertures boiled instantaneously, surges of power multiplying layer upon layer, like spring bamboo shoots after the rain, rapidly taking form under Qian Jin's confident control.

"All I lack now is the volume of Dou Qi," Qian Jin looked up at the canopy full of leaves. "Once I reach the peak of Dou Qi volume, I will certainly be able to break through and advance."

"Master Blacksmith... Master Blacksmith!" Qian Jin inhaled deeply and then exhaled, tightly clenching his fists as he looked toward the higher reaches of West Mountain. "I not only want to become a great warrior, but I must also become a Master Blacksmith! Finding this magical hat and entering this boundless world is my luck, and I absolutely cannot waste it! Since I have the opportunity to become a Master Blacksmith, I must achieve it! I will become a Master Blacksmith before I leave the borderlands!"

The lush forest obscured most of the sky. Light struggled to squeeze through the dense leaves, alternating between bright and dim as it dappled the moss-covered tree trunks.

Qian Jin squatted by the stream, washing the bloodstains from his hands. He leaned back slightly against a thick tree behind him, patting the sack beside him—a full sack of Hundred-Year Ice Iron Ore. This was the fifth bag in ten days, along with two bags of Wind-Fire Copper, enough to forge an even stronger Saber-Cleaving Blade. Ten days might feel long to many, but for Qian Jin, it passed in the blink of an eye. [Earth-Shattering Slash]: Level Four/Ten, Proficiency 37[Illegible Characters]/[Illegible Character], Saint-Level Martial Skill. Annex: Can also be unleashed using elbows and knees. Unknown Martial Skill: Level Two/Ten, Proficiency 75/[Illegible Character], tentatively classified as Saint-Level Martial Skill. Not a general-purpose martial skill; possibly restricted to a few special individuals; unusable by ordinary people. Raging Lotus Martial Skill: Level Six/Ten, Proficiency 1[Illegible Character], Classification: Primary Martial Skill. Oil Scale Serpent Martial Skill: Level Six/Ten, Proficiency 1[Illegible Character] Eight Illusions, Classification: Primary Martial Skill. Entangling Belly Martial Skill: Level Zero, Proficiency Zero. Classification: Primary Martial Skill.

Qian Jin reviewed the combat results of the past ten days. Between this massive West Mountain and the village, he had been fighting almost constantly outside of travel time. The results were even better than expected, and through analyzing data, he had tested the baseline strength of various martial skills.

The Earth-Shattering Slash and the Iron Mantis Bloodline's accompanying martial skill were both Saint-Level, yet there was still a slight difference; the Earth-Shattering Slash was marginally inferior in raw power. Although the Oil Scale Serpent Martial Skill was only a Primary Martial Skill, it possessed excellent compatibility. If cultivated to perfection, it should be able to merge with his own unorthodox methods. It could be considered a growth-type martial skill, though this growth depended heavily on the cultivator.

A rustling sound echoed through the jungle. Qian Jin crouched low, watching the Golden Demon Ape—nearly three meters tall, covered in golden fur that looked like overlapping sheets of golden armor. Its seemingly soft fur possessed formidable natural defensive power. A sword forged from Level One Fine Iron, wielded by a Level Ten Warrior, probably wouldn't even scratch its hide. A Magical Beast! A Tier Two Magical Beast!

The Golden Demon Ape noticed Qian Jin made no roar. It exerted force simultaneously with its over-the-knee arms and legs, propelling its massive body forward with the agility of a nimble monkey. A massive golden shadow quickly streaked across the mottled moss, and its thick arm swept aside vines as thick as a man’s finger—vines capable of easily strangling a person—smashing toward Qian Jin’s head. It was like a gigantic demonic shadow that instantly eclipsed the sky! The light surrounding Qian Jin instantly dimmed. The thick arm descended like a falling structure. Qian Jin tilted his head back, his eyes narrowing to a mere slit, a flash of cold light crossing his pupils. The Golden Demon Ape’s high-speed movement suddenly halted—a reaction born from the beast’s instinctual awareness of lethal danger!

In ten days, Qian Jin had fought until his eyes were nearly red. The already intense aura of slaughter surrounding him had become habitual during combat; he didn't need to consciously release killing intent. The resulting aura was enough to make people feel the surrounding temperature drop; the Golden Demon Ape even felt like it was being looked down upon by its opponent.

The Golden Demon Ape’s arm appeared to grow rapidly in Qian Jin’s pupils. He gently stepped his right foot, suddenly thrusting out his chest, driving his shoulder forward with his right arm. His five fingers creaked as the joints audibly expanded twofold under the influence of the Nine Demon Subduing Battles Dou Qi! Like a knight’s thrust, he slammed hard into the Golden Demon Ape’s arm!

Crack! The ape's thick arm suddenly bent backward unnaturally. Qian Jin used the tip of his left foot to push off the ground, his body gliding like a snake in water. He retracted his forearm, driving his elbow upward and downward in a spinning motion, resembling the tip of a great spear rotating vertically, plunging deep into the Golden Demon Ape’s lower abdomen and forcefully wrenching upward! Earth-Shattering Slash!

Crack, crack, crack... A series of bone-snapping sounds echoed. The Golden Demon Ape’s body was torn open like the earth struck by a spear tip, accompanied by the sounds of ruptured internal organs—like a club striking a cloth quilt. The massive ape body crashed heavily backward.

Qian Jin watched the Golden Demon Ape fall, gently shaking his shoulders. He slowly plucked away the golden fur around the ape’s lower abdomen, exposing the soft, elastic flesh. The Earth-Shattering Slash sank deep into the now unprotected body, from which he extracted a golden Demon Core the size of an infant’s fist. He casually untied the pouch at his waist, revealing over thirty Demon Cores of various sizes.

In ten days of traveling between West Mountain and the village, Qian Jin finally understood what Uncle Black meant by West Mountain being rich in resources. The magical beasts here were far more numerous than any in the Zhen Ce Dynasty; they seemed endless. Where he killed anWolf Beast to claim Hundred-Year Ice Iron Ore, another beast would immediately appear to guard the ore.

Whether it was the various metals expensive in the Zhen Ce Dynasty or the rare Demon Cores, in West Mountain, as long as one was strong enough and dared to fight, one could obtain immense quantities.

"It’s a pity I can’t take them back to the Zhen Ce Dynasty; otherwise, I’d truly be rich," Qian Jin secured the pouch, kicking the dead Golden Demon Ape, lamenting, "I remember it took quite an effort the first time I encountered one of these things. Now I’ve finally found its weakness. While my general knowledge hasn't expanded much these past few days, I’ve certainly learned the weaknesses of many Magical Beasts."

Qian Jin turned back and patted the sack of Hundred-Year Ice Iron Ore standing on the ground. Using several different high-grade metals to fuse and forge a weapon for the first time required ample preparation.

Weapon forging was different from other crafts; if a forging attempt failed, there was no melting down and redoing the process. Theoretically, every additional high-grade metal added to a forging would result in a stronger piece of equipment, but the difficulty of successful fusion and the probability of failure also increased with each addition. High-grade metals possessed their own unique properties. Even a Master Blacksmith with innate talent couldn't claim to immediately grasp the characteristics of every high-grade metal on the first try. Because of the low success rate of finished products, the prices of Battle Weapons in the Zhen Ce Dynasty were so high; often, only one lucky weapon was forged from the materials intended for several.

Carrying the sack of Hundred-Year Ice Iron Ore down the mountain, Qian Jin, accustomed to solitary survival, talked to himself. "I really must thank Uncle Black for pointing me toward this resource-rich West Mountain. Being able to acquire large quantities of high-grade metals allows me to constantly familiarize myself with their different properties, greatly improving my forging success rate. While Bu Er and the others haven't fully recovered, I’ll make a few more trips these next few days to raise the success rate further."

Qian Jin let out a long breath, a faint smile playing on his lips. Even the Qian family, other Bloodline Families, or the royal commissioned blacksmiths did not have the opportunity to use so many high-grade metals to meticulously map out their characteristics. The boundless world had given him endless possibilities for the future.

Upon returning to Uncle Black’s courtyard, Qian Jin placed a sack of Hundred-Year Ice Iron Ore in a corner. Looking at the five sacks of the same size, he clapped his hands and turned toward another corner where a wooden chest lay.

The small crimson wood chest, about three feet square, was opened to reveal nearly a hundred Demon Cores of varying sizes and colors resting inside!

Qian Jin untied the pouch at his waist and began placing the Demon Cores inside, sucking in a sharp breath. Only in the [Boundless World] could one acquire so many Demon Cores. This quantity and quality of cores would make even the Patriarch of the Qian family’s expression change.

"It’s a shame I don’t know Inscription or Enchanting; otherwise, I could use these Demon Cores," Qian Jin solemnly closed the lid of the wooden box. "I wonder when I can learn Inscription; then these cores can be used as materials. To become an Inscriptionist, besides needing extremely high talent, one also requires massive amounts of magical materials for support. Records about Inscriptionists even include the sharp assertion: An Inscriptionist is an expensive profession built up by piling up vast quantities of magical materials! Even with guidance from a skilled master, one cannot become an Inscriptionist without a powerful financial backing. When anyone speaks of an Inscriptionist, the first reaction isn't the exquisitely enchanted equipment, but the price! Extravagantly expensive!"

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