He truly felt the strain, it wasn't an illusion. General Hua occasionally glanced over, and seeing his condition, his expression immediately changed. He swiftly rose to his full height, fixing his gaze on Li Muzhan.

He slowed his steps, pausing completely, terrified of disturbing Li Muzhan.

He stared at Li Muzhan, his face etched with shock. He hadn't expected Li Muzhan to have cultivated to this degree; this was clearly the precursor to mastering the first level.

The first level: cleansing the marrow and reshaping the physique. Internal energy, like flowing water, scours the soft flesh, purifying it until it is dulled, clean, and immaculate. Once achieved, no illness can take root, and thus the first level is complete.

This level was further subdivided into lower, middle, and upper tiers: the lower tier refined the skin, the middle tier cleansed the flesh, and the upper tier purified the blood—completing the process of marrow and physique transformation.

He had cultivated for five years and had just reached the middle tier. After this recent refinement, it felt as if his body had been thoroughly washed; his spirit was refreshed, and the ease was incomparable.

But looking at Li Muzhan, he seemed to be performing the highest stage: purifying the blood... transforming blood into mercury.

The most obvious sign of this stage was the ability to lift lightness as if it were heavy, as the internal energy washing through the vital fluid and purifying the blood was an exceedingly difficult feat.

Though the skin and muscle tissue were solid, there were still gaps where the internal energy could flow unimpeded; blood, however, was different—incredibly dense, offering no pathway for the qi to penetrate.

The flow of blood was like the surging, continuous might of a great river; its momentum was immense. When qi met blood, even if the vital qi was like liquid mercury, it still wasn't true mercury and could not contend with the blood.

Consequently, the internal energy attempting to purify the vital fluid was like dense fog encountering a vast river—purification was agonizingly difficult, like a mantis trying to stop a chariot.

This is why, at this stage, the movements of the Great Dragon Form became arduous, exceptionally stiff and sluggish. Those with weaker constitutions simply could not endure and couldn't complete the entire set of movements.

Li Muzhan’s stamina was vast. Despite the difficulty, his expression remained natural as he circulated the technique inch by inch, his movements firm yet slow, never ceasing his exertion.

General Hua watched him intently, gripping the book in his hand tighter and tighter, growing anxious for him. If he couldn't persist through the whole sequence, all previous effort would be wasted, requiring him to start over.

This required extremely high levels of both physical stamina and internal energy; insufficient stamina would lead to immediate collapse, and insufficient internal energy would leave one helpless, forcing abandonment—neither could be lacking.

More crucial still was perseverance—the sheer willpower. The hardship of moving as if burdened by a mountain was something most people couldn't bear; it could crush one's spirit and lead to immediate surrender.

General Hua tiptoed out of the tent with light, soundless steps, beckoned, and seven figures, including Ji Wuming, approached. He whispered, "General?"

"Mmm, are you all alright?" General Hua nodded, smiling as he surveyed the seven men.

They kept their heads down and remained silent, their expressions low.

General Hua chuckled, "I sent you away to avoid drawing attention. You'll be back in a while."

"General, it’s because we are incompetent..." Ji Wuming sighed.

General Hua glared at him and snorted, "Enough! Stop being so maudlin!"

While they conversed, Li Muzhan continued practicing the Great Dragon Form inside the main tent, his movements slow as a tortoise, each posture incredibly taxing.

Two hours later, General Hua cautiously lifted the flap and entered the tent, moving silently.

Li Muzhan was still cultivating, his eyes slightly narrowed, his movements sluggish as if writhing. His appearance was horrifying now; his face was covered in a layer of black blood beads, and sweat streamed from his palms and the backs of his hands, making him look like a person covered in blood.

General Hua’s face darkened, and he nodded slowly. It was true; this was the purification of toxins from the upper tier! The blood beads expelled were impurities from his bloodstream; eliminating them brought infinite benefits.

Standard martial arts manuals only trained the external aspects—tendons, bones, and skin—and the internal aspect of qi, failing to reach the blood itself, thus unable to truly alter a person’s fundamental constitution.

Li Muzhan moved slowly, drew a long breath, and gradually opened his eyes. They were bright as cold stars, piercing the soul. With a gentle sweep of his gaze, the entire tent seemed to illuminate momentarily.

"General?" Li Muzhan smiled.

General Hua laughed softly, "Minkong, excellent. Go wash up first."

Li Muzhan glanced down at his hands, then swiftly floated out of the tent. Moments later, he returned; his skin was like white jade, smooth and delicate, with a soft radiance flowing beneath the surface.

"Good!" General Hua praised, nodding. "Minkong, you’ve grasped the entry to the Great Dragon Form. A joyous occasion."

Li Muzhan said, "The Great Dragon Form is truly marvelous!"

He felt his essence flowing throughout his body, an indescribable sense of exhilaration and boldness, as if a single punch could shatter the heavens—though an extravagant thought, it spoke volumes about the changes in his body.

His body exuded waves of faint, ethereal fragrance—barely perceptible. One could smell it faintly at first, but upon closer inspection, it vanished.

"Minkong, you are stronger than I," General Hua said, shaking his head with a smile. "I practiced for five years and I’m not as proficient as you are in ten days. Truly, innate talent differs; one cannot force destiny."

Li Muzhan shook his head, "General, I discovered a knack."

"Oh?" General Hua chuckled dismissively. If there were a knack, the Great Dragon Form wouldn't be so difficult to master; it seemed no one in Da Yan had ever perfected it.

Li Muzhan stated, "The cultivation time for the Great Dragon Form should not be too short; it is best to be intensive, completed in one continuous burst. The longer the duration maintained, the better the result."

"...Is that so?" General Hua pondered.

Li Muzhan continued, "When I practiced the Lesser Dragon Form, I noticed this pattern. Practicing the Lesser Dragon Form shouldn't be like mere exercise, but rather severe toil. The harder the toil, the better the effect."

"Hmm, there’s some logic to that. I’ll try it tomorrow," General Hua nodded.

In the following days, Li Muzhan and General Hua diligently practiced the Great Dragon Form together.

They would practice intensely for a morning, resting in the afternoon. Li Muzhan would focus on cultivation, while General Hua handled military affairs. During this period, the army was busy: three lines of reinforcement troops had arrived—besides the Flanking Cavalry of the Divine Martial Camp, there was the Ironclad Cavalry of the Divine Profound Camp, and the Silver Cavalry of the Divine Marvel Camp.

The contingents sent from these three places were small, merely conveying their willingness to assist—a token gesture. They weren't truly relied upon as strong arms, after all; they weren't part of his own meritorious achievements, so using them felt awkward.

Li Muzhan continued to politely refuse the Arrow Control Art while simultaneously revising and perfecting the movements for the second layer of the Nine Revolutions Marrow Cleansing Scripture. With the Great Dragon Form integrated, the perfection process accelerated rapidly.

At this pace, Li Muzhan estimated that in another five or six days, he would complete the set of movements and formally begin cultivating the second layer of the Nine Revolutions Marrow Cleansing Scripture.

The Arrow Control Art, however, remained stuck in a mire, showing little progress.

Over several days, General Hua felt the difference most acutely. Once his practice reached his physical limit, seeing Li Muzhan proceeding as if nothing was wrong, effortlessly and gracefully, he gritted his teeth and forced himself to persist.

Seven days later, his movements, which had been slow, turned stiff and heavy as if bearing a thousand pounds; every lift and move became a trial.

He was overjoyed, knowing he had broken through to the highest tier and begun purifying his blood.

However, this turned out to be a vain happiness. He could not complete the blood purification process, often abandoning it midway; both his stamina and internal energy were insufficient to sustain it.

Once the blood purification began, his limbs felt heavy, his internal energy sluggish, like an ant trying to shake a mighty tree. These movements drained both his body and his internal reserves.

Li Muzhan possessed the Vajra Indestructible Divine Art, granting him formidable stamina, and with the existence of the Martial Membrane, his internal energy was immensely deep. This allowed him to persist through the blood purification of the Great Dragon Form.

General Hua, despite cultivating the Great Dragon Form for several years, lacked far behind in stamina and internal energy. Even if he reached the initial stage of blood purification, he could not complete it.

At this rate of progress, Li Muzhan estimated General Hua would need a full year before he could truly begin the blood purification stage.

This underscored the importance of one’s foundation. Without adequate fundamentals, even possessing insight and talent was useless; one must proceed step by step, unable to ascend in a single leap.

Yet, with Li Muzhan present, General Hua's situation was different.

One day, as General Hua’s internal energy flagged and he was on the verge of giving up entirely, a warm energy suddenly surged in, integrating into his body and directly transforming into his own internal energy.

This warm energy grew increasingly potent, slowly enveloping him as if in warm water. Not only was his internal energy fully restored, but all physical fatigue vanished.

As a result, he unknowingly completed an entire set of the Great Dragon Form, finishing the blood purification. Afterward, his body was covered in black blood beads, which he quickly washed off. Upon returning, his spirit was refreshed, his demeanor spirited, and his entire aura became increasingly elegant and natural.

Li Muzhan was already seated on his cushion, hands pressed together in a silent greeting, smiling, "Congratulations, General."

"Ah, it's all thanks to you!" General Hua shook his head and laughed.

Li Muzhan suddenly frowned, flashed a movement, and appeared at the tent entrance, his palm striking out to meet an incoming force. Precisely at that moment, a sliver of cold light pierced the tent curtain.

Li Muzhan’s palm strike landed precisely in front of the cold light.

"Clang..." A sharp resonance sounded as palm met light, creating the sound of clashing metal. The might of his Vajra Indestructible Divine Art was evident.

Li Muzhan slid back a full zhang, while the cold light dimmed before dropping to the ground.

Li Muzhan frowned, staring motionlessly outside the tent. His eyes flickered toward the short sword on the ground—it was a throwing sword, possessing terrifying power.

Having cultivated the Vajra Indestructible Divine Art to the stage of tendon refinement, his physical body was overwhelmingly strong, yet his right hand was faintly numb now, as if struck by lightning.

Li Muzhan was inwardly surprised. He narrowed his eyes slightly and stated gravely, "Who is there? Leave quickly, or blame me for showing no mercy!"

"What arrogance!" With a cold sneer, the curtain was drawn aside, and a person drifted in from outside.

This person was of medium height and unremarkable in appearance, but his bearing was sharp, and his killing intent was almost palpable, causing the temperature inside the tent to immediately drop upon his entry.

Li Muzhan frowned and said mildly, "Did you come for the bounty?"

The middle-aged man shook his head coldly and stated grimly, "I care nothing for some trivial Marquis of Wind; I am here for the common people of our Da Yan! You incompetent fool, you are unworthy to be a general!"

Li Muzhan said sternly, "Whether I am worthy or not is not for you to judge. You are meddling too much in court affairs, sir?"

The middle-aged man shook his head and said grimly, "I am executing heaven's will and standing up for the populace... If you stand in my way, I will kill you too!"

Li Muzhan said grimly, "Very well, I wish to sample your skill!"

General Hua glanced at Li Muzhan, then at the middle-aged man, sensing something amiss. There must be some hidden context; otherwise, Minkong would have already struck decisively.

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