"What a pure broth, like moonlight soothing both body and soul. Every pore opens up, my appetite surges, and my whole body feels at ease. Though it's meat soup, there's no grease at all." Yi Tianxing closed his eyes, sensing every pore open, each inch of flesh rejoicing. He naturally began to absorb the surrounding spiritual energy again. Inside his body, a phantom black cauldron trembled faintly.
Vital blood surged endlessly into the black cauldron, gradually pushing it toward materialization. The strength within his body grew steadily—and not slowly at all.
He picked up a bone, brought it to his lips, and sucked on one of the tiny holes. Immediately, marrow from within flowed out like translucent jelly, slipping into his mouth. A refreshing chill, moonlight-cool yet slightly warm, spread over his tongue.
It melted instantly. The sensation was brief but unforgettable.
"What a bowl of marrow soup—truly unforgettable. I've never tasted meat broth this exquisite. Master Lai's cooking really is beyond compare."Yang Ye and his two sons showed expressions of pure bliss.
This was a culinary experience they had never imagined—one that delighted both the body and the soul, making it hard to wake from the pleasure.
"Please enjoy the second dish—Braised Meat Slices!"
"Wolf meat, like dog meat, is usually coarse and gamey. But the Silvermoon Wolf's flesh lacks these flaws—it's crystal clear, like jade. I sliced the meat paper-thin, then pan-seared it in light oil, adding marrow broth to infuse it deeply with flavor. The result? Juicy slices, tender and rich, with none of the harshness of regular grilled meat. Please taste it!"Lai He presented the next delicacy with flourish.
When the iron lid was lifted, the glistening meat slices revealed themselves. They looked more steamed than braised.
Every dish that followed was a culinary marvel, each one showcasing Lai He's pinnacle of skill. They sparkled like treasures, and eating them brought absolute delight. Even Yang Ye and his sons were completely lost in the experience.
Eating—perhaps the most primal and irresistible instinct of all.
From the moment of birth, it binds itself to life.
After the feast, Yi Tianxing's strength exploded upward. With every breath, vast waves of spiritual energy surged into his blood, bones, and meridians. The very density of his flesh and bones compressed, layer after layer, making them stronger—capable of storing even more power.
The Food Cauldron spun at full force, refining the essence of the gourmet meals. Images of piranhas, wild birds, crocodiles, and the Silvermoon Wolf flickered across the cauldron's surface—mystical and shifting.
NEW: Food Cauldron absorbs essence from high-grade beasts cooked into gourmet food.
"What tremendous essence... The Silvermoon Wolf, turned into a meal, has transferred all its power to this food. While alive, it was comparable to a Tier 3 Yellow-grade beast. All that strength remains in its flesh. Eating it is a massive boost to the body. Add in the stimulus to my gourmet cells and the Food Cauldron's refining... I'm not just absorbing spiritual energy—I'm growing from the essence of the beast itself. Truly, devouring fierce beasts massively strengthens the body."This realization struck Yi Tianxing with force.
This was direct plunder of a beast's life essence.
The benefits to his physical body were immeasurable.
Which meant: eating the meat of fierce beasts = extracting their essence + evolving the body.
With the Food Cauldron's refining + gourmet cells' absorption, this was the perfect path to body cultivation.
"So hot… Dad, I feel like I'm burning up! There's heat surging in my belly, racing everywhere!"Yang Yanping suddenly shouted, his face flushed crimson.
"These dishes are rich with essence. It's like feeding raw ginseng to a regular person—it's too much. If the body can't handle it, it'll backfire. Start training—use the Yang family spear techniques to digest it!"Yang Ye, also feeling the rush, quickly recognized the situation. These dishes contained essence on par with ginseng or spiritual herbs.
They both grabbed spears and began practicing their family's style.
Their movements were bold and forceful, like iron cavalry surging across the battlefield. Their stances radiated a fierce aura of blood and war—as though they stood alone in a field of ten thousand enemies.
Steam rose from their bodies as the heat began to vent.
"Hah!!"
Yang Yanding was burning up too.
But instead of spear training, he stepped into the open and performed a series of strange movements.
It began bizarrely—with his body arched backward into an iron-bridge pose. He hovered without falling, a single hand extending above his head, his torso swaying.
It looked weird. The moves were extremely difficult—even seasoned martial artists would struggle.
But his body began absorbing the essence in a strange rhythm.
Then, he dropped onto all fours like a beast. His posture radiated immense pressure—a wild, ancient aura. In Yi Tianxing's eyes, he seemed to transform into a primordial beast—a Dragon-Elephant. Muscles rolled like coiled serpents. Faint golden light shimmered on his skin.
NEW: Yang Yanding uses a body-refining technique: Vajra Dragon-Elephant Technique.
"That's not footwork—it's a body-tempering martial art! A full-body cultivation technique!"Yi Tianxing, while still absorbing his own power, carefully observed. Each motion was bizarre and complex. But clearly, the technique had internal visualization and circulation methods.
"Such fast refinement..."At first, Yang Yanding looked like a cooked lobster. But as he moved through the Vajra Dragon-Elephant Technique, his flush faded. He absorbed the beast essence far faster than Yang Ye and Yanping.
Whereas the others wasted a large portion, unable to convert it, Yang Yanding absorbed and refined most of it thanks to his technique. The others merely used spear drills to force their bodies to passively absorb.
Efficiency was miles apart.
"Five thousand jin—my strength increased by 5,000 jin again! I've reached 15,000 jin of force! This Silvermoon Wolf really did contain astonishing energy—and that's after sharing it with four people. If I'd had it alone, I might've hit 20,000 jin, reaching the Two Chimes of the Black Cauldron realm."When his body calmed, the phantom black cauldron in Yi Tianxing's body became denser, radiating a deep black glow.
The blood energy within the cauldron surged.
"That really was a massive boost. My body feels much stronger. I've officially broken through—I'm now a body cultivator. I've even condensed a black cauldron within me—One Chime. My strength is now 8,000 jin!" Yang Yanding burst out laughing, his eyes gleaming. Then, just as naturally, he suppressed all the energy within. His aura faded, and outwardly, he appeared no different from a normal person.
"Looks like eating fierce beast meat really does supercharge the body."Yang Ye's face lost its flush. The injuries and energy he'd lost earlier seemed to vanish—he looked fully rejuvenated.
"Brother Yanding, that technique you just used—it's a body-tempering cultivation art. You're planning to walk the path of a body cultivator, huh?"Yi Tianxing smiled as he looked at Yang Yanding.
Yang Ye's eyes narrowed briefly, but upon seeing only sincerity in Yi Tianxing's gaze, he nodded. "We once found a body-tempering technique: Vajra Dragon-Elephant Technique. It's a body cultivator's path. Sadly, only Erlang has the aptitude for it. Dalang and I can't bear the pain. For us, training feels like knives cutting flesh and needles stabbing bone. We just can't endure it. But Erlang can—and he's already mastered the movements. So only he can walk this path."
He wasn't sure how rare body-tempering techniques were, but knowing Yi Tianxing had openly shared a Qi cultivation method with the whole village, he didn't suspect any greed from him.
That, and he truly didn't grasp how precious such a technique really was.
"Indeed. Body cultivation requires special talent—or immense willpower to endure unimaginable pain. It's a brutal path. Resource-heavy too. But in combat, body cultivators are peerless. At the same level, they're the strongest type. Brother Yanding, if you persist, you'll become a general unmatched by thousands." Yi Tianxing nodded. Though he deeply desired to study the Vajra Dragon-Elephant Technique himself, he said nothing. He believed that, one day, it would come into his hands naturally.