Eternal Night World, Black Wind Mountain Range.
After more than a year, Li Qing returned to the Eternal Night World.
The purpose of this return was simple: to take advantage of the time flow difference here to quickly step into Inner Strength.
Li Qing was now just a step away from the realm of Inner Strength, and all he needed was time to refine his skills.
"By the way, I should also gather some gold and silver treasures to take back; raising a tiger is really too expensive!"
Li Qing wiped the sweat from his forehead. He had originally thought that the remaining few hundred taels of silver would last him for several years.
Who would have thought that the nearly grown glutton would have an ever-increasing appetite, consuming an unknown amount of meat every day?
Of course, Li Qing himself was also a big meat eater. Ever since he started drinking Tiger Bone Wine, his physique had become even stronger, requiring him to consume a lot of meat daily to maintain his qi and blood.
What he thought would last at least two or three years had suddenly run dry.
"You glutton, you’re such a prodigal! I’ll send you back to Xiao Cuiling one of these days," Li Qing scolded the glutton he had brought along.
"Roar!" The glutton howled in dissatisfaction, as if to say that he himself had eaten quite a bit too.
Traveling between two worlds allowed for the transport of living creatures. Li Qing had tried it before, which was why he felt secure bringing the glutton along.
Leaving it in Sheng Tian City without Li Qing's supervision would likely cause a lot of trouble.
The current glutton was no longer the little tiger cub from before; it was now a fierce and aggressive tiger!
Having not returned for a year and a half, it seemed that about four to five years had passed here.
Should he go back and take a look?
Li Qing gazed toward the direction of Obsidian City, a hint of nostalgia in his eyes.
He vaguely remembered that before he left, he had asked the Tianlong of the义帮 to look after Old Man An and his granddaughter, but he had no idea how they were doing now.
Forget it, let’s practice first!
It would not be too late to explore this strange world after successfully entering the realm of Inner Strength. By then, even if the appearance of a tiger was unbelievable, he could explain it with his fists—after all, it was quite reasonable for there to be tigers in the Eternal Night World!
"Let this place be my base; it’s remote and perfect for setting up without needing to return to the city."
With that, Li Qing began to set up.
This time, he brought not only a fierce tiger but also a large vat of Tiger Bone Wine and various daily necessities.
Due to the absence of sunlight, only a red moon illuminated the land, and even though the Black Wind Mountain Range was devoid of trees, it was replaced by strange mushroom trees.
These mushrooms were tall, some red and some green, with a texture resembling wood chips, indigestible by the human body.
However, they could be used as fuel for fire. Currently, there were two methods for heating in this world: either chopping down mushroom trees or digging for coal.
As for lighting, the Eternal Night World had a unique mushroom known as the Nightlight Mushroom.
The Nightlight Mushroom was somewhat similar to luminous pearls, possessing a strong vitality, able to take root anywhere and continuously emit light.
Soon, Li Qing had set up his base.
An iron wire bed was placed between two mushroom trees, and a campfire blazed nearby, radiating warmth.
In addition, the food and dried meat he brought were stored in iron boxes, alongside the large vat of Tiger Bone Wine.
He even built a shelter to protect against wind and rain, clearly preparing for long-term survival in the wild.
After completing all this, Li Qing suddenly noticed that the glutton seemed a bit listless.
In the past, the glutton loved to frolic in the wild; even in the blacksmith shop, it could not stay still, running around all day.
He had thought it would enjoy the Eternal Night World, but now it seemed otherwise.
Li Qing frowned slightly and walked over to check on the glutton.
Health-wise, there was no problem; it was strong and vigorous, with a steady heartbeat.
Was it just a lack of spirit?
"Is this glutton hungry?" Li Qing wondered as he tossed a fresh beef leg to the glutton.
It ate, but afterward, it still looked somewhat listless.
Was it unaccustomed to the environment? Or was it something else?
For a moment, he couldn't figure it out, but Li Qing was sure there was no life-threatening danger.
"If you feel uncomfortable, just tell me, okay?" Li Qing rubbed the tiger's head.
"Roar!" The glutton responded with a strong voice, which reassured Li Qing.
After spending so much time together, the glutton was more intelligent than he had imagined; it could occasionally understand what Li Qing said.
Setting aside the glutton's lack of energy for now, Li Qing seized the time to practice martial arts.
He first used his most proficient technique, the Fierce Tiger True Intent Diagram, and began striking the hard, cold mountain rocks with his tiger paw.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
At the beginning, Li Qing controlled his strength and did not use his full power.
A thread of energy continuously erupted from his palm, not seeking to destroy the rocks but to drive the force deep into them.
Thus, in the rarely visited Black Wind Mountain Range, strange and peculiar muffled sounds often echoed.
In this cold, dark, and desolate world, Li Qing's heart, dedicated to martial arts and the path, grew increasingly steadfast and resolute, undiminished by the passage of time.
During this period, whenever food ran low, he would return to Sheng Tian, disguising himself in various identities to buy supplies, all to avoid drawing attention.
And just like that, in the Eternal Night World, six months passed in the blink of an eye.
Time in the mountains was timeless.
This saying was not just a saying; Li Qing, who had nearly lost his sense of time, could hardly perceive the passage of time if he did not occasionally return to Sheng Tian.
Boom!
In the Black Wind Mountain Range, a massive rock exploded.
The way the rock shattered was quite peculiar; one half remained intact while the other half was shattered into pieces.
Li Qing stood before the intact half of the rock, slowly retracting his palm.
At this moment, even with his steadfast heart, he could not help but feel ecstatic, his whole body trembling slightly.
"Inner Strength, finally achieved!"
"Hahahaha! Roar!"
Li Qing let out a clear long howl toward the dark sky, a sound filled with the abundant vitality within him, echoing far and wide for miles!
After half a year of relentless honing, he had finally stepped into the realm of Inner Strength, becoming one of the few strong practitioners in the martial world.
As long as the masters did not emerge, Inner Strength experts could dominate a region.
"So that's how it is; stepping into the realm of Inner Strength requires not only mastering this peculiar method of exerting force but also having perfect control and understanding of one's own body."
Li Qing spread his arms wide and then closed his eyes to carefully feel; he could clearly sense the flow of qi and blood in every part of his body, even briefly controlling the blood circulating within him.
All of this was thanks to the experiences and insights imparted to him by Guo Zhentong. If he had to figure it out on his own, it would have taken him at least four to five more years to comprehend these principles.
Qi and blood are the essence of a person; once the qi and blood are depleted, various ailments will arise.
At this moment, Li Qing could briefly control his qi and blood. If there was any discomfort in his body, he could mobilize his entire qi and blood to heal it.
This meant he had completely freed himself from the troubles of illness; the concerns of aging, sickness, and death that mortals worry about, he could now ignore three of them!
As long as he was not killed, with his long lifespan, Li Qing could indulge and enjoy life in the mortal realm.
"The medicinal wine cannot stop; it is the foundation of my existence. After drinking it for nearly a year, my physique has not only transformed but has greatly improved. Truly a priceless recipe!"
Over the past six months, Li Qing had continuously consumed Tiger Bone Medicinal Wine and eaten large amounts of meat, resulting in a physique and strength far superior to before.
"I wonder what others feel like when they first enter the realm of Inner Strength, but it should be far inferior to me."
Having entered the realm of Inner Strength, Li Qing had gained a certain clarity; even at this level, his raw strength surpassed that of many seasoned Inner Strength experts.
His greatest advantage now was his youth and vigor, with qi and blood as abundant as the sea. Those Inner Strength experts who practiced external martial arts would see their qi and blood decline with age, beginning to decline.
Compared to those people, Li Qing was only lacking in experience, but a chaotic punch could still defeat a master. With his strength, which was many times more terrifying than that of a wild bull, everyone could exert Inner Strength; who was afraid of whom?!
Of course, this did not apply to those who practiced internal martial arts.
In comparison, practitioners of internal martial arts did not rely heavily on physical qi and blood.
Although qi and blood would have some effect, practitioners of internal martial arts fundamentally relied on their internal power.
Such individuals became more formidable as they aged, their internal power becoming exaggeratedly robust. The chaotic punches of the young would still seem somewhat lacking in their eyes.
"Hahaha, it's time to leave the mountain and travel the world!"
An Inner Strength expert! Seeking recommendation votes!
(End of Chapter)