N-A-A Chapter 35 The Leather Mirror
Chapter 35 The Leather Mirror
The night was as dark as ink, tightly enveloping the snow-covered town.
Xu Mo lay on the sofa covered with thick bedding, but he couldn't fall asleep no matter how much he tossed and turned. He had been feeling inexplicably irritable since tonight.
This feeling of unease came without reason, yet it was incredibly real. Xu Mo thought carefully, and realized that his unease wasn't due to the shock of discovering the diary during the day; that was a rational upheaval and reflection, unrelated to his agitation. What was swirling in his mind now was an indescribable restlessness originating from deep within his body.
At first, Xu Mo thought it was just the common winter heat rising in his body, or the fatigue accumulated from days of cultivation. He tried to adjust his breathing and clear his mind, just as he usually did before going to sleep. However, this method failed tonight.
As Xu Mo adjusted his breathing, he felt that his agitation not only did not subside, but instead burned brighter and brighter, like a suppressed wildfire. It was not emotional anxiety, but more like a physiological "imbalance". His blood and qi seemed to flow faster than usual, and he felt a series of subtle, tingling sensations on his skin, like ants crawling, while a strange impulse to be beaten and forged came from deep within his bones.
Xu Mo felt as if his body was a furnace being constantly pressurized, yet unable to find a pressure relief valve. Heat was accumulating, energy was surging, but it was always bound by an invisible, tough membrane, unable to break through that final limit.
This feeling of suffocation made Xu Mo want to roar out loud.
"Well……"
Xu Mo let out a suppressed growl and abruptly sat up from the sofa. In the darkness, his eyes faintly glowed with a barely perceptible crimson. His heart pounded like a drum, clearly audible in the silent room. An uncontrollable urge to destroy something or engage in violent activity surged through his mind.
Xu Mo forcibly suppressed this inexplicable violent tendency, took a few deep breaths of the cold air, and tried to calm his burning lungs and brain.
He stood up, his steps unsteady, and walked to the cast-iron furnace in the center of the room. He picked up a few pieces of dry pine wood and stuffed them into the still-smoldering firebox. After poking them a few times with the tongs, the orange-red flames leaped up again, greedily licking the new fuel and crackling merrily.
Xu Mo squatted in front of the furnace, staring blankly at the leaping flames. The firelight reflected on his face, flickering and changing. The burning, releasing, and intense form of energy seemed to resonate strangely with the restless energy within him.
In that instant, a profound and mysterious realization, like a lightning bolt flashing in the darkness, suddenly struck Xu Mo's mind.
His previous practice of the "Thirteen Bodyguards Horizontal Training" was like treating his body as a piece of stubborn iron, repeatedly forging and hammering it over the fire of his qi and blood. More than two months of arduous training had already heated this stubborn iron until it was red-hot, hammering away all impurities and creating a compact structure. However, it was still missing the final step—quenching! Lacking that crucial step to cause a qualitative change in its internal structure, transforming it from ordinary iron into refined steel.
Xu Mo had always thought that he hadn't accumulated enough experience and hadn't reached the right level of skill. But now, looking at the furnace fire, he understood. It wasn't that he hadn't reached the right level of skill, but rather that he lacked the opportunity for "tempering," that final moment of enlightenment.
Previously, I felt like I was being roasted over a fire, the temperature constantly rising, yet never reaching the critical threshold that would allow my physical form to change. But now, this nameless restlessness in my heart, this agitation in my body, is precisely the "internal pressure" naturally generated by my qi and blood being pushed to their limits, my body yearning for a breakthrough. This internal pressure itself is part of the breakthrough!
That instant of enlightenment was like an invisible yet incredibly precise steel needle, gently yet decisively piercing through the invisible barrier that had been hindering him and binding his energy and strength.
"So that's how it is! The bottleneck isn't external but internal; it's because the 'intention' hasn't reached that point!"
In the instant his thoughts became clear, Xu Mo was enlightened and no longer hesitated. He suddenly stood up and, right there by the fire, in the room where darkness and light intertwined, naturally assumed the most basic stance of the "Thirteen Bodyguards Horizontal Training".
With feet shoulder-width apart, slightly bent and squatting, chest in, back straight, head held high, arms wrapped around... the movements are the same as always, but the inner feeling is completely different.
Just as Xu Mo's mind sank into focus and his will merged with his stance training—"Boom!!!"
It was as if a thunderclap from the heavens had exploded directly in the deepest part of Xu Mo's mind, or as if a volcano that had been accumulating for ten thousand years had finally broken through the last layer of rock.
The thin membrane he pierced with his "Needle of Thought" shattered and vanished completely.
The surging blood and qi that had been bound and compressed within his body erupted like a burst dam or ignited explosives. They were no longer guided streams, but transformed into uncontrolled raging waves, surging and crashing wildly within his body with unprecedented speed and power.
"Ho—"
Xu Mo let out a low, inhuman roar. He felt his blood surging like molten lava in his veins, every muscle trembling and swelling uncontrollably, emitting a clearer and more intense buzzing sound. This thunder was no longer a muffled thud, but rather like countless cowhide drums beating simultaneously inside his body.
A strange, unattractive dark yellow tinge appeared on his skin at a visible speed. This yellow was uneven, resembling rough, untanned raw cowhide, with a primitive and tough texture. At the same time, Xu Mo could clearly feel that the membranes covering his entire body were thickening and becoming denser at an incredible rate, his pores were shrinking, and the texture of his skin seemed to become rougher and deeper.
Wow, that's awesome!
This is the Realm of Cowhide! My skin is yellowish and rough like old cowhide. I have finally stepped into this threshold!
However, before the joy of the breakthrough could even emerge, an unprecedented and extreme sense of weakness was poured over him like ice water.
Xu Mo felt that the surging blood and qi in his body and the rapidly transforming and strengthening muscles, bones and skin were devouring his body's energy at a terrifying speed, consuming his most fundamental vital energy and life force.
The feeling was terrifyingly clear, like an oil lamp that had been burning steadily but whose wick was suddenly pulled up, causing the flame to become intensely bright, while the oil was being consumed at several times, even dozens of times, the speed. Xu Mo could "feel" his "lifespan," or rather, the essence of his life, was rapidly slipping away like sand in an hourglass.
Breaking through a realm actually comes at the cost of burning one's life potential, forcibly exchanging energy to complete an instantaneous qualitative change in the body!
"not good!"
Xu Mo suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze filled with horror. His originally bronze skin now had an unhealthy sallow and flushed appearance, and the veins on his forehead were bulging. His body began to tremble uncontrollably, a sign of extreme energy depletion and the overdraft of his life force.
Xu Mo had no doubt that if this situation continued, he would probably be "drained" alive by the breakthrough process in just a few minutes, turning into a dried-up corpse that had just broken through to the Bull Skin Realm and was completely consumed.
Driven by the instinct for survival, Xu Mo practically scrambled to the corner where the food was stored. He ripped open his backpack, disregarding all decorum, and grabbed the vacuum-packed braised beef, braised chicken legs, and compressed biscuits, stuffing them into his mouth frantically. He didn't even have time to chew properly; he just swallowed with all his might, trying to replenish his energy in the most direct way possible.
However, it's just a drop in the ocean.
The rate at which ordinary food is digested and converted into energy cannot keep up with the terrifying, black hole-like consumption during a breakthrough. Xu Mo felt as if what he ate was just a drop of water thrown into a raging fire, instantly evaporated. The weakness continued to intensify, and the terrifying feeling of life force draining away did not diminish in the slightest.
"Not enough! Far from enough!"
Xu Mo's eyes reddened as he suddenly remembered the highly nourishing items he had scavenged, items containing immense medicinal power and essence.
He staggered to another storage box and roughly lifted the lid. Inside were neatly stacked ginseng, deer antler, and cordyceps, which he had previously treasured.
At this moment, Xu Mo couldn't care less about the combination of medicinal properties, the gradual approach, or whether it was wasteful; saving his life was the most important thing!
Xu Mo first grabbed the best-looking ginseng, and without even washing it, stuffed it into his mouth, biting off a large chunk with all his might, chewing it frantically like a cow chewing a peony. A rich, bitter, yet uniquely fragrant ginseng flavor instantly filled his mouth, followed by a warm current, countless times hotter and purer than ordinary food, flowing down his throat and into his stomach like a stream.
It works! But it's not fast enough!
Xu Mo grabbed a handful of sliced deer antlers, stuffed them into his mouth without even looking at them, and swallowed them along with the other ginseng. The deer antlers had a fishy smell, but after entering his stomach, they transformed into another stream of hot energy, merging with the ginseng's power.
That wasn't all. Xu Mo then ate handfuls of those precious cordyceps, just like he was eating fried beans.
If a knowledgeable traditional Chinese medicine practitioner were to see such "waste" of precious medicinal herbs, they would probably be heartbroken. But at this moment, Xu Mo couldn't care less about any of that. He was like a drowning man, desperately grabbing onto anything that could float around him.
A massive, violent surge of medicinal power erupted within Xu Mo's abdomen, like several fire dragons awakening, roaring, and colliding within him.
Normally, such reckless action would be tantamount to suicide; the violent medicinal power would be enough to rupture Xu Mo's meridians, or even cause him to bleed from all seven orifices and die. But at this moment, his body was in a "black hole" state during his breakthrough to the "Taobao Realm," and his thirst for energy had reached an inconceivable level.
The moment these pure and powerful medicinal energies erupted, they were frantically drawn in and devoured by the "black hole," flowing into the surging torrent of qi and blood, and rapidly transported to every inch of the body's skin, muscles, fascia, and even bones that were undergoing qualitative changes.
Xu Mo felt that his breakthrough process, which had been slowed down and even somewhat exhausted due to a lack of energy, was instantly accelerated and became smooth again with the addition of this new force.
The feeling of weakness and loss of life that terrified Xu Mo finally began to subside, and then... stopped.
Xu Mo slumped to the ground, leaning against the cold wall, panting heavily. His whole body was soaked in sweat, as if he had just been pulled out of the water. His face was still somewhat pale, but his eyes were frighteningly bright.
He could clearly feel that the raging blood and qi in his body, after receiving sufficient energy replenishment, began to gradually calm down. It no longer surged wildly as before, but transformed into a more substantial and powerful force, flowing gently through the wider and more resilient meridians, nourishing his rejuvenated body.
The yellowish tinge to his skin gradually faded, returning to its normal color. Yet, to the touch, it possessed an unprecedented resilience and thickness, as if truly covered by an invisible layer of old cowhide. His muscle definition became more pronounced, brimming with explosive power. His bones also appeared harder and denser.
Xu Mo raised his hand, looking at his palm. The texture of his skin did seem a bit rougher, but the power it contained far exceeded that before his breakthrough. He gently clenched his fist, his knuckles cracking, and an unprecedented sense of fullness and power filled his entire body.
He succeeded.
He has truly entered the first realm of the "Thirteen Protectors' Horizontal Training"—the Awesome Realm!
Having narrowly escaped death, Xu Mo managed to withstand the most dangerous energy backlash during his breakthrough, thanks to the valuable resources he had accumulated and his decisive actions at the crucial moment, thus replenishing the loss of his life essence.
At this moment, feeling the surging blood and qi within his body, far surpassing his previous levels, and the resilient strength and power of his body that had undergone a complete transformation, Xu Mo knew that all the risks had been worthwhile.
Slowly rising from the ground, Xu Mo stretched his limbs, his joints cracking like popping beans. Looking out at the still-deep night, a slow smile curved his lips.
This winter doesn't seem so long anymore.
However, after the brief joy, a strong sense of lingering fear, like an icy tide, instantly swept over Xu Mo's heart.
He looked down at his hands, which were somewhat disheveled from frantically swallowing the medicinal herbs, and felt the surging yet finally calming blood and qi within his body. A fine layer of cold sweat broke out on his back.
Too dangerous!
Those brief ten minutes or so had felt like a dance of death on the brink of annihilation. If he hadn't been lucky enough to gather enough high-quality tonic herbs before his breakthrough; if he hadn't acted decisively and recklessly to replenish his life force the moment he sensed it draining; if his body hadn't been tempered for over two months and had a solid foundation to withstand the impact of the violent medicinal power… he would probably be a cold corpse, drained of his life essence, curled up in a corner by now.
"All of this is ultimately because I had no teacher and no one to guide me..." Xu Mo murmured to himself, his voice tinged with bitterness and realization.
Xu Mo was now absolutely certain that his distant second uncle, who had boasted so effusively about the "Thirteen Bodyguards' Horizontal Training" back then, hadn't even reached the "boastful level"—he hadn't even touched the threshold! Otherwise, he wouldn't have kept such a dangerous, life-or-death breakthrough a secret to himself when he was bragging. He was probably just passing on what he had learned step by step. And thankfully, he had taught him step by step; if his second uncle had suddenly had some wild ideas and made some modifications to the kung fu...
Xu Mo didn't even think about what the consequences would be!
Driven entirely by his thirst for power, he stumbled upon his way to survival in the apocalypse, fueled by the pressures of the post-apocalyptic world and the abundant resources provided by that "door," ultimately managing to force his way through the gate to the extraordinary. The entire process was filled with luck and unrepeatable adventures.
"The path of cultivation is indeed fraught with peril." Xu Mo deeply realized that having a cheat code and resources did not mean he could rest easy. Without proper theoretical and experiential guidance, even a seemingly wonderful breakthrough could instantly turn into a deadly trap.
Thinking of this, Xu Mo's desire for knowledge, especially knowledge of the martial arts cultivation system, became even more urgent.
Just as Xu Mo's thoughts were racing, a thought flashed through his mind like lightning.
"One Hundred Days to Establish Foundation..."
Xu Mo murmured the phrase, a saying he'd heard from scattered rumors about Taoist cultivation or traditional martial arts. It meant spending one hundred days laying an incredibly solid foundation, paving the way for subsequent cultivation.
Thinking of this, Xu Mo subconsciously began to calculate the time from when he started cultivating the "Thirteen Protectors Horizontal Training" to now.
From the time he recovered from a high fever and his body was barely able to support him in performing the most basic standing meditation, to now... Xu Mo carefully recalled the marks he had made on the calendar and the changes of the seasons.
"From late autumn to midwinter... it's roughly, exactly one hundred days!"
This discovery gave Xu Mo a jolt.
Is this not a coincidence? This seemingly crude external martial art actually coincides with some ancient cultivation cycle? "One hundred days to build a foundation" is not a figurative term, but a real time threshold for laying the foundation of qi and blood and triggering a qualitative change.
All my previous efforts—standing meditation, tapping and hammering, medicinal nourishment, and even ample food and extreme physical training—were all accumulating strength and laying a solid foundation for this "hundred-day" period. Until tonight, everything came to fruition, and the quantitative change led to the qualitative change. That nameless restlessness was a signal that my Qi and blood were at their peak and my body was spontaneously seeking a breakthrough.
The so-called "bottleneck" is not just about the accumulation of qi and blood and the physical body, but also includes the understanding of "intention". The enlightenment of "quenching" gained by observing the fire is the key to breaking through that layer of paper. If he had not had this enlightenment, he would probably have been stuck outside the door for a longer time, and might even have damaged himself due to the long-term stagnation of qi and blood.
"I see... 'Foundation Building' is not only about building the foundation of the physical body, but also the foundation of the will. After a hundred days of effort, when breaking through to the next realm, one must use their will as a guide to ignite their blood and qi, completing the final tempering. The breakthrough process is extremely taxing, and without sufficient resources to replenish it, there is a risk of death and annihilation..."
Based on his own experience, Xu Mo gained a deeper, more painful, and personal understanding of the "Hundred-Day Foundation Building" process. It is not just a concept of time, but a complete cultivation stage that includes the entire process of accumulation, comprehension, breakthrough, and consolidation.
Xu Mo walked to the stove and looked at the flames that had reignited inside, which seemed even stronger than before. He felt a sense of relief.
This near-death experience not only greatly increased his strength, officially marking his first step towards transcendence, but also gave him a clearer understanding and a deeper sense of awe for his future cultivation path.
He possesses almost unlimited resources provided by the "gate," and his comprehension seems quite good, allowing him to seize that fleeting moment of inspiration at crucial moments.
Perseverance is the key to surviving in this apocalyptic world.
The road ahead remains long and dangerous; breaking through to the "Iron Bone Realm" and "Golden Body Realm" will likely be even more perilous than reaching the "Bullhide Realm." But Xu Mo has already found his direction and has begun to understand the underlying principles.
Taking a deep breath, Xu Mo felt the surging blood and qi within his body, as well as the transformative resilience and strength that came with it, and he felt incredibly exhilarated.
With the completion of the Bullhide Realm, he finally had a solid foundation that truly belonged to him in this apocalyptic world.
Next, we must thoroughly familiarize ourselves with and master this newfound power, and then face the wider and inevitably more dangerous world that follows winter.