“What do you want?” the skeleton asked, helpless and furious!
Another skeleton, filled with hatred, said, “Don’t push too far, or I’ll choose not to cultivate the fire bones at all and instead keep you trapped here for another hundred thousand years.”
“Get up. Do you think you can rise again?” the old man said contemptuously. “Don’t think I’m unaware of the outside world just because I’m within the lava. You’ve attempted fusion one hundred and sixty-seven times, and failed each time. Perhaps a fool would believe you’re too stupid to even accomplish fusion. But tell me, do you really think that all these years I’ve spent down here, I’ve just been an idiot?”
The four skeletons were all silent and did not open their mouths to refute anything.
The old man continued, “In the beginning, after your first few failures, I actually thought you were quite foolish. I couldn’t figure out how you became so powerful. But after ten times, twenty times, I started to reflect—surely even the stupidest person has limits. Failing more than twenty times is just too unlikely. If my mind still works properly, what you’ve been practicing isn’t merely Fire Bone, but Hundred Refinement Fire Bone, right?”
“Tempered by a hundred fires!” Standing beside the elder, Lu Yu gazed in awe at the four skeletons, suddenly overwhelmed with an indescribable reverence.
The four skeletons were not friendly.
Lu Yu couldn’t really be considered their friend, nor could he temporarily be regarded as an enemy!
However, those who dare to undergo the trial of a hundred refiners’ fires are certainly no ordinary people.
The Lord of the Netherworld once said that the ultimate refinement of the Fire Bone is a hundredfold tempering!
It takes thousands of years, or even longer, to refine oneself in the first place. Each day brings the torment of enduring scorching flames engulfing the body. Such millennia of unchanging agony test one’s endurance, mental fortitude, and willpower. An ordinary person would have long since gone mad.
If the first refining is already like this, what would happen after a hundred refinings?
What has been consumed is not simply a matter of thousands or even millions of years!
Once the Hundred Refinements Fire Bone is completed, it’s practically equivalent to transforming into flames oneself, with flames covering the body capable of melting cities and evaporating seas!
The bone tempered a hundred times achieves perfection through ninety-nine failures.
Every failure extinguishes the flame within my bones.
However, at this time, the white bones could already withstand stronger and fiercer flames. With each subsequent ritual refining, the white bones would become even stronger.
The Supreme knows of only two individuals who have reached the pinnacle of strength, achieving the Hundred Refinements stage.
And the person in front of him had not only gone through a hundred refinements, but had failed one hundred and sixty-seven times!
How many failures would it take for this person to forge a body tempered like steel?
The four white skeletons, seeing Lu Yu’s expression of surprise, were momentarily taken aback and said, “You actually know about the Hundred Refinements Fire Bones. It seems your master isn’t ordinary either.”
“How many times have you been tempered? I won’t fear you even if you strike me!” The old man showed no sign of frailty; instead, his imposing and sharp aura was no less formidable than Lu Yu’s.
The torment in the sea of lava did not break the old man’s spirit; instead, after escaping, his gradual recovery brought his abilities to an even higher level.
The elderly man’s eyes, set within his aged face, shot forth beams of light as sharp as swords. These beams, like twin sword flashes, extended into several feet long cyan glows that trailed through the void, even cleaving through the flames within the empty space.
“Is that so?” a skeleton spoke, its voice calm. “Reborn from the flames. It seems the trial couldn’t kill you—it only made you stronger. Tell me, what is it that you want?”
Another skeleton said, “After you leave, this cave will be sealed. Anyone who enters henceforth will be killed without mercy!”
Threatened, Bai Gu was filled with rage.
However, leaving this land of lava would mean abandoning all their previous efforts, which they could not bear to do.
The old man said, “Back then, when I first came, I noticed that each of you seemed to have a crystal ball. Since you no longer have any use for it now, perhaps you could give it to me instead.”
“Change it!” Bai Gu said directly, refusing.
“No replacement!” The old man shook his head even more decisively.
The four white skeletons stood silently together, as if communicating with each other.
Finally, a white skeleton’s chest emitted a crystal ball the size of a fist.
The old man unceremoniously reached out and grabbed it, then placed it in his arms and said, “Since you possess the Hundred Refinement Flame Bone, you should naturally understand how to forge weapons. I go by the title ‘Demon Slayer,’ yet I’ve never had a sword of my own. I won’t take your Star Artifact, but I do trouble you all to teach me the art of weapon forging.”
“How dare you! You’ve barely survived with just a pile of bones left. Don’t push your luck!” Upon hearing the mention of forging, a white skeleton snapped angrily, “The art of forging has always been a supreme secret technique; even the Sovereigns couldn’t obtain it. Just one-fifth of the complete forging technique could create a ninth-level star weapon. Do you actually think I’d hand the forging art over to you just because you asked?”
Another skeleton spoke, his voice deep and grave: “Don’t waste words on me. Take that crystal ball and leave quickly—don’t provoke my anger! Otherwise, neither of you will leave here alive.”
The old man said indifferently, “One-fifth of the weapon forging technique? Do you even dare to bring that out? What I want is the complete weapon forging method, including the part about forging star-grade weapons. Although I don’t understand it myself, don’t think you can fool me with junk or fake stuff. I have time to verify its authenticity, and if it turns out to be false, I’ll come back and smash this place to pieces.”
A skeleton had slowly risen to its feet, its hand reaching into its own chest, attempting to pull out the rusted sword.
Lu Yu, who had been standing aside all along, was greatly astonished.
Listening to the conversation between the two, he finally understood how precious this military training technique truly was.
One fifth of the Art of Forging Troops is enough to forge a Level 9 Star Soldier; the complete version is for forging Star Weapons!
No wonder that over the past decade, everyone has only managed to obtain the Soul of Soldiers at most, then integrated with the Star Soldiers.
Grade 9 Star Soldiers are even rarer, usually obtained through some special means.
No one has ever mentioned that it’s possible to create star soldiers!
So this was the root of everything.
The art of training troops—it’s truly this rare!
White Bone was already preparing to act in order to master the art of weapon refinement.
The other three skeletons did not move.
The elderly man had already stood up. Don’t be fooled—though he had just escaped danger a few minutes ago, he was already full of energy, his recovery truly remarkable.
Above the old man’s head, thousands of demon-slaying swords were already suspended, emitting a sharp, metallic resonance like clashing blades!
The atmosphere became extremely tense.
The white skeleton that had risen to its feet had already drawn a rusty sword and was ready to strike.
However, the white bones did not make a move. The blue flames in its eyes flickered as it spoke in a deep voice, “I’ll give you the art of forging weapons. Will you not ask for anything else?”
“I’m not greedy; these two are enough,” the old man said with a smile, nodding his head.
A white skeleton sneered, “You bastard, you call this not being greedy? The art of forging soldiers has always been mysterious and precious. This time you’re just lucky. If you had dared to extort me before my ninety-ninth failure, I would have taken your life!”
“It’s useless to give it to you. The star artifact is missing its most crucial part; even if you master it, you won’t be able to cultivate it properly!”
“Stop talking nonsense. Whether I can master it is my problem. You just focus on teaching.”
A skeleton looked at Lu Yu but said nothing.
This person came to save the elderly man. Even if they avoided telling the old man about the military training techniques, the old man would still tell this young man.
Therefore, Bai Gu started explaining the methods of refining soldiers in detail.
Lu Yu listened attentively from the side.
The elderly man was also listening attentively, occasionally raising a few questions that went straight to the heart of the matter.
This explanation continued for about two days before the white bone finally closed its mouth. It flicked its index finger, sending a spark of fire towards the entrance of a cave, signaling the end of the conversation and indicating it was time to leave.
“Let’s go.” The old man raised his hand, signaling them to follow as he headed toward the cave entrance.
Lu Yu followed the old man closely into the passageway.
Passing through the corridor, he soon arrived at that layer of barrier once again.
The old man’s hand pressed against the barrier as he solemnly said, “Back then, I was carelessly suppressed by dozens of demon lords during the descent of darkness. This time I leave, I will exterminate the demon race completely.”
Cold sweat beaded on Lu Yu’s forehead as he forced a bitter smile and said, “Senior, perhaps it’s better to hold off on taking action for now. Because—”
Lu Yu told the old man about his relationship with Huo Wu and all the changes that had occurred over the past decade.
“Another rebirth as the darkness descends once more,” the old man muttered, frowning. He sighed and asked gravely, “Are you saying even the Primordial Demon has appeared?”
Lu Yu nodded and said, “Yes, the situation is quite complicated. Senior, I think you should rest first since you’ve just escaped from danger.”
“Let’s talk outside first,” the old man said. As he was about to exert his strength, the barrier at the passageway opened automatically.
It seems that the White Bones truly did not welcome the two of them staying any longer, so they released them.
As he stepped out of the barrier, the old man inhaled deeply and frowned. “What a strong smell of blood,” he muttered.
“How could that be?” Lu Yu laughed and said, “Me—”
Lu Yu was about to say something else when his expression suddenly changed dramatically.
It was not merely the smell of blood; before the two of them floated a faint, misty aura of blood as well.
“Seeking death!” Lu Yu roared toward the heavens, his voice like a dragon’s mighty roar shaking the heavens, causing the grand hall to tremble with a deafening resonance.
His figure was like a streak of cold light rushing toward the grand hall.
Along the way, he saw countless corpses of the demon race lying on the ground.
Lu Yu faintly heard the cries and sounds of battle from outside the grand hall!
Boom!
A two-headed hippogriff flew backward into the grand hall from outside, its body already disintegrating midair and exploding into a shower of blood.
The grand hall was filled with blood, as if it had undergone a massacre.
Lu Yu looked around, but could not find any trace of Huo Wu. His hair flew wildly, and waves of killing intent surged from his body, like a torrent crashing through heaven and earth.
“What a powerful killing intent,” the demon-slaying elder couldn’t help but exclaim in astonishment, then looked at Lu Yu with admiration and nodded.
Although Lu Yu is young, his formidable aura alone reveals his strength.
To reach such a level of power at such a young age is truly remarkable!
In the corner, a human woman lay dead, her neck slashed open. She was clutching a star soldier in her hand, her body already cold.
The woman’s clothes had already been torn off, and a man was unfastening his belt with a lecherous grin, emitting a revolting laugh.
The man had already pulled his pants down to his hips, revealing such an ugly sight that it made one want to vomit.
A large hand suddenly pressed down on the man’s shoulder from behind.
The man laughed heartily, turned his head, and spoke a few words in a strange, jumbled language, causing the owner of the giant hand behind him to twist his face into a hideous grimace.
Lu Yu narrowed his eyes, a fierce, beast-like gleam shooting from his pupils as he growled, “The Japanese!”
Boom!
There was no need for this man to speak again.
Lu Yu’s hand tightened, and with a sudden burst of force, he shattered the person’s flesh and blood.
Lu Yu took off a piece of clothing and covered the dead woman’s body, hiding her exposed skin.
Although there was no romantic feeling, she had taken care of his meals for many days back then, so they were at least acquainted.
A person who even disgraces corpses is not worthy of being called human!
Lu Yu walked out of the grand hall, where the flames of the demonic city raged fiercely.
In the sky, on the ground, everywhere there were figures of men and demons!
Before the grand hall, dozens of demon kings were surrounding and attacking a demon lord.
The Demon King is a tiger-headed humanoid demon with a ruthless nature. Every monarch who falls into his grasp has their head twisted off!
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