Tie Dan took off his iron armor, sat on the copper steps of the Copper Stork Platform, and bathed in the gushing dragon’s blood while drinking and cleansing his body.
Although it was the True Breath Dragon Flame that could burn stone and devour iron upon touch, Tie Dan was able to run the Blood Jade Divine Skill, absorbing the demon flood dragon’s essence blood through his pores and internal organs, while replenishing Qi, repairing his Dao Body, and elevating his cultivation back to its peak.
Indeed, Tie Dan again and again regained his peak combat power.
Admittedly, the Divine Skill passed down by the Divine Sect’s Blood Jade was truly powerful. With the aid of the twice-triggered Turbo Technique, as long as he burst into a rampage and blew up those demon god beasts, he could completely absorb blood and cultivation to recover, unleashing full battle power, and continue fighting. Fight, fight, fight, kill, kill, kill, a battle with no end.
Furthermore, Tie Dan could feel that after slaying another dragon seed, the Blood Jade Technique evolved once more.
It turned out his guess was right. After washing with Qiu Niu Blood last time, the Blood Jade Technique saw a significant increase in cultivation, and this time was no different. It seems that breaking through in the cultivation of the Divine Sect’s techniques is exceedingly simple, requiring no rare Heavenly Materials and Treasures, just a reliance on blood.
It’s just that simple, manifesting plain and unadorned vigor; as long as he relentlessly seeks out giant flood dragons and demon dragons, fight! Fight till they explode! The cultivation of the Divine Skill Dao Body can be infinitely enhanced in the blood battles! Infinitely evolved!
In contrast, his own sect’s Nine Luminaries Sword Qi and Taibai Sword Embryo, due to unstable foundations, require a large amount of materials rich in Divine Gang Gold Qi to remedy, slowly refining and forging, repairing the foundation, making it time-consuming and arduous, thus becoming the current shortcoming...
At this moment, the crisp sound of horse hooves came, Tie Dan looked up, and from afar he saw Huan Tianyuan riding along the main street within the city.
How come you’re not dead...
Tie Dan thought this guy was blown up by the previous shot, but it seems he too has some fortune protection.
Though indeed, Huan Tianyuan was full of blood marks, clothes in tatters, and covered in dust, seemingly just having crawled out from the ruins of the tower to help.
Seeing Tie Dan unharmed, he grinned broadly, revealing a set of white teeth,
"Brother Tie! We meet again!"
Tie Dan looked at him, pointing to the surroundings with the steaming demon flood dragon blood,
"Want to wash up? It’s good for the body."
"Good!"
Huan Tianyuan also dismounted, collecting the slightly cool dragon blood to wipe his body, chuckling happily,
"It’s a rare chance to fight side by side with Brother Tie, experiencing life and death together, eliminating this evil flood dragon for the people!
You and I have a connection upon meeting, if there’s nothing pressing, why not come to my place for a drink!"
Hearing there was alcohol, Tie Dan, who was also hungry, nodded in agreement.
What? Zhen Baiyu? What could be going on with her, being annoying and spitting, never mind her, it’s more important to drink with newly made friends.
Tie Dan then hollered, calling for the horse team, while Huan Tianyuan went to retrieve the Dragon-Slaying Spear. The two dug out dragon balls and dragon meat, placed them on the horseback, reasoning that having slain the dragon and bathed in its blood, the fortune was theirs. The leftover dragon meat, uneaten, was left here, giving the people of Ye Capital a chance to eat its flesh alive, avenge, and vent their anger, somewhat compensating for the losses caused by the demon dragon.
Immediately, Tie Dan followed Huan Tianyuan, arriving at the outskirts of the city walls, at a courtyard beside the city wall.
Being able to live within the city, the Huan family seemed to be a noble family, and Huan Tianyuan wielding such a Divine Weapon like the Dragon-Slaying Spear, with which he could slay the demon dragon in one shot, appeared to have family teachings, a lineage, and at least enough meat to train a big muscle body.
Yet upon truly entering the courtyard, it was a bare house, desolate and empty, leaving only some iron rods and stone mills for lifting weights, along with a roomful of tattered and scattered books, seeming very impoverished, and the front hall was still set up with a mourning tablet, indeed, Huan Tianyuan was still in mourning.
Huan Tianyuan explained,
"My family originally resided in the capital, a branch of the Huan family, but because of involvement in the Prince Li case back then, we became a criminal family, relocated to Hebei.
Due to my father’s many military exploits in the border town, he was appointed as the Internal Historian of Liang City, which allowed me to be sent to Ye Capital to study, only who would have thought this time the Royal Army suffered a complete defeat by the hands of Marquis Zhongshan...
Never mind, victory and defeat are common in war, the enmity of my father’s death is irreconcilable, the only way to repay the sovereign’s grace is with my life.
Now that the funeral is done, family wealth dissipated, I’m the only one left in the house. Brother Tie, please make yourself at home, no need to be polite."
Tie Dan was not familiar with what politeness meant, so he and Huan Tianyuan chopped wood and lit a fire, using the Dragon-Slaying Spear to skew the dragon meat, and showcased the art of barbecue. Huan Tianyuan also brought out the last few jars of wine, and with Tie Dan, they ate meat and drank wine to their heart’s content.
Having just fought fiercely, the two were already starving, stomachs empty, so they couldn’t even talk, just focused on eating and drinking, devouring all the dragon meat carried back on horseback and finishing the Huan family’s wine, finally satisfying their hunger a bit.
These days, clad in mourning garb, their spirits were melancholy, so Huan Tianyuan could finally be happy for a moment.
After all, they slew a dragon, saved the world, and shared alcohol and skewers with a friend, how could they not be happy. With that, not many words were needed, once sated and wiping their mouths, faces flushed, they stood up and said,
"Brother Tie, with nothing to do, why not play wrestling with me!"
Tie Dan’s eyes lit up, albeit a bit awkward, shaking his head,
"I don’t know how..."
Huan Tianyuan smacked his chest muscles with a resounding thud,
"I’ll teach you!"
"Alright!"
This game is common in Genzhou, popular among the Immortal Soldiers, Tie Dan had seen people playing it in Shuofang. Unfortunately, he was not considered a person at that time, so no one played with him, he could only enviously squat in a cage and watch.
The rules were actually simple, merely children imitating the great battle where the Immortal Venerable’s army fought demons in the past, one wearing a helmet like an Immortal Venerable with a sword or halberd at the ear, and another wearing a mask like a demon with horns on the head, both stepping forward and clashing arms, with helmets meeting horns, testing strength in wrestling.
Usually in play, everyone just embraced and pushed until someone was toppled, winning by throwing the opponent. For more formal matches, a circle would be drawn on the ground as a battlefield, testing not only strength but also employing various wrestling techniques to push the opponent out of the circle.
You could use Gang Fist, but before starting you had to announce "Gang Fist Ten!" to avoid sneak attacks, with everyone using the same level of Gang Fist Domineering Body, to demonstrate a fair fight, winning by strength.
Wrestling not only kills time but also improves the mastery of power through competition, and over years of such contests, understanding and controlling one’s power ensures that during formal military training, no one accidentally harms teammates.
Thus, the Gang Fist men who lift iron, almost all play this game. Even in life-and-death battles with real swords and blades, attack moves are called out, having become a habit.
So when a group of well-dressed noble scholars and officials, in finery with jade and crowns, accompanied by bright guards and warlords, with drums and gongs, carrying litters, lined up to welcome the hero who saved Ye Capital, the "Genzhou’s Huan Tianyuan!" they entered the courtyard only to find two robust youths, shirtless, in a tight embrace, wearing only loincloths and helmets with masks, drenched in sweat, grappling and wrestling.
The two had just bathed in dragon’s blood, and were undergoing physical evolution, with their physique improving in waves, their bodies red hot, steaming heat, slick with mingling sweat and oil sheen.
To avoid losing control of strength, neither used True Qi; it was skin against skin, muscle against muscle, bone against bone, muscles and muscles, sweat meeting sweat! Grunting and locking in battle!
"Hey! Brother Tie! You’re tough!"
"Hm! You’re not bad either! Still not kneeling!"
"Haha! I was born with divine strength! Trained on Fire Lingzhi and meat lotus since childhood! Can draw a bow of twenty power! Don’t underestimate my teeth!"
"What’s the point of releasing after one draw! A man needs endurance! Come on! Use more force!"
"Ha! Brother Tie, with your warm invitation, how can I not give my all! Heh! Can you handle this move!!"
"Ugh! Come on, haven’t had enough to eat, need more power!"
"Urgh!"
It’s getting a bit awkward...
"Cough, cough, who is the Huan Family’s son?"
The two youths didn’t care, continuing the bout to see who’s the victor, ultimately it was the masked Tie Dan who seized the chance, suddenly withdrawing his strength, using a technique called ’Jiehua’ he had recently seen, causing Huan Tianyuan’s force to fall short, then deftly flipping him in a back throw.
"Bang!" With a thud, Huan Tianyuan hit the ground, taken aback for a moment, then laughed heartily, jumping up and slapping Tie Dan’s shoulder,
"Interesting! Brother Tie’s move was powerful! First time wrestling and you won against me! You’re really something!"
Tie Dan being straightforward, "This move isn’t mine, it’s Elder Xu’s."
Huan Tianyuan respectful,
"Elder Xu? Could he be a Mystic Sect master? Unexpectedly, even Mountain Men know about wrestling, admiration, admiration..."
Tie Dan, "..."
Huan Tianyuan, "Come again! Teach me!"
Tie Dan, "Okay."
"Cough, cough, cough!"
Seeing they’re about to start again, a white-bearded elder hastily coughed, forcibly inserting himself between the two muscle warriors,
"Hold on, hold on! Huan family scion, you’ve slain the demon dragon and saved the city’s kin, everyone’s prepared a banquet in your honor! Quickly dress, follow us for the ceremony! The folks have unanimously recommended you as a Capital Commandant, for glory to the Huan family name!"
Huan Tianyuan’s eyes lit up,
"Alright! Slaying a beast! With wine, meat, and a position to hold! Brother Tie! Let’s go together!"
The elder glanced at Tie Dan, with his fit, strong, shiny physique, nodding slightly,
"Such a champion, Ye Capital indeed needs capable warriors like you. However, forgive my old eyes and deaf ears, I don’t know of any family in Ye Capital with the surname Tie? I wonder where this warrior’s ancestors hail from..."
Huan Tianyuan furrowed his brow, quickly speaking,
"Brother Tie fought side by side with me in this dragon-slaying battle, a trusted companion..."
But Tie Dan interrupted,
"I’m an escaped slave from Shuofang."
This remark caused an uproar among the crowd!
Most people’s color changed almost instantly, except for the few who could hold their posture, most didn’t hide their looks of disdain, fear, mockery, or jealousy. For a moment, everyone started whispering to each other.
Tie Dan wasn’t bothered, as that was the way things were in these times, it’s always about social origins. Even the Mystic Sect asks if you’re of the Three Mountains Bloodline. Perhaps only the Divine Sect practices no class distinction... After all, their Dao Body techniques are about Body Seizing, at the end, it all boils down to a muddled mess of flesh, what’s the distinction, what’s the hierarchy...
But Huan Tianyuan was taken aback, then quickly turned red with rage, rebuking the crowd,
"My family was also from a criminal tribe! If it weren’t for us shedding blood on the front lines, how could you sit here conversing!"
With that, he dismissed the crowd, grabbing Tie Dan’s hand,
"Come on! Brother Tie! Let’s not kill the mood! Let’s find another place, continue drinking!"
"Alright!"
Tie Dan was quite happy too, momentarily too lazy to commit any violence, as he and Huan Tianyuan linked arms, puffed their chest muscles, and swaggered out the door together.

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