If the master who created this scripture knew from beyond the grave that Lin Hao was comparing it to a basic cultivation technique, he would likely be angry enough to crawl out of his grave, spit up several liters of blood, and die a second time.
Lin Hao had possessed a photographic memory since childhood, so it didn't take him long to firmly memorize the tome of over a thousand characters.
At this moment, Lin Hao was so captivated by the tome's contents that he entered a state of complete absorption, and his body involuntarily began to practice the technique...
At first, he was a little surprised.
Once a Martial Artist's Martial Dao Cultivation reached the Blood Coagulation Realm Fourth Layer, they could begin to absorb small amounts of elemental energy from the world, using it to clear their meridians and nourish their bloodline.
When a Martial Artist's meridians were all cleared and their body was brimming with elemental energy that they could truly command, it signified they had entered the next stage of Martial Dao Cultivation: the Elemental Realm.
All cultivation techniques involved drawing elemental energy into the body through the Baihui acupoint on the crown of the head, which would then circulate through all the meridians.
But this "Heaven-Sundering God-Annihilation" did the exact opposite, drawing elemental energy into the body through the Yongquan acupoint on the soles of the feet.
But almost immediately, the profound Cultivation Technique enthralled his mind, pulling him into a peculiar state.
Having entered this peculiar state, Lin Hao assumed an extremely odd posture: his body was inverted, yet his legs were crossed as if in meditation.
At first, everything was silent.
Half an hour later, the full moon in the sky seemed to grow even more brilliant.
Ten minutes later, the dim stars vanished completely, outshone by the moon's dazzling silver radiance.
Then, a horrifying scene unfolded.
The moon's silver radiance, as if drawn by some unknown force, formed a column that descended vertically from the sky, enveloping Lin Hao and bathing him entirely in its light...
In the beginning, there was chaos in the heavens and the earth. This chaos separated into two energies, yin and yang. Yin coalesced into the moon, and yang into the sun.
The light of the sun and the essence of the moon represent the absolute pinnacle of energy in the universe!
Before them, even the purest elemental energy of the world was as faint as candlelight against the sun!
And yet, at this very moment, Lin Hao—his cultivation utterly destroyed—was actually absorbing the moon's essence!
If any powerful Martial Artists had been present, this spectacle would have surely shaken their very Divine Souls. Such a phenomenon was completely unheard of!
...
Lin Hao felt a gentle, yet icy, current of energy surge into his body from the Yongquan acupoints on his feet. At first, it was a mere trickle, but soon it became a frenzied torrent, turning savage and violent once inside him.
Lin Hao had only one sensation.
Pain!
Excruciating pain!
It was as if ten thousand dull knives were slowly carving away at his muscles and bones.
The piercing agony was terrifyingly distinct, devouring his nerves with every passing second. Lin Hao felt he was enduring a fate worse than death.
'My cultivation is gone, my organs are shattered, and even my bones and tendons are broken. If I give up now, I'll be nothing more than useless trash! No, I can't give up!' Lin Hao grit his teeth and pushed the Cultivation Technique onward, persevering...
Suddenly, Lin Hao discovered he could look inward, into his own body.
When he saw his empty Dantian, the memory of that ball of purple light brought a sharp pang to his heart, and his thoughts turned wild and furious.
'Since I'm already ruined, let's tear it all down! Today, I will rebuild my very bones!'
Gritting his teeth, Lin Hao began to circulate "Heaven-Sundering God-Annihilation" even more frantically.
As the savage energy flooded his system, Lin Hao instantly paid the price for his recklessness.
His already ravaged organs were torn to shreds, and his tendons and bones snapped.
Lin Hao descended into a frenzy, forgetting the pain as he circulated "Heaven-Sundering God-Annihilation" again and again...
THUD...
An unknown amount of time later, Lin Hao collapsed into the Blood-Changing Pool, lacking even the strength to lift his eyelids.
But as he looked inward at his own body, Lin Hao smiled.
'First Layer!'
'I actually managed to cultivate again! I'm at the first layer of the Blood Coagulation Realm!'
More importantly, the power of this First Layer was on a completely different level compared to the First Layer of the Blood Coagulation Realm he had cultivated before.
Lin Hao had a distinct feeling that his current strength at the First Layer of the Blood Coagulation Realm was comparable to his previous Second Layer!
Although it was the lowest level of cultivation, Lin Hao was exceptionally satisfied.
'This martial scripture that countless powerful Martial Artists fought over is this incredible! Even without a bloodline, as long as I can cross the threshold of the Blood Coagulation Realm Fourth Layer, I, Lin Hao, can still become a powerful Martial Artist. Lin Wu, just you wait!'
But his joy was short-lived.
'What an overbearing Cultivation Technique! What exactly was that energy I just absorbed?'
Lying in the Blood-Changing Pool, Lin Hao was filled with questions.
'Before, when I cultivated to the Third Layer of the Blood Coagulation Realm, I was only a step away from the fourth. I could faintly sense the elemental energy of the world back then, and this energy I just absorbed is definitely not that!'
And...
A bitter smile touched Lin Hao's lips.
'Although I managed to reach the First Layer of the Blood Coagulation Realm, my tendons and bones are almost all still broken. The only reason they've reconnected is because of that energy.'
'That energy is like ice; it literally froze my shattered tendons and bones together, making them seem whole again.'
'But anything frozen is also incredibly fragile, liable to shatter at the slightest touch.'
'What's more, a large portion of that energy has taken root in my Dantian, causing it to freeze solid. This...'
Lin Hao had a nagging feeling that something was wrong, that perhaps his method of cultivation was incorrect. Just as he was about to investigate it further, the sound of footsteps reached his ears.
His heart leaped in alarm, and Lin Hao hurriedly concealed his presence.
Before long, the footsteps drew closer, heading straight for him before stopping right at his side.
Lin Hao's nostrils twitched slightly as he caught a faint, delicate fragrance.
'This is...?'
Lin Hao vaguely felt the scent was familiar.
However, Lin Hao had no time to ponder it.
A pair of somewhat rough hands pushed his hair aside. Then, what felt like a handkerchief began gently wiping his face.
Even with his eyes tightly shut, Lin Hao could sense the person's focus and meticulous care. Her movements were not the least bit clumsy; it seemed she had done this many times before.
"Oh my, why are you so cold this time..." a voice as lovely as a warbler's first song sounded in his ear, followed by the rustling of cloth.
The next moment, a simple robe was draped over his body.
"Young Master, let's go home," the voice continued. Then, Lin Hao felt his body being lifted slowly from the Blood-Changing Pool.
'She called me Young Master. Could it be her...? But the voice doesn't sound right,' Lin Hao wondered.
His body was pressed against a slender, cold frame, and then Lin Hao felt a pair of arms wrap around his legs.
'Is she going to carry me on her back?'
Only then did Lin Hao slowly open his eyes.
Unfortunately, the girl had her back to him, so Lin Hao still couldn't be sure of her identity.
But when he saw she was wearing only a thin layer of clothing, an inexplicable tightness gripped Lin Hao's heart.
'It's the dead of winter. Even a Martial Artist in the Blood Coagulation Realm, if they haven't reached the Fourth Layer, needs to wear fine robes lined with Devil Beast fur to fend off the cold. This girl clearly hasn't cultivated at all. How can she stand it?'
Lin Hao opened his mouth to speak, but quickly shut it and closed his eyes again. Someone was approaching.
Although Lin Hao was now only at the First Layer of the Blood Coagulation Realm, his Spiritual Sense was already as powerful as it had been when he was at the Third Layer!
Two people arrived, blocking their path. As they spoke, Lin Hao was finally able to confirm the girl's identity...