Before entering secluded cultivation, Gao Han first consumed the Gathering Essence Pill and the Solid Foundation Pill. Having consulted You Canghai, he knew the two pills worked best when taken together.
In this way, the pills complemented one another, unleashing far greater medicinal efficacy.
For instance, a single Gathering Essence Pill could elevate a True Essence cultivator by two full stages; when paired with the Solid Foundation Pill, it could push one's cultivation two and a half stages higher, reaching the mid-stage or even peak of the second layer of True Essence.
Moreover, the Solid Foundation Pill eliminated any risk of adverse effects or unstable true essence.
You Canghai had calculated that taking both pills at once would lift Gao Han to at least the mid-stage of the third layer of True Essence, especially since he had already broken through to the second layer with a rock-solid foundation.
After ingesting the pills, Gao Han divided his spiritual power: one part circulated his true essence at a frenzied pace, while the other delved into merging the forms of his Cold Mountain Palm.
This was a decision he had weighed carefully. Advancing his Ice Momentum and Sword Momentum would not happen overnight, nor would mastering Illusory Sword Art—the next form of the Seven-Sword Art.
Since he had just gained inspiration for merging techniques, he resolved to seize the moment and perfect them in one go.
Gao Han discovered that his Mountain-Rending Strike was a fusion of Lofty Mountain, Flowing Stream, and Earth-Shaking Might. Earth-Shaking Might already possessed devastating offensive power, and the progressively intensifying force of Lofty Mountain, Flowing Stream amplified it to staggering heights.
By the same logic, this principle could be applied to Mountain-Soaring Grandeur—all he needed to do was merge the circulation pathways of true essence across these techniques.
Ordinarily, this would have been impossible; channeling true essence through three distinct pathways simultaneously was astronomically difficult.
Yet Gao Han suddenly realized that integrating Ice Momentum would make it achievable, and he began to ponder deeply.
He traced the character for ice upon the ground countless times, yet no insight came.
In frustration, he wiped away the characters, leaving only the character for water. Gao Han froze, and a sudden enlightenment rang through his mind like the toll of a temple bell.
"Of course! How could I be so foolish? Though my physique has mutated, ice and water are fundamentally one and the same—merely different states of being.
Ice's offensive power surpasses that of water, yet water and ice share the same origin, two forms of a single essence.
Water is the source of all life; save for fire, all living things spring from water, drawing vitality from it. Water embraces all things, containing all creation. As one with an Ice Physique, I too can contain myriad energies. Circulating true essence through three pathways at once is child's play."
In grasping the unity of water and ice, Gao Han also comprehended the very nature of water itself. His Ice Momentum advanced accordingly, reaching forty percent—the threshold of minor attainment.
Like artistic conception, momentum was divided into minor and major attainment: forty percent marked minor attainment, ninety percent major attainment, and ninety-nine percent perfect completion.
Surpassing ninety-nine percent would elevate momentum to true artistic conception, and beyond that lay an even higher realm—though achieving it was nearly unthinkable.
The merged form of the final three Cold Mountain Palm techniques was none other than Frost Forged Mountain, the very technique he had just unleashed. Perfecting Mountain-Rending Strike was all the simpler, having already mastered the fusion of three forms.
"Alas, the Sunset River Art truly lives up to its name as a cultivation method for amassing power. When I broke through to the second layer of True Essence, this art had not yet reached the eleventh stage.
Even after consuming both pills, I have only barely advanced to the third layer of True Essence—though this is no small feat."
The Sunset River Art offered no offensive techniques beyond the tenth stage, for it was designed purely to bolster cultivation. The earlier forms were added solely to grant practitioners means of self-defense in their early years. By the tenth stage, one would have reached the True Essence realm, and even the least fortunate would have acquired an offensive art. Thus, the creator had not bothered to forge further attacking techniques.
Gao Han's Sunset River Art now stood at the peak of the eleventh stage; reaching the twelfth would elevate him to the mid-stage of the third layer of True Essence.
Sensing the power coursing through his body, Gao Han stamped his foot, channeling his true essence through the earth toward a solitary grave ten zhang ahead.
BOOM!
The tomb exploded violently, along with the sheet of ice covering its surface.
Gao Han could now approach within two zhang of the coffin. He sensed a treasure lay within, for it was the source of the bone-chilling cold.
With his current strength, he could withstand temperatures nearing seventy degrees below zero and unleash frost of over fifty degrees below zero.
His earlier wounds had scabbed over after days of recovery, though erasing the scars would take more time.
Gao Han stepped outside, intending to end his seclusion for the time being.
First, he would check on his horse—he could not lose it, for less than two months remained before his duel with Zheng Yunfeng at the Misty Sect. Time was pressing.
Second, he needed to replenish food and water. After more than ten days without sustenance, hunger gnawed at him fiercely.
He leaped outward, bounding through the forest until he vanished from sight.
An hour later, Gao Han appeared beside a small river outside Hengyuan Valley, as evening fell.
The sun dipped below the horizon, bathing the earth in a warm afterglow. Masses of white clouds drifted across the cerulean sky, blushing crimson like burning embers in the sunset's light.
The wind rippled the river's surface, casting crimson reflections that sparkled like scattered rubies.
Fishermen poled their boats homeward, smoke curled from distant cottages, women called out for their children to return, and weary birds winged toward the woods beneath the fading sunlight.
"What a breathtaking scene, like a landscape painting brought to life!" Gao Han murmured, stepping toward the village ahead. The zombie horde had not wiped out every village; a couple remained, though most inhabitants had fled.
Word had spread that the monster haunting the valley had been slain, and many had returned—for one's homeland was never easily forgotten.
Watching the joyful families, a faint sorrow tugged at Gao Han's heart. This was the simple happiness of ordinary folk. When would he be able to enjoy such peace at his parents' side?
Alas, this was a world ruled by martial strength. To protect oneself, one had to cultivate ceaselessly. A quiet, ordinary life was unattainable—unless one stood at the very pinnacle of martial arts.
Commoners might live in harmony, but in this warrior-dominated realm, their lives hung by a thread, vulnerable to destruction at any moment.
When the zombie had appeared, for example, villagers with second or third-layer True Essence experts would never have had to flee.
Gao Han continued toward the village, blocked only by the river. He leaped lightly across its thirty-zhang width, his explosive true essence and physical strength easily carrying him over.
Landing softly, he pressed onward.
Hidden among the mountains were dozens of towering figures, each exuding the aura of an eighth-layer Qi Condensation cultivator.
Behind a small peak, several fine horses grazed, surrounded by a hundred warriors in tight formation.
Beside the horses, four men sat around a roaring campfire, its flames crackling loudly.
"Brother, we've waited half a month, and not a soul has come out of Hengyuan Valley!"
"Aye! We heard the monster was gone and that the valley grows rare herbs, so we came to prey on young masters from minor clans venturing to gather them."
"Brother, the lads are restless after half a month. Let's raid the nearby villages tonight and find some women to amuse ourselves!"
The burly man in the center scowled. He had not expected their venture to yield nothing, not even enough food to last them much longer.
"Erdou! Has anyone come for the black-maned horse?" the leader snapped at a thin, scrawny man.
"Brother, we've kept watch on the village day and night since we spotted the horse half a month ago—not a soul has come to claim it!" Erdou hurried forward, bowing respectfully.
The leader pondered for a moment, then slammed his fist into the ground. "Fine! Tonight, we plunder the women from the surrounding villages and let the lads blow off steam! And don't forget to seize the food—hahaha!"
BOOM!
A perfectly formed fist-shaped indentation cratered the earth. The man's aura marked him as a third-layer True Essence cultivator.
The three men beside him were at least second-layer True Essence experts, with several more second and first-layer cultivators surrounding them. The rest were peak ninth-layer and eighth-layer Qi Condensation warriors.
This was a formidable band—stronger than the Spirit Kingdom's regular army, powerful enough to seize an entire city.
Gao Han walked forward at a leisurely pace, savoring the beautiful scenery.
"Charge! Seize all the women and have your fun!"
"Ooooo!"
A horde of bandits stormed into the village ahead of Gao Han. Chaos erupted—hens squawked, dogs barked, women screamed, elders begged, men cursed, and children wailed.
Some brutes did not even bother dragging the women away; they stripped them naked on the spot and violated them without hesitation.
When a woman's father tried to intervene, a bandit split his skull open with a sword, blood spraying everywhere.
Finished, the brute pulled up his trousers, grabbed the woman naked, and dragged her away.
In an instant, the village was littered with the dead and dying. Bandits loaded stolen grain, meat, and valuables onto carts.
"Brother! This is the black-maned horse!" Erdou led Gao's steed before the bandit leader.
The leader, still rutting atop a young woman, glanced up and nodded. "A fine steed—a peerless thousand-li horse. It'll fetch at least a thousand taels of silver!"
"Enough! Your rampage ends here. Cease this at once." A voice echoed from above.