Chapter 222: Chapter 132 Bone Refining Realm!_2 Gu Jingang harbored suspicions. There was a strong possibility that Gu Sheng was not merely in the Blood Refining Realm Great Success, but had reached the Perfect level of the Blood Refining Realm! Thinking this. He felt deeply shaken within. "I truly cannot fathom how Asheng cultivates— within just a few short years, not only has his cultivation reached such incredible heights, but his mastery in martial arts has also become so profoundly unfathomable..." In recent days, it wasn’t only the Iron Stone Fist. In many other aspects of martial arts knowledge, Gu Sheng displayed a casual fluency that completely won Gu Jingang over. He even once considered calling Gu Sheng "Master Gu," but Gu Sheng deemed it inappropriate and declined. Watching Gu Jingang’s departing figure, Gu Sheng slowly shook his head, roughly able to guess what was running through Gu Jingang’s mind. Actually, Gu Jingang’s guess was both correct and incorrect. Gu Sheng indeed possessed the Perfect level of the Blood Refining Realm, but he was on the verge of breaking through to the Bone Refining Realm! With the aid of the Blood Activation Skill. The progress of bone tempering was immensely smooth. The surging Qi Blood Power coursing through him made Gu Sheng feel as if his bones were nearing the edge of transformation. Once the breakthrough arrived, his entire skeleton would resemble refined copper, unyieldingly solid, with strength emanating naturally. By then. Even Zhao Honglie combined with Liu Yuanhu would stand no chance against Gu Sheng! "Let’s just hope you two keep fighting for a few more days." Gu Sheng thought silently to himself. ... Time flowed slowly. For the common people at the bottom of Canghe County society, each day felt like endless torment. This round of turmoil was far more intense than the previous power struggle between Liu Yuanhu and Cao Shiduan, with its impact and scope significantly wider. Back then, when Liu Yuanhu and Cao Shiduan vied for control, their conflicts were at least confined within the county town, and both parties took great care to limit collateral damage to civilians. At most, there were occasional unintended injuries. But now. The Black Sand Gang cared nothing for such matters. There were times during clashes between the two sides when hundreds of civilians were killed at a time. As long as it didn’t escalate into outright mass slaughter, the Black Sand Gang wouldn’t move to stop it—for them, such chaos made Liu Yuanhu even more hesitant to act recklessly. As the acting magistrate of Canghe County, Liu Yuanhu was the one who had to concern himself with such issues. This only further enraged Liu Yuanhu. Nearly half a month had passed since the midnight ambush, and the conflict between the two factions had escalated dramatically. Outside Canghe County town, none of Liu Yuanhu’s strongholds escaped unscathed from repeated attacks. Even Gu’s Manor suffered a second assault. However, this attack was merely exploratory—when the attackers found it too difficult to breach, they promptly withdrew. This time, Gu Sheng did not intervene covertly, suspecting Zhao Honglie might be fishing for a response. Repeated actions from him might already have drawn Zhao Honglie’s attention. Although Gu Sheng no longer feared Zhao Honglie, there was still no need to reveal himself prematurely. Because. Gu Sheng was about to step into the Bone Refining Realm! ... Late night. Gu Sheng’s courtyard. Gu Sheng stood alone, blending seamlessly with the environment around him, without looking the least bit out of place. Everything appeared calm and serene. But within Gu Sheng’s body, a storm was raging. Like a surging river, Qi Blood Power swept tumultuously through his system, flowing smoothly through his body, drilling into his skin and blood-flesh, incessantly coiling around his bones, though unable to penetrate deep into the marrow. Hummm... hummm... hummm!! Faint vibrations resonated within Gu Sheng’s body. This was the most critical moment. Once the final step was completed, Gu Sheng’s bones would undergo their first transformation, becoming ’Copper Bones’! By then, his power would skyrocket and his Qi Blood Power would further strengthen. For most people, this step was fraught with peril; without sufficient assurance, it could lead to backlash, and the slightest misstep could result in broken bones and death. But for Gu Sheng, everything unfolded smoothly, like a river meeting the sea. Qi Blood Power delicately coiled around his bones. The strength of his bones had already reached a level capable of accommodating even greater Qi Blood Power. Faint traces of copper-colored luminescence began to appear on his bones. This is the origin of the term Bronze Bone Realm. Gu Sheng felt waves of piercing pain spreading throughout his bones, like a serpent shedding skin, the old bones giving way to the new. The pain grew increasingly intense, yet Gu Sheng’s extraordinary willpower remained as calm and steadfast as a still lake, enduring it fully. He couldn’t say how much time had passed. The copper-colored glow gradually began to subside. If visible from within, one would see Gu Sheng’s bones radiating threads of brilliant copper light, strong yet carrying an aura of immense power. From skin to muscle, and now to his bones. Gu Sheng had successfully taken the third step! Bone Refining Realm, achieved! Gu Sheng opened his eyes, brimming with joy. After all his efforts, he had finally broken through, emerging as the most powerful overt presence in Canghe County! "So this is the Bronze Bone Realm..." He clenched his fist lightly. The fearsome force within his fingers and fists was unmistakably palpable. In the Bronze Bone Realm, his physical strength alone amounted to a staggering six thousand pounds! If bolstered by First-Level Strong Body and First-Level Giant Strength, Gu Sheng estimated his strength would double. And that wasn’t even accounting for the now-purified Qi Blood Power. Fully unleashed, Gu Sheng couldn’t even fathom the extent of his current capabilities—a terrifying destructive force in every move he made, akin to a superhero in his past life. "The difference between the Bone Refining Realm and the Blood Refining Realm is truly worlds apart. The growth bestowed by the physical body is simply tremendous." Gu Sheng couldn’t help but sigh. Each advancement in the Bone Refining Realm was a complete transformation: the evolution of the skeleton brought explosive increases in strength, fortified resilience, and enhanced speed—a comprehensive improvement with no weaknesses. It was enough to astonish anyone. Fortunately, Gu Sheng had successfully become a martial artist of the Bone Refining Realm. The absolute strength he now wielded endowed him with unparalleled confidence. At least within Canghe County, scarcely anyone posed a threat to him. Bright light flickered in Gu Sheng’s eyes. "From here on... I’ll simply wait in the shadows." With his breakthrough, there was no longer a need to rush—Liu Yuanhu and Zhao Honglie’s escalating conflict would soon culminate in a decisive showdown. Gu Sheng had no intention of clashing with the Black Sand Gang directly, as it wasn’t necessary. He could afford to wait until the two parties reached the climax of their confrontation, at which point he could reap maximum benefit. Gu Sheng’s greatest advantage wasn’t his unparalleled combat prowess, but the fact that neither of Canghe County’s two most prominent forces had any suspicion of the terrifying strength hiding in the shadows! He only needed to bide his time, waiting for Zhao Honglie and Liu Yuanhu to throw their full weight into a battle. ... No one knew that Gu Sheng had silently broken through to the Bone Refining Realm, becoming Canghe County’s third overt Bone Refining Realm expert. The situation in Canghe County grew grimmer with each passing day. Both sides were waiting for the perfect opportunity, holding back just enough, fighting fiercely but refraining from all-out efforts. Black Sand Gang headquarters. The atmosphere was tense and heavy. Zhao Honglie looked down at Zhao Qingcheng, his speech rapid and pressing: "Family Head Zhao, are you certain Copper Head Iron Bone Mo Chen has disappeared from Red Cloud Prefecture’s city?" Everyone’s hearts tightened. It was common knowledge that their ability to fight Liu Yuanhu so fiercely hinged on the fact that the Red Cloud Guard hadn’t intervened. If the Guard did step in, all hope would be lost! All eyes turned toward Zhao Qingcheng. Zhao Qingcheng’s face twitched. He took a deep breath and replied: "Absolutely certain. Our Zhao family’s connections in the prefecture city have been keeping watch. Mo Chen hasn’t appeared in any public settings for several days. Officially, they’re claiming he’s in secluded cultivation, but at such a critical moment, secluded cultivation is undoubtedly impossible!" "There’s only one possibility: he has stealthily arrived in Canghe County!" He scanned the room, noting the alarm in everyone’s eyes. "The only good news is that Mo Chen is likely traveling alone—his subordinate Red Cloud Guard units haven’t been mobilized to join him. Otherwise, the situation would be disastrous." After all, the Red Cloud Guards weren’t Mo Chen’s private army. Moving his hundred-man team required legitimate justification. Recklessly coming to Canghe County could even risk his position. Upon hearing this, those present felt slightly relieved, though the heavy atmosphere remained. A name carries weight, and Mo Chen’s reputation as Copper Head Iron Bone precedes him. His combat strength was formidable, and his involvement would undeniably alter the balance of the conflict. All eyes rested on Zhao Honglie. "Boss Zhao, what do we do now?"