[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-grain-of-mountains-and-rivers":3,"chapter-the-grain-of-mountains-and-rivers-the-grain-of-mountains-and-rivers-chapter-54":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Mountains and Rivers of the Imperial Granary",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":20,"prevChapterSlug":21,"totalChapters":22,"novelImage":23},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":16,"volume":17,"translator":18,"content_hash":19},2231470,4184,"Chapter 54: How Bones Are Forged","the-grain-of-mountains-and-rivers-chapter-54",54,"\u003Cp>\"Xingzhou.\" Shen Tang’s voice came from not far away. The master and disciple turned their heads to see Shen Tang rowing her wheelchair up the mountain with difficulty, braving the snow all by herself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Xingzhou was stunned, his first reaction being: \"Bai Mao, she’s not even pushing you anymore?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Tang’s smile vanished instantly: \"Do you want me to help lock the two of you in a secret room so you can watch each other all day, every day!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Xingzhou held Anuo, looking weak, pitiful, and helpless: \"I was clearly concerned about you. On a snowy day like this, you rowing your wheelchair up the mountain alone...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Tang knew his pitiful act was just for show, but for some reason, she couldn't bring herself to be truly angry. She just kept a straight face and said: \"I am a fourth-rank Wu Xiu; you’re talking to me about snow.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But that doesn't change the fact that you came here braving the snow.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Tang fell silent. After a long while, she said: \"I don't know how Qingli and you fought over there, but it seems she benefited greatly and is currently in seclusion to break through. She was already at the fourth-rank threshold; she should be a fourth-rank when she comes out.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Xingzhou nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, on the surface, almost all the gains were his, while others had put in great effort but received nothing. In reality, if this place were fully explored, it could be considered the territory of the Profound Heaven Sect, and the entire secret realm, including the spirit stone mine, belonged to Shen Tang. Although he held the property rights to this back mountain and theoretically owned half of the secret realm, he obviously wouldn't fight Shen Tang for it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for Anuo, his own daughter never drew lines between \"yours\" and \"mine.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So, only Bai Mao had truly gained nothing. Since she could benefit from the battle and break through, it wasn't a wasted trip.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for material compensation, he would find a way to repay her later...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Come to think of it, her breakthrough was likely related to the soul impact... he just hoped she wouldn't become more indifferent the further she broke through.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Tang added: \"So, how exactly did you fight? I didn't see any enemies at the scene... Was her breakthrough due to harmonizing yin and yang?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Xingzhou: \"...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Facing Anuo’s wide-eyed, gossip-hungry gaze, Shen Tang finally felt that her sarcastic behavior seemed unreasonable. At the end of the day, their relationship was merely that of tenant and landlord, guest elder and sect master.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She finally took a deep breath and tried to keep her tone flat: \"If you really like Qingli, you must seize the opportunity. Because Qingli leaving the Cold River was primarily for training, seeking the path to the upper three ranks. Protecting me was just one task in her training. Now that the Profound Heaven Sect is firmly established, she likely has no reason to stay long. Now that she has broken through to the fourth rank, she might leave at any time.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Xingzhou said: \"Firmly established? Not necessarily. We’ve already made a mortal enemy of the Burning Incense Tower, and we’ve lost Jin Mingxiu, so our strength is much weaker by comparison. If the other side is ruthless, we have no guarantee of victory...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Tang gritted her teeth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn't deny liking Qingli... Right, from the moment they met, his liking for Qingli had been plain to see.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Xingzhou added: \"Furthermore, there’s been no conclusion as to where Xu Bingkun’s demons came from or who injured them. I have no peace of mind; I always feel there’s some unknown risk hidden. And this risk still has a certain possibility of being related to our secret realm. After all, the special aspects of Xiazhou are mainly concentrated here... You should keep an eye on it too.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Understood.\" Shen Tang naturally knew this, then asked: \"So your combat power is quite critical... How is the Yin-Yang Ultimate Art now?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Feasible. This place is uniquely gifted for practicing this technique. I practiced for most of the day today and have already reached the ninth rank.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Tang was stunned: \"So fast!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"For an experienced Wu Xiu, re-entering the path is simple. The subsequent stages won't be this easy...\" Lu Xingzhou had a headache: \"It's a brand-new technique. Just fully grasping it will take quite a while. There are parts I haven't even fully understood. The deeper I practice, the greater the obstacles will be.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Tang nodded: \"That's inevitable... If you have questions, you can discuss them with me and Qingli. Come to think of it, since you've reached the ninth rank and the intent of yin and yang has taken shape, can you really try to refine your leg bones now?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I can.\" Lu Xingzhou’s eyes gleamed: \"Are the materials ready?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Since I came here, of course I brought the things for you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Xingzhou took a deep breath: \"Then... let's go again.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…………\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anuo was once again left behind to play the bystander.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Refining bones might be similar to alchemy, but it wasn't truly alchemy; its essence was closer to artifact refining. Anuo, the alchemy-assisting cheat, was of no use here. Using the excuse that \"you just overexerted yourself and haven't recovered, so you need a good rest,\" Lu Xingzhou left Anuo at home to watch the house, while he and Shen Tang dove into the pool.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anuo squatted by the pool, hugging her knees, looking resentfully at the ripples spreading in the water. She always felt that Master just wanted to soak in the bath privately with Sister Shen Tang and didn't want a big lantern by his side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anuo guessed correctly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Tang looked especially beautiful when she dove into the pool and was soaked through. When there were many people, he was embarrassed to look too much, but now he could look openly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Tang emerged from the pool, dripping wet, and saw Lu Xingzhou sitting in his wheelchair, clean and refreshed. She was so angry she laughed: \"Your wheelchair is quite interesting; it can even navigate underwater.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Xingzhou took a good look at her curves, which were outlined even more beautifully by being soaked through. The bellyband underneath was faintly visible; it was truly a feast for the eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He replied with a straight face: \"After all, I've sat in this wheelchair my whole life. It was built to the specifications of a magic treasure; it has to be able to handle climbing mountains of blades and diving into seas of fire...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Tang didn't know whether to laugh or cry, silently circulating her power to steam her clothes dry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Lu Xingzhou staring unblinkingly, she couldn't help but roll her eyes: \"Lecher.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This glance was truly full of charm. Lu Xingzhou felt as if he had been electrocuted and coughed dryly: \"Don't talk nonsense. This is called 'everyone has a love for beauty.' What's wrong with looking a few times?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes, yes, yes. And secretly touching me so many times while treating my legs was also 'a love for beauty'.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This direct hit caught Lu Xingzhou off guard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Are you just going to say it so directly now?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Lu Xingzhou’s stunned expression, Shen Tang acted as if nothing had happened and very naturally pushed his wheelchair toward the passage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Xingzhou also fell silent. The atmosphere became quiet, with only the sound of the wheelchair rolling in the passage, which was especially clear in the deserted cave dwelling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both of them felt the same way in their hearts... clearly, there seemed to be a lot they wanted to say to each other, but for some reason, when the words reached their lips, they felt a strange sense of having nothing to say. It seemed that once they wanted to say something, they would touch the window paper, so they hesitated, and in the end, remained silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was better to just quietly push the wheelchair and walk together... as if they were a pair of white-haired old people many years later, pushing their spouse's wheelchair after dinner at dusk, with the moon rising over the willow branches, strolling through the streets of the county town. The wheelchair rolling on the bluestone slabs made a rhythmic clacking sound, and both their hearts gradually became peaceful with this sound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Xingzhou, who had been calm on the surface, was actually more anxious than Anuo just now, his heartstrings pulled tight, but he also slowly eased in this tranquility.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking back, what was he nervous about before?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He couldn't remember... there was no enemy at all, it was just refining a treasure. What was there to be nervous about?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unknowingly, the two arrived at the meeting place of the Dragon and Tiger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anuo’s manhole cover had already been taken back by Lu Xingzhou. No magic treasure could withstand such burning for a long time, and Lu Xingzhou couldn't bear to see Anuo wake up crying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, what met their eyes was a cluster of flames rising from the cave entrance. As the tongues of fire flickered, high temperatures filled the entire secret realm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I knew there must be earth fire here, but I never thought there would be something inside the fire... Anuo, this child...\" Lu Xingzhou sighed, finally speaking to break the silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Tang said softly: \"You treat her as your own life; naturally, she will have the same feelings.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once these words were out, her face suddenly felt a bit hot again, as if there were a double meaning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Xingzhou didn't know if he heard it or not; his mind didn't seem to be on these things. He quickly took an alchemy furnace out of his ring and \"thudded\" it down where the earth fire was erupting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Different alchemy furnaces had many different effects in alchemy. Lu Xingzhou carried several types with him. The one right now was capable of concentrating higher temperatures and was specifically used to refine some heavenly materials that couldn't be melted, but it had no value for extracting and blending medicinal properties. Using it here, however, was just right.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Refine the fire first. Although it's harder to melt, at least it won't repel each other and is less likely to explode.\" Lu Xingzhou took a deep breath, first putting the Essence of Flame Fire into the furnace, then taking the few melting-aid materials handed over by Shen Tang and putting them in together.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The furnace lid closed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The alchemy furnace had a special window to observe the condition of the pills inside. Lu Xingzhou stared intently, watching the melting-aid materials slowly soften the Essence of Flame Fire bit by bit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Tang, an alchemy layman, leaned her head over, watching with some curiosity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was hard for a layman to imagine how a pile of herbs or minerals could be rubbed together and put into a furnace to become a round shape. Watching from the sidelines now, she gained some insight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The inside of the alchemy furnace was a bit like a vortex, constantly rotating with the heating, stirring everything put into it into a ball. After thousands of turns, it would naturally become round.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, in the hands of alchemists like Lu Xingzhou with powerful control, the internal rotation was controllable. For example, it could be divided into several zones rotating simultaneously; that was how multiple pills were refined in one batch. And if such blending of medicinal properties wasn't needed, the alchemist could also completely control the rotation angle, choosing to refine the pills into other shapes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anuo had tried to refine pills in the shape of little rabbits, but the medicinal effect was uneven, making it a waste pill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With earth fire present, Lu Xingzhou didn't need to worry about alchemy fire at all; all his spirit and energy were invested in internal control.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Tang watched as the Essence of Flame Fire softened, like a piece of red, soft candy. Lu Xingzhou then added several auxiliary medicines to the furnace to simulate the fusion of bone and flesh, scattering and rubbing them into the soft candy. Then, through various angles of pressure and rotation, he forcibly pressed the Essence of Flame Fire into a thin column shape.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, grinding left and right, the shape of a bone gradually emerged, red as red jade, with faint flowing light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The temperature here was high, and Lu Xingzhou was fully invested, so sweat flowed into his eyes without him noticing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Xingzhou subconsciously wanted to wipe it, but Shen Tang had already taken out a silk handkerchief and gently wiped it: \"No need to be distracted, I'm here.\"\u003C\u002Fp>",2130,"2026-06-18T01:46:09.112Z","2026-06-18T03:18:02.290Z",1,"Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite","65b797ab318ac012c5ad90e2776800c471aacd0dc665f0d32c49aaff008e9d37","the-grain-of-mountains-and-rivers-chapter-55","the-grain-of-mountains-and-rivers-chapter-53",325,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fmountains-and-rivers-of-the-imperial-granary-cover.jpg"]