"Tian'er, you..."
Three days later, seeing Duan Lingtian again, Li Rou looked at him in total disbelief.
A moment later, she finally trembled and reached out with her slender, jade-like hands, gently rubbing Duan Lingtian’s arms...
As a practitioner at the Condensing Pill Realm, she could see his current cultivation level with a single glance:
First Level of the Body Tempering Realm!
Her son had finally completed his body tempering and become a true martial practitioner!
For the past few years, watching Duan Lingtian fail to complete his body tempering while his health grew steadily weaker... she had felt a deep, private agony in her heart.
"Mother, why are you crying?" Duan Lingtian reached out to wipe away Li Rou's tears.
"I’m fine, Tian'er. I’m just happy—I'm so happy," Li Rou said, wiping the tear stains from her face with a smile. The heavy stone that had been pressing on her heart for years had finally been lifted.
Soon, she realized something: the change in her son had happened within these past three days. Three days to undergo such a transformation—she couldn't help but be shocked.
Then, she remembered the medicinal ingredients Duan Lingtian had asked her to buy three days ago. Her eyes narrowed slightly as her heart skipped a beat. Could it be...
"Tian'er, is the change in you because of those medicinal ingredients you had me buy?" Li Rou asked, voicing the doubt in her heart.
"Yes, Mother," Duan Lingtian nodded.
"You formulated the medicine yourself?" she asked out of curiosity.
Duan Lingtian nodded again.
"Tian'er, what kind of medicine did you formulate? And when did you learn how to do that?" Li Rou took a deep breath.
Duan Lingtian felt a slight stir in his heart. The truth about the Samsara Martial Emperor was far too shocking, and since it concerned his past life, it was difficult to explain.
"Mother, after Li Xin beat me into a coma last time, I had a strange dream. I dreamt of an old man who taught me a recipe for a medicinal liquid," he said, using a ready-made excuse. He went on to describe the "Seven Treasures Body Tempering Liquid," including its specific effects.
"It increases the cultivation speed of a martial practitioner at the Body Tempering Realm?" Li Rou was stunned. She had never heard of any medicinal liquid that could boost cultivation speed at the Body Tempering level, especially one requiring such common ingredients. She realized this formula was no simple thing. As far as she knew, while there were pills that could increase cultivation speed, they could only be refined by qualified Alchemists and required extremely expensive ingredients—well beyond the reach of ordinary people.
"Tian'er, you must never tell anyone else about this prescription." Realizing the value of the formula, Li Rou’s first thought was to protect her son, and she warned him with a grave expression.
"I know, Mother. I only told you," Duan Lingtian said with a smile. Having been an orphan in his past life, he deeply cherished the motherly love he found in this one.
"Good boy." Li Rou smiled, her expression bright and captivating.
"Tian'er, now that you have stepped into the First Level of the Body Tempering Realm, you can go to the family’s Martial Pavilion to choose a martial art."
"Alright, Mother, I’ll go take a look." Although he had no shortage of martial arts in the memories of the Samsara Martial Emperor, he decided to go and play the part.
The Martial Pavilion was where the Li Family stored their martial arts. It was a place of great importance, usually guarded by an elder in person.
"Fifth Elder." When Duan Lingtian arrived at the pavilion, he bowed slightly to the elder at the entrance.
"Duan Lingtian?" Li Ting, the Fifth Elder, looked surprised to see him. "You... have you entered the First Level of the Body Tempering Realm?" When he noticed the changes in Duan Lingtian, he couldn't help but gasp.
Duan Lingtian nodded with a smile.
"Now your mother can finally be at ease. Go on, you may go inside and choose any one martial art." Li Ting smiled, as he and the Seventh Elder, Li Rou, were on good terms.
Duan Lingtian acknowledged him and walked into the Martial Pavilion.
"Duan Lingtian has reached the First Level of the Body Tempering Realm?" A few young men who had just arrived at the pavilion stared at each other in disbelief. To them, Duan Lingtian reaching the first level was just as shocking as seeing a sow climb a tree or a cow fly.
Once inside, Duan Lingtian began to browse the martial arts on display... only to find that the techniques in the Li Family’s pavilion were all incredibly mediocre. To him, these Yellow-grade Low-tier and Mid-tier techniques were worse than his past life’s military drill routines, let alone the Xingyi Fist he had mastered.
*In this world, people have strong bodies and their Origin Force is stronger than the internal energy of my past life, but the martial arts are simply painful to look at... I have no need to waste my time on these. My Xingyi Fist is more than enough.*
Duan Lingtian’s Xingyi Fist had reached the grandmaster level, surpassing even the master who had taught him in his previous life. With that thought, he left the pavilion.
"What’s wrong? Didn't find anything suitable?" Fifth Elder Li Ting asked, looking confused when he saw Duan Lingtian coming out empty-handed. It was the first time he had ever seen such a thing.
Duan Lingtian nodded.
"Hmph!" A sneer suddenly reached Duan Lingtian’s ears.
"It seems you, Duan Lingtian, look down on the martial arts in our Li Family’s pavilion... I’m very curious, what kind of techniques has your mother been teaching you in private to make you so arrogant? Duan Lingtian, I heard you’ve reached the First Level of the Body Tempering Realm. How about you spar with me a few rounds?" The voice was laced with sarcasm.
Duan Lingtian looked up and saw that Li Xin had arrived at the pavilion. Li Xin still had bruises on his cheeks and was looking at him with a provocative expression.
"Oh, look who it is. Tsk tsk... does your face still hurt?" Duan Lingtian didn't get angry; instead, he laughed in the face of Li Xin’s provocation.
"Duan Lingtian, I challenge you! Let the Fifth Elder be our witness—do you dare to accept?" Li Xin took a deep breath and said in a low voice. The events of three days ago were a humiliation he couldn't forget. For the past three days, revenge was all he could think about. When he heard today that Duan Lingtian had reached the first level, he had rushed right over.
In his mind, Duan Lingtian was now a martial practitioner. If he were to be severely injured in a formal sparring match, the family rules would prevent even Duan Lingtian’s mother from doing anything about it, no matter how angry she might be. Of course, that was assuming Duan Lingtian accepted the challenge.
"Why wouldn't I dare?" Duan Lingtian’s eyes narrowed, and he smiled faintly.
"Duan Lingtian, don't be impulsive!" Fifth Elder Li Ting frowned. In his view, Duan Lingtian was only at the First Level of the Body Tempering Realm and apparently hadn't even learned any martial arts yet. How could he possibly be a match for Li Xin, who was at the Second Level?
"Good! Duan Lingtian, you've got guts." Li Xin smiled triumphantly, looking as if his scheme had succeeded.
"Fifth Elder, please serve as a witness to our spar, so that the Seventh Elder doesn't come looking for me later," Li Xin added, looking at Li Ting with a hint of respect.
"Indeed, Fifth Elder, please witness this. I wouldn't want the Seventh Elder coming to find me either," Duan Lingtian replied, refusing to back down.
If it had been before, he might have been somewhat wary of Li Xin at the Second Level of the Body Tempering Realm... but after seeing the abysmal martial arts in the pavilion, he realized he had overestimated Li Xin.
*This kid is too impulsive... fine, a lesson might do him some good.* Li Ting gave Duan Lingtian a frowning look before standing up and walking outside the pavilion.
The Li Family disciples passing by the pavilion looked excited—a good show was about to begin!
In the open space outside the pavilion, Duan Lingtian and Li Xin stood facing each other. Li Ting stood by as a witness.
"Duan Lingtian, I will return the humiliation you gave me ten times over today!" Li Xin wore a ferocious grin, as if Duan Lingtian were already meat on his chopping block.
"That depends on whether you have the skill to do it," Duan Lingtian laughed.
"You're courting death!" Li Xin shouted in anger. He stomped on the ground, launching himself forward like a tiger descending from a mountain.
Tiger Fist!
His fists flew out, whistling with force as they rushed toward Duan Lingtian.
"It's the Yellow-grade Mid-tier martial art 'Tiger Fist'! Li Xin is truly formidable; his Tiger Fist is clearly already at the minor completion stage."
"Duan Lingtian just reached the First Level of the Body Tempering Realm, he probably hasn't even had time to learn a martial art yet. To dare to accept Li Xin’s challenge—he really doesn't fear death!"
"With the Fifth Elder witnessing today, even if Duan Lingtian gets severely injured like last time, as long as he doesn't lose his life, the Seventh Elder can't do anything to Li Xin, no matter how angry she gets."
... The surrounding disciples whispered among themselves; no one favored Duan Lingtian. After all, the gap between the First and Second levels of the Body Tempering Realm was simply too great.
"Tiger Fist? More like Sick Cat Fist," Duan Lingtian muttered with a disdainful smile. In his eyes, the technique Li Xin was using was full of openings. He knew a hundred ways to break it, but he chose the most direct method.
*Step!*
In full view of everyone, Duan Lingtian also lunged forward to meet him. Just as Li Xin’s fists were about to connect, Duan Lingtian bent his upper body back at an incredible angle, letting the blows pass by him, and slipped behind Li Xin.
"Now!"
Duan Lingtian planted his feet and nimbly twisted his body. He clenched his right fist, pulled his arms back, and leaned his upper body backward. In an instant, he became like a bow drawn to its limit, his very spine vibrating.
He swung forward, his upper body surging ahead, his right fist snapping out with the force of a collapsing mountain.
Crushing Fist!
Duan Lingtian had cleverly dodged the Tiger Fist, and just as Li Xin’s momentum carried him forward, Duan Lingtian slammed his fist into Li Xin’s right shoulder.
*Crack!*
The sound of shattering bone echoed through the air. Li Xin was sent flying, letting out a pig-like shriek. Even though Li Xin had twenty pounds of force on him, he had no chance to use it.
*Thud!*
Li Xin hit the ground hard, screaming in agony, his body convulsing in pain.
Silence. The scene was dead silent. From the Fifth Elder Li Ting down to the last disciple, everyone stood with their mouths agape, staring at what had just happened in complete disbelief.
The Crushing Fist that Duan Lingtian had just executed... to them, it was nothing short of miraculous.