Body Tempering

Having obtained the "Indestructible Scripture," Shen Yi felt as though he had found a priceless treasure. He returned to his residence and studied it through the night, only to discover that although the "Indestructible Scripture" was a fragmentary volume, it was exceedingly difficult to cultivate. Not only did it require the assistance of many medicinal herbs, but it also demanded pain beyond what ordinary people could endure.

"The herbs in this prescription may be common, but the quantities required are enormous. I'm afraid even my monthly allowance of two hundred Spirit Stones will only barely be enough to keep this up."

Shen Yi shook his head helplessly. They said cultivation could ruin a family, and only now did he understand why cultivators rarely emerged from poor households.

The next day, Shen Yi bought a Bronze Cauldron and three days' worth of medicinal ingredients, then eagerly embarked on his path of cultivation.

A fierce fire blazed beneath the Bronze Cauldron, while clear water boiled within it. Following the prescription, Shen Yi tossed herbs into the cauldron one by one. The originally limpid water instantly turned murky, gradually becoming as black as ink.

"Um... this method won't actually kill someone, will it? This is basically no different from stewing myself in an iron pot!"

Shen Yi watched the boiling water bubbling with black foam, half-convinced and unable to make up his mind.

"I'll gamble on it!"

Shen Yi gritted his teeth and leaped into the cauldron.

Strangely enough, despite the medicinal liquid looking as though it were boiling, its temperature was not high at all. It was even somewhat cool.

Shen Yi let out a comfortable groan. Nourished by the medicinal liquid, he felt as if every pore across his body had opened, leaving him indescribably refreshed.

The wonderful calm was suddenly shattered by a heart-rending cry of agony. Shen Yi abruptly felt as though his body were being scraped by blades, as if his flesh and skin had already split open.

He tried to rise, but he had no strength left in his entire body. All he could do was remain in the cauldron, watching his body be ravaged as he endured inhuman torment.

Shen Yi was drenched in sweat. At this moment, he did not even have the strength to scream, able only to let out weak, muffled groans.

No one knew how long had passed. When Shen Yi awoke, it was already dusk.

"I never expected this method to be so overbearing!"

Though the pain had been unbearable, the results were exceptionally apparent. Shen Yi could feel that his strength had increased by several degrees, and his physique had improved as well. Combined with the breathing technique recorded in the "Undying Scripture," he felt clear-headed and invigorated, his body lighter than ever before.

"I never expected such results on my first attempt. Given time, I'll surely shed this mortal frame and exchange my bones."

Having experienced its profound mysteries, Shen Yi grew even more curious about the "Undying Scripture" in his hand. What sort of cultivation technique could possess such miraculous effects?

"As the book says: 'Temper his will with hardship, toil his sinews and bones!' Relying on medicinal baths alone isn't enough to bring out the full effects of body forging."

After pondering for a long while, Shen Yi finally came up with a plan.

"Fellow cultivator, please wait! Please beat me up!"

"Brother, don't go! I'm begging you, beat me up!"

Over the following days, this sentence could always be heard throughout Ninghai Immortal Academy: Please, fellow cultivator, beat me up!

The one saying it was none other than Shen Yi.

His plan was to rely on getting beaten, supplemented by medicinal baths, to achieve the greatest possible effect. But the reputation of the top-ranked Class A student was simply too intimidating. When others saw that it was Shen Yi, how could they dare raise a hand? Offending the top-ranked Class A student would be no different from digging their own grave.

"Shen Yi, if you've got so much energy from being too full, go make trouble at the Beast Taming Academy. This young master won't fall for your tricks. Don't even think about framing me!"

Li Yue dearly wanted to strike him and viciously get revenge on Shen Yi. But whenever he recalled the last wager and how his family had punished him over it, he could only feel that Shen Yi was plotting against him again.

"I give you an opportunity, but you're useless enough not to take it."

Shen Yi inwardly lamented. Since no one in the Immortal Academy was willing to oblige him, he could only seek help from the Beast Taming Academy.

Fortunately, the Beast Taming Academy had yet to learn of Shen Yi's antics. They merely felt that, as the top-ranked Class A student, he naturally had certain privileges that could be accommodated, so they permitted Shen Yi to choose opponents from among the old and weak war beasts.

Watching Shen Yi get beaten black and blue by war beasts every day, the people of the academy privately thought he was overestimating himself. They had never heard of such a request before and all guessed that he would not last more than a few days.

Yet Shen Yi never tired of it. He got beaten during the day, took medicinal baths at night, then charged back to the Beast Taming Academy full of life and vigor the next day.

Over time, everyone grew accustomed to it. Quite a few people even began entertaining the same idea. But when they saw Shen Yi reach the Body Forging fifth level in only three months, the threshold of the Beast Taming Academy was nearly trampled down by the crowds.

"Feng Yang! If you don't give this old man an explanation, then today I'll tear down your thatched hut and smash the treasures you've collected over the years!"

Chen Chong, head of the Beast Taming Academy, had finally erupted after being tormented by Shen Yi's corrupting influence. He stormed over to Feng Yang's place to demand an explanation.

"My Beast Taming Academy has three thousand First-Order War Beasts, and now that Shen Yi has messed with them, they're all utterly lifeless. The moment they see him, it's like seeing their nemesis. Do you know how much effort my Beast Taming Academy must spend to restore them? Do you know how I've spent these past three months?"

"Your war beasts are treasures, but isn't my disciple a treasure too? All he did was let your war beasts beat him up. I haven't even said anything."

Feng Yang kept his back turned, his words sharp as needles, yet he did not dare face Chen Chong.

"You call that getting beaten? Huh? At first, he was the one getting beaten black and blue. Later, my war beasts couldn't even break his skin with a claw—there'd only be a white mark. I thought that would be the end of it, but that brat pushed his luck and had several war beasts attack him in groups. He wouldn't let them rest unless they were exhausted half to death."

Feng Yang's eyelids twitched. Shen Yi's growth had exceeded his expectations. It seemed the first stage of his "Indestructible Scripture," Undying Skin, had already reached minor completion.

Shen Yi had no idea that the Beast Taming Academy had already gone to Feng Yang to air its grievances. He was still locked in a bitter battle with the war beasts.

"Big Black, can't you put some strength into it? Your Black Armored Bear clan is famed for its monstrous strength!"

Shen Yi looked at the white mark on his fist, then at the various war beasts around him, panting and sprawled across the ground. He shook his head helplessly.

"Undying Skin has already reached minor completion. I wonder just how much force one punch of mine has now."

The strength of First-Order War Beasts was equivalent to that of cultivators in the Body Forging stage. Shen Yi automatically ignored them and walked toward the area where the Second-Order War Beasts were kept.

Rumble—

A thunderous boom rang out, and the earth trembled with it. Dust sifted down from Feng Yang's thatched hut.

"Demonic beasts are attacking the city?"

"No, it's from the direction of the Beast Taming Academy!"

Feng Yang and Chen Chong spoke in unison, both turning into streaks of light as they rushed toward the Beast Taming Academy.

"Shen Yi, look at the mess you've made!"

Before they even arrived, the two Deans once again shouted in fury at the same time.

Within the Beast Taming Academy, war beasts fled in all directions, charging and crashing about, trampling the greenery Feng Yang had painstakingly cultivated until branches and leaves lay scattered.

"My war beasts!"

"My greenery!"

The two glared at Shen Yi, then furiously glared at each other. One waved a hand to soothe the war beasts, while the other straightened the plants, before both transformed into streaks of light and fled into the distance.

Leaving the terrified Shen Yi standing there in a daze.

"From this day onward, Shen Yi is forbidden from setting foot in the Beast Taming Academy. As punishment, he is to capture ten first-rank war beasts within one year!"

"Starting this month, deduct six months of Shen Yi's Spirit Stone resources. As punishment, he is to plant ten mu of spirit bamboo within one year!"

Inside the thatched hut, the two Deans' hair and beards were in disarray, with bruises faintly visible on each of their faces.