"Take off your clothes."
He had just put them on, only to be told to take them off again. Lin Xiao felt a little depressed.
"Hurry up and take them off, Lin Xiao. What are you standing there for?"
Ye Lingling urged.
"My mom is checking your physical strength, not taking advantage of you. Besides, you're such a little runt. Who would even want to look?"
Lin Xiao: "..."
He clenched his fists and swore inwardly:
One day, I, Lin Xiao, will never hear the word 'little' from anyone again!
Lin Xiao swiftly took off his clothes.
Ye Qingxian immediately started examining him. "Hmm? His physical strength has already surpassed that of an ordinary Soul Grandmaster? That was within my expectations, but the benefits definitely shouldn't end there."
Ye Qingxian pinched Lin Xiao's shinbone again.
"Let me see. His bone age is still six. It seems Evil Fire Body Tempering differs from high-intensity training; it won't restrict physical development. You'll still be able to grow up in the future."
Lin Xiao's face darkened.
What was Ye Qingxian even talking about?
He would definitely grow up in the future!
"Let me feel too."
Ye Lingling giggled and reached out.
But after only touching him twice, Lin Xiao slapped her hand away.
"Lin Xiao! What are you doing?!"
"I was kindly helping you check your bones!"
Lin Xiao crossed his arms over his chest, expressionless.
Ye Lingling said resentfully:
"What a thankless guy. Then why can my mom do it?"
Lin Xiao sneered.
"Aunt Ye can. You can't."
"You!" Ye Lingling stomped her foot. "Do you think I care that much?"
Still, she felt a little guilty after saying that.
Lin Xiao had already exercised appropriately before. Though he was young, he had an excellent build, far more impressive than those models from his previous life.
After the Evil Fire Body Tempering, he had grown a little taller. Although he still looked like a child, his physique was practically perfect. Every muscle had been tempered by the Evil Fire to just the right degree, and his bones were remarkably refined.
As the saying went, "Graceful bones and a cool spirit, the visage of one beyond mortals."
Dugu Yan said nothing, though her face had turned slightly red.
While Ye Lingling had been chattering away, Dugu Yan had already seen everything there was to see.
Dugu Yan felt a faint sense of regret.
"He's still a little too young."
"Yan Yan, what did you say?" Ye Lingling asked curiously.
Dugu Yan's face reddened.
"I said he's too young. There's nothing to look at!"
Lin Xiao rolled his eyes.
He clenched his fists. "Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river—never bully the poor youth!"
"In a few years, I'll be taller than all of you!"
He had finally found the chance to shout that slogan!
Lin Xiao felt... fired up!
Ye Lingling struck right at his weak point.
"So you've finally admitted that you're tiny right now?"
Lin Xiao no longer wanted to speak.
He would quietly grow up, then stun everyone!
"Alright!"
Ye Qingxian gave Lin Xiao's calf one final squeeze, sounding somewhat reluctant to stop.
"Perfect. We're done!"
"Not only has Lin Xiao's bodily potential remained completely unaffected, it has actually grown stronger. His physical strength is probably slightly above that of an ordinary Soul Grandmaster."
"Lin Xiao, try stretching, or try controlling your body to perform some difficult movements."
Lin Xiao put his clothes back on, finally feeling a little safer.
After thinking for a moment, he clenched his fists and bent down to touch the ground. He found that he could do so with ease, and could even stretch much farther down.
He simply did a full split and found it equally effortless.
Lin Xiao became interested.
If this were on Blue Star, wouldn't he have been born with the ultimate athletic body? No matter the sport, with just a little training, he would become someone others could never hope to catch up to!
Lin Xiao fetched an iron ball. He could stand on it with one foot and maintain his balance, walk a tightrope with ease, even do a one-finger handstand...
Ye Lingling and Dugu Yan were both dumbfounded!
Ye Qingxian stopped him.
"Alright, that's enough. It seems Evil Fire Body Tempering is completely feasible. Besides increasing physical strength, it can also unlock the body's potential. No drawbacks have been discovered for now."
How could there be no drawbacks?
The drawbacks were actually obvious. First, one needed the Nine Hearted Begonia. Then one needed Lin Xiao's Ice Heart Incantation and Five Animal Frolics, and one also had to endure pain worse than death.
Since Lin Xiao met all of those most obvious requirements, they no longer counted as drawbacks.
Nearby, Ye Lingling and Dugu Yan both felt tempted.
"Mom, can Sister Yanyan and I undergo Evil Fire Body Tempering too? Or some other similar method?"
Ye Lingling was incredibly envious!
Lin Xiao had it way too good!
His body had become stronger, his potential had increased, and he had even become more handsome!
Oh my god!
Unlike Lin Xiao, Ye Lingling was not greedy. As long as she could become prettier, that would be enough!
Upon hearing this, Dugu Yan also looked at Ye Qingxian expectantly.
"No."
However, Ye Qingxian firmly rejected them, as though dumping a basin of cold water over the two girls.
Ye Qingxian's tone was somewhat cold.
"Ling Ling, I must warn you: if you dare use a similar method to temper your body in private, then you will no longer have me as your mother!"
"Do you know why I helped Lin Xiao temper his body before you returned? It was because I didn't want you to see how miserable he looked!"
"You only see how impressive Lin Xiao looks now. How could you possibly imagine the pain and torment behind it, pain worse than death?"
"This isn't something you can survive just by gritting your teeth! You also can't faint during the process. Otherwise, if the Evil Fire inside your body is left uncontrolled and erupts completely, even the Nine Hearted Begonia would be useless!"
Ye Qingxian's expression and tone were extremely stern.
Ye Lingling and Dugu Yan both went pale.
Although they had not witnessed it themselves.
From Ye Qingxian's words, they could vaguely imagine the scene. Lin Xiao must have endured torture worse than death to undergo such a transformation.
But why...
When they met, Lin Xiao had not mentioned the pain he had suffered at all. He had merely chatted with them as usual.
The two girls were several years older than Lin Xiao, yet they sincerely felt admiration for him. The way they looked at him was no longer the same as before.
Seeing that Ye Lingling and Dugu Yan had taken her words to heart.
Ye Qingxian's tone gradually softened.
"You don't need to envy Lin Xiao either. He looks quite calm now, but just now, the pain made him cry for his mother. He nearly rolled around inside the Bath Barrel!"
"Look, if I hadn't given him a towel, he would have crushed his teeth by now."
Lin Xiao could not hold it in anymore.
He really had been in unbearable pain, but when had he ever cried for his mother?
Aunt Ye was ruining his reputation!
Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling looked at the towel beside the Bath Barrel and found that it had already been bitten to shreds. They also noticed that the Bath Barrel was covered in Lin Xiao's scratch marks.
Ye Qingxian noticed as well and nodded thoughtfully.
"It still needs some improvement. Next time, the Bath Barrel should be made of iron."
Lin Xiao: "..."
He understood Ye Qingxian's good intentions.
With a faint smile, he said, "Forget Evil Fire Body Tempering. It's too dangerous."
"However, you can try tempering your bodies after Extreme Training."
"If you can't even endure fatigue, then there's no need to mention pain."
Before you continue