A Training Method of Getting Beaten Up

At last, his final hope had been shattered. It seemed he really didn't have the protagonist's halo. Those ridiculously awesome cheat abilities weren't something just any random nobody could obtain.

"Forget it." Liu Ding waved his hand, looking somewhat dejected. "At worst, I'll agree to run away with Zhi'er when the time comes and spend the rest of my life in some remote little town no one ever visits."

"Run away? In a world where experts are everywhere, do you really think you can live out your life in peace? And can you bear to abandon your grandfather and the others? To help you cultivate, his realm has fallen again and again. He's probably only at the Five Soulforging Cauldrons now. If Nie Zhengxu takes power, do you think he'll spare your grandfather, mother, and Zhu'er?"

"Stop it, old man. I was a perfectly happy little idiot, and you've turned me into some tragic genius good-for-nothing. What do you want me to do? I can't even touch the threshold of the Five Soulforging Cauldrons."

Liu Ding covered his face and lowered his head. Even if his muddleheaded mother and Sister Zhu'er could leave with him, Liu Yandong would probably rather become a tragedy than leave.

"You haven't touched the threshold of the Five Soulforging Cauldrons only because you haven't found the right cultivation method." The Cloaked Elder spoke calmly.

"You have a way?" Liu Ding abruptly raised his head, but quickly shook it again. "You can't even break through yourself. You're still at the Fourth Soul-Forging Cauldron."

"A coach doesn't have to be a weightlifting champion to be qualified to teach one." The Cloaked Elder rolled his eyes repeatedly at Liu Ding's words, looking thoroughly displeased. This kid really looked down on him too much.

"You have a way?" Liu Ding's eyes lit up. What the old man said carried a strangely familiar flavor, much like the secular world from his brief life-dream.

"There is a way, but I don't know whether you can endure hardship." The Cloaked Elder narrowed his eyes and looked at Liu Ding with ill intent.

"You're not really going to make me lift weights, are you? That won't do. I'm only in my teens and still growing. I don't want to end up poor, short, and ugly." The old man's gaze was too terrifying, and Liu Ding felt a chill run down his back. No, he had to leave himself an escape route.

Seeing Liu Ding's guarded expression, the Cloaked Elder didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He slowly said, "Do you know why you clearly have insight into realms above the Five Soulforging Cauldrons, yet still can't break through? It's because you've always used the Soul Forging Cauldron medicinal baths. Your body is as powerful as a ferocious beast. Without sufficient Soul Power to strike through, naturally you can't break through."

That sounded rather reasonable. Liu Ding nodded. "Then how should I strengthen the Soul Power's impact?"

"Get beaten up. Get beaten up hard. Have someone open up the Meridian Courts blocked within your Eight Extraordinary Meridians." The Cloaked Elder smiled eerily, enough to make one's hair stand on end.

"Damn it, I knew an old man like you was no good." Liu Ding's mouth twitched. "Why don't you try beating me up?"

"I'm just a bag of old bones, so forget it." The Cloaked Elder waved his hands repeatedly. Beating up this beast-like kid wouldn't be fun. If he made the boy lose his temper, Liu Ding might pin him to the ground and "act like a hooligan." At his age, just thinking about it gave him goosebumps. "But I can recommend someone to you. She definitely won't go easy on you. She'll surely beat you until you're thoroughly satisfied."

"Who?" Liu Ding asked. A pouting pretty face suddenly surfaced in his mind, and he stared in astonishment. "No way, you mean Liu Tao?"

Seeing the Cloaked Elder's wicked grin, Liu Ding's mouth twitched. So he really had guessed right.

Early in the morning, Crescent Moon Bay's riverbank was unusually quiet. In contrast, the Martial Arts Hall deep within the woods was bustling with activity.

Liu Ding strolled slowly down the shaded path and appeared at the entrance to the Martial Arts Hall's training arena.

The boisterous hall immediately fell silent, and everyone looked at the suddenly appearing Liu Ding with complicated expressions.

Because Liu Ding had offered up the method of using Soul Forging Cauldron medicinal baths, many people in the clan felt grateful toward him. Naturally, their children had also been warned to be more polite to Liu Ding.

"Carry on, everyone." Liu Ding waved his hand. "Medicinal baths are great for tempering the body. When it comes time to act like a hooligan, they have benefits you'd never expect. Heh heh."

As he spoke, he deliberately—or perhaps casually—turned his gaze toward Liu Tao. Her pretty face flushed red, and she secretly gritted her teeth. This little hooligan really knew how to bring up the most embarrassing things. What was he here for today?

For some reason, Liu Tao's heart began pounding. She wanted to slip away quietly.

"Oh? What are you doing, Sister Tao Tyrant? I show up and you're leaving. Don't tell me you're still that prejudiced against me." Liu Ding smiled pleasantly, clearly up to no good.

"Y-you... what are you doing?" Seeing Liu Ding approach with ill intent, Liu Tao became nervous and backed away several steps.

"Don't be nervous. I just want to say a few words to you." Liu Ding coaxed her earnestly, building up the mood—no, building up the nerve.

"If you have something to say, say it. If you have..." Liu Tao's pretty face reddened, and she was too embarrassed to say the word "fart."

"Are you sure you want to talk here?" Liu Ding glanced at the spectators watching the show around them, smiling faintly.

"Are you sure you only want to ask a few questions and nothing else?" Liu Tao asked. Seeing Liu Ding nod solemnly, she looked at the private sparring rooms beside the training arena, gritted her teeth, and said, "Fine. Let's talk inside."

She entered one of the private sparring rooms first. That hooligan Liu Ding never said anything decent, so it was better not to let others hear him. If he said anything improper to her, she would insist he had acted like a hooligan.

Yes, that's it. Liu Tao secretly rejoiced. Once Liu Ding entered, she immediately shut the sparring room's door.

No way, was Tao Tyrant really so generous? Was she willingly letting him act like a hooligan this quickly? Seeing Liu Tao close the sparring room door, Liu Ding blinked. Looking at her ample curves, he swallowed. After being corrupted by that life-dream, he already knew that men were no good.

Seeing Liu Ding's lecherous expression, Liu Tao instantly regretted it. She crossed her jade-like arms over her chest and urgently said, "Don't do anything rash. I-I'm not ready yet." I won't tell you that I'll never be ready for the rest of my life.

Liu Ding came back to his senses and awkwardly scratched his head. "Sister Tao Tyrant, you've misunderstood. I came today to apologize to you."

"Apologize?" Liu Tao was suspicious. What trick was this little hooligan playing now?

"Yes." Liu Ding looked grief-stricken. "Over these past seven years, Ding'er was a foolish child and didn't know how many times he offended Sister Tao. I regret it deeply. I want to solemnly apologize to you."

Liu Ding's serious expression was utterly convincing, and Liu Tao was moved as well. "If that's the case, then forget the apology. We'll write off our previous agreement."

"No, that was a bet. It doesn't count as acting like a hooligan. One thing is one thing." Liu Ding was very serious. "But I'll wait until you willingly let me act like a hooligan before we discuss it."

"Go die! You're making fun of me again!" Liu Tao realized she had been toyed with once more. She roared in fury and instinctively sent another kick flying viciously toward Liu Ding.

A perfect opportunity. Liu Ding shifted his feet and launched the Seven Stars Steps. By sheer luck, he presented the Meridian Court of his Foot Taiyin Spleen Meridian.

Liu Tao was extremely wary of Liu Ding, so she did not hold back with this kick. Cauldron Qi accompanied her foot as the tip of her shoe struck hard against the Meridian Court of Liu Ding's Foot Taiyin Spleen Meridian.

Hiss! Liu Ding sucked in a cold breath. Intense pain shot through his leg, and under that agony, he lost his footing and dropped to one knee.

Yet amid the intense pain, the Soul Power blocked within the Meridian Court was like stones smashing open an irrigation channel. It joyfully cleared through his meridians and surged toward the Eight Extraordinary Meridians.