Skin Tempering Completion (Please Keep Reading)

More than half a month had passed since Li Xuan took Xu Yan as his disciple and taught him that made-up cultivation method.

These past half a month had been the most comfortable days Li Xuan had enjoyed since crossing over. Every day, his disciple waited on him. He did not need to cook, feed the chickens, grow vegetables, or anything else.

Every day, he either slept, wandered around the village, or lay lazily in his chair.

There was only one last leaf of Nine-Leaf Spirit Ganoderma left. Once it was stewed today, it would all be gone.

Li Xuan sighed that the Nine-Leaf Spirit Ganoderma truly deserved its reputation as a rare Precious Medicine. Its effects were truly excellent. Over the past half month, he could clearly feel the changes in his body.

His spirit had improved, his eyesight had improved, his body had grown considerably stronger, and his strength had increased as well.

"Should I stew the Thousand-Year Ginseng tomorrow? Would that be too nourishing?"

Li Xuan lay in his chair, muttering to himself.

"The Thousand-Year Ginseng is different. Should I save it instead?"

He turned his head and glanced at Xu Yan, who was practicing his horse stance, feeling somewhat puzzled.

"It's been more than half a month already. How can he be so patient? This unhurried, steady temperament is rather good, but it's a pity his brain doesn't work very well."

"That's fine too. The steadier his temperament, the more beneficial it is for me... But it's been more than half a month. He hasn't cultivated anything, yet he hasn't raised even a single question?"

Li Xuan found it utterly strange.

"I'll ask him what questions he has when we eat. I should fulfill a little of my responsibility as his master."

"Let me think about how to make something up and fool him."

Li Xuan pondered how to make his fabrications sound more reasonable, how to comfort Xu Yan, and how to encourage him to keep persevering...

"I've finally reached Skin Tempering Completion!"

As Xu Yan cultivated, he felt the blood and vitality throughout his body surge. The membrane beneath his skin tightened, then loosened. At that instant, he felt a tremendous leap in strength.

He had reached Skin Tempering Completion!

"Master was right. Cultivation cannot be rushed. One must balance work and rest."

"Every day, I set aside time to cook, feed the chickens, grow vegetables, and even catch wild game for extra meals. It seems like my cultivation time has decreased, but with this rhythm of tension and relaxation, my state of mind is completely different. My cultivation has instead become faster and easier!"

"Master's realm is truly far too lofty!"

Xu Yan marveled inwardly.

His master truly was a Reclusive Master. Every word and action, every tiny bit of guidance, benefited him immensely.

His gaze drifted toward Li Xuan, who was lying in the chair, and Xu Yan's eyes filled with envy and longing.

"When will I be able to reach Master's realm? He looks utterly ordinary, perfectly unremarkable, yet that is precisely what a true master is.

"Perhaps this is what Master once called Return to Simplicity, approaching the Dao?"

"I cannot aim too high. I must keep my feet on the ground. One day, I will become an expert like Master!"

Xu Yan continued imagining things for himself and encouraging himself.

"In less than twenty days, I've reached Skin Tempering Completion. Skin Tempering Perfection is only one step away. At most three to five more days, I'll complete Skin Tempering and begin Bone Refining."

"Once I complete Skin Tempering, I'll ask Master about the finer points of Bone Refining."

"Master said that Ancient Prodigies could complete Skin Tempering in five days. Though I cannot compare to them, completing Skin Tempering in less than a month should still count as decent, right?"

Xu Yan checked the time. It was time to cook.

So he ended his cultivation, went to the chicken coop to catch a chicken, slaughtered it, and stewed the Nine-Leaf Spirit Ganoderma.

One leaf of Nine-Leaf Spirit Ganoderma each day. Now, only the final leaf remained.

While slaughtering the chicken, Xu Yan suddenly had an idea.

"Master said that after reaching Skin Tempering Completion, ordinary blades and swords can hardly harm you. Why not test it? I'll give myself a light cut."

Xu Yan gripped the kitchen knife and drew it across his arm.

As a Skin Tempering Completion martial artist, he was naturally no ordinary person. Thus, when he made that cut, he did not use his blood and vitality, nor did he exert much force.

He used only the strength of an ordinary person.

The blade passed over his arm, leaving only a faint white mark that quickly vanished without a trace!

"Is this the defensive power of Skin Tempering Completion?"

Xu Yan was thrilled. Though he had not used much force in that slash, it could have easily gutted a chicken. If an ordinary person were cut like that, flesh would split and the wound could reach the bone.

Yet it could not leave even the slightest injury on his skin.

"Just as Master said, after Skin Tempering, ordinary blades and swords can hardly harm me!"

Xu Yan was even more filled with anticipation for the Bone Refining and Organ Refining that lay ahead.

"You have been able to calm your heart and steady your mind these days, neither arrogant nor impatient. As your master, I am very pleased."

During the meal, Li Xuan chose his words carefully before speaking.

"Master, I understand. I will certainly guard against arrogance and impatience, and calm my heart and steady my mind!"

Xu Yan replied respectfully.

Inwardly, he rejoiced that he had not acted rashly and impatiently, but had remained composed, thereby leaving a good impression in his master's heart.

"Xu Yan may seem calm and unhurried after cultivating for so long, but he must be anxious inside. I should soothe him and get him to persist a little longer. Things have come this far; I can only keep fooling him."

Li Xuan muttered inwardly, then said, "The path of cultivation values perseverance, firm will, and steady foundations. Seeking quick success and instant gains is unacceptable. You must remember that."

"Yes, Master. Your disciple will certainly remember your teachings!"

Xu Yan nodded solemnly.

Yet inwardly, realization dawned on him. "I've reached Skin Tempering Completion. Master must be afraid that I'll seek quick success and immediately begin Bone Refining without laying a solid foundation."

"Even if I reach Skin Tempering Perfection, I must solidify my foundation before Bone Refining. I cannot be impatient and leave Master with the impression that I am rash and flighty."

Xu Yan warned himself not to become carried away or arrogant simply because his strength had improved!

Li Xuan had no idea that Xu Yan had already imagined all this for himself. He knew even less that Xu Yan had not only sensed blood and vitality, but had already reached Skin Tempering Completion.

Seeing Xu Yan obey so readily, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

"This disciple is quite an honest fellow. He's just not clever enough. If he had encountered anyone else, he'd probably have been swindled until his family was ruined and everyone was dead!"

"What a pity I'm not a Reclusive Master. Otherwise, taking in such a respectful and sensible disciple would have been a gratifying thing."

Li Xuan sighed inwardly.

Then he said, "As your master, I know that you must have accumulated some questions about cultivation. I can answer them for you now."

Xu Yan's spirits rose, and excitement appeared on his face.

"Master knows I am about to begin Bone Refining and must have questions about it. He first warned me not to be impatient and to calm my heart and steady my mind, then offered to answer my questions. This will both soothe my impatient heart and help me understand Bone Refining."

The more he thought about it, the more he felt that every word from his master was laden with profound meaning and teaching him something.

"Master, your disciple has no more questions about the method of Skin Tempering. I wish to ask about Bone Refining. Blood and vitality seep into the bones, constantly honing and tempering them. Are there any particular points to heed?"

"To what extent must Bone Refining be cultivated before it can be considered complete?"

Xu Yan asked his questions about Bone Refining, but Li Xuan froze inwardly. The explanations he had prepared in advance were all fabricated nonsense about sensing blood and vitality and the Skin Tempering stage.

He had never expected Xu Yan to ask about the method of Bone Refining. He had not prepared any fabricated nonsense about Bone Refining beforehand!

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