Two Years

In the Great Yue Kingdom of the real world, before martial artists cultivated inner force, there were only three realms ahead of them: Flesh Refining, Bone Forging, and Organ Refining.

As their names implied, these three realms respectively tempered the muscles, bones, and internal organs of the human body. As for so-called Skin Tempering, it was simply unheard of!

Yet this world differed from the real world and actually possessed a martial training method like Skin Tempering. How could this not astonish him? How could it not delight him?

"Could it be that not only is martial arts in this world behind that of the real world, but its training methods are also entirely different? Could they fill in the parts of the human body that had never been trained in the real world?"

Gu Han guessed excitedly, wishing he could begin cultivating at once to verify whether it was true.

For if things truly were as he suspected, then the martial arts of this world would be of immense use to him.

After all, the human body itself was imperfect. Whether martial cultivation or immortal cultivation, both fundamentally involved cultivating oneself—making a person more perfect and driving the human body to evolve toward higher levels.

Two entirely different yet mutually complementary martial training methods would undoubtedly make Gu Han's physical body far more perfect than those of others at the same realm. The result would be far more than a simple one plus one equals two.

Without even needing to think about it, Gu Han knew this would surely make him vastly stronger than martial artists of the same realm in either world!

Invincible within the same realm, fighting and killing those above his level as easily as eating and drinking—perhaps even using an Organ Refining body to defeat Internal Qi Realm experts in the future—none of that would be impossible.

At that thought, Gu Han was overjoyed. Unable to restrain himself any longer, he asked Monk Yuanhai:

"May I ask, Martial Uncle, we already know of the Skin Tempering realm, but the path of martial arts is broad and profound. What realms come after Skin Tempering?"

Although Gu Han had inherited the original owner's memories, unfortunately, the original owner had been far less passionate about martial arts than the little monk Jingyuan. He only knew how to chant sutras and recite the Buddha's name every day, and could be said to know absolutely nothing about martial arts. Now, Gu Han had to swallow the bitter fruit of that ignorance.

"Hm? The subsequent realms?"

Upon hearing Gu Han's question, Monk Yuanhai immediately revealed a trace of displeasure.

Treasure Pearl Temple belonged to the Chan sect and stood at the head of Chan sects throughout the land. The martial arts it taught were upright and grand, advancing step by step while guarding against arrogance and impatience.

Yet Gu Han was merely a young novice monk who had only just entered the temple. He had not even learned the foundational martial art, Arhat Fist, yet he was already aiming too high and discussing realms beyond Skin Refining Mastery. Such flighty temperament truly displeased Monk Yuanhai.

"Jingming, who told you to ask such things? You have not even entered the gate of martial arts, yet your mind is already so unsettled, so eager to reach beyond your grasp. This simply runs contrary to the martial principles of our Chan sect. How will you ever achieve anything in martial arts? If you do not correct this temperament in the future, then forget ordinary aptitude—even with excellent innate talent and bone structure, you would still struggle to become a great vessel!

"Enough. We will stop here today. Come with me outside and learn some boxing!"

By the end, Monk Yuanhai let out a sigh. He had completely lost the mood to speak further, then strode out of the main hall.

Seeing Monk Yuanhai leave in anger, the young monks in the hall all shot Gu Han reproachful looks before following after him.

"This..."

Gu Han shook his head and sighed helplessly, inwardly speechless.

"Being a monk really comes with far too many rules. At the slightest provocation, you get a sermon. Still, this place has plenty of martial arts and is peaceful and safe. It is better than the Suicide Squad by who knows how many times over. I can cultivate here slowly and resolve the crisis in the real world."

With that in mind, Gu Han followed the group toward the Arhat Hall training grounds.

Time flew like an arrow, and the years raced by like a shuttle. Spring went and autumn came; summer arrived and winter returned. In the blink of an eye, two full years had passed since Gu Han crossed into this world.

In the training grounds of Arhat Hall at Treasure Pearl Temple in Fangnan Prefecture, Great Yan, dozens of bare-chested monks were currently training with all their might, their bodies drenched in sweat.

These monks were all quite young, appearing to be only around ten years old. Many still retained traces of childishness, yet every one of them carried an imposing air. Their muscles were solid, their skin seemed cast from molten bronze and gleamed beneath the sunlight. Steel sinews and iron bones—one glance was enough to tell that they were not to be trifled with.

At this moment, some were practicing boxing, some were lifting stone locks, and some were crossing plum blossom stakes. Every one of them was light and agile, powerful as an ox. Yet the most conspicuous among them was still a handsome and vigorous young monk, training by tossing two enormous stone locks with one hand each.

That person was Gu Han.

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh..."

The sounds of tearing air rang out as the stone locks ripped through the air, moving through the sky like phantoms. In Gu Han's hands, the pair of stone locks, each weighing a full two hundred jin, seemed like cotton as he casually played with them.

Two years. Though those two years had not been long, earth-shaking changes had already taken place for Gu Han.

Two years ago, he had been a young monk who had only just left childhood behind, powerless enough that he could not even truss a chicken, barely qualifying as a youth. Yet two years later, he had become a Skin Refining Mastery martial artist, his skin as tough as an oxhide and unafraid of clubs, blunt knives, or dull swords striking his body.

And compared to ordinary Skin Refining Mastery martial artists, he was vastly stronger because he possessed the martial arts of two worlds!

For while reaching Skin Refining Mastery, he had also become a Flesh Refining Mastery martial artist of the other world!

"Ha! After two years, I have finally brought both Flesh Refining and Skin Tempering to mastery!"

Feeling the solidity of his muscles and the resilience of his skin, Gu Han let the stone locks in his hands crash to the ground. They smashed into the hard training ground, instantly sending countless tiny specks of dust and gravel flying.

The power produced by combining the martial arts of two worlds had far exceeded Gu Han's expectations. Not only had it made his body and strength vastly surpass those of martial artists at the same level, but the two methods also complemented and promoted one another, causing his cultivation progress to far exceed that of cultivating either one alone.

It was precisely because of this terrifying boost that someone of ordinary aptitude like him had achieved such frightening results.

"Senior Brother Jingming! Senior Brother Jingming! This month's Hundred Herb Pills have arrived."

After Gu Han finished training, a monk of around fourteen or fifteen hurried over from the far side of the training ground and smiled at him somewhat ingratiatingly.

When Monk Yuanhai had taught martial arts that day, Gu Han had spoken too quickly and incurred the displeasure of Monk Yuanhai and many of his fellow disciples.

However, over the past two years, relying on his "formidable" talent for martial arts, Gu Han's cultivation had risen steadily step by step. He had long become the undisputed senior brother among the Jing Generation of Arhat Hall, even surpassing quite a few outstanding disciples from the Dharma Institute and Prajna Hall.

Such achievements had not only greatly astonished Monk Yuanhai and filled him with shame, but had also won the wholehearted admiration of his fellow disciples, who willingly conceded defeat. Junior Brother Jingxin before him was one of them.

"Mm, I understand. Thank you for the reminder, Junior Brother. I'll go collect them from Martial Uncle Yuanqing now."

Gu Han smiled and nodded to Jingxin. He then set down the two stone locks, put on his clothes, and headed with him toward the main hall to collect the Hundred Herb Pills.

Treasure Pearl Temple of Great Yan was not only unmatched in martial arts in the present age, but also peerless throughout the land in alchemy and medicine-making.

Leaving aside renowned top-grade pills such as the Lesser Returning Pill and Greater Returning Pill, even the basic Hundred Herb Pill possessed astonishing medicinal effects. It could greatly accelerate a martial artist's progress, and a single pill often equaled ten days of bitter cultivation for an ordinary person, making countless wanderers of the martial world green with envy.

"Martial Uncle Yuanqing, I have come to collect this month's pills."

Within the bustling main hall of Arhat Hall, Gu Han strode in with the gait of a dragon and the stride of a tiger. Stopping before a yellow-robed monk, he spoke in a calm, steady voice.

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