Two Years

In the real world of the Great Yue Kingdom, before a martial artist could develop inner force, there were only three realms: Flesh Refining, Bone Forging, and Organ Refining.

As the names implied, these three realms respectively trained the muscles, bones, and internal organs of the human body. As for so-called "Skin Refining," it was utterly unheard of!

Yet now, this world was different from the real world—it actually had Skin Refining as a martial path training method. How could this not shock him? How could it not delight him?

"Could it be that this world's martial path isn't just backward, but its training methods are also completely different from the real world, allowing me to make up for parts of the human body that were never trained in the real world?"

Gu Han's heart raced with excited speculation. He wished he could start cultivating immediately to verify whether his guess was true or false.

Because if things really were as he imagined, then this world's martial path would be immensely useful to him.

After all, the human body itself was imperfect. Whether it was martial cultivation or immortal cultivation, the essence of both was to cultivate oneself, to make oneself more perfect, and to push the human body toward a higher level of evolution.

And two completely different yet complementary martial training methods would surely make Gu Han's physical body more perfect at the same realm. The results achieved would not be as simple as one plus one equaling two.

Even without thinking, Gu Han knew that this would definitely make him far stronger than any martial artist of the same realm from either world!

Invincible at the same realm, killing those above his level would be as easy as eating and drinking. It might even be possible in the future to use an Organ Refining body to rebel against and slay an Internal Qi Realm expert.

With this thought, Gu Han's heart surged with joy. Unable to contain himself any longer, he couldn't help asking Monk Yuanhai:

"May I ask, Uncle-Master, we already know about the Skin Refining realm, but the path of martial arts is vast and profound. I wonder what realms come after Skin Refining?"

Gu Han asked. Although he had inherited his predecessor's memories, unfortunately, his predecessor's enthusiasm for the martial path was far less than that of the little monk Jingyuan. He only knew how to chant sutras and recite Buddha's name every day, and was utterly ignorant of martial matters. Now, Gu Han was reaping the bitter fruit of that ignorance.

"Hm? Subsequent realms?"

Hearing Gu Han's question, Monk Yuanhai's face immediately showed a trace of displeasure.

Treasure Pearl Temple belonged to the Chan sect and was the foremost of all Chan sects under heaven. The martial arts it taught were upright and grand, progressing step by step, with a focus on avoiding arrogance and impatience.

But now, Gu Han, a mere novice monk who had just entered the gate and hadn't even learned the basic martial art "Arhat Fist," was already reaching for the sky, discussing the realms beyond Skin Refining Mastery. Such a flighty and restless temperament truly displeased him.

"Jingming, who told you to ask about these things? You haven't even entered the gate of the martial path, yet you're already so unsettled and aiming too high. This runs completely counter to our Chan sect's martial philosophy. How can you ever achieve anything in the martial path in the future? With such a temperament, if you don't change, even if you had excellent talent and bone structure, I'm afraid you'd still amount to little!

Enough. That's all for today. All of you, follow me outside to learn the fist techniques!"

Monk Yuanhai sighed at the end of his words, losing all interest in further discussion. He then strode out of the main hall with large steps.

Seeing Monk Yuanhai leave in anger, the group of young monks in the hall cast reproachful glances at Gu Han before following him out.

"This..."

Gu Han shook his head and sighed, feeling speechless inside:

"Being a monk means too many rules and regulations. I get lectured at the drop of a hat. But at least this place has plenty of martial arts, is peaceful and safe, and is far better than the Suicide Squad. It'll let me cultivate slowly and find a way to resolve the crisis in the real world."

Gu Han thought to himself, then followed the crowd to the Arhat Hall training ground.

Time flew like an arrow, days and months shuttled by like a shuttle. Spring passed and autumn came, summer arrived and winter returned. In the blink of an eye, a full two years had passed since Gu Han had crossed over to this world.

Great Yan, Fangnan Prefecture, Treasure Pearl Temple, Arhat Hall training ground. At this moment, dozens of bare-chested, sweat-drenched monks were training vigorously.

These monks were all young, appearing to be around ten years old, many still with childish faces. But each one exuded a formidable aura. Their bodies were solid with muscle, their skin like molten bronze that gleamed under the sunlight—steel tendons and iron bones. One look told you they were not to be trifled with.

Right now, some were practicing fist techniques, some were lifting stone locks, and some were walking on plum blossom stakes. Every one of them was light and agile, strong as an ox. But the most eye-catching of all was a handsome, masculine-faced young monk who was lifting a massive stone lock in each hand and tossing them into the air for training.

This person was Gu Han.

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh..."

Sounds of air being torn rang out as the stone locks sliced through the air, moving like phantoms in the void. In Gu Han's hands, this pair of stone locks, each weighing a full two hundred jin, was like cotton, tossed and played with at his whim.

Two years. Although two years wasn't a long time, for Gu Han, earth-shattering changes had already taken place.

Two years ago, he was a young monk who had just left childhood, with the strength to truss a chicken, barely considered a youth. Two years later, he had become a Skin Refining Mastery martial artist whose hide was as tough as an ox's, impervious to clubs, blunt knives, and blunt swords.

And compared to ordinary Skin Refining Mastery martial artists, he, possessing the martial arts of two worlds, was far stronger!

Because, while achieving Skin Refining Mastery, he was also a Flesh Refining Mastery martial artist from the other world!

"Hoo! Two years, and I've finally broken through to mastery in both Flesh Refining and Skin Refining!"

Feeling the solidity of his muscles and the toughness of his hide, Gu Han let the stone locks in his hands crash to the ground. They slammed into the hard training ground, instantly kicking up countless fine dust and gravel.

The effect of combining the martial arts of two worlds far exceeded Gu Han's expectations. Not only did it make his body and strength far surpass those of martial artists at the same level, but the two also complemented and promoted each other, making his cultivation progress far faster than if he had trained in only one.

It was precisely because of this terrifying boost that he, with his ordinary talent, had achieved such astonishing results.

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

Just as Gu Han finished his training, a monk of about fourteen or fifteen years old quickly ran up to him from the far end of the training ground, smiling ingratiatingly.

Back then, when Monk Yuanhai was teaching martial arts, Gu Han's hasty words had displeased Monk Yuanhai and many of his fellow disciples.

But over these two years, relying on his "formidable" martial arts talent, Gu Han's progress in the martial path had climbed steadily. He had long since become the undisputed senior brother of the Jing generation in Arhat Hall, even surpassing many outstanding disciples from the Dharma Institute and Prajna Hall.

Such achievements had not only shocked Monk Yuanhai and filled him with shame, but had also won the sincere admiration and willing submission of his fellow disciples. The monk Jingxin before him was one of them.

"Mm, I know. Thank you for the reminder, Junior Brother. I'll go to Uncle-Master Yuanqing's place to collect them now."

Gu Han smiled and nodded at Jingxin upon hearing this. Then he put down the two stone locks, put on his clothes, and followed him to the main hall to collect the Hundred Herb Pills.

Great Yan's Treasure Pearl Temple was not only unrivaled in martial arts, but also peerless in alchemy and medicine-making.

Not to mention the famous top-grade pills like the Lesser Returning Pill and the Greater Returning Pill, even the basic Hundred Herb Pill had astonishing medicinal effects. It could greatly accelerate a martial artist's progress. One pill down was often equivalent to ten days of hard training for an ordinary person, making countless martial artists in the jianghu green with envy.

"Uncle-Master Yuanqing, I've come to collect this month's pills."

In the noisy main hall of Arhat Hall, Gu Han strode in with a dragon's gait and a tiger's step. He walked up to a monk in a yellow robe and spoke in a steady voice.