In the first year, you began absorbing the essence of various precious medicines. Using the incantations from the Qingqiu Body Tempering Art, you circulated the Blood Qi Power within your body and sent the medicinal energy to every part of yourself. Qingqiu Body Tempering Art, Initiation!
In the second year, you formally began cultivating the Qingqiu Body Tempering Art. Although you no longer had the support of medicines, your progress remained considerable.
In the twelfth year, after another round of cultivation, you gained a trace of insight. The Blood Qi Power within your body circulated rapidly, beginning to strengthen your physique. Qingqiu Body Tempering Art, Minor Accomplishment!
In the twenty-seventh year, without the aid of medicines, you could only rely on the Blood Qi Power within your body to slowly strengthen your physique. Finally, on this day, all the Blood Qi Power in your body surged toward your right hand. You suddenly gained a trace of insight, as if you could control every part of your right hand at will. From the skin to the bones, a thought was all it took to make it incomparably hard—hard enough to snap an iron sword with your bare hands. Qingqiu Body Tempering Art, Major Accomplishment!
In the thirty-seventh year, you spent a full ten years trying to strengthen your right hand again, but no matter how hard you tried, there was not the slightest effect. You understood that your current realm was the limit this incomplete cultivation art could reach. But you were unwilling to accept that, so you began secluded cultivation, attempting to deduce the next stage of the Qingqiu Body Tempering Art.
In the seventy-fifth year, you finally caught that fleeting spark of inspiration. You recited the incantations of the Qingqiu Body Tempering Art, which you had long since mastered, but they now carried a slightly different rhythm.
The range of your body enhancement had not increased, but you had instead carved out a new path. Using a special mental method, you could alter the range of enhancement. The parts as hard as iron were no longer restricted, and could be shifted to any part of your body in the blink of an eye.
Your face, your chest, even your crotch!
Qingqiu Body Tempering Art, Major Accomplishment!
In the seventy-sixth year, you did not choose to continue comprehending the Qingqiu Body Tempering Art and attempt to complete its deductions.
Because you had already realized that, at your current realm, the Qingqiu Body Tempering Art had reached the limits of its effectiveness.
If you wanted to take it a step further and bring about a qualitative improvement to your entire body, you needed some higher-level energy. The Blood Qi Power was clearly incapable of driving it any further.
Therefore, you began carefully comprehending the meridians associated with the Qingqiu Body Tempering Art.
In the eightieth year, you clearly sensed the meridians associated with the Qingqiu Body Tempering Art. There were six of them in total. Besides the five meridians you had already opened, there were actually two new meridians as well.
In the hundredth year, because you lacked the assistance of precious medicines, even after trying for twenty years, you had only managed to open a tiny crack in the sixth meridian. You guessed that fully opening it would require at least three hundred years.
The deduction ended!
This time, Shen Lin did not invest all his Demon Lifespan. He had only spent a hundred years to test the waters.
And the final result showed that this had been a wise decision.
If he had invested all his Demon Lifespan, he might have been able to open the sixth meridian.
But if he had done that, more than two hundred years of Demon Lifespan would have been wasted.
Since a Meridian-Opening Pill could solve the problem, why waste Demon Lifespan by forcing his way through it?
He had yet to collect the rewards for the demons he had slain earlier.
Shen Lin estimated that with so many demon corpses, exchanging them for a Meridian-Opening Pill should not be a problem.
Next, he would wait until he exchanged for the Meridian-Opening Pill before deducing the Qingqiu Body Tempering Art again.
For now, he had to deal with the trouble in front of him.
The instant his consciousness returned, everything around him resumed its original state, and time began to flow again.
The dark-green bathing pool from before had become crystal clear, as all the medicinal energy within it had been completely absorbed by Shen Lin.
At that moment, the clear water parted to both sides. A slender sword, carrying astonishing force, thrust straight toward Shen Lin's chest along the surface of the water.
Looking at the black-clad figure before him, who was brimming with killing intent and had attacked without a word, Shen Lin could not help sighing.
Beneath those bright eyes was a fair and charming face.
Shen Lin felt that this was the reason she had attacked him without hesitation.
Who could have guessed that the wanted thief who had committed several crimes in Qiulin County and even killed a martial artist serving as a guard would turn out to be such a charming woman?
Only...
You broke into my house, casually removed your own veil, and revealed your true face...
And now you still want to kill me?
Shen Lin frowned and moved his mind, but his body remained leaning against the edge of the bathing pool without moving at all.
The next moment, the slender sword struck Shen Lin in the heart.
When the black-clad thief saw that her sword had landed solidly, her eyes relaxed slightly.
However, when the slender sword struck Shen Lin's flesh, it only sank in a little.
Then the blade began to bend, as though it had not struck flesh and blood, but a thick steel plate.
The sight left the thief rooted to the spot, her eyes filled with confusion.
But the next moment, a whistling sound brought her back to her senses. She hurriedly raised her left hand to block in front of her.
Bang!
After a muffled impact, the thief's body drifted backward like a falling leaf and lightly returned to its original position.
Shen Lin slowly withdrew his fist and rose from the bathing pool.
Water trickled down his well-defined muscles. His body, as perfectly proportioned as a work of art, was filled with explosive power.
"Listen..."
Shen Lin slowly walked out of the bathing pool and stood before the thief, speaking with an annoyed expression. "I bought this house with real money, you know. You—"
Before he could finish, the thief opposite him attacked once more.
When the thief had first seen Shen Lin's naked body, her face had flushed bright red. She had instinctively turned her head away and had even considered leaving immediately.
But perhaps remembering that her true face had been exposed, she forcibly stopped herself.
Then she saw Shen Lin's feet moving slowly opposite her.
His target was a long sword leaning against the wall.
In an instant, her thoughts raced, and she swiftly attacked.
Her opponent was naked, while she was holding a long sword.
Although he had just blocked her sword with his flesh, a body-tempering technique like this would always have a vital point.
Whoosh!
Shen Lin turned his head aside, dodging the sword thrust aimed at his throat.
Although his opponent was a woman, her strength was not to be underestimated.
That sword strike alone had left Shen Lin's internal organs in turmoil, despite the fact that he had blocked it with the Qingqiu Body Tempering Art.
The force behind that sword was only slightly weaker than his current strength.
It was roughly equivalent to the level Shen Lin had possessed after opening four meridians.
With no weapon in hand, he was at too great a disadvantage!
Thinking this, Shen Lin bent down and dodged another sword strike before charging toward his own sword.
But the next moment, he felt a chill run down his back. An ominous premonition made him abandon the thought, and he dodged to the side.
"Damn! Was that a Thousand Year Kill?"
The female thief did not respond. Her face only grew even redder as the long sword in her hand slashed toward...
Little Shen Lin!
Before you continue