Body Tempering

Body Tempering. Jiang Ning walked along the road, looking at the buildings lining both sides of the street and constantly comparing them to the changes of the future.

After the old houses here were demolished, a large number of residents became rich from relocation compensation. Then, a thirty-two-story building rose from the ground and would become a new landmark in the future.

As Jiang Ning recalled the past, that immense sense of alienation gradually faded, and the feeling of having his feet firmly on the ground returned.

He sensed the spiritual energy around him and found its concentration far, far lower than that of the sect where he had cultivated in his previous life.

The denser the spiritual energy, the faster one could cultivate. If it fell below a certain level, even with his Heavenly Spiritual Root aptitude, he would find it troublesome.

As Jiang Ning continued walking, half an hour later, he had moved away from the city center. The greenery here was better, and the spiritual energy was nearly thirty percent denser than before.

He kept walking and, without realizing it, arrived at the river dam. A smooth Asphalt Road had been built atop the dam.

There were countless people taking walks and jogging. Some old men carried tiny Bluetooth speakers in their hands, playing opera as they strolled along leisurely. There was even an old man selling fish by the roadside.

Jiang Ning stood to one side and looked out. His view was remarkably open. In the distance, a river flowed quietly, with numerous boats moored across its hundred-meter-wide surface.

This was the Hui River.

The spiritual energy concentration here was nearly double that of the city center, enough to support Jiang Ning's cultivation.

Given a second chance at life, Jiang Ning naturally would not give up cultivation.

Cultivation had far too many benefits. Even if one could not attain the Great Dao of immortality, it could strengthen the body, prolong life, and grant abilities beyond the reach of ordinary people.

Jiang Ning had not forgotten the helplessness and misery of watching his family members fall gravely ill and be hospitalized, paying exorbitant medical bills yet still being unable to save their loved ones.

Now, as long as he cultivated and became an immortal cultivator, he could refine a few targeted Pills and ensure his family's lifelong safety.

Moreover, living in modern society, Jiang Ning could hardly guarantee wealth and status without relying on cultivation.

Before encountering immortal cultivation in his previous life, he had merely been an ordinary office worker. Even though he possessed foreknowledge and knew everything that would happen in the future, his methods might not have been enough if he had to contend with those true titans of the business world.

Cultivation was his greatest talent.

Jiang Ning glanced at a village beneath the distant river dam. Near the Dam, a row of single-story houses looked rather old.

That was also where he planned to rent a place.

During Jiang Ning's senior year in his previous life, when he returned to Yuzhou City for an internship, a piece of news broke.

During the renovation of old houses, the foundation had been dug too deep, uncovering a small jar. The Gold Bars inside had sparked a scramble among the workers, leading to bloodshed and causing quite a stir.

Jiang Ning had gone there to see the commotion at the time. The location was precisely the third house from the west in that row of single-story homes.

The jar had not yet been unearthed. If Jiang Ning took it now, he could also prevent a bloody incident. Why not?

There would be quite a few similar opportunities over the next few years. For example, in 2017, several people in Yuzhou City studied lottery tickets and bought many together. One of them won, with a prize of over eight million yuan for a single ticket.

But that would not happen until 2017, and there were too many variables with lotteries. Jiang Ning had never trusted them. By 2017, he would have achieved success in cultivation and would not need the help of a mere lottery ticket.

What he needed to do now was rent the house before school started, move in himself, and then dig out the jar.

This place was roughly three kilometers from No.4 Middle School. It took fifteen minutes by bike or forty minutes on foot, which was barely suitable.

Jiang Ning glanced at the sky. The sun had already set, so he simply made a call and told his Aunt that he would be eating out that night.

Uncle and his Cousin ran a restaurant and often did not return until Early Morning, so Aunt had no objection after hearing this. She merely mentioned it to Cousin's Wife and Shen Qing'e.

Shen Qing'e felt upset when she heard it. Jiang Ning had come to Yuzhou with her and said he would take her out to have fun, yet this was how things turned out on the very first day. He was going too far.

She secretly decided that when Jiang Ning returned, she would not say a single word to him.

She even decided that she would not look at schools with Jiang Ning tomorrow unless he coaxed her and took her to Snack Street!

As night fell, the streetlights along the Hui River Dam lit up, and more and more pedestrians appeared.

Jiang Ning paced as he considered what cultivation art he should practice.

The cultivation art he had practiced in his previous life was the Ice Soul Life Creation Art. Once cultivated to a profound realm, one's seven emotions and six desires would fade away, leaving no worldly cravings. The entire person would become like a piece of wood.

In this life, Jiang Ning would absolutely never touch it again. If a person lost all desire, what meaning was there in living? Jiang Ning searched through the cultivation arts in his mind and, after some selection, chose three: one for Mana, one for Spiritual Sense, and one for body refinement.

He decided to cultivate all three paths together.

The immortal cultivation world was rich in spiritual energy. In his previous life, Jiang Ning had focused solely on Mana in his early days, only cultivating his Spiritual Sense and physical body after reaching a certain realm.

Now, spiritual energy in the Current Realm was sparse. Cultivating all three paths side by side was more suitable for rapidly increasing his strength. Although modern society was not particularly suited for cultivation, its immense industrial productivity also possessed advantages beyond the reach of the cultivation world.

For example, the Transformer Box by the roadside ahead that continuously emitted a buzzing noise.

A sign on the Transformer Box read: "High voltage danger. Do not approach."

Jiang Ning sensed an electromagnetic field emanating from around it. If ordinary people got too close to the transformer box, they would likely encounter danger.

Such incidents had been reported in the news everywhere.

Jiang Ning did not dare get close either. His body was currently frail and lacked exercise, so he simply could not withstand high voltage.

Within the Fallen Cloud Sect Treasury was a cultivation art called the Nine Heavens Divine Lightning Body Tempering Art, a supreme body-refining technique.

Tens of thousands of years ago, it had been the sect-defending art of a certain power. That power had relied on a lightning domain to rise swiftly. At its peak, it produced three Nascent Soul Great Perfection cultivators, all peerless among their peers in combat strength, and dominated the entire immortal cultivation world for nearly a thousand years.

Later, the lightning domain vanished, and the sect declined.

When Jiang Ning had chosen a body-refining technique back then, he had considered this powerful art, but ultimately given it up. Lightning domains were scarce in the immortal cultivation world, and one could only rely on the heavens to grant lightning. That did not accord with the heart of cultivation.

But now, with a Transformer Box nearby, Jiang Ning immediately decided to cultivate the Nine Heavens Divine Lightning Body Tempering Art.

He sat by the roadside two meters away from the transformer box, facing the Hui River. This was not particularly close; the old men and women passing by were even closer than he was.

Jiang Ning practiced the lightning art. With his aptitude and the knowledge from his previous life, he quickly entered the beginner stage.

While within the electromagnetic field, he should not have been conductive, yet through this cultivation art that seized the wonders of heaven and earth, he guided electric current into his body from a distance.

"Hiss..."

Jiang Ning sucked in a sharp breath. The faint current entering his body made his skin itch and his hairs stand on end. He could not help trembling all over, but fortunately, no one noticed him beneath the cover of night.

Jiang Ning continuously moved the electric current through his body, tempering his physique. Feeling his body grow stronger bit by bit, he became immersed in it.

Time passed quietly. The number of pedestrians atop the river dam gradually increased, then slowly dwindled away. Only then did Jiang Ning rise.

He ran his fingertip across his T-shirt, and a streak of electricity flashed abruptly, strikingly conspicuous.

Jiang Ning clenched his fist. His slender muscles swelled as the current circulated, brimming with power. Body refinement truly defied the heavens. A few hours of cultivation rivaled two months of running.

This was immortal cultivation.

He checked his phone. It was already ten thirty at night.

"Assuming nothing unexpected happens, Junlong's high-speed train should arrive at eleven tonight." Jiang Ning muttered to himself. Jiang Junlong was Uncle's younger son.