He Was Actually a Genius

Pine Crane Longevity Technique: Not Yet Entry Level 2/60

Seeing the progress increase by two points, the joy on Lin Xuankong's face deepened.

According to what the manual said, each cycle of cultivating the Pine Crane Longevity Technique would slightly alter one's foundation and physique, but such changes were exceedingly subtle. Under normal circumstances, they would not be nearly as obvious as his own!

His hands no longer trembled and his legs no longer went weak—the results were simply far too apparent. If the Huang Family's cultivators experienced such obvious changes after two cycles of cultivation, they would never have abandoned it!

This situation could only mean one thing.

His [Old and Vigorous] Destiny had truly increased his cultivation speed fiftyfold. His two cycles of cultivation perhaps really equaled one hundred cycles for other cultivators—an entire fifty days of cultivation. Only then could the changes in his body be this obvious!

The [Old and Vigorous] Destiny was truly powerful. There was absolutely hope for the Pine Crane Longevity Technique to reach Entry Level!

What if he worked even harder and cultivated one more cycle?

Lin Xuankong sat cross-legged on the bed again and silently circulated the mental method. Yet after barely a dozen breaths, his mind began to grow hazy. Moreover, the five points of Vitality remaining in the Vitality section of the information panel suddenly dropped by one. He hurriedly stopped circulating the mental method and relaxed his body.

It seemed this technique truly could only be cultivated twice a day. Otherwise, too much was as bad as too little, and it would instead drain his mind and Vitality.

Still, even if he cultivated only twice a day, after thirty days, he would definitely have a chance to reach Entry Level!

Furthermore, the Pine Crane Longevity Technique was an internal martial art. It could strengthen the physique from the inside out and likewise allow him to become a martial cultivator of the Mortal Transformation Realm!

Thinking of this, Lin Xuankong, whose heart had been stifled by his dwindling lifespan and the humiliation inflicted by Zhang Wu and the others, found a strange light blooming in his eyes. This Pine Crane Longevity Technique was so profound—it was the key to changing his destiny. From now on, he had to cultivate every day without fail!

In the blink of an eye, ten days passed.

Over these ten days, Lin Xuankong cultivated diligently without pause.

Li Xiaolan, meanwhile, disguised herself every day, went out to procure a dose of medicine that nourished Vitality, brewed it, and brought it into his room.

However, this young lady was the Eldest Young Lady's personal maidservant, and she unexpectedly was not very good at cooking. Lin Xuankong could only take charge of the kitchen himself, making vegetable porridge every day.

Though the conditions limited him and there were no seasonings to speak of, his cooking was quite good. The porridge was neither too soft nor too hard, and the vegetables were fresh and crisp. The young lady ate with great relish!

After spending many days together, that faint sense of distance between them slowly began to fade.

One morning,

after Lin Xuankong finished cultivating, he suddenly felt something unusual.

Normally, after he finished cultivating, the Vitality nourishing his body would gradually settle.

This time, however, after he finished circulating the technique, a faint strand of Vitality did not grow still. Instead, it began circulating on its own along the route of the mental method, condensing all the other Vitality together.

As that strand of Pine Crane Vitality circulated, the warm sensation became increasingly distinct. It seemed that with every passing moment, his body was gradually improving!

"Mortal Transformation Vitality!" Lin Xuankong was somewhat delighted.

According to the manual, after one's flesh and blood had been deeply nourished by Pine Crane Vitality, it would naturally produce a strand of Pine Crane Body Tempering Vitality. If a cultivator practiced diligently without pause, then once three strands of Mortal Transformation Vitality had accumulated and their Vitality had grown robust, they could advance into Mortal Transformation Layer One and possess the strength of a thousand jin!

In addition, the manual said that the Pine Crane Technique was a gradual internal art. A cultivator needed to train with a calm heart for one or two years before the first strand of Mortal Transformation Vitality would appear. Yet he had cultivated for only ten days, and Mortal Transformation Vitality had already appeared!

Pine Crane Longevity Technique: Not Yet Entry Level 20/60

He looked expectantly at the Pine Crane Longevity Technique's progress. Seeing it rise again to twenty points, he could not help feeling deeply satisfied.

In his delight, Lin Xuankong looked outside and was astonished to discover that, under the nourishment of Mortal Transformation Vitality, his formerly dim old eyes had gradually begun to see clearly!

It was only early morning.

The room was not especially bright yet, but he could clearly see every corner of the dilapidated Wooden Building!

He walked over to the corner and looked at a round iron ball tossed there. This iron ball had been kneaded into shape by Zhang Wu's Hundred Refinements Steel Saber, and it weighed a full seven or eight jin.

Lin Xuankong crouched down and grabbed it. The iron ball was lifted in one hand, and he did so with considerable ease. It felt as though even another four or five of them would pose no problem!

Remembering how he had once been utterly unable to lift this iron ball, Lin Xuankong's heart surged with excitement. His strength was now nearly on par with that of a young, sturdy man. After being nourished by Mortal Transformation Vitality, the change in someone who had once trembled even while walking was simply enormous!

"Huh?"

Li Xiaolan's slightly surprised voice sounded behind him.

Hearing her voice, Lin Xuankong's heart jumped. Just what layer of Mortal Transformation was Xiaolan at? She had unknowingly walked up behind him, yet he had not sensed her at all!

Lin Xuankong turned his head and saw Li Xiaolan staring at him with surprise on her pretty face.

Her bright eyes turned as she looked him up and down without stopping. Only after staring until Lin Xuankong's scalp prickled did she speak. "You've actually already cultivated Pine Crane Body Tempering Vitality?"

Since the young lady had sensed it, Lin Xuankong naturally could not hide it. "It was all thanks to you teaching me the technique, and to those medicinal soups that nourish Vitality!"

Li Mulan shook her head slightly. "Those medicinal soups that nourish Vitality are vastly inferior to the precious tonics consumed by the Huang Family's cultivators. They absolutely could not be the reason you cultivated Mortal Transformation Vitality.

"As far as I know, most Huang Family cultivators spent around two years cultivating with the Pine Crane Technique before producing their first strand of Mortal Transformation Vitality. Yet you took only ten days. This cultivation speed..."

Her brows drew together slightly. The Eldest Young Lady always said she was a once-in-ten-thousand cultivation genius, that among the several thousand cultivators in all of Great Marsh Prefecture, none could compare to her! When the Huang Family Matriarch humiliated her, the Eldest Young Lady had told her to endure it no matter what, not to stand out like a tree in the forest. So long as she devoted herself to cultivation, a day would come when she could rise above it all!

But when she had cultivated her first strand of Pine Crane Body Tempering Vitality, it had taken nearly two months.

If she was a once-in-ten-thousand genius, then what kind of monster was this fellow before her?

Most strangely of all, he had originally been nothing more than a little old man with failing Vitality!

Lin Xuankong said, "My cultivation may be a little fast. Perhaps my constitution is suited to cultivating the Pine Crane Technique!"

Seeing Li Xiaolan so astonished, Lin Xuankong casually made up an excuse.

Hearing this, Li Xiaolan furrowed her brows and pondered. There truly was such a thing in martial cultivation as whether one's constitution suited a technique. Perhaps that really was the reason? But even if his constitution suited the Pine Crane Technique, producing Mortal Transformation Vitality in a mere ten days was still far, far too fast!

Besides, even if that really was the reason, being surpassed so many times over in cultivation speed by a little old man with failing Vitality was still a harsh blow—though he was her...

Only after quite some time did calm gradually return to Li Xiaolan's breathtakingly beautiful face.

Then she put on a stern little expression, assuming the grave demeanor of a senior martial artist. "Since your talent is not bad and you are so well suited to cultivating the Pine Crane Technique, then cultivate properly!"

Yet that stern expression did not last long before the corners of her mouth rose playfully.

"Since you've already cultivated Mortal Transformation Vitality, you can be considered part of the martial world. Martial cultivators have always valued lineage. Since you learned this technique from me, call me Master from now on!"

Lin Xuankong froze, then shook his head repeatedly. "Since you and I are already married, how can we address each other as master and disciple? Wouldn't that be a complete mess?"

Li Xiaolan had been smiling, but when she heard him say that, her pretty face went blank...

Yet she quickly seemed to think of something and shot Lin Xuankong a glare. "Since you've cultivated Mortal Transformation Vitality and your body has grown stronger, hurry up and make flatbreads. Hurry up and earn money for the household!

"These past days, everything we've eaten, drunk, and used has been paid for with my dowry. Do you know how many years I saved to gather those scraps of silver? It's all been spent!

"Starting today, if you can't earn money, you won't be able to drink those medicinal soups that nourish Vitality anymore!"

Having said that, she paused. "When your Vitality is abundant, doing more physical labor is beneficial to cultivation. Hurry and get to work!"

Seeing her say this, the smile on Lin Xuankong's lips widened. "All right, all right. I'll definitely earn lots of money and take good care of you!"

After saying that, he strode briskly toward the back kitchen without waiting for Li Xiaolan's reply.

Li Xiaolan spat, "Hmph, who needs you to support me!"

However, after Lin Xuankong entered the back kitchen, she listened to the sounds of him busily working within. The resentment in her eyes quietly faded a little more.

Sitting down beside the table,

after marveling that the vast world contained every kind of monstrous genius, she silently thought to herself:

My dowry is almost gone. I should find a way to earn some money with him.

Back at the Huang Family, I learned embroidery from several maidservant sisters for a while. They all praised my embroidery as excellent! I could embroider some handkerchiefs and sell them.