Ye Qingxuan's thoughts raced. The golden characters in the scroll within his sea of consciousness seemed to sense something and suddenly contracted inward, transforming into a searing torrent that burst through the dam deep within his brain!
In an instant, he felt as though he had been thrown into an invisible furnace.
The blood and qi throughout his body were no longer a trickling stream, but a roaring, surging river that scoured every inch of flesh and every tendon and bone. His four limbs and bones throbbed with agony as they were forcibly torn apart and instantly reassembled, while his joints erupted with dense crackles like beans being stir-fried.
At the same time, the countless cultivation methods of Indestructible Vajra Body, the tricks for circulating blood and qi, and the art of controlling strength were no longer lifeless words. They transformed into the most vivid understanding, like a hundred rivers returning to the sea, pouring into his mind in their entirety.
It was as though he had painstakingly cultivated this technique for several months. From the pressure used to rub his skin, to the rhythm of striking his tendons and bones, to the method of coordinating his breathing and circulation, every detail was clear in his mind, transformed into bodily instinct. This was no longer an imitation of someone else's form, but a true mastery of its essence.
This earth-shaking transformation came swiftly and departed just as swiftly.
When that surging torrent of blood and qi finally settled and returned to his meridians, Ye Qingxuan felt his entire body grow light. The searing pain left behind by his earlier cultivation, the soreness and numbness in his muscles, and the exhaustion of his spirit had all vanished without a trace. His whole body felt comfortable, refreshed like never before.
He slowly opened his eyes, and a sharp glint flashed through them before vanishing.
He raised his left arm and examined it in the moonlight filtering through the window lattice. The skin that had previously been flushed red had returned to its normal color, but the flesh beneath it now possessed a far denser, tougher texture than before. He extended his right index finger and pressed down hard on his arm. The skin sank only slightly before being held up by a resilient force. It felt solid, like pressing against the time-hardened hide of an old ox.
He focused his thoughts again, and the scroll unfolded clearly in his sea of consciousness. The writing upon it had changed completely.
[Name: Ye Qingxuan] [Realm: Body Refining First Layer] [Martial Art: Indestructible Vajra Body (Progress: One Inch, Merit: 0/15)]
Body Refining First Layer!
Those four words made Ye Qingxuan's heartbeat skip. He was no longer an ordinary youth who had never even crossed the threshold of martial arts. He had truly set foot on the path of cultivation and become a martial artist.
From "Not Yet Initiated" to "Body Refining First Layer," Indestructible Vajra Body had advanced from "Zero Inches" to "One Inch." However, the Merit required for the next breakthrough had risen from five points to fifteen.
Ye Qingxuan rose from the edge of the bed and casually moved his hands and feet. His figure had not changed much; he still looked slender and lean. Yet every movement now carried a steady, solid air. He walked to the table, reached out with two fingers, and lightly pinched one of its legs. The muscles in his arm tightened slightly, and the solid-wood square table, weighing at least forty or fifty catties, was lifted half a foot off the ground with ease. He had not looked strained in the slightest.
He clenched his five fingers into a fist, feeling the abundant strength in his palm. The current him could at least beat two of his former selves!
With Indestructible Vajra Body initiated, the "One Inch" progress was like having another layer of tough, substantial inner armor beneath the skin throughout his body. When ordinary fists and kicks struck him, most of their force would be dispersed by this layer of flesh, greatly reducing the pain.
This was only the power of "One Inch." If he cultivated it to Two Inches, Three Inches, or even Great Accomplishment, what kind of spectacle would that be?
Ye Qingxuan set down the wooden table, his thoughts turning rapidly. He recalled that during the breakthrough, the warm current had not only helped him advance his Realm, but had also repaired all the fatigue and hidden injuries in his body, restoring him to his peak.
The Martial Path Heavenly Machine Codex actually possessed such miraculous effects!
An idea rose uncontrollably in his heart. Since his body had recovered, could he... cultivate once more?
Once the thought arose, he acted. Without the slightest delay, he returned to the bedside and sat cross-legged. He grabbed his old undershirt, wrapped it around his hand in a few quick turns, and began another round of rubbing.
Pain!
A scorching, searing agony once again spread from the skin of his arm. But compared with before the breakthrough, this pain was now easily endured. His flesh and skin had grown tougher after the breakthrough, and his tolerance had risen with the tide.
Sweat soon soaked his back again, but he gritted his teeth and persisted. His movements remained meticulous as he performed the technique he had long since mastered from beginning to end.
When his strength was nearly exhausted and his arm had become unbearably sore and numb, that familiar scroll appeared once more.
[Merit: +1]
It worked!
Ye Qingxuan exhaled a long breath of foul air and felt completely refreshed. He spread open his palm. A familiar warm current flowed slowly through his searing arm, repairing the damage.
He looked at the scroll again.
[Merit: 1/15]
He quickly began calculating. Two sessions in one night meant two points of Merit. To gather fifteen points, he needed only eight days. No—counting on his blood and qi recovering during the day, he might be able to cultivate once more at dawn.
In another seven days, he would be able to advance Indestructible Vajra Body another step and reach the Minor Accomplishment Realm!
The Fierce Tiger Hall had given him ten days.
There was enough time!
An unprecedented confidence rose from his chest. The enormous debt of fourteen taels of silver and Duan Tianbao's gloomy face no longer seemed quite so lofty and immovable.
That night, he slept exceptionally soundly.
The next day, before the sky had fully brightened, Ye Qingxuan awoke.
He did not disturb his younger sister in the inner room. He rose without a sound and repeated the previous night's cultivation. When that familiar warm current surged forth once more, the Merit in his sea of consciousness had become [2/15].
He put on his washed-out black uniform and felt his entire body brimming with energy, without the slightest trace of fatigue.
By the time he arrived at the Fengtian Division office, quite a few people had already gathered in the rear courtyard. Unlike usual, however, they were not scattered in their own clusters. Instead, they had formed a circle, from whose center came bursts of laughter and flattery.
Ye Qingxuan swept his gaze over the scene and immediately saw Zhang Lingxiao surrounded by the crowd.
The youth had changed into a brand-new fine-cotton black uniform today, with a cowhide belt around his waist and black cloth quick-boots on his feet. He was gesticulating as he spoke, his face full of the arrogance of a young man who had suddenly risen to prominence. Several equally young temporary constables clustered around him, each craning his neck with a broad smile and chiming in from time to time, their every word dripping with flattery.
"Qingxuan, over here."
Wei Datong emerged from who-knows-where, tugged at his sleeve, and jerked his chin toward the circle. Lowering his voice, he said, "See that? Young Master Zhang. I heard he went with his uncle to the West City Horse Market yesterday and picked out a fine horse. It cost a full fifty taels of silver! Good heavens, everyone in our lot couldn't earn that much in a lifetime."
His words carried that familiar sour tang.
Ye Qingxuan merely said, "Mm," and did not respond. He walked straight to the weapon rack in the corner and took down his standard short saber.
Wei Datong followed him, still wanting to say more. "Have you heard? Chief Constable Zhang intends to make the boy a full-time constable in two months. By then, he might even become a squad leader directly, with authority over people like us..."
Ye Qingxuan drew the short saber and carefully wiped its blade with a cloth without looking up. "The duty comes first."
Wei Datong received no encouragement and muttered to himself a few times before going to collect his own waist token.
Ye Qingxuan sheathed the short saber, his gaze passing over the noisy crowd and landing on the high eaves above the rear hall.
Yesterday, he had wanted to sit up there.
Today, he wanted to plant his feet on those eaves.
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