Dawn was still dim, and a sliver of fish-belly white seeped in through the gap in the broken courtyard gate.
The muffled thuds and panting in the courtyard had stopped at some point.
Ye Qingxuan leaned against the base of the wall and slowly slid down to sit on the ground. He tried to straighten his back, but a sharp, tingling pain shot from his tailbone straight to the back of his neck, forcing him to hunch over. Every breath tugged at the muscles in his chest and back, burning fiercely.
He lowered his head and looked. Both arms and his entire chest were a horrifying red, as though they had been scalded by boiling water. His skin was stretched taut and covered in fine spots of blood. In some places, it had even rubbed raw, and beads of blood mixed with sweat, sticky and clammy.
This body was simply too weak.
One night of bitter cultivation had earned him a little Merit, but it had also pushed his body almost to its limit. If he kept going, he feared his body would collapse before his martial arts even took shape.
Leaning against the cool wall, he closed his eyes, intending to catch his breath first.
"Creak—"
The door to the inner room opened.
Ye Caiwei came hurrying out in small steps, carrying a bowl of water. When she saw Ye Qingxuan in the courtyard, she stopped short. The coarse porcelain bowl in her hand wobbled, spilling a little water.
Her small mouth opened, but no sound came out. She merely ran to Ye Qingxuan, crouched down, and stared at the glaring red marks covering him. Mist instantly filled her large eyes, trembling on the verge of spilling over.
She reached out, wanting to touch her brother's arm, but her fingertips stopped in midair. She did not dare let them fall, afraid of hurting him.
"Big brother..."
Her voice was choked with tears, like a frightened kitten.
Ye Qingxuan opened his eyes and pulled out a smile for her. The smile tugged at the muscles in his face, making him bare his teeth with a wince.
"It's nothing. I was just practicing."
He reached for the bowl, but the moment he moved his arm, another stabbing pain tore through him.
Ye Caiwei quickly brought the bowl to his lips, supporting its bottom with her other small hand and holding it steady.
The cool water slid down his throat, dousing the dry fire in his organs. After finishing the bowl, Ye Qingxuan let out a long breath of stale air.
"Nannan, go to Butcher Wang at the end of the street later and buy half a jin of beef. Get some with tendons. Then go to Zhang's Grocery and weigh out ten eggs." Leaning against the wall, Ye Qingxuan's voice was somewhat weak but perfectly clear. "The money's in the rice jar by the stove, wrapped in oiled paper."
"Big brother, we..." Ye Caiwei bit her lip. Beef was terribly expensive, and those few copper coins had been saved for emergencies.
"Go buy it." Ye Qingxuan's tone left no room for argument. "Your big brother's practicing martial arts and using up his qi and blood. I have to replenish them. If we don't eat our fill, how will I have the strength to earn money? How will I have the strength to protect Nannan?"
He added, "From now on, we'll have meat at every meal."
Ye Caiwei looked at her brother's resolute expression, then at the injuries covering him. The mist in her eyes finally condensed into tears and rolled down her cheeks. She said nothing more, merely nodded hard before turning and running inside to get the money.
Watching his little sister's thin, small back, Ye Qingxuan's gaze softened. He knew that the child understood everything.
Weariness surged over him like a tide. His eyelids grew heavier and heavier. His head tilted, and he fell asleep against the wall.
He slept deeply and dreamlessly.
He did not know how long had passed before he was awakened by the fragrance of food.
When he opened his eyes, the sky was already dusky gold. The afterglow of the setting sun coated the little courtyard in warmth. At some point, his sister had dragged the broken door panel to the corner and leaned it there neatly.
He moved his body, preparing to stand.
The excruciating pain he expected did not come.
Instead, there was a deep soreness buried in his muscles, like the feeling after resting from a trek of dozens of li through the mountains. It did not hurt, but his entire body felt uncomfortable.
He raised his arm and examined it in the light of the setting sun.
The frightening redness from that morning had faded by more than half, leaving only a faint pink. The places where his skin had broken had all formed thin scabs.
He tried clenching his fist, then opened it again. His arm moved freely. Aside from the soreness, there was no stiffness at all.
This...
Ye Qingxuan's heart skipped a beat.
The injuries caused by a night of torture-like tempering could never have improved so much after only one sleep. Unless... it was the Martial Path Heavenly Machine Codex.
He focused and looked inward. The scroll in his mind still floated there in silence.
[Name: Ye Qingxuan] [Realm: None] [Martial Art: Indestructible Vajra Body (Progress: Zero Cun, Merit: 1/5)]
The writing had not changed at all.
But the changes in his body were real.
A flicker entered Ye Qingxuan's eyes. He remembered the words in the description: "accompanied by the Method of Concealing Radiance and Nourishing Obscurity." He had originally thought it merely meant concealing his cultivation realm so outsiders could not see through him. But now that he considered it, it was probably not that simple.
The Heavenly Machine Codex could not only quantify bitter cultivation as Merit; it could also silently repair the damage to his body afterward, ensuring that his foundation did not suffer. In this way, he could greatly shorten the intervals between cultivation sessions, compressing the painful training that would take others several days to recover from into a single day!
"Not a single inch of effort wasted; every gain lasts forever..." Ye Qingxuan murmured, the curve of his lips growing wider and wider. This isn't a cheat. This is plainly a road to the heavens!
"Big brother, you're awake!"
Ye Caiwei emerged from the kitchen carrying a plate of stir-fried greens. When she saw him awake, a huge smile spread across her face. Behind her, the firelight from the stove shone out, and something seemed to be stewing in the pot, bubbling and filling the air with the rich scent of meat.
"I'm awake. What delicious food are you making?" Ye Qingxuan stood and stretched his limbs.
"Beef stewed with radishes, and steamed egg custard!" Ye Caiwei announced proudly.
The siblings sat down at the small table. The beef had been stewed until tender, the radishes had soaked up the broth, and there was also a bowl of golden, silky steamed egg custard.
Ye Qingxuan picked up a piece of beef and put it in his mouth. The rich meat and the sense of replenished qi and blood slid down his throat into his stomach, transforming into warmth that nourished every limb and bone.
The depletion from a night of bitter cultivation seemed to be made whole in this moment.
"Big brother, don't you have to report for duty today?" Ye Caiwei asked curiously as she nibbled at her food.
"Today's my rest day." Ye Qingxuan placed a large piece of beef in his sister's bowl. "Hurry up and eat. Eat well and grow tall."
He remembered something else and said to Ye Caiwei, "Nannan, from now on, when your big brother practices and you see injuries on me, don't panic. They're a necessary step. Those who practice martial arts must temper their skin, flesh, sinews, and bones a thousand times over before they can become steel."
He was giving his sister advance warning, so she would not spend every day worrying about him in the future.
Ye Caiwei nodded as though she understood, but she kept transferring the beef from her own bowl into her brother's. "Big brother works so hard practicing. Big brother, eat more."
The meal was thoroughly satisfying.
Half a jin of beef, ten eggs, and two large bowls of coarse rice all disappeared into Ye Qingxuan's stomach. He felt warm all over and brimming with strength. Even the last trace of soreness seemed to have faded considerably.
This was martial arts: inseparable from oil, salt, firewood, rice, livelihood, and every step forward or back. Without this abundant supply of qi and blood, even the finest method and strongest determination would be water without a source, a tree without roots.
Night grew deep once more.
Ye Caiwei had already gone to sleep.
After clearing away the bowls and chopsticks, Ye Qingxuan ladled out a dipper of cold water from the vat and poured it over his head.
This time, he did not hesitate in the slightest. He skillfully wrapped his arms with cloth, picked up the cloth bundle of wood ash, and stood in the center of the courtyard.
Begin!
Rub and scrub. Strike and slap.
The same steps, the same pain.
His skin rubbed against the coarse cloth with a rustling sound. His palms struck his flesh with dull smacks.
Sweat soon soaked through his clothes again.
Pain!
That familiar, scorching agony swept over his entire body once more.
But this time, Ye Qingxuan's state of mind was entirely different.
He knew that not one part of this pain would be wasted. It would become the purest nourishment, feeding his frail body. It would turn into every bit of Merit on the scroll, paving him a path to defy the heavens and change his fate.
Effort brought reward. That feeling truly was addictive!
The light in his eyes grew brighter and brighter, while the movements of his hands grew faster and heavier.
He forgot time. He forgot fatigue. Only one thought remained in his mind—faster, heavier!
"Smack!"
Another heavy blow landed.
The instant his palm fell, that ancient and vast voice rang out in his mind for the third time.
[Unceasing bitter cultivation, not a single inch of effort wasted... Merit +1]
The moment the voice faded, a warm current, thicker and hotter than the last, suddenly surged from deep within his body!
The current was like a rushing stream, sweeping through his limbs and bones in an instant. Wherever it passed, the heart-rending pain was wiped away, replaced by indescribable comfort.
He could even clearly "see" the qi and blood surging beneath his reddened skin. His muscle fibers writhed and reformed slightly, becoming tougher and sturdier.
The scroll in his mind flashed with light.
[Martial Art: Indestructible Vajra Body (Progress: Zero Cun, Merit: 2/5)]
He had done it!
Ye Qingxuan stopped moving and slowly exhaled. A white arrow of breath shot far into the night.
He looked down at his hands, then touched his chest. His skin was still warm, but the burning pain was gone.
He clenched his fists, and a sensation of unprecedented strength surged up from deep within his sinews and bones.
This was only two points of Merit!
If he completed all five points of Merit and opened the first cun of the Indestructible Vajra Body, what kind of scene would that be?
Roaring flames ignited in Ye Qingxuan's eyes.
Nine days!
He still had nine days!
He looked toward the mouth of the alley, as though he could already see Duan Tianbao's face wearing that false smile.
Just wait.
Next time, I won't put on an act for you anymore.
Before you continue