Tiger and Leopard Hidden in Deep Mountains, Qilin Buried in Fields

"You need to think this through carefully."

Old Liang slowly opened the 300ml bottle of Golden Elixir, scooped some out with a spoon, and placed it on a tray to heat over an alcohol lamp.

The golden gel melted bit by bit, sizzling and forming a thick liquid that gave off a rich, fragrant aroma.

"That's quite something!"

Qin Shi's nose twitched, and his spirit suddenly surged.

The faint warmth of Qi, which he normally had to feel through standing meditation, suddenly appeared.

"Golden Elixir is a secret medicine of Old Martial Arts, a bestseller in the Tianzhu Autonomous Region. It once led to the three-eyed crocodile being hunted to the point of becoming a protected animal. Fortunately, artificial farming techniques were developed to prevent its extinction. But the price remains high."

Old Liang smiled. He had tried it in his youth, crying and screaming from the pain, as if his skin had been peeled off alive.

"This stuff has obvious side effects. It was later banned by the New Martial Arts faction. It burns the skin and causes sharp pain to the nerves, even leading to self-harm.

If we follow Old Gu's method, I'm afraid you won't be able to endure it."

"What are the benefits?"

Qin Shi asked directly.

In both his past and present lives, he wasn't afraid of hardship, only of effort without reward.

"Sinews are distributed throughout the limbs and joints, connecting and restraining them. In Old Martial Arts, there's a saying: 'An inch longer in sinew, a hundred jin stronger in strength.'

Firstly, your strength, stamina, and reaction speed will all improve significantly.

Secondly, it can help you break through the sinew barrier and enter the First Limit, allowing your vitality to condense and nourish your body.

Simply put, you'll gain two or three points of vitality, or perhaps four or five if you absorb it well."

Old Liang told him truthfully. He had a rough idea of how this new disciple would choose.

The children of Old Factory Street workers mostly had a tenacious spirit, daring to fight and strive.

And Qin Shi was an outstanding among them.

That strong desire to change, hidden deep within his heart.

It was particularly prominent!

"Then let's do it!"

As expected, Qin Shi's eyes practically lit up upon hearing about such a significant increase in vitality.

He was currently around nine points. If he gained two or three more, he would directly reach the passing line for amateur level nine.

If he pushed further, he had a good chance of advancing to level eight before school started.

He'd be a standout student in the elite class!

"Your mindset... if my grand-teacher saw it, he'd definitely praise you, saying you have 'deep Daoist nature.'

He favored this kind of personality the most, only asking if something could be done or not, not whether it was possible or impossible.

I was often scolded by him in the past, told I was indecisive and hesitant when facing matters."

Old Liang nodded. In any case, with him watching, he would stop Qin Shi if he couldn't bear it.

"Get ready, clean yourself up. When this bottle of Golden Elixir heats up a bit more, we'll begin."

"Sister Hong, is Teacher Liang here again?"

Outside, Yan Shuang, whom Qin Shi privately called "Long-haired pretty boy," asked.

"Mm, he didn't order you this time, just a room and some tools."

The wavy-haired female manager said while busy with her work:

"That young man, is he Teacher Liang's student? He never brought students here more than once before. This is quite unusual!"

Yan Shuang lowered his head and smiled:

"It means that young man has truly caught Teacher Liang's eye."

He sat properly on the rattan chair, legs together, looking extremely refined, his gaze calmly fixed on the room opposite.

"I'm ready."

Qin Shi took a quick shower, a bath towel wrapped around his waist, looking like he had just finished something.

"Sit down."

Old Liang picked up the silver-handled spoon, scooped out the melted Golden Elixir from the alcohol lamp. The viscous liquid, now like paste, was inexplicably scalding hot.

The alcohol lamp's temperature wasn't actually very high, but the secret medicine of Old Martial Arts called "Golden Elixir" had a special nature. Once heated and boiled, it would rapidly boil.

"If you can't take it, don't force yourself."

Old Liang gave a final instruction, then immediately began carefully applying the substance along Qin Shi's spine.

Hiss!

The instant the viscous liquid touched his skin, the veins on Qin Shi's forehead throbbed violently.

It felt like scalding, potent glue being splashed onto his back, sticking tightly to his body.

Then, once it dried, it would be ripped off with a violent tear, taking large chunks of bloody flesh with it.

In just a few short seconds, sweat beads the size of beans rolled down his forehead.

"This is just too torturous!"

Qin Shi's face contorted in pain, his complexion turning pale.

He couldn't help but think that everyone in the Old Martial Arts sect was a pervert.

They actually paid money to experience this kind of torture?

"Can you still take it?"

Old Liang's voice came from behind him.

"More... force!"

Qin Shi replied, each word seeming to be gritted out through clenched teeth.

"Ruthless. I can last until the Golden Elixir covers half my back. I wonder how far you'll get, Xiao Shi."

Old Liang looked at Qin Shi's reddened, burning muscles. His back tensed involuntarily from the pain, squeezing together.

Large patches of the viscous fluid rapidly solidified, forming a golden, lacquer-like effect that gradually covered one-third of his back.

Two minutes later, Qin Shi was in too much pain to even make a sound.

He could only gasp for air, trying to alleviate the agony.

As the Golden Elixir adhered to his skin like paste, the deepest torment, acting upon his nerves, surged forth.

He felt like food being roasted in an oven, or a piece of meat pressed onto a searing hot plate without being flipped.

He was practically being cooked!

When the physical pain exceeded his mental limits, all sorts of inexplicable illusions began to appear in his subconscious.

"Fire all around... booming explosions... angry male shouts... crying women..."

Qin Shi was on the verge of fainting. His brain was about to activate its protective mechanism, to free him from this inhuman agony.

"No wonder people say the Golden Elixir is used to refine the body and nourish the sinews, but it's easy to self-mutilate. The body's repair capabilities can't keep up with the damage from the secret medicine.

If I sit in the bath and heat it up later, the pain will only intensify... I can't possibly endure it. How can I get through this?"

He painstakingly pieced together his fragmented, chaotic consciousness, searching for a solution.

This was a habit honed over many years: treating every problem like an exam question.

Pondering it repeatedly until he found the answer.

"Sleep! I can sleep!"

At the exact moment the Golden Elixir covered his entire back, a flash of inspiration struck Qin Shi's mind, which was on the verge of collapse.

When faced with difficulty, go to sleep – this 'slacker's bible' was the best solution for him!

[Deep Sleep]!

[Muscle Memory]!

Activate both!

"Close your eyes, calm your mind, relax, breathe..."

Qin Shi desperately tried to block out the external disturbances, the torment of his body.

He attempted to fall into a deep slumber, to enter the dream world.

One second, two seconds, three seconds...

His head drooped, his shoulders relaxed, his straight back bent forward, and his rapid breaths smoothed out.

In less than ten seconds, he achieved a beautiful sleep, like that of an infant!

"Did he pass out? Or die!"

Old Liang was greatly alarmed.

In his perception, Qin Shi's turbulent, chaotic Qi, like a rushing stream, had suddenly become calm.

It even exuded a strange sense of peace?

Normally, this was a sign of an elderly person reaching the end of their lifespan, passing away.

"No, snoring? This kid fell asleep? How could he fall asleep!"

The next moment, Old Liang heard an extremely faint snoring sound, like a kitten curled up in a warm nest, sleeping soundly and peacefully.

"He's really asleep, but the faint Qi sensation in his body hasn't stopped. A genius, an absolute genius! What kind of top student grinds even while sleeping..."

Old Liang suddenly felt that his own years of dedicated study and practice, which he had always been most proud of, were completely insignificant compared to Qin Shi.

It was like a raw recruit facing a drill sergeant – a complete and utter defeat.

"There are hidden tigers and leopards in the deep mountains, and buried qilin in the fields! When my master told me this, I didn't believe it, thinking all the good seedlings were in the Martial Arts Association. Who knew there were pearls lost in the sea, slipping through my fingers!"

A deeper smile spread across Old Liang's face. He mixed the remaining half of the Golden Elixir and smeared it down Qin Shi's shoulders, covering his chest, abdomen, and waist.

"With this, I'll have more confidence about that matter."

"You're awake?"

When Qin Shi opened his eyes, he saw Yan Shuang, technician number 69 from Jinse Impression.

The handsome face filled his vision, startling him so much he leaned back, nearly falling off the reclining chair.

"Brother Shuang? How long did I sleep?"

Yan Shuang, still wearing his white long-sleeved jacket, pulled open the curtains. Sunlight "whooshed" and filled the room, causing Qin Shi to instinctively shield his eyes with the back of his hand.

"It's the second day, 8 AM."

Yan Shuang's expression was peculiar:

"Not only did you endure the excruciating pain of the Golden Elixir body refinement burning your sinews, but you were also able to achieve a state of utter tranquility and fall into a deep sleep.

Honestly, I've read so many autobiographies of Martial Gods, and I've never seen anyone write about such a scene.

If you achieve something great in the future, remember to promote this story; it would be a legendary tale."

After the "Legendary Endurance King," I've now also earned the title of "Legendary Sleepyhead"?

Qin Shi looked down. His clothes were already on.

That boundless energy was surging within him.

He exerted a slight force, and the sinews beneath his skin instantly tensed and sprang, expanding.

They contracted and pulsed, twisting and knotting.

Like a swarm of snakes, like a great python!

To Yan Shuang's eyes, extremely fine blue veins crisscrossed Qin Shi's back. His spine supported the muscles, connecting them segment by segment, like a lifelike tattoo of an angry dragon trapped in a jade pool.

"Close, so close to breaking through a limit and entering the Sinew Gate."

He clicked his tongue in amazement, his eyes filled with a complex expression.

Unfortunately, Qin Shi didn't notice; his attention was entirely on the Monument panel.

A line of text flashed by.

[Activated Beginner Achievement - Overgrowth]