Thinking of this, Yun Shu shook his head.
Then he stood up.
"Your use of the Body Refining Technique isn't quite right. This is how you're supposed to perform it." As he spoke, Yun Shu demonstrated the Body Refining Technique.
The whole thing was still just basic punches and kicks, yet Lin Yang watched in a daze.
Was this really the Body Refining Technique he knew?
Why did it look so different when Yun Shu performed it?
Yun Shu hadn't demonstrated any earth-shattering Martial Techniques, nor had he unleashed blood qi that rolled like mountain mist.
"Can you tell what's different?" Yun Shu asked.
"Junior Brother Yun's movements seem airtight. They circulate the blood qi throughout your whole body. But when I perform them, it feels like my whole body is full of openings." Lin Yang hesitated, then answered.
Yun Shu nodded slightly and gave Lin Yang an approving look.
He could be taught after all.
"The difference comes down to your familiarity with the technique and how you apply it," Yun Shu explained.
"Try it again, and I'll point out the specific problems. After that, you should be able to make even greater progress in using the Body Refining Technique."
Lin Yang did as he was told. Yun Shu noted down all the issues, wrote them on a sheet of paper, and handed it to him.
He'd listed nine problems in all.
Rather than write them out one by one, he'd drawn a tiny figure and used arrows to point out exactly where each problem lay.
After Lin Yang completed a set of the Body Refining Technique, Yun Shu handed him the sheet.
Lin Yang took it, paused, then looked at Yun Shu with a solemn expression. "Thank you, Junior Brother Yun. These insights into body tempering are truly invaluable. If you ever have need of me, I'll gladly lay down my life!"
"Good." Yun Shu waved it off. "I'll rest for a while. Later, I'll head into the mountains and catch three more demonic wolves. That should finish the mission, and then we can return to the sect."
"All right. Get some rest, Junior Brother Yun," Lin Yang said.
Yun Shu nodded, found an open patch of ground, plucked off a huge leaf to cover himself, and used the demonic fox as a pillow before dozing off.
Lin Yang didn't rest. Instead, he began correcting each of the flaws Yun Shu had recorded in the technique.
The sound of surging blood qi echoed through the woods.
But it didn't disturb Yun Shu at all. He slept soundly.
Two hours later, Yun Shu rose from the grass.
Lin Yang was still practicing his kicks and legwork.
What surprised Yun Shu was that Lin Yang seemed to have made a breakthrough.
Not only had he progressed, he'd broken through the bottleneck of the Late Body Refining Stage and advanced straight from the Body Refining Fifth Level!
Besides, there was a world of difference between the Mid Body Refining Stage and the Late Body Refining Stage. Breaking through meant a clear, visible increase in strength.
Yun Shu couldn't help but marvel.
After watching for a while, he found himself genuinely impressed.
Lin Yang wasn't just correcting the flaws Yun Shu had pointed out. His movements had become smoother, too. That showed he was beginning to develop his own understanding—and could consciously refine his technique as he went.
These were the first signs of reaching Minor Accomplishment in the Body Refining Technique.
Reaching Minor Accomplishment was already enough to make someone stand out among the Outer Sect Disciples. Lin Yang had been close to it before, but now his progress was plain to see.
And the results really were immediate.
"Senior Brother Lin, your comprehension is truly extraordinary," Yun Shu praised.
At the sound of Yun Shu's voice, Lin Yang stopped moving.
"I owe this progress to you pointing out my mistakes, Junior Brother Yun. That's what let me take another step forward in the Body Refining Technique," Lin Yang said from the heart.
The deeper he delved into the Body Refining Technique, the more he understood Yun Shu's strength.
Yun Shu had just demonstrated the technique for him, and even the Deacon who'd once come to demonstrate it had been nowhere near as good.
Earlier, Yun Shu had already managed Blood Qi Projection while still in the Mid Body Refining Stage. That was the mark of Great Accomplishment in the Body Refining Technique—a level most people considered legendary. And Yun Shu might have gone even further.
He truly was a Super Genius. The fact that he'd made it into the Inner Sect was proof enough of his worth.
Yun Shu really did think Lin Yang had good comprehension.
Lin Yang hadn't been in the Outer Sect for long. When he'd completed a mission with Yun Shu, he'd just reached the Body Refining Fourth Level—the point at which he'd advanced from a Menial Disciple to the Outer Sect.
Since then, in just a few months, he'd reached the peak of the Body Refining Fifth Level.
After Yun Shu had given him a few pointers, he'd now reached the Late Body Refining Stage.
With that kind of comprehension, another stretch of time might be all it took for him to reach the Body Refining Peak.
"Senior Brother Lin, how are your cultivation talents?" Yun Shu asked casually.
"I have a mid-grade Wood Spiritual Root and a low-grade Fire Spiritual Root," Lin Yang answered honestly.
Yun Shu fell silent.
He shouldn't have asked.
It seemed that anyone he picked at random—even Li Jian—might have better cultivation talent than he did.
"With Wood and Fire Spiritual Roots, have you ever considered learning Alchemy, Senior Brother?" Yun Shu asked after a moment's thought.
"I'll think about it once I make it into the Inner Sect. My talent is extremely limited, and my strength is far from enough. Comprehension may be the only thing I have going for me. I pick up cultivation techniques and Martial Techniques quickly, at least." Lin Yang gave a helpless smile. "Even with Wood and Fire Spiritual Roots, an Alchemist won't necessarily take you on as a disciple."
Yun Shu nodded. That was true.
Still, with those Spiritual Roots and that level of comprehension, he wasn't doing too badly.
He could be considered a promising prospect.
At the very least, if his strength could keep up with Yun Shu's, he'd make a capable tool.
And useful tools like him weren't easy to find.
Having rested enough, Yun Shu said, "Wait here. I may be gone for a while—maybe a day or two, maybe three. Don't come looking for me."
Lin Yang nodded. Three-Eyed Demonic Wolves were pack animals, and they were extremely powerful.
This mission would be difficult to complete. Otherwise, it wouldn't have been ranked Grade B.
Outsmarting and battling them would take time, and Lin Yang understood that.
He was willing to trust Yun Shu.
Then Yun Shu plunged into the forest.
Before leaving, he kicked the fox, which was on the verge of Demonic Transformation. "Try to run, and I'll skin you when I get back."
Then he disappeared into the woods.
That left Lin Yang and the swollen-faced demonic fox staring at each other.
Yun Shu preferred dealing with Demonic Beasts.
The Demonic Beasts in the mountains were either gentle or hot-tempered, and all of them were so cute.
There wasn't much scheming among them. Some had the occasional flash of cleverness, but that was harmless enough.
This was the last Grade B mission.
Capture three Three-Eyed Demonic Wolves alive.
Wolves were pack animals by nature, led by a Wolf King who gave the orders.
"Every Three-Eyed Demonic Wolf is comparable to a Demonic Beast that has undergone Demonic Transformation. If dozens of them band together, even ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators may have to avoid their sharp edge."
When there were enough ants, they could even bite an elephant to death. If each wolf was equivalent to a Qi Condensation cultivator, then given the circumstances, dead wolves might be much easier to deal with than live ones.
These creatures were savage and powerful.
But Yun Shu wasn't particularly worried.
He'd been looking for a place to test his skills.
After entering the woods, Yun Shu didn't hurry deeper in. Instead, he absorbed the Qi Nurturing Pills, Origin Nurturing Pills, and Cultivation Resources he'd obtained at the Mountain Villa, bringing his Energy Points up to 4,500—enough to cultivate for a while.
Yun Shu glanced around, found a spot, and sat down cross-legged.
His eyes closed halfway, like an old monk entering meditation.
"Ding! You practiced the Immovable Diamond Body once. Proficiency +1."
"..."
"Ding! You practiced the Immovable Diamond Body once. Proficiency +1."
Golden light gathered beneath Yun Shu's skin. It was the result of his restraint; otherwise, when he practiced, the golden glow around him would illuminate the night for a kilometer in every direction.
His proficiency continued to climb. What had been awkward at first gradually grew smooth, and the Diamond Body had become quite easy for Yun Shu to practice.
A single cycle had gone from taking an hour to taking just a quarter of one.
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