The Fifty-First Chapter: Make a Cut

The gravity room.

Shi Yan's whole body was numb and sore as he leaned against a gravity pillar.

His naked body was strong and robust, every muscle sharply defined, its contours jutting out as if it had been cast from molten steel, brimming with astonishing explosive power.

With his hunger fully satisfied, Shi Yan had trained relentlessly for another month. Not only had he grown much sturdier, but he had also shot up a few centimeters.

Suddenly, the door to the gravity room swung open.

Shi Jian, Han Feng, and Yang Hai appeared together in the doorway.

Shi Jian's gaze was sharp as lightning. He looked Shi Yan over from afar, nodded to himself, and said, "Looks like you haven't been slacking off, kid."

"Of course." Shi Yan looked utterly exhausted, but kept his pose. "I think my body's been tempered enough. I should be able to choose a Martial Skill to practice now."

"Whether it's really enough isn't up to you to decide." Shi Jian strode over and stopped beside him, his expression stern. "Hold out one hand."

Shi Yan obediently held out his left hand. With a single thought, it quickly turned to stone, taking on a dark brown hue.

On the surface of his skin, wisps of visible black light flickered. Looking closely, one could see that the dim glow seemed like a film as thin as a cicada's wing, covering his entire hand.

"Oh!"

Shi Jian exclaimed, his face lighting up. Grinning, he said, "You've made some progress. There's actually a layer of black light showing. Looks like you really haven't been slacking off lately. Good! Very good!"

Yang Hai was delighted. He stepped closer for a look and said, "Adoptive father, is this the limit someone in the Human Position Realm can reach? When Qing'er broke through to the Human Position Triple Heaven, her skin showed this same black glow after turning to stone. Is that right?"

"Mm." Shi Jian nodded lightly, the corner of his mouth twitching despite himself. "This kid really is something! To bring out this much of his Martial Soul's potential in only a month and a half is impressive."

Shi Jian was afraid Shi Yan would get conceited, but he still couldn't help praising him. Even he looked a little astonished. "Kid, how exactly did you do it?"

"I just kept training according to your method. That's how it turned out." Shi Yan spread his hand, his expression indifferent.

"How long do you train each day?" Even Han Feng, who rarely spoke, couldn't help asking.

"About fifteen hours."

"Fifteen hours?!"

Han Feng and Shi Jian exclaimed at the same time. They looked at each other, both seeing shock in the other's eyes.

"Impossible! You're lying!" Shi Jian barked, his voice low and stern. "After a training session, your body needs at least eighteen hours to recover before it can take that kind of high-intensity impact again. Add in the time you spend eating, and managing five hours of training a day would already be impressive! Where are you getting fifteen hours?"

Han Feng was just as puzzled. He shook his head slightly, clearly unconvinced.

"You little brat, tell the truth. Don't try to pull a fast one on your great-grandfather." Yang Hai snorted and scolded him.

"Who says it takes eighteen hours to recover?" Shi Yan smiled easily. "Four hours is enough for me."

"Impossible!"

Shi Jian and Han Feng cried out in unison again.

"Your body could never recover that quickly from such high-intensity impacts! I've been in charge of the Shi Family for so many years, and I've never seen anyone recover that fast! Back then, Shi Dang was exceptionally well-built. Even he needed fifteen hours to recover completely after taking impacts like that in the Human Position Realm." Shi Jian shook his head repeatedly, then snorted. "You're saying you recover four times faster than him? Do you think that's possible?"

"Nothing's impossible." Shi Yan smiled, then suddenly stood up and walked to a corner. He took a dagger from a backpack there and calmly returned. "Great-grandfather, I've had a question on my mind for a long time. Since Father is here too, I'd like to conduct a test. I hope you'll allow it."

"What kind of test?" Shi Jian frowned.

"Uncle Han, I'd like to cut your arm."

"Impudent!" Shi Jian snapped. "Kid, do you think you can get away with anything?"

"It'll just be a small cut." Shi Yan's expression didn't change. "I also want to cut Father's arm, then cut my own. That way, we can compare."

"Patriarch, Young Master Yan may have a reason for this. Let him try."

"What exactly are you trying to do?" Shi Jian was puzzled too.

"You'll know soon enough." Shi Yan calmly walked toward Han Feng. "Uncle Han, don't circulate any Essence. Even if the wound bleeds, don't use your Essence. All right?"

"Mm."

"Then I'll do it?"

"Mm."

Shi Yan stepped forward and slashed Han Feng's outstretched left arm. Bright red blood immediately welled from the wound.

"Father, you're next." Shi Yan walked over to Yang Hai.

"You little brat, what are you up to? Your father isn't a Martial Artist, so go easy!"

"Mm, I know what I'm doing." Shi Yan stepped forward and flashed the dagger across Yang Hai's arm, slashing him in an instant.

Yang Hai yelped and stared at his bleeding arm, shouting, "You little brat, you really went for it! I wasn't ready!"

Under the watchful eyes of Han Feng and Shi Jian, Shi Yan remained calm and casually cut his own arm. Bright red blood began to flow from it as well.

"You little brat, what are you trying to show us? Is there some deeper meaning to this? I can't see anything at all." Yang Hai continued to grumble.

"Just wait a little." Shi Yan looked solemn, his expression growing more serious.

Han Feng and Shi Jian were baffled. They had no idea what he was up to, and their bright eyes kept moving over him.

Shi Yan smiled without explaining. He even covered his bleeding arm with his clothes, keeping Han Feng and Shi Jian from seeing the wound.

Ten minutes later.

"Oh!"

Han Feng was the first to notice something strange. He stared at Yang Hai's arm and said, "Patriarch, look!"

Shi Jian had been focused on Shi Yan, but at Han Feng's words, he turned his gaze to Yang Hai's arm.

At a glance, he saw what was strange and said, "Hai'er, why has the blood on your arm clotted and formed a scab?"

"Ah!" Yang Hai cried out. Only then did he notice his arm. "I don't know!"

"My arm is still bleeding..." Han Feng held out his own arm, showing it to Yang Hai. "Take a good look."

"What's going on?" Yang Hai asked in surprise. "You've practiced Martial Skills for years, so your physical condition is far better than mine. By rights, your bleeding should have stopped first. How did this happen?"

"Look at my arm."

Shi Yan smiled, finally pulled the clothes away, and showed them his arm. He slowly wiped away the congealed blood.

The cut on Shi Yan's arm had somehow narrowed until it was no wider than a thread.

The flesh on either side of the wound seemed to be slowly writhing, straining to draw together as the cut healed before their eyes.

Shi Jian and Han Feng jolted, their eyes filled with shock.

"You little brat, what—what is going on?" Shi Jian stared for a long moment, then suddenly demanded.

"It's a Martial Soul, one that can heal itself! My father has it too, but he never practiced martial arts and was never badly injured, so it went undiscovered." Shi Yan calmly dropped a bombshell.

Shi Jian's eyes blazed. He clenched both fists tightly, fell silent for a moment, then suddenly threw back his head and roared with laughter. "Ha ha! A Martial Soul! A self-healing Martial Soul!"

"I call it the Undying Martial Soul." Shi Yan explained quietly, "I feel that at a later stage, it might even regrow severed limbs and recreate the internal organs. In other words, the body won't die."

Han Feng and Shi Jian froze. After thinking it over, they immediately understood how terrifying this Martial Soul was. Neither could hold back his excitement, and their breathing grew noticeably heavier.

"You little brat, does that mean you have two Martial Souls?" Yang Hai was just as overjoyed. Only after a long moment did he process it, and he couldn't help exclaiming.

"Of course he has two Martial Souls! What else could it be?" Shi Jian roared with laughter and slapped Yang Hai on the shoulder, knocking him straight to the ground. "Hai'er, I never imagined you had a Martial Soul too! Ha ha! If I'd known, I would've cut you once when you were a child and found out sooner!"

"I told you I could recover in four hours. Do you believe me now?" Shi Yan smiled calmly.

"I believe you! Completely!" Shi Jian had never been in a better mood. He paid no mind to Yang Hai sitting on the ground and said, "Kid, come with me! I'll take you to the Martial Soul Hall! All the Shi Family's Martial Skill manuals are inside. Pick any one you like!"

"All right."