Breakthrough, Ninth Rank Martial Artist!

Li Tianfeng led Gu Chang'an through the inner courtyard, past several corner pavilions, and finally arrived before a quiet chamber sealed by a heavy wooden door.

He reached out and pushed the door open; a blend of wood and medicinal fragrance rushed out. Inside, dim candlelight flickered, and several martial arts diagrams hung on the walls.

At the center of the room lay a table covered in parchment, upon which was spread an entire set of neatly transcribed martial arts scrolls.

Li Tianfeng sat down and pointed at the scrolls on the desk. "This is the complete, authentic transmission of the Iron Cloth Shirt."

Gu Chang'an stepped forward and focused his gaze. The technique was divided into three layers: first, Skin Tempering; second, Bone Tempering; third, Tendon Tempering.

Each movement was paired with breathing methods, and the circulation of Qi and blood was recorded in meticulous detail. At the very end was a separate page of secret medicinal formulas, listing over thirty types of herbs along with their decoction methods.

Li Tianfeng picked up that scroll of formulas, his expression grave. "True body-tempering techniques—even the most basic training of flesh and skin—can never rely solely on hard labor."

He looked at Gu Chang'an, his tone solemn. "Qi and blood wash over the skin and membranes, making flesh and skin naturally tougher. But without the nourishment of medicinal power, the sinews and meridians will gradually wither, and blood energy will leak outward. The more you train, the more you harm yourself. Those martial artists in the jianghu who rely on self-created body-forging methods may be as tough as iron before thirty, but after forty, they're riddled with chronic ailments, and few live past fifty."

He rolled up the formula scroll and handed it to Gu Chang'an. "This is yours alone. Do not pass it on."

Gu Chang'an received it with both hands and nodded solemnly. "Disciple understands."

Li Tianfeng stood up and pushed open a hidden door beside him. "Follow me."

He led Gu Chang'an into a Stone Chamber. The chamber was deep and shadowy, its floor paved with bluestone, and several faint blue night pearls embedded in the walls.

At the center of the room stood a massive wooden tub, steam rising from its surface. The water was a thick, murky black, emitting a pungent, acrid herbal odor.

"This is a medicinal bath," Li Tianfeng said flatly. "Refined for seven days with Black Bone Grass, Crimson Blood Vine, Tiger Tendon Flower, Snake Slough, and others, supplemented with a skin-breaking catalyst. Since this is your first medicinal refinement, the intensity is a bit high. I've also mixed in Blood-Calming Wood Sap to prevent your Qi and blood from surging out of control."

"Strip, get in the tub, and circulate the Iron Cloth Shirt."

Gu Chang'an nodded without hesitation, untied the cloth belt at his waist, and removed his upper garment.

His body was noticeably more solid than when he first arrived—muscle lines clearly defined, skin bearing a faint bronze sheen, and a few shallow old scars across his chest and abdomen.

He slowly stepped into the wooden tub.

In an instant, a wave of heat slammed into him. The black medicinal liquid seemed alive, suddenly wrapping around his limbs and bones!

"Hiss—!"

He sucked in a sharp breath. The searing heat felt like needles piercing his bones. The medicinal power turned into thousands of tiny insects, burrowing into every inch of his skin and pores, the pain churning his internal organs as if they were being flipped over.

"Steady yourself!" Li Tianfeng barked. "Circulate your Qi! Drive your Blood Vessels! Let your skin and membranes meet the medicinal force head-on!"

Gu Chang'an clenched his teeth, shut his eyes, and slowly activated the mantra of the Iron Cloth Shirt.

Qi and blood surged through his meridians like a mountain flood crashing against his blood vessels. Yet the pain gradually faded, washed away by the hot current, transforming into a strange sensation of swelling and burning—as if his Flesh and Blood were being forged by fire, and beneath it all, a tough, iron-like texture was slowly taking shape.

Li Tianfeng watched from the side, a hint of approval gradually appearing in his eyes. "Adequate bone structure, extremely steady temperament... worthy of being my first disciple."

In the Stone Chamber, only Gu Chang'an's heavy breathing and the churning roar of his blood remained.

The medicinal liquid roiled, black water rippling in circles, as if some massive creature stirred beneath the surface.

Gu Chang'an's entire body was flushed red, his skin as if roasted over charcoal, muscles twitching in spasms.

Li Tianfeng stood nearby, initially watching in silence, his gaze as still as an old monk in meditation.

But after half a stick of incense, his brow twitched.

Another quarter-hour later, the corner of his mouth began to twitch.

After another full stick of incense, he finally couldn't help narrowing his eyes, a flicker of surprise passing through them. "Eh?"

Gu Chang'an's skin had actually taken on a faint layer of bronze light, with wisps of hot steam rising from the surface.

And what was even more unbelievable—blood energy was bursting out through his pores, only to be sucked back in as if pulled by a magnet.

With a "shloop," it reversed course, as if the medicinal liquid had been "scraped clean" by his body.

His breath fluctuated wildly at first, chaotic and uneven, but gradually it settled like the tide returning to the sea, growing steadier and beginning to take form!

"This kid... isn't he trying to break into the Skin Tempering Realm?" Li Tianfeng's mouth hung slightly open, the corner of his eye twitching uncontrollably.

"He's only been training for less than a year, and this is his first medicinal bath—and he's trying to break through the Ninth Grade?"

What a joke! He hasn't even adapted to the bath yet; a reverse surge of Qi and blood could burst his pores!

Li Tianfeng immediately moved to stand and intervene.

But he stopped halfway, then slowly sat back down.

He rubbed his chin, reason taking over. "Forget it... Let him hit a wall. One failure, one big loss, and he'll learn his limits. A precocious sprout like this needs its edge dulled."

"As long as I'm here, even if he fails, a few days of rest will set him right."

"There's no real danger..."

But the longer he watched, the more his expression shifted, his brow furrowing deeper and deeper.

Half an incense stick later—he began to doubt his life.

Because Gu Chang'an still hadn't blown his top.

Not only had he not blown up, he was actually trembling slightly, rhythmically writhing as if in the midst of the "skin tempering" process. Faint, shifting patterns even appeared across his skin—not quite gold, like molten copper forging bone, barely visible.

Li Tianfeng's breathing grew unsteady. He even raised a hand and waved it in front of his own face:

"Am I seeing things... how is this kid actually about to succeed?"

"Could it be that my disciple isn't just a genius, but... a freak?"

In the medicine vat, Gu Chang'an finally opened his eyes. A flash of red seemed to flicker in his pupils.

A wave of heat erupted with a bang. He let out a roar:

"HYAAAH—!!!"

With that shout, the area around the vat instantly crackled and popped. A layer of air burst outward, sending medicinal liquid splashing everywhere, pelting Li Tianfeng's face like raindrops.

The old man, utterly focused, was caught off guard. Drenched and disheveled, his face looked like it had just been pulled from a soup pot, hair plastered into wet strands.

Gu Chang'an stood up from the vat, panting heavily. Steam rolled off his body, muscles taut and powerful, skin gleaming with a faint bronze luster, like a freshly forged iron ingot.

"I... I did it!"

"I broke through to the Ninth Grade! Master—your disciple didn't let you down. I've successfully tempered my skin!"

Li Tianfeng wiped his face and cleared his throat:

"Ahem... well, yes, very good, Chang'an. I knew you had it in you."

"Now go get dressed. Stop strutting around in front of me."

Gu Chang'an chuckled, grabbed his clothes, and threw them on. Rubbing his hands together, he said:

"Master, so this time... can I have another vat of medicinal bath?"

Li Tianfeng rolled his eyes, turned, and walked out of the room, tossing over his shoulder:

"Do you think I run a bank? That one vat of medicinal bath—just the herbs alone cost fifty taels of silver! And you want a second soak?"

He clasped his hands behind his back, his tone flat:

"From now on, I'll allow you one soak per week. But the quality will be lower. I'll gather the herbs myself, and if I have time, I'll even brew it for you."

"Any other time, if you want a medicinal bath, you pay for it yourself, prepare the herbs yourself, and light the fire yourself!"

"BANG!"

With that, he slammed the wooden door shut, clean and crisp.

Inside the room, Gu Chang'an stood alone in his wet clothes, muttering to himself:

"Alright. Thanks, Master."

He looked down at his arm, still soaked in the medicinal liquid. His skin was like congealed jade—smooth, fine, and dense—but the touch was as solid as stone.

"The feeling of breaking through... is so good!"

Then, he opened his data panel. His eyes lit up, and the corners of his mouth couldn't help but curl upward...