Turns Out I'm Not a Genius! People Grow Up Eventually!

"The Martial Dao Realm that the Bearded Man from Black Wind Stockade told me about wasn't complete. It should be divided into: Body Tempering Realm, Meridian Opening Realm, Tendon Changing Realm, Bone Refining Realm, Blood Changing Realm, Condensing Gang Realm, Mortal Transformation Realm, Mysterious Lamp Realm, Mountain Gazing Realm, Sea Gazing Realm, Three Flowers Realm. This realm, it seems, is also called the Martial Dao King Realm, capable of ruling and governing a supreme dynasty."

"At the same time, I was also wrong about the cultivation of the Body Tempering Realm. Although the main purpose of the Body Tempering Realm is to refine the physical body and grant it strength far exceeding that of ordinary people, it requires a Body Tempering Cultivation Technique. With the augmentation of the cultivation technique, it becomes easier to temper the body, making the meridians within the body tougher, and thus reaching the Meridian Opening Realm faster."

"No wonder I always felt my body tempering speed was slow. It turns out I was missing a Body Tempering Cultivation Technique. According to this Introduction to Martial Arts, the early stage of the Body Tempering Realm involves the initial awakening of the physical body, with firm flesh and skin, strength surpassing ordinary people, capable of fighting beasts."

"The middle stage of the Body Tempering Realm involves the flesh and skin generating strength, possessing innate qi, a more solidified body, greater physical power, and vigorous blood and qi."

Su Mo clenched his right fist slightly. His spine emitted crisp sounds like a great dragon, like colliding fine steel, or like bronze pieces striking. This was the sound of his bones rumbling. With the Iron Bones trait, coupled with immense strength and abundant qi and blood, his physical defense was terrifying.

Even so, no qi had yet been generated within his body. Clearly, his realm had not yet reached the middle stage of the Body Tempering Realm.

However, his physical strength definitely surpassed that of Martial Artists in the middle stage of the Body Tempering Realm.

"The Introduction to Martial Arts also states that generally, martial arts training begins around the age of fourteen or fifteen, as this is when one's roots and bones are most malleable, signifying the potential to see a broader martial arts world in the future. Many geniuses and prodigies from sects and aristocratic families start at this age."

"But if one starts cultivating martial arts after the age of eighteen, their roots and bones have already solidified, with almost no upper limit. The path of martial arts will be difficult, and one cannot see the farther martial arts scenery."

Su Mo flipped through the booklet, Introduction to Martial Arts, again and again, his gaze fixed on the last few sentences. He was already eighteen, and he had only started to come into contact with martial arts after eighteen. Did this mean his martial arts path would be difficult? His potential was almost locked?

He felt a bit melancholic!

So he wasn't a genius! His talent might not be strong, his roots and bones already set!

Facing this situation, even though he was optimistic, he couldn't help but feel a little dejected.

Su Mo then smiled. So what if he didn't have talent? So what if he wasn't a genius? He then directly cut off six catties of wild boar meat and put it in a pot to boil, sprinkling in some dry salt.

After the wild boar meat was cooked, Su Mo ate it in large mouthfuls. After finishing, he wiped his mouth. He continued to temper and refine his body in the courtyard, something he did every day.

Whether he was a genius or not, whether he had talent or not, that was for his daily effort and persistence to decide!

In the dilapidated courtyard, a figure was frantically smashing wooden stakes and lifting stone locks. Even as heavy snow fell outside and the wind howled, it seemed unable to stop this figure's persistence!

Since his talent and roots were not good, he would forge his body into diamond-like profound iron!

Just as Su Mo was cultivating his body intensely, Zhang Qian arrived with ten catties of Plum Deer meat.

She and Su Mo were childhood playmates. However, as they grew older, they became more distant. But she was very familiar with where Su Mo lived.

Zhang Qian gently knocked on the door.

"Coming!"

Su Mo, who was refining his body in the courtyard, stopped his cultivation upon hearing the knock. He put on his clothes and went to open the courtyard gate.

Seeing the visitor, Su Mo was very surprised. He seemed not to have expected his childhood playmate Zhang Qian to suddenly visit.

"What, you don't welcome me?"

Zhang Qian, tall and slender, looked at the somewhat surprised Su Mo and smiled, blinking her eyes. As she spoke, she handed the ten catties of deer meat to Su Mo, saying, "Here, my dad asked me to bring this to you. He was afraid you'd starve to death living alone."

Su Mo shook his head. "I don't want this meat."

He still had plenty of meat at home: wild boar meat, Green Wolf King meat, and a lot of Green Wolf meat, as well as some rabbit meat. He couldn't eat it all in a short time, so he politely declined Zhang Qian, who had come to deliver the meat.

"No, you have to take it. My dad, your Uncle Tieshan, insisted I give it to you. If you don't accept it, my dad will be angry."

Zhang Qian seemed surprised that Su Mo would refuse. Looking at the dilapidated courtyard, she knew Su Mo hadn't had an easy time these past few years. Not long ago, he had encountered Black Wind Stockade in the mountains, had his prey stolen, and was even injured. But she wouldn't say these things directly.

Instead, she brought up her father, Zhang Tieshan, who was also Su Mo's Uncle Tieshan. Although Zhang Tieshan was older than Su Mo's father, because Su Mo's father had saved Zhang Tieshan's life, they later addressed each other as peers.

Therefore, Su Mo usually called the sixty-something Zhang Tieshan "Uncle Tieshan."

Su Mo saw that although Zhang Qian's face was delicate, her eyes and attitude were exceptionally firm. Fearing he wouldn't accept it, she even brought up Zhang Tieshan.

In the end, Su Mo couldn't refuse Zhang Qian and accepted the ten catties of Plum Deer meat. Ten catties of Plum Deer meat was quite a lot in the cold winter.

He knew that not long ago, Zhang Tieshan and Zhang Hai had hunted a Plum Deer in the mountains. He planned to give some Green Wolf meat to Uncle Tieshan and his family after they had finished eating the Plum Deer meat.

It would be a gesture of reciprocity.

"What were you doing in the courtyard? You sound breathless?"

Seeing that Su Mo had finally accepted the ten catties of Plum Deer meat, a smile appeared on Zhang Qian's beautiful, fair face. Although their relationship had become distant after they grew up, with the distinction between males and females, she didn't have any ill feelings towards Su Mo. Even though Su Mo's family background was poor, she didn't dislike him; in fact, she had a faint good impression of him.

It was because when they were young, Su Mo had treated her and her brother Zhang Hai well, often sharing some wild game with them.

But unfortunately, in Zhang Qian's heart, being friends with Su Mo was fine, but as for marriage, which her father had mentioned, it was out of the question. Su Mo was, after all, just a hunter, not worthy of her. She wanted to marry a Martial Artist, a powerful Martial Artist.

Not a hunter confined to a corner...

Looking at the fine beads of sweat on Su Mo's forehead and his slight panting, Zhang Qian was curious. What was Su Mo doing alone in the courtyard?

"I'm cultivating!"

Su Mo answered this question honestly. He was indeed cultivating and tempering his body.

"Cultivating?"

Zhang Qian frowned slightly upon hearing this. She glanced at Su Mo, then turned to leave. Perhaps they had all grown up and weren't as innocent as before. Cultivating? Only Martial Artists would use the word "cultivating."

You, Su Mo, are just a hunter. It's good enough if you can practice archery well. What does that have to do with Martial Artists?

Zhang Qian shook her head. People eventually grow up, just as she only wanted to marry a Martial Artist...

Su Mo looked at the suddenly departing Zhang Qian, feeling a bit bewildered, but he didn't think much of it. He put the ten catties of Plum Deer meat into the cellar in the courtyard, where the wild boar meat and Green Wolf King meat were also stored.

Afterward, he resumed his cultivation.

If you find this book good, remember to add it to your bookshelf to avoid losing it next time.