Profound Nether Ice Soul Body!

"Look! Look! Isn't that the dean of the Ice Elemental Academy, Dean Qin? What's he doing at the library?"

"Wait... There's a student beside Dean Qin, too. I heard one of this year's specially recruited freshmen had an ice element. Could this be the new disciple Dean Qin took on?"

"It's only been a few days. Isn't he rushing things a little?"

In the library's first-floor free discussion area, some students noticed the scene and couldn't help whispering among themselves.

About ten minutes later,

another staff member hurried over to the library's reception desk, carrying an equally hefty book.

"Dean Qin, here's the Body Tempering Art you asked for, Profound Nether Ice Soul Body!"

The staff member took it and handed it to Qin Tianlong.

"Whoa, an S-rank Body Tempering Art! I'm so jealous he gets to take it out and read it!"

"So this is what it's like to be the dean's disciple? Don't look at me—I'm not jealous. I've just had a little too much lemon!"

Seeing this, the students' whispers rose again.

Every one of them cast an envious look at Lu Yuan, standing beside Qin Tianlong.

To become Dean Qin's disciple right after enrolling—the future was limitless!

Qin Tianlong and Lu Yuan paid no attention to the other students' whispers. After receiving the Body Tempering Art, Profound Nether Ice Soul Body, they turned and left the library!

Qin Tianlong said, "Let's go to my place first. I'll teach you some of the key points of the Profound Nether Ice Soul Body!"

Lu Yuan nodded, then climbed onto Xiao Yu's back with Qin Tianlong.

"Hold on tight, you two. I'm taking off!"

The two men and the beast flew back from the library to Qin Tianlong's residence.

Qin Tianlong's residence.

Inside the training room.

Qin Tianlong explained at length, "Body Tempering Arts have four stages: tempering the bones, organs, meridians, and flesh. In that order, they're the first through fourth stages. B-rank Body Tempering Arts and below only have these four stages."

"A-rank and S-rank Body Tempering Arts allow for a second round of tempering: the bones, organs, meridians, and flesh are each tempered once more, making the fifth through eighth stages."

"These are all foundational areas, so different Body Tempering Arts are connected to some extent. Switching to another Body Tempering Art of the same element doesn't require much effort!"

"But if, in the future, you gain access to an SS-rank or higher Body Tempering Art, you'll need to build on the S-rank Body Tempering Art of the same element that you've already fully mastered, and learn the ninth stage and beyond!"

"Keep in mind that SS-rank and higher Body Tempering Arts can't be switched to directly. If you want to switch, you'll have to start over from the foundation of the previous S-rank Body Tempering Art."

Qin Tianlong gave him a rundown of Body Tempering Arts.

His explanation was extremely thorough, and Lu Yuan committed every word to memory.

Seeing that Lu Yuan's eyes showed little confusion, Qin Tianlong nodded in satisfaction and continued, "All right, I'll guide you through the basics now. Open the Profound Nether Ice Soul Body, and I'll teach you how to temper your bones."

Lu Yuan did as he was told.

"The human body has 206 bones: 29 in the skull, 51 in the torso, and 126 in the limbs."

"Those 126 limb bones are divided into 64 bones in the upper limbs and 62 in the lower limbs."

"Temper all 206 bones according to the method in the Profound Nether Ice Soul Body, using your own ice-elemental power to guide the process, and you'll officially reach the first stage."

Qin Tianlong added.

At that, Lu Yuan's pupils widened slightly and his gaze sharpened.

He had to temper all 206 bones in his body to reach the first stage of the Profound Nether Ice Soul Body!

How long would that take? The road ahead really was long and arduous!

But after asking the system a question for the first time in a while and getting an answer, Lu Yuan's mind settled again.

The answer was—Body Tempering Arts could also be advanced with Evolution Points!

If that was the case... it wasn't much of a problem.

"Now, start tempering your bones. It'll definitely hurt the first time, so you'll have to bear with it."

Qin Tianlong announced.

"This disciple understands."

Lu Yuan said he understood, already mentally prepared.

The lesson officially began!

Just as Qin Tianlong had said, tempering his bones when he first started the Body Tempering Art was truly unbearable.

He deliberately guided the Primal Energy inside his body to repeatedly batter his bones. That feeling—well, you know!

It left Lu Yuan feeling as if thorns were pricking him, as if he were sitting on pins and needles!

Still, if he gritted his teeth and kept at it, he'd get used to it!

Once he did, this little bit of pain was nothing to Lu Yuan. He even found himself strangely enjoying the feeling!

Unfortunately, Qin Tianlong had said that bone tempering couldn't be rushed. Otherwise, the next day, even getting out of bed would be extremely difficult!

Not only that, rushing things could leave hidden injuries that might hinder his cultivation in the future.

After a full morning of instruction from Qin Tianlong,

Lu Yuan now understood how to guide the Primal Energy in his body to temper his bones.

So, at noon, Lu Yuan said goodbye to Qin Tianlong.

After lunch to replenish his strength, Lu Yuan hurried to the Ice Elemental Ability Center to practice his Spear technique, temper his bones, and take medicine to absorb Primal Energy and cultivate.