His heart remained unsettled for a long time. Beneath the moonlight, he lowered his head and gazed at the Spirit Ape Muscle Tempering Technique in his hands as though he were holding a priceless treasure. He carefully opened the first page and read it closely by the bright moonlight.
The opening outline immediately captivated him. It explained that the essence of this technique lay in imitating the spirit apes of ancient mountain forests, observing the momentum of their leaps and bounds to temper the lower body and core muscles. One should move like a spirit ape, swift as lightning, agile as the wind, with astonishing explosive power. What followed were extensive, detailed illustrations and text recording methods for precisely circulating qi and blood to temper specific muscle groups—complex and exquisite. The appendix contained detailed explanations and diagrams of the footwork known as "Spirit Ape Three Leaps," which looked extraordinarily profound.
Li Bufan forcefully suppressed the urge to try the footwork at once, focusing instead on understanding the principles and requirements of the Muscle Tempering method. The deeper his understanding became, the more fine sweat seeped from his forehead, and the deeper his gratitude and awe toward Lin Zhiyan grew. This Muscle Tempering method demanded much of the circulation paths of qi and blood, their concentration, force of impact, and precision. It truly was not something someone whose Skin Tempering had yet to reach completion, and whose control over qi and blood was insufficient, could attempt. Otherwise, something would definitely go terribly wrong!
Yet there was not the slightest trace of discouragement in his eyes. Instead, they brimmed with endless motivation and a desire for challenge!
He carefully and reverently tucked the technique manual close against his body, then raised his head to look at the icy-pure bright moon hanging high in the sky. His gaze was incomparably resolute and clear, shining with confidence.
"Perfect Skin Tempering Realm... control over qi and blood as easy as moving an arm or finger... I will definitely achieve it! And I'll do it as quickly as possible!"
With an incomparably clear goal, the guidance of a precious orthodox technique, and above all, the greatest foundation of Heaven Rewards Diligence, Li Bufan's martial path seemed to have been illuminated clearly beneath the cool moonlight, with no more confusion ahead. In the night, the solitary figure of the young man seemed to stand even taller, like a green pine gathering momentum before its surge, his body containing vigorous youthful vitality and limitless potential to grow stronger. His future was full of hardship, but even more full of hope.
Li Bufan carefully tucked the Spirit Ape Muscle Tempering Technique, the Herbal Compendium, and the other booklets into the place closest to his body, feeling the faintly stiff touch of the paper as warmth filled his heart. He gave the small courtyard, bathed in clear moonlight, one last look before turning and striding away.
It was already late at night, and the cold wind was biting. The streets were nearly deserted. Yet Li Bufan's steps were light, his qi and blood abundant, and he did not feel the cold in the slightest. In about the time it took for an incense stick to burn, he returned to the low but spotlessly tidy little house in a shabby alley in the south of the city.
The window was dark. His little brother had presumably already gone to sleep. He slowed his steps, came to the door, and lightly knocked, keeping his voice low for fear of disturbing the neighbors.
"Little brother, are you asleep? Big Brother's back."
A faint rustling immediately came from within, as though someone were hurriedly climbing out from under the blankets and fumbling to get dressed.
In no more than two or three minutes, the door creaked open from inside. Li Ping'an rubbed his sleepy eyes and poked his little head out, his hair tousled from sleep. Though his face was full of drowsiness, the moment he saw that it truly was his big brother standing outside, his bright eyes, so much like Li Bufan's, burst with surprise and relief.
"You're back, Big Brother!" he said in a hushed but excited voice. He hurriedly pulled the door open, stepped aside to let Li Bufan in, then swiftly shut it and slid home the bolt, sealing the biting cold wind outside.
It was considerably warmer inside than outdoors, though only in the sense that it was less piercing. A tiny oil lamp, nearly out of fuel, cast a wavering, feeble glow on the table, barely illuminating this small space.
By the lamplight, Li Bufan looked his little brother over. Though they had only been apart for a few days, he felt as if Li Ping'an had grown a little taller again. Smiling, he rubbed his brother's soft hair. "Did I wake you?"
"No, I wasn't sleeping that deeply anyway." Li Ping'an shook his head and looked Li Bufan over with concern. "Big Brother, did everything go smoothly when you went into the mountains this time? You didn't run into any danger, did you?" Though he was young, the changes in his family had made him far more mature than children his age, and a faint, barely noticeable worry lingered in his eyes.
Warmth filled Li Bufan's heart, along with a slight ache. He recalled the poisoned arrows in the mountains, the frenzied wolf pack, and the terrifying pressure of the Qi Condensation Beast he had sensed from afar... Naturally, he could not tell his little brother about such dangers in detail.
A relaxed smile appeared on his face as he deliberately said in an exaggerated tone, "Smoothly! Of course it went smoothly! Your big brother isn't what he used to be! I caught a few plump Snow Chickens, and I was lucky enough to run into a lone Snow Wolf. It took a bit of effort, but I finally brought it down. I handed in the Wolf Pelt and wolf heart and got quite a bit of reward money! Look!"
As he spoke, he took the heavy money pouch that someone had used to bribe him from his chest and shook it before his brother. The copper coins clinked together with an enticing rattle. Then he lowered his voice again, carrying a hint of mystery and pride. "And the young lady even praised me for doing well. From now on, your big brother will have medicinal cuisine every day, and I can soak in a medicinal bath several times each month. Cultivation will be even faster from now on!"
He deliberately omitted every heart-stopping part of the journey, showing his little brother only the good outcomes and rewards.
Li Ping'an's eyes brightened at the sight of the full bag of money, but he quickly looked back at his big brother, wisdom gleaming in those clear eyes. He naturally knew that hunting in the mountains could not possibly have been as easy as his brother made it sound.
Their father had also been a skilled beast hunter back then, occasionally able to hunt prey such as wild deer and roe deer. But on his final trip into the mountains, he had lost his right hand forever. In the end... to save food for the two brothers, he had chosen that road of no return... The dangers of the mountains had long since carved deep marks into his young heart like an icy blade.
He knew his big brother did not want him to worry. So he did not press for details or expose those parts of his brother's words that had been brushed over so lightly. He merely nodded hard, a trusting and proud smile appearing on his little face. "Big Brother is the best!"
But after a pause, he could not help reaching out with his small hand to tug at Li Bufan's clothes. Tilting his head back, he looked earnestly into Li Bufan's eyes, his voice soft but especially solemn. "But... Big Brother, the mountains are dangerous after all. Father, he... You have to be extra careful and come back safely. I don't want lots of money. I just want Big Brother to be alright."
His little brother's words were like a warm current, instantly smashing through the icy embankment Li Bufan had built in his heart through days of killing and scheming. Looking at the maturity and worry so unsuited to his brother's age, Li Bufan felt as if something had lodged in his throat, and his nose stung.
He crouched down until they were eye level, putting away his joking expression and making the same solemn promise. "Mm! Don't worry, little brother! Big Brother promises you, I'll be extremely, extremely careful! I still have to watch you grow up, send you to the Academy, and buy you a big house! Nothing will happen!"
His tone was firm and dependable, carrying a power that put others at ease.
Li Ping'an looked into his big brother's solemn eyes. Only then did he seem to truly let out a breath of relief, a completely relaxed and radiant smile blooming across his face as he gave a heavy "Mm!"
"Alright, it's late. Hurry up and get into bed. Staying up late will keep children from growing tall." Li Bufan stood and blew out the oil lamp on the table, which had burned through its final drop of oil.
The room immediately fell into darkness, with only a few faint rays of cool moonlight filtering through holes in the window paper.
The two brothers felt their way onto the simple but sturdy heated brick bed and lay down side by side. Their quilt was thin and patched, but it had been washed clean and carried the scent of sun-dried cloth and home.
Li Bufan carefully tucked in the corner of the quilt on his brother's side before lying down himself. After days of tense hunting and patrols in the mountains, followed by the shock of the young lady's sudden appearance that night, lying now in this familiar bed and listening to his brother's breathing gradually become even and deep, a powerful sense of exhaustion and security washed over him at once.
His body was weary, but his heart was incomparably steady and calm.
Outside, it was the bitter cold of the ninth winter, with the north wind howling. From time to time, they could hear the crisp sound of icicles breaking beneath the eaves. But inside the shabby little house, the two brothers nestled close together, their body heat warming each other, their breaths intertwining as though they had formed a small, separate world of warmth.
The bloody fights in the mountains, the schemes and intrigues, the longing and plans for a higher martial path... at this moment, all seemed shut outside this small warmth.
Li Bufan turned onto his side and looked at his little brother's peaceful sleeping face in the faint moonlight, his heart filled with determination to protect him. He had to grow stronger—not merely to pursue the pinnacle of martial arts for himself, but to give his little brother a stable future, one where he no longer had to live in fear or endure hunger and cold.
This belief drove him forward more than any technique or resource ever could.
Though they were in a shabby room amid freezing cold, the two brothers slept exceptionally deeply and warmly that night. The cold in their bodies was scattered by the closeness of blood ties, and the loneliness in their hearts was filled by their reliance on one another. To Li Bufan, this humble home was the strongest support and warmest harbor in this cold world.
After an unknown amount of time, Li Ping'an unconsciously shifted closer in his sleep toward the source of warmth—his big brother. His little hand unconsciously grasped Li Bufan's clothes, as if he had seized the safest thing in the entire world.
In his hazy sleep, Li Bufan sensed his little brother's dependence. The corners of his lips unconsciously curved into a gentle smile, and he too fell into a deep sleep.
Before you continue