Cold Jade Marrow had opened up new possibilities, but Lin Qin understood that external aid was only ever a supplement. In the end, he relied on the strength he had accumulated bit by bit, and on the special talent known as Heaven Rewards Diligence. In this secluded valley, that talent's effects were being pushed to their utmost.
He divided every day into a strict schedule, down to the hour.
As soon as the sky began to lighten, Lin Qin was already up. He didn't immediately launch into advanced cultivation, but began with the basics. Standing meditation, running with weights, swinging his sword and chopping—exercises even beginner warriors did—were things he repeated day after day. The difference was that he poured his entire focus into every movement, striving to engage every muscle and coordinate it with the flow of Battle Qi within him.
His Battle Qi followed its established path in a cycle. It moved neither quickly nor forcefully, but with remarkable steadiness and precision. Under the effects of Heaven Rewards Diligence, this seemingly clumsy, inefficient cultivation brought results far beyond those of methods that sought quick gains. His body grew stronger through basic training, while the source of his Saint Realm power slowly but steadily recovered, becoming more refined—like iron repeatedly hammered until its impurities were driven out, leaving only the purest core. His control over his own strength also became more precise, down to the smallest detail: at a thought, it flowed into action without the slightest deviation.
Morning was set aside for studying the nature of power. Lin Qin sat cross-legged beside the stream, his mental energy sinking into his body and spreading outward until it was closely connected to the earth beneath him. He had long since progressed beyond merely sensing the soil's firmness. Now, he was