Tempering

"Gasp—!"

Li He sucked in a sharp breath. The scorching medicinal liquid enveloped his entire body, and an indescribable burning sensation pierced deep into his skin, surging relentlessly toward his bones.

He didn't dare hesitate. He immediately sank his hips and bent his knees, opening with the Iron Body Stake, the starting stance of the Ape Demon Iron Body Technique, right there in the scalding liquid.

His spine coiled like a dragon, shoulders lowered and elbows dropped, arms curved protectively around his body. An unyielding, ferocious intent burst from within him, clashing against the violent medicinal power and transforming into a stream of pure energy that washed through his sinews, bones, and skin.

[Proficiency +1]

[Proficiency +1]

[Proficiency +1]

The system panel appeared before his eyes, and his proficiency rose rapidly.

Each increase came with waves of agony. His skin was torn again and again, then healed; his muscle fibers tightened and stretched under the medicine's force, giving faint groans. Deep in his bones, an itchy numbness spread, as though countless ants were gnawing at them.

Li He's face flushed blood-red one moment, then turned pale as paper the next.

Beside the medicinal pool lay several sticks of varying lengths: hard wooden batons, solid iron rods, and even a spiked club with raised studs along its surface.

Practicing an external art required more than medicinal baths and internal training. He also needed to toughen his body with outside force.

Li He rose from the pool, picked up the thickest spiked club, weighed it in his hand, then slammed it hard against his left arm.

Thud!

Li He grunted, his body swaying. He quickly sank back down to absorb the medicinal liquid. Once the deep redness faded from his skin, he stood and struck himself again, repeating the process.

Time passed, minute by minute.

The dark red medicinal liquid in the pool gradually faded.

[Proficiency +1]

[Ape Demon Iron Body Technique: Beginner (99%) → Proficient (0%)]

[Vitality: 12.9 → 13.4]

The burning pain on the surface of his skin suddenly eased, replaced by a firm, resilient sensation, as if an invisible layer of iron skin covered it.

The first layer of the Ape Demon Iron Body Technique—Iron Skin—had begun to take shape!

Li He opened his eyes, a sharp gleam flashing in them. He exhaled a stream of hot air that condensed into a cloud of white mist and lingered in the air.

He lowered his head and looked at his body.

His skin had taken on a healthy wheat-brown tone, faintly flushed from soaking in the medicinal liquid. On closer inspection, its texture was tighter than before, and the outer layer had thickened noticeably.

"The results are impressive."

Li He was delighted. His vitality had only increased by 0.5, but with an external art to strengthen him, how could that simple 0.5 reflect the full extent of his improvement?

He glanced at the sky outside. It was only noon, yet the medicinal liquid had already faded considerably. It seemed it wouldn't last a full day. His estimate had been off—though it was also possible that he had made progress too quickly.

"Waste is shameful." Li He opened the Iron Body Stake again, absorbing every last bit of energy left in the medicinal liquid.

After that,

five days passed!

[Proficiency +1]

[Ape Demon Iron Body Technique: Proficient (99%) → Expert (0%)]

[Proficiency +1]

[Ape Demon Iron Body Technique: Expert (99%) → Minor Achievement (0%)]

[Proficiency +1]

[Ape Demon Iron Body Technique: Minor Achievement (0%) → Minor Achievement (1%)]

At last, the medicinal liquid, which had been expected to last ten days, was completely used up. Li He had successfully cultivated the Ape Demon Iron Body Technique to minor achievement, and his Iron Bone had formed.

Li He stepped out of the bath and dried himself.

Water slid down the contours of his steel-like muscles. His skin was firm and resilient, its outer layer incredibly thick. He seemed transformed, radiating a steady, mountain-like presence.

[Vitality: 14.4 → 14.5]

"Huh?"

The system notification suddenly changed. Why had his vitality inexplicably increased by 0.1?

Puzzled, Li He changed into clean clothes and opened the door.

Outside, his mother, Zhang Xiujuan, was sitting on the sofa eating fruit.

"Hehe, you're finally out. Come here, Mom cut up some fruit for you..."

Zhang Xiujuan's voice cut off halfway through.

"Hehe?" Zhang Xiujuan looked confused. "Why do you look like you've... grown taller?"

Li He froze.

Grown taller?

He instinctively looked down at himself, then at his mother. He had already been much taller than her, but now he noticed that she had to tilt her head higher to meet his eyes.

Puzzled, Li He stood with his back against the wall and measured himself with a tape measure. He really had grown three or four centimeters.

For someone his age, that was a rather noticeable change.

"You really did get taller." Zhang Xiujuan came closer and measured against him with her hand. "How did that happen? You suddenly shot up!"

Li He thought it over. It had to be the result of cultivating the Ape Demon Iron Body Technique to minor achievement and beginning to form his Iron Bone.

His sinews and bones had been repeatedly tempered, growing more resilient, while his bones had been reshaped and stretched. Naturally, his stature had increased.

Even his vitality had risen by an extra 0.1.

"Mom, it might be from training. I've been practicing an external art lately, and it puts my sinews and bones through a lot of conditioning. It probably stimulated my bones to grow."

"Training can make you taller?" Zhang Xiujuan asked in amazement. "Well, that's good. Taller is better, and you look strong and energetic."

She couldn't help patting Li He's sturdy arm, and found it as hard as iron.

Li He smiled and didn't stop his mother. He picked up a piece of fruit and ate it, only to find that it tasted extremely bland.

"This fruit was a bit sour. Hehe, don't eat too much. Mom will buy you something sweeter tomorrow," Zhang Xiujuan said.

Li He's thoughts stirred.

Sour?

It didn't taste like much to him. Could practicing an external art affect his sense of taste too?

He shook his head, stopped thinking about it, and opened his attribute panel.

[Name: Li He]

[Vitality: 14.5]

[Skill: Federation Body Forging Fist: Minor Achievement (1%)]

[Skill: Old Ape Stretches Arms: Minor Achievement (1%)]

[Skill: Cloud Hand Eighteen Forms: Minor Achievement (1%)]

[Skill: Wild Goose Eight Steps: Minor Achievement (1%)]

[Skill: Turtle-Crane Health Stance: Minor Achievement (1%)]

[Skill: Silk-Reeling Power: Minor Achievement (1%)]

[Skill: Ape Standing Stake: Minor Achievement (1%)]

[Skill: Ape Demon Iron Body Technique: Minor Achievement (1%)]

"Although practicing an external art takes a lot of resources, the results are impressive. There's even an extra boost!" Li He thought.

He needed to find a way to get his hands on more external arts and see how they worked.

The next day.

Li He returned to the Yellow Mountain Martial Arts Hall.

Lin Feng was instructing the disciples on the Old Ape Stretches Arms in the training yard. He was the first to notice Li He.

"Junior Brother Li..." Lin Feng greeted him out of habit, but the words caught in his throat. He abruptly stopped what he was doing, his eyes widening.

"Junior Brother Li, what happened to you?" He looked Li He up and down. "You look like a different person. You're taller and a lot sturdier."

Lin Feng's words immediately caught the other disciples' attention. Shi Lei, Jin Yongsheng, Sun Ao, and the others all stopped what they were doing.

"Whoa... It's true. Senior Brother Li really does look taller."

"Not just taller! Look at his arms and shoulders. He looks several times sturdier than before."

"And his eyes are so sharp. They're kind of intimidating."

Everyone began talking at once.

Li He paid no attention to their reactions.

"Senior Brother Lin, I'm back. I made some progress with my training these past few days."

"That's more than just a little progress. You must have mastered an external art on your own. Have you made any progress with the Old Ape Stretches Arms?"

Li He gave an awkward smile but didn't answer.

Fortunately, Lin Feng didn't press him. He merely gave him his usual reminder to stay focused.

After the morning group training, all the disciples had brought their Old Ape Stretches Arms to the proficient level. They were not far from being taught their next martial art.

That afternoon.

Li He left the training yard and headed straight for the Scripture Pavilion.

He walked toward the inconspicuous blue-gray building deep inside the martial arts hall—the Scripture Pavilion.

He pushed open the wooden door. Uncle Yuan Hong was still sitting behind the same broad wooden desk, head lowered as he read.

Li He bowed, then quietly walked toward the bookshelf in the corner.

However, just as he passed Uncle Yuan Hong's desk,

Yuan Hong, who had kept his head lowered, stopped turning the page. An imperceptible aura swept over Li He in an instant.

Yuan Hong's fingers tightened unconsciously around the old book in his hands, and a storm surged through his heart.

"Iron Bone just beginning to form, and the Ape Demon Iron Body Technique already at minor achievement? In only five days? What kind of talent is this?"

An idea took shape in Yuan Hong's mind.

He slowly stood and walked over to a row of bookshelves, pretending to straighten the books. His fingers glided along the spines, making a faint rustling sound.

His fingertip passed precisely over a book of boxing techniques.

Yuan Hong flicked the book with his fingertip. It shot out and landed perfectly in the gap along the edge of the bookshelf behind him, without a sound.