"Swish, swish."
Some rustling came from the grass outside the cave. The faint sound of light footsteps reached Lin Yiqing's ears, and he hurriedly pulled on his clothes and hid behind a concealed boulder.
A moment later, a black-clad youth wandered into the cave.
Lin Yiqing quietly sized him up. The youth looked about fourteen or fifteen, his clothes covered in grass and mud, his face set with determination.
"Lin Dong!"
The youth was none other than Lin Dong, grandson of the family head, Lin Zhentian. Lin Yiqing had seen him before at family gatherings.
But since they were only distantly related, the two had merely been acquaintances who nodded to each other.
"From the look of him, he must have just finished cultivating."
Lin Yiqing knew that back when Lin Dong was in the early stages of the Body Tempering Realm, he would come here for a soak after every cultivation session.
With the help of the mysterious spiritual liquid dripping from the Ancestor Stone, Lin Dong's cultivation had also progressed at a rapid pace.
The situation now was probably the same. They had simply run into each other by chance. Thinking this, Lin Yiqing slowly stepped out from behind the boulder.
"Cousin Lin Dong!"
Lin Dong had just approached the pool when Lin Yiqing's voice startled him.
He sprang back several steps, putting some distance between them. When he looked up and saw Lin Yiqing emerging from beside the boulder, he seemed somewhat surprised, but didn't let down his guard in the slightest.
"Cousin Yiqing, what are you doing here?" he asked, his face full of astonishment.
Lin Yiqing found his feigned nonchalance rather amusing. But after observing him closely, he could still detect the anxiety and surprise hidden in Lin Dong's eyes.
He must care a lot about this pool. He's trying not to show it, but he's already getting anxious.
Lin Dong hadn't yet experienced the rigors of killing and still seemed a little green, but his remarkable composure was already apparent.
An ordinary child his age would never have been able to keep his cool.
That makes sense. He doesn't even dare tell his family about this place's wonders, afraid it might bring disaster upon them.
When Lin Dong began to breathe a little faster, Lin Yiqing finally said, unhurriedly, "I came to the back mountain to look for medicinal herbs and happened upon this pool. It seemed a little unusual. Do you know what's going on, Cousin Lin Dong?"
Lin Yiqing looked at Lin Dong with wide, bright eyes and an earnest expression.
"Hm? What's so unusual about this place? I only stumbled across it myself just now," Lin Dong replied, rolling his eyes as he played along.
What a crafty kid!
Seeing Lin Dong act as if he knew nothing, Lin Yiqing nearly laughed in exasperation. He really was cautious.
"I was a little tired, so I thought I'd take a dip in the pool. Who would've thought the water had some strange power that nourished the body, almost like a spirit medicine?"
As Lin Yiqing earnestly described the pool's wondrous effects, Lin Dong's nonchalant expression finally began to crack.
"Is that true?"
He hurried over and grabbed Lin Yiqing, repeatedly asking with an incredulous look on his face.
"Of course it's true. Why would I lie to you?"
By now, Lin Dong understood that the pool had been exposed all along.
Just as Lin Dong was beginning to panic, Lin Yiqing smiled knowingly. "Cousin Lin Dong, this pool's effects are truly extraordinary. You must keep it secret. If word gets out, it'll bring a great calamity. The whole Lin Family might even be dragged into it!"
"Come on, is it really that miraculous? I'm still not sure I believe it. Maybe I should bring one of the family's experts here to examine it. If it's true, we'll have done the family a great service!"
Lin Dong replied with an awkward smile.
Seeing this, Lin Yiqing didn't press the matter. He only suggested that Lin Dong get in and experience the pool for himself, then made an excuse about the late hour and left.
Lin Dong had already taken the Ancestor Stone, so the pool only had a few uses left.
The Golden Crow sank from sight, and the Jade Rabbit climbed into the sky.
The moonlight poured gently into the little courtyard of blue bricks, stretching the figure by the window into a long shadow.
Lin Yiqing chopped several chunks of black medicinal herbs into small pieces, then boiled them in water. After a quarter of an hour, he poured the mixture through a strainer, leaving behind a clear, black medicinal liquid.
He peeled the blue-black Earth Profound Fruit and mashed it in a bowl. Soon, Lin Yiqing had a full cup of yellowish-green liquid. This was the essence of the Earth Profound Fruit.
"Why does this look like kiwi juice?"
Lin Yiqing couldn't help grumbling. The Earth Profound Fruit had seemed familiar from the start, and the color of its juice finally reminded him of a fruit he'd eaten in the past.
He added the Earth Profound Fruit juice to the black medicinal liquid and quickly turned down the heat. He slowly simmered it until three bowls of water had boiled down to one, then took the medicine off the stove.
The medicinal liquid had turned into a thick, dark-green paste. But through his primordial-energy vision, it appeared as a clump of earth-element energy radiating brilliant light.
Lin Yiqing couldn't help getting excited. The Earth Profound Fruit was mild in nature and ideal for nourishing the bones. He had now added several herbs that strengthened the body and replenished its vital energy, making the medicine even better suited to his cultivation progress.
Before breaking through to the Body Tempering Sixth Layer, he could only improve his cultivation by training his body and using medicine to support it.
Only after cultivating primordial power could one be called a true cultivator!
Taking advantage of the night, Lin Yiqing began studying the Penetrating Fist. This First-Grade Martial Art was widely known in the Body Tempering Realm. If he could master it and unite the inner and outer forces, reaching Ten Resonances, its power could rival that of some Third-Grade Martial Arts!
Of course, the art itself could only reach nine resonances. To achieve ten, it had to be refined. Even Lin Dong had relied on the Ancestor Stone to perfect it and reach that level. That showed just how difficult it was.
He cleared his mind and let his fists follow his intent. Before long, Lin Yiqing entered his own unique state of flow. In this state, he could sense every awkward movement and refine it until it was more perfect.
Deep in his sea of consciousness, a hazy glimmer of light flickered brighter and brighter, as if expounding on a truth and principle beyond anyone's reach.
Sweat soaked Lin Yiqing's clothes, but he remained unaware, his attention entirely fixed on the martial art.
His moves flashed one after another, each punch cutting through the air. He also had plenty of iron weights strapped to his body, equipment used for Body Tempering Realm training—a testament to the boy's diligence.
This was an experience he had never had before: carefree and unrestrained, without the burden of material concerns. Here, all he had was a devoted heart for the martial way.
Sweat dripped into his eyes, and a raw, stinging ache spread through his muscles. But Lin Yiqing gritted his teeth and kept practicing the Penetrating Fist.
He could feel the exhaustion coursing through his body, but the more exhausted he became, the less he could afford to rest. On the martial path, one either advanced or fell behind.
Only by persevering could he break through his limits.
The searing ache kept coming. It felt as if a fire were burning in his chest, leaving him dizzy and making the approach of his limits almost unbearable.
But just then, threads of warmth welled up inside him. The moment they appeared, Lin Yiqing felt his spirits lift.
"It's the medicinal power I've accumulated!"
Seizing the opportunity, Lin Yiqing gathered all his strength and threw a punch at the tree in the courtyard. He felt a surge of force travel through his arm muscles, unfurling in layers like ripples until it finally stacked and condensed entirely in his fist.
"Pa-pa-pa-pa—bang!"
After nine sharp cracks, another sound rang out from within him, muffled like a hand striking a drum. Lin Yiqing withdrew his fist amid the flying splinters of wood. At last, he had mastered the Penetrating Fist!
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