Ten Consecutive Back-Throughs

"Swish, swish."

A faint rustling sound drifted from the grass outside the cave, followed by the soft, light tread of footsteps that reached Lin Yiqing's ears. He hurriedly pulled on his clothes and hid behind a concealed boulder.

A moment later, a youth in black robes sauntered into the cave.

Lin Yiqing observed him quietly. The youth appeared to be about fourteen or fifteen years old, his body covered in grass clippings and dirt, his face set in a look of grim determination.

"Lin Dong."

This youth was none other than Lin Dong, the grandson of the Lin Family head, Lin Zhentian. Lin Yiqing had seen him before at family gatherings.

However, because they were distant relatives, they were merely nodding acquaintances.

Judging by his appearance, he must have just finished his training.

Lin Yiqing knew that back when the youth was in the early stages of the Body Tempering Realm, he would come here to soak after every training session.

By utilizing the mysterious spiritual liquid dripped by the Ancestor Stone, the youth's cultivation speed had always been remarkably fast.

The current situation was likely the same, only they had happened to run into each other. Thinking of this, Lin Yiqing slowly stepped out from behind the boulder.

"Cousin Lin Dong!"

Just as Lin Dong approached the pool, he was caught off guard and startled by Lin Yiqing's voice.

He leaped back several steps, creating a safe distance, and looked up to see Lin Yiqing emerging from behind the boulder. Although he looked surprised, he did not relax his vigilance in the slightest.

"Cousin Yiqing, why are you here?" he asked, looking at Lin Yiqing with an expression of astonishment.

Seeing him pretend to be nonchalant, Lin Yiqing found it somewhat amusing, though careful observation revealed the hidden anxiety and shock in the youth's eyes.

It seems he values this pool highly; he may not say it, but he is already quite anxious.

The current Lin Dong had yet to experience the brutality of the world and was still somewhat green, but his extraordinary mental fortitude was already evident.

An ordinary child of this age would never have been able to keep his composure.

That makes sense. After all, he doesn't even dare tell his own family about the wonders of this place for fear of bringing disaster upon them.

Seeing Lin Dong's breathing begin to quicken, Lin Yiqing spoke unhurriedly: "I was in the back mountains looking for medicinal herbs and accidentally discovered that this pool is quite magical. Do you know what's going on, Cousin Lin Dong?"

With that, Lin Yiqing opened his bright, piercing eyes and looked at Lin Dong with a sincere expression.

"Hm? What's so magical about this place? I just found it by accident myself," Lin Dong's eyes darted around as he followed Lin Yiqing's lead and asked.

Good lad, quite the slippery one!

Seeing the youth feign complete ignorance, Lin Yiqing couldn't help but laugh despite his frustration; he really was cautious.

"I was feeling tired and wanted to take a bath in this pool, but who would have thought the water would possess such a marvelous power? It nourishes the body, almost like a spiritual medicine."

As Lin Yiqing earnestly revealed the magical effects of the pool water, Lin Dong's nonchalant expression finally began to crack.

"Are you telling the truth?"

He hurried over to grab Lin Yiqing, asking repeatedly with an expression of disbelief.

"Of course it's true, why would I lie to you!"

Hearing this, Lin Dong realized that the secret of the pool had finally been exposed.

Just as Lin Dong was at a loss for what to do, Lin Yiqing smiled knowingly: "Cousin Lin Dong, the effects of this pool are truly extraordinary. You must keep it a secret; otherwise, if it leaks out, it will be a catastrophe. If things go wrong, our entire Lin Family could suffer!"

"Haha, is it really that magical? I still find it hard to believe. Why don't I go ask the experts in the family to come and verify it? If it's true, it would be a great contribution for us!"

Lin Dong responded with a forced laugh.

Seeing this, Lin Yiqing did not press the matter further. He simply suggested that the other boy go into the pool to experience it for himself, then made an excuse about the late hour and left.

The Ancestor Stone had already been taken by Lin Dong, and the pool wouldn't have many uses left anyway.

The golden sun sank, and the jade moon rose high.

The bright moonlight spilled gently into the small brick courtyard, stretching the shadow by the window to a great length.

Lin Yiqing chopped several pieces of black medicinal herbs into fragments, then boiled them in water. After a quarter of an hour, he poured the mixture through a filter to obtain a clear, residue-free black medicinal liquid.

He took the dark green Earth Profound Fruit, peeled it, and mashed it in a container to obtain a full cup of yellowish-green liquid—the essence of the Earth Profound Fruit.

Why does this look like kiwi juice!

Lin Yiqing couldn't help but complain. He had felt the Earth Profound Fruit looked familiar before, and the color of this liquid finally reminded him of a fruit he used to eat.

Adding the Earth Profound Fruit juice to the black medicinal liquid, Lin Yiqing hurriedly lowered the fire. Through slow simmering, he reduced three bowls of water down to one before removing the medicine from the heat.

The liquid had now turned into a dark green paste, but in his Origin Qi vision, it appeared as a mass of earth-attribute Origin Qi radiating a brilliant light.

Seeing this, Lin Yiqing couldn't help but feel excited. The Earth Profound Fruit had a mild medicinal potency, making it perfect for nourishing bones, and now that he had added a few more herbs to strengthen his foundation, it was even better suited to his cultivation progress.

Before breaking through to the sixth level of the Body Tempering Realm, one could only improve their cultivation by exercising the body and using medicinal supplements.

Only after cultivating Origin Power could one truly be called a practitioner!

Taking advantage of the night, Lin Yiqing began to study the Through-Back Fist. This low-grade first-tier martial art was quite famous in the Body Tempering Realm. If one could master it to the point of achieving internal and external unity, reaching the "ten-echo" level, its power could even rival some low-grade third-tier martial arts!

Of course, this martial art could naturally only reach nine echoes. To achieve ten, one needed to make some refinements. Even Lin Dong had relied on the Ancestor Stone's perfection to reach the ten-echo level, which showed just how difficult it was.

Emptying his mind and letting his fists follow his intent, Lin Yiqing quickly entered his unique state of cultivation flow. In this state, every inconsistency was detected and corrected to be more perfect.

Deep within the sea of consciousness, a hazy point of clear light flickered with increasing intensity, as if expounding upon a Dao and logic beyond compare.

Sweat soaked through Lin Yiqing's clothes, yet he remained oblivious, his attention entirely focused on this set of martial arts.

His movements flew, each punch generating a gust of wind. Furthermore, he had numerous iron weights strapped to his body—items used in conjunction with the Body Tempering Realm—which served as a testament to the youth's diligence.

This was an experience he had never known before: unbridled, free, and devoid of material pressure. Here, all he possessed was a devout heart for the martial path.

Sweat dripped into his eyes, and a stinging soreness radiated from every muscle in his body, but Lin Yiqing gritted his teeth and continued to practice the Through-Back Fist.

He could feel the exhaustion spreading throughout his entire being, yet this was precisely the moment he could not afford to rest; on the path of martial arts, to not advance was to retreat.

Only through persistence could one break through their limits.

The stinging pain intensified, and his chest felt as if it were burning, leaving him dizzy and lightheaded. The sensation of nearing his limit was almost unbearable.

However, just then, wisps of heat surged from within his body. The moment these heat currents appeared, Lin Yiqing felt his entire spirit lift.

It's the accumulated medicinal power!

Seizing the opportunity, Lin Yiqing gathered all his strength and threw a punch at the large tree in the courtyard. At that moment, he felt a surge of force weaving through the muscles of his arm, rippling outward in layers until it finally condensed and stacked entirely upon his fist.

"Pa-pa-pa-pa-boom!"

Following nine consecutive crisp cracks, a dull sound like a beating drum echoed from within his body. Amidst the flying wood splinters, Lin Yiqing retracted his fist and stood tall; he had finally mastered the Through-Back Fist!