"This is way too difficult... Elder is just making things hard for him!"
Hearing that Elder required Ye Li to break through to the middle stage of Body Tempering within five months, Ji Yu grumbled inwardly.
His current realm had been hovering at this very stage, so he naturally understood just how difficult it was.
It had taken him five months to go from an ordinary person to breaking through into Body Tempering.
And it had taken him a full sixteen months to break through from the early stage of Body Tempering to the middle stage!
Just guiding his qi and blood and tempering his sinews and flesh had taken him a year to reach the peak of the early Body Tempering stage.
The remaining four months had all gone into those profound and elusive realizations, searching for that fleeting insight that would break through the bottleneck!
Of course, the reason it had taken him a year to temper his body to the peak of early Body Tempering even with two Body-Tempering Pills every month had much to do with the girls of Spring Return Alley being far too alluring.
Even an iron-forged body could not withstand taking a Tiger-Wolf Pill every day and spending two hours making merry in Spring Return Alley.
Everything he trained each day was spent away, and what he replenished could barely keep up with what he leaked. Only after half a year, when he no longer needed Dragon Tiger Pills, had he finally ground his body to completion through slow, patient effort.
In Ji Yu's eyes, even if Ye Li could resist temptation and rely on vast quantities of Body Tempering Pills to finish tempering his body within five months—
That thread of profound and elusive insight would still take at least a month to pursue.
Still, although both of them knew this demand was difficult—
Compared with the original arrangement, where he had to repay not only the principal but also the interest, it was still far better.
Unlike the two men before him.
Upon hearing the news, Ye Li could only force a stiff expression onto his face and say,
"I accept this condition. Hurry up and bring out the thousand taels."
After the time it took for an incense stick to burn, Ye Li solemnly accepted the thousand taels Ji Yu handed over, feeling the weight of the money in his hands.
"At least I have enough cultivation resources for the next three months!"
Realm: Early Body Tempering Stage (75/1834) Azure Dragon Force (1918/100)
Looking at the values displayed on the progress bars, Ye Li's eyes held nothing but unwavering determination.
With [World-Shocking Wisdom] in his possession, whatever kind of insight tag he lacked, it would transmit precisely that insight to him. His foundation was even more stable than those martial artists who had exhausted themselves breaking through.
What bottleneck? He had thought it was a speed bump.
But this little incident also made Ye Li realize that his actions had likely drawn the Elder's attention.
Since becoming a core disciple, he had thought he was being left to grow wild. How could someone with his talent receive no attention? So they had been secretly watching all along.
Sure enough, he should put some pressure on them. Only noisy children received enough attention.
As for some so-called test, he did not take it to heart at all.
Five months?
With an unlimited supply of pills, that would probably be enough for him to cultivate all the way to the late Body Tempering stage!
Rubbing the banknotes in his hand, Ye Li was already considering when he should visit Hundred Treasures Hall for a shopping spree.
After leaving Wantong Workshop, Feng Yue reminded him, "This time, you received the Elder's attention thanks to Elder Yang Shichang's support."
Ye Li's expression shifted slightly. "Elder Yang Shichang?"
"That's right. Elder Yang reached the middle stage of the Post-Heaven Realm before forty. He cares deeply for the gang and sides with no faction, devoting himself wholeheartedly to the gang. It was also he who argued on your behalf and secured these benefits for you."
"Three years ago, the gang fell into a trap laid by the Poison Wolf Gang. If Elder Yang had not led the way and fought desperately to carve out a path of survival, the outstanding students of the younger generation would likely have been wiped out."
"After that battle, the blow was too great. Elder Yang withdrew from the front lines and immersed himself in martial arts. Instead, he climbed a hundred-foot pole and advanced another step, breaking through into the middle stage."
"Though the conditions he raised this time are a little harsh, no matter the outcome, they are far better than the original thirty-percent annual interest. Nor did he say when you had to repay it, so there is no need to hurry."
Ye Li said thoughtfully, "In that case, I truly should thank him properly! But what did you mean when you said the gang's younger generation was nearly wiped out?"
"Exactly what it sounds like. The gang's only three students with blue tags all died, including the Gang Leader's personal disciple."
"So there is an urgent need for newcomers to shoulder the burden. The requirements for gang members have also changed—from originally becoming core disciples after five months, to becoming one after reaching Body Tempering within half a year."
Feng Yue briefly introduced Ye Li to the gang's current situation.
As Ye Li silently listened to Feng Yue's explanation, he suddenly noticed the key point in those words.
"The Gang Leader has no personal disciples? Doesn't that make him a lonely old man? Who will shoulder the burden of the Azure Dragon Gang in the future?"
Near Spring Return Alley, the two men parted ways, leaving Ye Li to enter this Flower-and-Willow Alley alone.
As he approached, he saw a young man dressed in Azure Dragon Gang attire staggering backward through the alley.
"Don't give me any more. I've been taking Dragon Tiger Pills for five months. I really can't take any more."
Before him, San Niang, still heavily made up, smiled brightly.
"Little Brother Wang, don't resist. This stuff is good for you."
"Good my ass! I've been swallowing it every day for five months, and I haven't trained as much as I've lost. Even two Body-Tempering Pills a month can't hold up!"
The young man surnamed Wang wailed miserably, "Elder Li, I just want to cultivate properly. Please don't force me, alright? I'm a dignified Body Tempering martial artist, but now my calves tremble every day. Even standing in a stance is difficult."
Thinking of the past five months made tears stream down his face.
The first month had been fine. Having just tasted the forbidden fruit, he had been bursting with enthusiasm!
But after a month, once that initial vigor faded, every day became torment.
It was not that it was unpleasant. Rather, after the pleasure ended, facing his faintly aching kidneys and limbs drained of all strength, that hollow, yin-deficient state was far too terrifying.
The hardware quality was too poor to keep up with the performance drain of the software!
For martial artists cultivating, the most important thing was not to leak.
This young man had leaked several times a day for the past five months, and without the Battle Endurance Method or Yin-Yang Essential Secret to assist him, he naturally grew weaker and more hollow by the day.
Seeing that her advice had been ineffective, San Niang's face turned cold.
"If your own will is weak, don't blame the Dragon Tiger Pills. If you could endure it, with Dragon Tiger Pills and Body Tempering working in tandem for five months, you would have reached the peak of the early stage long ago!"
With that, Li San Niang's figure turned into a ghostlike afterimage as she lunged at the young man!
Amid the young man's bitter expression, Li San Niang grabbed the back of his neck as though catching a chicken. With a burst of force from her palm, the youth's tightly shut mouth opened against his will.
"You'll eat it even if you don't want to!"
San Niang snorted coldly and directly stuffed the Dragon Tiger Pill into his mouth.
Moments later, it was as if flames rose within his lower abdomen.
The young man's face changed. This is bad! Little Head had successfully taken the throne and seized control of Big Head!
With the identities of Big Head Son and Little Head Dad reversed, he ran toward Spring Return Alley in tears, staggering every step of the way.
Several women were already waiting in the alley with bright smiles, waving at the young man!
Ye Li stood to one side, silently watching the entire process. Recalling San Niang's earlier move, that ghostlike speed had been so fast that even he could not see it clearly.
This was merely the early stage of the Post-Heaven Realm. Being separated by one major realm resulted in such complete suppression.
Noticing Ye Li, San Niang's smile returned. "Little Brother Ye, do you need San Niang to feed you personally too?"
Ye Li said nothing. He simply walked straight toward San Niang.
He extended his hand, spread his palm, and waited for her to pass him the pill.