Big Head Son, Small Head Dad

"This is just too difficult... The Elder is purely making things hard for people!"

Hearing the Elder demand that Ye Li break through to the mid-stage of Body Tempering within five months, Ji Yu, standing to the side, complained inwardly!

He was currently hovering at that very stage, so he naturally understood the difficulty involved.

It had taken him five months to go from a mortal 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 mid-stage!

Just the process of guiding blood and qi to temper his muscles and bones had taken him a year to reach the peak of the early Body Tempering stage.

The remaining four months were spent entirely on profound and mysterious insights, searching for that sliver of opportunity to break through the bottleneck!

Of course, the reason it took him a year to polish his body to the peak of the early Body Tempering stage while taking two Body Tempering Pills a month had to do with the girls in Spring Return Alley being too alluring.

Even a body made of iron couldn't withstand taking a Tiger-Wolf Pill every day and spending two hours in Spring Return Alley.

Everything he cultivated each day was spent right back out; his replenishment could barely keep up with his depletion. It wasn't until half a year later, when he no longer needed to take the Dragon Tiger Pill, that he finally managed to polish his physical body through sheer persistence.

In Ji Yu's view, even if Ye Li could resist the temptation and rely on a massive amount of Body Tempering Pills to finish polishing his body within five months, that sliver of profound and mysterious insight would still require at least a month to pursue.

However, regarding this requirement, although both of them knew it was difficult, it was still much better than the original plan that required paying back both the principal and interest.

Unlike the thoughts of the two people in front of him, Ye Li, upon hearing this news, could only force a straight face and say:

"I accept this requirement. Quickly, bring over the one thousand taels."

An incense stick of time later, Ye Li solemnly accepted the one thousand taels handed over by Ji Yu, feeling the weight of the money in his hands.

"At the very least, my cultivation resources for the next three months are secured!"

Realm: Body Tempering Early Stage (75/1834)
Azure Dragon Force (1918/100)

Looking at the values displayed on the progress bar, only a firm determination to succeed remained in Ye Li's eyes.

With World-Shocking Wisdom at his disposal, whatever insight he lacked, the trait would transmit it to him. His foundation was even more stable than those martial artists who broke through by working themselves to the bone.

Bottleneck? He thought of it more like a speed bump.

However, this little episode also made Ye Li realize that his actions had likely drawn the attention of the Elder.

Since being promoted to a core disciple, he had thought he was being left to his own devices. He wondered why no one had paid attention to his talent, but it turned out they had been watching from the shadows all along.

As expected, one should apply pressure to them; only a child who makes a scene can get enough attention.

As for the so-called test, he didn't take it to heart at all.

Five months?

With enough medicinal pills, he was afraid it would be enough for him to cultivate to the late stage of Body Tempering!

Rubbing the silver notes in his hand, Ye Li was already considering when to go to the Hundred Treasures Hall to do some shopping.

After coming out of the Wantong Workshop, Feng Yue offered a hint: "This time, the fact that you could gain the Elder's attention is thanks to the support of Elder Yang Shichang."

Ye Li's expression shifted slightly: "Elder Yang Shichang?"

"That's right. Elder Yang was promoted to the mid-stage of the Post-Heaven Realm before the age of forty. Moreover, he cares for the gang, doesn't side with any faction, and is devoted to the gang's interests. It was he who argued strongly to secure these benefits for you."

"Three years ago, the gang fell into a trap set by the Poison Wolf Gang. If it hadn't been for Elder Yang leading a team to fight their way out, I'm afraid all the outstanding disciples of the younger generation would have been wiped out."

"After that battle, due to the heavy blow, Elder Yang retreated from the front lines and became obsessed with martial arts, eventually making further progress to break through to the mid-stage."

"Although the requirement set this time is a bit harsh, regardless of the outcome, it is much better than the original 30% annual interest, and it didn't say when you have to pay it back, so you don't need to worry."

Ye Li said thoughtfully: "In that case, I really should thank him properly! But what did you mean by the younger generation of the gang being wiped out?"

"Literally. The only three disciples with blue traits in the gang were all killed, including the personal disciple of the Gang Leader."

"That is why there is an urgent need for new blood to take on the heavy responsibilities, and the requirements for gang members have been relaxed from the original five months to half a year of Body Tempering to become a core disciple."

Feng Yue briefly introduced the current state of the gang to Ye Li.

Listening silently to Feng Yue's explanation, Ye Li suddenly noticed the key point of this statement:

"The Gang Leader has no personal disciples? Doesn't that make him a lonely old man? Who will be able to take on the heavy responsibilities of the Azure Dragon Gang in the future?"

Approaching Spring Return Alley, the two parted ways, and Ye Li entered the flower-and-willow alley alone.

Just as he got close, he saw a youth dressed in Azure Dragon Gang attire stumbling backward in the alley, saying:

"Don't give me any more. I've been eating the Dragon Tiger Pill for five months; I really can't eat any more."

In front of the youth, San Niang, still heavily made up, said with a beaming smile:

"Little Brother Wang, don't resist. Eating this stuff is good for you."

"What good is it? I've been popping these pills every single day for five months, and I'm losing more than I'm gaining. Even two Body Tempering Pills a month can't keep up with this!"

The youth surnamed Wang said with a mournful face, "Elder Li San Niang, I just want to cultivate properly. Please, stop forcing me, okay? I am a dignified Body Tempering martial artist, but now my calves tremble every day, and even standing in a horse stance is difficult."

Thinking back on the life he had led over these past five months, tears streamed down his face.

The first month was fine; having tasted the forbidden fruit for the first time, he was full of enthusiasm!

However, once that initial drive dissipated after the first month, every day became a torment.

It wasn't that it wasn't pleasurable, but after the pleasure faded, facing his aching kidneys and his weak, listless limbs, that state of yin deficiency was truly terrifying.

His hardware quality was too poor to keep up with the performance drain of his software!

In martial cultivation, the most important thing is to avoid leakage.

Because the youth had been leaking several times a day for these five months without the aid of the Battle Endurance Method or the Yin-Yang Essential Secret, he had naturally become increasingly hollow and frail.

Seeing that her admonitions had no effect, Li San Niang's expression turned cold.

"Don't blame the Dragon Tiger Pill just because your own willpower is weak. If you could have held back, the combination of the Dragon Tiger Pill and body tempering over these five months would have already pushed you to the peak of the early stage!"

With that, Li San Niang's figure transformed into a ghostly afterimage, lunging toward the youth!

Amidst the youth's bitter expression, Li San Niang grabbed him by the scruff of his neck as if he were a chicken. With a sudden burst of force from her palm, the youth's tightly shut mouth uncontrollably flew open.

"Eat it, whether you want to or not!"

Li San Niang snorted coldly and shoved the Dragon Tiger Pill directly into his mouth.

A moment later, a sensation like fire rose within his lower abdomen.

The youth's expression changed, and he cursed inwardly, "Woe is me," as his "little head" successfully took control of his "big head"!

With the roles of the "big-headed son" and "little-headed father" reversed, he ran stumbling all the way toward Spring Return Alley with a mournful face.

In the alley, several women were already waiting with beaming smiles, waving at the youth!

Ye Li stood to the side, silently watching the entire process, recalling the image of Li San Niang's strike just now; that ghostly speed was so fast that even he couldn't see it clearly.

And this was merely the early Post-Heaven Realm; the gap of a single major realm resulted in such total suppression.

Noticing Ye Li, Li San Niang's face returned to a smile as she said, "Little Brother Ye Li, do you need San Niang to feed you personally as well?"

Ye Li did not speak, instead walking straight toward Li San Niang.

He reached out his hand, palm open, waiting for her to hand over the medicine.